Sunday Morning Worship Service September 20, 2020

The blessings of this past week and they have been abundant. We are grateful for his answers to prayer and things that he has given and provided that or beyond what we could ask or think and Even things we didn't even think about and yet here he comes.

He comes with his abundant mercies and grace and we are so grateful for those. Those blessings and the blessing of gathering together today to worship the Lord and serve him together to hear from his word to be encouraged and challenged by it and I trust you're Anticipating those blessings today the blessing also of uniting our hearts and our voices in song as we as we worship and sing praise to him and express even the the benefits that are ours.

Thinking of the weaponry that we have for our spiritual warfare. Before I begin the service itself just a couple of words of announcement. Tonight in the evening service. We're doing a series called songs in the night and tonight we'll be looking at the song of the satisfied soul from Psalm 34 and encourage you to be back for that service this evening and then if you notice on the Congratulations side of the of the page.

What a what a joy to hear of Dave and Sue Whitmer's anniversary yesterday celebrated 50 50 years of marriage, so it would have been September 19th 1970 1970 do you know how old I was in 1970? Yeah. Wow.

So Congratulations to Dave and Sue and God has blessed you richly. I asked him yesterday at the other thing to celebrate this wedding between Max and Allison. I Asked them. I said you doing special for your 50.

I asked. I asked sue. I didn't ask Dave because I didn't want him to have to tell me as a surprise that he had for his wife, but As Sue I said you doing anything special for your 50th anniversary. She said We're alive and together what more do you need?

So So congratulations to them, but in the planning ahead section you notice if you've if you've observed that yet that in the four Sundays of October. Got some guest speakers lined up Gordon Taylor for the first two Sundays and Ron Burnett for the last two Sundays.

Pastor Chris and I are gonna be Hopefully Getting some time for some much-needed R &R so these gentlemen have agreed to Fill in and serve you during that time and I know they've been here enough times before I know that there'll be a blessing to you and Just encourage you through the month of October under their ministry to be faithful.

And I know that the the Ministry of the Word will be a great encouragement to you and a blessing. Well as we worship together today, I want to start with Psalm 31. Verses 23 and 24 say love the Lord all you his saints.

The Lord preserves the faithful but abundantly abundantly repays the one who acts in pride. Be strong and let your heart take courage all you who wait for the Lord. Let's open our service with song Jim.

Please come lead us. Shall we Thank You pastor. It's on page.

336 336 in your hymnals My hope is in the Lord. Let's all stand together, please and sing all four verses Of my hope is in the Lord father again. We are truly grateful and thankful for who you are our mighty God our Heavenly Father that we can come even now and give you the praise and the thanks For who you are and your goodness to us your mercies and grace That are forever promised in Jesus Christ.

We thank you for this meeting. We thank you for this church in the body. We ask your blessing upon the service all aspects of it, but we ask it in Jesus name. Amen, thank you. May be seated.

Read together Psalm 130 on the back of your bulletin if you want to follow along as.

We read.

This is a reminder the Psalms are the songbook of the Bible we've been doing on Sunday nights. In these songs of the night series is Looking at a psalm and then also Singing that psalm. Many of all of the psalms have been put to music.

Some of them are easier to sing than others, but we're learning some new ones along the way. Sunday morning we read together from from the psalm. Psalm 130. Out of the depths have I cried unto thee O Lord.

Lord hear my voice. Let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications. If thou Lord shouldest mark iniquities O Lord who shall stand? But there is forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared.

I Wait for the Lord my soul doth wait and in his words do I hope My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning. I say more than they that watch for the morning. Let Israel hope in the Lord for with the Lord.

There is mercy and with him is plenteous redemption. He shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities. The Lord had his blessing to the reading of his word together. Jim in your blue books that is your supplement books.

Number four. Page four. Before the throne of God above and we're going to sing all three verses. But before the throne of God above. For me my name is. My name is written in his heart. I know that while Heaven he stands.

No tongue can bid me dance.

The.

Duncan bit me. When Satan tempts me to despair he tells me Upward I look and see him there. Because the sinless Savior died my sinful soul is counted free for God of just is satisfied The king of glory One with himself My soul is purchased by his blood.

Go to Purdick this morning. We want to pray for our missionary of the week, which should be the hammer Meisters serve in a suburb of Vancouver British Columbia Surrey Is the community they're in and want to pray for them as they continue to try to hold their group together their church before the the kovat lockdown stuff came they were meeting in a community center and Then of course they got had to leave that And then for months and months weren't able to gather anywhere.

They've recently been able to get together again most of the people who Were with them before that lockdown have returned. So we're thankful for that but continue to pray for that work for its stability and its growth and Its longevity.

You also want to pray for Harold Smith. Harold had this shoulder surgery. He's been having some Difficulties as a result. He has a appointment on Tuesday Follow-up appointment with a surgeon. So pray for Harold regarding that.

We were glad yesterday to see Allison McCann Max Haban get married. So I want to pray for them as they venture off on life together. Pray for Maxine Gomer. Maxine had a fall Several weeks ago now and still having some difficulty with her wrist so I want to pray for pray for her and then also if you would continue to pray for Our grandson that he would be able to get home soon and Won't say more about that now said something in Sunday school about that updating that situation, but we want to pray for for that.

So let's look to the Lord in prayer. Shall we? So our Father and our God we are grateful as we come before you today that before your throne we have a great high priest and He intercedes for us he ever intercedes for us and because of his ongoing continuous priestly ministry we can come boldly before your throne and So we do today.

We come not on merits of our own or we could get nowhere. We come solely on the merits of our high priest on our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ Whose blood has graciously atoned for all of our sin and on his merits we stand and so we come before you and we pray that you would intervene in these situations that Are of burden and concern to our hearts.

We pray for these who are struggling with physical physical limitations illness or whatever we think of. We think of Harold and what he's struggling with with medication as well as the pain of his shoulder.

I pray that That there would be some answers for him on Tuesday. Continue to pray for Kathy and thank you for Thank you for the progress even this week and we thank you so much for the effectiveness of that procedure last Monday, but to pray for Continued improvement may she soon find herself able to walk with much greater ease.

We pray for Bob Klein today and pray that you would encourage him Continue to give strength to his body. Effectiveness of a chemo treatment even as as another one this coming week. We do pray for Max and Allison.

Thank you for Their new life together and all that you have done in bringing the two to one to become one and now I pray that as they Look two years together. Should you Terry and should it be your will for them?

We pray that you would give them grace and growth and Great blessing to the church to your people and to their community. We pray for Maxine Gomer today and ask that you would give grace to her and her Struggles with her wrists the pain that she's experiencing.

Likewise, may she soon be able to join us again fully recovered. We thank you father for the ministry and faithfulness of the hammer Meisters and we pray today as they serve in British Columbia That you would bless that ministry bless the faithfulness Through these many years.

Thank you for those who who have stayed faithful during these months of lockdown and no services. And as they get back together again, I pray that you would bless them richly with not only spiritual growth but stability and Numerical growth.

We ask for that church to be firmly established use Darren and Elizabeth to that end we pray. And father we do again Thank you for granting us the joy and the privilege of gathering together on this Lord's Day.

And Lord, we are reminded in our text for the day That we are in a we are in a warfare. We're in a spiritual battle. One of the places where we see that evidently is in our own nation with the conflict on so many levels in the political world.

The the political fighting and infighting is sometimes very grievous and tiring and We pray that you would be merciful to us as a nation and grant us Leaders that would turn to you and look to you we think of the now the upcoming nomination of a Supreme Court justice and we pray that This would occur speedily and that there would be a good justice one who is fair and and one who truly Upholds the law and is faithful to the Constitution of our nation.

His father we realize how? How destructive it is? When law and order are disregarded for personal preference. So we pray that you would grant us a good justice on that high court then father we also pray regarding the the moral decay of our nation our land and what is What is tolerated and even defended?

From the subject the issue of abortion to even even the production of Movie a movie that would Celebrate Young girls in a in a lewd way and be defended Lord. We pray that that these kinds of things would be decimated and rid from our land.

We pray for mercy and for grace to see that happen. Lord we commit the remainder of this service to you and ourselves. And we pray that in the remainder of this these moments together today. You would speak to us.

You would challenge us Encourage us Even convict us and we pray this in Jesus name and for his sake number 413 in your hymnals.

4 1 3. Faith is a victory. It's three verses, but we're just going to be seeing to the first two verses of 413. Let's stand together, please. Verses 1 2. There's a victory. His banner our sword the Word of God.

By faith they like a whirlwind spread swept on. Or every Field the faith by which they conquered death is still our shining. Faith is a victory. Faith is a big glorious victory.

Please be seated a scripture reading this morning. You want to read Ephesians chapter 6 and verses 10 through 18. Message this morning will focus on verses 16 and 17. Let me encourage you to follow along in your copy of scripture as we get those verses in context.

Beginning in verse 10 Apostle Paul is wrapping up this letter to the church at Ephesus. He says finally in verse 10 my brethren be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood But against principalities against powers against the rulers of the darkness of this world against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day and having done all to stand.

Stand therefore having your loins girt about with truth and Having on the breastplate of righteousness and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace above all taking the shield of faith wherewith you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked and Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God.

Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the spirit. Watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all Saints brief prayer and our father. I pray as we consider today these Components of the armor of God that we need to put on.

That you would help us to see its application and very practical application in our everyday life. We pray in Jesus name. Amen. So Friday morning was really kind of a pretty difficult morning personally.

For two for nearly two weeks at that point Our grandson had been kept away from his mother. It was in violation of an order of the court. So an emergency hearing was set up and it was set up for Friday morning and The purpose of the hearing was Rick was to request that the judge order Our grandson to be returned home Immediately.

We had been praying for this for this hearing to occur. I've been praying earnestly for it to take place and it's finally finally kind of came. And so now on Friday, we're praying fervently for the judge to order for that return and There were other things involved in that hearing as well.

But that was of course the big thing the major concern. Didn't have to do that the judge didn't. I mean he could have come up with some reason why He wouldn't order that return and we have learned that there's You know not much that you can really say is absolutely certain in these kinds of situations.

So we prayed and we prayed. I woke up early that day about 4 30 In the morning and I prayed as I tossed and turned because I didn't really want to wake up that early. But uh, you know the brain goes and you just keep praying and you're praying finally got up about a half hour or so later and got my bible reading started and in the bible reading I see these different verses that apply to the situation and So i'm praying those verses into action if you will.

And then I went out for a walk and did my two mile walk and while i'm walking. It's just a constant matter of prayer. And through the whole ordeal. Through the whole ordeal before during and after satan plied his wiles and hurled his darts.

You know we can think of the armor that we're talking about here in ephesians chapter 6 that we need this armor for our spiritual warfare to fend off the big things. You know like those major attacks those temptations that if we give in to them.

They'll really mess up our lives and they'll really ruin us and we definitely need The armor for those things but not.

Only.

For those things verse 16 begins and it's translated into king james. Above all a better way to interpret that or translate that would be in all circumstances in all circumstances. So what paul is exhorting here in verses 16 and 17 the the pieces of armor that he's telling us that we need to have In our spiritual warfare is we we need this in all circumstances.

And we need this in all circumstances. Because listen spiritual warfare takes place everywhere. It takes place anywhere. It takes place in all kinds of circumstances. And not just for the big things that will ruin your life.

We need this armor in every circumstance of life even in earnest prayer for a little boy's deliverance and protection. And paul specifies in verses 16 and 17 That in all circumstances of your warfare with the wicked one You need to prepare yourself with three vital pieces of armor helmet shield and sword.

Helmet shield and sword. First one in the list is that of the shield. And he says in verse 16. You need to take up the shield of faith. Literally there. Translated taking it's take up the shield of faith.

It's a it's an imperative. It's a it's something you need to you need to do actively and Intentionally take up that shield of faith.

Now.

Maybe you're familiar with the different kinds of shields in ancient warfare, but maybe not. And what paul is talking about here? He's referencing the shield that the roman soldier would use In battle and this kind of shield that he's talking about he's using as an imagery.

It was a shield is about four feet tall and about two and a half feet wide. And the purpose of that shield was to protect the majority of the body. It's not like that, you know 24 inch captain america shield.

You know that round one that that he holds and and he can cover his this part of his body. But the rest or he can get down here, but the rest is exposed. No, this is a this is a huge shield that covers the best the better part of the soldier's body.

And it was made of wood. But then covered with either canvas or leather. And what the soldiers would often do? Especially in fighting certain kinds of enemies enemies that were inclined to use Arrows or spears or darts that they would dip in.

Like a tar kind of a substance and set it afire and hurl those things at their enemies. What the soldiers would do is take that shield and dip it in some water. So that the leather or the canvas absorbs the water and then when those fiery arrows hit the shield.

The shield would extinguish the arrow. Well, this is the imagery that paul uses here and he uses it because your enemy.

Loves.

To shoot fiery darts at you. Ian hamilton describes these darts as well-aimed powerful often sudden and unexpected temptations. And accusations of the devil. Did you get that not only temptations? But accusations of the devil.

So some of the darts that the wicked one uses these flaming arrows that he shoots at you. Come in the form of your thoughts thoughts thoughts like. Because of your sin God isn't going to listen to you.

God isn't going to listen to you. It doesn't matter that you've repented and turned from that sin. It doesn't matter satan still comes back to you and he says you remember what you did. You remember what you said?

Remember that remember you remember that and you think god's going to listen to you now? This is a battle the other day. One of them, you know. One of the one of the kinds of ideas or thoughts that he he he shot in the midst of this turmoil another one is.

Do you really have enough faith to believe? What you're praying for will come to pass. Do you really have the faith? How strong is your faith after all. Have you ever heard that? Have you ever had that thought come into your mind while you're trying to pray or you're saying thinking something through?

I guarantee you have. If you've had any experience in prayer Surely you have. Do you really believe that god hears you? Do you really believe that god cares about this situation and all kinds of things like that?

You remember what you said? Satan Throws at you. You remember what you did? These are these are things that are going on in your mind. These are things that are going on in your thoughts. These are darts that satan is hurling at you In in the quietness or the silence of your own mind.

It's not even that anybody else is doing anything. This is just what's going on in your own thoughts. Sometimes those darts can come in the form of the Enticements in your surroundings. Remember what john writes in first john 2.

Verse 15 he tells you not to love the world neither the things that are in the world. Then he talks about them in verse 16 the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life and that is a threefold way of Covering just about all of the enticements that can come your way.

Just walking through this world living in the culture that in which you live and these things. These things you can just be walking along and all of a sudden this dart flies at you. That is A lust of the flesh some kind of a desire related to your flesh or some kind of a desire related to your eyes or some kind of uh, An enticement to get proud.

And lift it up with pride about your own personal superiority over somebody else. Now satan loves to hurl darts in the form of the of the culture the world around you. So you need to take up this shield of faith.

And the shield of faith affords for you some spiritual protection. Now this Shield, I find interesting that the lord god himself used this imagery in his in the in the expression of the abrahamic covenant.

You remember in genesis chapter 15 the lord comes to abraham abram and says to him I am your what? Shield. And you're exceeding great reward. The lord says I am your shield. So when you take up the shield of faith what you're doing is you're taking up Your your god your lord.

What he has revealed about himself about who he is and about what he is like who he is like. You take up the shield of faith. So here's the thing about the shield of faith. And this will help you Fly in the face of the wicked one who comes at you and says Is your faith really strong enough?

Do you really have enough faith? The deal is. The shield of faith is not so much concerned with the quality if you will of your faith. It's concerned with the object of your faith. In whom is your faith centered?

The object of your faith needs to be the lord jesus christ. Because as uh in the song we sang earlier about before the throne of god above I had this I had this strong and perfect priest and why.

Why?

Why is he there? Interceding for you because of his finished priestly work. He he bore all your sins penalty on the cross. In in his blood there is the purging there is the cleansing of all sin. Your your faith is in the object Of jesus who is jesus christ the the priest your high priest who has finished all of his priestly work.

So satan comes to you reminding you. Yeah, you remember that sin you committed. You remember that thing you did? Remember that. Remember that outburst that sinful outburst. He doesn't remind you. That you were smitten about it and that you confessed it to the lord.

He doesn't remind you of that. He doesn't remind you that you repented of it and that you don't have anything to do with it. He doesn't remind you of that. He just reminds you of what you did. He reminds you what you said.

He reminds you of the thought that you had or whatever. He reminds you of these things. And this is where you take up the shield of faith. And you extinguish that dart and you say? Jesus paid it all. All all.

Every.

Sin and your faith is in the object of christ who is engaged in ongoing priestly work. Hebrews 7 25 talks about that that we have this high priest who is constantly interceding for us constantly interceding for us.

So even this morning as we prayed together As a congregation our high priest was interceding at the throne of god. When you when I was praying incessantly the other day. The high priest my high priest was interceding before the throne of god.

Do you think satan wants me to remember that? Do you think he wants. Do you think he wants you to remember that? Absolutely, not. He wants you to forget all about that. He wants you to turn your attention on yourself and and on the uh, the the perfect.

Have you ever thought this is my prayer perfect enough? Is my are my words just right? Is my formula what it ought to be? Have you thought things like that? Have you forgotten and in moments like you think things like that at that moment because of the fiery darts?

Because the one thing that the devil wants to do is to get you to stop praying. Make you throw up your hands in despair and say now what's the use? What's the use? I can't get it right anyway. Take up the shield of faith and remember you have a high priest who is always interceding in your behalf and this high priest this.

This one whose work is finished in the past. He's finished work in the past. He has ongoing work now. He is also offered to us exceeding great and precious promises. Take him up. Take him up with that shield of faith with your faith in christ and his work past his work present and his promised work in the future and then.

Dip that shield in the water of the word. Dip it in the water of the word such as hebrews chapter 4 verses 15 and 16. Where we read that we do indeed have a god who cares he hears and he cares. Verse 15.

We have not a high priest who cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities. But was in all points tempted like as we are and yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly before the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy.

And find grace to help in time of need. He does care. And he does hear. Take that fiery dart. You see the water of the word the sword the the shield soaked in the water of the word. How that will extinguish the dart that says god doesn't hear you.

Your prayer isn't getting any higher than the ceiling. He doesn't really care about this Situation. Look at all the junk going on in the world. Look at all the other people who are in so much worse situation than you are.

Look at what's going on in our nation. Do you think god really cares about this little? insignificant thing that you're so burdened down with. You take up the shield and you dip it in the water of the word and you hold it up to that fiery dart Of the wicked one and you say yes.

Yes, he does care. He does hear. And then you can dip it in the water of the word that you find in romans 8 verses 38 and 39. And the wicked one sends the fiery dart your way where he says to you look at what you've done.

It's you you are separated from god for sure you are separated from god. Remember what you said? Take the shield of faith dip it in romans 8 38 and 39. And you can say I am persuaded. With your shield in place.

I am persuaded that neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities. Nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth. Nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of god, which is in christ.

Jesus our lord and the dart is extinguished.

Or.

Dip it in the water of the word you find in first john 5 4. As the world around you with all the the desires of the flesh and the enticements of the eyes and the pride of life. Come hurled at you burning.

Fiery darts coming at you and first john 5 4 you read What is the What overcomes the world even our faith? Overcomes the world our faith is the victory that overcomes the world. He sang about that the word tells us that Take up the shield of faith.

But then in verse 17 the first part of verse 17 In our text in hebrews chapter 6 It says take the helmet of salvation. Take the helmet of salvation now. We've seen this word take show up a few times in This passage right this whole passage on putting on the armor.

But here john, uh, paul uses a different greek word in the previous words he Uses the word that means like to take up like you reach over and you pick something up and you You you you put it on or you take up there's this shield you it's there you you reach over you take it up but here the word isn't Like take something up, but it's more in the eye and has more the idea of receiving something that is offered.

Receiving something is being held out to you so for example, um a soldier in a you know military unit he he needs to go he's going to go through the supply line and there's some supplies that They you know They're going to dole out.

As he goes through the line The the supplies for him are offered to him and he receives them. Taking them to himself, but he's receiving something that is offered. So verse 17 could be put this way receive the helmet of salvation receive the helmet of salvation.

Regarding this charles hodge said. That which enables the christian to hold up his head with confidence and joy. Is the fact that he is saved? Let me say that again. That which enables the christian to hold up his head with confidence and joy.

Is the fact that he is saved? And why is that and why is it important that you receive the helmet of salvation because The wicked one he comes your way. And he does if there's he does not want you to have any sense of confidence.

And he certainly doesn't want you to experience joy. Receive the helmet of salvation. You might hold up your head with confidence and joy. Knowing that you are saved. Now turn with me to first thessalonians chapter 5 because paul uses this Same idea of the helmet of salvation in first thessalonians 5 verses 8 through 10.

First thessalonians 5. Look at verse 8. He says but let us who are of the day be sober putting on the breastplate of faith and love and for a helmet the hope of salvation. Now, let's continue reading.

For god hath not appointed us to wrath. But to obtain salvation by our lord. Jesus christ who died for us. That whether we wake or sleep we should live together with him. All right, so look how you know paul is it's kind of like in ephesians chapter 6 paul uses a shorthand expression.

For what he what he elaborates on here in first thessalonians 5. He says receive the helmet of salvation and then he goes on. But here in first thessalonians 5 we get a deeper understanding of what that helmet of salvation is all about.

For a helmet of for a helmet the hope of salvation he says. Well, how is this? Helmet that's going on my head. How is this protective to me? Well, it protects you from satan's accusation that comes your way to accuse you of doom.

Satan comes your way and he says to you you certainly look look how far you are from holiness the perfection of the christian life. Look how. Look how much you fail. Look how often you fail. You certainly can't be a christian.

Have you ever heard that voice come your way? But what is the hope of salvation. First part of verse 10. For god has not appointed us to wrath. God has not destined us to wrath. The hope of your salvation by the way is not is not determined by whether or not you ever sin.

Because that would put it all on you wouldn't it. On what basis are you saved? Are you saved on the basis of your works? Do your works contribute to your salvation? If so, then satan has a case. He's got a pretty good case against you.

Because everyone in this room, you know, you you you fail in more ways than you know. And you say well, I don't. I don't do anything any gross sins or anything like that. I'm, i'm i'm pretty good. You know, I.

You're also pretty proud. There you are.

Sin.

You see we can't escape it. The hope of our salvation is not rest does not rest in how perfect we are. The hope of our salvation rests in how perfect christ is and how what a perfect sacrifice christ has made.

And because of that perfect sacrifice of christ if you are in christ, you are not appointed or destined for wrath. So this helmet of salvation protects you from that accusation of satan. It comes at you and says certainly you are doomed.

You are doomed.

No.

I am in christ. And that helmet of salvation not only protects you from satan's accusation of doom But it also protects you with the certainty of salvation. The lord it says here in verse 10. Verse 9 god has not appointed us to wrath but to obtain salvation by our lord jesus christ.

So I I have this protection of the certainty of salvation. And it is certain. Now listen because you know How that salvation is acquired. It is acquired through our lord. Jesus christ. Again, it's not acquired.

Salvation is not acquired by my merits. It's not acquired by my efforts. It's it's acquired through our lord. Jesus christ his merits his perfect work. His perfect obedience both active and passive. You have the certainty of salvation not only because you know how it's acquired But you know upon what it is based.

What is your salvation based upon?

Verse verse.

Verse 10 tells us goes on to tell us God has appointed us to obtain salvation by our lord. Jesus christ who died for us. Who died for us? Your salvation if you are christ Is based not on your work not on your efforts not on your merits, but it's based upon the death of christ.

Christ died for you. Christ died in your place christ in dying for you. He paid the penalty of all your sin. God made him who knew no sin to be sin For us that we who are sinners might be made righteous and might be made the righteousness of christ.

You know what is based upon? The death of christ. And you have that certainty of salvation. You're protected with a helmet of salvation with a certainty of salvation because you know the outcome the outcome of that salvation.