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[0:00] Good morning. Welcome to all of you, particularly to welcome visitors from New Transmission North Coats and say a little bit more about them in a minute or two. But we do welcome you, others who may be visiting us as well this morning. The verse that's on the screen for us to think about as we come to worship this morning is taken from Psalm 40. And the verse I'm going to read that verse, but the verse before and the verse after as well. It says, I waited patiently for the Lord. He turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire. He set my feet on a rock, gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. If you're a Christian this morning, that's what God has done for you and for me. Sin is what is like quicksand. It sucks us down into ultimately our destruction and death. But God in his mercy has lifted us out, lifted us out of the consequences of our sins, placed us on the rock. The Lord Jesus Christ is called the rock of our salvation. And he's put a new song, a song of praise to God, a song of worship to our God, a song of joy. And we're going to stand and sing together to our great savior as we sing our first song, six to five in our hymn books, six to five. Oh, my soul, arise and bless your maker for he is your savior and your friend. Let's stand and sing.

[1:53] O Order of Christ o estiver joined. Let's pray. 2 parares The Lord is mine, has purchased me forever.

[2:44] The Lord is mine, has purchased me forever.

[3:14] All I fall is honest that you lead up, sing on the rock of Jesus.

[3:25] Stir in me, the songs that you are singing. Fill my gaze with things I share to see.

[3:38] Keep me faith to heal me by some power. We bring me more like Jesus.

[3:49] I will sing for all my days, the heavens have come down. And wherever I take, we'll speak His praise until He calls me home.

[4:01] Then one day, I'll see Him as He sees me. Face to face, the lover and the loved.

[4:13] No more words, the longing for me over. There with my precious Jesus. Stay sit down.

[4:50] Amen. One day we shall be with Christ. But wonderfully, even now, we can draw near to God through Christ in prayer.

[5:03] Let's do that together. Let us all pray. O Lord, our God, you are indeed our maker, our creator. You are the one who has given us life.

[5:17] You are the one who made all things that we see around about us in this world and universe. Everything, Lord, displays and speaks of you, of your greatness, of your grace, of your mercy, of your power, of your wisdom.

[5:33] O Lord, our God, there is no getting away from the truth that you truly are the living and powerful God. We thank you, O Lord, it's not just your creation.

[5:43] It's not just the wonder of our bodies, our human bodies, that displays a designer. We thank you that you, our God, have given us, without a shadow of a doubt, the fact that you are here because you came to us in your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

[5:58] You didn't leave us or abandon us. You never will and never can. But you came into this world. You lived amongst men and women. You walked where we walk.

[6:09] You talked in a way that we can understand. You revealed yourself to be the God who is interested, who is concerned, who is intimate in the lives of people who you have made.

[6:22] We thank you for the Lord Jesus. We thank you for all that he's done for us. We thank you that he is indeed the one who has loved us with an everlasting love, a love that stretches back before we were born, a love that stretches back before the world was even made.

[6:36] Your word tells us that you chose us, that you knew us, and that you're determined to rescue us from our sin. And, O Lord, we thank you that in spite of all the way that we've lived, in spite of our failings, our sins, in spite of our rejection of you, our rebellion, in spite of the fact that again and again men and women have turned away from you, the God who loves them and made them.

[6:59] Yet, O Lord, you've not abandoned us or given up on us. But not only did you send your son into the world to prove that you are God, but that he might rescue us by his own life and death and resurrection.

[7:11] We thank you that, Jesus, you came into this world on a mission, a rescue mission, to save sinners like us. We thank you that through that wonderful atoning death in our place, that substitution where you took upon yourself our punishment and our blame, we thank you that we are not only forgiven our sins, but we are brought into that living, lasting relationship with yourself, whereby we are your children, O Lord our God, and we can call you our Father.

[7:43] We thank you for your Holy Spirit, who has given us that understanding, who's opened our blind eyes, who's raised us from the dead, who's shown us this truth that you are the God, that we are your people.

[7:56] We ask again, O Lord, that by your Holy Spirit you would be with us now, that you'd open even other eyes that are still blind, that you'd raise to life those who are dead.

[8:07] And for those of us who know you, Lord, we confess that in this week we've sinned, we've failed, we've got it wrong. Forgive us, fill us again, work in us all that is pleasing to you.

[8:18] Speak to us in your word. Make us to know again that you are the God, the God above gods, the one who fills our life and overflows our life with good things. We ask, O Lord, that you would be with us here, and wherever your people meet to praise your name around the world on this day, we ask that there you would be at work again to build your church and extend your kingdom.

[8:41] For we ask these things in the name and for the praise of Jesus Christ, who lived and died and rose again, is coming again once more. We look for that day, and we ask that you would speed that day.

[8:55] Amen. Well, it's been lovely to have folk. Please come in. Folk from North Coates with us. Mandy and Alan have brought the creme to the creme of North Coates New Tribe Mission.

[9:10] There was a very hard selection process, I'm sure, taking place, and they brought along the best of the best, so we're really pleased that you're here with us.

[9:20] They were here yesterday. Well, they came Friday, didn't you? And then yesterday morning were doing some practical work with some of the folk in the church. Thank you for that. And yesterday afternoon out delivering, distributing tracts to folk in town.

[9:36] As you know, it's been goth weekend, if you hadn't noticed that as well. So a bit later on, when we have lunch, one of the folk is going to give his testimony, but we're also going to have a testimony now from Hannah.

[9:48] I'm going to ask Hannah to come up here. And Hannah, don't be scared. If you need to, close your eyes. I often do. But no, they're not.

[9:59] They're a lovely bunch. So Hannah's going to share how she came to know Christ. Thank you. Thank you, Hannah. I'm studying at North Coast College, the Bible and Missionary Training Centre of New Tribes Mission, where Alan and Mandy serve on staff.

[10:16] I came to England a year and a half ago to do that, so I did the first year of Bible studies, and then the second year I'm doing cross-cultural communication, so learning how do we take the message of the good news around the world that may be a different culture of our own and clearly communicate the gospel.

[10:37] I grew up in a Christian home, and I gave my life to Christ at a young age. Though when I was a young teenager, life got hard, and there was a lot of difficulties.

[10:48] And I think in that time I can just testify to God's goodness and grace and care in hard situations. God used those times to grow me and mature my faith.

[11:01] I would echo what Job said in what he said to God after all the difficulties he faced. In Job 42, verse 5, he said to God, My ears had heard of you, but now my eyes have seen you.

[11:14] And I'll just testify that's what God did in those times. And I just want to encourage anyone today who is finding life hard or even just feels far from God, that God and his word can be a source of great comfort and just turn to him and he's a good friend in hard times.

[11:32] Though when I was younger, I also was very aware of injustices in the world. And much like my generation, I was very aware of the inequality of healthcare and education.

[11:43] And so that's... I was pretty passionate about making life easier for people all over the world. However, shortly after finishing high school, I found myself in Papua New Guinea for six weeks with New Tribes Mission.

[11:58] And there I just became aware that these folks, sure, they do need access to clean water and education and healthcare. But eternally, if they don't have the gospel, that's really where the difference is.

[12:12] We could spend a whole life doing a temporary difference. But eternally, what they really need is the hope of Christ. So when I was there, God challenged me whether I would give up my life to do that, not just for the temporary, what was good, but for what was best, to tell people about him.

[12:30] And God used Philippians 3, 7 and 8 just to challenge me that which I'll read. And this is what Paul was writing. But whatever was to my profit, I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.

[12:43] What is more, I consider everything loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish that I may gain Christ.

[12:55] And God used those six weeks just, okay, would I consider that life I was heading into, would I consider that rubbish, even though it was good, to gain him and to know him better through this other path he was showing me of heading into missions to tell people about Christ.

[13:13] And after a few days of hard conversation, I came to the conclusion that God is absolutely worthy of that. He's done so much in my life. And really, what else can I do with my life except share this good news, which gives me such great hope.

[13:26] So after going back from Papua New Guinea, I then came to England to be trained and equipped to go into missions. And even though sometimes I do have my doubts, I think it's a very good program they've got down there, which, yeah, I'd be very scared to be going out with just the stuff we've learned these past couple of years.

[13:46] I'm heading back to Australia, my home in August, and just entrusting the Lord from there, where he wants me. But it most likely will be in a direction of full-time missions somewhere in the world that doesn't have the gospel.

[13:59] So, yeah, I think a lot of us students here this weekend, that's kind of what the plan is. And can I also just take a chance to thank the church for your hospitality this weekend?

[14:12] I think different ladies have cooked things or helped us or even given us blankets. And I think I also speak for all of us this weekend that we consider a blessing and a privilege to be able to come and help serve the church and even help spring clean the church that has stood behind Alan and Mandy for so long.

[14:32] Part of you guys sending and supporting them is now that they're there teaching us and allowing the next generation of us to go out. And I think it's so cool to see the family of God just all working together.

[14:45] I think we'll see in heaven just, yeah, what's done. Yeah, so thank you for having us this weekend. And it's been great getting to know a couple of you guys already.

[14:56] I look forward, and I think we all look forward to lunch. And talking with you all a bit more. Thank you. I didn't realize that Hannah was going to quote from Philippians 3, because our next song is really taken from those words of Paul.

[15:17] All I once held dear built my life upon. All this world reveres and walls to own. Knowing you, Jesus. 637. It really is a hymn that sums up something of what Hannah was saying, expressing that desire to live for Christ wholeheartedly and to follow him.

[15:35] So we're going to stand and sing once more. 637. 637. 737. 737. 737. 737. 737. 737. 737.

[15:46] 837. 837. 937. 837. 937. 837. 937. 935. 937. 937. 937.

[15:57] 1038. 1038. 10 pertaining to the world to the world and the world to the world. 1045. 1090. 119. 1140. 1140. 1140. 1240.

[16:08] 1380. 1140. 1240. 1240. Set a breathless cloud from there to be.

[16:18] Knowing you, Jesus, knowing you, there is no greater thing.

[16:29] You're my all, you're the best, you're my joy, my righteousness, and I love you, Lord.

[16:41] And through my heart's desires to know you all, to be found in you, and no one else was to possess my faith.

[16:56] What I could not end was the passing gate of righteousness. Knowing you, Jesus, knowing you, there is no greater thing.

[17:18] You're my all, you're the best, you're my joy, my righteousness, and I love you, Lord. Oh, to know the power of your wisdom, I am to know you in your sufferings.

[17:42] To become like you in your death, my Lord. So we knew to live and never die.

[17:55] Knowing you, Jesus, knowing you, there is no greater thing.

[18:06] You're my all, you're the best, you're my joy, my righteousness, and I love you, Lord.

[18:18] Love you, Lord. Love you, Lord.

[18:51] Love you, Lord.

[19:21] And as we'll see when we come to this passage, the Ark of the Covenant, that symbol of God's presence, was captured by the Philistines, now returned. But something else needs to take place in the lives of God's people.

[19:36] So chapter 7, beginning at verse 1, this is, we're breaking into the story of the return of the Ark of the Covenant. So the men of Kiriath-Jerim came and took up the Ark of the Lord.

[19:48] They brought it to Abinadab's house on the hill and consecrated Eliezer, his son, to guard the Ark of the Lord. The Ark remained at Kiriath-Jerim a long time, 20 years in all.

[20:03] Then all the people of Israel turned back to the Lord. So Samuel said to all the Israelites, if you are returning to the Lord with all your hearts, then rid yourselves of the foreign gods on the Ashtoreths and commit yourselves to the Lord and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.

[20:26] So the Israelites put away their Baals and Ashtoreths and served the Lord only. Then Samuel said, assemble all Israel at Mizpah, and I will intercede with the Lord for you.

[20:40] When they had assembled at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out before the Lord. On that day they fasted, and there they confessed, we have sinned against the Lord.

[20:52] Now Samuel was serving as leader of Israel at Mizpah. When the Philistines heard that Israel had assembled at Mizpah, the rulers of the Philistines came up to attack them.

[21:03] When the Israelites heard of it, they were afraid because of the Philistines. They said to Samuel, do not stop crying out to the Lord our God for us, that he may rescue us from the hand of the Philistines.

[21:15] Then Samuel took a suckling lamb and sacrificed it as a whole burnt offering to the Lord. He cried out to the Lord on Israel's behalf, and the Lord answered him.

[21:27] While Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to engage Israel in battle. But that day the Lord thundered with a loud thunder against the Philistines, and threw them into such a panic that they were routed before the Israelites.

[21:43] The men of Israel rushed out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, slaughtering them along the way to a point below Beth-kar. Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen.

[21:57] He named it Ebenezer, saying, thus far the Lord has helped us. So the Philistines were subdued. They stopped invading Israel's territory. Throughout Samuel's lifetime, the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines.

[22:11] The towns from Ekron to Gath that the Philistines had captured from Israel were restored to Israel, and Israel delivered the neighboring territory from the hands of the Philistines.

[22:22] And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites. Samuel continued as Israel's leader all the days of his life. Yes.

[22:33] Well done. So hope was. I hope you enjoyed the story. I hope you enjoyed that. Thank you. But I hope you enjoyed it. See you next week. Thank you. Bye-bye. Bye-bye.

[22:43] Bye-bye. Bye-bye. Bye-bye. Bye-bye.

[22:57]  Bye-bye. Bye-bye. Bye-bye. Bye-bye. Bye-bye. Bye-bye.