1 00:00:02,640 --> 00:00:06,080 Turn with me tonight in your Bible to 1st Corinthians chapter 2 00:00:06,080 --> 00:00:12,760 16, and we're going to read the first 14 verses of the chapter. 3 00:00:15,600 --> 00:00:22,320 First Corinthians chapter 16, the last chapter of Paul's first 4 00:00:22,320 --> 00:00:24,080 epistle to the Corinthian church. 5 00:00:29,560 --> 00:00:35,840 Reading here some of his final words, First Corinthians chapter 6 00:00:35,840 --> 00:00:43,120 16 verse one. Now concerning the collection 7 00:00:43,120 --> 00:00:48,360 for the Saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galata, 8 00:00:49,320 --> 00:00:53,280 Even so do ye upon the first day of the week. 9 00:00:53,280 --> 00:00:57,720 Let everyone of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered 10 00:00:57,720 --> 00:01:01,640 him, that there be no gatherings when I come. 11 00:01:01,640 --> 00:01:06,440 And when I come, whomsoever ye shall approve by your letters, 12 00:01:07,280 --> 00:01:11,560 then will I send to bring your liberality unto Jerusalem. 13 00:01:12,520 --> 00:01:17,160 And if it be me that I go also, they shall go with me. 14 00:01:18,600 --> 00:01:23,080 Now I will come unto you when I shall pass through Macedonia, 15 00:01:23,920 --> 00:01:29,200 for I do pass through Macedonia, and it may be that I will abide. 16 00:01:29,200 --> 00:01:33,800 Yeah, and winter with you, that ye may bring me on my journey, 17 00:01:33,800 --> 00:01:38,320 whether so ever I go. For I will not see you now, by 18 00:01:38,320 --> 00:01:41,400 the way. But I trust to tarry a while 19 00:01:41,400 --> 00:01:45,640 with you, if the Lord permit. But I will tarry an Ephesus 20 00:01:45,640 --> 00:01:50,720 until Pentecost, for a great door and effectual is opened 21 00:01:50,720 --> 00:01:54,640 unto me, and there are many adversaries. 22 00:01:55,760 --> 00:02:01,200 Now if Timotheus come, see that he may be with you without fear, 23 00:02:02,400 --> 00:02:06,320 for he worketh the work of the Lord, as I also do. 24 00:02:07,040 --> 00:02:11,920 Let no man therefore despise him, but conduct him forth in 25 00:02:11,920 --> 00:02:18,200 peace, that he may come unto me. For I look for him with the 26 00:02:18,200 --> 00:02:21,600 brethren. And as touching our brother 27 00:02:21,600 --> 00:02:26,320 Apollos, I greatly desire him to come unto you with the brethren. 28 00:02:27,160 --> 00:02:32,120 But his will was not at all to come at this time, but he will 29 00:02:32,120 --> 00:02:35,280 come when he shall have convenient time. 30 00:02:36,240 --> 00:02:40,040 Watch you stand fast in the faith. 31 00:02:40,840 --> 00:02:42,920 Quit you like men. Be strong. 32 00:02:43,680 --> 00:02:48,240 Let all your things be done with charity, Amen. 33 00:02:48,240 --> 00:02:51,360 We'll end the reading there at verse 14, and we pray the Lord 34 00:02:51,360 --> 00:02:54,120 and stamp of His own approval and blessing, this reading of 35 00:02:54,120 --> 00:02:57,480 His own precious and infallible word, Amen. 36 00:02:59,600 --> 00:03:03,400 Now my text this evening is taken from First Corinthians 37 00:03:03,600 --> 00:03:11,560 chapter 16 and the verse 13, and my theme tonight is entitled 38 00:03:12,200 --> 00:03:19,200 Stand Fast in the Faith or A Call to Stand Fast in the Faith. 39 00:03:19,400 --> 00:03:23,480 Listen to the text. Watch ye stand fast in the 40 00:03:23,480 --> 00:03:26,040 faith. Quit you like men. 41 00:03:26,800 --> 00:03:30,000 Be strong. Now let me begin tonight by 42 00:03:30,040 --> 00:03:34,480 asking a question. What does the Free Presbyterian 43 00:03:34,480 --> 00:03:39,640 Church stand for today? Now before I attempt to answer 44 00:03:39,640 --> 00:03:44,080 that question, let me state that I believe the Free Presbyterian 45 00:03:44,080 --> 00:03:48,520 Church was raised up by God and brought forth into the province 46 00:03:48,520 --> 00:03:54,480 of Ulster and it was set for the faithful preaching of the Gospel 47 00:03:54,920 --> 00:03:59,920 of the Lord Jesus Christ. This church from its inception 48 00:03:59,920 --> 00:04:02,920 has preached against the falsehood and errors of Roman 49 00:04:02,920 --> 00:04:06,120 Catholicism. It's preached against apostasy 50 00:04:06,120 --> 00:04:10,560 in the mainline so-called Protestant denominations, some 51 00:04:10,560 --> 00:04:14,680 sadly, who are so far gone that they know nothing of the true 52 00:04:14,760 --> 00:04:19,040 gospel. This church preached against sin 53 00:04:19,040 --> 00:04:22,720 and wickedness in high and low places, preached against 54 00:04:22,720 --> 00:04:27,960 carnality and coldness, preached against dead orthodoxy and hyper 55 00:04:27,960 --> 00:04:32,560 Calvinism. You see, in 1951, this church 56 00:04:32,920 --> 00:04:36,360 I'm speaking about, the denomination now, was on fire 57 00:04:36,360 --> 00:04:39,360 for God. It was reformed in doctrine, 58 00:04:39,480 --> 00:04:42,800 Presbyterian in government, evangelistic in practise. 59 00:04:43,160 --> 00:04:46,240 It was called free because it stood outside the World Council 60 00:04:46,240 --> 00:04:49,040 of Churches, the Irish Council of Churches. 61 00:04:49,840 --> 00:04:53,920 Our our founding fathers had no truck with the charismatic 62 00:04:53,920 --> 00:04:57,000 movement. Men like the late Doctor 63 00:04:57,000 --> 00:05:00,920 Paisley, late William Beattie, late William Whiteside and many 64 00:05:00,920 --> 00:05:03,840 others. They were all men of the book. 65 00:05:04,520 --> 00:05:08,480 They believed that they were called of God to preach the word 66 00:05:09,040 --> 00:05:14,160 in season and out of season. And as they preached, they 67 00:05:14,160 --> 00:05:16,840 called men and women, boys and girls and young people to 68 00:05:16,840 --> 00:05:21,160 repentance and faith in Christ. They called for restoration for 69 00:05:21,160 --> 00:05:23,440 those that were cold and backslidden. 70 00:05:23,920 --> 00:05:28,560 They preached to build up believers in their most holy 71 00:05:28,560 --> 00:05:31,040 faith. And I believe it's right and 72 00:05:31,040 --> 00:05:33,960 proper that we should thank God for their labours. 73 00:05:34,440 --> 00:05:39,200 And in 1951 and going forward, new congregations were quickly 74 00:05:39,200 --> 00:05:46,240 formed and we have rejoiced to see the work of God advanced. 75 00:05:47,560 --> 00:05:50,880 And like you, I thank God for the Free Presbyterian Church. 76 00:05:51,080 --> 00:05:53,360 I want to tell you tonight, you already know this. 77 00:05:53,640 --> 00:05:56,760 It's not perfect, but why do we love it? 78 00:05:57,240 --> 00:06:00,240 We love it because the emphasis is on the preaching of the Word 79 00:06:00,240 --> 00:06:03,640 of God. We love it because it stands for 80 00:06:03,640 --> 00:06:07,120 a biblical worship. We love because of the fact that 81 00:06:07,120 --> 00:06:10,560 it stands separated unto the gospel. 82 00:06:11,040 --> 00:06:14,200 We love it because it's set for the defence of the old powers 83 00:06:14,200 --> 00:06:17,600 and the old truths that were once delivered unto the seals. 84 00:06:18,320 --> 00:06:21,520 I love the fact that it has a ministry to the children, a 85 00:06:21,520 --> 00:06:25,720 ministry to the young people, a ministry to the middle-aged as 86 00:06:25,720 --> 00:06:28,480 well as the old and infirm. We, we love the missionary arm 87 00:06:28,640 --> 00:06:32,120 of the church, the mission board and the Missionary Council. 88 00:06:32,800 --> 00:06:35,480 We, we love our Whitfield College of the Bible. 89 00:06:36,200 --> 00:06:43,960 Do pray for the work. But now, 74 years on, we are 90 00:06:43,960 --> 00:06:52,080 facing challenging times. We are facing choices. 91 00:06:54,080 --> 00:07:01,240 A new generation has been raised up, the third generation of Free 92 00:07:01,240 --> 00:07:06,560 Presbyterians, and we're finding that among the young, they're 93 00:07:06,560 --> 00:07:10,920 asking this question, what is our purpose? 94 00:07:12,400 --> 00:07:17,120 What do we stand for? Why are we here? 95 00:07:17,680 --> 00:07:21,240 And I believe it's important that we teach the young people 96 00:07:22,800 --> 00:07:27,160 what we are about. You see, the face of the 97 00:07:27,160 --> 00:07:30,280 evangelical church in Northern Ireland is changing. 98 00:07:30,880 --> 00:07:33,200 I want to tell you tonight, it's hard to be biblical. 99 00:07:34,120 --> 00:07:38,400 It's hard to be faithful, and it's hard to be watchful. 100 00:07:38,760 --> 00:07:43,320 You see, it appears that even here in Northern Ireland, in the 101 00:07:43,480 --> 00:07:50,040 evangelical church, not all but some are hopelessly confused 102 00:07:50,040 --> 00:07:59,480 about what the gospel is. The true gospel, the genuine 103 00:07:59,480 --> 00:08:02,400 gospel, is more than simply praying a prayer. 104 00:08:03,320 --> 00:08:07,320 It's more than simply asking Jesus into your heart. 105 00:08:07,560 --> 00:08:10,920 Now, that's a component part. That's an important element. 106 00:08:11,120 --> 00:08:14,960 But as the late Doctor Kearns says, that asking Jesus into 107 00:08:14,960 --> 00:08:19,040 your heart is not even the third cousin of the gospel. 108 00:08:20,280 --> 00:08:25,160 Many are not only hopelessly confused, but sadly, some are 109 00:08:25,160 --> 00:08:31,080 heretically corrupted and some tonight are haphazardly 110 00:08:31,760 --> 00:08:37,000 compromised because they have departed from the Word of God, 111 00:08:38,320 --> 00:08:42,120 developed a spurt of worldliness, carnal behaviour, 112 00:08:42,559 --> 00:08:50,440 infidelity, immorality, even iniquity to exist within the 113 00:08:50,440 --> 00:08:53,920 confines of the professing Christian Church. 114 00:08:55,920 --> 00:09:02,000 Let me say tonight, I believe that every problem found in the 115 00:09:02,000 --> 00:09:08,120 Corinthian church can be found today in the contemporary 116 00:09:08,120 --> 00:09:12,160 so-called evangelical Christian Church. 117 00:09:14,880 --> 00:09:18,440 And what would we say to the contemporary evangelical 118 00:09:18,960 --> 00:09:22,760 professing Christian Church? Well, I would say the very same 119 00:09:22,760 --> 00:09:29,320 thing that Paul said. Here's Paul's call, totally at 120 00:09:29,360 --> 00:09:33,160 odds from the wisdom of the world, totally at odds with the 121 00:09:33,160 --> 00:09:36,800 fashions of the day. Because Paul, as he closed his 122 00:09:36,800 --> 00:09:40,400 first letter to the Corinthian church, said this in verse 13. 123 00:09:40,560 --> 00:09:45,360 Look at it with me. Watch ye stand fast in the 124 00:09:45,360 --> 00:09:48,680 faith. Quit you like men. 125 00:09:49,400 --> 00:09:53,600 Be strong. We could add verse 14 that all 126 00:09:53,600 --> 00:10:01,160 things be done with charity. Here are four simple spirit 127 00:10:01,160 --> 00:10:06,400 filled exhortations. Now notice first of all the 128 00:10:06,400 --> 00:10:13,600 context to be explained. The Apostle Paul is writing to 129 00:10:13,720 --> 00:10:19,840 the Corinthian church and he's well aware of it being confused 130 00:10:19,840 --> 00:10:24,400 with spiritual things. He's well aware of the problems 131 00:10:24,400 --> 00:10:26,480 that exist, the corruption that is there. 132 00:10:26,600 --> 00:10:30,240 He's well aware of the the compromise. 133 00:10:32,040 --> 00:10:33,960 He knows all about their problems. 134 00:10:34,320 --> 00:10:38,880 He could list them division, party spirit, open incestuous 135 00:10:38,880 --> 00:10:42,160 sin, disorder, misconduct, drunkenness, abuse of the gifts. 136 00:10:42,520 --> 00:10:46,560 And as he closes his chapter, verses one to three, he gives 137 00:10:46,560 --> 00:10:50,080 instruction for a special offering and financial aid for 138 00:10:50,080 --> 00:10:54,000 the persons and Jerusalem. In verses 4 to 6, he outlines 139 00:10:54,000 --> 00:10:59,920 his time and travel plans and explains the means by which 140 00:10:59,920 --> 00:11:03,080 he'll deliver the gifts to those poor Saints. 141 00:11:03,840 --> 00:11:08,880 In verse 7, he talks of his intention to visit Corinth when 142 00:11:08,920 --> 00:11:12,600 the time is right. In verse 8 he explains the need 143 00:11:12,600 --> 00:11:15,120 to be an Ephesus until Pentecost. 144 00:11:15,400 --> 00:11:18,160 And he tells them why. For a great door. 145 00:11:18,160 --> 00:11:19,920 And the factual is opened unto me. 146 00:11:20,120 --> 00:11:25,040 And there are many adversaries. In verses 10 and 11, he explains 147 00:11:25,040 --> 00:11:29,400 about Timothy coming to the church at Corinth. 148 00:11:29,840 --> 00:11:34,400 And then in verse 12, he mentions brother Apollos. 149 00:11:34,680 --> 00:11:37,880 He says, I'm paraphrasing. He will come when he has 150 00:11:37,880 --> 00:11:40,800 opportunity. You see, Paul wrote this first 151 00:11:40,800 --> 00:11:44,880 letter out of a heartfelt concern for the Church of 152 00:11:44,880 --> 00:11:49,320 Christ. He was often accused of being 153 00:11:49,320 --> 00:11:52,200 insincere. He was often accused of being 154 00:11:52,200 --> 00:11:55,240 untrustworthy. But he wasn't. 155 00:11:55,240 --> 00:11:59,800 He had a heartfelt concern. He had a love and a genuine 156 00:11:59,800 --> 00:12:04,040 compassion for these people. And here's the centrepiece of 157 00:12:04,040 --> 00:12:08,800 his message as he closes 4 simple, short, spirit filled 158 00:12:08,800 --> 00:12:12,400 exhortations. Now let me explain something. 159 00:12:12,760 --> 00:12:16,760 Let's read them again. Watch she stand fast in the 160 00:12:16,760 --> 00:12:17,960 faith. Quit you like men. 161 00:12:18,120 --> 00:12:22,400 Be strong. You see, here's the context to 162 00:12:22,400 --> 00:12:27,400 be explained. All of these four simple, short 163 00:12:27,400 --> 00:12:32,240 spirit filled exhortations have all military overtones. 164 00:12:33,120 --> 00:12:38,760 This is really a military verse. Doesn't it tie into the theme of 165 00:12:39,040 --> 00:12:44,120 VE Day? Here's Paul's final watchword 166 00:12:44,800 --> 00:12:48,960 and one preacher that I read. He talked about military orders 167 00:12:48,960 --> 00:12:53,000 for a backslidden dysfunctional church and that's what Corinth 168 00:12:53,000 --> 00:12:58,880 was. And yet he gave this 4 short 169 00:12:59,720 --> 00:13:04,920 military commands and each one has a military tone to it. 4 170 00:13:04,920 --> 00:13:08,240 commands full of military image, military language. 171 00:13:08,520 --> 00:13:14,040 Why? The Christian life is not a bed 172 00:13:14,040 --> 00:13:18,560 of roses. It's not a banquet, it's not a 173 00:13:18,560 --> 00:13:22,360 party. The Christian Church and the 174 00:13:22,360 --> 00:13:26,520 individual Christian within it is in a spiritual war. 175 00:13:27,920 --> 00:13:33,040 We are in a spiritual battle. We are called to be Christian 176 00:13:33,040 --> 00:13:37,080 soldiers, and the language here is that of a commanding officer 177 00:13:37,080 --> 00:13:39,480 preparing his soldiers for to fight. 178 00:13:40,240 --> 00:13:44,720 See, we are in a spiritual war. We are soldiers engaged in 179 00:13:44,720 --> 00:13:49,360 spiritual warfare. The Free Presbyterian Church 180 00:13:49,360 --> 00:13:56,040 tonight, 74 years after its inception, is still at war from 181 00:13:56,040 --> 00:14:02,320 the day of its commencement. We are called to spiritual 182 00:14:02,320 --> 00:14:04,600 warfare. Now, let me explain. 183 00:14:05,000 --> 00:14:07,000 I'm using the word spiritual warfare. 184 00:14:07,120 --> 00:14:09,600 We are not charged to invade another country. 185 00:14:10,280 --> 00:14:13,920 We're not charged to go out and murder other people. 186 00:14:14,280 --> 00:14:16,440 We believe in the sanctity of life. 187 00:14:16,440 --> 00:14:18,480 We believe in keeping the 6th commandment. 188 00:14:18,480 --> 00:14:23,640 Thy shall not kill. We are called to be spiritual 189 00:14:23,640 --> 00:14:27,480 soldiers. And as spiritual soldiers we are 190 00:14:27,480 --> 00:14:31,640 therefore uniformed. As spiritual soldiers were 191 00:14:31,640 --> 00:14:36,440 united, as spiritual soldiers were unique, as spiritual 192 00:14:36,440 --> 00:14:40,880 soldiers were universally standing shoulder to shoulder 193 00:14:41,000 --> 00:14:46,680 together, And we're going to face heresies and persecutions 194 00:14:47,320 --> 00:14:50,920 and false doctrines and false religion, spiritual lies, 195 00:14:50,920 --> 00:14:55,720 falsehood, discord, division, apostasy, opposition. 196 00:14:57,040 --> 00:15:01,840 And we're not aiming to be culturally relevant, remember? 197 00:15:02,240 --> 00:15:06,360 James says friendship with the world is to be an enmity with 198 00:15:06,360 --> 00:15:11,920 God. The Church of Jesus Christ is 199 00:15:11,920 --> 00:15:15,680 not only a hospital for the sick. 200 00:15:16,360 --> 00:15:19,360 The Church of Jesus Christ is also an army. 201 00:15:19,880 --> 00:15:23,600 Remember what Paul says in Ephesians chapter 6 and in the 202 00:15:24,160 --> 00:15:28,240 verse 12, Ephesians chapter 6 and verse 12. 203 00:15:29,200 --> 00:15:31,720 Listen to the Word of God, for we wrestle not against flesh and 204 00:15:31,720 --> 00:15:34,160 blood, but against principalities, against powers, 205 00:15:34,160 --> 00:15:36,280 against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against 206 00:15:36,280 --> 00:15:39,880 spiritual wickedness in high places. 207 00:15:40,840 --> 00:15:42,400 Now let me stress something tonight. 208 00:15:42,720 --> 00:15:50,080 Listen to me carefully. Modern churchmen and young men 209 00:15:50,080 --> 00:15:54,120 in particular in the ministry do not get it. 210 00:15:55,320 --> 00:15:59,200 They have lost sight of it because many of them are 211 00:15:59,200 --> 00:16:05,720 terrified by the militant language of Scripture, and many 212 00:16:05,720 --> 00:16:11,200 are not prepared to earnestly contend for the Fiat once 213 00:16:11,200 --> 00:16:14,800 delivered unto the Saints. And they're more than happy to 214 00:16:14,800 --> 00:16:18,800 sit down with the enemies of the gospel, have a cup of tea and 215 00:16:18,880 --> 00:16:22,640 maybe a scorn. And they want to find common 216 00:16:22,640 --> 00:16:25,040 ground. They want to look for what 217 00:16:25,040 --> 00:16:27,520 unites us rather than what divides us. 218 00:16:27,520 --> 00:16:29,560 We'll not talk about what divides us. 219 00:16:29,760 --> 00:16:34,160 It's not important, it's not vital, it's not necessary. 220 00:16:34,320 --> 00:16:38,080 But as they sit down with the enemies of the cross, they're 221 00:16:38,080 --> 00:16:41,080 forgetting that they're in a spiritual war. 222 00:16:41,520 --> 00:16:45,480 They're forgetting that there's a spiritual battle to be fought. 223 00:16:46,000 --> 00:16:49,760 They're forgetting that we're really in a, in a spiritual war. 224 00:16:49,840 --> 00:16:52,240 Oh, not a literal struggle with flesh and blood. 225 00:16:52,680 --> 00:16:56,040 Something more important, something more dangerous, 226 00:16:56,360 --> 00:16:59,920 something more serious, something more deadly. 227 00:17:00,280 --> 00:17:03,840 Because this war's eternal. There's no let up. 228 00:17:05,079 --> 00:17:08,599 This is a a war where there's never a day off. 229 00:17:08,599 --> 00:17:12,480 This is a battle for the hearts and minds of men and women. 230 00:17:12,560 --> 00:17:15,560 This is a battle for the souls of men and women. 231 00:17:18,480 --> 00:17:24,200 We need to accept, we need to own the fact that we have been 232 00:17:24,200 --> 00:17:29,440 called not only to be sons in a family, but we are called to be 233 00:17:29,440 --> 00:17:33,240 soldiers in the army of King Jesus. 234 00:17:33,240 --> 00:17:35,000 We're we're soldiers of the cross. 235 00:17:36,120 --> 00:17:39,680 We were singing there that lovely hymn Am IA, Soldier of 236 00:17:39,680 --> 00:17:43,600 the Cross and Second Timothy, chapter 2, verse 3 says, 237 00:17:43,600 --> 00:17:49,560 therefore endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. 238 00:17:50,960 --> 00:17:57,760 I'm not called to be an entertainer or a manager or an 239 00:17:57,760 --> 00:18:01,760 educator. I'm called to be a Christian 240 00:18:01,760 --> 00:18:07,160 soldier. And as a Christian soldier, I 241 00:18:07,160 --> 00:18:11,600 have to live with the idea and the concept that I'm in a war 242 00:18:11,600 --> 00:18:18,000 zone and therefore I need courage, I need a charge, I need 243 00:18:18,000 --> 00:18:19,520 to know that I've got a Commission. 244 00:18:19,680 --> 00:18:24,120 I need, I need conviction. And you see, that's the context 245 00:18:24,320 --> 00:18:30,520 upon which Paul sets forth these four simple but straightforward 246 00:18:30,640 --> 00:18:35,480 spirit filled exhortations. There are 4 military 247 00:18:36,000 --> 00:18:40,680 explanations, the context that needs to be explained very 248 00:18:40,680 --> 00:18:44,680 quickly, the content that needs to be expanded. 249 00:18:46,160 --> 00:18:48,240 Notice these 4 words again. Watch she. 250 00:18:49,880 --> 00:18:53,160 Here's a command to watchfulness. 251 00:18:53,720 --> 00:19:00,680 It means literally be on the alert, be watchful, and one of 252 00:19:00,680 --> 00:19:04,240 the great dangers facing any soldiers to fall asleep in duty. 253 00:19:05,640 --> 00:19:09,760 This is a call to stay awake. And one of the big dangers that 254 00:19:09,760 --> 00:19:14,640 Christian soldiers face is apathy and indifference. 255 00:19:14,640 --> 00:19:19,000 You, you think of a century in duty and he's tired and he falls 256 00:19:19,000 --> 00:19:21,880 asleep and he falls into a spirit of slumber. 257 00:19:22,640 --> 00:19:27,960 And the enemy can come. They can invade the camp. 258 00:19:29,320 --> 00:19:34,400 You see, a century in duty must stay at his post. 259 00:19:34,720 --> 00:19:38,120 He must stand guard. And in order to stay at his post 260 00:19:38,120 --> 00:19:40,240 and stand guard, he has to stay awake. 261 00:19:40,480 --> 00:19:43,240 And he has to stay awake in face of danger, in the face of the 262 00:19:43,280 --> 00:19:44,920 enemy. And if he falls asleep, the 263 00:19:44,920 --> 00:19:48,840 enemies come and he, along with his fellow soldiers, could be 264 00:19:48,840 --> 00:19:51,960 put to death. I think of the night that Paul 265 00:19:51,960 --> 00:19:56,440 was in The Cave, him and his or Saul rather him and his army. 266 00:19:56,680 --> 00:20:00,200 Remember they were hunting King David and Saul fell asleep. 267 00:20:01,040 --> 00:20:02,600 That night Saul was in grave danger. 268 00:20:02,600 --> 00:20:05,360 Remember, David and Abishai walked in and out of the camp. 269 00:20:05,600 --> 00:20:08,840 Abishai, remember, wanted to smite David to death, and David 270 00:20:08,840 --> 00:20:11,760 wouldn't let him because he said it was wrong to touch the Lord's 271 00:20:11,760 --> 00:20:13,360 anointed. So they just cut off a little 272 00:20:13,360 --> 00:20:16,720 bit off his robe and held it up in the mountain side in the 273 00:20:16,720 --> 00:20:21,360 morning when he called out. You see, the apostle Paul was 274 00:20:21,360 --> 00:20:24,480 fully conscious of this need to be watchful. 275 00:20:25,360 --> 00:20:27,520 Look with me at verse 8, he says, But I will tarry at 276 00:20:27,520 --> 00:20:29,480 Ephesus until Pentecost. Why? 277 00:20:29,640 --> 00:20:33,720 For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are 278 00:20:33,720 --> 00:20:40,600 many adversaries. You see this watch ye was a word 279 00:20:40,600 --> 00:20:44,040 that was precious to Paul. It was a word that was personal 280 00:20:44,040 --> 00:20:46,840 to Paul. It was a word that was powerful 281 00:20:46,840 --> 00:20:49,920 for Paul because Paul was taking heed to it. 282 00:20:50,080 --> 00:20:53,880 He's aware that he's in a war. He's aware that he's in a 283 00:20:53,880 --> 00:20:57,480 running spiritual battle. He testified that he'd forced 284 00:20:57,480 --> 00:20:59,680 with some of the beasts at Ephesus. 285 00:21:00,560 --> 00:21:03,760 Remember, a man by the name of Demetrius stirred up the crowd, 286 00:21:04,200 --> 00:21:07,040 and they would have beat Paul to death had the Romans not 287 00:21:07,040 --> 00:21:11,680 intervened. He was fighting many spiritual 288 00:21:11,680 --> 00:21:17,240 enemies, enemies of the cross. And yet Paul, day in and day 289 00:21:17,320 --> 00:21:21,440 out, was filled with a sense of this duty, that he must be 290 00:21:21,440 --> 00:21:24,680 watchful. And we live in a day when many 291 00:21:24,680 --> 00:21:29,040 are ignoring that. Many are rebelling against this 292 00:21:29,040 --> 00:21:32,440 call to be watchful. Many are saying I don't need to 293 00:21:32,440 --> 00:21:36,120 be watchful. To me, they're being arrogant. 294 00:21:36,720 --> 00:21:38,200 To me, they've been full of pride. 295 00:21:39,080 --> 00:21:43,120 To me, many are expressing a false tolerance. 296 00:21:43,520 --> 00:21:46,080 See, we have a false tolerance that's abroad today. 297 00:21:46,840 --> 00:21:50,200 And we've got a, a phoney standard of love and a phoney 298 00:21:50,200 --> 00:21:55,240 standard of gentleness, especially when it comes down to 299 00:21:55,240 --> 00:21:57,840 what we call the, the fundamentals of the faith. 300 00:21:58,280 --> 00:22:05,120 See, in the past 25 years, every fundamental doctrine has been up 301 00:22:05,120 --> 00:22:07,800 for debate. People have come along with a 302 00:22:07,800 --> 00:22:11,280 new idea, the new prospectus, and Paul, a new idea on the 303 00:22:11,280 --> 00:22:13,360 doctrine of justification by faith alone. 304 00:22:15,960 --> 00:22:19,880 People have agreed to disagree. They set aside the fundamental 305 00:22:19,880 --> 00:22:22,600 doctrine of justification by faith alone, and they've adopted 306 00:22:22,600 --> 00:22:25,640 this new fad, this new doctrinal position. 307 00:22:25,640 --> 00:22:27,160 The men have jumped on it. Why? 308 00:22:27,160 --> 00:22:30,400 Because they're so tolerant. And anybody that says anything 309 00:22:30,400 --> 00:22:33,080 against it, well, you're so intolerant. 310 00:22:34,440 --> 00:22:38,240 And you see what the forgotten is this, that we're in a 311 00:22:38,240 --> 00:22:44,960 spiritual war and there's a spiritual fight for the truth. 312 00:22:44,960 --> 00:22:46,840 We're to be valiant for the truth. 313 00:22:47,280 --> 00:22:52,840 We're to be watchful. Remember Proverbs 2323 says by 314 00:22:52,840 --> 00:22:55,800 the truth and sell it, not also wisdom and instruction and 315 00:22:55,800 --> 00:22:58,120 understanding. So we're to by the truth, by 316 00:22:58,120 --> 00:23:00,480 wisdom, instruction and understanding. 317 00:23:00,600 --> 00:23:02,640 Why? Because we need to be watchful, 318 00:23:02,920 --> 00:23:04,200 because we're in a spiritual war. 319 00:23:04,960 --> 00:23:07,000 You need to be watchful for the world, for the world will want 320 00:23:07,000 --> 00:23:10,720 to squeeze you into its mould. Bible says love not the world, 321 00:23:10,720 --> 00:23:12,720 neither the things that are in the world of any man love the 322 00:23:12,720 --> 00:23:15,720 world. The love of the Father is not in 323 00:23:16,000 --> 00:23:17,920 them. We need to be watchful of the 324 00:23:17,920 --> 00:23:20,720 flesh. Our hearts are deceitful, 325 00:23:21,360 --> 00:23:24,080 desperately wicked, prone to sin, prone to error. 326 00:23:25,280 --> 00:23:27,440 Remember the four worldly men in the Bible. 327 00:23:28,520 --> 00:23:33,000 Solomon was the wisest, Samson was the strongest. 328 00:23:34,240 --> 00:23:38,840 Peter was the bravest. David was the choicest, the man 329 00:23:38,840 --> 00:23:41,680 after God's own heart. And yet all four men were 330 00:23:41,680 --> 00:23:43,400 brought down. Why? 331 00:23:43,640 --> 00:23:46,560 Because they forgot about the proneness to sin in their own 332 00:23:46,560 --> 00:23:53,080 heart. The heart is deceitful, and if 333 00:23:53,080 --> 00:23:56,600 these men fail, then you and I are not immune. 334 00:23:57,920 --> 00:24:02,640 You and I need to be watchful and not only be watchful for the 335 00:24:02,640 --> 00:24:07,240 world squeezing us into its mould and trying to to condition 336 00:24:07,240 --> 00:24:11,160 us and and the inward remaining sin pull us down and mar our 337 00:24:11,160 --> 00:24:13,240 testimony. But we need to be aware of the 338 00:24:13,240 --> 00:24:15,080 devil. The Bible says neither give 339 00:24:15,080 --> 00:24:19,520 place to the devil. Satan is the God of this world, 340 00:24:20,480 --> 00:24:23,280 need to watch for his approach, watch for his attack. 341 00:24:23,920 --> 00:24:27,120 The Bible says your adversary, the devil goeth about as a 342 00:24:27,120 --> 00:24:29,280 roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. 343 00:24:30,720 --> 00:24:33,560 We could also watch tonight in a positive sense, not just a 344 00:24:33,560 --> 00:24:36,160 negative sense, but we could watch for the souls of men, 345 00:24:37,280 --> 00:24:40,880 those that are needing counsel, those that are concerned, those 346 00:24:40,880 --> 00:24:42,400 that are troubled for their soul. 347 00:24:43,160 --> 00:24:47,000 We need to watch for the second coming, Matthew chapter 24, 348 00:24:47,000 --> 00:24:50,640 verse 42. They are of Christ coming as 349 00:24:50,640 --> 00:24:52,200 dear. We're to labour on. 350 00:24:52,200 --> 00:24:55,480 We're to be faithful. It's wonderful to know that a 351 00:24:55,480 --> 00:24:57,520 man by the name of Horatius Bonner, one of the old 352 00:24:57,520 --> 00:25:00,360 Presbyterians in Scotland, he lived in light of that. 353 00:25:00,600 --> 00:25:03,720 He went to bed every night and closed the curtains and he said 354 00:25:03,960 --> 00:25:06,480 Even so come Lord Jesus. When he opened them in the 355 00:25:06,480 --> 00:25:11,360 morning, he said perhaps today you'll come, Lord Jesus. 356 00:25:11,480 --> 00:25:13,680 He lived in a spurt of comfull watchfulness. 357 00:25:13,800 --> 00:25:18,040 He lived in light of eternity, of meeting God and being 358 00:25:18,040 --> 00:25:20,120 faithful. A command to watchfulness. 359 00:25:20,120 --> 00:25:25,880 Very quickly there's a command to steadfastness, stand fast in 360 00:25:25,880 --> 00:25:29,880 the faith. We're exhorted the steadfastness 361 00:25:30,120 --> 00:25:37,520 when it comes to the faith. The word stand fast means to, to 362 00:25:37,560 --> 00:25:42,600 persevere, to, to, to dig your heels and notice. 363 00:25:42,600 --> 00:25:46,320 It's the faith. It's not just our personal faith 364 00:25:46,320 --> 00:25:50,680 in Christ. It's the body of doctrine that 365 00:25:50,680 --> 00:25:53,960 we believe. Jude three says earnestly 366 00:25:53,960 --> 00:25:57,280 contend for the faith once delivered onto the the Saints. 367 00:25:57,280 --> 00:26:00,000 You see, there is a a standard of doctrine. 368 00:26:00,520 --> 00:26:03,520 There's a body of doctrine to be preserved. 369 00:26:04,320 --> 00:26:07,880 We're to stand tonight as a church for the doctrine of God, 370 00:26:08,120 --> 00:26:10,880 as God has revealed in the Scriptures. 371 00:26:12,080 --> 00:26:14,440 We're to stand for the doctrine of Holy Scripture. 372 00:26:14,440 --> 00:26:16,640 I believe the Bible just doesn't contain the word of God. 373 00:26:16,640 --> 00:26:18,560 It is the word of God, infallible, inerrant and 374 00:26:18,560 --> 00:26:21,520 authoritative. We could say so many other 375 00:26:21,520 --> 00:26:24,000 things. I believe tonight in the 376 00:26:24,000 --> 00:26:27,440 doctrine of salvation that centres in the personal work of 377 00:26:27,480 --> 00:26:31,360 Jesus Christ, His incarnation, his sinless life, his atoning 378 00:26:31,360 --> 00:26:36,800 death, his bodily resurrection. In our texts that's going out in 379 00:26:36,800 --> 00:26:40,440 relation to the Gospel mission, we've got John 14 verse 6. 380 00:26:40,440 --> 00:26:42,880 Jesus said I'm the way, the truth, the life, No man comes 381 00:26:42,880 --> 00:26:47,000 unto the Father, but by me. We stand tonight for the 382 00:26:47,000 --> 00:26:49,080 doctrine of justification by faith alone. 383 00:26:50,240 --> 00:26:52,200 We stand for the doctrine of repentance. 384 00:26:52,880 --> 00:26:54,960 We tell people it's not just enough to be sorry. 385 00:26:55,360 --> 00:26:56,880 You've got to turn from your sin. 386 00:26:57,600 --> 00:27:01,720 Jesus doesn't save you in your sin, He saves you from your sin. 387 00:27:03,120 --> 00:27:07,600 The doctrine of sanctification, the doctrine of separation 388 00:27:07,800 --> 00:27:11,760 ecclesiastically and and personal separation, the 389 00:27:11,760 --> 00:27:14,920 doctrine of the blood atonement, the doctrine of the second 390 00:27:14,920 --> 00:27:19,920 coming, all of these doctrines combined together make up what 391 00:27:19,920 --> 00:27:24,120 we call the fundamentals of the faith and therefore into the 392 00:27:24,120 --> 00:27:26,480 church. When a spurt of pluralism comes 393 00:27:26,600 --> 00:27:30,840 or or something with a postmodern or relative mindset, 394 00:27:31,040 --> 00:27:33,520 we have to say to that individual, but there's an 395 00:27:33,520 --> 00:27:39,400 absolute truth that's clear and plain and we're to stand fast, 396 00:27:39,840 --> 00:27:43,120 We're to dig the heels in, we're to say not an inch. 397 00:27:44,120 --> 00:27:48,360 In John 1717, the Lord Jesus prayed sanctify them through thy 398 00:27:48,360 --> 00:27:51,400 word. Thy word is truth. 399 00:27:52,280 --> 00:27:55,840 We've already been encouraged. Proverbs 2323 by the truth and 400 00:27:55,840 --> 00:27:58,320 shall it not Why? Because it's not ours to sell 401 00:28:00,040 --> 00:28:03,880 the entrance of thy word. The psalmist said 119 Psalm 119, 402 00:28:03,880 --> 00:28:06,560 verse 130. The entrance of thy word giveth 403 00:28:06,560 --> 00:28:09,640 light. It giveth understanding to the 404 00:28:09,640 --> 00:28:13,440 symbol. And you see we must hold on to 405 00:28:13,440 --> 00:28:16,280 the faith with strong conviction. 406 00:28:17,320 --> 00:28:22,720 You see, the 21st century doesn't like dogmatism, it likes 407 00:28:22,720 --> 00:28:25,360 diversity. Let me give you an example. 408 00:28:26,520 --> 00:28:30,240 In the Larry King Show in the States of America, he delights 409 00:28:30,240 --> 00:28:33,600 to get evangelicals on men who profess to be evangelicals, 410 00:28:33,600 --> 00:28:36,480 especially preachers, especially some of the people from the mega 411 00:28:36,480 --> 00:28:39,320 churches. And this is what he asked them. 412 00:28:40,560 --> 00:28:46,440 Is a conscious, personal faith in Christ the only way to get to 413 00:28:46,440 --> 00:28:47,920 heaven? He asks every one of them. 414 00:28:48,680 --> 00:28:51,360 And you know, some of them fumble that and some of them 415 00:28:51,360 --> 00:28:53,960 fudge it. I haven't heard one or heard of 416 00:28:53,960 --> 00:28:59,480 one who has come out absolutely clear and said that Christ alone 417 00:28:59,640 --> 00:29:04,320 is the only door into heaven. And yet that's what the Bible 418 00:29:04,320 --> 00:29:07,600 teaches. See that's what I mean where 419 00:29:07,600 --> 00:29:12,600 very few being dogmatic today they they prefer diversity but 420 00:29:12,600 --> 00:29:15,400 not dogmatism. We need to rediscover dogmatism. 421 00:29:15,960 --> 00:29:18,240 We need to rediscover dogmatic theology. 422 00:29:18,360 --> 00:29:20,680 Stand fast in the faith. Very quickly. 423 00:29:21,080 --> 00:29:26,280 There's a command to manliness. Look again at our text Quit you 424 00:29:27,120 --> 00:29:31,600 like men. That's a charge to behave and 425 00:29:31,600 --> 00:29:37,720 act in a manly fashion, act as a manly man. 426 00:29:38,840 --> 00:29:42,440 It's really a call to play the man. 427 00:29:43,800 --> 00:29:48,360 Many don't want to. Many are fascinated with new 428 00:29:48,360 --> 00:29:52,120 fads, new doctrines, as I've said, the new prospectus and 429 00:29:52,120 --> 00:29:55,480 Paul, a new radical doctrine that emerged a few years ago 430 00:29:55,480 --> 00:29:57,760 with the doctrine on eternal punishment. 431 00:29:58,320 --> 00:30:00,000 Eternal punishment, the author said. 432 00:30:00,000 --> 00:30:05,760 And Mr Fudge is, well, it's not eternal, doesn't matter what the 433 00:30:05,760 --> 00:30:08,320 Bible says. And I argued that point with an 434 00:30:08,320 --> 00:30:10,840 individual. It causes doubt, it causes 435 00:30:10,840 --> 00:30:14,160 confusion, it causes you to deny the word of God. 436 00:30:15,960 --> 00:30:20,000 Mr Fudge had come up with some brilliant idea as to why it 437 00:30:20,160 --> 00:30:25,520 wasn't eternal, wrote a book, it was lauded, held up to be a 438 00:30:25,520 --> 00:30:28,320 great work. And seminaries and universities 439 00:30:28,320 --> 00:30:33,080 in England and in America. See, we need to man up. 440 00:30:34,800 --> 00:30:38,360 This is a word that speaks of masculinity as opposed to 441 00:30:38,680 --> 00:30:43,000 femininity. Or to act like men, not a girl. 442 00:30:43,360 --> 00:30:46,560 And I don't mean that in a derogatory sense or like a 443 00:30:46,560 --> 00:30:49,840 woman. Literally, it's be manly. 444 00:30:50,920 --> 00:30:54,600 Remember whenever Bishop Hugh Latimer at the age of 70 and 445 00:30:54,640 --> 00:30:57,560 Nicholas Ridley at the age of 50 were being burned at the stake 446 00:30:57,880 --> 00:31:02,720 in Oxford and Board St being burnt to death during the reign 447 00:31:02,720 --> 00:31:06,320 of Bloody Mary, remembers the flames LED around them. 448 00:31:06,720 --> 00:31:10,680 Latimer said to Ridley and I quote, Be of good comfort master 449 00:31:10,680 --> 00:31:14,360 Ridley, and play the man we shall this daylight. 450 00:31:14,360 --> 00:31:18,040 Such a candle, by God's grace in England as I trust shall never 451 00:31:18,480 --> 00:31:22,320 be put out. That was on the 16th of October 452 00:31:22,680 --> 00:31:30,680 1555 having been taken from the Tower of London. 453 00:31:32,400 --> 00:31:34,480 There was another time when George Whitfield was being 454 00:31:34,480 --> 00:31:38,480 stoned in the open air and as the stones were flying over the 455 00:31:38,480 --> 00:31:42,440 air towards him and his wife, his wife said now George, play 456 00:31:42,440 --> 00:31:48,960 the man for the Lord Jesus. You see, in our day, God says to 457 00:31:48,960 --> 00:31:53,800 Ezekiel 22 and verse 30I sought for a man and found none. 458 00:31:58,680 --> 00:32:04,520 You see, to be manly will mean you have courage, strength, 459 00:32:04,520 --> 00:32:06,600 boldness. You'll be stout hearted, you'll 460 00:32:06,600 --> 00:32:10,920 have a spirit of heroism that there'll be a daringness about 461 00:32:10,960 --> 00:32:15,200 you, a gallantry of bravery. You see, it's in the context of 462 00:32:15,200 --> 00:32:18,920 warfare and it's it's a call to arms. 463 00:32:19,120 --> 00:32:22,040 It's a it's a a summons to battle. 464 00:32:22,280 --> 00:32:25,320 We're to fight the good fight of faith like men. 465 00:32:25,320 --> 00:32:28,240 We're to find the faith in in a manly way. 466 00:32:29,600 --> 00:32:31,560 Remember, this is given to the whole church. 467 00:32:32,160 --> 00:32:34,640 This is the duty of the pastor, the elder, the Deacon. 468 00:32:34,760 --> 00:32:36,440 This is the duty of the women folk. 469 00:32:37,160 --> 00:32:40,880 We're to be vigilant. We're to be valiant. 470 00:32:41,440 --> 00:32:43,600 And this is not a missing quality today. 471 00:32:45,240 --> 00:32:49,680 Some modern versions of the Bible, believe it or not, have 472 00:32:49,680 --> 00:32:56,000 got the words Quit being manly. Well, that's not what the Bible 473 00:32:56,000 --> 00:32:59,760 says. They want it weak. 474 00:33:01,080 --> 00:33:03,800 They want it to be wonderfully soft and dainty. 475 00:33:04,400 --> 00:33:07,720 They want it to be petty and childless and womanly. 476 00:33:09,080 --> 00:33:10,360 They certainly don't want doctrine. 477 00:33:12,720 --> 00:33:18,160 God uses men. Think of Gideon's 300 men, men 478 00:33:18,160 --> 00:33:20,840 who kept vigilant, men who were valiant. 479 00:33:22,160 --> 00:33:24,680 There's a command to be mandate very quickly here. 480 00:33:24,720 --> 00:33:26,760 There's a command to parlour fullness. 481 00:33:26,920 --> 00:33:28,880 Notice these words. Be strong. 482 00:33:30,520 --> 00:33:32,200 What's the opposite of be strong? 483 00:33:34,040 --> 00:33:36,880 Well, it's weak. And when you're weak, then 484 00:33:37,560 --> 00:33:40,680 you're discouraged. And when you're discouraged, 485 00:33:40,680 --> 00:33:43,840 you've lost heart, you've lost a mindset, you've lost the will, 486 00:33:43,920 --> 00:33:46,040 you've lost your strength. You say to yourself, well, I 487 00:33:46,040 --> 00:33:50,480 can't do it anymore. It's not enough to be bold and 488 00:33:50,480 --> 00:33:55,120 manly. We've got to be strong as we 489 00:33:55,120 --> 00:33:59,680 face the enemy. And not just physically, but 490 00:33:59,680 --> 00:34:03,000 mentally, emotionally, but most of all spiritually. 491 00:34:03,280 --> 00:34:08,760 Be strong to endure all that the enemy hurls towards you and it's 492 00:34:08,760 --> 00:34:11,520 worldly governments not throwing everything at the Christian 493 00:34:11,520 --> 00:34:15,880 Church Today is the media that with all its biassed anti God 494 00:34:15,880 --> 00:34:20,239 agenda not not constantly chipping away at the life and 495 00:34:20,239 --> 00:34:24,400 witness of the church, the established religion, the 496 00:34:24,400 --> 00:34:31,520 political elite, the academics, they all come together to oppose 497 00:34:31,520 --> 00:34:36,000 the Christian Church and it's witness and it's dogmatism that 498 00:34:36,000 --> 00:34:39,360 Jesus Christ and his person and work is the only ground to 499 00:34:39,360 --> 00:34:41,960 heaven. And yet listen to what the Lord 500 00:34:41,960 --> 00:34:45,880 Jesus said in John 15. He said if the world hate you, 501 00:34:46,159 --> 00:34:48,280 you know that it hated me before it hated you. 502 00:34:48,719 --> 00:34:50,960 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. 503 00:34:51,080 --> 00:34:53,760 But because you're not of the world, but I have chosen you out 504 00:34:53,760 --> 00:34:55,679 of the world, therefore the world hateth you. 505 00:34:56,080 --> 00:34:58,640 Remember the word that I've said unto you, The servant is not 506 00:34:58,640 --> 00:35:02,040 greater than his Lord. If they have persecuted me, they 507 00:35:02,040 --> 00:35:05,320 will also persecute you. If they have kept my saying, 508 00:35:05,560 --> 00:35:09,120 they will keep yours also. And over in Second Timothy 509 00:35:09,120 --> 00:35:11,800 chapter 3 and verse 12, we read Yeah. 510 00:35:12,400 --> 00:35:15,960 And all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer 511 00:35:15,960 --> 00:35:18,680 persecution. But evil men and seducers shall 512 00:35:18,680 --> 00:35:21,920 wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. 513 00:35:22,480 --> 00:35:25,040 But continue now in the things which that was learned and has 514 00:35:25,040 --> 00:35:29,600 been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learnt them. 515 00:35:30,320 --> 00:35:33,040 We need physical strength to be strong. 516 00:35:33,520 --> 00:35:37,280 We need mental strength, perfect peace, peace of God, peace with 517 00:35:37,360 --> 00:35:39,160 God. We need spiritual strength, 518 00:35:39,240 --> 00:35:44,480 strength to stand. Here's a command, fourfold 519 00:35:44,520 --> 00:35:48,400 exhortation. This is the content that needs 520 00:35:48,400 --> 00:35:50,960 to be expanded. There's a command here to 521 00:35:50,960 --> 00:35:53,920 watchfulness. There's a command here to 522 00:35:53,920 --> 00:35:58,680 steadfastness, a command here to manliness, a command to 523 00:35:58,680 --> 00:36:01,640 powerlessness. And that's what we need to 524 00:36:01,640 --> 00:36:04,080 rediscover. And I finished tonight with 525 00:36:04,080 --> 00:36:09,520 this, keeping in mind what I've said, there's a conclusion to be 526 00:36:09,520 --> 00:36:14,280 established. If we're in a war, and we are, 527 00:36:15,520 --> 00:36:19,880 and we're called to be Christian soldiers, and as Christian 528 00:36:19,880 --> 00:36:24,920 soldiers were to be watchful and we're to be steadfast and we're 529 00:36:24,920 --> 00:36:29,280 to be manly and we're to be strong, then I want to ask this 530 00:36:29,280 --> 00:36:33,920 question as we finish. Do you tonight know that you're 531 00:36:33,920 --> 00:36:38,080 a Christian soldier? Are you a Christian soldier? 532 00:36:38,320 --> 00:36:41,160 Can you say tonight in the words of the little children's chorus, 533 00:36:41,480 --> 00:36:44,840 I'm in the Lord's army? Are you in the Lord's army? 534 00:36:44,960 --> 00:36:49,200 Have you enlisted by hearing the call of Christ to come to him 535 00:36:49,360 --> 00:36:51,320 and repent and receive the gospel? 536 00:36:51,680 --> 00:36:54,760 Have you knelt before him and said, Lord, make me one of your 537 00:36:54,760 --> 00:36:58,160 own, not just a son and a servant, but but make me as a 538 00:36:58,160 --> 00:37:02,240 soldier of the cross. See, many are not tonight. 539 00:37:04,520 --> 00:37:08,600 Many are not saved. Many are not united to Christ. 540 00:37:09,440 --> 00:37:13,960 And I think of the slogan that went out during the World War. 541 00:37:13,960 --> 00:37:17,080 Your country needs you. Well, I'm going to make another 542 00:37:17,080 --> 00:37:19,280 slogan. Your church needs you. 543 00:37:20,440 --> 00:37:24,840 This church, the evangelical church, the Reformed Church in 544 00:37:24,840 --> 00:37:29,520 Northern Ireland, needs men and needs young men. 545 00:37:30,200 --> 00:37:34,840 There's a call for young men to come, to come to Christ, and as 546 00:37:34,840 --> 00:37:39,080 they come to Christ to receive this charge from Christ. 547 00:37:39,280 --> 00:37:43,200 He has called them to be 1, to be a Christian soldier in his 548 00:37:43,240 --> 00:37:47,400 army in a world, to wage spiritual warfare against the 549 00:37:47,720 --> 00:37:51,600 world, the flesh and the devil. And that's the conclusion that 550 00:37:51,600 --> 00:37:54,800 need to be established. And it's going to be hard and 551 00:37:54,800 --> 00:38:02,320 difficult, but that's the call from Christ, the King's army. 552 00:38:04,240 --> 00:38:08,480 Will you be a part of it? That's the conclusion to be 553 00:38:08,480 --> 00:38:11,000 established. There's a context here to be 554 00:38:11,000 --> 00:38:12,400 explained. I've explained it. 555 00:38:13,440 --> 00:38:15,360 There's a content to be expounded. 556 00:38:15,480 --> 00:38:19,000 I've tried to expounded, but this conclusion must be 557 00:38:19,000 --> 00:38:23,120 established. Do you recognise as a Christian 558 00:38:23,120 --> 00:38:27,120 tonight that you've been called to be a soldier? 559 00:38:28,840 --> 00:38:34,400 You're in a spiritual war, in a battle with the world, the flesh 560 00:38:34,400 --> 00:38:39,280 and the devil, and there's no let up until the day the King 561 00:38:39,280 --> 00:38:41,880 calls you home to higher service. 562 00:38:42,280 --> 00:38:45,480 Are you willing for that? Will you accept that charge? 563 00:38:46,000 --> 00:38:49,440 Will you step forward and say Lord and let's me tonight. 564 00:38:50,120 --> 00:38:53,000 Thank you Lord for teaching me who I am. 565 00:38:54,200 --> 00:39:00,120 Stand fast in the faith 511951 When this church was born, 566 00:39:00,240 --> 00:39:05,280 that's what it was called into being to be. 74 years on, the 567 00:39:05,280 --> 00:39:09,760 same call goes out. We're called to stand fast in 568 00:39:09,760 --> 00:39:12,600 the faith. May the Lord bless you. 569 00:39:13,560 --> 00:39:19,200 Next Lord's Day evening we'll look at the call to stand fast 570 00:39:19,200 --> 00:39:24,120 and freedom, and that will tie in then to the VED as the Lord 571 00:39:24,120 --> 00:39:25,120 gives us help.