[0:00] Psalm 146, and if you've got one of the red church Bibles, that's page 632, page 632 if you've got one of the red church Bibles.
[0:22] Here is God's faithful word. Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord, my soul.
[0:34] I will praise the Lord all my life. I will sing praise to my God as long as I live. Do not put your trust in princes, in human beings who cannot save.
[0:49] When their spirit departs, they return to the ground. On that very day, their plans come to nothing. Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord their God.
[1:05] He is the maker of heaven and earth, the sea and everything in them. He remains faithful forever. He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry.
[1:20] The Lord sets prisoners free. The Lord gives sight to the blind. The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down. The Lord loves the righteous.
[1:33] The Lord watches over the foreigner and sustains the fatherless and the widow. But he frustrates the ways of the wicked.
[1:46] The Lord reigns forever. Your God, O Zion, for all generations. Praise the Lord.
[1:57] Let me thank God for his faithful word. If the children would like to go down to their Sunday school activities, if you want to make use of the creche, please do so now.
[2:14] We're going to come to God once more in prayer together, bringing the needs of our world, our nation, and of ourselves to God in prayer.
[2:26] Let us all pray. It is so good, our God, to bring you our praise and thanks, to bring you the worship that you deserve.
[2:47] That's rightfully yours. But how important it is that we bring to you our prayer, our intercessions, our petitions, our requests.
[3:02] How important it is, O Lord, that we come to you to ask and to look to you, to do your will in our lives and in the lives of those around about us and in this world that, as we've read, you are the maker of and the provider of.
[3:25] The reason that we need to pray, O Lord, our God, is because we do not have within ourselves the resources to meet the needs of our own lives and the lives of others.
[3:37] We do not have the strength, the power, the wisdom. We need your help. Surely one of the greatest and most dreadful things that we have done as a world is to reject your involvement in our lives.
[3:58] And what a mess we've made when we thought that by our own abilities, wisdom and power, that we can run this world well.
[4:12] How we see left and right, behind and before us, wherever we turn, the mess of sinful pride, of human faith in human strength.
[4:25] When we see men trying to put things in their order to make a world after their own image, ruining humanity which has been made in your image.
[4:42] And so we do pray. We pray for this world as a whole. We remember the nations around about us. We think of those particularly that are in the midst of warfare, Syria, in Iraq, those conflicts that are going on, in many other places too, which just don't seem to make the news.
[5:08] But where there is violence and hate, Nigeria through Boko Haram, ISIS, where there is particularly, oh Lord, the persecution and oppression of those who love you and trust you.
[5:25] We pray for your persecuted church in North Korea, in many, many countries and places. We ask, oh Lord, that there in the midst of their suffering, you, the God of all comfort, would make yourself known, that you would be to them all that they need, and more besides.
[5:47] We ask for deliverance for your people too, in these oppressed lands, and freedom simply to love Jesus and follow him.
[5:58] We're so grateful that here in the UK, we have that freedom, that we can even meet together in this way, and speak of Christ, and proclaim his unique salvation, and his wonderful love.
[6:13] We thank you for the freedom we have to hold this week of real lives, here in Whitby. And though Whitby is not a place in which there is warfare, and conflict in that sense outwardly, yet we know that the majority of people here are at war with you, at war with themselves, unhappy, distrusting, searching, empty.
[6:41] And oh Lord, we ask that you would work in and through these days of mission, that you would draw to yourself those whose hearts you have been speaking to, those lives that you have been drawing.
[6:56] We ask oh Lord that many may come, Lord not to church, not to this building, not to Roger, not to these celebrity speakers, that they might come seeking the living God, who alone gives life, and life in abundance.
[7:17] And we pray that again, oh Lord, you would richly bless and watch over these days, and make them days, we pray, of joy and rejoicing, on earth and in heaven, as sinners repent, and souls are saved.
[7:33] We thank you, Lord, for the work of the convention too, for the music convention, these many years, that you've helped, and blessed Paul. We pray that you would continue to give to him the strength he needs.
[7:44] Bless these remaining days, of this convention, make them encouraging days, make them Lord, days in which again, hearts may be moved, and lives may be changed, and your truth may be proclaimed.
[7:58] We pray again, oh Lord, that in your good will and purpose, you would guide and lead, concerning the future of these things. Lord, in your goodness, raise up someone, to come alongside Paul, as he desires, to share in the load, maybe even to pass it on, in your good time.
[8:16] But Lord, strengthen and bless him, now we ask. We pray, oh Lord, our God, for our nation, on the brick, of this new election, we ask again, oh Lord, that you would raise up, a government, which seeks after you, that recognizes, that your law, and your word, is the very best, for any nation, and people.
[8:41] We thank you, that you are the God, who raises up, kings, and brings them down. You are the God, who establishes governments, you are the God, who brings them, to nothing.
[8:52] We pray, oh Lord, that according to your great mercy, love, and goodness, to this nation, that you would give us, a government, oh Lord, which is after your will. But most of all, most of all, we pray for our nation, as a whole, which has known, so much blessing, in the past, from your hand, we ask that you would, visit us again, in reviving power, that you would, revive your church, where we have lost, our heart, and love, for you, and for your gospel, and that Lord, you would send, out your word, through powerful, proclaimers, that many, many, in these days, may come, into, the kingdom of God, that one, united kingdom, where Jesus, brings, black, and white, rich, and poor, Jew, and Gentile, young, and old, into his, embrace, be with us now, in this time together, speak through Roger, we pray, grant that his words, may know the power, of your Holy Spirit, and send them, to our hearts, to bring forth, the blessing, that you want, the glory, that you deserve, for we ask it all, in the name of Jesus Christ,
[10:12] Amen, Amen, before Roger comes, and preaches to us, we're going to sing, two four, sorry, going to sing on our sheet there, the next hymn, hymn two, I stand amazed, in the presence of Jesus, the Nazarene, stand as we sing.
[10:27] Amen. Amen. Amen. I stand amazed, in the presence, of Jesus, the Nazarene, and wonder, how he could love me, a sinner, content and clean.
[11:09] How marvelous, how wonderful, that my song, shall ever be. How marvelous, how wonderful, is my Savior's love, is my Savior's love, to me.
[11:32] Only it was in the garden, he prayed, of my will, but thine, he had no tears, for his own grief, but sweat, from some love, for mine.
[11:51] How marvelous, how marvelous, how wonderful, and my song, shall ever be.
[12:02] How marvelous, how wonderful, is my Savior's love, for me.
[12:13] and my love, this holy God, is my including, and the name of Jesus, as he was missing.
[12:36] How marvelous, how wonderful, and my song shall ever be.
[12:47] How marvelous, how wonderful, is my Saviour's love for thee.
[12:57] He took my sins and my sorrows, he made them his very own.
[13:11] He bore the burden to Calvary, and suffered and died alone. How marvelous, how wonderful, and my song shall ever be.
[13:32] How marvelous, how wonderful, is my Saviour's love for thee.
[13:43] When with her ransomed in glory, his praise I at last shall sing.
[13:55] Will be my joy through the ages, to sing of his love for me.
[14:07] How marvelous, how wonderful, and my song shall ever be. How marvelous, how wonderful, is my Saviour's love for thee.
[14:29] How marvelous, how wonderful, and my song shall ever be.
[14:41] How marvelous, how wonderful, is my Saviour's love for thee.
[14:53] Good. Well, let me just mention one or two things before we turn to the word.
[15:04] Those of you who know me would expect this. I'm not going to mention any books for the moment. But first of all, thanks to the guys for singing. That was wonderful. Don't you just love their Scottish accent?
[15:15] You wish you could understand it, but it really sounds good. And Warren Wisby once said, if you want to be a great devotional preacher, make sure you're born in Scotland.
[15:26] And that was wonderful. I hope this afternoon they'll sing again. Oh, what was the one I said I really liked? Just a minute. I'm satisfied with Just a Cottage Below. That was gorgeous yesterday.
[15:38] They say they're brothers. Well, I don't know, but anyway, I think their parents were fooling them. And they definitely got one wrong baby from that maternity hospital.
[15:49] But still, it's great to see you. You think that if you wish. Anyway, but that was really good. Thank you. And then to say this week, what a lineup of guests you've got.
[16:04] And that awful picture in the middle. I don't know where you've got that, but still. There really are some very, very powerful testimonies here.
[16:14] And the thinking behind this sort of mission is that we invite people to come along. And we're not asking them to sing hymns or there will be a prayer at the end. The Bible reading I incorporate in the message.
[16:25] So it's not a religious service, if you understand. We're presenting the message. And we do it in two ways. First through the testimony and then through looking into God's word.
[16:36] And I find that this style of mission is, it makes it very easy for us who are Christians to invite people along. So tomorrow, Robin Oak, his son, a policeman, was murdered on police duty.
[16:50] He was the first now of two policemen on the mainland who died in an act of, a terrorist act against them. But his attitude to the death of his son and the whole story is very, very powerful.
[17:03] And then on Tuesday, Fiona Castle. Do you remember Roy Castle? Yeah, well, you are old then. But this is his widow.
[17:14] And what a great story she tells. She's super. You'll really, really enjoy her. Jamie Jones Buchanan, iconic Leeds Rhinos player. And, again, slight, very strong, lazy Leeds accent.
[17:28] So, you know, make sure you get tuned up to the loop system. And then, I can't see who's there. Oh, yeah, Steve Noah. I don't know whether, have I ever interviewed Steve before or not?
[17:40] No, never heard of him. So we hope he's a Christian. We hope he's a Christian and it'll be a good story. And then Paul and Fiona Jones. That is a very powerful story.
[17:52] You want to say, you know, to your atheist friends, come and listen to it. And if there is no God, just explain this. Because it really is very powerful.
[18:03] And, of course, they sing. And so it'll be slightly different. It'll be a longer interview. But it'll be interspersed with songs from them as well. And it's a very, very great week.
[18:14] Now, those of you who are Christians here, I'd urge you not just to come and invite people. But if you can come and come with them. And maybe meet them beforehand.
[18:26] Maybe take them out for a meal. Oh, I went for a fish and chip meal yesterday. And I must say, I wouldn't recommend that one. But, and the magpie's gone and burned, doesn't it?
[18:37] I'm sure there must be somewhere in Whitby that sells something that seagulls at least would enjoy. And meet them for a meal and then come along with them.
[18:48] Or come along with them and then take them out for something to eat afterwards. But even if you haven't got somebody to come, do come. It'll be a blessing to you. And who knows who you'll sit with and be able to chat with.
[18:59] These are great, great testimonies, really. And those of you who, you know, live at a distance, if you can travel, it'd be worth it. I know Whitby's a little bit back of beyond, isn't it?
[19:10] Wherever you live, if it's outside Whitby, it's a long way. But it's worth coming to. So we'd love to see you every evening at 7.30. There are plenty of these invitations. And maybe you can, if you're in a guest house, invite the landlords and landladies or whatever.
[19:25] And people you meet. So do take some of these. See if you can use them in the next day or two. And then just one other thing to say. I'm sure you are aware that on October 31st this year, it will be 500 years since Martin Luther nailed those 95 theses to the church door in Wittenberg.
[19:47] And, of course, God was to use that act as a sort of catalyst to trigger off the Reformation throughout Europe. It was a very, very important event. And I'm sure that, you know, it will be on the media.
[20:01] And I'm sure it will be commemorated in churches. I understand Westminster Abbey are doing an ecumenical service. They just don't get it, do they? It's like when it was John Bunyan's anniversary.
[20:12] Bedford Town Council, to commemorate it, put on a vanity fair. And you think, oh, you just don't understand these things. But still. So it will be commemorated in different ways.
[20:23] But why not at least get that DVD called Luther that you can get on Amazon, which stars Joseph Fiennes. It's very faithful to the story.
[20:36] And just show that in your church or in your home. But anyway, I mustn't go on about that. I'd like to give you all one of these little tracks. I've done two tracks for the occasion. And this one's the more general one.
[20:46] I've got a longer one for those who are a bit more interested. But I'll give you one on the way out. And if you want more, I'm sure it'll tell you how you can get more. But I'd love you to read it and pass it on.
[20:57] Let's turn to the Word of God, shall we? Shall we pray first of all? Father, again we come to your Word. And we recognise that this is God-breathed. And so, Father, we pray that what we read now will take seriously.
[21:10] And that you'd speak to our hearts. For we ask in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. I'm very conscious of the fact that it is just, what, two and a half weeks now before a general election.
[21:22] And I have to say I love all the political wrangling and debate. And I find it fascinating. But I want to ask this question. I've written a tract about this as well because I think it's a significant one for these days.
[21:36] I want to ask, who do you trust? Trust. We are living in an increasingly godless society. And one of the consequences of that godlessness is that trust has been destroyed.
[21:50] And we're very wary about trusting anybody. And I just want to muse on this a little. Some of you who are sitting here may just think, oh, who invited that old cynic to come and speak on this subject?
[22:03] And you have to blame Peter. He's very generous to me, I must say, in allowing me to take the pulpit. But if you want to scream, save your scream to the very end because you might think differently at the end.
[22:16] But as I go through, you might think, oh, this is just becoming too cynical for me to cope with. But who do we trust? Well, just a minute. We haven't got there yet.
[22:29] Be very careful. There was a man on your row who he always used to shout out as well. He used to shout out things like, you're right. Be very careful. He died.
[22:42] He choked to death on his wedding anniversary meal. So I would keep quiet for the moment. I'll come back to that. Okay. But who do we trust? I don't know whether you watched the Eurovision Song Contest.
[22:54] You'll be pleased to know I didn't. But I have listened now, I don't know, at least 20 times to YouTube's rendition of the winning ballad. And wow, it is a really touching piece of music.
[23:07] And if you look at it where it translates it into English, you'll find that clearly you don't trust your girlfriend or your boyfriend. And who do you trust?
[23:18] Do we trust the politicians? When you stop and think about it, at each election we are promised, usually anyway, better things. I know that Theresa May has decided to do it differently.
[23:29] But normally we're promised better things, aren't we? And we sort of think, oh, perhaps things will start to improve. But I think we'd all agree that over the years the politicians have misled us.
[23:41] They've lied to us. They're often willing to ignore the wishes of the people if they feel that they know better. But I think more significantly, over the last 50 or 60 years, every government has legislated against the Ten Commandments.
[23:57] Now that is very serious, but they've done it consistently. You just think of them as personalities and you think, oh yes, we remember the expenses scandal. They fiddled their expenses. I love the cartoonist Matt, who on the Daily Telegraph each morning has a cartoon.
[24:14] And during the height of the expenses scandal, he had this wonderful cartoon of a bespoke tailor measuring up a politician for a new suit. And he turns to the politician and says, does sir wish to lie in his own pockets?
[24:29] It's a great cartoon. Do we trust the politicians? And I think the answer has to be, well, no, we don't. We pray for them as we did this morning. We wish them well, but do we trust them?
[24:40] Let me ask you this. Do you trust the bankers? Hmm. Do you remember Fred the Shred? That sort of host of faceless managers who have destroyed trust over the years.
[24:54] Do you know, I've never robbed a bank in my life, but I can name some banks that have robbed me. But apparently they're allowed to do that. Do I trust the bankers? Well, no, I use the bank, of course.
[25:04] But do I really trust them? What about the police? And in asking this question, I know this is a very sensitive one because we want to uphold the police in all that they do.
[25:15] And in many ways we recognize it's a difficult work and we would want to support them. But then you think of Hillsborough or Rotherham or Rochdale or, do you remember the death of Ian Tomlinson at the G20 protest?
[25:33] Do you remember Jean-Charles de Menzies? Probably you don't know this, but I think this is one of the worst of all. Harry Hammond, a Christian, died in police custody in Bournemouth.
[25:47] You Google that and you'll be horrified. We want to trust the police and we want to support them, but do we? Do we trust the BBC?
[26:00] For decades they followed an aggressively anti-God agenda. They depict Christians as cranks. They blaspheme the name of God and Jesus and Christ.
[26:13] They esteem atheists. They rarely question their lives or their attitudes or their ideas. We have sneering comedians who mock the Lord Jesus Christ.
[26:24] They airbrush their own. Just think of Jimmy Savile. I used to enjoy and faithfully, whenever I could at least, watched Newsnight. I watched it in the time of Jeremy Paxman and Jeremy Paxman from Leeds, so I'm quite supportive.
[26:40] Until I saw him interview Richard Dawkins. And do you know, it was almost as if he was bowing before him. I know they live very close to each other, neighbours, but he was so fawning towards him.
[26:53] None of that Rottweiler questioning and nobody putting a different point of view. And I thought, do you know, I don't want to watch Newsnight anymore. If you've got such a blatant agenda, I don't know that I want to watch you.
[27:05] Do you trust the BBC? Again, Matt had a great cartoon where he had a newsreader about to give the news and somebody watching the television.
[27:15] And the newsreader began by saying, this is 10 o'clock. No, it is, honestly. And I thought, yes, we really don't trust your bias and your bigotry.
[27:27] But then let me ask this. Do you trust the churches? I've been here since Friday night. Something has happened over these last few hours in Whitby that I've never experienced at Whitby before.
[27:43] And that is person after person, and some of you are here now, who have come and chatted. You know, I'm at the book, so you have these conversations. And so many have just shared with a broken heart what is happening in their church.
[27:58] A departing from the Word of God. A departing from the standards of the Bible. A departing from a simple trust in what Scripture has said. Displaying a complete lack of trust and authority of God's Word.
[28:13] Sometimes the church has been guilty of headline-hitting immorality. Do we trust the church? I love church. I enjoy going to church. I would always go to at least two services.
[28:24] I never quite understand that mentality that says, oh, I only want to go in the morning or whatever. And if I could go to one in the afternoon and found one, I'd probably go then as well. I love church. And yet, do we trust church always?
[28:38] Do we trust the newspapers? I read newspapers. I enjoy them. But do we trust them? Do you remember the Levson inquiry? Do we trust the NHS?
[28:50] Well, not if you live in South Staffordshire. And then you think of some of the doctors and the nurses that again, sadly, have hit the headlines. Do I trust the judges?
[29:03] Dare I say this one? Do we trust the royal family? In all that they've said and done? We're grateful for the queen that we've got. But do we trust the royal family?
[29:16] Do you trust yourself? That's an interesting question, isn't it? Do you really trust yourself? I would argue that if we do, it's a sign that we're ignorant as to what we're really like.
[29:31] Don't we all mess up? Sometimes we mess up by a deliberate defiance against God. We allow our mind just to muse on things that we shouldn't be doing.
[29:43] We allow ourselves to say words that we ought not to be saying. To do deeds that we shouldn't be doing. To get involved with things that we ought not to. We sin. And we're blatant in it.
[29:55] But then just our own judgments. Our wisdom. When I was younger, I was on quite a number of sort of committees. And you know where you discuss and plan, etc.
[30:06] I'm not on many. I am on some now. But not many. And it was almost a deliberate decision. Because I thought, I don't think I'm getting things right. Always I've argued for something.
[30:17] And it's happened. And then I look back and think, that was wrong. I misunderstood that. Do we trust ourselves? If we had the chance to change certain things in our past, we all would, wouldn't we?
[30:32] But do I find myself, as it were, condemning the deeds of others? And yet, if I had the opportunity to do them and get away with it, I probably would. Listen to these words spoken by the Lord Jesus 20 centuries ago.
[30:45] But they could just be written in today's newspaper. He said, For from within, out of men's hearts come evil. Sorry, evil thoughts. Sexual immorality.
[30:57] Theft. Murder. Adultery. Greed. Malice. Deceit. Lewdness. Envy.
[31:08] Slander. Arrogance. And folly. What a list. It seems exhaustive. And yet, these are just the sort of foundation from which so many other things come.
[31:21] Do you trust yourself? So we come back to your points there. There is only one person who is worthy of our trust. That's what this psalm is saying.
[31:33] We're going to look at it. One person who has never let down anybody who has put their trust in him. One person who has never broken a single promise.
[31:47] Though he's made hundreds of them throughout scripture. One person who has never been a disappointment to those who put their trust in him.
[31:57] There is no conceivable situation anywhere at all in which it is not safe to trust in the Lord God. And those who do depend upon him find that he is more and more dependable.
[32:13] It's the testimony of Christians all through the years. And those who have put their trust in God throughout the centuries. That when you trust in him. He never, never lets a person down.
[32:25] Joshua. Way back in the Old Testament. The one who led the Israelites around the walls of Jericho. Of course they collapsed. And he started taking the people into the promised land. This is what he said at the end of his life.
[32:37] Not one of the Lord's good promises to the house of Israel failed. Every one was fulfilled. King Solomon. That wisest of all kings.
[32:48] Who was responsible of course for the building of the great temple in Jerusalem. At the dedication of the temple. He prayed a magnificent prayer. And he included these words. Not one word has failed of all the good promises.
[33:02] He gave his servant Moses. The apostle Paul in the New Testament. Repeatedly. Speaks about the faithfulness of God. I don't know whether you've ever been to Harlem in Holland.
[33:16] But just. It's a magnificent town. Just off the main square. Is the Ten Boom Watch. Or clock shop. The Ten Boom family as many of you will know.
[33:28] During the second world war. Felt for the Jews who were being persecuted. And so they began to take in Jewish people. Hide them away. Before they could try and get them out of Holland. And get them to safety.
[33:39] Well in 1944. Somebody turned traitor on them. And they were all rounded up. Sent to Ravensbrück concentration camp. Where all but Corrie died. Shortly before her sister Betsy died.
[33:52] She said these unforgettable words to Corrie. She said. If ever you get out of this place. Go and tell the world. That no matter how deep the pit. He is deeper still.
[34:04] I love those words. But listen to what Corrie herself said. Because she did get out. Through a quote unquote mistake. She was released. This is what she said.
[34:14] Never be afraid to trust an unknown future. To a known God. So I want to ask us all this morning.
[34:25] Who do you trust? And are you trusting in the Lord God? Do you believe in God? Do you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ? It's a question that actually the Lord Jesus himself repeatedly posed.
[34:39] Two blind men came to Jesus for healing. And Jesus said to these two men. Do you believe that I am able to do this? There was another man whom he had healed.
[34:51] And then Jesus spoke to him. And said. Do you believe in the Son of Man? It's the same question. He asked his disciples. Don't you believe that I am in the Father?
[35:03] And that the Father is in me? And then I love these words. This was. As Jesus was coming to. Well he was going to speak.
[35:14] And raise from the dead. Lazarus. Who'd been in the tomb for four days. But before that. He said these words. He who believes in me. Will live again. Even though he dies.
[35:26] And then he said. Do you believe this? So he didn't just take. The fact that people would say. Oh that's a nice thought. A good idea. Yeah. For granted.
[35:37] No he said. Do you believe that he who believes in me. Though he dies. Will live again. Now trust. Or belief. Is a matter of choice.
[35:49] We choose whom we will trust. Or refuse to trust. But I want to say to you. If I may. On the authority of what God has said in his word.
[36:00] Today. Whoever you are. However you've lived. Whatever your background. Today. You can put your trust. In the God who loves you. And came to reach and to rescue you.
[36:13] And as you do. You'll find he gives you new life. He brings you to know himself. And he promises. That that will not just be for time. But for all eternity.
[36:25] The love of the Lord Jesus is such. That he left heaven. As we heard about in the first song. He came to this earth. One tiny little planet. In the midst of billions.
[36:35] And billions. Of universes. He came here. Became a man. Was born with the express mission. He would go to a cross. And die. And carry on himself.
[36:47] Our sin. And he did it because he loves us. And he did it because. We who've walked out on him. He loves and wants us to come back to him.
[36:59] And he's provided a means. Whereby we can come back. This is Jesus. Who loved us. Who died for us. Who rose from the dead. And can reconcile us to God.
[37:10] God. I've been very taken by a man. I've only met fairly recently. But by his testimony. Major General. Tim Cross.
[37:22] Major General in the British military. Tough sort of guy. You frequently see him interviewed on television. When they're talking about military issues. He's fought in Afghanistan.
[37:34] In Iraq. In Bosnia. In Northern Ireland. And you know. He's just an all together sort of guy. And he was based in Cyprus.
[37:44] With his wife. And in the officer's mess. I suppose. A notice came up from the RAF. Saying we're taking a plane across to Israel.
[37:56] This weekend. And if anybody would like. It's free of charge. Just sign up. We're free of charge. You and I are paying the bill. But we'll leave that. And. It was Easter weekend.
[38:07] So he thought. Well why not. And he and his wife signed up. And they went to Jerusalem. Easter Sunday morning. They went. Where do you go? Not particularly religious. Not professing to be a Christian or anything.
[38:20] But nevertheless. It is Easter Sunday. So they went to a service. At the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. A really dark sort of place. It's awful. But they went there. And afterwards. They were just mingling.
[38:30] And somebody said. Have you been to the garden tomb? And Tim Cross said. I've never heard of the garden tomb. What is the garden tomb? And somebody said. Oh it's a tomb. Perhaps it's where.
[38:41] Jesus was buried. They're not sure. But you should go and see it. So late that afternoon. He went with his wife. To the garden tomb. And as it happens. In the providence of God. It was a retired colonel.
[38:54] Who showed him round. And eventually. They came to the tomb area. You've probably seen a picture of it. And the colonel said to. Tim Cross and his wife. We don't know for certain.
[39:05] That this is where Jesus was buried. But it could well have been. And there's a lot of evidence. That seems to point that way. But we don't know. But the significant thing is. If you go and look in. You'll see it's empty.
[39:17] So like a child. Tim Cross goes and looks in. Now if it wasn't empty. He would have had a shock. But anyway. He looked in. And sure enough. It was empty.
[39:28] And suddenly. This man. Who just lived a careless. Godless life. Thought. Wow. If this is true. This is the most significant thing.
[39:40] I have seen. And later that very day. Easter Sunday. About eight years ago. He trusted Jesus Christ. As his Lord and Savior. And he.
[39:51] He just changed him. Radically. Transformed him. We can trust a Christ. Who loved us. Who bore our sin. In his own body on the tree.
[40:02] Who was buried. And who rose from the dead. Just as he said he would. He conquered the grave. This is the Christ. Who appeals with love.
[40:12] And says. Come to me. All you who labor. And are heavy laden. And I will give you rest. And what he's promised. He will provide. He will do. He gives spiritual life. To those who repent.
[40:23] And believe. He promises to make all things new. And if sorrows come our way. And they will. They will. He promises that there is coming a day.
[40:35] When he'll wipe away every tear. From our eye. We can trust God. Even when the pieces don't seem to fit together. We can trust God.
[40:46] When everything seems to be falling. Failing. Faltering. And we can say. Lord. I just. I just hand it all over to you. So Psalm 146.
[40:56] Written 3,000 years ago. And that key verse. That Peter read. Do not put your trust in princes. Immortal men. Who cannot save. Blessed is he.
[41:08] Whose help is in the God of Jacob. Whose hope is in the Lord God. The first five verses. Of Psalm 146. Say. Only God can be trusted.
[41:19] So you're right. Only God can be trusted. Nobody else. Everything else falls. And the Psalmist says. Do you know. The people we look up to. They die.
[41:30] And we forget them. Don't we? Theresa May. Now who was it before? Oh yes. David Cameron. And before that. And before that. And.
[41:41] And do you know. Two or three prime ministers down the line. And we've forgotten all about them. My favorite. In my lifetime. Was Sir Alec Douglas Hume. I really esteemed him.
[41:51] But who's ever heard of. Sir Alec Douglas Hume. These days. Life moves on doesn't it. We just. Forget. But the Psalmist says. No no no. Put your trust in God.
[42:03] Having said that. The last five verses. Of the Psalm. Say. There are reasons to put. Our trust in him. First it says. He is the creator. He's the one who brought.
[42:14] All things into being. We look and think. It's vast. It's great. And. And he just spoke. And brought it into being. And not only that.
[42:24] He is the provider. And some of us can testify to the fact. Not only that he provides. An abundance of food for our nation. Day after day after day. But he's provided just what we've needed.
[42:36] At the right moment. The tiny minutia. The details of our life. He seems to be able to provide. And you think. God. The God who. Such greatness. And you're interested in such.
[42:47] Detail. Yes. Trust him. He's the creator. He's the provider. He's the judge. Fairly regularly these days.
[42:58] We'll. We'll hear the cry from somebody. Who feels that justice hasn't been done. And if ever you're in that situation. The pain is immense. But he is the. The. The fair.
[43:09] True. Right. Judge. Who knows. Everything. And perfectly. Brings his wisdom to bear. On every situation. We can trust him.
[43:19] He is this. This righteous judge. He is the deliverer. And sometimes. He may not. Always come that early. But he's never too late.
[43:30] He's always there. To deliver. At the right moment. He is the king. And he's interested. In all his subjects. He is the king.
[43:41] Who knows the details. Of our lives. We can trust him. We can trust him. With all our heart. In fact. We're encouraged. To do so. Trust in the Lord. With all your heart. And lean not on your own understanding.
[43:52] In all your ways. Acknowledge him. And he will. He promises to. He will. Direct your paths. Now. Many of you. I do know.
[44:03] And I'm amazed. You ever turn up. When you see my name. On the sheet. But anyway. You're here. As many of you. I do know. And you are trusting the Lord. Can I just say a little word. About the situations.
[44:13] Where we find it hard. To trust him. Even though. We belong to him. I have found. This to be very. Very helpful. My father was. Was a lawyer. And I suppose. Perhaps I learned.
[44:23] A little bit about. The idea of giving. A situation. To a lawyer. And leaving it there. They do take their time. Don't they? But anyway. And they make their charge. We'll leave that. But you.
[44:35] You go to the lawyer. You say. This is the situation. Da da da da da da. And can you. And you. You leave it there. And time and again. I have found that. To be a very helpful concept. In my Christian life.
[44:47] Just to say. God. There's this situation. I don't know what to do. I've got this problem. Can I just give it over to you. And just leave it with you please. And do you know. In an hour or two.
[44:58] Or three. Or the next day. Whenever the worry comes back. This is what I do. I just remind myself. My lawyer is looking after it. And of course. My lawyer is the Lord. Sometimes I'm traveling.
[45:09] And my car is full of equipment. And things that are not that cheap. And you pardon someone. You go and get something to eat. Or whatever. And then you worry. I hope the car will be all right. And I do the same again. I just think.
[45:19] No. I've committed my car. To the Lord. And he's looking after it. It's not right to worry. Worry is useless. It's needless. It's godless. We cast our cares upon him.
[45:31] We trust. And we leave it there. And if it doesn't work out. As we planned or hoped for. The Lord knows what he's doing. We just trust him. But some of you. Have never really come to that moment.
[45:42] In your lives. Where you've trusted him. And you might be a million miles away. From him at this moment. This issue. Is so important. Because really. Eternity. Heaven and hell.
[45:53] Depends on what we do with Jesus. I would urge you. To consider these things. And maybe just to start with. Read through the gospels. Now for myself.
[46:03] Others here might differ. I just think Luke's gospel. Is so accessible. I know there's a long passage. Where it goes through the. Historicity. The genealogy of the Lord Jesus. And the rest.
[46:14] It's so straightforward. Just read it. And let Jesus. As it were. Walk off the pages of the Bible. And introduce himself to you. You'll find he's absolutely.
[46:25] Trustworthy. And some of you. Are much closer. You're here on a Sunday morning. In church. But I want to ask.
[46:36] Have you come to that. Definite. Deliberate moment. In your life. When you've put your trust. In Jesus. Have you been converted. Are you right with God. Years ago.
[46:47] I stood at the front of a church. And there was a young lady. Standing next to me. And the minister in front of us. Looking at us. And then he asked me to say certain things. And I replied. I do. And I will.
[46:58] And okay. If you insist. And. I said these words. And I committed myself. To this young lady. And amazingly. She committed us. I think she's regretted it ever since.
[47:09] But anyway. She committed herself to me. And words. Brought us together. And I would encourage you. If you're in that situation.
[47:20] Where you think. Yeah. I do know about these things. And. I have a respect. And an interest. And I even want to worship God. On a Sunday morning. But I've never truly. Been converted. I don't know that. I've ever come to trust him.
[47:31] I would just. Urge you. To call out. On the name of the Lord. And be saved. Three thousand years ago.
[47:42] King David said. I have trusted in your mercy. My heart shall rejoice. In your salvation. And this morning. I would just. Really encourage you.
[47:54] Trust in his mercy. And find yourself starting to rejoice. In his salvation. In a moment or so. We're going to sing a hymn. And then. As we close in prayer. I'll commit us all to the Lord.
[48:05] For the coming week. But before that. I want to pray a prayer. That you could pray today. If you want to say to God. God. I do trust you. Please forgive me.
[48:17] Come and be my Lord. And my saviour. And help me to know you. Not just for time. But for all eternity. I would urge you. If you've never truly trusted. In the Lord Jesus.
[48:29] To pray with me. Don't put your trust. In princes or men. They will fail. But the Lord will never. Be a disappointment. Let's stand and sing.
[48:40] Shall we? Out of my bondage. Sorrow and night. Jesus. I come. Jesus. I come. Into your freedom. Gladness and light. Jesus. I come to you. Out of my sickness.
[48:51] Into your health. Out of my want. And into your wealth. Out of my sin. And into yourself. Jesus. I come to you. I come to you. Thank you.
[49:30] Thank you.
[50:00] Thank you. Thank you.
[51:00] Thank you. Thank you.
[52:00] Thank you. Thank you.
[52:32] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Just to remind you, please, if you can use these real live invitations, they're downstairs and I think at the top here.
[52:42] Please do take as many as you can use and you'll get the Martin Luther leaflet as well on the way out. And let's pray together, shall we? Two prayers. First prayer is for those who know they need to put their trust in the Lord Jesus and want to turn from their sin and receive Christ as Lord and Saviour.
[53:06] Make this prayer your own, just as it were, echo these words as I pray them. Dear God, you know all that there is to know about me. So I want to say I am sorry for my sin.
[53:20] And with your help want to turn from it. I do believe that Jesus died for me and rose from the dead.
[53:33] Please forgive me. Come and live within me. Please become my Lord and Saviour.
[53:46] And help me to trust and follow you. For I pray in Jesus' name. Amen. And Father, we do thank you for our time together.
[53:58] We thank you for the privilege of being able to worship you. And Lord, the world is always a let down. We thank you that you never are. And I do pray that we find ourselves in this coming week rejoicing in you.
[54:14] Knowing you. Loving you. Growing to be more like you. And going out into the world to make you known. We commit this week and real lives especially to you.
[54:24] And the rest of the day. In Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.
[54:48] Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.