Free Reformed Church of Baldivis Live Stream

and and this is interesting this morning we welcome reverend decker america minister of the free reform have you know brothers we should um just ask the lord for a blessing over the worship service let's pray gracious god in heaven we coming to your presence once again to thank so [Music] so so so [Music] so [Music] so [Music] so so [Music] good morning and welcome brothers and sisters and all those who are visiting with us this morning's worship service the church council has the following announcements the election for office bearers will the lord willing be on sunday the 17th of october not the 10th as it previously announced the lord willing next sunday afternoon service there will be a congregational meeting where reverend anderson will present information from the previous synod this will be followed by soup and sandwich dinner this morning we have the privilege to welcome reverend decker minister of the free reform church of west albany to conduct the worship service may we we all be blessed by the preaching of the word good morning brothers and sisters it's a pleasure to be in your midst this morning and it's our prayer that god will bless our worship together and also welcome to those on live stream and all who are worshiping with us this morning may god be praised and his people edified please stand for the voter and the greeting from our god we confess together in our hearts our help is in the name of the lord who made heaven and earth receive now god's greeting grace and peace to you from him who is and who was and who is to come and from the seven spirits who are before his throne and from jesus christ the faithful witness the firstborn of the dead and a ruler over kings on earth amen god has called us into his holy habitation his holy courts where pilgrims may join in celebration so let us now with heart and flesh sing with a joyful shout to the living god in whose presence we may delight with psalm 84 1 and 5. [Music] oh [Music] is [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] is [Music] [Applause] celebrations [Music] us [Music] [Applause] [Music] is [Music] of your celebrations [Applause] [Music] is [Music] is [Music] at the end of verse 5 from that psalm we sing to the lord that we would rather stand and wait as a humble servant at his gate then stand and dwell within the tents of wickedness and sin and we may reflect on that wickedness and the tense of evil as we reflect and read from god's law this morning and as he brings us into his glorious presence here let us be reminded of his holiness and how he has also called us to live within his presence and to abstain and to not live within the tents of wickedness and we can also then confess our sins before god for the the wickedness that we have done this past week and not living in his presence as we should have and after that we can also respond then with a sum of confession from psalm 49 but let's first read from god's law and reflect in our hearts his holiness and the lord spoke to all these words saying i am the lord your god who brought you out of the land of egypt out of the house of slavery you shall have no other gods before me you should not make for yourself to carved image any likeness of anything that is in heaven above or that is in the earth beneath or that is in the waters under the earth you shall not bow down to them nor serve them for i the lord your god am i jealous god visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and the fourth generations of those who hate me but showing steadfast mercy to thousands to those who love me and keep my commandments you shall not take the name of the lord your god in vain for the lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain remember the sabbath day to keep it holy six days you'll share labor and do all your work but the seventh day is a sabbath to the lord your god on it you shall not do any work you or your son or your daughter or your male servant or your female servant or your livestock or the sojourner who is within your gates for in six days the lord made the heavens and the earth the sea and all that is in them and rested on the seventh day and the lord blessed the sabbath day and made it holy honor your father and your mother that your days may be long upon the land which the lord your god is giving you he shall not murder you shall not commit adultery you shall not steal you shall not bear false witness against your neighbour you shall not covet your neighbor's house you should not covet your neighbor's wife nor his male servants nor his a female servants nor his ox nor his donkey nor anything that is your neighbors in response to reading god's law we will sing together from psalm 49 3 and 4. and in this psalm especially in verse 3 and 4 we are acknowledging that god acknowledging to god that the grave is the dwelling place of those who do not repent and the grave is the dwelling place of those who would continue in sin and no one can prevent this no one can save us from it however in the last sentence of verse 4 we acknowledge that god ransoms us and that he does not leave us in our sins but rather he brings us into his eternal glorious presence so let's sing together from psalm 49 verse 3 verse 4 3 and 4 sorry [Music] friends [Music] [Applause] [Music] is [Music] [Applause] oh [Applause] [Music] is [Music] is [Music] [Applause] is [Music] yes [Applause] [Music] is [Music] [Applause] is [Music] give me that's now come before this god who has paid our ransom and will not leave us and into his glory he will receive us almighty and eternal god faithful father in heaven you are our dwelling place and a dwelling place for your people in every generation you dwelled with your people in days of old in the old testament through the tabernacle through the and with the temple worship and yet before that you walked with adam and eve and you dwelled with them in beautiful intimacy and you dwelled among your people through your son the lord jesus he came into this world took upon himself the form of the creature the form of a man the form of a servant and he tabernacled amongst us he dwelled amongst us and you dwell amongst your people today in the power of the holy spirit and lord we confess that we are not worthy of your presence among us we sung in psalm 49 that the dwelling place of sinners is to grave and by nature we know that is where we belong we could sing that death is like a shepherd standing to urge us on and father we come before you to confess our sin our transgressions that we know lead us into the grave that produce misery and hurt and pain in our life and in the life of those around us we also thank you lord that we could sing from psalm 49 and praise you because you have paid our ransom and you have not left us and so we praise you and thank you for the gospel of salvation in jesus christ and the forgiveness of sins that we have because of your love for us and sending your son into the world to go into the grave and to die so that we could be resurrected unto new life in jesus christ and so we pray that you will wash us clean in his blood that you will restore us that you will comfort and strengthen us this morning as the gospel that good news of jesus christ is proclaimed because we do not want to live in the grave we don't want to live as miserable sinners but we want to live in the new life of jesus christ the glorious new life that we have in him but you know that we struggle and we fall short and so we pray that as we turn to your word that your spirit will also work powerfully within us to produce in us a zeal and a joy to serve you in the life that the lord jesus has given to us open our eyes open our ears to receive your word prepare our hearts by your spirit to not harden ourselves against your word but rather may our hearts be like wax in the warm sun that receives your word that is humble and contrite and not father like clay that he's hardened and we know that only you can do this lord and so soften our hearts nourish us strengthen and revive and refresh us after this week that we've just been through that we might be edified and lifted up to enjoy your presence here now with you and together with your people to your praise and to your glory and for our edification and strength and benefit in the name of jesus christ our dear lord our savior our king and us shepherd we pray amen you have the opportunities to give of your gifts and thank offering to the lord as has been announced and following the offertory we will respond to god with singing from psalm 68 verse 3. islam which praises god for his generosity and his goodness and his kindness toward his people where he gives lonely place where he gives lonely people a dwelling place in his habitation psalm 68 3 after the collections [Music] so [Music] foreign [Music] hmm [Music] the father to the fatherless [Music] defense of widows in distress is in his habitation god in the goodness of his grace gives lonely ones a dwelling place the hands them consolation he leads the captive out to sea the joys of liberty for branches is god's mercy but to against him dairy [Music] in deserts dry and thirsty [Music] in west albany we've been working through the book of ephesians and god's word would be proclaimed to us from paul's prayer at the end of chapter three so paul brings to a conclusion what we might say the doctrine of the book of ephesians or the the belief or the code and chapter four is a hinge in the book of ephesians that transitions to practice and behavior and duty not that those two can be separated but there is a clear division in the book of ephesians from chapters one to three about doctrine and chapters four through six about judy and at the end of chapter three paul prays that everything that he has just said will god will work in their lives so let's uh come to the end of chapter so we'll begin reading it in chapter two begin at verse 11 because the last part of chapter two forms the context of paul's prayer the end of chapter three so we pick up our reading in verse 11 of chapter 2 and read to the end of chapter 3. ephesians chapter 2 beginning at verse 11. therefore remember that at one time you gentiles in the flesh called the uncircumcision by what is called the circumcision which is made in the flesh by hands remember that you were at one time separated from christ alienated from the commonwealth of israel and strangers to the covenants of promise having no hope and without god in the world but now in christ jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of christ for he himself is at peace who has made us both one and is broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two so making peace and might reconcile us both to god in one body through the cross thereby killing the hostility and he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near for through him we both have access in one spirit to the father so then you are no longer strangers and aliens but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of god built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets christ jesus himself being the cornerstone in whom the whole structure being joined together grows into a holy temple in the lord in him ye also are being built together into a dwelling place for god by the spirit for this reason i paul a prisoner for christ jesus on behalf of you gentiles assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of god's grace that has been given to me for you how the mystery was made known to me by revelation as i have written briefly when you read this you can perceive my insights into the mystery of christ which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the spirit this mystery is that the gentiles are fellow heirs members of the same body partakers of the promise of christ jesus through the gospel of this gospel i was made a minister according to the gift of god's grace which was given me by the working of his power to me though i am the very least of all the saints this grace was given to preach to the gentiles the unsearchable riches of christ and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in god who created all things so that through the church the manifold wisdom of god might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places and this was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in christ jesus our lord in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him so i ask you to not lose heart over what i am suffering for you which is your glory and here is our text for this morning for this reason i bow my knees before the father from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his spirit in your inner being so that christ may dwell in your hearts through faith that's you being rooted and grounded in love may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth and to know the love of christ that surpasses knowledge that you may be filled with all the fullness of god now to him who is able to do far more abundantly and all that we ask or think according to the power at work within us to him be glory in the church and in christ jesus through all generations forever and ever amen so far from the reading of god's word and also from our text following the proclamation of god's word let's respond with a hymn of praise hymn 50 verse 1 2 3 and 4. so beloved brothers and sisters in our lord jesus christ have you ever worked on a home or a house renovation maybe you've purchased a house that needs a lot of work done to it the gardens are a mess the lawn is overgrown and the walls need to be repainted maybe the structure of the home needs strengthening with some additional beams and support and do you think about yourself as someone who needs renovating do you think about yourself as someone who is being renovated in our passage this morning paul is asking and praying to god the father to renovate believers a spiritual renovation god purchased believers with the blood of his own son he owns them and he has come to take up residence in their hearts the hearts of people's lives who are a mess and like a house that needs renovating that needs to be made new and so also god is making new his people renovating spiritually his church and his children like renovating a home there's lots of there's lots of challenges and there are also challenges to our own spiritual renovation some of the challenges that face this spiritual renovation renovation is that there are lots of other things that are trying to renovate us there's lots of other things in the world that are trying to live in my hearts and mess it up even more and when these occupy my heart rather than christ rather than a renovation there is in fact a degeneration and sadly when we think that we can renovate ourselves without looking to god's word we even make a further mess of our own lives but when we trust god when we seek him in prayer there is nothing there is nothing that he cannot overcome and he is able to do far more abundantly than we could ever imagine or even ask and so what does paul pray to the father for the believer's renovation well paul prays that for three things it may not be so easily seen in the english but it's very clear in the original greek there are three things that paul is praying for god to do for the believers he prays that they would be strengthened by christ's dwelling in their hearts that they would know and experience secondly the love of christ that dwells in them and dwells amongst them and then thirdly that they would be filled with all the fullness of god and so that's our theme for this morning paul prays for the believer's spiritual renovation he prays three things he prays that they be strengthened by christ dwelling in their hearts he prays they know the love of christ working among them and thirdly he prays that they be filled with god so that his glory shines through them so firstly we'll see that he prays to be strengthened by christ dwelling in their hearts at the end of chapter 2 paul prays that believers are no longer strangers and foreigners in this world but they have been brought together by jesus christ they are members of the same household they have the same spiritual family brothers and sisters in christ and he says that they are temples of the lord and they are being built together and believers here in baltimore's are being joined together where god is dwelling amongst you that is what he's doing here in bel davis a household of the lord a spiritual family a temple where god is dwelling and paul returns to this thought the end of chapter two he returns to that thought the beginning of his prayer in chapter the end of chapter three and between that between the end of chapter two and beginning of his prayer is a digression in paul's mind he says there in chapter 3 he says for this reason i paul and then he goes on to a digression toward the end of chapter 3 to speak about his ministry and his call to preach the gospel to the gentiles and then he returns back to that thought the end of chapter 2 by picking up in verse 14 by saying for this reason so he's coming back to what he was thinking about the end of chapter 2 and we know that because in verse 14 he says for this reason coming back to what he originally said at the beginning of chapter three for this reason i paul a prisoner of the lord and so paul is coming back to this thought and then he says there for this reason i bow my knees before the father we can picture paul in his prison cell in rome bowing his knees perhaps over his bed or perhaps on the grounds praying to god who is in heaven and we learn something about paul's posture here in prayer it indicates homage and loyalty and service and absolute dependence on god after all we don't bow down to something paul doesn't bow down to something unless he recognizes that it has power and so he he recognizes that god the father has power he has named everything he has created everything which paul goes on to say there says from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named and when paul says that he's emphasizing god's ownership over the world god has named everything everything belongs to him he has power and authority over all things and so paul comes to him in humility and contriteness of heart in utter dependence on god on other dependence on his father in heaven he was able to bring into effect everything that he has just been talking about to these ephesians in these first three chapters he says that god is the owner of all things just like when you buy a house or you renovate a house you become the owner of that house your name becomes associated with that house and we know that god owns believers because the lord jesus christ purchased them with his blood paul speaks about that in chapter 2 verse 13 he says but now in christ jesus you who were once far off have been brought near by the blood of christ and he also says in verse 16 and he might reconcile us both to god in one body through the cross thereby killing the hostility and so now on this on earth god's residence now through the blood of christ and through the death of his son is now in the hearts of men and women sinners who by god's grace has made alive the gospel and now his residence is taken up in their hearts that's where he is doing his renovating work and his renovation will take place because paul prays that god would give them something he prays that god would strengthen them by christ's dwelling in their hearts that's how that renovation is going to take place a christ dwelling in your hearts that is how your spiritual renovation is going to happen by christ dwelling in your hearts and he says that they would be strengthened if you going to renovate a new house or a home sometimes you need to strengthen the walls or the roof and the only way that believers christians can be re-renovated made new the only way that can happen is by christ dwelling in our hearts and paul says there that christ would dwell in your hearts now the heart brothers and sisters is the steering wheel of your life the steering wheel determines where the car goes if you steer the steering wheel to the left and the cargo's left if you still steer to the right and the cargo's right and so also in the bible our heart is responsible for desires it's responsible for our emotions and our will our thoughts and our behaviors just like jesus said in matthew in mark chapter 7 for from within out of the heart precedes evil thoughts and he lists their many deeds of iniquity all these evils come from within and so god says in order for there to be any improvement in order there to be any renovation of your life jesus christ needs to dwell in your hearts he is the only one who can bring about real change and so does jesus live in your heart brother sister much of it what area of your life is still determined by self-centeredness unhealthy influences sinful ideas when the lord jesus controls more and more of our hearts more and more of your will your emotions your desires there is progress in growing as a christian and as a believer are you bending your knee like paul is doing here before his father bending your knee to the authority and power of the lord jesus christ in every area of your life is there something else in your life is there something else in your hearts rather than jesus that is driving your motives your thoughts your intentions and your actions beloved we don't need to be perfect people to have christ dwell in our hearts he didn't come to save the righteous he came to save sinners and that is what's so beautiful about god's grace and that's what he has promised to do in our lives let it also be in our prayer where christ would dwell in our hearts that he dwells in the hearts also of our children that he dwells in the hearts of each other if you're discouraged this morning if perhaps you're doubting think of the kinds of people that god worked with in the old testament think of the kinds of people that he strengthened and he chose to live with and dwell among israel whose heart kept turning away from the lord and all the examples in the old testament of those individuals who strayed and turned away from the lord think of samson for example samson was dating girls from outside the church he's partying with worldly people samson had anger management issues and samson disrespected his parents he lied he flirted with sin the lord uses broken people brothers and sisters he comes to live and dwell among them and he used samson for great and wondrous things and he strengthened him by his spirit god didn't approve of how samson lived his life but if we're discouraged and doubting broken and feeling down remember that god does not come to dwell in perfect people but sinners and make them new creatures in christ is to renovate them that's the glory of the gospel and it's no wonder that paul prays this because this is all that he can do as much as paul desires for their growing transformation this is something he simply cannot do himself all he is left to do is pray at the end of the day [Music] that's also what we sometimes left to do pray simply fall on our knees and pray and so this also needs to be the prayer brothers and sisters of every parent for their child that christ would dwell in their hearts richly more and more it needs to be the prayer of every minister and elder and deacon for the flock of christ jesus paul goes on to pray he first prays that they'll be strengthened that christ would dwell in their hearts but what for what happens now and when christ dwells when he promises to dwell in our hearts and by faith we trust that and we believe that what happens now what is the result of that what do believers do and we see this in what paul says next which is the second point of our sermon but also the second petition of paul's prayer the neighborhood be strengthened to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and height and length and depth and to know the love of christ and so there are three things that paul is praying for here think of it like a staircase first he prays that they be strengthened by christ dwelling in their hearts through faith the second is that he prays that they would experience that dwellingness of christ in their hearts together the love that christ has poured out in their hearts they'll experience and enjoy that together as a community of believers a communion of saints and paul prays that believers would be they comprehend this comprehend the love of christ the width and the length and the depth and height of it now think about comprehending as being able to wrap your arms around something if you understand a maths problem for example you say your mind is wrapped around it you understand it you get it well maybe if you're not so good at maths you're good at building things with your hands and you're just able to do it because you get it you you have your mind wrapped around it you know what to do and you know how to do it and so paul in a similar way is saying when we for believers to comprehend the love of christ he's using a greek word that says make it your own know what to do with it and know how to do it and there is a sense in which we also need to own the love of christ brothers and sisters and god constantly called israel to make him their own he would say serve me with all your heart your soul your mind and your strength love me with everything that you have and that's clear in the baptism form too the lord jesus dwells he promises to dwell in our hearts by the holy spirit we read there in the form that when we are baptized into the name of the holy spirit god the holy spirit assures us what does he assure us of that he will dwell in us he will dwell in us that christ would dwell in us and make us living members of christ and then what follows immediately in the next paragraph is the response that god works in the hearts of his children we are called an obliged to a new obedience and what does that new obedience look like we have to cleave to this one god to cleave to him to trust him to love him with what to love him with our whole heart soul mind and with all our strength we wrap our arms around him is there something that you're doing with your life brothers and sisters you're responding to christ's love by wrapping your arms around him what does it look like in your life that you're cleaving to him more and more than anything else one way that this is shown and can be done is that we're doing this together that we comprehend as paul says with all the saints the love of christ it's easy to love people during the the good days and the good times the real test of love is during hardship it's easy to love people who love you but what about loving people who have hurt you now we can be thankful to god that by his spirit we see a lot of care and love in his people and in the church however paul is praying that that would grow more and more because it's something that we struggle with something that god's people struggle with and so we need to be renovated more and more by christ dwelling in our hearts by the power of the spirit we find it difficult to get along with people who have hurt us find it near impossible to even perhaps sit in the same room or sit in the same pew or sit on the same side of the church building as with someone who has offended or upset us and yet christ goes beyond this beloved and he even died for those who rejected him despised him and like paul even persecuted the church and it's the love of christ that conquers that overcomes we think especially of romans chapter five some wonderful verses there that speaks about the love of christ jesus paul basically says there someone might die for a decent person for example in the army you might die for your buddy you might you might jump in front of a bullet for your buddy but would you die for someone you're not fond of would you jump in front of a bullet for an enemy what does paul say in verse 8 he says god demonstrated his love toward us that while we were sinners christ died for us and again in verse 10 when we were enemies christ died for us in all this we need to think about who is living in us and amongst us who promises to dwell with us it's christ he who dwells in us and keeps loving me he keeps loving his children despite their own shortcomings and despite their own failings if christ only lived in the hearts of perfect people no one could enjoy the love of god and so while it is easy to see my own sinfulness and that of others let us see god's grace let us see god's love that he has poured out and shown in jesus christ that he still desires and he still wants to live with in the mess of our lives brothers and sisters the mess also in the church and in this world because he's doing something glorious he's doing something beautiful he is creating and building a temple for himself a new people the body of christ jesus because he dwells amongst us and he dwells with us we can love him we can love him and we can love each other and it has no limits it's not bound by width or length or height or depth the holy spirit strengthens his people to love each other the way christ loves his children and his people and his body and his bride hear these words from paul in philippians 3 verse 12 and 13 not that i have already obtained this or am already perfect but i press on to make it my own i press on to make it my own he's wrapping his arms around his he's cleaving to it he's trusting to it because christ jesus has made me his own says paul in philippians 3 12 13. when we do this brothers and sisters when god works this wonder amongst his people experience the fullness of god that fills them and paul that's the third thing that paul's prays for in his prayer the third petition that paul prays for is that they'll be filled with the fullness of god and we consider that in our third point paul's final petition is that they be filled with all the fullness of god filled with the fullness of god in other words believers might be completely renovated to be a place and god dwells in them fully so their thoughts and their actions their desires their words everything is brought into subjection to loving god in their neighbor completely filled with the fullness of god and god is doing this in individual lives and he's doing this in the church we know that god is going to bring that to completion he says that in philippians 1 6 being confident of this very thing that he who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of jesus christ and so brothers and sisters it's a journey paul is petitioning three things for the father to do that christ would dwell amongst his people richly though to be strengthened by christ dwelling in them that they would comprehend and experience and enjoy that love amongst themselves and that the fullness of god would dwell among them that there'd be godliness growing in godliness holiness as god dwells amongst them more and more and that is a journey it's a process that happens it's something that is coming to completion like a home renovation it doesn't happen overnight it takes time and this also is evident in the way that paul is speaking about these petitions these three steps that paul is praying for god to do in the lives of believers and in the in the church in this world and none of us are there yet the church is not here then believers are not there yet paul says that he is not there in a sense he knows he is because christ is in heaven but he knows that he still wrestles on this earth with loving as christ loved but our dependence and all of this brothers and sisters is on god our dependence on him for this to be complete for him to bring this to completion the church and my life and also here in bel ivers growing as the body of christ and as believers and there is no limit to what god can do that's why paul prays the way he does in verse 20 there paul could have easily said now to him who is able to do all that we ask and he could have left it there and that would have maybe been enough now to him he was able to do all that we ask but paul goes beyond this he goes further he says who is able to do all that we ask or think but still for paul that doesn't seem quite enough and so he says who is able to do all that we ask or think above all and yet that is still not enough for paul because god can do so much more than what we ask or think and above all so paul says who is able to do all that we ask or think abundantly above all and yet this is still in paul's mind limiting god's power in what he is able to do in the life of his children in life of the church and so he says who is able to do all that we ask or think exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think there's no limit there's no limit brothers and sisters to what god can do in your life through jesus christ and by the power of the holy spirit by christ who dwells in you richly and so do you limit god's power brother sister maybe you you have a time when you say something like god can't do anything more with me i'm struggling to move forward lord i feel like a hopeless cause i feel like our church is hopeless maybe that's how you felt this past week maybe that's how you've been feeling for a long time maybe you go about your housework walk through the shop pick up the kids from school thinking what's it all for it seems all pointless and everyone else can do it better than me anyway maybe you feel like god can't do any more for you because of a sin or an addiction are you trapped there brother or sister trapped in a sin you feel like god can't do anything more with you maybe you had a relationship with someone but because of hurt you feel it's a lost cause there's no chance for reconciliation maybe you feel like god can't do any more for your marriage and that's a lost cause maybe you have a son or a daughter who you feel like is a lost cause a wayward child perhaps and all of this brothers and sisters what do we do we bend our knees we come to our father in prayer we come to him and we pray that he would strengthen us because it is christ who dwells in me and he says my dear child i can do more than you've even asked for and what you could possibly imagine and so we get up we get on with our day we get on with our lives but we suffer and experience the pain in the mess at all again we ask the same questions and we have the same doubts and so what do we do we go back to god in prayer and we are assured yet yes he hears he is my father and it is christ who dwells in me and he says i can do more than you've asked i can do more than you've thought or even possibly imagined and so we extend ourselves and we extend ourselves we serve and we serve to our limit we grow tired and we come back to god in prayer and yet he still says i can do even more i can do more than you've asked or thoughts or even possibly imagined there's no limit to god's power and what he can do to spiritually renovate us into christ jesus to to reform and reshape sinners into the image of his son i say go to him in prayer brothers and sisters trust him hand your life over to him wrap your arms around the promises that he's given to you in jesus christ he will accomplish what he has set out to do he will bring those comment promises to completion he's promised it he will do it it doesn't always look like it but when christ is dwelling in our hearts and when he's dwelling amongst us we can trust him for her to live together in following his word not letting anything steer my heart to the left or to the right because it is christ who dwells in my heart and so we can experience and enjoy that together that love that he has poured out in our hearts we can enjoy together and in this way god is building he's renovating he's joining us together and he will join you together he'll fit you together as his new people a glorified bride and body of christ until jesus returns and takes our glorious people unto himself where they will enjoy him and his presence forever and ever amen let's respond to god's word with praising him in him 50 that's one two three and four so [Music] is [Music] is [Music] us is [Music] is [Applause] is [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Applause] is [Music] [Applause] is is [Applause] [Music] for prayer this morning we will remember the ecliptic camp which lord willing will commence tomorrow the lord willing we will also celebrate lord's supper next sunday morning unless anyone eat and drink condemnation upon themselves by eating and drinking in an unworthy manner you're called to examine yourselves as we confess in lords day 30 only those may come to the table are truly displeased with themselves because of their sins and yet trust that they have forgiven them and that their remaining weakness is covered by the suffering and death of christ and who also desire more and more to strengthen their faith and amend their lives but hypocrites and those who do not repent eat and drink judgment upon themselves let's come before our god in prayer also remembering those two things merciful and gracious god in heaven we bow our hearts and heads to you who have named every family in heaven and earth you who own all things you are sovereign over heaven and earth and the whole world is filled with your glory and in christ jesus you have also filled us with yourself you have come to make your dwelling place amongst us and you have poured out your love in our hearts you dwell in our hearts and in us as your people by the power of your holy spirit you've promised this to us lord you've signed and sealed that in baptism and so may we be strengthened to believe that to trust that to live out of that we acknowledge how far we fall short we do not always act as if christ is dwelling in us we don't always behave like your children redeemed and renewed by your son and yet still and yet still you desire to dwell in us and conform us how wonderful how amazing and how glorious that you persist and remain in your faithfulness to conform us into the image of your son the lord jesus despite all the mess in our lives and the brokenness of this world in christ you delight to make your habitation amongst men and women once again and amongst and in our own hearts and in our own lives and we praise you for this we thank you for this and we can also look forward next week to being assured of this in the sacrament of lord supper and you have given this sacrament to us lord because you are mindful of our weakness and how easy it is for us to doubt that you indeed do love us in christ jesus and that you through him also dwell in us by your spirit so how wonderful and comforting it is to be reminded that as surely as we eat and drink the bread and wine we are assured of the forgiveness of sins that he cleanses us in his blood he washes us makes us clean and he comes and dwells in us and gives us eternal life and unites us unto himself more and more through your holy spirit who lives in christ and also dwells in us and may we this week then also truly humble ourselves before you may we trust in your sure promise and work us in us a sincere desire to show true thankfulness to you we pray for those lord who have received these glorious promises through baptism yet are struggling to live for you we pray for those whose hearts are wayward and have turned away from you or who are turning away from you and so we pray that you will convict them of sin turn their hearts toward you by the power of the holy spirit we know that this is something only you can do and we pray that you would strengthen them and fill them with christ so they might also experience and enjoy that love of christ with the communion of saints and us together and today all together we may walk the glorious path you have set us on in knowing christ jesus your son until the glorious day when he returns to take his children unto himself and father you own the heavens and the earth and all things that are in them and nothing we confess happens without your will you are sovereign over all and so we also pray for the care and the safety of the euclip camp this this week maybe a blessed time may it also be a safe time may your fatherly hand guide all things and may they all be blessed and kept safe and may they also enjoy fellowship together as your children of those who have received the glorious promises of christ dwelling in them and among them cause us to long for the day when all your children will be filled with all the fullness of god that day is coming lord a day which seems unbelievable and unimaginable a day when you will fill all your children with fullness and so when we as we long for that day may we continue to live in thankfulness to you praising you loving you and loving each other until your dwelling place is on this earth once again we pray this all in the name of jesus christ our dear lord and our precious savior and he who dwells in our hearts amen now final hymn of praise to god is him 49 1 2 3 and 4. [Music] yes [Music] uh [Music] is [Music] is [Applause] [Music] that we shall be forever free [Applause] [Music] [Applause] great [Music] receive the blessing of god and depart in peace the lord bless you and keep you the lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you the lord lift up his accountants upon you and give you peace amen you

Channel: Free Reformed Church Baldivis

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Length: 76min 4sec (4564 seconds)

Published: Sat Oct 02 2021