0:00 To bring Him praise Come all and tune your hearts to sing To the morning star of grace From the shifting shadows of the earth We will lift our eyes to Him 0:21 Where steady arms of mercy reach To gather children Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice! O let every tongue rejoice One heart, one voice 0:43 O Church of Christ, rejoice Come those whose joy Come those whose joy is God's own Son And those weeping through the night Come those who tell of battles won 1:06 And those struggling in the fight For His perfect love will never change And His mercies never cease And His mercies never cease But follow us through all our days With the certain hope of peace 1:29 Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice! And every tongue rejoice And every tongue rejoice One heart, one heart, one heart and one voice O Church of Christ O Church of Christ Rejoice! 1:49 Let's clap and sing Let's clap and sing Come young and old Come young and old From every land From every land Men and women of the faith Come those with full or empty hands Come those with full or empty hands Find the riches of His grace 2:09 Over all the world Over all the world His people sing Sure to show Sure to show We hear them call The truth That cries through every inch Our God is on and on and We'll rejoice 2:30 Rejoice! Rejoice! Let every tongue rejoice One heart, one heart and one voice O Church of Christ Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice! 2:50 Let every tongue rejoice Rejoice! With one heart and one voice O Church of Christ Rejoice! May we see that please? So lift up your heart 3:15 Lift up your voice Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice! The Lord is King! Rejoice! The Lord is King! Your Lord is King! Sing with us! Your Lord is King! Lord and King adore! Rejoice! Rejoice! 3:35 Give thanks! And sing! And triumph! Evermore! Lift up your heart! Lift up your heart! Lift up your heart! Lift up your voice! Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice! 3:55 Rejoice! Brothers, let me sing! Brothers! Jesus the Savior reigns! The God of truth and love! When He had pushed us! He took His seat above! 4:15 Sisters, join! Let's all sing! Lift up your heart! Lift up your voice! Rejoice! Again! I say, rejoice! Sisters, only sing third verse! His King! He is King! People so open Him! 4:38 The peace of death and heaven! Come to our Jesus! Let's join it and sing! Lift up your heart! Lift up your voice! Rejoice! Again! 4:58 I say, rejoice! Last verse! Rejoice! In glorious woe! Our Lord the Church shall come! And take His servants up to their world! 5:19 So lift up your heart! Lift up your heart! Lift up your heart! Lift up your voice! With joy! Again! I say, rejoice! Rejoice! For every tongue in heaven and earth shall declare your glory! Every knee shall bow at your throne! 5:36 In worship you'll be exalted, O God! And your kingdom shall not pass away! O Ancient of Days! Let's clap and sing! Let's pick it up! Sing! Blessing and honor! Glory and glory and glory and glory and glory and glory and glory and glory and glory and glory and glory and glory and glory and glory. 5:52 you'll be insulted oh god and your kingdom shall not pass away oh ancient of days 6:22 from every nation all of creation by before the ancient every tongue in heaven and earth shall declare your glory every knee shall bow at your throne in worship you will be exalted oh god and your kingdom shall 6:51 like pass away oh ancient of day your kingdom shall reign the kingdom shall reign over all the earth and we will sing to the ancient of day and can complete you or not can compare with your master's words 7:17 sing to the ancient every tongue in heaven and earth shall declare your glory every knee shall bow at your throne in worship you will be exalted oh god and your kingdom shall not pass away 7:39 your kingdom shall not pass away oh ancient of days oh ancient of days oh ancient of days oh ancient of days for you are the one that we praise 8:06 you are the one we adore you give the healing and grace our hearts always hunger for oh our hearts always hunger for 8:27 oh lord sing to him wonderful merciful savior precious redeemer and friend who would have thought who would have thought 8:52 who would have thought oh you rescue the souls of men the souls of men counselor 9:13 you are the one that we praise you are the one that we praise you are the one we praise 9:43 you are the one we adore you give the healing and grace our hearts always hunger for our hearts always hunger for our hearts always hunger for 10:04 with only the voices in the third verse almighty infinite father faithfully loving your own here in our weakness you find us 10:25 falling before your throne all together let's sing oh we're falling before your throne you are the one you are the one that we praise you are the one we adore 10:47 you give the healing and grace our hearts oh our hearts always hunger for oh our hearts always hunger for 11:08 we are a moment we are a moment we are a moment we are a moment we are a moment we are a moment we are a moment we are a moment we are a moment we are a moment we are a moment we are a moment we are a moment we are a moment 11:27 we are a moment we are a moment we are a moment we are a moment we are a moment we are a moment we are a moment we are a moment we are a moment we are a moment we are a moment we are a moment we are a moment we are a moment 11:27 we are a moment you are a moment we are a moment we are a moment you are a moment love of a moment love everlasting reigning on high reigning on high holy holy Lord God almighty worthy worthy is the lamb 11:47 who was slain highest praises honor and glory be unto your name me be unto your name 12:07 congregation sing we are your name you are your name Jesus redeemed my teachers sing you are the love song we'll sing forever come before you 12:27 come before you blessing your name sing holy holy Lord God almighty sing worthy worthy is the lamb who was slain 12:47 highest praises honor and glory be unto your name be unto your name be unto your name be unto your name be unto your name raise your voices sing the chorus again holy holy 13:07 holy Lord God almighty almighty is the lamb who was slain highest praises honor and glory be unto your name 13:30 be unto your name i'll stand as we sing sunday school children go to sunday school now as we sing how great are you lord 13:58 how great is your mercy how great are the things that you have done for me how great are you lord your loving kindness your loving kindness 14:26 is filling my heart as i sing how great are you lord how great is your love how great is 14:59 how great are you lord how great is your mercy how great is your mercy how great are the things that you have done for me 15:26 how great is my heart as i sing how great are you lord how great is my heart as i sing how great is my heart as i sing how great are you lord 15:47 The sun comes up. The sun comes up. It's a new day dawning. It's time to sing your song again. Whatever may pass and whatever lies before me, let me be singing when the evening comes. 16:18 Bless the Lord, oh my soul. Oh, my soul. Worship His holy name. We'll sing like never before. Oh, my soul. I'll worship your holy name. 16:43 Raise your voice and sing. You're rich in love and you're slow to anger. Your name is great and your heart is kind. For all your goodness I will keep on singing. Ten thousand reasons for my heart to find. 17:12 Bless the Lord, oh my soul. Oh, my soul. Worship His holy name. Sing like never before. Oh, my soul. I'll worship your holy name. 17:36 Last verse. Last verse. And on that day when my strength is failing, the end grows near and my time has come. Still my soul. Still my soul. Still my soul. Will sing your praise unending. 17:58 Ten thousand years and then forevermore. Forevermore. Let's all sing. Bless the Lord, oh my soul. Oh, my soul. Oh, my soul. Oh, my soul. Oh, my soul. I'll worship His holy name. 18:20 Sing like never before. Oh, my soul. I'll worship your holy name. Oh, my soul. Sing like never before. Oh, my soul. I'll worship your holy name. 18:44 I'll worship your holy name. Oh, yes. I'll worship your holy name. Oh, yes. I'll worship your holy name. Yes, I'll worship your holy name. I'll worship your holy name. Oh, yes. I'll worship your holy name. Yes, I'll worship your holy name. 19:16 Let's bow our heads in prayer. Let's quieten our hearts in the presence of God. 19:50 We praise your majesty. 20:13 We lift up our songs to you joyfully, dear Lord. Blessing and glory we ascribe to thee. We give thee glory, honor, and praise. Oh, most high God. You're exalted with power and strength. 20:34 You rule with all might. Bless your name. King of glory. King of glory. Creator of glory. Creator of all things. Creator of all things. You broke the chains that held us. Set us free. 20:54 We bow and worship you. Jesus, you're the Father's splendor and joy. King above all other kings. You'll return to reign in majesty. And every eye will see your majestic name is above all names. 21:21 Let all earth sing, Jesus is Lord. Jesus, indeed, is Lord, to the praise of the glory of the Father. Yes, Heavenly Father, this morning we bow down before you and worship you for who you are. 21:46 Heaven of heavens cannot contain you, Lord. You are so great and greatly to be praised. You are mighty. You are the redeemer. You are the beginning and the end. The alpha and the omega. The first and the last. 22:06 There is none who can compare with you, Lord. We worship you this morning. Such an awesome God that we have yet. He loved us while sinners like us came down to this earth to die for us, to redeem us. 22:29 Thank you, Heavenly Father, for such love that you bestowed upon us. Even while we were yet sinners, Christ died for me and for us. And you have cleansed us and washed us. And made us your children. Given us your spirit. 22:47 And made us kings and priests unto God our Father. We bless your name this morning, Lord. We have no words enough to thank you. We praise you. Brothers and sisters, take this opportunity. Lift up your voice and shout loudly the praise that duly belongs to him. 23:07 The thanks that he only deserves. Shout his praises. Don't keep silent. Let everything that has breath praise him. Praise the Lord. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me. Bless his holy name. Praise you, Father, for your wonderful counselor, mighty King, almighty God, eternal Father. 23:34 Bless you, Lord. You have become our wisdom, sanctification, and redemption. We bless you. Thank you this morning. Dear Father, we look up to you this morning. We await a word from heaven to each one of our hearts. Dear Father, according to our needs, lift up those who are downcast and downhearted. 23:57 Lord, give us a word from the throne of God this morning. Anoint the brothers who minister your word. Give us clarity, liberty, and boldness to speak forth your word. Father, be blessed and glorified. Thank you, Lord. Be exalted in and through our lives and your church. 24:17 In Jesus' precious name. Amen. Amen. Please be seated. We will look at our memory verses. Last week's memory verse was Romans 15. Here. Will you join with me? 24:49 Accept one another. Accept one another. Accept one another. Accept one another. Just as Christ also. Accept one another. Just as Christ also. Accept one another. Just as Christ also. Accept one another. Accept one another. 25:01 Accept one another. Just as Christ also. Accept one another. Accept one another. Accept one another. Just as Christ also. Accept one another. Just as Christ also. Accept one another. Just as Christ also. Accept one another. 25:12 Just as Christ also. Accept one another. Accept one another. Just as Christ also. Accept one another. Accept one another. Just as Christ also. Accept one another. Accept one another. Just as Christ also. Now today's verse is. 25:23 From John 11:25. Say it with me. Jesus said to her. I am the resurrection and the life. I am the resurrection and the life. And he who comes. He who believes in me. He who believes in me. Will live. Will live. 25:43 Even if he dies. Even if he dies. John 11:25. John 11:25. Let's say it again. Jesus said to her. Jesus said to her. Jesus said to her. Jesus said to her. I am the resurrection and the life. I am the resurrection and the life. 25:55 I am the resurrection and the life. I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me. He who believes in me. He who believes in me. Will live. Even if he dies. Will live. Even if he dies. John 11:25. John 11:25. 26:06 John 11:25. Now I call upon Brother Ian Robson to minister the word of God. 26:30 I'm glad that the memory verse this morning is in line in what I have to. It's on my heart to share. Jesus said, I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me shall live. That's what I want to underline, shall live even if he dies. 26:51 And we're not just talking about physical death. We're talking about the life that we have to live on this earth. Last week we saw that we are called to be witnesses of the resurrection of Jesus. Not just about his death and crucifixion and what he did for us on the cross. 27:14 But we saw that the apostles were witnesses of Jesus' resurrection. And they are to suffer for that right to the end of their lives. And not just witnesses of Jesus being resurrected from the dead, being raised from the dead. 27:34 But the life that we live, as we saw, is a resurrection life. That's what we are called to live. A resurrection life. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead is the same power that's directed towards you and me. If we are part of the body of Christ, if we have come to him in repentance and faith, 27:57 that same power that we can experience to live a resurrection life. That is our calling on this earth, which is far above. Like I said, we are not to walk as mere men. We are heavenly beings. We may have physical bodies here, but we have within us the spirit of heaven. 28:17 We have the Holy Spirit within us. If we have received the baptism in the Holy Spirit, then we can experience that power every day. Like I said, we don't just concentrate about dying. I die daily, Paul said, but I'm also resurrected daily. 28:37 If I die, I'm raised again. That is why we are called to be witnesses of Jesus' resurrection. And I want this morning that we look at Philippians in chapter 3. And really see what God is seeking to say to us as a church. 28:56 What God is seeking to say to every one of us here who have come into the family of God through repentance and faith. And you receive the forgiveness of your sins. And you know that your sins have been blotted out. You've received the power of the Holy Spirit. 29:14 You've been baptized in the Holy Spirit. I want you to really be gripped, my brothers and sisters, with a life that God has called us to live on this earth. In Philippians in chapter 3. Philippians chapter 3. This is what Paul was gripped with. 29:30 This is the life he lived. This is the life the apostles lived. This is the life that was there in the early church. Philippians chapter 3. In verse 7. He says, but, you know, in verses 1 to 6, he talks about many things that he could have put confidence in. 29:48 Many things that he could have boasted about. He could have put confidence in the flesh. And, you know, he says, as to the law, he was blameless. In verse 5, as a Pharisee. And zeal. He was a persecutor of the church. As to the righteousness which is in the law, found blameless. 30:06 What a life under the law he lived. But, he says, verse 7, whatever things were gained to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be lost in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, 30:25 for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish. And that word means dog's dung. So that I may gain Christ. I may be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith. 30:51 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being conformed to his death, in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. And, he goes on to say, not that I have already obtained it, or have already become perfect, 31:12 but I press on, so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. This is not a pie-in-the-sky life. I want you to see, my brothers and sisters, that Jesus has laid hold of you and me. If we are part of him, 31:32 if we are part of his family, we are not just grasping something like a carrot before a horse's nose. No, this is real. This is reality. And he has laid hold of you and me for this. And he says, Paul says, I want to lay hold of that for which 31:47 I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. At the end of verse 12. And he says, Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet, but one thing I do. Forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, 32:06 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. And notice the words he uses there. I press on. Twice he says, I press on, I reach forward. There's a picture of an athlete. There's a picture of, 32:25 you know, of an athlete running the marathon. And he's only got one thing in mind. He wants to finish the race. He wants to reach the end. And he knows it's not a carrot before his nose. There is a goal. There is something I press forward to. 32:41 And that is what you and I are called to live. That's the way we are to live on this earth. We have a goal. We are focused. And he says, one thing I do, I forget what is behind. I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God. 32:57 Notice the words. I press on towards the upward call of God. You know, so there's no chance of, you know, that us living down here, we are to, every day, every day that I live on this earth, I must be going higher. We sing that song, 33:14 Lord, lift me up and let me stand by faith on heaven's table land. Higher ground. That is what should be in our hearts. Higher ground. Lord, I don't want to live this mundane life. I don't want just coming to meetings, reading the Bible, 33:30 having my quiet time, and whatever else I do to serve the church. I want to partake of your resurrection life. I want to count for you on this earth as long as I live. I want to press on, Lord. That should be our goal, to know Jesus 33:48 and the power of his resurrection. And that's what is on my heart for us today, to know Jesus and the power of his resurrection. That was, that was Paul's goal. And he said he counted everything. Whatever was gained, he says, 34:04 I counted as loss. I count all things, not some things, all things to be lost in view of the surpassing value. The surpassing value that nothing can be compared to this. Nothing. No promotion. No success. No material gain. 34:25 Nothing I get on this earth. No recognition in the church. No ministry in the church. Nothing. You know, we don't need to have a ministry. There's something far greater. There's a surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus, 34:41 my Lord. I don't have to get up here to speak that, to prove it. I live it. I speak what I believe and what I live. And if we are going in that way, then we can speak. But to see it as a surpassing value 35:02 of knowing Jesus as Lord and knowing the power of his resurrection. So there are three things, three important things that we must be living, that must be true in our lives if I am to live this life that God has called you and me to live. 35:20 And if I am to know Jesus and the power of his resurrection, there are three important things. And I believe if it's not true in our lives, we are just religious. We attend meetings, read the Bible, do many things, but we are just becoming religious. 35:38 And I fear for that for many of us, my brothers and sisters. Many of us who have been in CFC for so long. Am I going up higher? Am I becoming more spiritually minded, heavenly minded, or am I still stuck to the earth? My attachments, 35:58 my chains are still down, you know, holding me to the earth. And that is manifest when we go through trials and difficulties, when we have problems, when we face trials, when I face temptation, then it becomes manifest. 36:13 We saw that. Whether I am of the earth or whether I am heavenly, whether I am earthly minded or whether I am heavenly minded. Nobody needs to tell me that. I know it myself. You can have an impression about me that I am very spiritual 36:27 and humble and all that, but I know and God knows and God knows better than I know whether I am really earthly minded or whether I am heavenly minded. whether I am seeking to bear the image of the heavenly or whether I am content 36:41 just bearing the image of the earthly and walking as a mere man, as a mere woman. That, God forbid, my brothers and sisters, that is not our calling. So the first thing to really partake of this life is so important, I hope it's true, 36:59 and that is to hear his voice. to hear his voice. John chapter 10, verse 27. Jesus said, John 10, verse 27, My sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me. Very clear. 37:19 My sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me. And he goes on to say, they do not know the voice of strangers. Do you hear God's voice? I am not talking about audibly. I have never heard God speak audibly to me 37:37 in all the years that I have known him. but he speaks to me. He speaks to me. He spoke to me this morning. He spoke to me yesterday. And not just to come and share a word with you, preach a sermon. Many things. Things that happened yesterday. 37:56 Thoughts that go through my mind. Whether I really believe him, whether I really trust him. He speaks. But do I give heed? You don't need to hear God speak audibly to you to hear a voice in your room. But you can hear his voice 38:15 in your heart. He speaks to us in our heart, in our consciences. If we are baptised in the Holy Spirit, if our consciences are quickened by the power of the Holy Spirit, I can hear him. I hope those of you who are part of the family of God 38:31 hear God speak every day. Not just Sundays and Wednesdays if you do come. And not just in your quiet time, but throughout the day. My sheep hear my voice, Jesus said, and I know them and they follow me. It says that in the last days 38:50 God will speak to us in his Son, Hebrews chapter 1, verse 2, who is the image of God. And it says today if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts. Many times we read that in the New Testament. Three times it comes. 39:10 It's a quotation from the Old Testament. Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts. In the Old Testament, they heard God audibly sometimes. But under the New Covenant, you and I can hear him. Everyone, not just 39:26 the elders, not just godly men. If you come in yesterday into the family of God, you can hear God speak to you. Do you believe that? I know he spoke to me from the very first day I got converted. The very first night he told me 39:42 I had to settle some things, apologize to my parents, make restitution, break a relationship. He spoke to me the same night that I gave my life to him. He's never ceased after that. 40:04 You cannot partake of this life, my brothers and sisters, if you don't choose to hear God speak to you. My sheep hear my voice. In Psalm 95, in verses 7 to 11, you know, this is the word that comes three times, Psalm 95, 40:21 7 to 11. You can look at it, but I'm looking at the three times it comes in Hebrews chapter 3, verse 7. The same words that we read, the writer of Hebrews is quoting here, Hebrews chapter 3, verse 7 to 11. It says, Therefore, 40:38 just as the Holy Spirit says, today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as when they provoked me, as in the day of trial in the wilderness, where your fathers tried me by testing me and saw my works for 40 years. 40:53 Therefore, I was angry with this generation and said, they always go astray in their heart and they do not know my ways. As I swore in my wrath, they shall not enter my rest. Can you imagine God being angry? We heard that many times 41:13 in CFC, if you are coming here. God was angry with his people for 40 years and we can boast and say, I have known the Lord for 40 years, 50 years, but is God angry with me? He can bless me, give me everything. You know, 41:30 they got everything supernaturally. their clothes didn't wear out, their sandals didn't wear out. They got food from heaven, they got water from the rock. Took care of them through the wilderness. He carried them in the wilderness, 41:45 but he was angry with them. Not because of all the sins, the sins they committed was because of one sin and that was unbelief. He says, they always go astray in their heart. They did not know my ways. So, God swore, they shall not 42:02 enter my rest. And you know what? You know the story. They perished in the wilderness. Every one of them, God waited for the last one of them to drop dead in the wilderness and then the next generation he led into the promised land. 42:17 Hebrews chapter 3 verses 12 to 15. Just the same word which is in Psalm 95. Hebrews 3. He says, take care, brethren. Not people. Take care, brethren. If you read earlier, it's holy brethren. Take care, brethren. That there not be 42:38 in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. But encourage one another day after day as long as it is still called today so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. 42:55 For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end. While it is said, today if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as when they provoked me. And again in Hebrews 4, 43:13 verse 7. Hebrews 4, verse 7. He again fixes a certain day today, not yesterday, not tomorrow, today, saying through David after so long a time, just as has been said before, today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts. 43:34 For if Joshua had given them rest, he would not have spoken of another day after that. So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. For the one, and this is it, you want to know what the rest is? It's not Saturday, 43:48 not Sunday, neither, either. The one who has entered his rest has himself also rested from his works as God did from his. Therefore, let us be diligent to enter that rest so that no one will fall through following the same 44:05 example of disobedience. You see, it's so clear, my brothers and sisters, there is a rest that you and I can enter into where we cease from our works, we stop our struggling and striving and whatnot. It's good to pray, it's good to read 44:25 God's word, it's good to fast if God gives us a burden to fast. But none of these things will substitute for the rest that God has given his people. And it says we have to be diligent to make sure that we enter into that rest. 44:40 How? By hearing his voice. Today, if you hear his voice, today, you're hearing his voice. I'm not God, but God is speaking through his word, through his Holy Spirit. Today, if you hear his voice, and I'm sure by the end 44:58 of the meeting, God would have spoken to every one of us. If you have years to hear what the Spirit is saying to the church, what the Spirit is saying to brethren, include sisters also. Not all the people, 45:18 and if there are some here who are not part of the family of God, then this is not for you. I hope you, by the end of the meeting, will seek to come into the family of God so that you can hear his voice. That's important 45:31 if we are to live our life on this earth. That's important if I am to know him and the power of his resurrection. Today, if you hear his voice, my dear brothers and sisters, do not harden your heart. And not just Sunday, 45:45 but tomorrow, Monday, and all through this week, you hear his voice in your work spot, in the home. Today, God says, if you hear my voice, don't harden your heart. Humble yourself and believe. We pray like Jesus taught us to pray, 46:01 give us this day our daily bread. What are we thinking of? Just the food on the table? Now, when I pray that prayer, I say, Lord, I want a word from your mouth because you said, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every 46:13 word that proceeds from the mouth of God. And I ask the Lord, I know you'll give me food on the table. My children and I have never starved, never liked. We may have gone through difficulties, but Lord, I want that word from 46:28 your mouth. Give me a word from your mouth that I can live today. I hope that that is what you pray for. And then you will hear God speak to you. God speaks to us. And when we hear the voice of God, we will live, my brothers 46:44 and sisters. I want you to turn to this word in John chapter 5. John chapter 5 verse 25. Jesus said in verse 25, truly, truly I say to you, an hour is coming and now is when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those 47:03 who hear will live. For just as the Father has life in himself, even so he gave to the Son also to have life in himself. and he gave him authority to execute judgment because he is the Son of Man. Do not marvel at this, 47:19 for an hour is coming in which all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and will come forth those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment. That's 47:36 final, but I can hear God's voice today and I can live. And Jesus said, those who hear his voice will live. And don't be surprised, don't marvel at this. A final hour is coming, it says, when those who are in the tombs 47:56 will hear his voice. But I believe that there are some of us in tombs today who need to hear his voice to come out of our tombs, tombs we have built. You know, Joseph Armitia built a tomb for himself. And many of us build our 48:14 tombs. It can be tombs of self pity. I feel sorry for myself. Nobody understands me. Nobody knows what I'm going through. And we pity ourselves. And we don't see that as a terrible sin that Jesus had to say to Peter, get behind 48:29 me, Satan. Your mind is on man's interest, not on God's interest. We build our tombs and we are content to live in those tombs and come to meetings and read the Bible. But we're so down and gloomy. We have not partaken of resurrection 48:49 life because if I hear God's voice I will live. I will come out of my tomb. Thinking only of I, me and my family. That's a tomb, you know, that we can build. Fear about the future, that's another tomb. What's going to happen? 49:07 What's going to happen when persecution comes? And we live in these tombs of fear, anxiety and worry. Oh, I think many of us sitting here in those tombs. Anxiety and worry. We worry about the future. We get anxious and we find 49:27 that the things we get anxious about and worry about never happen. the future of our children. And when we go through trials and problems, we worry and we are fearful and we are anxious. We need to hear the voice of God, my 49:45 brothers and sisters, to come out of our tombs. Many of us are in tombs that we need to come out of and live, and live this resurrection life. It's like those two disciples on the road to Emmaus. They built a tomb for themselves. 50:05 They were not dead. They were still living. They were walking. Just imagine Jesus and self draws near, and they couldn't see him. They couldn't recognize him because they were blinded by unbelief. They had built a tomb. 50:20 What was it? If you look at Luke chapter 24, they were talking about the things that have happened. I've shared this before. The things that have happened. and it says their eyes were prevented from recognizing him. 50:40 Luke 24 verse 14 and then 16 to 17. It says their eyes were prevented from recognizing him. He said to them, what are these words that you are exchanging with one another as you're walking? What are the words that you exchanged 50:57 with one another in the home? I think these were husband and wife. What are these words you're exchanging with one another? And, you know, they stood still looking sad, tomb faces. one of them named Cleopas answered and 51:18 said to him, are you the only ones visiting Jerusalem and unaware of the things which have happened here in these days? verse 21 but we were hoping that it was he who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, 51:34 it's the third day since these things have happened. And, you know, Jesus, I like his sense of humor, when he asked them, what things? You know, Jesus has a sense of humor, the things that have happened, what things? What are 51:51 these words you're exchanging? Don't you know about the things that have happened? You see the tomb that we can build, that we concentrate on the things, we focus on what has happened, instead of focusing on Jesus, instead of 52:07 looking at things from his point of view, and that's what we see there. It says, beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, he explained to them the things concerning himself. My dear brothers and sisters, that's what 52:20 we need when we are so concerned about the things that have happened, we need to go to God's word, we need to let God speak to us, so that we can see from his point of view, beginning with what a Bible study he gave them as 52:36 they walked together, and he explained to them the things concerning himself. what it took a long way, it took to the end of the way when they went and sat at the table and only when they saw when he broke brain and they saw 52:55 the wounds in his hands, that they recognized him. Do we have to wait for that day when we see him? Can't we recognize him now and stop talking about things, get out of our tombs, my brothers and sisters, let God speak to 53:13 us so that we can come out of our tombs, we can come into a resurrection life. You know, that's how it was with Lazarus. Jesus said to Martha, he said, did I not tell you that if you believe you will see the glory of God? 53:33 If you believe. And it says there that you know, when Jesus came to the tomb and they were afraid to remove the stone, he said he's dead already, Lord, and there will be a stink. Jesus said, did I 53:53 not say to you Martha, that if you believe you will see the glory of God? Whatever it is, my brothers and sisters, let the stone roll away. That tomb that you and I have built, roll the stone away, even if there's a stink. 54:09 He'll bring, He'll speak. He says, Lazarus, come forth, and he came forth. The one who was dead came forth. There was no stink. Resurrection, life had come into that body. But he was still bound and he needed to be unbound. 54:27 And that's how it can be with somebody. We can hear God's voice. We come out and we stop thinking about things. We go to the scriptures. We want God to speak to us, but we are still bound. Thank God there are people around 54:37 who can unbind you. May God raise up brothers and sisters in this church who will unbind others from their grave clothes so that they can come forth. You like to see somebody walking like a mummy. I believe that many of us 54:54 are like mummies bound. So many things bind us. Worry, fear, anxiety, most of all unbelief. That's why we are daily so that none of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin to encourage one another. That's the way to 55:12 unbind somebody. Do you know that? We need many who can unbind people from their grave clothes in this church. And what is it we need? We need encouragers. Not exhorters, but those who can encourage the brothers and sisters. 55:28 Whatever it wear this. Why does she wear this? Oh, I hope we'll be finished with that. We seek to help people to be unbound. To come out of their tombs, my brothers and sisters. We'll 55:48 see the glory of God. That's what Jesus said to Martha. Did I not say to you if you believe you will see the glory of God. And that's what we see happen with Lazarus. That's what we see also the vision that Ezekiel had when 56:05 he was in that valley of dry bones. And God said to him, can these bones live? I like Ezekiel's honesty. Lord, you know. And we feel like that sometimes. Dry can these bones live? Yes. If we hear 56:25 the voice of God. Prophesy the Lord said to Ezekiel prophesy over these bones and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. And if there are some like this, dry as a bone, 56:47 hear the word of the Lord. That's what Ezekiel said. And this is another thing we need in the church. Those who will not preach sermons would prophesy. you don't need to be an elder for that. Brothers and sisters who can 57:03 prophesy, who can give life, O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. And God says, O dry bones in CFC, hear the word of the Lord and live, my brothers and sisters. And the other thing is to, 57:23 like we saw, the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus and the power of his resurrection. That's what will happen. That's what will take place. We will know Jesus and the power of his resurrection and count everything 57:39 else as done. We need that personal encounter, not just once in our lives, but every day. A personal encounter, that's the second thing that we need. We need to be really touched by the Lord. We need perhaps a fresh baptism 57:58 of the Holy Spirit to lift us out of our graves, to lift us out of our tombs, my brothers and sisters, so that we can live the resurrection life. And the third thing, final thing is one thing I do, forgetting the things 58:14 behind, reaching forward and pressing on to what is before. One thing. And that's the one thing only that the Holy Spirit calls you and I to do. Forget what is behind. Even what happened yesterday, even what happened this 58:30 morning. you lost it this morning, you repented and confessed it, you got upset, the children were not ready, your wife is not ready. So many things happen in homes and families with small children, things can go wrong, 58:44 no power is there, you can't iron your clothes, and you get all disturbed, you want to stay away from the meeting. There's a good excuse people have to stay away from we need to come to the meeting. Repent, confess your 59:04 sin, as simple as that. Be cleansed and come with a pure heart and a clean conscience and forget what happened at 9 o'clock this morning. Forget the things that are behind. Reach forward, 59:24 my brothers and sisters, reach forward and press on to what is before. We cannot look forward if we are constantly looking behind. It's like an athlete running the marathon and he's constantly looking behind to see how far 59:36 the one behind him and constantly worried how much distance he has between him and the other one. He'll ever win the race. Reaching forward to what lies ahead and press on. I want to encourage all of us, rise up and press 59:54 on and lay hold of this resurrection life. No matter how many times you've fallen. You church. Micah chapter 7 verses 7 12 years one for those who are always slipping up falling. It says as for me I will watch expectantly 1:00:14 for the Lord. You know we know the verse 8 but I want you to look at verse 7. Do not rejoice over me on my enemy. But it says as for me I will watch expectantly for the Lord. I will wait for the God of my salvation. My God 1:00:31 will hear me. Who? The one who has fallen. And he says do not rejoice over me O my enemy. If you wait expectantly for the Lord and you wait for God God will hear you and then you can say in faith do not rejoice over me O 1:00:48 my enemy. Though I fall I will rise. Do I dwell in darkness the Lord is a light for me. I will bear the indication of the Lord because I have sinned against him. Verse 9 Until he pleads my case and executes justice for me. 1:01:03 He will bring me out to the light and I will see his righteousness. And verse 10 Then my enemy will see and shame will cover her who said to me Where is the Lord your walls on that day 1:01:23 will your boundary be extended it will be a day when they will come to you. Who is the Holy Spirit speaking to? The one who is constantly falling who gets up who rises up. I don't misunderstand and think oh that's okay I 1:01:42 can go on falling. No if you have got resurrection life in you you cannot afford you will not go on falling you will rise you will rise you will not take take refuge that yeah you know I believe in Michael chapter 7 verse 1:01:58 7 12 no you have the power of the resurrection in you you will rise up and God will restore that's what I like there you know verse 9 he says I'll bear the indignation of the Lord sometimes the Lord chastises us I've sinned 1:02:15 against him until he pleads my case and executes justice for me he will bring me out of the light and my enemy will see it and shame will cover her who said to me where is the Lord your God it'll be a day for building your 1:02:32 walls it'll be a day when they will come to you for help I believe that God speaks to some of us to really seek to rise up from our failure and be available to 1:02:52 help others with confidence you can say rejoice not over me or my enemy though I fall I will rise again and I believe that that is God's will for every one of us and may God help us like Paul said one thing I do forget what 1:03:11 is behind reach forward to what is before your life will take a different direction if you hear his voice today if you hear his voice the Lord is saying to you my son my daughter come 1:03:32 up higher don't harden your heart respond to him humble yourself and believe the worst sin I have said that again and again through all the years I have been in this church I saw that when I was baptized in the Holy Spirit 1:03:48 the worst sin worse than debauchery worse than murder worse than pornography is unbelief I have seen it I constantly seek to judge myself unbelief will take more people to hell than pornography and debauchery and murder 1:04:06 and other things all these things you can see and repent of unbelief is deceitful take care there is not in any one of us an evil heart of unbelief that will lead us to fall away from the living God let's lay hold of this 1:04:22 life by faith and through the power of the Holy Spirit Amen thank 1:04:44 you brother Ian it was so good to hear this morning my heart was blessed I don't know how half an hour went off yeah I was thinking about resurrection you know we have heard many times 1:05:04 about resurrection resurrection is not just an incident that happened when Jesus rose again from the grave and it is not an incident that it is not just an incident that is going to happen when saints will be raised from 1:05:20 their grave but resurrection is a person Jesus said I am the way the truth and the life and the same Jesus said I am the resurrection and the life resurrection is 1:05:40 a person and Paul the apostle he had accomplished so much for Jesus from such a background God picked him up and chose him and he came he started his ministry and you know what 1:06:00 all he did he raised the dead healed the sick and so many wondrous miracles happened through him and planted number of churches and wrote half of the new testament and he says in Ephesians like 1:06:21 we read this morning 310 I want to know one thing I want to know what is this are you not satisfied Paul that you have done so much accomplished so much towards the end of his life he says one thing I want what is that I 1:06:39 want to know Jesus more I want to know the power of his resurrection so you put these together these sentences together I want to know him and know the power of his resurrection know Jesus and the power of resurrection 1:06:59 resurrection is nothing but Jesus I want to know Jesus and I want to know him more in a sense he wants to know doubly twice as much that is the meaning of that verse I want to know him and the power of his resurrection it 1:07:26 speaks about resurrection that God in his mighty power he raised up Jesus it says when God spoke the universe into existence he just spoke let there be light and the light appeared he said let the plants appear the plants 1:07:45 appear said let the dry ground come out of the water it came out but it says God had to exert something he had to strain himself to some extent to raise Jesus from the dead this was something that I was thinking about and 1:08:07 we read from John 5 we read from John 5 5 25 and 20 25 to 29 here Jesus said truly I 1:08:27 say to you an hour is coming and now is this hour has come now when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear shall live see he's speaking about the present tense here he 1:08:47 says an hour is coming and that hour is now and we also read now is the time of salvation today and now is the time today if you hear his voice harden not your hearts it lest in any of you there 1:09:07 be an evil heart of unbelief we heard about the evil heart of unbelief heart unbelief we take it very lightly we think oh brother I don't have faith unbelief unbelief unbelief unbelief is something that is an insult to God 1:09:25 when he says something and I couldn't care less here it says an hour is coming and that hour is now when the dead will hear his voice and those who hear will live and that is now when you 1:09:45 hear now those of you who are dead in sins and trespasses if you hear it with your inner ear you will live and the same Jesus said another hour is coming when those who are dead in the tomb you 1:10:06 go down to verse 28 do not marvel at this for an hour is coming he doesn't say now is here in which all who are in the tombs shall hear his voice and shall come forth those who did the good 1:10:26 deeds to a resurrection life and those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment see he's speaking of two resurrections one is the one who is dead in sins and trespasses hears God's word from God's servants 1:10:44 and listen to that and obey and take action and you shall live the same apostle said in philippians 514 I think he said awake O sleeper rise rise from the dead and Christ will 1:11:04 give you light in the message Bible I like it jump out of your coffin he says jump out of your coffin so most of us are like we heard we are living sleeping in our tombs or probably we are in our coffins the word of God 1:11:22 today for you is jump out of it brother jump out of his sister today you are hearing God's voice you heard God's voice don't harden your heart don't say okay next Sunday I'll see I still have a lot of time young people don't 1:11:41 you ever think like that I have seen and heard many young people in their twenties and thirties having tragic death untimely death you don't know we don't know when we go whether we reached home from this place because we 1:12:00 don't know what's going to happen next moment life is short dear brothers and sisters I'm not scaring you I'm just telling you the fact of life listen when God's word comes to you do not harden your heart open your hearts 1:12:15 to God's word and let it work in you and may you come out of your tombs may you come out of your coffins may you come out of your dead situation of life dead in sins and trespasses come out of it ask the one who said I 1:12:36 am the resurrection ask him to resurrect you so that you can live this new life defeating sin every day and as those who have been born again I want to talk to you are you dying daily like we heard today Paul 1:12:56 says I die daily so that the life of Christ also can be manifested in me daily to the extent that you die to that extent you get the life of Jesus if you die daily you you are partaking the resurrection life daily if 1:13:16 you just go back to one date and say yeah I was saved on such and such a date brother I don't know what's your condition don't you ever believe that lie that once saved always saved osas that's not true I used to believe 1:13:30 that doctrine once and once not anymore today how are you what is your spiritual condition today are you alive today are you dead after you were resurrected many people who got resurrected in the old covenant and in the 1:13:49 new covenant they died again but Jesus never died again I hope you know the word resurrection is the new testament word it is not an old testament word you will never find that word in the old testament it comes only in 1:14:04 the new testament and resurrection and resurrection life is the life of Christ that I may know him and the power of his resurrection nothing but knowing Jesus and him alone how do I know him I know him through his word I 1:14:21 know him through fellowship with one another in the body of Christ I know him through prayer and praise and worship like brother said I also haven't heard any audible voice all these 41 years of my Christian life I only 1:14:40 heard through God's word God speaking to me through his written word Hebrews 412 I think it says the word of God is alive it's quick it's alive even today it speaks to me it speaks to you as you read it God speaking to me 1:15:00 he speaks to me when I read God's word he speaks to me in my heart through still small voice through promptings through little nudging through the pangs of conscience tells me no that was not right what you did go and apologize 1:15:18 or give that back or whatever it is as as we obedient as we take immediate action then death comes there and when death comes there when I deny myself it's the self that prevents us from partaking of the 1:15:38 divine nature it's the self that stops us and hinders our progress when I put the axe to the root of this self life of mine then the life of Jesus Christ comes like Paul says in some place death works in us so that life 1:15:57 will work in you so as death works in me and I die daily and partake of the divine nature and the life of Christ then I will be able to impart life to others to those around me and we also heard about that dry valley vision 1:16:17 of Ezekiel you know it was fully dry full of bones of ancient Israel and Israeli army and Israeli people and God said and Ezekiel was honest enough to say can these bones live he said Lord you know we 1:16:38 have to humble ourselves and say Lord it's beyond me my situation is beyond me Lord I have gone too far but nothing is impossible to God whatsoever things are impossible with men all things are possible with God whatever 1:16:55 is your situation God can turn it around give you a new life and a new start and make you start anew may God help us God God we sing a song then after that we have 1:17:15 the announcements we will sing that song Lord lift me up and let me stand Lord please come God God God 1:17:55 I'm pressing on the upward way new heights I'm gaining every day so praying as I upward bow 1:18:16 Lord plant my feet on higher ground Lord lift me up and let me stand my faith on heaven stable land a higher plane 1:18:37 that I have found Lord plant my feet on higher ground and I'll see you next time. 1:19:25 I'll see you next time. 1:19:55 I'll see you next time. 1:20:25 I'll see you next time. I'll see you next time. I'll see you next time. 1:20:57 I'll see you next time. I'll see you next time. 1:21:27 I'll see you next time. 1:21:57 I'll see you next time. 1:22:27 I'll see you next time. I'll see you next time. 1:22:57 I'll see you next time. 1:23:27 I'll see you next time. I'll see you next time. 1:23:57 I'll see you next time. 1:24:27 I'll see you next time. 1:24:57 I'll see you next time. 1:25:27 I'll see you next time.
