May 15, 2022 – Sunday Service Live Stream

Ascension Presbyterian Church Longwood

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Grace and peace to you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Welcome to the corporate worship of our great

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God. Please stand. Let us worship and bow down.

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Let us kneel before the Lord, our maker. For he is our

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God and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand.

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Oh, sing to the Lord a new song. Sing to the Lord all the earth.

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Sing to the Lord. Bless his name. Proclaim the good news of his salvation from day to day.

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Declare his glory among the nations, his wonders among all peoples.

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For the Lord is great and greatly to be praised. He is to be feared above all gods.

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For all the gods of the peoples are idols. But the Lord made the heavens.

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Honor and majesty are before him. Strength and beauty are in his sanctuary. Come now, let us worship him.

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Please pray with me. Oh Lord, our

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Lord, how majestic is your name. You made the heavens and earth by your great power and your outstretched arm.

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Your invisible attributes, your eternal power and divine nature are clearly seen through that which you have made.

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The heavens declare your glory. We praise you for your providential care.

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We recognize that you are the governor and sustainer of all things. And in you all things hold together.

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Above all, Lord, today we praise you for redemption. There is no other

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God beside you. There is no other savior. No other rock to whom the ends of the earth may turn and be saved.

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We rejoice that you so love the world that you gave your only begotten son, the

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Lord Jesus Christ to be savior. And you gave your spirit to abide with us and in us to teach us all things.

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And now we ask that you would grant your promise to be realized that we would have fellowship with you, father, son, and Holy Spirit.

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And we ask these things in Jesus name. Please kneel if you're able for the corporate confession of sin.

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Let us join together now with one voice and confess our sins. Almighty and most merciful father and desires of our own mercy upon us.

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Miserable offenders. Spare those, oh God, who confess their faults.

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Restore those who are penitent according to your promises declared unto mankind in Christ Jesus our

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Lord. Grant that we may hereafter live a godly, righteous, and sober life to the glory of his holy name.

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Amen. Please stand. Seek the

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Lord while he may be found. Call upon him while he is near.

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Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts.

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Let him return to the Lord and he will have mercy on him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon.

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I don't often pause here, but those words are incredibly powerful.

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A holy God offended, yet willing, ready to show mercy to sinners like us.

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Continuing, for my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the

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Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

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The higher ways of God is forgiveness and salvation for sinners.

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Take heart today if you be in Christ, in him, your sins are forgiven. Amen. Please take up the hymnal and we all know this hymn very well.

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We feel like Scottish saints of old are some of our spiritual forefathers singing acapella out in the fields.

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All hail the power of Jesus name. Let us begin. 296.

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All hail the power of his name.

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Please take up the hymnal. I mean, excuse me, the bulletin insert and turn to Psalm 119

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Q. The tune of this is come thou fount of every blessing.

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Very memorable. DJ and I are going to try to get us going. Good. Let us begin. I've judged rightly and with justice.

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Leave me not eager for your servant.

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You're just prone to sin and steal in mercy and your statutes speak to me.

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I'm your servant. Give me insight that your statues

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I may know. Lord, it is your time for action for your all day overthrow.

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I'm gonna ask Abraham if you would come and read to us Jeremiah chapter 13.

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The reading of the word. Thus the Lord said to me, go and get yourself a linen sash and put it around your waist, but do not put it in water.

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So I got a sash according to the word of the Lord and put it around my waist. And the word of the

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Lord came to me a second time saying, take the sash that you acquired, which is around your waist and arise.

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Go to the Euphrates and hide it there in a hole in the rock. So I went and hit it by the

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Euphrates as the Lord commanded me. Now it came to pass after many days that the Lord said to me, arise, go to the

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Euphrates and take from there the sash, which I commanded you to hide there. Then I went to the Euphrates and dug and took the sash from the place where I had hidden it.

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And there was the sash ruined. It was profitable for nothing. Then the word of the Lord came to me saying, thus says the

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Lord. In this manner, I will ruin the pride of Judah and the great pride of Jerusalem. This evil people who refuse to hear my words, who follow the dictates of their heart and walk after other gods to serve them and worship them, shall be just like this sash, which is profitable for nothing.

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For as the sash clings to the waist of a man, so I have caused the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah to cling to me, says the

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Lord, that they may become my people for renown, for praise, and for glory that they would not hear.

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Therefore, you shall speak to them this word. Thus says the Lord God of Israel. Every bottle shall be filled with wine.

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And they will say to you, do we not certainly know that every bottle will be filled with wine? Then you shall say to them, thus says the

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Lord. Behold, I will fill all the inhabitants of this land, even the kings who sit on David's throne, and the priests, the prophets, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem with drunkenness, and I will dash them one against another, even the fathers and the sons together, says the

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Lord. I will not pity, nor spare, nor have mercy, but will destroy them. Hear and give ear.

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Do not be proud, for the Lord has spoken. Give glory to the Lord, your God, before he causes darkness and before your feet stumble on the dark mountains.

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And while you are looking for light, he turned it into the shadow of death and makes it dense darkness.

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But if you will not hear it, my soul will weep in secret for your pride. My eyes will weep bitterly and run down with tears because the

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Lord's flock has been taken captive. Say to the king and the queen mother, humble yourselves, sit down, for the rule shall collapse the crown of your glory.

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The cities of the south shall be shut up, and no one shall open them. Judah shall be carried away captive.

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All of it shall be wholly carried away captive. Lift your eyes and see those who come from the north, where is the flock that was given to you, your beautiful sheep?

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What will you say then when he punishes you, for you have taught them to be chieftains, to be head over you?

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Will not paying seize you like a woman in labor? And if you say in your heart, why have these things come upon me?

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For the greatness of your iniquity, your skirts have been uncovered, your heels made bare. Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots?

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Then may you also do good who are accustomed to do evil. Therefore, I will scatter them like stubble that passes away by the wind of the wilderness.

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This is your lot, the portion of your measures from me, says the Lord. You have forgotten me and trusted in falsehood.

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Therefore, I will uncover your skirts over your face, that your shame may appear.

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I have seen your adulteries and your lustful names, the lewdness of your harlotry, your abominations on the hills and the fields.

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Woe to you, oh Jerusalem, will you still not be made clean? This is the reading of the word. Thanks be to God.

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Let us now confess our faith through the singing of the Apostles' Creed.

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Let us begin. When Pontius Pilate was crucified, dead and buried, he descended into hell.

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The third day he rose again from the dead, he ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the

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Father Almighty. From there he will come to judge the living and the dead.

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I believe in the Holy Spirit. I believe the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.

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We take up the hymnal again and turn to number 38,

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Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise. Let us begin.

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Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise. Let's prepare now for the prayers of the people.

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Let's begin together. Oh God, from whom come all holy desires, all good counsel, and all just works.

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Give to us, your servants, that peace which the world cannot give.

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That our hearts may be set to obey your commandments. And also that we, being defended from the fear of our enemies, may live in peace and quietness through the merits of Jesus Christ our

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Savior, who lives and reigns with you in the Holy Spirit, God forever,

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Amen. For the church of Jesus Christ, that it may be filled with truth and love, and be found without fault at the day of your coming, we pray to you, oh

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Lord. Lord, hear our prayers. We pray,

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Lord, that you would continually purify us, that we would continually turn from our sin, and that your church would become that rock that grows throughout the whole earth.

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We know, Lord, that your plan to do this is by first judging us in a way,

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Lord, purifying us, and we pray that you would do that by your Holy Spirit. We pray for ascension, and we pray for the whole state of Christ's church, in Jesus' name,

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Amen. We pray for all ministers, missionaries, and the mission of the church, that in faithful witness, the gospel may be preached.

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We pray to you, oh Lord. Lord, hear our prayers. For those in positions of public trust, that they may serve justice and promote the dignity and freedom of every person, we pray to you, oh

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Lord. Lord, hear our prayers. Would you lift up the prayers for all those who are in any public office.

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We pray for the President, the Vice President, Congress, the Judiciary, the

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Supreme Court, all federal agencies, governors, state legislatures, and all local governments, that they would have respect for your law, that they would be filled with such a fear and dread of the position that they hold as your stewards, that they would be afraid to take any other action than what you would have them take.

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But Lord, we know that we live in a fallen world, and that there are many who will devise ways against your laws.

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We pray, Father, that you would restrain them from doing so. We pray that you would hold back,

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Lord, and destroy their plans. We pray especially, Father, that you would destroy them by converting them into your friends, that they would be converted and proclaim your gospel from their position, recognizing you,

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Lord Jesus as King. We pray this in your name. For the poor, the persecuted, the sick, and all who suffer, for refugees, prisoners, and all who are in danger, that they may be relieved and protected, we pray to you,

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O Lord. Lord, hear our prayers. This time, we pray,

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Father, that you would be with them and strengthen them, encourage them, your way is bright, and that they are on the winning side.

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We pray, Father, for those who are sick, those who are suffering whatever illness, we pray that you would heal them.

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And especially, Father, we pray for those people who are not able to join us today because of the laws, we pray that you would heal them so they may return to us next

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Sunday. We pray for all the refugees, the prisoners, and various kinds of danger, we pray that you would protect them.

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Use the danger to draw them ever closer to you and be with us as we seek to serve these people, for they are our neighbors.

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Give us strength to do that. For this congregation, for those who are present, and for those who are absent, that we may be delivered from hardness of heart and show forth your glory in all that we do, we pray to you,

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O Lord. Lord, hear our prayers. We pray that you would give us the ability to worship purely in Christ's name, that worship would be glorifying, honoring you.

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We pray that you would, through this church, God, do a mighty work in our family, in our friend circles, in our workplace, in our society here.

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We pray that, by your grace and through your blessing and your promises to us and to our children, that Ascension would be here long after most of us are gone, even after all of us.

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We pray that this would be a generational thing that we are doing here, that the gospel would slowly tread and plod through the hearts, changing the hearts of families that come in and out of Ascension, Lord God.

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We pray for those who are not here that may be sick, or whatever their circumstance.

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We thank you for the media in which they are able to still tune in and worship with this congregation.

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We pray that today, Pastor, you give them the strength to preach with fervor and great joy and to equip us through the preaching of your word this morning.

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Amen. Wonderful. Please stand and let us take up the Psalm of the

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Month from the insert. I'm not going to step on your toes this time, DJ. You are really going to start this one by yourself.

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Let us begin. Psalm 8. Amen, brethren.

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Please remain standing for the reading of the word from 2 Corinthians chapter 11.

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I want to remind you that this is a sober occasion, solemn occasion, a consecrated time all around, but now we hear directly from the

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Lord himself. This is his inspired and infallible word.

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I'm going to begin reading in 2 Corinthians chapter 11 and verse 12.

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Paul writes, But what I do, I will also continue to do, that I may cut off the opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the things of which they boast.

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For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ and no wonder for Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.

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Therefore, it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.

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I say again, let no one think me a fool. If otherwise, at least receive me as a fool, that I also may boast a little.

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What I speak, I speak not according to the Lord, but as it were foolishly in this confidence of boasting.

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Seeing that many boast according to the flesh, I also will boast. For you put up with fools gladly since you yourselves are wise.

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For you put up with it if one brings you into bondage, if one devours you, if one takes from you, if one exalts himself, if one strikes you on the face.

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To our shame, I say that we were too weak for that. But in whatever anyone is bold,

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I speak foolishly. I am bold also. Now our text for this morning.

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Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites?

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So am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? So am I. Are they ministers of Christ?

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I speak as a fool. I am more. In labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often.

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From the Jews five times I receive 40 stripes minus one.

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Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times

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I was shipwrecked. A night and a day I have been in the deep. In journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the

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Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren, in weariness and toil and sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.

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Besides the other things, what comes upon me daily, my deep concern for all the churches.

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May the Lord be pleased with our reading and hearing and study of his word, and may the

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Holy Spirit supply unction, conviction, and comfort. Please pray with me.

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O Lord, we humbly submit to the authority of your word. We long to be a people who reflect that glory and grace that you have shown to us in Christ.

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O Lord, I pray that you would give us a great love for all the churches.

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That we would love our brothers and sisters here in a way that's consistent, worthy of the gospel.

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I ask these things in Jesus' name. Amen. Please be seated.

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We have been out of Second Corinthians for some time now, since right before Advent season, actually.

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It's been around. Thanksgiving was the last time we came to Second Corinthians. And you'll remember that Paul is defending his apostolic authority.

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And as he does this, we're kind of wondering why he persists in rehashing and restating the case so many times.

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And what we've discovered is that the people need to hear from Paul because of his appointment by Christ and his desire to build up and strengthen the churches.

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The false teachers have come in and they have different motives. There are a lot of motives to come and serve in the ministry and receive honor from being a person who is in that capacity.

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And a lot of it can be self -generated and self -honoring. Paul has two concerns.

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He has a concern to glorify Christ. And he has a concern to glorify, build up, strengthen the church.

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That's wise words for us. What a great way to live life, to give yourself entirely to Christ in service to him and have great love for his people in the church.

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Today, the title of the message is Paul's Deep Concern for All the Churches.

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And I've given a little bit of thought to how to structure this passage.

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And I'm going to give you three points of outline. The first is, which has been a couple of times in 2

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Corinthians, actually, Paul's pedigree. Number one, Paul's pedigree.

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And this is in response to his opponents, Paul's pedigree. Number two, that list which we have heard of going back to chapter 7.

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We referred to this a couple of different times in our exposition of 2 Corinthians. Paul suffered greatly.

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So number two is Paul's perilous life. Paul's perilous life.

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And that's the second half of 23 through 27. And then we'll close on 28.

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Number three, Paul's deep concern for all the churches. The title of the message is point three.

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What evidences would you give for Paul's apostolic authority?

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Imagine you're in a church plant. You've never heard of this guy who showed up. You've heard about him by reputation and he shows up and he's preaching

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Christ and it all sounds good. But three or four other guys come in and they sound more compelling.

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They've got greater oratorical skill. They've got a greater presence in their pulpits.

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They are stronger in their philosophical articulation.

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What evidences would you cite in defense of Paul's apostolic authority?

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One of the claims made by the so -called super apostles whom we've just rebuked in our reading there.

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He says effectively they've transformed themselves into ministers of righteousness. They are playing the part.

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They have done it themselves. They're not called of God. And one of the things they're trying to do is tell you to the congregation of Israel, we're the

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Hebrews. We're the Israelites. We're of the seed of Abraham.

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Listen to us. We are the ministers of Christ. And Paul refutes them and says, if they can say this,

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I can really say it. Are they Hebrews? So am

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I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? So am I. Are they ministers of Christ?

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Without turning there, make a mental note. Philippians 3. Paul in this section is warning against those

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Judaizers who are disrupting things there. Beware of dogs.

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Beware of evil workers. Beware of the mutilation. Listen to this statement.

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For we are the circumcision who worship God in the spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh.

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Though I might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh,

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I more so. So Paul is taking this argument, these fleshly external arguments of his opponents.

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In our text, and he's refuting them. He's he's answering their charges.

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They're the real Hebrews. They're the real Israelites. They're the real seed of Abraham. They're the real ministers of Christ.

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Listen to Paul's resume, his pedigree. I more so circumcised the eighth day.

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Of the stock of Israel. Of the tribe of Benjamin.

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A Hebrew of the Hebrews. Concerning the law, a Pharisee. Concerning zeal, persecuting the church.

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Concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. That's not how it ends.

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He says, but what things were gained to me, these I have counted loss. For the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my

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Lord. For whom I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish.

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That I may gain Christ. And be found in him not having my own righteousness.

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Which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ. The righteousness which is from God by faith.

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That I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings.

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Being conformed to his death, if by any means. I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.

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Paul is alone in his qualifications. He's got the perfect educational background.

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He knows the Hebrew Bible inside and out. Every jot, every tittle, every breathing mark, every horn, all of it.

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And yet he says. My reputation, my pedigree, I set aside in favor of knowing

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Christ. It's very powerful language. And this should be something true for us.

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We take a lot of pride in various things. My family has always boasted.

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I wish Nathaniel was here today. He's home with a broken neck. I wish he would be here to say.

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My family is good stock. My grandfather used to say. And maybe it's true.

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But I can think about some health conditions in our family. Maybe there's no stock. We're a good family.

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We're solid people. Our tradition. Everybody kind of thinks that they're the ones. They're the people.

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They have this background. We all are proud of our heritage. The legacy that's gone before us.

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And to some measure, some of that familial stuff and covenantal faithfulness. We should celebrate and rejoice in.

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But some of it is of the flesh and of the world. So how does

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Paul respond to these opponents? Well, surprisingly, there's some gold here that I'd like to mine.

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First, I want to ask the question. What is a Hebrew? Look at verse 22. Are they

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Hebrews? Now, at first glance, we look at this and we go. Okay, Paul, we get your point. You're a Jewish guy.

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That there's a lot more being communicated here in this section. What is a

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Hebrew? Well, it seems as though it started off being a name applied to the

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Israelites in Scripture. Only by those who were foreigners. Back in the interactions with Joseph.

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Potiphar's wife, for example. His time in prison. They refer to Joseph as that Hebrew.

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One of the ways in which they were described. Sometimes, like in Exodus 1.

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They are Israelites when they speak of themselves to foreigners. When they're talking about themselves to others, they call themselves

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Hebrews. You remember that incredible narrative. The midwives responding to Pharaoh's command to kill the sons of the

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Hebrew women. They said no. They said, in response to him, lying, deceiving him.

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Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women. For they are lively and give birth before the midwives come to them.

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The midwives of the Hebrews are not going to kill the Hebrew baby boys.

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They're not going to do it. They stand up to Pharaoh. Several places it's contrasted.

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This term is used to contrast the Hebrews. The people of God, as we knew it then, with other peoples.

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In the New Testament, there seems to be a same contrast between the Hebrews and foreigners.

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There arose, you'll remember, in Acts 6, a complaint against the Hebrews by the

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Hellenists. Because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution.

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They felt like their widows were being cheated. The name is also derived, according to some, from Eber.

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In Genesis chapter 10. You know who Eber is. He is the ancestor of Abraham.

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The Hebrews, therefore, are sons of Eber, Genesis 10. And still others trace this word, this meaning, signifying a root word that means to pass over.

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And they regard it as meaning the man who passed over the Euphrates. Which is so interesting that we just read that in Jeremiah.

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I'm often caught off guard by that sometimes. How the liturgy unintentionally intertwines and weaves into all the elements of the service.

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The man who passed over the Euphrates. You know who that is. The Hebrew word meaning the region or country beyond the land of Chaldea refers to Abraham.

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It's more probable origin, if you were to pick one, is the designation given to Abraham.

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Coming among the Canaanites as a man from beyond the Euphrates, Genesis 14.

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So these people, by name, are sojourners and pilgrims.

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They are people who have passed through lands. And it seems to be the case, isn't it? Very interesting.

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What is a Hebrew? Whatever classification, whatever designation could be given to Hebrews, Paul is one.

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Well, second question then, what is the distinction between the Israelites and the Hebrews? What is an

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Israelite? Well, an Israelite is a descendant of the Hebrew patriarch

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Jacob. The 12 tribes of Israel with the advent and establishment of the divided kingdom.

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The 10 northern tribes constituting the kingdom of Israel were known as Israelites.

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To distinguish them from the southern kingdom of Judah. The northern kingdom was conquered by the

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Assyrians. And its population was eventually absorbed into and by other peoples.

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It's interesting and even more modern usage liturgically in the Jewish tradition.

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An Israelite is a Jew who is neither a Kohen, a descendant of Aaron, nor a

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Levite. A descendant of those early religious functionaries.

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If a descendant of Aaron is present for synagogue, he must be called up first for the reading of the law.

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Those Jews are really still tied to these genealogies, aren't they? He would then be followed by a

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Levite. Normally an Israelite is not called upon until the third reading.

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So it's more of a general term. And it maybe becomes a term of disparagement in some sense when you think about northern versus southern kingdom.

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I've interjected another definition which I think will be helpful. What is a Jew? I think this will all make sense as we go on.

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A Jew is any person whose religion is Judaism. In ancient times,

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Jews were originally a member of Judah. Either the tribe of Judah, of the twelve tribes, or of the subsequent kingdom of Judah.

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The Jewish people as a whole initially called Hebrews were known as Israelites.

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From the time of their entrance into the Holy Land to the end of the Babylonian exile.

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The term Jew was to signify all adherence of Judaism because the survivors of the exile, those former inhabitants of the kingdom of Judah, were the only

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Israelites who had retained their distinctive identity. The ten northern tribes had been dispersed after the

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Assyrian conquest. And gradually they assimilated, as we said before, into other peoples.

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Now this is where it gets very interesting in relationship to Paul. In the latter stages of the

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Hebrew Bible, it adjectively described those descendants of Jacob's fourth son, Judah.

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Whose tribe together with that of his half -brother,

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Benjamin. Do you remember that from the Philippians citation? Constituted the kingdom of Judah.

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Now I want to pause here for a moment because Rachel had two sons by Jacob.

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Joseph and Benjamin. The fourth son, Judah, is from Leah.

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Judah is the faithful nation of the two. The more faithful, let's say, nation of the divided kingdom.

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Paul is from the tribe of Jacob's favorite wife and the remnant that remained faithful throughout the history of Israel.

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The other people really couldn't say that the same way. So if you're going to tout credentials,

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Paul says, I've got them. I'm not only part of Judah, I'm the son of my father's love,

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Benjamin. I'm the one of the one, the wife that Jacob really loved. That's ultimately going to be where he goes.

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The opponents of Paul and their followers made much, of course, of their background, their heritage, their genealogy.

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Paul here demonstrates that even his eminent qualifications, which are unmatched.

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He's so qualified to speak on the subject, but it has a new flavor and character.

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In Romans 2, Paul wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, a Jew is one inwardly.

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And circumcision is a matter of the heart by the spirit, not by the letter.

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His praise is not from man, but from God. Lest we be confused.

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This is at the heart of Old Testament teaching as well. Deuteronomy 30, the Lord, your

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God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants. And you will love him with all your heart and with all your soul so that you may live.

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So Jesus, excuse me, Paul, as a servant of Christ, says it's one thing to have this pedigree.

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It's another to have a living faith. It's one thing to have some ability to preach or to lead or to get a following.

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But it's another thing to be a faithful minister of Christ. Let's consider the third designation here, the seed of Abraham.

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Of course, this describes the physical descendants of Abraham and there. And it should be noted the spiritual descendants of Abraham.

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Would you consider Ishmael to be the seed of Abraham? In a very technical sense, but not really because of faith, right?

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Isaac. Yes, that's a seed of Abraham. His line includes the ethnic and religious

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Hebrews. So we think about the patriarchs, we think about Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, those designations,

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Hebrews, Israelites, seed of Abraham. We're the people who come from that line in that tradition.

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It seems to be a problem in the New Testament era, however, because both John the Baptist and Jesus confronted the

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Jewish leaders who boasted upon their physical descendants from Abraham. We have to be very careful because we,

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I think, rightly parse and navigate the blessings of generational faithfulness.

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We believe in covenantal blessings. We believe in a succession of blessing passing from generations.

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But over time, that can be denigrated into because we're part of a certain family.

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These promises physical are always attached to spiritual truths and realities.

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Baptism is always attached to faith, never divorced of it. Right. We don't just have the forms.

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We have the forms which convey the substance and the essence, the reality of those things in Christ.

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Not so for the Jews of this time. They are always claiming your member in those interactions with Jesus that they are

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Abraham's children. They had genealogy. They had circumcision.

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They had religiosity. But they lacked the faith, an important aspect of the relationship that Abraham had with God.

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And so those of us who come from a Gentile heritage could rightly be called descendants of Abraham, the seed of Abraham on the basis of faith.

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In John chapter eight, the Jews are seeking to kill Jesus and repeatedly cited this connection with Abraham and therefore his standing with God.

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Jesus confronts their error by saying that the true seed of Abraham would walk in faith as Abraham did.

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And would recognize Jesus as the Messiah. You'll remember that Abraham saw the day of Christ and rejoiced.

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He longed for that promise to be realized. And it has. Spiritually, then, those who are with believing

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Abraham believe and have it accounted to them as righteousness.

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Genesis 15, Hebrews 11, Galatians 3.

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And if you are Christ, then you are Abraham's offspring. Heirs according to the promise.

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Can you imagine a Gentile hearing the words, hearing of this legacy of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the history of Israel and hearing this message preached from Jewish preachers?

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If you are Christ, then the promises of Abraham and his offspring are yours.

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Your heirs according to the promise because of Christ. Of course, the greatest articulation of that was probably found.

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And we won't do it now because of time in Romans chapter four. But there's also something important to remember.

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Singularly, the seed of Abraham is Christ. So it's not about kids born to concubines and second wives and things like that.

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It's about Christ. The seed, the capitalized seed, not only in Genesis three, but in the promises related to Abraham is

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Christ. We have to be in Christ to have these promises and bless.

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We have to believe Christ. Christ has to be our savior. The one true

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God has to be our God. Galatians three again says not to Abraham and his seed were the promises made.

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He does not say Paul clarifying this for us and to seeds as of many, but as of one.

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And to your seed, who is Christ. So the

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Jews are looking for this identification to tribes and clans. And we can trace our genealogy back to Aaron and to Judah and these things.

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The super apostles so -called coming into Corinth and they're saying we are the real thing.

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We we have this pedigree. Look at our our resume. Paul says the real seed of Abraham or the children of God with Abraham believe the promise.

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And realization of Christ in his redemption. Galatians three again 326 says for you are all sons of God through faith in Jesus Christ.

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For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

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There is neither Jew nor Greek. Neither slave nor free.

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There is neither male nor female for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

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Now I should stop here as we affirm all of these things.

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We all love these truths. But there is a party spirit in us.

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We like our tribe. We don't mind that the PCA is having some problems.

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Because of our hard heartedness and our pride. We can say yes about other tradition.

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We say yes. I told you so about them. Look at them. They're going the wrong direction. They're apostatizing. They're compromising.

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They're doing these things. It reflects in us that we do not love the church that Christ has purchased with his own blood.

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We say we're standing for the truth. Here is CPC or CRC or some denomination that we really like.

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We say we're the ones who are standing. If we have a party spirit about it. If we look down our nose at those who aren't part of our camp.

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We may not be loving the church of Christ. Sobering. Convicting.

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Repent of that hard heartedness. Look how inclusive it is.

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It's inclusive in so far as Christ has saved them of course. Not in the way that the world uses it today.

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There's slave nor free distinctions. No. Male. Female. No. Jew. Greek.

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These impenetrable walls have been broken down in Christ. These apostles who are challenging

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Paul's authority are re -erecting them. Putting them back up. We cannot be guilty of that ourselves.

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If you are Christ then you are Abraham's seed. And heirs according to the promise.

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Well the last in these definitions are the ministers of Christ.

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And I have to tell you these. This list that I have is very short comparatively with what it could be.

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Causes a man to be halted in his steps. We've tried to ask the question.

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Try to navigate. What is these designations? Hebrews. Israelites. Much more could be said about this. Jews. The seed of Abraham.

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This question about who are legitimate ministers of Christ. The ministers of Christ have been called and commissioned by God.

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To preach Christ and him crucified. To preside over the corporate worship and gathering of God's people.

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To administer the sacraments. To shepherd the people. To feed the flock.

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They are his messengers. Watchmen. And they're stewards of the mysteries of God.

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They're called to convince. To convict. To admonish. To rebuke. And to restore.

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In kingly language a minister is an ambassador. Paul perfectly personifying a minister.

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What's the heartbeat of his message? As we've studied in 2nd Corinthians. The ambassador heralds and he cries out.

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Be reconciled to God in Christ. Paul's words to Timothy.

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Preach the word. Be ready in season and out of season. Convince.

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Rebuke. Exhort. With all lung suffering and teaching. Ministers are to be watchful in all things.

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They're to endure afflictions. They're to do the work of an evangelist.

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They're called to fulfill their ministries. Paul embodied these lofty precepts that he urges

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Timothy to follow. He's not just saying you should do those things. He is those things.

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He's perfectly qualified and called to be Christ's chief spokesman.

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And now we have the litany of facts here described. Beginning the last half of verse 23.

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Because we've talked about this at length several other times. I'm going to go through them and not say too much.

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But a little bit about them. And then we're going to conclude on 28. What did

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Paul endure for Christ and his gospel? What did

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Paul endure for his bride, Christ's bride, the church?

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It's almost hard to comprehend. And I should point out to you.

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I hope this is a helpful bringing in of conviction. We have a low threshold of pain when it comes to suffering for Christ.

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We don't like to suffer. Particularly for somebody else.

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And though we individually might want to be able to say. I would suffer for Christ if I was put before rulers who are going to execute me.

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But will you suffer for Christ to lay down your life in favor of the interests of the brethren?

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A smaller percentage. We'd be brave in that day of having our heads chopped off.

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But that daily living as people who recognize who

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Christ is and who his church is. I don't know if that's where we are. Lord willing, speaking of myself.

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I want to be that kind of person. Who loves the church in this way. Can you imagine your entire life devoid of self -interest?

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That's what Paul is. He's not promoting his own cause ever.

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His boasting in the Lord is that the people would see Christ in his glory. Not Paul's glory.

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Let's listen to some of what Paul suffered. Are they ministers of Christ?

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I embody the qualities. I put the churches in order.

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I am qualified to be a minister of Christ, he says. He's not tooting his own horn, believe it or not.

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He speaks as a fool in their terminology.

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He says, and labors more abundant. He stands in the company of the apostles at other times and says,

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I worked harder than all of you. Is he boasting? No, he's saying,

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I have been so transformed by this gospel of Christ that I will do anything in service to him.

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Do not question my motives or my sincerity on this matter. Labors more abundant.

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Stripes are beatings above measure. Imprisons more frequently.

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And deaths often. From the Jews, five times I receive 40 stripes minus one.

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The law of God, this is so Jewish, the law of God says 40 is the maximum. They say we're going to lower it to 39, just in case we miscount when the guy is wailing on him.

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Let's drop to 39. Be safe. Either a cat of nine tails or four leather straps beaten across the breast.

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Five to 10 times the back, the shoulders five to 10 times and utter pulverization of a man.

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His scars must have been incredible to see. That's not enough.

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He was three times beaten with rods. Once I was stoned.

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And usually that means like the Stephen incident, thrown off a rocky cliff and then thrown stones on, not just having little rocks thrown at you.

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Boulders thrown at him. Three times I was shipwrecked.

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He spent a night and a day in the deep. And journeys often and perils of waters and perils of robbers and perils of my own countrymen.

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Paul is alone. The Jews hate him. A lot of the Christians in the churches hate him.

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The elements hate him. The ships can't hold together. The storms hate him. And the

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Gentiles hate him. He's coming with the message of salvation for the Gentiles and they hate him.

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They want to kill him. He's got perils in the city.

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He's got perils in the wilderness. And as you know, in that part of the world, the wilderness is more like a desert than the

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Rocky Mountain National Park. Much different kind of wilderness. Perils in the sea and perils among false brethren.

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And weariness and toil and sleeplessness often and hunger and thirst.

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And fastings often. I think Mark, he did religious fasts.

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And I think he fasted because he had no food to eat as well. So he couldn't say with us that he didn't know where his, he probably didn't know where his meals were coming from.

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This is Christ's chief spokesman walking the earth experiencing this. He's cold.

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He doesn't have proper clothing. But that's not the biggest burden.

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If that were the list for you, that might be your biggest burdens.

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My personal welfare, my health, my life. It's not

01:08:45

Paul's. Paul's biggest concern, the things that come upon him daily, is his deep concern for the churches.

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Brethren, we need to love Christ and his church a lot more than we do. I hate false preacher guilt.

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I don't want to have any extra, there's no manipulation in this. This is just the truth. We need to love

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Christ and his church more. One commentator trying to articulate the language of this because the force of it in Greek is stronger.

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But even the technical etymology of the words in Greek are not satisfactory enough to communicate what

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Paul is saying, the anguish that he has for the churches. One commentator said,

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I could not possibly convey to you adequately in the English language the force of that statement.

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And what's that statement? My deep concern for all the churches.

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I tried to picture it in terms of being smothered under a blanket or being attacked and crushed by some great animal.

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For he could not have used a stronger word when he said, in effect, that which bears me down, that which is upon me as an intolerable load, that which is a burden, that is which something that I can never shake off day or night.

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It is with me always. I have no vacation from it ever.

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It is upon me daily. The care, the compassion, the concern of all the churches.

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You start thinking about the great men of the Bible, particularly in the New Testament era, it would seem that greatness, and contrary to the world's way of doing things, seems to be a focus on others, namely

01:11:29

Christ in the church. When I was a little boy, I wanted to be a great man.

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And I have to tell you, as an older man, a 50 -year -old man, I want to be a great man.

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That's something I want. It's achievable for you and for me to have that greatness if we are completely and radically committed to Christ and his church, that we would do anything for Christ and his people.

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So to make this point, I'm just going to ask you to turn to Colossians 2. I'm not going to do an exhaustive exposition.

01:12:13

Colossians 2. You're also seeing some benefit practically in husbands loving their wives in this way, and wives loving their husbands in this way, and children loving their parents in this way.

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We have cut ourselves off from great joy because of our lack of obedience and priorities.

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There's great joy, there's treasure there for us if we walk in these things. I'm going to read a portion of this, and I'm going to make some comments, not an exposition.

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I want to give you the flavor, partly, of Paul's love for the churches. When you think about Paul and all his work,

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I could spend hours talking about all the doctrinal things that he put in motion. It was very important. A good percentage of his epistles even dedicated to practical matters, a great applier of the doctrine to the life of the

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Christian in the church. But I want you to be reminded that Paul's doctrine involves real people.

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See, we love a covenant renewal church. We love a church who has these X distinctives.

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We love the idea of it, but we have to love the people. Not just the idea.

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The real, actual members, the people. Paul cared for the church universally.

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He wants purity in all the churches. He cares for the church locally, all these individual examples.

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He cared for individuals personally. He made it his aim to present every man complete and mature in Christ.

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These were people that had funny names. They were well known to Paul.

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People like Epaphras, and Tychicus, and Onesimus, and Philemon.

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They're real people. Not just ideas, not just precepts. Real people.

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Now, I want you to hear some of the heart and love Paul has for a particular church, or maybe a group of churches in and around Colossae.

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This is Colossians chapter 2. If you want to read along. For I want you to know what a great conflict

01:15:16

I have for you and those in Laodicea. This is motivated and rooted in love.

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And I believe it's fair to say that Paul endures the lashings, the beatings, the stonings, the rods, all of that because simply he loves

01:15:35

Christ and his church. That's why. He's anguished about the condition of the churches.

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He's always happy to compliment them in their health and their prosperity and the things they're doing well. But his heart aches and groans for those churches.

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Our hearts should ache for the condition of our church and for the churches at large.

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He says,

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I have this conflict for you and those in Laodicea, as many have not seen my face in the flesh. That their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love.

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And attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the

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Father and of Christ. In whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

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Now, this I say, lest anyone should deceive you with persuasive words.

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Do you know that you've been deceived your entire life? You are easily deceived.

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The whole advertising business that you've consumed your entire lives build on deception. You say,

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I would never turn from the faith. I would never go in the wrong direction.

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You already have. You've done it. And every one of us has done it. We've had to repent. We've had to turn. We need a higher level of discernment.

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You can easily be deceived with persuasive words. He says, for though I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in the spirit.

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Rejoicing to see your good order and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ. As though you therefore you have received

01:17:33

Christ Jesus, the Lord. So walk in him rooted and built up in him and established in the faith.

01:17:38

And as you have been taught, abounding in it with Thanksgiving. Beware, lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit.

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According to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world and not according to Christ.

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For in him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. And you are complete in him who is the head of all principality and power in him.

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You are also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands.

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Very important in our line of thinking here today. By putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, buried with him in baptism.

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In which you are also raised with him through faith in the working of God who raised him from the dead.

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And you being dead in your trespasses, he in the uncircumcision of your flesh, he has made alive together with him.

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Having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us.

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He's taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Having disarmed principalities and powers, he made a public spectacle of them, trying thing over them in it.

01:19:04

So let no one judge you in food or drink or regarding a festival or a new moon or Sabbath, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.

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When we read this typically, we look for theological proposition.

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It's good to do so. He's trying to keep people from being led astray.

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People whom he loves. It's a very different flavor when you see it that way.

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The theological is not negated in any respect by that. It's not just ideas, it's realities in the lives of people that he's concerned with.

01:19:50

Let no one cheat you of your reward. Taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind and not holding fast to the head.

01:20:05

There was angel worship at Colossae and people were starting to buy into it. They're being taken away from Christ.

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Who is the head from whom all the body nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments grows with the increase that is from God.

01:20:24

Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why is the living in the world?

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Do you subject yourselves to regulations? Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle, which all concern things which perish with the using according to the commandments and doctrines of men.

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These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom and self -imposed religion, false humility and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.

01:20:59

I was thinking about this last night. When you think about humility, don't you think about Christ?

01:21:19

When you think about kingship, you should think about Christ. But I got one for you that's shocking.

01:21:29

When you think about sin, you should think about Christ. When you think about your failures, you should think about Christ.

01:21:42

Paul says you have Christ, you have fellowship with him, you have inherited the universe in him.

01:21:49

Don't let anybody rob you of this joy. Don't go listening to any false teaching.

01:21:59

Paul had a deep concern for the churches. Well, what did he teach them?

01:22:07

This is just a short list. He taught them about the substance of saving faith.

01:22:14

He clarified the gospel like no other to us. The book of Romans, for example.

01:22:21

He taught us what it means to have communion with God through being united to Christ, union with Christ.

01:22:30

And the book we're reading here in Colossians chapter 1. He taught us the preeminence of Christ over all things.

01:22:39

In the same book, he taught us about the mortification of sin that we're required to do. That we are to put off the old man.

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And as the elect of God, holy and beloved, to put on the new man in Christ. To put on tender mercies and kindness and humility, meekness, longsuffering.

01:22:56

We are to bear with one another, forgive one another. If anyone has a complaint against one another, even as Christ forgave you, so you must also do.

01:23:07

Do you like to keep a record of wrongs? Do you like to remember when you've been slighted?

01:23:15

And harbor bitterness in your heart and think about retaliation? We've been called to something higher.

01:23:27

We've been called by Paul to put on love, which is the bond of perfection. We've been called by Paul to let the peace of God rule in our hearts.

01:23:36

We were called to be in one body, to be thankful. In 1

01:23:43

Thessalonians, Paul's tender affection is likened to the ministry of that of a nursing mother.

01:23:53

He said, we were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children.

01:24:02

Mothers of infants, how much do you cherish those little ones? It's no trouble to wake up in the middle of the night.

01:24:11

It's no trouble to care for them, change their diapers and to feed them. It's no care because you love them so much.

01:24:18

Paul loved the church in a different kind of way. He says,

01:24:26

I affectionately long for you, the church at Thessalonica. And we were so well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but you know that other statement, our own lives.

01:24:40

Paul really loves the churches. I think we like the doctrine of the church.

01:24:48

We like the idea of the church. We need to increase our love of the real, actual church.

01:24:59

Paul says, we gave you our lives because you had come dear to us.

01:25:05

I'm going to close here. Language from that section.

01:25:25

Thinking back to 2 Corinthians and the intertwining of these ideas. Verse 9 says, immediately following what

01:25:32

I just said, For you, brethren, remember our labor and toil, laboring night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you.

01:25:41

We preach to you the gospel of God. And you are witnesses in God also, how devoutly and justly and blamelessly we behaved ourselves among you who believe.

01:25:55

As you know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you as a father does his own children, that you would walk worthy of God who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.

01:26:15

I've told my children, if I were to ever write a book on parenting, it would be very simple.

01:26:25

There's nothing they could do to ever diminish the love that their father has for them. I learned that from somewhere else in scripture, obviously.

01:26:35

There's security there in that. But the church is called to love each other in that way, and that's just not how it really practically is.

01:26:44

We don't really love each other in that way. We were called to it, but we don't love each other in that way.

01:26:51

We could take it or leave it. You could be just as happy down the street as you could be here. But Paul loved the church in a different way.

01:27:05

The church responded to Paul. In verse 13 it says, For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because you received the word of God which you heard from us.

01:27:12

You welcomed it, not as the word of men, but as it is in truth the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.

01:27:22

For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus. For you also suffered the same things from your own countrymen, just as they did from the

01:27:33

Judeans, who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets and have persecuted us.

01:27:39

They do not please God, or contrary to all men. They forbid us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved, so to always fill up the measure of their sins.

01:27:50

But wrath has come upon them to the uttermost. But here it is again.

01:27:58

We, brethren, having been taken away from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavored more eagerly to see your face with great desire.

01:28:08

Therefore we wanted to come to you, even I, Paul, time and again, but Satan hindered us.

01:28:16

For what is our hope or joy or crown or rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our

01:28:22

Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? The statement last verse of this chapter really caps it for us.

01:28:33

For you are our glory and joy. Paul longed to see that he longed to be mixed up in the messiness of all these problems.

01:28:48

I would be so annoyed with these churches. I would say stop calling me. I'm sick of you guys, but I have to grow in my love for Christ and his church.

01:29:00

Gospel simplicity, clarity, refutation of error, please for practical holiness, warnings against seeking righteousness apart from Christ, the breaking down of the barriers of Christian fellowship between Jews and Gentiles, that idea of one body in Christ.

01:29:19

Paul transformed the world with that message, and he established the church order that we all benefit from.

01:29:29

Pastoral epistles. Paul had a deep love and concern for all the churches, and I think you should too.

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Quick word of application, and we'll close here. It's come up in a myriad of ways, and I was thinking when

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Mark was teaching on fasting this morning that nobody wants to fast because it's uncomfortable.

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It's not a matter of being convinced theologically. It's just my belly's growling. I want to fill it.

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This message is not popular in the 21st century, but apparently, like Paul, we must suffer for Christ.

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Are you prepared to suffer for Christ? Part of you winces and goes, I've suffered a lot in my life.

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I really don't want to suffer for Christ. You're called to suffer for Christ. We must have deep concern for the peace and purity of the churches, and instead of laughing that the

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PCA is entertaining homosexuality in the pulpit, we should weep tears that a continuing

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Presbyterian church in our tradition, the Westminster tradition, is going that way. Our hearts should be grieved.

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We should actively labor to keep the peace and purity of the church. What are you willing to sacrifice to glorify

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Christ and strengthen the body? Very few people are really sacrificing anything.

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I'm asking you for your joy and your glory in the future, your crowns in heaven.

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Set aside your self -interest and gain something greater. A lot of self -interest in you.

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It's a horrible thing to do when you open that up in your heart and ask the Lord to expose you, your self -interest.

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It's horrible, but we need to do it that we might repent. Third, we need to study the word diligently that we might have a fuller knowledge of Christ, that we might love

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Christ like Paul did. The more we know of Christ, the more we love him. We see more of the preciousness, the rare jewel that is

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Christ, the love of more. And therefore, because of that, the love that God has for the redeemed, our love for the brethren would be elevated.

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We need to cultivate the fruit of the spirit. We need to make no provision for the flesh.

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We ourselves need to grow to full maturity in Christ and help others through discipleship to do the same.

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Some of you are much more immature in your faith than you should be given what you have been taught and have received.

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It's time to grow up in Jesus, be a man and a woman, and start helping some other people. And finally, because it's been a little emphasis, there's a church in Corinth and there's problems to be solved.

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There's a lot of fruit because Paul preached the gospel to them. And brethren,

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Longwood, Florida, Seminole County, Florida, Volusia County, Florida, Orange County, Florida, they belong to the

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Lord Jesus Christ. People don't know it yet, but that's the reality.

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We need to go out and tell them that Christ reigns. And our loving king has said through his ambassadors, us, you can be reconciled to this

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God. Kiss the son, worship him, be united to him, have fellowship with him.

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It seems Paul's and others experiences and the prophets. He has many people here that need to be saved and assimilated into the body of Christ.

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I think it only happens when you really love Christ and love the church that you want more people to come in.

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Some good things to think about today. Let's pray together. Lord Jesus, we are amazed at what

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Paul endured to serve as your apostle. And we are so thankful for the fruit of his labors that we get to study and to emulate.

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Oh Lord, I pray that we would have a growing love for you, Christ, our head.

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But now Lord, we know even more fully that because we love you, we have to love your bride, the body of Christ.

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Cause us, oh Lord, to love your body in a way that befits your kingship and the salvation you have supplied.

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We ask this in Jesus' name, amen. Let's continue worshiping through the giving of the offerings.

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Please stand and let's sing the Gloria Patri. Let us begin.

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Glory be to the Father and to the

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Son and to the Holy One. The Lord be with you.

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Lift up your hearts. We lift them up to the Lord. Let us give thanks to the

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Lord. It is good and right so to do. It is right and a good and joyful thing that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to you, oh

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Holy Lord, Father Almighty, Everlasting God. Because you sent your beloved

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Son to redeem us from sin and death and to make us heirs in him of everlasting life.

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That we shall come again in power and great triumph to judge the world we may without shame or fear rejoice to behold his appearing.

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Therefore with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven we praise and magnify your glorious name evermore praising you and singing.

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Please be seated and let's pray together. Almighty God, you are the creator and Lord of all things.

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You are the sovereign majesty whom we have offended yet. You are our most loving and merciful father who has given your son to reconcile us to yourself.

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Who has ratified the new covenant with his most precious blood and has instituted in this holy sacrament to be celebrated a remembrance of him till he comes.

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We ask that you would sanctify these, your creatures of bread and wine, which according to your institution and command we set apart to this holy use that they may be sacramentally the body and blood of the

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Son, Jesus Christ, for us. Amen. Our Lord Jesus on the night in which he was betrayed took bread, blessed, broke it, and gave it to his disciples saying, take, eat, this is my body.

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Likewise he took the cup after supper saying, this cup is the new covenant in my blood. Drink from it, all of you, for as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup you proclaim the

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Lord's death. Therefore we proclaim the faith.

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Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.

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Let's approach the table now by praying together in unison. We do not presume to come to this your table

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O merciful Lord trusting in our own righteousness but in your manifold and great mercies.

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We are not worthy so much as to gather up the crumbs under your table but you are the same

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Lord who always shows mercy. Grant us therefore, gracious Lord so to eat the flesh of your dear

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Son, Jesus Christ and to drink of his blood that our sinful bodies may be made clean by his body and our souls washed through his most precious blood and that we may evermore dwell in him and he in us.

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Amen. Christ our Passover was sacrificed for us.

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Therefore let us keep the feasts the gifts of God for you, the people of God.

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Thanks be to God. Give me to eat and live.

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Live me of love. Teach me to love thy truth for thou be the truth unsealed within my revealed body.

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Let's make this commitment together in unison. Almighty and ever -living

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God we thank you for feeding us with the spiritual food of the most precious body and blood of your

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Son our Savior Jesus Christ and for assuring us in these moments that we are living members of the body of your

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Son and heirs of your eternal kingdom. And oh Lord grant us this other benefit that you will never allow us to forget these things.

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May we grow and increase daily in the faith which is at work in every good deed and now

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Father send us out to do the work you have given us to do to love and serve you as faithful witnesses of Christ our

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Lord to him, to you, and to the Holy Spirit the honor and glory now and forever.

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Amen. Please stand. Let us sing the doxology together.

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Let us begin. Receive now the blessing, the grace of the

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Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the

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Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen. I have seen salvation's dawn, this child so long foretold.

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This is the Savior of Gentiles promised blood.