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[0:00] Well, thank you very much for your welcome and the invitation to be here with you today. I think I was trying to work out it was 11 years ago, I think, that I was here last.

[0:12] Things have changed a bit for you in that time and for us as well. We actually now live, my wife and daughter and myself, we now live in the former Soviet Union that was mentioned already this morning.

[0:23] Lost 23 million lives in the Second World War. You knew that Russia won the war. You knew that, didn't you? That's what we're taught where we live. They believe that Russia conquered the space race, not America.

[0:34] They've never heard of this guy, Neil Armstrong. They only speak about Yuri Gagarin and they also believe that Russia won the war. So that's a very interesting take on things.

[0:44] But a country, of course, that suffered very much, not just in the war, but since the war through persecution and awful oppression. And that's where we now live and serve in Ukraine, in northeast Ukraine, where my wife is from.

[0:58] And we work there as full-time missionaries and teachers and trainers in that nation. So it's very appropriate that you're hearing about Ukraine and other parts of Eastern Europe on Wednesday evening, is it, with Malcolm Clegg.

[1:11] I trust that will be very helpful. I want this morning to think about Psalm 107. If you've got a Bible and can open it up, that would be tremendous. I think some of the young folks will have a sheet with some notes on it to help to follow as we think through this psalm.

[1:27] It is Remembrance Sunday and it's wholly right that we remember what men and women have done for us and have given for us.

[1:41] But it's not the only story of today, is it? It's not the only thing that we should remember. Because although the deeds of men are great, the deeds of God are greater.

[1:55] And it's right for us today to look back and remember what God has done and who He is and what He's able to do. To remember the redemption, the salvation, the rescue that God has performed for His people.

[2:10] And if you look at the first three verses of this psalm, you'll see that the writer is giving thanks to God for His goodness and for His love. And then he's looking back at what God has done to rescue people.

[2:23] Let the redeemed of the Lord say this. And just as Graham was able to list so many countries from the north and the south and the east and the west that have lost people in conflict and war.

[2:46] So we can also say that vast numbers of people from every nation, north and south and east and west, have been rescued by God.

[2:57] Redeemed and won and saved from sin and from death. And this psalm is a triumph, a celebration of the goodness and the love of God in rescuing men.

[3:14] Verse 1 talks about His love enjoying forever. And you'll see if you flick over to the very last verse of the psalm, verse 43, it finishes with the same phrase. Whoever is wise, let him heed these things and consider the great love of the Lord.

[3:30] Like two bookends at the beginning and end of this psalm, the great love of God stands over all time and over all nations. God is good and He rescues and redeems His people.

[3:48] I'd like to call this message and this psalm, How God Rescues Broken Lives. The goodness and the love of God is that He reaches in to broken humanity.

[4:07] People like you and me. With all of our sins and crimes, with all of our cares and our woes, with all of our worries and our failures, He reaches in to broken lives and rescues them.

[4:23] And many people here this morning have a story, a testimony, an account of how God has rescued them. It would be a tremendous thing for us after the service, perhaps while we're waiting for lunch or maybe over lunch.

[4:38] Ask somebody on your table or ask somebody over coffee, from what has the Lord rescued you? If you're not a Christian here this morning, that would be a great thing to find out from Christians here.

[4:51] Ask a Christian, from what has God rescued you? Believers, we could ask it of one another to encourage and strengthen and build each other up. From what has God rescued you?

[5:04] And we don't actually know who wrote this psalm. We don't know who the writer is. Many of the psalms are signed by the person that wrote them. The psalm we read earlier on, Psalm 90, we're told in the prologue was the psalm of Moses.

[5:19] Many psalms, of course, written by David and sons of Asaph. But this psalm, we don't know who wrote it. But we know this about him. As he looked back in remembrance, verse 2 is definitely in the past tense.

[5:32] Let the redeemed of the Lord say this, those he redeemed, past tense, from the hand of the foe. He's looking back and saying, God's people can remember great things that God has done.

[5:44] And that remembrance tells us who God is, what he is like, and the way that he works today. And then the psalmist goes on to give us four great pictures of how God has rescued broken lives.

[6:03] I'd like us to look at those this morning. These are four accounts. Four little scenes, if you will. If this was a play, there would be four acts in the play. If this was a montage movie, there would be four scenes in the film.

[6:17] And we'd go through from one to another to another. Each scene different. Each of the characters different. But the theme and the message and the point is the same.

[6:28] That God rescues people. And he rescues broken people. And although there are countless different kinds of things that God rescues us from, I'm sure that everybody here this morning will find themselves in one or other of these conditions that the psalmist describes.

[6:47] And that gives us comfort and hope that God can rescue us. Jesus, friend of sinners, saviour of the world, reaching into our lives to deliver us.

[7:02] So as we look at these four pictures, let's begin in verse four. Here's the first little picture that we see. Some wandered in desert wastelands, finding no way to a city where they could settle.

[7:16] They were hungry and thirsty. And their lives ebbed away. Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble. He delivered them from their distress. He led them by a straight way to a city where they could settle.

[7:30] I'd like to call this people who are lost in a wilderness. God rescues people who are lost in a wilderness.

[7:42] The picture in verse four is of a barren desert. Imagine you've been off-roading in the Sahara Desert. You've been on one of these holidays to a place off the beaten track.

[7:55] And you've lost your tour guide. And you've got off the way. And you've been stranded in the desert. And you've been wandering now for weeks in the Sahara Desert.

[8:07] With not much food. And with not much water. And with no shelter. And you've become weary. And desperate. And it's hot. And very sweaty. That's the picture here.

[8:19] Of people wandering in a desert wasteland. With no place where they could settle. The Bible has many pictures like this.

[8:31] Of people wandering. There are many accounts in the Bible. Of people wandering through desert wastelands. Of course there's that amazing time in the Old Testament. Where the whole people of God were wandering through a desert.

[8:44] Having come out of Egypt. And on their way to Canaan. And there they are for those 40 years. Trudging through the wilderness. But in many other places. The Bible describes needy people.

[8:56] As people trudging through a desert. Verse five. Hungry and thirsty. And their lives ebbing away. In that human situation.

[9:06] You would need to cry out for help. You would need someone to fly over with a food package. And drop it down. Or somebody to arrive with water. That you could drink. So that you could survive.

[9:19] What a powerful image. Of our human condition. Think now not physically. But think spiritually. Is there not a sense in which.

[9:32] In times in your life. You have wandered through. Spiritual deserts. Very thirsty. Very needy.

[9:44] Wandering and searching. For a home. Unfulfilled. With everything that life. Has said to you. Maybe that's. Your condition this morning.

[9:56] I don't know. It was for me. For. Many years. Seeking and longing. And looking for something. But not. Finding it. A few years ago.

[10:07] When I was. In a church in Southampton. I. Was speaking at. Portsmouth. Christian Union. And. After the meeting. A student. Came up to me.

[10:18] And he said. I'd like to tell you. The story. Of how I came to know the Lord. He said. I was. In this very room. We were meeting in the nightclub. The Christian Union. Hired the nightclub. For their. For their.

[10:28] Weekly Bible readings. And. The first time. I've only preached. From the middle of a. Of a dance floor. It was a very strange experience. He said. I was in this nightclub. On a Saturday night. And the music was loud.

[10:40] And blaring. I was there every Saturday. And I used. Used to drink. Sometimes I used to smoke. Various drugs. And. And I was here. In the middle of this. Of this. Of this. Vibrating.

[10:51] Dancing environment. He said. And I went into. Into that little room over there. And he pointed to the gents. Toilets. And I. He said. I went into. Into that room. And stood there. And looked at myself. In the mirror.

[11:01] And realized. That for all the noise. And the bustle. And for all of the drinking. And for all of the socializing. I looked myself. In the face. In the mirror. And realized.

[11:12] For the first time. That all of my searching. And all of my striving. Had left me empty. And wandering. Like in a desert of life. That was his words.

[11:22] And he left. The nightclub. That very night. And went home. And found the bible. And started to seek after God. And the following morning. Found himself in church.

[11:34] And crying out to God. For grace. And was saved. The following day. There's somebody. Who described his life. As wandering in a desert. Like that.

[11:45] Our church. In Harakov. In northeast Ukraine. Throughout the very cold. Winters. That we have in Ukraine. We go every Sunday afternoon. After the morning service. And we go down to the railway station.

[11:57] Where homeless and needy folks. Usually gather and sleep. In terrible conditions. And we open up a great big bowl. Of soup and tea. And spend time with them. And feed them their soup.

[12:08] And tea and bread. And when we were there. At Easter this year. I was speaking to a couple. A man and his wife. Had been on the streets for months. And in conversation. With them.

[12:18] She said to us. That she had a master's degree. In economics. And had lectured in conferences. And it was something tragic.

[12:30] About her situation. She was educated. She moved in high circles. But life had disappointed her. Something in all that she'd obtained.

[12:41] And searched for. Had not brought her to a place of fulfillment. Here she was. Smelly. And homeless. And living on the streets. Life can be like that.

[12:52] Sometimes. Can't it? When does satisfaction come? When does fulfillment come? When does refreshing. Satisfying water. Come to the soul.

[13:03] Who is wandering in a spiritual desert. It comes in verse 6. Refreshing water comes. The moment. The moment.

[13:13] The moment. The moment. The moment. The moment. That we cry out to the Lord. In our trouble. Can you see that? Verse 6. They cried out to the Lord. In their trouble. And he delivered them.

[13:24] From their distress. He led them by a straight way. To a city. Where they. Could. Settle. God is able to deliver those.

[13:35] Who wander. He is able to lead us. To a place. Where we can stop wandering. And find a home. And peace. And safety. And security.

[13:46] And assurance. In the presence. And the love. And the grace. Of God. God. When we were in Pontefract. There was a lady. Saved there.

[13:58] In the church. I remember very well. A lady who had been disappointed. By everything. And everyone. She'd ever known. Her family. Her husband. Her parents. Everything in her life.

[14:10] Was a disappointment. Full of regret. An unfulfilled. Longing. And then someone spoke to her. About the Lord Jesus. She came to the church. She came to know the Lord.

[14:22] Lord. Very soon after coming. And in her testimony. Something deep within her heart. Knew that she'd come to the place. Where she ought to be.

[14:32] And in her testimony. She described it like this. She said. Coming to the church. And finding the Lord Jesus. For the first time. For me. It was like coming home.

[14:44] What a beautiful description. She's never been in the church before. This is a strange building for her. These are people she'd never met before. But coming to these people. And coming to this message.

[14:55] In this building. And finding the Lord Jesus Christ. Or rather being found by him. Was like coming home for her. The wanderer had returned. And these people.

[15:08] Wandering in barren deserts. Had been brought by God. To a city where they could settle. No wonder. Verse 8. They were able to give thanks to the Lord. For his unfailing love.

[15:18] His wonderful deeds for men. For they were able to say. They had proved with their life. And their testimony. He satisfies the thirsty. Verse 9. And fills the hungry with good things.

[15:33] Do you know that. In your own experience. God. satisfies the thirsty. And he fills the hungry.

[15:45] With good things. There may be depths of thirstiness in your heart. That no one else here fully realizes and understands.

[15:56] There may be a hunger somewhere in your heart and soul. That even your husband or wife cannot fully understand.

[16:08] But God knows that hunger and that thirst. And he is able to fill the hungry. With good things. That is a rare jewel in today's world.

[16:22] People are searching for so much. But they miss. The one who is able to fill us. In that way. The prophet Isaiah.

[16:33] Asks this question of us. Why spend money on what is not bread. Your labor on what does not satisfy. Listen. Listen to me.

[16:44] Eat what is good. And your soul will delight. In the richest affair. David is able to write. In Psalm 131.

[16:54] I have stilled. And quietened my soul. Like a well fed child. Jesus said in Matthew 11.

[17:05] In these wonderful words. Come to me. All who labor. And are heavy laden. And I will give you rest.

[17:18] Take my yoke upon you. Learn from me. For I am gentle and lowly in heart. And you will find rest for your souls. Have you done that yet?

[17:30] Have you found that rest for your soul? Or are you still wandering in a desert? God rescues people who are imprisoned in darkness.

[17:52] And verse 10. Some sat in darkness. And the deepest gloom prisoners. Suffering in iron chains. God rescues people who are imprisoned in darkness.

[18:05] The picture is of those Chilean miners. Do you remember a couple of years ago? Those guys stuck down the bottom of that mine in Chile. Unable to be reached. Because of the landfall.

[18:17] And trapped there in that dungeon of darkness. And well they called it a tomb didn't they? They thought they had been entombed alive. Down in that prison.

[18:29] Praise God they were all rescued. But they didn't know that for many, many weeks. Did they? And you know we as human beings can be trapped in a prison of darkness.

[18:42] Of all different kinds. It's a theme of dreariness. And lack of hope. Something that traps us from which we cannot get released.

[18:57] I've been in prisons in the course of my ministry in England. And in Ukraine. They're pretty gloomy places. I assure you the prisons in Ukraine are much gloomier than the prisons in this country.

[19:08] I suppose they're not supposed to be luxurious. Are they? But prisoners. Entrapped in gloom and darkness.

[19:20] Now I know that in our world today many people are imprisoned unfairly and unjustly. Pastor Youssef in Iran has just been released just last week hasn't he?

[19:31] After three years in prison. Because he wouldn't recant the name of Jesus Christ as his saviour. He's just been released praise God. But he was in prison unjustly. Li Ying.

[19:42] A Christian leader in China. Also just released recently. After 15 years in prison. But these people imprisoned are not imprisoned unjustly.

[19:55] Look at verse 11. They had rebelled against the words of God. And despised the counsel of the Most High. So he, that is God, subjected them to bitter labour.

[20:06] They stumbled and there was no one to help. The picture here is not of people unjustly imprisoned. But people who are in a dark prison. Because they deserve to be there.

[20:17] Because their sins and their choices and their life has been a life of rebellion against God. And that may be your life too.

[20:28] Even this morning. All kinds of people end up in church, don't they? It's a tremendous place to come. If you've come here this morning because your life is in some way enchained or enslaved to something.

[20:43] Or someone or some course of life from which you cannot seem to free yourself. And you've come to a place of hope. And a place of joy.

[20:54] And a place of great comfort and possibility. Because God reaches into prisons. And he rescues people that are enslaved like that.

[21:08] Even people that have run away from God. There's no doubt in verse 11, is there, that people here described are people that have turned their back on God.

[21:19] Run away from him. Despised his counsel and said, I will not have God to rule over me. To my shame, there were many years in my life.

[21:30] When I said, I will not have the reign of God in my life. Have you ever said that? Have you done things?

[21:41] And been to places? And hurt people? And let words pass from your lips? Done things with your hands? Because in your heart, you have rebelled against the counsel of the Most High God.

[21:58] God ought to cast you in a prison of destruction forever. But he will not. If you will be that one who comes to him for mercy.

[22:13] And for redemption. He should condemn us to a prison for our sin. But as he is a God of unfailing love and a God of redemption, he is able to reach even into our darkness.

[22:28] And to rescue us. Look at verse 13. They cried to the Lord in their trouble. He saved them from their distress. And he brought them out of darkness.

[22:38] And the deepest gloom. And broke away their chains. When you win 45 million pounds on the Euro Millions lottery, you'll have plenty of friends.

[22:54] And when you're stuck in a prison cell, enslaved by things that bind you, you'll have very, very few comforters and friends.

[23:07] But, help begins to dawn in the life of an enslaved and enchained soul when we humble ourselves before the Lord and cry out to him for mercy.

[23:26] The three words that comfort me the most in verse 13 are those three words that say, in their trouble. Can you see that? They cried out to the Lord in their trouble.

[23:41] Now, I don't know the troubles of your life and the troubles of your marriage and the troubles of your family situation, the troubles you have at work, the troubles maybe you have financially, troubles of relationships and of grief.

[23:55] I don't know the specifics of your troubles. You don't know mine. But I've been around people long enough to know that our troubles are often very great and sapping and bewildering.

[24:07] But we can cry out to the Lord, friends, in our trouble. You don't have to wait until you're clean or free of it. You can cry out to God this morning in the midst of your trouble, in the midst of the gloominess and the darkness of whatever that prison is with his slaves, even if it is of your own making, even if it is of your rebellious sins against God.

[24:32] He will not turn his ear away from you if and when you cry out to him in the midst of your trouble and he hears us when we cry out to him.

[24:44] My father-in-law was a drunk for 11 years of his life and he cried out to God when he was trapped in a swamp of mud and just about to die.

[24:59] And he cried out to God when he thought it was the final seconds of his life and just about to face his maker. And he cried out to God for mercy and salvation. And God reached down to him and rescued him, even in the mud of that swamp, and saved him first and then rescued him from the mud second and set him on a path of following him.

[25:22] It's a remarkable moment of mercy in his life. And God does that. He rescues us from the midst of our gloom. What is your prison? Is it a sin addiction?

[25:36] Is it a self-addiction? Is it pride? Is it a religion, but a graceless religion that holds you in fear?

[25:49] Is it money? Is it lust and illicit relationships? Is it drink? Is it drink? Is it a judgmental spirit that you can't seem to free yourself from?

[26:05] Whatever your prison is that traps you and holds you, the Lord is able to rescue you this morning from a dark prison. A friend of mine goes into Vietnam and Cambodia with the gospel, with UFM, the mission we work for.

[26:23] And he was recently telling us of a prison in Vietnam where there were 1,500 inmates, wicked men, men's prison. 1,300 inmates.

[26:34] And of those 1,500 inmates, 1,300 have become believers. I kind of feel sorry for the 200 of the left in some strange way.

[26:47] Can you imagine what that prison has now turned into? It's turned into a Bible study center, an evangelist training school, as all 1,300 of those men want to be full-time evangelists for Christ.

[27:01] And they now spend all day, every day, with free food and free accommodation, learning about the gospel, learning about the Bible, and becoming evangelists so that when they come out, when they've done their time, they can speak to others about Jesus Christ.

[27:15] They've been rescued in the prison. And many of those men have blood on their hands. But can God reach people like that? He can, and He is.

[27:25] And if He can reach them, He can reach you. There's nowhere too dark. There's nowhere too far gone. God will find a way of reaching you, even where you are.

[27:38] Another friend of mine works in Ivory Coast, in Africa. And he told us this story of two villages in northern Ivory Coast, deserts, villages, miles from civilization, miles from Christian life and hope.

[27:53] Two villages without the gospel there. Two villages that are trapped in dark, dark religion. A kind of a strange mix of Islam and African sort of ancestor worship.

[28:05] And they worship the trees, they worship dark spirits. They're absolutely trapped and enslaved in a dark, dark religious prison. How is the gospel going to reach those villages?

[28:19] One man in that village called Kulebalibe, his daughter got sick, his little girl. She was on the point of death. And Kulebalibe, in an amazing superhuman act of love and compassion for his daughter, put her on his back and walked 130 kilometers to the nearest hospital.

[28:41] I don't know how far 130 kilometers is from Whitby. It's about 80 miles. Where's 80? Is York 80 miles from Whitby or is that a bit closer? Leeds. Imagine walking with your child on your back from Whitby to Leeds.

[28:56] He got to the hospital, gave his little girl into the hands of the hospital and collapsed in the corner, utterly exhausted, and sat in that corner. A nurse, who was a Christian lady, witness to that man, in that hospital.

[29:13] Set him seeking. And he started reading and he started praying and he sought God and found the Lord's mercy in that hospital and became a believer.

[29:23] then went back to those two villages and gossiped the gospel to those that he knew in those two villages. And my friend has been back into those two villages now and there were two churches, one in each village.

[29:37] 30 people have been baptized in this village. 20 people have been baptized in that village. There were two growing churches. They no longer worship trees. They no longer worship evil spirits. They worship the King of Kings.

[29:48] The gospel is spreading and exploding in those communities because one nurse spoke to one man in the corner on one day and the gospel came and set people free, trapped in that awful, dark dungeon of religion.

[30:03] God rescues, traps people. He breaks bars of iron. Look at verse 16. Amazing description of the gospel. God breaks down gates of bronze and cuts through bars of iron.

[30:17] Whatever your bars and gates are this morning, to your heart, you've been fighting to keep God out for many years, he can and he will break through those bars and set you free to trust and follow him.

[30:32] Would you let him in? The third picture is more harrowing, I suppose, verses 17 to 22 of people who have, through their foolishness and rebellion, suffered great affliction.

[30:47] I call this people who have ruined their lives with foolish sins. Not simply people who are trapped in some way, but people who have, by their own choices, have become sick from sin.

[31:03] People that have turned their back on God, people that have loathed his teaching and have, through their rebellious ways, brought about awful terrors to their own bodies and their own lives.

[31:17] You don't need me to go into detail of people around us like this, they're everywhere, aren't they? I was walking around Whitby last night and I saw people with bodies broken because of their sin.

[31:30] I see it in Kharkov where we live, everywhere. Affliction, verse 17, because of their iniquities.

[31:40] Not eating food, verse 18, drawing near the gates of death. We see this everywhere in our world, don't we? Michael Jackson, 50 years of age.

[31:51] Amy Winehouse, 27. Whitney Houston, 48. For those of you a little older, Jim Morrison, 27.

[32:04] Janis Joplin, 27. Jimi Hendrix, 27. Kurt Cobain, 27.

[32:16] These are multi-talented people, all of whom died early with drink and drugs surrounding their death. We don't have to think of imaginary people, we see this all around us.

[32:31] But here's the question, is anyone too broken for God to reach? Is anyone too far gone? Is anyone too sin sick? The answer, no one is too broken for a powerful and gracious God.

[32:47] Verse 19, they cried to the Lord in their trouble and he saved them from their distress. He sent forth his word and healed them and he rescued them from the grave.

[32:59] God is a rescuer and the deeper the pits, the deeper comes his grace, the stronger comes his grace. The word that he sends into them is a word of restoration, a word of repentance, of grace, a word of trust and belief, a word of the gospel that Jesus saves sinners.

[33:19] and that heals broken souls. Even those that have ruined their lives with foolish sins. All how the rescue can then sing.

[33:31] Have you got a testimony like that? Verse 21, do you give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds not just for men but for me? Are you sacrificing thank offerings and telling of God's works with joy because God has rescued you from great things?

[33:49] Jesus said on one occasion about a lady that had been saved from a very dirty life. He said, didn't he, about her, Luke 7, her many sins have been forgiven for she loved much.

[34:01] He who has been forgiven little loves little. Don't fear this morning if your sin has caused you to slide into a very slimy pit.

[34:13] The Lord can rescue you right from where you are if you'll turn to him. And let me mention the fourth group of people that are rescued here from verse 23.

[34:24] I know we're in Whitby and I know there are many boats and ships here but I actually don't think this has anything to do with ships. The description here from verse 23, 24, 25 is people that are caught in an unexpected storm.

[34:39] That's the point here. They're not actually sailors, they're merchants. They went on the sea and ships, verse 23, merchants on the waters. They saw the works of the Lord, his wonderful deeds in the deep for he spoke and stirred up a tempest that lifted high the waves.

[34:53] They mounted up to the heavens and went down to the depths in their peril. Their courage melted away. They wheeled and staggered like drunken men. They were up their wits and these are people on a boat trying to get somewhere else to do business and suddenly the storm comes upon them and their boat is thrown all over the place.

[35:09] They're in an unexpected storm. Life has thrown them something totally unexpected and they just don't know how to respond. I expect there's hardly anyone here this morning that hasn't had some of those.

[35:24] maybe for some of us it's been redundancy or child going off the rails. Sometimes it's illness, devastation and loss in the family.

[35:39] For us it happened a year ago, 16 months and 11 days ago today. We were just packing our bags, getting our passports ready to go back to Ukraine after a period of deputation, just about to get back on the plane and my wife got a diagnosis that she had breast cancer.

[35:57] Suddenly, a storm stepped into our life. We didn't know anything about it. It was completely unexpected and everything now is different. We fight a storm every day we knew nothing about before.

[36:13] Here's this huge storm they were at their wits end. Something has come in our life and we didn't expect it. What do we do in the midst of a disaster?

[36:24] What will you do tomorrow if the disaster comes upon you that you didn't expect? Verse 28. They cried to the Lord in their trouble and he brought them out of their distress.

[36:44] Is God able to hear us over the loudness of a storm? Is God able to hear your poor, whimpering, quiet prayer in the midst of a fiery storm that rages about you?

[37:02] Friends, however loud the storm around you, God always hears the prayer of a desperate heart. and he heard these merchants on the ship and he heard them and verse 29, still the storm to a whisper, the waves hushed and they were glad.

[37:25] That's an understatement, isn't it? They were glad when it grew calm and then notice he guided them to their desired haven and they were able then to give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love, his wonderful deeds for men.

[37:40] Let them exult in the assembly of the people and praise him in the council of the elders. You see, God intervened in their situation and I know that God doesn't take away all storms from our life.

[37:54] He's not taken away our cancer yet. He may not have taken away all of the economic woes that maybe you're facing. God doesn't take away necessarily all the storms and all the difficulties of our life.

[38:05] The Christian life is one of discipleship and trust and following Jesus even through the hard times, isn't it? But we can know that in the midst of the storm as we call to him there is a stillness, there is a calmness, there is a serenity that comes to our soul in Jesus Christ that there are greater things at work here, that God is rescuing the me, that my soul is safe even though my life is at risk.

[38:34] We live in a city where our lives are at risk every day through the corruption and the oppression of leaders and authoritarian rulers.

[38:45] How do the Christians cope? How do those believers in persecuted lands that we've been thinking about this morning, 60 nations of the world today where Christians are living with restrictions upon their freedom, 350 people will die today for their faith in various places around the world, Egypt, Indonesia, Syria, Iran and on we can go, Nigeria.

[39:12] How can we live with peace in Christ in the midst of these storms around us? Only by giving thanks to God for his enduring love and that he redeems those who cry out to him for mercy.

[39:33] What a God we have. This catalogue as it were of God's history of redemption, we could repeat it by looking at the lives of people here this morning. This is how God works.

[39:46] This is how God saves people. Did you get the message of the refrain going through this psalm all the way through verse 6, they cried to the Lord in trouble and he delivered them.

[39:57] Verse 13, they cried to the Lord in trouble, he saved them from their distress. Verse 19, they cried to the Lord in their trouble, he saved them from their distress. Verse 28, they cried to the Lord in their trouble and he brought them out of their distress.

[40:12] When people cry out to Jesus Christ, he hears their cry and is able to rescue them. How? Because didn't Jesus himself step into our troubles in order to redeem us?

[40:35] Think of the most barren desert you can imagine. Separated from the Father, on the cross, in an awful, awful moment of barrenness and aloneness.

[40:48] In steps, Jesus Christ, for our sins. Think of the most awful dungeon of sin you can imagine. Darkness and gloom you can possibly imagine. This is Christ on the cross being heaped, our sin upon his shoulders and God's judgment for us.

[41:05] Think of the most sin, sickness and ruin you can imagine upon a life. Millions and millions of sins of millions and millions of people on his shoulders.

[41:15] punished for our sake upon the cross. Think of the most unexpected and awful storm you can imagine being bruised by the Father who loves him upon the cross for us.

[41:35] You see, Jesus not only understands your troubles, he stepped into your troubles and he bore in his body all that we must pay for for our sins in order to rescue us from our troubles and set us free.

[42:00] Will you keep hold of your sins and your troubles or will you bring them to the Lord Jesus Christ? whoever is wise this psalm finishes, let him heed these things and consider the great love of the Lord.

[42:20] Let us remember him. He gave so much for us. Let's pray. Lord our God, on this day of remembrance we remember great sacrifices made for us and we remember the greatest sacrifice made for us.

[42:45] A God of redemption, a God of enduring and unfailing love, rescuing sinners through your amazing grace.

[42:58] may we be people this morning Lord who tell of your great deeds to other men. May our coffee, our lunch, our afternoon, our day and all of our week be filled with stories of your amazing grace and your wonderful redemption and Lord if it be your glorious will may there even be fresh stories even today of sinners saved by your redeeming grace and set free from sin through the wonderful love of our Lord Jesus Christ.

[43:36]  Please hear our prayer, work upon our hearts and rescue our lives. We pray for Jesus' sake. Amen.