Sunday, January 2 AM

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Sunnyside Baptist Church "Following Christ" Mark 8-31-38

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Come on in, get seated, we'll be ready to start.
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Welcome to Sunnyside Baptist Church this morning and Happy New Year. Welcome to 2022, if you were unaware by now.
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So that's news to you now. A few announcements as we get started on this first Sunday of 2022.
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Looking ahead at this week's opportunities, our evening service tonight at 5 .30 starts back up regularly.
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And then looking ahead to this Wednesday, 5 .45, we'll have our meals resuming in the fellowship hall together.
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And then 6 .30, prayer for the adults and tag for the kids will resume regularly.
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Looking ahead to Sunday, January 23rd, truth group for our young adults is going to kick off again after the evening service that evening.
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Our fighter verse for this week comes from Isaiah chapter 40 verse 8. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our
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God will stand forever. Good verse to memorize. It is the new year.
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So we've been saying it for the past month or so. New podcast is on its way.
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Has that been uploaded and live now? Hopefully this week. So keep your eye out.
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Go to Sunnyside's website to check that podcast out and be free to have some interaction.
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You get to submit some questions and stuff for that podcast for the guys to discuss on there. So that URL is in your bulletin.
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Also, I wanted to mention, Jana Brown mentioned to me right before service. We've been talking about the
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Wilcox coming. They'll be here the end of the month. They're going to be staying with the Browns.
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However, in the church newsletter that gets sent out, there is a link. So check your email. I'll link in there.
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If you would like to host them for a meal while they are here in town for about a week, you can sign up to host them either at your home or if you're like, we want to take them out to eat on this particular day.
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There's a couple of different ways that you can provide them with a meal. But use that link in that newsletter.
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And let's just extend some hospitality to our dear brothers and sisters, the Wilcox. And they'll be here at the end of January.
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Lastly, I just want to recognize one person who's had a fairly significant event in their life.
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Happened recently. Brian Barcelo. I know he's surprised.
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But if you know Brian at all, it won't take you long to figure out that Brian is an extremely hard worker.
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And Brian has just wrapped up his years of formal work.
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He's had a variety of jobs over the years, and he has so many great stories to go along with those.
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But we're so happy for you, Brian, and so happy for this second act that you have in store for you.
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And we are so proud to be able to look at your example, to know what it is to be a hard worker, to work unto the
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Lord in all things. All right, any other announcements before we get started with worship this morning?
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Okay, we're going to have a time to prepare our hearts quietly for worship. And then once we're done with that,
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Dwight will come up and open us in prayer. Father, what a blessing it is to know your forgiveness and to be in fellowship with you.
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And to know that we can always come into your presence through your son, the
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Lord Jesus. Our faithful high priest who is always in sympathy with us.
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Who knows our weakness and our failings and deals gently with us.
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We thank you and praise you for your son. And as we come together this morning to offer up to you the sacrifices of thanksgiving and gratefulness for your son.
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Help us to do so in a worshipful manner. To lift up your son, the
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Lord Jesus. Our faithful high priest, our savior, our brother.
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The one who gave his life for us. I thank you for your word that you've made it so readily available to us.
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And I pray for your servant, Joe, as he comes to share your word with us this morning.
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That you speak your word in the power of your spirit.
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And that each of us would be blessed in the hearing of your word.
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And that we might grow in the grace and knowledge of your son, the
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Lord Jesus. Thank you for your spirit.
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Who brings us into your presence. Thank you for your everlasting love.
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In Jesus' name, amen. Would you stand with me for a call to worship?
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With the cold temperatures and wind chill, there's some that are remaining at home to stay warm.
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So if you're out there via the live stream, I invite you to read along with the scripture as well.
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And sing praise and worship to our savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Our passage this morning is found in Psalms chapter 73.
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We'll be reading verses 7 through 12. Read with me together. Their eyes swell out through fatness.
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Their hearts overflow with follies. They scoff and speak with malice.
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Loftily they threaten oppression. They set their mouth against the heavens and their tongue struts through the earth.
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Therefore his people turn back to them and find no fault in them.
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And they say, how can God know? Is there knowledge in the most high?
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Behold, these are the wicked, always at ease. They increase in riches.
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We're going to sing this very song in our Psalms for Worship hymnal, page 73A.
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We'll sing verses 3 and 4. ♪
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Their eyes are full of excess.
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Their hearts are full of means they seek.
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They scoff, they threaten to oppress.
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Disdainful words they proudly speak.
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Their word the lights of heaven brings.
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Their tongue around the world harangues.
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Their people therefore with them turn.
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To drink from streams that overflow.
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For how they say, can God discern?
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And does the most high really know?
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Behold, our God, we've been at ease.
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Who gave him wealth and lived at ease.
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In our next two songs in our regular hymnals, pages 276 and 277,
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Christ has made the sure foundation. ♪ We'll sing verses 1 and 4.
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♪ Christ has made the sure foundation.
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Christ the head and cornerstone. Chosen of the
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Lord and precious. By me all the church in one.
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Holy Zion's go forever. Ever confident in the spirit.
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Ever free and ever one. One in might and one in glory.
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One unending angel's crown. And then the church is one foundation.
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The church is one foundation. Is Jesus Christ her
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Lord? She is his new creation.
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By water and the Word. From hand he came and sought her.
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To be his holy bride. And with dilber he bought her.
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And for her life he died. Elect from every nation.
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Yet one for all the earth. A charter of salvation.
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One heart, one faith, one birth. One holy name she blessed.
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Grace in creation.
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And shone on me.
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And she on earth hath beauty. And was his.
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Christ is one. O happy ones and holy.
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Lord give us grace that we. Like them of need and longing.
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Be born I may come in thee.
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If you would take your Bible and turn to Isaiah chapter 11. Scripture reading comes from Isaiah chapter 11.
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We'll be starting in verse 11. And read through chapter 12 verse 6.
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I'll be reading from the ESV. Isaiah 11, 11. In that day the
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Lord will extend his hand yet a second time. To recover the remnant that remains of his people.
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From Assyria, from Egypt, from Pathros, from Cush. From Elam, from Shinar, from Hamath.
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And from the coastlands of the sea. He will raise a signal for the nations.
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And will assemble the banished of Israel. And gather the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.
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The jealousy of Ephraim shall depart. And those who harass Judah shall be cut off.
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Ephraim shall not be jealous of Judah. And Judah shall not harass Ephraim.
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But they shall swoop down on the shoulder of the Philistines in the west. And together they shall plunder the people of the east.
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They shall put out their hand against Edom and Moab. And the Ammonites shall obey them.
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And the Lord will utterly destroy the tongue of the sea of Egypt. And will wave his hand over the river with his scorching breath.
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And strike it into seven channels. And he will lead people across in sandals.
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And there will be a highway from Assyria for the remnant that remains of his people. As there was for Israel when they came up from the land of Egypt.
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Chapter 12 You will say in that day, I will give thanks to you,
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O Lord. For though you were angry with me, your anger turned away that you might comfort me.
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Behold, God is my salvation. I will trust and will not be afraid.
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For the Lord God is my strength and my song. And he has become my salvation.
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With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. And you will say in that day, give thanks to the
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Lord. Call upon his name. Make known his deeds among the peoples. Proclaim that his name is exalted.
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Sing praises to the Lord for he has done gloriously. Let this be made known in all the earth.
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Shout and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Zion. For great in your midst is the
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Holy One of Israel. Amen. Let us pray.
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O Lord, how we rejoice in this passage of Scripture that reminds us of your faithfulness to redeem your people and to bring them safely home to be with you.
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Lord, even as you brought together your people that had been scattered throughout the nations and you brought them together to be one people there in Israel.
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Lord, we are reminded of that coming day when Christ returns, when you will gather together all your people who have been scattered throughout time and place and bring them to be in your presence forever.
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The glory of your salvation will be seen in its fullness as your people are brought before your throne and declare the glory of Christ and of our great
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Savior. Lord, thank you that we can, as your word has reminded us today, to with joy draw from the wells of salvation.
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Thank you for inviting us to come to Christ. Lord, may we give you praise and glory and honor today for all that you have done and all that you will do.
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Lord, you are worthy. And we give you praise and honor and blessing today in Jesus' name.
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Amen. You may be seated. Our next song is on page 367,
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Where He Leads, I'll Go. As we sing these next two songs, think about it as this new year, about how we're going to follow the
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Lord Jesus Christ this year. Here we go. His will to do
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And in that will I die
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He leads, I'll go Wherever He leads,
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I'll go Wherever He leads,
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I'll go I'll follow my
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Christ who calls me so Wherever He leads,
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I'll go Lift me through the shadows, dear
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O 'er the stormy sea
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I'll take my cross and follow
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Him Wherever He leads,
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I'll go I'll follow my
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Christ who calls me so And our last song is in our
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Hymns to the Modern and Ancient, HMA, page 128, What Grace is Mine.
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Grace is mine, that He who dwells in him must find
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Call through the night and soul
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His arms for mercy that would plead for me
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That I might stand and in His name be known
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So I will go wherever He is calling me
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I use my life to find my life in Him I give my all to gain the hope that never dies
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I bow my heart, take up my cross and follow
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Him What grace is mine to know
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His breath alive in me
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Beneath His wings my waking soul may sleep
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He who can plead for death's dark night is o 'er
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I sleep your list that reigns forevermore
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So I will go wherever He is calling me
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I use my life to find my life in Him I give my all to gain the hope that never dies
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I bow my heart, take up my cross and follow
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Him Take up my cross and follow
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Him Good morning dear friend. It's a joy to be with you all this morning. The Gospel of Mark is unique.
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All the Gospels have their own characteristics, yet are unified in telling the story of Jesus Christ, of His life, death, burial and resurrection.
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And the Gospel of Mark has many different characteristics to it, and it begins with Christ coming and proclaiming the
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Gospel, the Gospel of repentance and belief for the Kingdom of God is at hand.
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And throughout this Gospel, He's called many different disciples to Himself. And we've seen many different stories that Mark recounts in his particular
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Gospel. And we come this morning to Mark chapter 8, and we'll be looking at verses 34 through 38.
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Just before this story, we've seen that Christ has fed the 4 ,000. He's healed a blind man.
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Peter has confessed Him to be the Christ. And now we come to a call in this particular story.
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Christ calls out, be my disciple and follow me. So, we're in Mark 8, verses 34 through 38.
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And I would encourage you to stand for the reading of God's word. Mark 8, 34.
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When He had called the people to Himself with His disciples also, He said to them, whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow
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Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it. But whoever loses his life for My sake and the
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Gospels will save it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul?
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Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the
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Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.
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This is God's word. You may be seated. Let's pray.
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O Father, what is man that You are mindful of us, that Your Son would be sent for us to take on human flesh, to teach us many things, to die for us, to rise again, to promise us eternal life with Him?
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What is man that You are mindful to send Your Son and Your Son calls out to us, follow
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Me and gain eternal life? Lord, we thank You for Your mercy and for Your grace.
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We thank You for Your providence and Your sovereignty in our lives. We thank
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You that through Jesus Christ we are justified before You, we are adopted into Your family, and we are safe in the hands of Christ, our
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Good Shepherd. And as we come to Your text this morning, Lord, may we listen to it, may we listen to the words of Christ, and we thank
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You for His words. And it's in Christ's name we pray. Amen. Verse 34 says,
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When He had called the people to Himself with His disciples also, He said to them, Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow
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Me. Here during Jesus' earthly ministry, He gives a call, a call that goes forth publicly, not just one for His disciples close to Him, but He calls the people around, to those nearby.
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His call goes out, it's public to all ears. Not just a call for the
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Twelve or any spiritual elite, not a call to be whispered in the dark behind closed doors, but one that goes forth in the daylight, that is heralded to all who will hear.
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A message that is vital to hear, one that makes an eternal difference, one that brings life to the dead.
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And what is this call? It's a call to be a follower of Jesus Christ. For that is what
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Christ says, Whoever desires to come after Me, whoever desires to be My disciple.
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And He lays out three requirements for those who wish to follow after Him. If you want this, if you personally wish to follow after Me, these three you must do.
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And what are these three? First Christ says, Let him deny himself.
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This word deny means to utterly disown, to abstain. And it's used in this story of Jesus Christ's life.
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And it's used in one other part of the Gospel story. And that's recorded in Mark 14.
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On the night of His betrayal, Jesus said to His disciples, All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night.
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For it is written, I will strike the shepherd and the sheep will be scattered. But after I have been raised,
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I will go before you to Galilee. Peter said to Him, Even if all are made to stumble, yet I will not be.
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And Jesus said to him, Assuredly I say to you today, even this night, before the rooster crows twice,
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You will deny Me three times. And this is what Peter would indeed later do.
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He would deny Jesus. He would publicly and utterly disown any connection to the
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Christ. As a follower of Jesus Christ, one must deny
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Not another person. Not a group of people. But must deny Himself.
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You must disown your life. Who you are before coming to Christ. You must disown your own nature.
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Your old identity. You must abstain from what you're doing. How you're living.
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You must deny your thoughts and your emotions. You must deny your idols. What ruled you and motivated you before coming to Christ.
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There's an idea that's taught in churches today. And it is this. That God accepts you as you are.
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You are perfect the way you are. And He does not require change. This is false teaching. This is doctrine that is dangerous to the church.
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And it is not right. For sinners do come to God as guilty. As filthy.
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And as needing help. But they come to Christ as repentant sinners.
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They are called to turn away from who they were. And turn toward the Savior. Therefore, let the sinner deny himself.
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Let the liar cease from lying. Let the thief stop stealing. Let the adulterer cease from wickedness.
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Let the homosexual deny sinful lusts. Let him who practices idolatry stop worshiping in this false way.
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Let the sinner stop sinning. And come to Christ. Let him deny himself.
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This you must do. You must deny yourself. And you must also take up your cross. Having laid aside your old life.
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A disciple must take up a new life. And must travel a new path following Christ. One that is represented by a cross.
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A cross. That very old form of severe and physical torment. And brutal execution utilized by the
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Romans. The audience of Christ's call would most definitely understand the heaviness of Christ's picture.
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Of what it meant to be his disciple. Yet unlike those prisoners who were forced to carry their own instruments of execution.
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Disciples of Christ willingly choose to pick up their cross. And follow after the master.
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To take up a new life that identifies with Christ. And identifies with Christ in his sufferings.
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The Christian life is one that is marked with pain and suffering. It's a life that follows
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Jesus Christ. Who is truly man and truly God. Who was born of a woman. Born under the law.
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To redeem those under the law. Jesus Christ who is the light of men.
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Who shines in the darkness. And the darkness hates him. This present evil age.
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This world hates Christ. While he ministered on earth. Speaking nothing but truth.
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Healing the sick. And proclaiming his gospel of grace. There were those who hated
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Christ. Some called him mad and insane. Some sought to stone him. Some others condemned him and his message both publicly and privately.
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Some said he had a demon. Some said he was an agent of Satan. And there were those who plotted against him and killed him.
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This is what the world thinks of Jesus and his message. Will not also in like manner treat his disciples in the same way.
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For we follow after the one who the world hates. Yes Christians are called mad and insane.
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They are continuously condemned both publicly and privately. And there are disciples who have been killed for their faith.
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Followers of Christ will face persecution and suffering. For the sake of their master. For they follow him who the world hates.
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And Christ calls out take up your cross. Take up a new life that identifies with me. And identifies with my suffering.
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Be ready to experience suffering for my sake. We see that Paul an apostle of Jesus Christ.
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Experienced severe trial as he followed Christ. And in one moment in the book of Acts in chapter 14.
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He and Barnabas are combating idolatry in Lystra. And more persecution comes their way.
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Chapter 14 of Acts it says then Jews from Antioch and Iconium came there. And having persuaded the multitudes they stoned
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Paul and dragged him out of the city. Supposing him to be dead. However when the disciples gathered around him.
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He rose up and went into the city. And the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe. When they had preached the gospel to that city and made many disciples.
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They returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch. Strengthening the souls of the disciples. Exhorting them to continue in the faith saying.
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We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God. Also in the first epistle of Peter.
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The apostle Peter he writes to. Believers who are experiencing trial and difficulty. And in the fourth chapter of his first epistle he writes.
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Beloved do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial. Which is to try you as though some strange thing happened to you.
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But rejoice the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings. That when his glory is revealed you may also be glad with exceeding joy.
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If you are approached for the name of Christ. Blessed are you. For the spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.
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To take up your Christ is to identify with Christ. Take up your cross is to identify with Christ. Including his sufferings.
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And even in his sufferings there is blessing for the Christian. There is blessing. For as Peter says.
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The spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. Christ also says deny yourself.
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Take up your cross and follow me. Follow me. That is to become.
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Come behind the master. Walk in his footsteps in his ways. Having disowned your old life.
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And your paths that you traveled so often. Come to new life in him. Come to new paths in him.
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Being led by the shepherd of your soul. To follow Christ is to genuinely and sincerely believe him.
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And believe who he says he is. To trust him personally. To obey his commands. And to live a life with him as the absolute standard and example to live by.
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Jesus says follow me. And these three requirements he gives out are not just one and done items for the
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Christian. To be done at the start of their Christian walk. But there to be continuously followed.
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Continuously. Day in and day out. Moment by moment the disciple must deny himself.
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He must continuously and utterly disown his old ways. And those old temptations that visit his heart and mind.
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He must continuously live a repentant life. Ever turning away from his sin and dying to himself daily.
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Moment by moment he must take up his cross. He must ever be ready to face suffering and trial.
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For the sake of Christ. Moment by moment the disciple must follow his master.
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He must ever be walking in his savior's ways. And living out his savior's word. A call goes out.
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The message is there publicly for all to hear. Jesus Christ calls out whoever desires to come after me.
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Let him deny himself. Take up his cross and follow me. And one can ask the question why must one follow
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Christ? Why must one be his disciple? And Christ answers this in verses 35 through 38.
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To put it briefly to follow Christ is to gain eternal life. It's to have your soul be saved.
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Verse 35 says for whoever desires to save his life will lose it. But whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospels will save it.
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Christ says that if one tries to save his own life. This is a hopeless cause. No one can save their own life.
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Not by any of his own strength. Or any of his own work. Or any of his own effort. Not in any of this is salvation found for the sinner.
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His life, his very soul itself cannot be saved by anything he does. If one tries to rely on something other than Christ.
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Trying to save his life. He will lose it. He will experience both physical and spiritual death.
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For the wages of sin is death. But he who loses his life for Christ and the gospel will save it.
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He who submits in repentance and faith. He will be saved. His soul will not die.
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But rather be forgiven and cleansed. He who denies himself takes up his cross and follows
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Christ. His life will be saved. Verse 36. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul?
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What would it benefit one if he were to gain the whole world and yet lose his soul? To gain the whole world with all of its earthly treasures, resources, and wonders.
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None of that would make a difference. None of the vast resources would help him in this matter. If he is without Christ he is going to lose his very soul.
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Verse 37. For what will a man give in exchange for his soul? What could be given for a soul, a life?
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What treasure on earth might be given to save, redeem oneself? The answer is nothing.
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No treasure, no possession, no resource in this world. No sinful man can redeem himself.
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Doesn't matter what you've done. It doesn't matter what you have in this world. You cannot save yourself.
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But there is one who can save you. That is Jesus Christ, Son of God. And he calls out.
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His gospel goes forth publicly to all. Come after me. Be my disciple. Follow me.
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Let go of your life. Let go of your earthly treasures. Let go of your old ways. Let go of your sins. Let go of your false assurances of preserving your life and your soul.
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Follow me and you will be saved. Christ and his words go forth.
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But do those who hear him and his words, do these respond in faith? Or are they ashamed of this man and his message?
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Verse 38. For whoever is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the
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Son of Man also will be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.
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If you have no life with the Savior, if you have no part with the Savior in this life, he will have no part with you in the life to come.
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They will be those who hear Christ and hear his message. And they will think to themselves, that's too crazy.
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It's unscientific to believe that a man rose from the dead. I cannot believe this man. I will have no part of him or his message.
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They will be ashamed and turn away. There might also be those who come to him who are ready to be his disciple, who seek eternal life.
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But when they see the cost of following Christ, they will turn away. And this is what happened in Mark 10, just a page over from where we're at.
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A rich young ruler comes to Christ and he asks him, what must I do to attain eternal life?
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And Christ says, have you followed the commandments? Have you kept the law? And the young man, thinking to himself, yes,
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I have. He answers, yes, I've done all this since my youth. And Christ, looking at him, loving him, says, one thing you lack, go, sell all you have, take up your cross, and follow after me.
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And the young man does not follow after Christ, but goes away sorrowful, for he has many possessions.
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If you have no part with the Savior in this life, he will have no part with you in the life to come.
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The call of Jesus Christ is a public one that goes out to all. The call to come and be his disciple.
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Why must you be his disciple? Because to follow Christ is to gain eternal life forevermore.
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To be with him and to be his disciple. The disciple must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow
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Christ. For he cannot save himself. Nothing he does will matter.
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Nothing he owns here on earth will matter for his salvation, for his very soul. The thing that will matter is, does he follow
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Jesus Christ? Does he have faith in him and does he trust him personally? For Christ is coming in his
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Father's glory with the holy angels. The Son of Man is coming, who reigns now and forevermore.
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This is Christ. And after reading this text, one has to ask himself, do you know
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Christ? Are you his disciple? Do you come after him? If you don't, your life will not be saved, your soul will not be saved.
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But if you do follow him, if you deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow after him, you will be saved.
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To be a follower of Christ will cost you everything you have, but what you will gain is
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Jesus Christ and eternal life. Eternal life with him and the Father. Christ came to save sinners, and he is effective, and he has saved sinners, and he will continue to save sinners.
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Let's pray. Father, we thank you for today, we thank you for your word, we thank you for your
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Son, Jesus Christ, and we thank you that he has come down to us, and he has saved us, Lord.
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We ask that we would take to heart this passage, Lord, and live it out, that we would continue to follow after Christ, and to know him,
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Lord, the fellowship of his sufferings, and to not be ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God unto salvation.
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We thank you again for today, and for Jesus Christ, and it's in his name we pray. Amen. Would you stand with me for our song of benediction?
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Take your HMA hymnal, turn to page 88. We'll sing,
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My heart is filled with thankfulness. Sing verses 1 and 3.