The Great Commission

[0:00] Within his word. Wonderful words of praise and we turn together to God's word. We'll read this morning from the last chapter in the Gospel of Matthew. In the New Testament scriptures, the final chapter of Matthew's Gospel, the good news of the Lord Jesus Christ as recorded for us by Matthew.

[0:21] And here in the final chapter we are told of what happened after the crucifixion and indeed in Matthew in these few sentences covers these several weeks that passed following the resurrection of Jesus and how he dealt with and taught and pastored the apostles.

[0:40] Now after the Sabbath toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it.

[0:56] His appearance was like lightning and his clothing white as snow. For fear of him, the guards trembled and became like dead men. But the angel said to the woman, Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.

[1:12] He is not here, for he has risen as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead and behold, he is going before you to Galilee.

[1:26] There you will see him. See, I have told you. So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy and ran to tell his disciples.

[1:37] And behold, Jesus met them and said, Greetings. And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshipped him. Then Jesus said to them, Do not be afraid.

[1:48] Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee. There they will see me. While they were going, behold, some of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests all that had taken place.

[2:00] And when they assembled with the elders and taken counsel, they gave a sufficient sum of money to the soldiers and said, Tell people, his disciples came by night and stole them away while we were asleep.

[2:12] And if this comes to the governor's ears, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble. So they took the money and did as they were directed. And this story has been spread among the Jews to this day.

[2:26] Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him, they worshipped him. But some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

[2:42] Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.

[2:53] And behold, I am with you always to the end of the age. Amen. And may God bless our hearts with his word.

[3:06] Let us bow in prayer together for a moment. Lord our God, we bless you and praise you this morning for the truth of your word, for the gospel around which we gather, in the name of Jesus Christ, your Son, the one who became flesh and dwelt among us, the one who gave himself for us, the one who became a curse for us.

[3:29] Lord, we can scarce take in the depth and wonder of these words, the Son of God, sinless, spotless, eternal, becoming a curse for us.

[3:44] Lord our God, we pray this morning that you would bless your truth to our hearts, that we, Lord, in coming before you would do so with humility and dependence, that, Lord, we would seek to know you all the more, that we would come before you to learn and hear anew, how you would have us live and serve you.

[4:06] So be with us, Lord, today as we consider the teaching of scripture, the New Testament revelation, that speaks to us so clearly and powerfully, of the finished work of Jesus, your Son, in the room instead of sinners, where there he said, Father, forgive them.

[4:24] And so we rejoice today, in the finished work of Christ, for he breathed his last on the cross that day, and died a death, to pay the price beyond our payment, being found guilty, for the sins of the world.

[4:42] And we rejoice, Lord, with you together this morning, that when the woman went to the tomb, that first Sunday morning, it was empty, the stone was rolled away, the guards were struck down with terror, for the angel of the Lord descended, to show something incredible, and awesome had happened.

[5:03] There was nobody. They were in a graveyard, but looking for someone who was alive. And we rejoice today, with the whole New Testament church, for our song is, Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory, through our Lord Jesus Christ.

[5:21] And today we meet, in the name of a risen, all-knowing, all-powerful Saviour, the one to whom all authority, has been given on heaven, and on earth, and who now says, to his people, the church on earth, to go and make disciples, of all nations, teaching them to observe, all things, that I have commanded you, baptizing, in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, knowing, that he is with us, always, to the end of the age.

[5:51] Bless, this wonderful reality, to our hearts, this morning. Bless Lord, your cause, bless the congregation, here today. We pray Lord, that they would know, great encouragement, as they serve you, week by week.

[6:04] We pray Lord, that Myrdo and Allison, would know your blessing, upon them, in the work, that they put their hand to, in their family as well. And we ask Lord, for all the families, of the congregation, and community here.

[6:16] And we pray Lord, for the island. We thank you, that there are many, this morning on the island, gathered just as we are, in worship before you. Singing praise, to the living God, and hearing the word, of God proclaimed.

[6:29] The cross of Christ, being upheld, as the only way, of salvation. And we pray today Lord, that that declaration, would go forth, with great power. Building up, and nourishing your people.

[6:40] convicting, those who as yet, do not know you. And bringing them to you, in repentance and faith. We rejoice Lord, that there are many, meeting not just on this island, but across our country today.

[6:53] And we ask Lord, that your cause, would indeed prosper, through the preaching, of the word. Build up, men, women, and boys and girls today. Our brothers and sisters, in Christ. That they would be, nourished and fed, and enlivened, to go into the week ahead, ready and willing, to live for you.

[7:11] To be living signposts, witnesses, to Jesus Christ, and him crucified. Lord, hear us in these things, we pray this morning. Draw near to us.

[7:22] Open our hearts, to your word, we pray. And forgive all our sin. In Jesus name, we ask it. Amen. Amen. We'll sing again, to God's praise, before turning back, to Matthew's gospel, from Psalm 56, in Sing Psalms.

[7:41] Psalm 56, singing from verse 3. A psalm, that is attributed, to David, at a time of real, testing and hardship, in his life.

[7:52] He's lost his, home, his position, his standing, and status, his wife, and family. Everyone's been, taken from him, and he's now a refugee, and on the run. And here we find, the source of David's, comfort, and strength.

[8:06] When I am afraid, I'll trust you. I will praise, your faithful word. I will trust, and not be fearful. What can man, do to me, Lord?

[8:17] A wonderful, perspective, of faith. Psalm 56, in Sing Psalms, we'll sing from, verse 3 to 11, to the praise of God. When I am afraid, I'll trust you.

[8:36] I will praise, your faithful word. I will trust, and not be fearful.

[8:49] What can man, do to me, Lord? All day long, they plot to harm me, twist in everything I say.

[9:08] They conspire, they learn, they trail me, keen to take my life away.

[9:20] Let them not escape, give you anger, they are gracious, the Lord.

[9:35] In your book, write my entreaties, in your scroll, my tears record.

[9:48] When I call on you to help me, then my force will turn aside.

[10:01] This is how I will be certain, that my God is on my side.

[10:16] In the Lord's word I honor, honor. In my God, I praise this word.

[10:30] I will trust, and not be fearful. What can man do to me, Lord?

[10:41] Lord? Now, if you would turn with me in your Bibles to the chapter we read together from the Gospel of Matthew, and the chapter 28.

[11:01] We have these words recorded for us that we have come to understand or refer to as the great commission of the Lord Jesus Christ to his apostles and as their successors to us, his church on earth, where the Lord there in Galilee said, All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

[11:23] Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.

[11:35] And behold, I am with you always to the end of the age. Wonderful words that give us our directions, that give us, you like, the standing orders of the church.

[11:52] These are the last words of the Lord Jesus Christ before he ascended to glory. And in these words we have our direction set.

[12:03] We might describe as the direction of travel for the New Testament church. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations based upon all authority being given to our Savior in heaven and on earth.

[12:20] And that's the framework of the Great Commission. It stresses this point. All authority has been given to me, therefore I am sending you and never forget I am with you.

[12:36] It's a wonderful scripture that was addressed then to apostles and it would be wonderful to step back and survey the scene and think, weren't they faithful and worshipful and full of zeal and purpose?

[12:50] Well actually at that moment, no they were not. Because we're told even there on the hill of Galilee with the risen Savior stood before them.

[13:02] We're told in verse 17 the words immediately before the Great Commission that when they saw him they worshipped him. Some did but some doubted. Even there with the risen Lord before them on the hill of Galilee some doubted.

[13:21] And the words that follow I believe immediately dispel doubt, uncertainty, fog and heart. They take away the grey area.

[13:32] Here is the risen Savior. Here he is and these words direct our attention to who he is and what he's done. The person and work of Jesus Christ.

[13:42] What we speak about so often. The person and work of Jesus Christ. What does it mean for us today? It means these words. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations.

[13:54] I'd like us just to consider this morning what we learned from the Great Commission and take it to heart and take it home and into our lives in the week to come that we might give God the glory as his people.

[14:07] The first thing we find then here that we can see of the many things that can be said of the Great Commission there is of course a promise there is instruction there is command there is the command of Jesus Christ there can be no doubt as to the authority underlying this instruction all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

[14:34] This is a spectacular and crucial claim being made by the Lord Jesus Christ and it's one that his church must never lose sight of. We must never lose our perspective here when we remember who it is we serve who we are and whose we are all flows from who he is.

[14:56] And that's why so often the New Testament's favourite description of the Christian man and woman is someone who is in Christ. Time and time and time again throughout the letters that so often go so far in explaining and applying the gospel for us we find the apostles describing and defining Christian men and women and boys and girls as people who are in Christ.

[15:24] In Christ and in him through him with him for him because of him we engage with the great commission and it begins with understanding and acknowledging that here is a command all authority has been given to me go therefore and make disciples.

[15:45] This then is the why that underlies the goal. It's not all about go. Run out the door run down the road start knocking on doors ringing doorbells and then not really sure what we're doing or why we're doing it.

[16:00] We understand first of all why we're going we're going because the Lord Jesus Christ has commanded us. And we could of course boil it down and break it up in such ways to say as the scripture continually says guard the good deposit keep that which has been committed to you assert maintain and defend it.

[16:22] And what's the best way of doing that? Sharing it. Sharing it. And we find our emphasis here go therefore and make disciples. It's all about taking what we know and who we know and living accordingly by sharing and living what we know with those around us.

[16:44] It's a wonderful linkage that we have in the in the framework that's embedded in the the way the language flows and comes together and we could put it we could put it this way because of the authority given to me the command is given to you and when you follow this command you will experience the promise at the heart of this great commission.

[17:12] So because of the authority the command is given and when the command is followed the promise is experienced. What is the promise? I am with you always. What is the command?

[17:23] Make disciples of all nations. Doing what? Teach them to observe all I have commanded you. So the Lord Jesus Christ very powerfully emotionally very clearly has committed his church to how we are to conduct ourselves what we are to do and what we are not to do.

[17:48] We don't go out in communities and countries and nations and cultures and seek to turn them into what we think they should be. We seek to make disciples of all nations indeed everybody men, women boys and girls regardless of ethnicity creed, colour language, sexuality gender it doesn't matter we are to go to everyone and speak with everyone as the opportunity arises as doors are opened and what do we tell them there?

[18:19] Do we tell them about ourselves? Do we tell them about who we are? Our denomination? Our distinctives? Precious as they are no we don't we speak to them about the Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God Saviour of sinners if we were to take the Great Commission and put into bold and underline how the grammar emphasises the Great Commission in our English reading we might put the bold underlining under go we would see there is the imperative there is the command there is the emphasis but actually it is not the bold underlining in the Greek grammar of the New Testament is found in the phrase make disciples this is what Christ has commanded us to do this is our work our mission our calling to honour the Lord or to make disciples how do we do that?

[19:18] how do we start? where do we go? we teach him to observe what Christ has commanded us it's the gospel and woe betide us if we think we can go into communities and villages and towns and make a difference for their spiritual good and eternal salvation in isolation to the gospel it can't be done it can't be done and yet of course we stand back we survey the scene and we realise that what a task what a calling what a commitment what a responsibility all of that is true but Christian friends this morning isn't it also a privilege to just pause and think for a moment that the living God works through us by speaking to those around us through us with us because of us by us in us if God be for us who can be against us and so we have our mission we have our message and it's for us to work out the method that might be a chat with a neighbour over a cup of coffee it might be talking over the fence it might be discussing an orange sheep in a field it might be sharing your CV it might be discussing a hope for promotion it might be talking about the grandchildren or plans for Christmas it could be anything but Christian friend when the door is open and the opportunity to speak about Jesus presents itself it's for us to take that opportunity and speak of Christ to do so with patience and tenderness and understanding long suffering and tenacity all of it we need to cultivate and discipline ourselves to become that man or woman who's prepared when the opportunities come to explain our faith as Peter would say in writing to the Christian church always be ready to give a reason for the hope is that just something that ministers and elders and deacons and missionaries and church planters and gospel workers is that just what they do?

[21:28] absolutely not not for a moment it's what we all do and what we could say about the the great commission in the many ways we can approach it and try to break it down and apply it here is a gospel for all nations here is the saviour for all peoples here also is a mission for all Christians all of us all of us are called to make disciples by speaking of the Lord Jesus Christ there is then a command and it's wonderful to have that you know the the army loves commands instruction order discipline structures loves it and it functions in a very specific way but it all comes together in what we describe as the queen's regulations the day comes when the queen passes away and Charles sticks over these this book this document will become the king's regulations but what the queen's regulations are first published way back in the 18th century are simply a collection of orders and regulations that forms guidance in all matters of discipline and conduct if you like it's the army's bible and that's quite often how you'll hear officers refer to it and I picked up on that after hearing officers talking about the bible when they first turned up in the guy in Southern Highlanders officers mess

[22:48] I thought oh this is good there are soldiers here talking about the bible this will be good not this bible their bible the queen's regulations that gives guidance in all matters of discipline and conduct it gives the army its shape it keeps the army right and it guides the army and how the army is to conduct itself as is the great commission for us today so we take to heart Christ's command and that brings us secondly to think about this not only do these words direct us to reflect on the command of Christ it's almost very natural to then think about what happens when we engage with this commission and when we live out this command and when we're witnesses does it all go swimmingly well is it smooth and is it a lovely warm encouraging process no it's not because the reality out there of course is opposition to Christ opposition to Christ it can be costly to follow Jesus it's hard to be a Christian it's hard it can be tough it can be draining when you're the only

[24:02] Christian in a workplace family community when you and your culture or cul-de-sac or around your street are the only one coming to church in the morning and in the evening and in midweek and supporting other events and people are constantly saying what are you doing how was the weekend or maybe it's the fact they've stopped asking you about how your weekend was because they know you're here and if they ask you how the weekend was you might start talking about church and Jesus people don't want that today we see it everywhere don't we we see it so often in fact you might have come across or noticed on the BBC News app at the moment there's a story about our Reverend Robert Stivey down there in Wales and what he's been doing in his retirement is buying up abandoned chapels in various Welsh communities in the valleys where chapel after chapel since the turn of the 20th century just closed down and he's telling his story and it's quite remarkable I'd recommend you to look at it if you get the time and he's talking he has spent his inheritance he has spent his pension he has spent everything he's had on buying up abandoned chapels because he wants to restore them as centres of worship in communities and he has some that are ready to go walk in condition others are dilapidated full of damp the wood is rotten and the windows have been put in he's bought them too and in his interview he goes on to speak about his hope that people will come back and he says

[25:30] I don't think we'll see the hundreds who used to come and then he goes on to say some of the buildings could be opened tomorrow all we need is the people that really struck me all we need is the people remarkable story of this man's own vision and drive and understanding and how to give God the glory isn't buying up all these old buildings but all we need is the people and isn't that what it comes down to Christian friend this morning the people we want the people to come don't we and what do we want to do with them make disciples teaching them to observe all I have commanded you teaching them who the Lord Jesus Christ is what the Lord Jesus Christ has done what the cross really means it's wonderful to have that opportunity and at this time of year these opportunities may present themselves more and more because it's Christmas Christmas is coming Santa and all that stuff but it's for us to get that opportunity and take the time to see what Christmas really is about forgetting the dates and the arguments and everything else we've got all that but Christmas used to be a festival where the birth of Jesus Christ was celebrated that's all we need to grasp that's all we need is an entrance for a discussion of people around us today who don't stop and think for a moment about Jesus opposition it's everywhere it will display itself in various forms and in different degrees sometimes it will display itself flagrantly and blatantly

[27:08] I remember I've never forgot a conversation some years ago early on in my time as an army chaplain with a couple of soldiers at the back of a bus waiting to go on to a range and they were asking me about being a chaplain and why are you here Padre what's all that about and I was telling them about being a Christian and being a minister and then becoming a Padre and they were asking all sorts of really interesting questions and then the platoon sergeant joined us and what are you on about here boys and we're all to talk about God actually and I don't remember how he responded God he said I'll take my chances I'll take my chances never forgot that because it was this instantaneous without thinking expression of don't come here with God and that's how people around us function and live today don't come here with God ok with weddings and ok with funerals ok with anniversaries and remembrance ok with Easter Christmas we're alright with that gentle Jesus baby Jesus in the manger meek and mild and the cattle are lowing that's fine the second you begin to speak about

[28:18] Jesus growing up and what happened next and the cross and what it all signifies change of dynamic then friends and you know it as well as I do opposition to Christ is there and what is the greatest temptation we face well let's not talk about the cross let's talk about something that people might like let's focus in on something like Christmas or Easter or something soft and something other than the offense of sin and the reality and awfulness of hell and the judgment of God and Jesus Christ becoming a curse for us let's park all that and let's talk about something else and let's try and work our way slowly into the culture and what happens inevitably when a church does that when it works its way into the culture it forgets what it's there for and it forgets to speak about Christ altogether and the cross and the offense and the awfulness and reality of sin and hell and condemnation and eternity is left here because to talk about that within the cultural bubble now oh we wouldn't last long here we can't do that

[29:22] Christian friends we must avoid that disastrous mistake you see what the devil wants us to do today is address culture and go into the world to make disciples on his terms and that means making no disciples at all none and I was reading about recently the battle of Bannockburn fought in 1314 much has been said about this battle we don't actually know where it happened there's a lot of discussion something here something there we don't know but we do know what happened that day and we do know how it happened a much larger far stronger English army was defeated by a much smaller under resourced under armed Scottish army how well this is how because the English had a lack of orders they were full of discord they were over confident they were subject to poor judgement loss of discipline and cohesion and poor leadership and that ultimately led the English army that day to fight on the wrong tactics with the wrong weapons on the wrong ground and they were utterly decisively defeated

[30:44] I remember reading that summary thinking my goodness that is exactly what the devil is wanting for the church of Christ today that we would face the world and the flesh and the devil face contemporary Scotland today with the wrong tactics using the wrong weapons on the wrong ground we must not do that and we don't do that by adhering to the gospel of Jesus Christ by asserting maintaining and defending it is upon the finished work of Christ alone there is hope for men and women and boys and girls today that there is no other name oh how unpopular is that today no other name given under heaven among men whereby we may be saved can't be done how can you say that how offensive is that to the Sikh and the Jew and the Muslim and the Baha'i and the Buddhist that's offensive so we stop saying it no of course we don't we just think how to say it in a very wise compassionate way and we say we like all our friends and we get on with everybody regardless of faith creed colour it doesn't matter to us but at some point we're going to part company we're going to part company to be true to the gospel we're going to part company with people because if they don't make disciples in the name of the Lord

[32:09] Jesus Christ how can we possibly be in agreement with them that's just another level and way that opposition will manifest itself where we have people today leaders politicians especially jumping on the cultural sensitivities of the bandwagon of our day and age whereby everybody nowadays is so offended by everything you can't say nothing and if you do stand by for trouble well we can be wise to that and we can avoid putting our feet into it without thinking things through first of all but at the end of the day we must always assert maintain and defend in the name of Christ here is the way of salvation do we want to honour him that's what we must do do we want to please him that's what we must do if we want to put him first not just at the beginning of the week but in our lives in our mission in our outlook in our outreach then that's what we must do because that's what Christ said he put us on this path go therefore and make disciples of all nations there's our scope to speak to everybody baptize them in the name of the father and the son and the holy spirit then what teach them to observe all I have commanded you what does

[33:24] Christ say come to me and I will give you rest and so the apostles took this regulation to heart and lived it lived it and so must we and as we do Christian friends whatever our background our walk our work might be in the week to come expect opposition expect it the world hated Jesus should we have any right to expect any different no we don't the commanding of Jesus makes us think about the opposition that will come and then finally this above all in the great commission the presence of Jesus behold look lo I am with you always to the end of the age the end of the age the lord is with his own he knows us loves us indwells us

[34:26] I will not leave you comfortless I will come to you the great commission's framework again really does help us here all authority all nations all commands always I am with you always and we go back to what we started with at the beginning when we thought about the mechanics of the commission the linkage because of the authority the command is given when the command is followed the promise is experienced and what do we want to experience most of all the blessing and presence and joy of our saviour in fellowship with him as we live to his glory all power all authority all nations all things always what a great emphasis there is to take to heart these words as we go into a new week we don't know what the week will bring we don't know the challenges the opportunities the blessings and encouragements we don't know the setbacks we know ourselves all too well that a phone call an email a knock on the door can change our lives in a heartbeat we don't know what's coming the Christian friend we can rest assured in our saviour who does know and for us that's enough that's the wonder and reality of faith that's what faith imparts being at rest at peace in Christ whatever our sensitivities or sensibilities or understanding may be screaming at us at times we take our bearing true north from the great commission

[36:04] I am with you always what the devil wants us to forget that he wants us to doubt that he wants us to question that he wants to shred these words he wants to delete them and sadly in many churches that's exactly what's happened the command has not been followed therefore the promise cannot be experienced and churches are becoming social clubs community hubs cultural groups all good and well and proper and wonderful but not the main purpose and business of the church of Christ I am with you always so we take heart from these wonderful emphases that comes right to the end of the great commission I want to share a story with you maybe you are aware of this that you will know that during the second world war that in December 1941 Japanese military launched a surprise attack on Pearl

[37:05] Harbour it may surprise you to know that three hours after the attack on Pearl Harbour a statement was broadcast from the White House as you would expect given the significance and awfulness of what had happened war had landed on the United States of America but the statement broadcast from the White House three hours after that attack on 7th December 1941 was not read by President Roosevelt it was read by his wife Eleanor this was remarkable can you imagine today our leaders allowing their other halves onto the platform to announce and speak to the nation before they would speak to the nation gee it would never happen would it but it happened in 1941 Eleanor Roosevelt spoke and she read a broadcast to the nation had been scheduled in at the time and she explained that the president wasn't able to speak at that moment because he was convening a meeting of the cabinet and leaders of congress at this time of national emergency but what's most interesting is in their broadcast

[38:10] Eleanor told the nation her own son was at that very moment on a United States Navy destroyer somewhere in the Pacific and she had no idea where and there was an immediate note of empathy sympathy that said we may be the first family we may be in the White House but we are in this together that was a wonderful and very moving story we are in this together it's what that broadcast said that day to the United States how much more so for us this morning friends these words of Jesus Christ the Son of God I am with you always he's with us he is with us as we face this multicultural agnostic fast becoming atheistic culture around us where intolerance becoming more and more the norm where the

[39:14] Christian church the gospel and Jesus has become a butt of every comedian's jokes where it's okay to poke fun at Christians where Dawkins can stand across at the rally for reason in Washington Memorial Garden and call on a crowd of thousands not just to debate with Christians but to mock them and ridicule them and do it in public and as he called for the crowd to do that they roared and cheered and clapped and laughed that's the day in which we live and we know this intolerance and apathy and atheism and rejection it's the heart of so many problems and darkness and hardness that we see around us so Christian friends it's easy in looking at that and being pulled into it and being confronted by it day after day after day we can lose heart and we can become discouraged and we can think what can we do well we can't do anything but Christ can and in a heartbeat he can change the hearts of men and women and boys and girls just as he has done with you

[40:25] Christian friend so take heart you're not alone he's in this with us he's called us to himself we're a chosen people a royal priesthood what for to make disciples of all nations that's a work that he's called us to but he's not left us alone in it he's right here with us and as we take heart from his command and engage with his commission on the basis of his authority proclaiming him and his finished work as the way of salvation we experience this promise I am with you always may he bless you as you take these words to heart and take this commission home and into your week ahead and may he give us the grace and patience the tenacity and courage we need not to be ashamed of our saviour but to share the truth that we know of him and about him that if you put your trust and faith in him you will be made new and a newness of life will course through you for all eternity and one day you'll be with him but until then we live to his glory and he's with us we'll pray together lord our gracious god we pray that you'd bless us this morning with insight and understanding of your word the truth and we bless you lord that in the truth darkness is dispelled doubt is dispelled and we deal with certainty the certainty of a risen saviour the certainty of a saviour who was dead and now is alive the certainty of a saviour who now says come to me and i will give you rest the certainty of a saviour who is with us his people as we live to his glory in modern day scotland lord we pray for our land today we pray for our nation and our leaders we pray lord that you would remember us at this time that you would raise up men and women who in committing to you would seek your glory by serving you and living for you in every way possible to be living sign posts to a living saviour bless lord the witness of your people here in barvis and into the week to come may we know lord that strength that comes from an understanding and appreciation that we are not alone and that if god is for us who then can be against us here as we pray for jesus sake amen we will turn to sing finally this morning from sing psalm psalm 66 singing from the beginning to verse 5 psalm 66 singing from the beginning shout loud with joy to god all earth your chorus raise sing loud the honor of his name and glorious make his praise psalm 66 and we'll sing to verse 5 to god's praise shout loud with joy to god all earth your chorus raise

[44:40] Overwhelming is your might that pulls before you come.

[44:52] All earth I've sung to do, they sing aloud your theme.

[45:05] They never cease to celebrate the glory of your name.

[45:19] Come see what God has done, His mighty works of old.

[45:33] His deeds towards the human race, how awesome to behold.