Transcript Welcome to Dingwall Free Church

Welcome to Dingwall &
Strathpeffer Free Church
HAPPY NEW YEAR - 2009
God Calls Us to Delight in Christ
and to Share His Hope.
Psalm 100(1):1-5 (p. 362)
1 All people that on earth do
dwell,
Sing to the LORD with
cheerful voice.
2 Him serve with mirth, his
praise forth tell,
Come ye before him and
rejoice.
Psalm 100(1):1-5 (2/4)
3
Know that the LORD is God
indeed;
Without our aid he did us
make:
We are his flock, he doth us
feed,
And for his sheep he doth us
take.
Psalm 100(1):1-5 (3/4)
4 O enter then his gates
with praise,
Approach with joy his
courts unto:
Praise, laud, and bless his
name always,
For it is seemly so to do.
Psalm 100(1):1-5 (4/4)
5 For why? the LORD our
God is good,
His mercy is for ever sure;
His truth at all times firmly
stood,
And shall from age to age
endure.
Prayer &
Children’s Talk
Can you name five
outdoor sports that
use a ROPE?
What would happen if everyone
on the rope slipped?
A safe ‘anchor’ point on the
rope is called ‘protection’
Jesus is our PROTECTION:
1 Thessalonians 3:8
For now we really live,
since you are standing
firm in the Lord.
Psalm 34:7-11* (p. 40)
7 The angel of the LORD
surrounds
and guards continually
All those who fear and
honour him;
he sets his people free.
Psalm 34:7-11* (2/4)
8
Come, taste and see—
the LORD is good;
who trusts in him is
blessed.
9 O fear the LORD, you
saints; with need
you will not be oppressed.
Psalm 34:7-11* (3/4)
10 Young lions may grow
weak and faint
and hunger for their food,
But those who wait upon
the LORD
will not lack any good.
Psalm 34:7-11* (4/4)
11 Come here, my children!
Gather round
and listen to my word;
And I will help you
understand
how you may fear the LORD.
Scripture
Reading
1st
Thessalonians
2:17–3:13
(p. 1187)
1 Thessalonians 2:17–3:13
• Paul's Longing to See the Thessalonians
• 17 But, brothers, when we were
torn away from you for a short time
(in person, not in thought), out of
our intense longing we made every
effort to see you.
• 18 For we wanted to come to
you— certainly I, Paul, did, again
and again— but Satan stopped us.
1 Thessalonians 2:17–3:13
•
19 For what is our hope, our joy, or
the crown in which we will glory in the
presence of our Lord Jesus when he
comes? Is it not you?
• 20 Indeed, you are our glory and joy.
• 1 Thessalonians 3
• 1 So when we could stand it no longer,
we thought it best to be left by
ourselves in Athens.
1 Thessalonians 2:17–3:13
•
2 We sent Timothy, who is our brother
and God's fellow-worker in spreading the
gospel of Christ, to strengthen and
encourage you in your faith,
•
3 so that no-one would be unsettled by
these trials. You know quite well that we
were destined for them.
•
4 In fact, when we were with you, we
kept telling you that we would be
persecuted. And it turned out that way, as
you well know.
1 Thessalonians 2:17–3:13
•
5 For this reason, when I could stand it
no longer, I sent to find out about your faith.
I was afraid that in some way the tempter
might have tempted you and our efforts
might have been useless.
• Timothy's Encouraging Report
• 6 But Timothy has just now come to us
from you and has brought good news about
your faith and love. He has told us that you
always have pleasant memories of us and
that you long to see us, just as we also long
to see you.
1 Thessalonians 2:17–3:13
•
7 Therefore, brothers, in all our distress
and persecution we were encouraged about
you because of your faith.
•
8 For now we really live, since you are
standing firm in the Lord.
•
9 How can we thank God enough for you
in return for all the joy we have in the
presence of our God because of you?
•
10 Night and day we pray most earnestly
that we may see you again and supply what
is lacking in your faith.
1 Thessalonians 2:17–3:13
•
11 Now may our God and Father himself
and our Lord Jesus clear the way for us to
come to you.
•
12 May the Lord make your love increase
and overflow for each other and for
everyone else, just as ours does for you.
•
13 May he strengthen your hearts so that
you will be blameless and holy in the
presence of our God and Father when our
Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.
________________
Prayer for the
Nakahashis in Japan
and the Lord’s Prayer
The Lord’s Prayer
• Our Father, who art in heaven,
• hallowed be Thy name.
• Thy kingdom come,
• Thy will be done, on earth as it
is in heaven.
The Lord’s Prayer
• Give us this day our daily
bread,
• and forgive us our debts
• as we forgive our debtors.
• And lead us not into
temptation.
The Lord’s Prayer
• But deliver us from evil.
• For thine is the kingdom,
• and the power, and the glory,
• forever and ever. Amen.
Psalm 34:12-22* (p. 40)
12 Does anyone delight in life
and long to see good days?
13 Then keep your tongue
from evil speech,
your lips from lying ways.
Psalm 34:12-22* (2/6)
14 Depart and turn from evil
paths
and practise what is right.
Desire to know the way of
peace;
pursue it with your might.
Psalm 34:12-22* (3/6)
15 The LORD’s eyes are upon
the just;
he listens to their plea.
16 The wicked he rejects, and
blots
from earth their memory.
Psalm 34:12-22* (4/6)
17 The righteous cry; the
LORD responds
and frees them when
distressed.
18 The LORD draws near the
broken heart
and rescues the depressed.
Psalm 34:12-22* (5/6)
19 From all the troubles of the
just
the LORD will set him free.
20 The LORD protects his
every bone;
and broken none will be.
Psalm 34:12-22* (6/6)
21 The wicked are condemned
to death,
all those who hate the just.
22 God saves his own; they’re
not condemned,
for in the LORD they trust.
SERMON:
STANDING
FIRM
IN 2009
1
Thessalonians
3:8
(p. 1187)
For now we really
live, since you are
standing firm in
the Lord.
1 - PRESSURE IS
INEVITABLE
• God’s people are under pressure
everywhere.
• Timothy’s news was so welcome to
Paul: they were standing despite
Satan’s worst attacks.
• Pressure is a sign you are on the
Lord’s side!
2 – FRIENDSHIP IS VITAL
• 3:2 – ‘To strengthen and encourage
you’ (a building-trade metaphor).
• Our job is to be ‘roped together’, and
especially as leaders, to support those
in the church feeling under pressure.
We are always ‘roped’ to Jesus Christ.
• Where is Barnabas in our church?
3 – PRAYER IS ESSENTIAL
• Look up 2:9; 3:10.
What did Paul do ‘night and day?’
• Draw the lesson: your brothers and
your sisters NEED your prayers.
• An example from Paul: 3:11-14
• A prayer filled, not with what we
will do, but what we ask God to do!
4 – GOD’S LOVE IN YOU WILL
OVERCOME ALL THINGS
• Thomas Chalmer’s sermon on 1 John 2:15 –
the Expulsive Power of a new Affection. “The
heart must have something to cling to…”
• God’s love is unstoppable: We ‘disrelish’
Christianity until God’s grace expels our
love for this world with his overflowing
and Holy love.
• We are ‘urged’ to love in 4:10, but in
3:12 we find the true secret of loving...
Psalm 90:1-2,13-17* (p. 120)
1
Lord, you have ever been
our dwelling place.
2 Before you made the world
of time and space,
Before you made the
mountains and the earth,
You are eternal God; you gave
them birth.
….to verse 13
Psalm 90:1-2,13-17* (2/4)
13 Return, O LORD! How long
will you delay?
Have mercy on your servants,
LORD, we pray.
14 O satisfy us with your love
always,
That we may sing, rejoicing
all our days.
Psalm 90:1-2,13-17* (3/4)
15 In place of our affliction,
make us glad;
Give joy for all the years you
made us sad.
16 To all your servants may
your deeds be shown,
And to their children make
your glory known.
Psalm 90:1-2,13-17* (4/4)
17 Now may the favour of
Almighty God
Abide on us—rich blessings of
our Lord.
Establish every work our
hands have done;
Yes, Lord, for us establish
them each one.
Please join us in the
entrance hall for
for tea and coffee
God Calls Us to delight in Christ
and to Share His Hope.