Transcription downloaded from https://sermons.barvas.freechurch.org/sermons/1396/abel-faith-worshipping/. Disclaimer: this is an automatically generated machine transcription - there may be small errors or mistranscriptions. Please refer to the original audio if you are in any doubt. [0:00] Well, if you would turn with me this morning to the letter to the Hebrews from chapter 11. Hebrews chapter 11. [0:14] We're continuing our study in this chapter, which we started last week. Hebrews chapter 11. And we're reading, we'll read again from the beginning. [0:30] Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of all received their commendation. [0:41] By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God. So that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. Then the verse we're considering today, verse 4. [0:53] By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain. Through which he was commended as righteous. God commending him by accepting his gifts. [1:06] And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks. It's often said that as parents, we want the best for our children. [1:22] And you know, it's so true. As those who have had the privilege of being a parent. That we want the best for our children. We want them to have the best upbringing. [1:33] The best health. The best manners. The best education. The best group of friends. The best opportunities. The best care. And help in life. [1:44] As parents, we want the best for our children. And we want them to be the best they can be. We want our children to be healthy. Happy. And we want them to do well in life. [1:57] But of course, our desire above all these things. Should be that our children are brought up to know Jesus Christ. Because giving our children the best start in life. [2:08] It's not done through education or holidays or money. Giving our children the best start in life. Is by telling them about their need to have eternal life. [2:19] Through Jesus Christ. And you know, I'm sure that the first parents. Adam and Eve. I'm sure that they wanted the best for their children. But the world that Cain and Abel were brought up in. [2:33] It was very different to the world that Adam and Eve were created into. Adam and Eve, they had witnessed a lot of changes. Before they started a family. They had disobeyed their creator. [2:45] They had witnessed sin entering into the world. They had seen the effects of sin. With the curse upon all of creation. They had noticed thorns and thistles now growing up from the ground. [2:57] A ground that had been cursed. Adam experienced hard labor. It wasn't there before. But he experienced hard labor. Trying to produce a crop. Because God had promised to Adam that by the sweat of your brow. [3:10] You shall eat bread. But before Adam and Eve started a family. There were two things that they had never experienced. Suffering. And sorrow. [3:21] Before their first son Cain was born. Eve had never experienced the pain and suffering of giving birth. Which was another reminder of their sin against God. [3:33] Because God had said to Eve. In pain you shall bring forth children. And it wasn't until their second son Abel. Until he was born. That Adam and Eve would discover the pain of sorrow. [3:46] Also. As the first parents. Adam and Eve wanted the best for their children. But they could never have foreseen that their eldest son Cain. [3:57] Would murder his younger brother Abel. And as parents. The pain that they must have felt. And the heartache. And the sorrow that they would have experienced. It must have been almost unbearable. [4:10] And inevitably. Adam and Eve. They would have blamed themselves for Cain's actions. And in one sense. They were to blame. Because their disobedience. [4:20] Had brought sin into the world. And the result was that their firstborn was a murderer. And their secondborn. Was a martyr. Cain the firstborn. [4:32] He was a murderer. Abel. Was the first martyr. And you know it's clear. From the passage that we read in Genesis 4. That Abel was put to death. [4:43] Because of his faith. And it's Abel's faith. That the writer to the Hebrews. Commends in this chapter. He commends his faith. As righteous. [4:54] And as we said last week. When we began our study of this chapter. We said that Hebrews 11. Is all about answering the question. What does it mean to have faith in Jesus Christ? What does it mean to have faith. [5:07] In Jesus Christ. And we said last week. That faith in Jesus Christ. It involves confidence in Jesus Christ. It involves conviction about Jesus Christ. [5:18] And it involves commitment to Jesus Christ. But as we consider the faith of Abel. We're being reminded that faith is not just about our head. [5:30] It's also about our heart. Faith is not only about our head. It's also about our heart. And there are three things I'd just like us to draw out from this verse. [5:42] In verse 4. A suitable sacrifice. A special statement. And a surprising speech. These are the three things. A suitable sacrifice. [5:52] A special statement. And a surprising speech. So if we look first of all at a suitable sacrifice. We're told in verse 4. By faith Abel offered to God. [6:03] A more acceptable sacrifice than Cain. Through which he was commended as righteous. And you know we don't have to go far into the pages of the Bible. [6:16] To find out what sin looks like. And what sin does. We see it in Genesis chapter 3. Sin is disobedience against God's law. Sin is falling into the temptations of this world. [6:29] Sin brings pain and sorrow. And then in Genesis chapter 4. We saw sin in its ugliest form. Death. And you know it's no wonder that the Apostle Paul. [6:41] He said the wages of sin is death. But Paul he didn't leave it there. Because he said the wages of sin is death. But. But the free gift of God is eternal life. [6:52] Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Paul says that the gift of eternal life. Through Jesus Christ. He said that that gift of eternal life. [7:03] It's given to us when we walk by faith. And when we worship by faith. The gift of eternal life is given to us. When we walk by faith. And worship by faith. [7:15] And you know what the book of Genesis emphasizes to us. Is that we weren't created to die. We were created to live. Our purpose is not war. [7:28] Our purpose is worship. Our chief end is not to glorify and enjoy ourselves. Our chief end. Man's chief end as you were all taught in your youth. [7:39] Our purpose in life. Is to glorify God. And to enjoy him forever. And you know the narrative of Cain and Abel in Genesis 4. It's all about reminding us. [7:52] Of our chief end. That we were created to honor and serve. Our creator. We were created to be faithful and obedient. To God's word. [8:02] We were created to worship God. But our worship of God. As Genesis 4 reminds us. It's not according to our standards. It's not according to our feelings. [8:14] Or our fancies. Or what we think is suitable. No. Our worship of God. Is to be according to what he commands. Because worship. Is all about giving God. [8:27] Worth. And if we believe God. To be worthy of our worth ship. Then we will worship him. In a way that he has prescribed. In his word. [8:38] But you know. If we worship God. According to what we feel is right. And what looks good. And sounds good. And maybe is attractive. To the world. Then we're missing the point. [8:49] Because it's not what God has asked for. God has asked to be worshipped. In a prescribed way. And in a prescribed manner. And failure to do what God has commanded. [9:01] It is disobedience. And it's sin. It's idolatry. Because when we put our desires. And our wants. And our thoughts. And our feelings. [9:13] When we put these things before God. We are making ourselves the object. Of worth ship. And not God. And as I said. [9:23] That's what Genesis 4 is all about. It's all about who we worship. And how we worship. Because in Genesis 4. We read that Cain worked the ground. [9:35] And Abel was a keeper of sheep. Cain was a farmer. Abel was a shepherd. And then we're told. That in the course of time. Cain brought to the Lord. [9:46] An offering of the fruit of the ground. And Abel also brought. Of the firstborn of his flock. And of their fat portions. Now what's interesting. Is that the phrase in Genesis 4. [9:57] Is in the course of time. That refers to a particular occasion. For worship. It could have been an occasion of thanksgiving. Or whatever it was. [10:09] It was an occasion of worship to the Lord. And so. Cain he brought the fruit of the ground. And Abel he brought. One of his firstborn. From his flock. [10:20] Cain the farmer. Brings to the Lord. His offering. Abel the shepherd. Brings his offering. And we're told. That the Lord had regard. For Abel. And his offering. [10:32] But for Cain and his offering. The Lord had no regard. And the word regard. It means that it was pleasing. In God's sight. And so Abel's offering. [10:42] Was pleasing in God's sight. But Cain's offering. Was not pleasing in God's sight. And this immediately. Raises a question. Well why? Why? Why was God. [10:54] Pleased with Abel's sacrifice. And not Cain's. There's no explanation. Given in the narrative. And when you read it. It almost seems unfair. [11:05] That God would accept Abel's sacrifice. And reject Cain's sacrifice. For no reason. But there was a reason. There's always a reason. In fact. [11:16] There were two reasons. As to why Cain's sacrifice. Was rejected. And the reasons are very clear. And very important. The first reason. Cain's sacrifice was rejected. Was because it wasn't an animal. [11:30] And that might seem. Even more unfair. Because Cain was a farmer. He wasn't a shepherd. He wasn't like his brother. Why was he going to bring a sheep? Or a lamb? To God. But that's not the point. [11:43] Cain knew what pleased God. Cain knew how to worship God. Cain knew that the sacrifice of an animal. Was acceptable to God. Cain knew that without the shedding of blood. [11:55] There is no forgiveness. But how did Cain know? Who told him all this? His parents told him. His parents told him. Because when Adam and Eve sinned. [12:08] And when they discovered that they were naked. It was God who clothed them. And God clothed Adam and Eve. As it says in Genesis 3. He clothed them with the skins of animals. [12:20] Which means that animals were sacrificed. Blood was shed. In order to clothe Adam and Eve. And what Adam and Eve learned very quickly. Was that without the shedding of blood. [12:32] There is no forgiveness of sin. And as parents. Who wanted the best for their children. They would have taught this important lesson. To their two sons. [12:44] Cain and Abel. Adam and Eve would have instilled in their sons. The importance of worshipping God correctly. As parents. [12:54] They would have taught their children. By their own example. So as to ensure that they wouldn't go astray. That their children wouldn't go astray. From following the Lord. And you know. [13:05] What is the application here? My unconverted friend. There are many of you here today. Who were brought up in a Christian home. You had Christian parents. [13:18] Maybe they're not still living. But these parents. They wanted the best for you. And they did their best. In teaching you the Bible. And teaching you how to pray. [13:30] And the importance of prayer. And the importance of coming to church. My friend. You've been brought up. With many privileges. And like Cain. You should know better. [13:42] Than to worship God by your works. You should know better. Than to think God will be accepted. By your efforts. You should know better. Than to come before God. [13:52] With your hands. And not your heart. And you know. That was the second reason. Cain's sacrifice. Was rejected by the Lord. Cain thought that he could please God. [14:03] By his works. Because although Cain presented to God. The fruit of the ground. Cain knew from his parents. That the ground was cursed. And because the ground was cursed. [14:16] Cain should have known. That the ground was unacceptable to God. It was unfit for worship. It wasn't what the Lord wanted. Because the only suitable sacrifice. [14:27] To God. Was the blood of an animal. And yet despite what he knew was right. And despite what he had been taught. Despite what he had been brought up with. Cain still thought. [14:39] That his efforts. And his work. And the sweat of his brow. In producing a crop. Cain still thought. That that would be enough. To please the Lord. My friend. [14:50] My friend. Cain offered the works. Of his hands. But Abel. Offered the work. Of his heart. Cain offered the works. Of his hands. [15:01] Abel. Offered the work. Of his heart. And that was the difference. Abel knew. That by his faith. And obedience. Offering an animal. [15:13] Would please the Lord. But Cain thought. That by his works. And his efforts. What he did. Before God. He thought. Well. Surely that's enough. To please the Lord. And the Lord. [15:24] Rejected Cain's sacrifice. Why? He honoured God. With his lips. But his heart. Was far from him. He honoured God. [15:37] With his lips. But his heart. Was far from him. My friend. The reason. God rejected. Cain's sacrifice. Was because. Cain was a hypocrite. [15:49] Cain sought. To worship God. His own way. But his heart. Was far from God. Cain was a hypocrite. [16:00] In fact. It was Jesus. Who described. Cain. As a hypocrite. He describes him. As a Pharisee. In Matthew 23. And Jesus. Describes the Pharisees. [16:11] As those. Who murder. Many of the Lord's prophets. And Jesus. Regards. Cain's brother. Abel. As a prophet. And Jesus. Says. In that passage. About the Pharisees. He says. [16:22] You hypocrites. You do well. Because. This people. Honours me. With their lips. But their heart. Is far from me. You worship me. [16:33] In vain. He says. And later. Jesus said. To the Pharisees. About their hypocrisy. How are you. Going to escape. Being sentenced. [16:43] To hell. That's what he said. My friend. The reason. God rejected. Cain's sacrifice. Was because. Cain was a hypocrite. Cain honoured. [16:55] God. With his lips. But his heart. Was far from him. And you know. When you come. To the opening pages. Of the Bible. From the opening pages. My friend. [17:06] You're being warned. That God. Isn't pleased. By hypocrites. God isn't pleased. When he's given. Lip service. And not heart worship. God isn't pleased. When you worship him. [17:18] With your lips. And not with your heart. And he says. That if you continue. In your hypocrisy. Jesus wants to know. How are you going to escape. Being sentenced to hell. [17:31] Because if you think. If we apply this. If you think that. Your church attendance. Or your good works. Or your. The things that you do. [17:41] For the church. If you. Your good living. If you think that. These things. Will please God. Then you're sadly mistaken. Because this chapter. [17:52] In Hebrews 11. It explicitly states. That without faith. It is impossible. It's impossible. To please God. Without faith. [18:02] It's impossible. To please God. Without faith. In God's suitable sacrifice. Jesus Christ. You cannot please him. Without confidence. [18:13] Without conviction. Without commitment. To Jesus Christ. You cannot please God. So what's the outcome? You must commit your life. [18:26] To Jesus Christ. It's the only way. To please God. So a suitable sacrifice. Secondly. [18:37] A special statement. A special statement. Says in verse 4. By faith. Abel offered to God. A more acceptable sacrifice. [18:47] Than Cain. Through which. He was commended. As righteous. God commending him. By accepting. His gifts. So we said earlier. [18:58] That Cain. Was the first murderer. And his brother Abel. Was the first martyr. And Abel. Was the first martyr. Because. He was put to death. [19:09] For his faith. And. It's clear from Genesis 4. That. When the Lord. Rejected. Cain's sacrifice. Cain was angry. But before. Cain. [19:20] Became angry. With his brother. To the point. That he wanted to kill him. We saw that Cain. Was angry. With God. And you know. [19:31] The Lord. Was so gracious. With Cain. Because he asked. Cain. Why has your face. Fallen. If you do well. Will you not. [19:41] Be accepted. But if you do not. Do well. Sin is crouching. At your door. And it's desirous for you. But you must rule over it. And what's remarkable. [19:52] Is that the Lord. Was giving to Cain. A second chance. The Lord. Was offering to Cain. The opportunity. To worship him. Correctly. And present to the Lord. [20:03] A pleasing. Sacrifice to him. In fact. The Lord. Was asking Cain. To change his ways. The Lord. Was asking Cain. To repent. Of his hypocrisy. [20:14] He was asking Cain. To worship him. By faith. And you know. It's a wonderful moment. Because the Lord. Is holding out. To Cain. The free offer. Of the gospel. [20:26] And the Lord. Gives Cain. This renewed opportunity. To be made righteous. Before God. By faith. But with this gospel offer. Comes a warning. [20:37] The warning. That sin. Is crouching. At your door. Sin. Is ready. To get in. Satan. Is ready. To have you. If you reject this offer. You will be overcome. [20:47] By its power. And you know. My friend. God is so gracious. He's so patient. He's so merciful. So forgiving. So loving. That he would give Cain. [20:58] A second chance. And offer him. Offer to him. Another opportunity. To commit his life. To the Lord. By faith. And you know. For you. [21:09] Here today. As someone. Who is still. Not committed. To Jesus Christ. By faith. Is that not. What you're being given. Today. Are you not being given. A second chance. [21:22] Maybe this isn't. Even your second chance. Maybe it's. A 100th chance. You've been offered. It's so much. And for so long. But are you not being given. A renewed opportunity. [21:33] To commit your life. To Jesus Christ. By faith. My friend. The Lord has been. So gracious. And so patient. And so merciful. And so forgiving. And so loving. [21:44] Towards you. That would it not be better. For you to do well. By taking him up. On this. Gracious offer of forgiveness. The offer of cleansing. [21:54] The offer of salvation. Would it not be better. For you to do well. And accept. What he's offering. To you. But maybe for you. [22:06] Like Cain. Would it not be better. For you to do well. Than to remain angry. With God. You might be angry. [22:17] With God. About something. That happened in the past. You might be angry. Because of. The loss of a loved one. You might be angry. Because of an illness. That came into your life. [22:27] Or into someone else's life. Or a difficult providence. That you've had to deal with. But I assure you today. My friend. All these things. In your life. They are not. [22:39] To make you turn away. From God. They are. They are. In your life. To make you turn. To God. And worship him. And depend upon him. And live for him. [22:50] And love him. Because. This is the amazing thing. About the Lord. The Lord wants you. To worship him. The Lord wants you. To follow him. The Lord wants you. To walk with him. [23:01] The Lord wants you. To commit your life. To him. The Lord wants you. To know him. So don't reject the offer. Don't remain angry. With him. Commit your life. [23:13] To the Lord. By faith. Commit your life. To him. And see what a wonderful. Life it is. Knowing Jesus. And following Jesus. And trusting in Jesus. [23:24] Jesus. But you know. What we see here. Is that Abel. He is commended. For his faith. Because his faith. Was evident. By his actions. And the word. [23:35] Commended. That's used in verse 4. It means to bear witness. Or to testify. It's. It's a legal word. It's a language. Of the courtroom. Where a person. He's been called. To stand. [23:45] To give evidence. To what they've seen. And they're to bear witness. They're to testify. They're to give. Testimony. In order to prove. That the evidence. Is genuine. And that's what's being said. [23:56] About Abel. He was commended. As righteous. He bore witness. That he was righteous. And he testified. To the genuineness. Of his faith. [24:07] By the evidence. Of his actions. In other words. Abel was righteous. Because by faith. He presented. A suitable sacrifice. That was pleasing to God. [24:19] Abel bore witness. To the fact. That he was righteous. Because he was confident. Convicted. And committed. And this is what we said. Last week. [24:30] That all those. Who lived by faith. Just like Abel. They lived their life. Looking to the Messiah. Jesus Christ. Because they were confident. That Jesus is. Who he says he is. [24:41] They were convicted. That Jesus is trustworthy. And because of this. They committed their life. To Jesus Christ. By faith. The outworking. Of their confidence. [24:53] Conviction. Was. Commitment. And you know. The same was true for Abel. The outworking of his faith. The evidence. Of his faith. The genuineness. [25:04] Of his faith. It was demonstrated. By his actions. Faith. His faith. Responded. In obedience. Abel. Worshipped God. [25:15] The way that God. Had commanded. And he was commended. As righteous. Abel was made righteous. Through faith. Declared righteous. By faith. That's what the Lord's special statement. [25:29] Was about Abel. That he was declared righteous. Through faith. It says. By faith. Abel offered to God. A more acceptable sacrifice. Than Cain. Through which he was commended. [25:40] As righteous. God commending him. By accepting. His gifts. And you know. This. Being commended. As righteous. [25:51] By faith. That's the whole emphasis. Of the Bible. That we can only be made. Righteous. In God's sight. By faith. In Jesus Christ. We can only be commended. As righteous. [26:02] Before God. By our commitment. To Jesus Christ. Our faith. Has to be outworked. In our commitment. Faith. [26:12] Has to have action. Has to have movement. Has to have doing. It can't just sit. It can't just sit. And hear it. Week by week. There has to be a response. There has to be action. [26:23] There has to be movement. And you know. We're told here. In verse 4. That God commended. Abel. As righteous. By accepting. His gift. Of sacrifice. On the basis. [26:34] That it was offered. By faith. God accepted. Abel's sacrifice. Because he was made. Righteous. By faith. So the reason. [26:45] God rejected. Cain's sacrifice. Was because he sought. To make himself. Righteous. By his works. And you know. [26:56] My friend. In the opening pages. Of your Bible. You meet. The first two people. Born into this world. Cain and Abel. And these two men. [27:07] They represent to you. The two types of people. Who are born into this world. Those like Cain. Who seek to please God. [27:18] By their works. Or those like Abel. Who seek to please God. By their faith. The only problem is. [27:29] Those who are like Cain. To many of you in here. The only problem is. You will never be acceptable. To God. [27:40] You will never be made righteous. You will never be saved. Until you humbly commit your life. To Jesus Christ. By faith. I cannot put it to you. [27:54] Any clearer. I cannot say it to you. Any clearer. You will not be saved. Until you commit your life. [28:05] To Jesus Christ. By faith. And so in this verse. We see a suitable sacrifice. A special statement. And lastly. [28:15] A surprising speech. A surprising speech. By faith. Abel offered to God. A more acceptable sacrifice. Than Cain. Through which he was commended. [28:26] As righteous. God commending him. By accepting his gifts. And through his faith. Though he died. He still speaks. The closing words of this verse. [28:38] They remind us. That even though Abel. Was murdered by his brother. Cain. He still speaks. We read in Genesis 4. That when Cain killed Abel. [28:49] The Lord said to him. Where is Abel. Your brother. And then Cain. He denied all knowledge. Of his brother. He said. I don't know. Am I my brother's keeper? But the Lord said to him. [29:02] What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood. Is crying to me. From the ground. And you know. It's quite a statement. The Lord heard. [29:13] The innocent blood. Of Abel. Crying to him. From the ground. But you know. It was Jesus. Who said. That Abel's blood. That cried out. [29:23] Because his blood. Was righteous blood. Cain's blood. Was religious blood. It only wanted to. Please God. By his works. But Abel's blood. [29:34] Was. Righteous blood. And you know. Cain. Cain was. His religious blood. He wanted to. Please God. On his terms. [29:46] And the Lord. Kain. Kain. Kain. Kain. Because. The Lord knew his heart. Which is why the Lord. Rejected Cain's offer. And. As we said earlier. Jesus described. Cain. As a hypocrite. And a Pharisee. [29:58] Because the Pharisees. They murdered many of the Lord's faithful prophets. And Jesus. He described. Abel. As a prophet. So Cain was the Pharisee. Abel was the prophet. [30:10] And this is what's interesting. Because the role of a prophet. Was twofold. A prophet. Was not only to foretell. What would happen in the future. A prophet. Was also to foretell. [30:21] The Lord's message. In the present. And Abel. He certainly did that. But he did it. Through his death. Because when Abel was murdered. His blood. [30:32] It cried out. His blood. Prophesied. His blood. Forth told. His blood. Spoke a sermon. And it was a sermon. About. The need to have faith. [30:42] In Jesus Christ. And that we can only be truly saved. When we trust in Jesus Christ. We can only truly worship God. By faith. [30:53] We can't worship God. According to our own imagination. And our own desires. We can't do it that way. We have to worship God. By faith. But you know. This is what I love. Abel's blood. [31:06] It not only preached a sermon. It not only foretold. It also foretold. Abel's. Murder. By a Pharisee. [31:17] Abel's. And the shedding of his innocent blood. It foretold. About the murder. Of one of his brother's descendants. Abel's blood. [31:28] Foretold. About the seed. Of the woman. Who would crush the head of the serpent. My friend. Abel's. Innocent blood. As it cried out. From the ground. It foretold. [31:40] About the innocent blood. Of Jesus Christ. Christ. And I say all this. Because. When you go into the next chapter. In chapter 12. Hebrews chapter 12. [31:50] At verse 24. We're told. The writer to the Hebrews. Tells us to come. To Jesus Christ. The mediator. Of the new covenant. Why? [32:01] Because his blood. Speaks better things. Than the blood. Of Abel. His blood. Speaks better things. Than the blood of Abel. And what the writer to the Hebrews. [32:12] Is reminding us. Is that the blood of Jesus. It's still speaking. The blood of Jesus. Is still speaking. The blood of Jesus. That was. [32:23] Shed at Calvary. For sinners. It's still crying out to us. It's still preaching to us. It's still proclaiming. A message to us. What a message it is. [32:34] Because it's a message of cleansing. A message of forgiveness. A message of reconciliation. A message of peace with God. My friend. The Bible. The Bible is reminding us today. That the blood of Jesus. [32:45] Is still speaking. And it's speaking directly to you. The blood of Jesus. Is speaking to you. But the question is. [32:55] Are you listening? Are you listening to what the blood of Jesus is saying? Are you listening to the voice of Jesus' blood. Speaking to you. And reminding you. That you need to be saved. [33:06] And you need to be cleansed. And you need to be washed. As white as snow. That you need to come to this Jesus. Because there is a fountain filled with blood. Drawn from Emmanuel's veins. [33:18] And sinners plunged beneath that flood. What? Lose all their guilty stains. My friend. You need to come. To this Jesus. [33:29] And that's what this whole letter is all about. The writer to the Hebrews says. That the blood of Jesus. It's still speaking. It's still speaking. [33:42] So you need to come to this Jesus. But notice what he went on to say. In verse 25. Of Hebrews 12. He says. [33:53] See that you do not refuse him. Who is speaking. For if they did not escape. When they refused him. Who warned them. [34:04] While he was on the earth. Much less will we escape. If we reject him. Who now warns us. From heaven. Jesus is still speaking. [34:19] He's still speaking. But are you listening to his voice? My friends. See to it. That you listen to him. [34:32] That you respond to him. By committing your life. To Jesus Christ. Because today. If you hear his voice. [34:44] Do not. Do not. Harden your heart. Respond. In commandment. May the Lord bless these thoughts to us. [34:56] Let us pray. Lord. Lord our gracious God. We give thanks to thee. That. That Jesus is still speaking. And we pray. [35:07] That we would have ears. That are open. To hear his voice. And that we would respond. To what we hear. That we would commit our life to him. That we would come to this Jesus. [35:18] On bended knee. Saying like the publican. God be merciful to me. A sinner. Oh Lord. We need that cleansing. We need to be washed as white as snow. [35:30] Lord open our eyes. Open our ears. Open our understanding. And help us. To run to this Jesus. And to keep looking to him. Every day of life. [35:42] Knowing that he is the author. And he remains the finisher of our faith. Bless us Lord we ask. Continue with us. And take away our iniquity. Receive us graciously. [35:53] For Jesus sake. Amen. We shall conclude our service. [36:05] This morning. By singing to God's praise. In Psalm 51. Psalm 51. Psalm 51. Page 281. [36:15] If you are using the Blue Psalm book. Psalm 51. We are singing from verse 7. Down to the verse Mark 10. [36:28] In this Psalm of course. It was David's prayer. Of repentance. He was asking the Lord. For forgiveness. And he says in verse 7. Do thou with hyssop sprinkle me. That means wash me with blood. [36:40] The hyssop branch. Was always sprinkled with blood. So do thou with hyssop sprinkle me. I shall be cleansed so. Yea wash thou me. And then I shall. [36:51] Be whiter than the snow. Of gladness and of joyfulness. Make me to hear the voice. That so these very bones. Which thou hast broken. May rejoice. All mine iniquities blot out. [37:03] Thy face hide from my sin. Create a clean heart. Lord renew. A right spirit. A right spirit. May within. These verses of Psalm 51. To God's praise. [37:14] Amen. God bless you. God bless you. History orinding heart. In what? [37:24] City of tutti and์—… ๊ฐ™์€ realize. Duty of what? You do not. What? May they shall be cleansed. [37:36] It's good. I shall be cleansed. I shall be cleansed so. And Hack the King. And then I shall be whiter than the soul. [37:56] For kindness and joyfulness, make me to hear the voice. [38:16] That so these very bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. [38:35] All my iniquities brought out thy place high from my sin. [38:55] The eternal, our Lord, renew our right spirit within. [39:16] The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all, now and forevermore. Amen. Amen.