September Congregational Singing

Introduction

We begin with J from scripture reading from John and seven thirty ten. Then Jesus said to them again, most assuredly I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All whoever came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved, and he will go out in and out to find pasture. The thief does not come except to steal and to kill and to destroy.

So clear to us that from the beginning of Christ’s time on earth in the age of twelve and teaching in the temple that he was always about his father’s business, never forgetting that he was sent from God, and the motivating love of his father and of his creation was always so evident in his life. Let’s sing number one hundred and eighty-eight.

He was be so die for me.

Why’s why goodness? Why not cross?

He gave some for me. He caused me love me so this time we’ll be led on an opening prayer. Turn with me if you will in your Bibles, Romans the fifth chapter, Romans five, and we’ll begin with verse six and read the following verses.

For one will scarcely die for a righteous person. So perhaps for a good person would dare even to die. But God chose his love for us, and that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since therefore we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his son. Much more now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God, although our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Oh wonderful as my soul shall have thee.

We’ll continue our worship this evening with a reading from Luke chapter twenty-four. If you will, let’s start with verse one. These are the events on that first day of the week following the crucifixion. But on the first day of the week at early dawn, they came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb. But when they entered, they did not find the body of Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men suddenly stood near, stood near them in dazzling clothing. And as the women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, Why do you seek the living one among the dead? He is not here.

But he has risen. Remember how he spoke to you while he was still in Galilee, saying that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and the third day rise again.

Chapter one, we’ll be reading verses eight, eighteen, I mean through twenty-three. The eyes of your understanding being enlightened, that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, and that is exceeding greatness of his power to us who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, which we he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in the one that which is to come, and hath put all things under his feet, and gave to him to be the head over all things to the church, which in his body the fullness of him filleth and all.

So for me and all we find with all around my soul give way and day on the rest of all the ground is sinking back on the ground is sinking when he shall come with Trump and oh may I found rest in his right so last we won’t grow on Christ the Sol Please be seeing. I want to personally thank everyone who came here tonight.

That means you. Because in the minds of more and more people, Sunday night services are optional, unimportant, and not worth our time. And what your being here says is that you see it otherwise.

And you’re right. And it’s because of what we’ve sung tonight. It’s because of statements that we’ve read. It’s because of statements like Colossians chapter three and verse four that says when Christ, who is our life, is revealed.

1. Jesus Is Far Above All

That’s why. Remember what I said this morning? One of the things about righteousness and living the righteous life that God calls us to do for us is that it’s revitalizing behavior. What we’ve done tonight has revitalized me. Hearing these songs, the way we sung them, the words that we sung, the words that we read. I noticed when Chase was reading in Ephesians chapter 1 that I’ve missed something there that is truly incredible. Jesus is above all power. All dominion. But it doesn’t just say that he’s above all of that. It says he is far above all of that. And he has the greatest name that is named anywhere. He has an unrivaled status. And that’s we were singing about tonight. In this age and the age to come, now and forever, that is suffering.

2. That Life Was the Light of Men

And we sung some wonderful things about it. We started in John chapter 10, and I said, oh no, because when Ed told me what we were doing tonight, he wanted me to give the invitation, and I thought about John chapter 1 and said, somebody could end up reading this, but we didn’t. Because we started in John chapter 10, because I was thinking of all the things that are said about Jesus in John, about being the door and the good shepherd. And the resurrection and the life and the light of the world, all of those I am statements, the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but through me. And so as I thought about the things we were going to sing tonight, I thought about as an invitation in the very first chapter of John.

When Jesus is introduced as the Word, the Word who was with God, the Word who was God, and the creator of everything. Nothing has come into being apart from him in verse 3. But then this, and I’ve always loved these two statements in the beginning of this narrative. In him, and Jesus was life. And that life was the light of men. The life of Jesus, the death of Jesus, his entire sojourn here, his resurrection from the dead. It is the life that guides our path. Our path before. But a really tragic state that follows that. And the light shines in the darkness, a world that is dark with sin. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. That was not just the first century world.

3. The Darkness Comprehends It Not

That’s our 21st century world. I saw something in the airport coming home from Panama City that I didn’t see when I was a kid. I saw a female completely clothed in Muslim garb. And the only thing that I saw of her was maybe her shoes and ankles and her eyeglasses. And I thought of the Muslim faith. I didn’t go to high school or even elementary school with anybody. Who was Muslim? And when I think of Jesus in contrast to that faith. Or many of the religions of our world. The light shines in the darkness. And the darkness comprehends it not. And when people sit and listen to lessons, lesson after lesson after lesson, and they do not respond obediently to the salvation of their souls. What tragedy.

But the light shines in the darkness. And the darkness comprehends it not. Or people who think, I just don’t need this message. I certainly don’t need the restrictions of this kind of lifestyle because I want to do what I want to do. The light shines in the darkness.

Blessed are our eyes if we see.

4. As Many As Received Him

Calling, when Christ is revealed, you also will be revealed with him in glory. He came to his own, and those who were his own did not receive him. In verse 12 of John chapter 1, but as many as received him, those who were willing to listen to him, to embrace him, to honor him for who he was, as the one sin from the Father, the Messiah. But as many as received him, to them he gave the right to become children of God. And that’s the right he’s given you. He has given you the right to become his children. Even to those who believe in his name. Even those who are willing to embrace and acknowledge who he is and what that means in our lives. We have song tonight about the name of the Son of God.

Conclusion

A name that is above all rule and authority and power and obey far. How strongly do you believe? Do you believe strong enough to put on the Lord in baptism tonight? If you’re not a Christian and have your sins washed away by his blood. Do you believe strongly enough to leave this place tonight? Rejuvenated in your commitment, anchored in your confidence in him.

And ready to live a life tomorrow. If the Lord wills that another day comes, ready to live our lives tomorrow in honor of Jesus.

May we be so long before I want to lie to be my life?

Thank you. A little bit extra. It was