WEBVTT 00:00:00.320 --> 00:00:01.199 Hello, friends. 00:00:01.360 --> 00:00:04.559 Thank you for listening to Newsong Church's sermon podcast. 00:00:04.799 --> 00:00:11.119 Newsong Church exists to lift high Jesus Christ in Port Perry as we worship, grow, and serve. 00:00:11.359 --> 00:00:12.720 We'd love to connect with you. 00:00:12.800 --> 00:00:16.559 You can find our contact information at Newsongport Perry.ca. 00:00:17.280 --> 00:00:22.559 Today, Bishop Charlie Masters continues our sermon series, The Gospel According to Samuel. 00:00:22.719 --> 00:00:30.239 This sermon was recorded at our parish's 10-year anniversary celebration, which was also my installation as Newsong's rector. 00:00:32.240 --> 00:00:34.719 Maybe I could just pray and then we can be seated. 00:00:34.799 --> 00:00:42.880 May the words of my lips and the meditations of all our hearts be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, our strength and our redeemer. 00:00:43.200 --> 00:00:43.840 Amen. 00:00:46.880 --> 00:00:51.840 I'm very grateful for the uh all the planning that has gone into this service. 00:00:51.920 --> 00:01:07.760 You can tell that it has been prayerfully been in every detail framed, and I can say as one who who uh uh you know sees a lot of services that I uh really, really appreciate uh that. 00:01:08.079 --> 00:01:14.400 I love it that the uh this sermon is titled The Gospel According to Is it St. 00:01:14.560 --> 00:01:19.920 Matt uh Saint uh Samuel is or what did now I've blown it. 00:01:20.079 --> 00:01:21.439 I better read that. 00:01:21.680 --> 00:01:23.359 The Gospel according to Samuel. 00:01:23.439 --> 00:01:24.079 There you go. 00:01:24.239 --> 00:01:35.280 I well uh I uh I'm very pleased to uh spend a few minutes in this portion of scripture, 1 Samuel 7, 3 to 13. 00:01:35.599 --> 00:01:36.319 Thank you, Dr. 00:01:36.400 --> 00:01:38.000 Tomy Tony, for reading it. 00:01:38.079 --> 00:01:46.000 And let me just give you a few excerpts that I'm particularly thinking of uh at this time by way of a kind of a text. 00:01:46.239 --> 00:01:59.599 Now, when the Philistines heard that the people of Israel had gathered at Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel, and when the people of Israel heard of it, they were afraid of the Philistines. 00:01:59.920 --> 00:02:07.760 And the people of Israel said to Samuel, do not cease to cry out to the Lord our God. 00:02:07.920 --> 00:02:17.199 Now that's significant, you'll be hearing, I hope, later, our God for us, that he may save us from the hand of the Philistines. 00:02:17.599 --> 00:02:18.479 Verse 10. 00:02:18.719 --> 00:02:24.560 As Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to attack Israel. 00:02:24.879 --> 00:02:34.240 But the Lord thundered with a mighty sound that day against the Philistines, and threw them into confusion, and they were defeated before Israel. 00:02:34.879 --> 00:02:47.599 And then the key verse that we're thinking about today, then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen, and called its name Ebenezer. 00:02:48.400 --> 00:02:53.680 For he said, Till now the Lord has helped us. 00:02:58.719 --> 00:03:07.039 Names, as you know, in the Bible always mean things, and so the word Ebenezer is stone of help. 00:03:07.199 --> 00:03:09.840 That's why it was chosen, that was why. 00:03:25.919 --> 00:03:27.680 That in fact, phew. 00:03:27.919 --> 00:03:34.319 We defeated the Philistines, safety at last, for a time, we better mark that right now. 00:03:34.960 --> 00:03:37.120 But it's way more than that. 00:03:37.680 --> 00:04:00.080 This portion of Scripture and this title, Hitherto, if you're a King James Version person, hitherto the Lord has helped us, uh, is profound and something which draws us to look back to the first six chapters of Samuel because it wasn't like, you know, hitherto the Lord has helped us, or till now the Lord has helped. 00:04:00.319 --> 00:04:02.240 Things went pretty well, all in all. 00:04:02.479 --> 00:04:05.919 This is not at all what Samuel is saying. 00:04:06.159 --> 00:04:08.319 Now there are five things. 00:04:08.479 --> 00:04:10.639 Everything is in fives for me these days. 00:04:10.800 --> 00:04:13.840 So, because I have five fingers, and maybe you do too. 00:04:13.919 --> 00:04:16.959 Uh, and uh and so five it is. 00:04:17.279 --> 00:04:29.360 And what I'm wanting to ask the question is we look at the first six chapters of Samuel leading up to this momentous monument, this witness, till now the Lord has helped us. 00:04:29.519 --> 00:04:38.560 Give us a sense of what does the help of the Lord look like in the context of this time in history in Israel. 00:04:39.519 --> 00:04:50.800 Well, the first point that I want to make is that in fact, the faithful God, his help, means he gives us his word. 00:04:51.600 --> 00:04:55.519 He speaks in a way that we can understand and receive. 00:04:55.839 --> 00:05:21.279 Now, maybe you'll remember that 1 Samuel begins with a situation in which there is a woman who is Hannah, who is barren, uh, and she ultimately at Shiloh at the temple pleads with the Lord that he would allow her to give birth, and if she did give birth to a son, that she would dedicate him to serve the Lord for all his the days of his life. 00:05:21.519 --> 00:05:33.680 Well, you know, maybe you remember Eli, this questionable priest, uh, but in this instance he gave her assurance that in fact, whatever it is that she'd requested of the Lord, it has been done. 00:05:33.839 --> 00:05:37.199 And sure enough, she conceived and gave birth to Samuel. 00:05:37.279 --> 00:05:45.120 And after he was weaned, she brought him to the temple to serve under Eli for a time. 00:05:45.839 --> 00:06:00.879 Now, if you are a person who grew up in Sunday school as I did, you'll probably remember this story of little Samuel in his little bed in the temple, you know, trying to get a good night's rest. 00:06:01.040 --> 00:06:04.319 Somewhere over there is the priest himself, Eli. 00:06:04.399 --> 00:06:11.279 All of a sudden, Samuel, Samuel, uh, and he jumps up and scurries over to Eli, the dutiful little boy he was. 00:06:11.439 --> 00:06:15.199 Here I am, and and Eli said, I didn't call you, go back to bed. 00:06:15.439 --> 00:06:18.720 Three times this happens, and finally Eli figures it out. 00:06:18.800 --> 00:06:26.480 There's something going on here from the Lord, and he said, Next time it happens, say, Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening. 00:06:26.720 --> 00:06:28.160 And that's what happened. 00:06:28.319 --> 00:06:30.800 The Lord spoke and gave him a word. 00:06:30.959 --> 00:06:51.279 The Lord spoke, and it was a strong word, and ultimately when he shared it, it ended up being one which spoke about the about judgment against Eli as a priest, and particularly his two sons, Hophne and Phinehas, who it describes in 1 Samuel 2, were worthless men who did not know the Lord. 00:06:51.519 --> 00:06:53.360 They were corrupt in every way. 00:06:53.519 --> 00:06:56.000 They postured as priests of the Lord. 00:06:56.160 --> 00:07:03.120 In fact, their hearts were far from the Lord, and they were using their opportunity in all sorts of perverse ways. 00:07:03.439 --> 00:07:04.560 And yet there they were. 00:07:04.639 --> 00:07:10.160 And so, and Eli, knowing this and sort of lamely saying, This is not good, boys, you mustn't do that. 00:07:10.319 --> 00:07:11.439 This is embarrassing. 00:07:11.600 --> 00:07:14.240 And yet they carried on and he did nothing. 00:07:14.480 --> 00:07:19.360 And so the Lord called him to account and that household. 00:07:19.759 --> 00:07:26.639 Now, at the beginning of chapter 3 of 1 Samuel 3 says, Now the young man Samuel was ministering to the Lord under Eli. 00:07:27.040 --> 00:07:31.279 Listen to this, and the word of the Lord was rare in those days. 00:07:31.519 --> 00:07:33.600 There was no frequent vision. 00:07:33.920 --> 00:07:35.600 Doesn't sound like a big deal, does it? 00:07:36.160 --> 00:07:37.839 They weren't into that stuff right then. 00:07:38.319 --> 00:07:39.439 That's what it sounds like. 00:07:39.600 --> 00:07:48.399 But in fact, from the writer of Samuel's viewpoint, this was a profound, desperate situation. 00:07:48.720 --> 00:07:55.600 If you remember what Deuteronomy 8 says, man shall not live by bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. 00:07:55.680 --> 00:08:02.720 That's what Jesus quoted in the temptations when Satan suggested he changed to bread. 00:08:04.079 --> 00:08:21.040 And in fact, Amos tells of a famine which is a horrible, behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord God, when I will send a famine on the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst of water, but of hearing the words of the Lord. 00:08:21.199 --> 00:08:29.120 They shall wander from sea to sea, from north to east, they shall run to and fro and seek the word of the Lord, but they shall not find it. 00:08:29.279 --> 00:08:31.759 This is a desperate situation. 00:08:33.200 --> 00:08:41.600 I don't know if it sounds like it to you, but in fact, for the writer of Samuel, this was how profound and serious. 00:08:41.840 --> 00:08:47.919 Because the Lord is one who speaks, and people need to hear need the word of God. 00:08:48.080 --> 00:08:52.320 Without the word, we are sunk and we will die. 00:08:53.200 --> 00:09:17.840 So it is that in fact, by the end of chapter 3 of 1 Samuel, it says, Now Samuel grew, verse 19, and the Lord was with him, and let none of his words fall to the ground, and all of Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established as a prophet of the Lord, and the Lord appeared again at Shiloh, for the Lord revealed himself to Samuel at Shiloh by the word of the Lord. 00:09:18.080 --> 00:09:22.799 Verse 1 of chapter 4, and the word of Samuel came to all Israel. 00:09:34.240 --> 00:09:46.240 And he had helped Israel by providing a man who would faithfully speak the word of God to the people in such a way that they could hear the word of God. 00:09:46.639 --> 00:10:03.279 What is interesting and disheartening about what happened is if you follow the story from verse 1b on of chapter 4, right through to 7.3, which is where we started our passage this morning. 00:10:03.600 --> 00:10:10.799 Never again do you hear about Samuel or about the word of the Lord, because they had so excluded it. 00:10:10.960 --> 00:10:20.639 So the faithfulness of God, the helping of God was providing the word, the failing was in their failure to receive it for that length of time. 00:10:20.879 --> 00:10:31.279 Number one, the help of the Lord is that he gives us his word and even provides with a man to declare the word of God. 00:10:31.440 --> 00:10:41.519 Secondly, the help of the Lord is in fact the faithfulness of God is that he glorifies his name as Lord and King. 00:10:41.759 --> 00:10:47.600 Now, maybe you'll remember the story, and I wish we could just read through the first seven chapters of Samuel. 00:10:47.679 --> 00:10:49.279 That would be a time well spent. 00:10:49.519 --> 00:10:50.320 We're not going to do that. 00:10:50.559 --> 00:10:52.639 You'll be maybe encouraged by that. 00:10:52.799 --> 00:10:58.320 But what happens is that in fact there's conflict with the Philistines again. 00:10:58.559 --> 00:11:01.679 Israel is lined up, the Philistines are lined up. 00:11:03.440 --> 00:11:05.440 And then somebody gets the idea. 00:11:05.679 --> 00:11:14.799 I know, let's go get the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord in Shiloh and get Hafni and Phinehas to bring it, and we'll we'll have the inside track. 00:11:15.279 --> 00:11:21.360 The God of the covenant is going to come through and get those Philistines and they'll be in big trouble. 00:11:21.600 --> 00:11:37.679 And so sure enough, Hafni and Phinehas bring the Ark of the Covenant from Shiloh, the temple, to there, and when the Israel soldiers see it, there's a great roar, so loud that in fact the Philistines hear it and say, What's going on? 00:11:37.840 --> 00:11:47.919 And when they heard that the Ark of the Covenant was there, they knew that was the visible presence of the living God, the God who freed Israel from Egypt and all the plagues that went on. 00:11:48.080 --> 00:11:51.200 And so they were terrified and knew they were done for. 00:11:51.519 --> 00:11:53.679 Israel thought the same thing. 00:11:53.919 --> 00:11:58.080 But instead, what happened is the battle happened. 00:11:58.480 --> 00:12:00.080 Israel was defeated. 00:12:00.320 --> 00:12:02.080 Countless people were killed. 00:12:02.399 --> 00:12:04.320 Hophni and Phineas were killed as well. 00:12:04.480 --> 00:12:07.279 The Ark of the Covenant was taken by the Philistines. 00:12:07.360 --> 00:12:13.919 And when word came to Eli, this ancient old man falls over and breaks his neck and dies. 00:12:14.080 --> 00:12:15.679 I know this is sordid stuff. 00:12:15.840 --> 00:12:25.200 But in fact, this is all God glorifying his name because, in fact, there was a despising of his name that was going on. 00:12:25.440 --> 00:12:43.679 And so it is that in fact the Phineas's wife, who was giving birth, gave birth, and as she died, she named this child Ichabod, because the glory of the Lord had departed from Israel because the Ark of the Covenant had been taken away. 00:12:44.799 --> 00:12:46.000 But not so. 00:12:46.399 --> 00:12:47.039 Not so. 00:12:47.279 --> 00:12:57.279 In fact, if you follow 1 Samuel 5 and 6, you find out this amazing account of God glorifying his name in the enemy camp. 00:12:57.440 --> 00:12:58.320 What did they do? 00:12:58.559 --> 00:13:10.720 They brought the Ark of the Covenant and propped it there before the God Dagon by thus saying, now Dagon has one more guy on his pantheon of gods. 00:13:11.840 --> 00:13:14.559 And so there's the Ark of the Covenant, there's Dagon. 00:13:14.799 --> 00:13:20.240 And the next day when they come into the temple, Dagon, maybe you'll remember, is flat on his face. 00:13:20.559 --> 00:13:34.000 Well, they were alarmed, but they thought, I guess something happened, and they propped up Dagon again, and the next day, not only was Dagon flat, but in fact his head had come off in his hands. 00:13:34.399 --> 00:13:42.240 And in fact, it says in the text, from then on, they never went to that threshold because they were so startled by this. 00:13:42.480 --> 00:13:57.279 Well, what happened was, and I know I'm trying to cram a lot of story into is that in fact, uh first in Ashdod uh a plague broke out, and they attributed it to the Ark of the Covenant, to this God. 00:13:57.600 --> 00:14:02.960 And then they moved it to Gath, same thing in Gath and ultimately Ekron. 00:14:03.279 --> 00:14:07.840 And then the religious leaders are saying, we've got to get this out of here. 00:14:08.080 --> 00:14:17.200 Um, it's it says, Send away the ark of the God of Israel and let it return to its own place that it may not kill us and our people. 00:14:17.679 --> 00:14:26.159 God was glorifying his name and lifting up the fact, his help was to establish that he's Lord and King. 00:14:26.399 --> 00:14:44.080 And so as the story went, then in fact they figured out a plan whereby they could establish whether this really was God, what was going on, and also get that ark back to where it belongs, and also pay uh sacrifice to this God, which they hoped would be accepted. 00:14:44.240 --> 00:14:55.600 And so they they they put the Ark in the Covenant uh in a cart, hitched up two cows who had never had a harness before, took away their calves. 00:14:55.759 --> 00:15:09.039 I mean, everything was against these cows going anywhere, but instead of that, they watched as they, you know, and sure enough, those two cows went directly to Bethshamus, to Israel, and they knew what happened. 00:15:09.120 --> 00:15:13.679 And there was Joshua, and I don't know who Joshua is, but there was rejoicing. 00:15:13.759 --> 00:15:20.240 They broke up the cart, they sacrificed the cows, and there was rejoicing, but not entirely. 00:15:20.480 --> 00:15:30.320 There was uh also a despising, some that looked on the ark, it says, and I don't know what that exactly means, but clearly it was uh the bringing God down. 00:15:31.200 --> 00:15:45.440 And God was lashed out, uh, and in fact, some 70 died, and they, like the Philistines, by verse 20, said, Then the men of Bethshemus said, Who is able to stand before the Lord this holy God? 00:15:45.600 --> 00:15:51.759 And to whom shall he go up, and to whom shall he go up away from us? 00:15:52.080 --> 00:15:54.240 They said, Get this thing out of here. 00:15:54.320 --> 00:15:56.480 We don't want to have anything to do with that. 00:15:56.799 --> 00:15:58.000 Does this sound like help? 00:15:58.159 --> 00:15:58.960 Maybe not. 00:15:59.279 --> 00:16:17.039 But in fact, I'm submitting to you that this is God establishing who he is, glorifying his name as Lord and King, as one who is full of grace and mercy, but holy and righteous, not to be messed with. 00:16:17.279 --> 00:16:24.399 And so the help of the Lord, and so they took the ark to Kiryath Jirum, and there it was for some twenty years. 00:16:24.480 --> 00:16:29.200 And that's where we get to where we had read this morning. 00:16:29.840 --> 00:16:37.679 Thirdly, the help of the Lord was in it for the long haul. 00:16:37.919 --> 00:16:52.159 I think this is really good news for us who perhaps are praying for people who were standing by and longing for them to come to the Lord or longing for them to grow or whatever, and it seems like it's not going very well. 00:16:52.879 --> 00:16:58.480 What we see in terms of the help of the Lord is that in fact he's patient. 00:16:58.639 --> 00:17:11.759 And so it is that through these six chapters of Samuel, there's God standing by as they deny his and neglect his word, as they deny and despise his name. 00:17:12.000 --> 00:17:19.359 And now twenty years have come and gone, whereby there's the Ark of the Covenant and Kiryath Jiraim. 00:17:19.440 --> 00:17:21.599 Uh and where was Samuel? 00:17:21.759 --> 00:17:22.400 We don't know. 00:17:22.480 --> 00:17:26.160 It doesn't say, but I'm guessing he was preaching all the time. 00:17:26.319 --> 00:17:29.519 I don't think he stopped for all that time. 00:17:30.000 --> 00:17:33.119 But they came to their senses. 00:17:33.279 --> 00:17:48.000 Think about the prodigal son, where in fact uh finally he came to his senses, and it seems like as a nation, they suddenly realized that they had in fact been fighting with God. 00:17:52.960 --> 00:18:03.440 And that in fact, that this is their problem, they concluded, I'm suggesting to you, was not a military problem. 00:18:04.000 --> 00:18:07.759 Their problem was a relationship problem with the living God. 00:18:08.880 --> 00:18:12.240 I want to read uh a pretty famous hymn. 00:18:12.480 --> 00:18:14.880 O love that will not let me go. 00:18:15.440 --> 00:18:20.480 I rest my weary soul in thee, I give thee back the life I owe. 00:18:20.880 --> 00:18:24.559 That in thine ocean depths it flows, may richer, fuller be. 00:18:24.640 --> 00:18:28.880 O light that follows all my way, I yield my flickering torch to thee. 00:18:29.119 --> 00:18:36.160 My heart restores its borrowed ray that in the sunshine's blaze its days may brighter, fairer be. 00:18:38.079 --> 00:18:58.799 The help of the Lord, the faithfulness of this wonderful Lord and King, was incredibly patient, waiting and logging and working for a people to come to the end of themselves and look finally to the Lord Himself. 00:19:01.519 --> 00:19:14.559 Very early on in my life in Christ, I was asked as the poke and young person in this situation to give a sermon, which I was certainly not capable of doing. 00:19:14.799 --> 00:19:16.880 But anyway, I did my best. 00:19:17.279 --> 00:19:22.160 But as it happened, I chose to preach on Hosea 6, verse 6. 00:19:22.400 --> 00:19:28.880 In the living Bible, God says, I don't want your sacrifices, I want you to know, I want you to know me. 00:19:28.960 --> 00:19:32.640 I don't want your offerings, I want you to love me. 00:19:33.519 --> 00:19:40.799 And I burst into tears and I couldn't stop, and I was embarrassed, and my family was embarrassed, everybody was embarrassed. 00:19:40.960 --> 00:19:43.599 It was not a good way to start a preaching career. 00:19:43.920 --> 00:19:56.319 But in fact, it was the heart of the Lord, which I think, as he watched this people that he loved and chose, as it says in Deuteronomy, just because he loved them. 00:19:57.119 --> 00:20:02.319 And there they were, running headlong away from him until they finally came. 00:20:02.559 --> 00:20:04.880 The help of the Lord is patient. 00:20:06.160 --> 00:20:13.680 Fourthly, the help and faithfulness of God is a kindness that leads us to repentance. 00:20:13.920 --> 00:20:14.880 That's what it does. 00:20:14.960 --> 00:20:16.240 That's pretty surprising. 00:20:16.480 --> 00:20:19.359 Romans 2, verse 4, great verse. 00:20:19.519 --> 00:20:32.720 Uh Paul says, Or do not presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to what happened to Israel. 00:20:32.960 --> 00:20:38.000 That's why this monument is of such extraordinary importance. 00:20:38.400 --> 00:20:48.640 Because in fact, God brought them to the place of repentance, whereby they were at the end of themselves, and they pled with Samuel. 00:20:49.200 --> 00:21:00.079 And Samuel said to all the house of Israel, If if you are returning to the Lord with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods and the ashroth, that's number one, from among you. 00:21:00.240 --> 00:21:04.960 Two, direct your heart to the Lord, and three, serve him only. 00:21:05.839 --> 00:21:07.440 This is real repentance. 00:21:07.599 --> 00:21:10.000 This is a 180-degree turn. 00:21:10.240 --> 00:21:24.160 This is, maybe you'll remember in Joshua 24, another great uh showdown between a leader and the people of Israel, where Joshua said, verse 15, choose you this day whom you will serve as for me in my house, we will serve the Lord. 00:21:24.319 --> 00:21:29.279 But he goes on and questions seriously whether or not they're ready to serve the Lord only. 00:21:29.359 --> 00:21:31.200 And they, oh yeah, of course we will. 00:21:31.359 --> 00:21:36.559 Oh, well, you know, and there's this back and forth kind of thing going on. 00:21:36.880 --> 00:21:42.079 But a big question mark as to well, whether they would follow through, which of course they did not. 00:21:42.400 --> 00:21:46.319 All of Judges follows all the way to 1 Samuel 7. 00:21:46.640 --> 00:21:56.400 But now I submit to you, something profound, which is nothing less than revival, was going on. 00:21:56.960 --> 00:21:59.759 And so they were right to have a witness to that. 00:22:00.480 --> 00:22:02.960 Till now the Lord has helped us. 00:22:07.359 --> 00:22:08.640 Let me just read you. 00:22:08.799 --> 00:22:12.000 Psalm 107 is a great portion of scripture. 00:22:12.720 --> 00:22:22.079 And I'm so verse 10, there it this is there's a refrain that goes on in Psalm 107 over and over again. 00:22:22.319 --> 00:22:23.920 The situation is similar. 00:22:24.079 --> 00:22:28.880 People run away from God, they forget God, they're in darkness, and then they come to their senses. 00:22:29.039 --> 00:22:29.519 Listen to this. 00:22:29.680 --> 00:22:39.839 Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, prisoners in affliction and in irons, for they had rebelled against the words of God and spurned the counsel of the Most High. 00:22:40.000 --> 00:22:44.160 Verse 12 So he bowed their hearts down with hard labor. 00:22:44.400 --> 00:22:46.640 They fell down with none to help. 00:22:46.880 --> 00:22:52.480 This is the help of the Lord, pushing hard on them so that they'll come to the end of themselves. 00:22:52.799 --> 00:22:58.640 Then they cried to the Lord, verse 13, in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. 00:22:58.880 --> 00:23:03.359 He brought them out of darkness in the shadow of death and burst their bonds apart. 00:23:03.599 --> 00:23:09.359 Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man. 00:23:09.519 --> 00:23:12.480 That's what's going on in 1 Samuel 7. 00:23:12.880 --> 00:23:19.200 They had now come to the point of pleading with the Lord, and the Lord was pleased to respond. 00:23:20.880 --> 00:23:25.839 Number one, the help of the Lord gives his word. 00:23:26.240 --> 00:23:34.880 Number two, the help of the Lord glorifies his name, even when the hearts are far from him and cold. 00:23:35.119 --> 00:23:42.079 Number three, the faithfulness and help of the Lord is patient and in it for the long haul. 00:23:42.319 --> 00:23:55.200 Number four, the faithfulness of God brings us to repentance, to a real end of ourselves, and a real humble begging the Lord's mercies, which He's delighted to give. 00:23:58.240 --> 00:24:05.279 And finally, they beg Samuel to pray for them. 00:24:11.039 --> 00:24:16.240 They said, verse 8, do not cease to cry out to the Lord our God for us. 00:24:16.960 --> 00:24:20.400 And I said that I wanted to emphasize our God. 00:24:21.119 --> 00:24:33.039 Because no longer did they see, like before in 1 Samuel 4, when they brought the Ark of the Covenant in, all they were doing was sort of a good luck charm which might help us win the battle. 00:24:33.279 --> 00:24:41.200 No sense of relationship, no sense of commitment, no sense of repentance, no sense of bowing to the Lord as Lord and King. 00:24:41.599 --> 00:24:46.960 But now they're saying, Cry out to the Lord our God. 00:24:47.359 --> 00:24:49.039 He's our Lord. 00:24:49.440 --> 00:24:53.680 We have a relationship with him, and we need his help. 00:24:54.480 --> 00:25:05.759 And the men of Israel went up out from Mizpah and pursued uh uh and Samuel took a nursing lamb and offered it, and Samuel cried out to the Lord of Israel, and the Lord answered him. 00:25:06.480 --> 00:25:16.559 The Lord's help is as one who responds to the intercession which comes to him on the count of people. 00:25:23.359 --> 00:25:34.559 I don't know if if uh any are uh follow the Wednesday videos, which I try to do week by week, started again in September 8th. 00:25:34.640 --> 00:25:38.240 Uh and this week's we're doing promises of God. 00:25:38.559 --> 00:25:46.640 But the promise of God, which I tried to draw our attention to, uh is Hebrews 7, 24 and 25. 00:25:46.799 --> 00:25:52.640 But he holds his priesthood, this is Jesus, permanently, because he continues forever. 00:25:52.880 --> 00:26:04.400 Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. 00:26:04.880 --> 00:26:25.039 What I'm suggesting to you in the goodness and help of the Lord, he raised up a Samuel as a kind of type of Jesus who is to come, as one who is judge and prophet and priest, who faithfully delivers the word and intercedes for the people. 00:26:25.920 --> 00:26:36.000 But now in Jesus, we have a high priest forever who saves to the uttermost, one who is constantly interceding for us. 00:26:36.240 --> 00:26:38.319 If God be for us, who can be against us? 00:26:38.480 --> 00:26:44.400 He that spared not his own son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? 00:26:44.559 --> 00:26:48.640 And goes on and speaks about this one who prays for us. 00:26:48.960 --> 00:27:25.279 Dear people of New Song, I rejoice with you as I rejoice with the people of God around the world, because in his goodness through Jesus, if you are in Christ, it is because you've come to the end of yourself, you've turned from your sin, you've turned from yourself, and you've chosen to run by mercy to the Lord Jesus who died and rose again for you and for everyone, and you've chosen to accept his sacrifice in your place, and now you are his. 00:27:25.759 --> 00:27:32.559 Now he is yours, and you can claim him as such, and he saves to the uttermost. 00:27:33.599 --> 00:27:40.480 If you can't identify with that at this moment, I have good news for you. 00:27:41.279 --> 00:27:43.599 This message is for you today. 00:27:44.319 --> 00:27:52.000 Could be not only a tenth anniversary and an institution for a rector, but it could be the beginning of your life in Christ. 00:27:52.319 --> 00:28:07.440 Because that monument, till now the Lord has helped us, was not simply a statement of past faithfulness of God, but pointed towards this is the character of God which continues through all eternity. 00:28:07.839 --> 00:28:17.519 And so, as you in New Song know the faithfulness of God that have kept you and kept you with lots of obstacles through the first ten years. 00:28:17.839 --> 00:28:23.279 And now there is a highway ahead, I believe, in terms of the things that God wants to do. 00:28:23.599 --> 00:28:24.640 Hallelujah. 00:28:25.599 --> 00:28:32.000 I can say personally, hitherto the Lord has helped me. 00:28:32.240 --> 00:28:34.160 Am I saying everything's gone my way? 00:28:34.319 --> 00:28:35.519 Absolutely not. 00:28:36.000 --> 00:28:38.240 But in fact, I know the help of the Lord. 00:28:38.400 --> 00:28:42.960 Let's just, as the uh music people are coming, let's just pray. 00:28:43.279 --> 00:28:46.640 Lord Jesus, we love you and we thank you. 00:28:46.880 --> 00:28:53.359 We need you all the time, and we thank you for the monument that went that day between Mizbah and Shen. 00:28:54.559 --> 00:28:57.599 Hitherto, till now the Lord has helped us. 00:28:57.759 --> 00:29:01.599 This is our song, this is our our knowledge. 00:29:01.920 --> 00:29:04.400 We accept you again afresh today. 00:29:04.559 --> 00:29:08.880 We commit ourselves to you afresh, and we rejoice in your help. 00:29:09.119 --> 00:29:14.160 We desperately need you to care, carry us, for we pray in Jesus' name. 00:29:14.480 --> 00:29:15.119 Amen. 00:29:16.960 --> 00:29:18.559 Thank you for listening today. 00:29:18.720 --> 00:29:24.160 We worship a generous God who calls us to follow Him in giving willfully, cheerfully, and sacrificially. 00:29:24.400 --> 00:29:30.799 Newsong Church's mission and ministry is one hundred percent funded by the generous gifts of those worshiping and journeying with us. 00:29:31.039 --> 00:29:38.559 If you'd like to offer a gift towards Newsong's ministry, please visit newsongportperry.ca slash giving for more information on how to do that. 00:29:38.799 --> 00:29:41.759 May God bless you and keep you today and every day.