1 00:00:12,080 --> 00:00:14,160 I wonder how good you are at hospitality. 2 00:00:15,040 --> 00:00:19,480 Hospitality is maybe a fancy word for simply having people around 3 00:00:19,480 --> 00:00:19,960 your house. 4 00:00:19,960 --> 00:00:23,440 And we do it probably around here more informally than formally. 5 00:00:23,440 --> 00:00:26,960 People will just pop in rather than waiting on an invitation. 6 00:00:26,960 --> 00:00:30,650 But some, sometimes there's people who we will want to invite 7 00:00:30,650 --> 00:00:33,850 to come along and we want to spend time with them. 8 00:00:34,570 --> 00:00:37,930 And that particularly comes to relatives. 9 00:00:38,090 --> 00:00:41,370 Maybe we invite someone over for a Sunday afternoon for lunch 10 00:00:41,370 --> 00:00:42,490 or something like that. 11 00:00:42,730 --> 00:00:46,570 That's how I grew up with our family, being invited over for a 12 00:00:46,570 --> 00:00:49,450 Sunday lunch and spending the afternoon with cousins. 13 00:00:49,450 --> 00:00:52,330 Or maybe we went to their house, but it was always an invitation 14 00:00:52,650 --> 00:00:56,450 so that things could be prepared and be made ready. 15 00:00:56,610 --> 00:00:59,810 And then whenever we were living overseas, our door seemed 16 00:00:59,810 --> 00:01:02,690 to be a revolving door as we would have lots of people who would 17 00:01:02,690 --> 00:01:06,810 come and stay, some of whom we invited and others who invited themselves 18 00:01:06,810 --> 00:01:09,490 because we simply happened to be near to the airport. 19 00:01:11,090 --> 00:01:17,890 But probably the most nervous we've ever gotten or get is whenever 20 00:01:18,050 --> 00:01:22,010 parents in law have come or are coming. 21 00:01:23,050 --> 00:01:27,210 I don't know if that sends a shiver down your spine of fear. 22 00:01:27,210 --> 00:01:31,650 It thankfully doesn't for me because I get on very well with my 23 00:01:31,650 --> 00:01:32,570 parents in law. 24 00:01:32,970 --> 00:01:36,050 My father in law is a very generous man and in fact he gave 25 00:01:36,050 --> 00:01:39,370 me one of those kits that I had on display this morning. 26 00:01:39,450 --> 00:01:43,250 So it's only one from a couple of years ago that hasn't been opened 27 00:01:43,250 --> 00:01:43,530 yet. 28 00:01:45,290 --> 00:01:48,450 But our parents in law for too long have received a little bit of 29 00:01:48,450 --> 00:01:49,050 bad press. 30 00:01:50,200 --> 00:01:52,880 There's all these jokes have been made up about them, particularly 31 00:01:52,880 --> 00:01:54,440 when it comes to mothers in law. 32 00:01:55,080 --> 00:02:00,560 And as much as I enjoy the company of my father in law, my mother 33 00:02:00,560 --> 00:02:04,120 in law is just as generous and as kind. 34 00:02:05,000 --> 00:02:08,360 And so I am in the thankful position of being able to welcome 35 00:02:08,360 --> 00:02:12,680 my parents in law into our home and enjoy the time that they 36 00:02:12,680 --> 00:02:13,880 spend with us. 37 00:02:14,700 --> 00:02:14,860 But. 38 00:02:14,930 --> 00:02:18,210 But for others that's not the reality. 39 00:02:18,850 --> 00:02:23,250 And maybe Christmas becomes more stress filled because the in 40 00:02:23,250 --> 00:02:24,850 laws are coming around. 41 00:02:26,050 --> 00:02:31,770 Well, today we have a story of Moses, father in law, coming to the 42 00:02:31,770 --> 00:02:32,690 camp of Israel. 43 00:02:33,090 --> 00:02:35,410 Now this simply isn't a visit for lunch. 44 00:02:36,370 --> 00:02:41,060 We're told in verse one, as we'll come to in a moment, that he's 45 00:02:41,060 --> 00:02:41,900 a Midianite. 46 00:02:41,980 --> 00:02:46,660 And we'll recall from earlier in Exodus that he was a priest at 47 00:02:46,660 --> 00:02:47,180 Midian. 48 00:02:47,820 --> 00:02:50,860 Now the Midianites are not of the family of God. 49 00:02:51,500 --> 00:02:55,340 In fact, the Midianites would fight against the Israelites. 50 00:02:55,900 --> 00:02:59,420 So there's no love lost between these two people groups. 51 00:03:00,060 --> 00:03:03,980 And yet Moses married a daughter of Midian. 52 00:03:04,700 --> 00:03:09,630 And so here we have these two cultures now coming together, and 53 00:03:09,630 --> 00:03:14,710 what we see is an amazing grace of God in all of this. 54 00:03:14,710 --> 00:03:18,070 Moses is not going out telling jokes about his father in law. 55 00:03:18,310 --> 00:03:22,150 Moses is not going to simply tolerate this visit. 56 00:03:23,670 --> 00:03:27,350 Moses is a man who respects his father in law. 57 00:03:27,910 --> 00:03:33,430 And as we will see, his father in law provides sage wisdom for Moses 58 00:03:33,670 --> 00:03:37,400 at a busy and difficult time in the life of of God's people. 59 00:03:38,760 --> 00:03:42,560 Now, if you're not familiar with how Moses got to Midian, then 60 00:03:42,560 --> 00:03:46,680 you need to go back a couple of chapters to chapter two in Exodus, 61 00:03:46,680 --> 00:03:50,920 because that's the account of Moses fleeing Egypt after he got 62 00:03:50,920 --> 00:03:54,840 into trouble with the Egyptians and with the Israelites. 63 00:03:55,720 --> 00:04:01,720 And so he fled and he became a son in law to a priest named Jethro. 64 00:04:02,670 --> 00:04:06,270 And before Moses returned to Egypt in chapter four, he asked Jethro 65 00:04:06,270 --> 00:04:07,470 to bless him as he went. 66 00:04:08,190 --> 00:04:11,070 And Jethro hasn't been mentioned since then. 67 00:04:11,710 --> 00:04:14,910 So now the text catches up for us who he is. 68 00:04:14,910 --> 00:04:18,269 And that's why we hear of Moses father in law quite a bit, 69 00:04:18,269 --> 00:04:21,590 because it's simply to remind us who this person is, because he 70 00:04:21,590 --> 00:04:23,550 hasn't been mentioned in quite a while. 71 00:04:24,350 --> 00:04:28,590 So somehow Jethro has heard that the Lord has delivered the Israelites 72 00:04:29,010 --> 00:04:33,290 and he goes to meet them, and he goes to meet them at the mountain 73 00:04:33,290 --> 00:04:35,090 of the Lord at Sinai. 74 00:04:35,810 --> 00:04:39,250 Now, verse two, verses two to four, tells us a little bit about 75 00:04:39,570 --> 00:04:40,770 Moses family. 76 00:04:41,890 --> 00:04:45,210 When Moses left Midian to go back to Egypt, he took with him his 77 00:04:45,210 --> 00:04:49,090 wife Zipporah, and their two sons, Gershom and Eliezer. 78 00:04:49,490 --> 00:04:52,570 And we're reminded of these two sons and the meaning of their 79 00:04:52,570 --> 00:04:56,120 names because they have played an important part in, in the life 80 00:04:56,120 --> 00:04:59,040 of Moses this far and what their names mean. 81 00:04:59,280 --> 00:05:02,960 One son was named Gershom, for Moses said, I have become an alien 82 00:05:02,960 --> 00:05:04,080 in a foreign land. 83 00:05:04,480 --> 00:05:08,880 And the other was named Eliezer, for he said, my father's 84 00:05:08,880 --> 00:05:10,240 God was my helper. 85 00:05:10,400 --> 00:05:13,280 He saved me from the sword of Pharaoh. 86 00:05:14,000 --> 00:05:17,880 Just as an aside, whenever you see any English word in the Old Testament 87 00:05:17,880 --> 00:05:21,440 with E L I at the front of it, that means God. 88 00:05:22,100 --> 00:05:26,140 And so that's where Moses, my father's God, is my helper, or God 89 00:05:26,140 --> 00:05:29,620 is my helper in naming his son Eliezer. 90 00:05:30,580 --> 00:05:34,460 And so through these names, these names that Moses gives his 91 00:05:34,460 --> 00:05:39,300 son, he's reminded of who he was at a certain point in time, particularly 92 00:05:39,300 --> 00:05:41,060 living in the country of Midian. 93 00:05:41,460 --> 00:05:44,900 He was a foreigner in a strange land, yet that land received 94 00:05:45,060 --> 00:05:47,540 him where he stayed for decades. 95 00:05:48,270 --> 00:05:51,870 And as a testimony of how the Lord delivered him from Pharaoh he 96 00:05:51,870 --> 00:05:56,910 named his son God of help, or God My helper. 97 00:05:58,430 --> 00:06:00,910 And it is interesting, whenever we see these names coming 98 00:06:00,910 --> 00:06:04,910 back into the story, we see that they still have relevance and 99 00:06:04,990 --> 00:06:06,990 meaning for the life of Moses. 100 00:06:07,630 --> 00:06:13,720 In chapter 18, they're telling us that he is still a foreigner because 101 00:06:13,720 --> 00:06:16,280 he's not yet home to the land that God promised. 102 00:06:16,280 --> 00:06:17,880 In fact, he'll only ever see it. 103 00:06:18,360 --> 00:06:19,880 He'll never step into it. 104 00:06:20,760 --> 00:06:24,720 But yet he will know the constant help of the Lord throughout 105 00:06:24,720 --> 00:06:27,640 each step that he will take in the wilderness wanderings. 106 00:06:29,239 --> 00:06:32,000 Well, at some point after leaving Midian, Moses sent his wife 107 00:06:32,000 --> 00:06:33,720 and sons back to Jethro. 108 00:06:34,360 --> 00:06:35,720 We don't know why he did that. 109 00:06:35,720 --> 00:06:37,640 We presume for their own safety. 110 00:06:37,640 --> 00:06:39,010 He was becoming a. 111 00:06:39,320 --> 00:06:41,840 A leading figure to the children of Israel, and Pharaoh would 112 00:06:41,840 --> 00:06:43,400 have seen him as a political figure. 113 00:06:43,560 --> 00:06:47,800 So therefore, to preserve and protect his wife and family, he got 114 00:06:47,800 --> 00:06:49,000 them back to Midian. 115 00:06:49,880 --> 00:06:53,840 And so whatever reason, Jethro naturally received them and kept 116 00:06:53,840 --> 00:06:54,720 them and looked after them. 117 00:06:54,720 --> 00:06:56,600 But now it was time for them to return. 118 00:06:56,680 --> 00:07:00,400 And so the children of Israel, under the leadership of Moses, have 119 00:07:00,400 --> 00:07:01,960 made themselves to Sinai. 120 00:07:02,200 --> 00:07:04,720 They've got to the place where they're going to camp for quite a 121 00:07:04,720 --> 00:07:04,920 while. 122 00:07:04,920 --> 00:07:07,720 No longer is it going to be packing up and moving. 123 00:07:07,720 --> 00:07:09,240 They're going to be here for a while. 124 00:07:10,180 --> 00:07:13,140 And so verse five tells us that that's exactly where they are. 125 00:07:13,220 --> 00:07:17,460 And at this point, we know that something is going to happen 126 00:07:17,540 --> 00:07:20,660 at Sinai, and we will know that it is the giving of the Ten 127 00:07:20,660 --> 00:07:23,860 Commandments and the rebellion yet again of the people. 128 00:07:24,820 --> 00:07:27,780 And so, as would have been custom at the time, Jethro sends 129 00:07:27,780 --> 00:07:29,700 word to Moses that he's coming. 130 00:07:30,100 --> 00:07:31,780 He just doesn't turn up. 131 00:07:32,820 --> 00:07:36,490 That's what family didn't do in those times, but particularly 132 00:07:36,490 --> 00:07:39,610 important family members such as Jethro, who is a priest. 133 00:07:40,090 --> 00:07:44,210 And so when Moses receives the message, he goes out eagerly to greet 134 00:07:44,210 --> 00:07:44,410 him. 135 00:07:44,410 --> 00:07:48,490 And verse seven tells us that Moses bows down to Jethro, showing 136 00:07:48,490 --> 00:07:52,810 us the appropriate respect given to his elder father in law. 137 00:07:54,090 --> 00:07:59,650 And as he then, or as they go into Moses tent, Moses tells Jethro 138 00:07:59,650 --> 00:08:03,240 how the Lord fought for Israel while they were in Egypt, and, and 139 00:08:03,240 --> 00:08:06,960 then how he has continued to help them during hardships that they 140 00:08:06,960 --> 00:08:09,600 have faced since leaving that land. 141 00:08:10,320 --> 00:08:14,840 And Moses declares God to be a God who has delivered his people 142 00:08:14,840 --> 00:08:15,400 from evil. 143 00:08:15,400 --> 00:08:17,280 And Jethro's response is a positive one. 144 00:08:17,280 --> 00:08:20,840 He listens and he hears what God has done and recognizes that 145 00:08:20,840 --> 00:08:23,480 it is only the God of Israel that could have done this. 146 00:08:23,480 --> 00:08:26,880 So let's remember what Moses will have told him. 147 00:08:27,600 --> 00:08:32,490 He'd have told him of every single plague one to nine and what 148 00:08:32,490 --> 00:08:32,890 that meant. 149 00:08:32,890 --> 00:08:36,170 And Jethro would not have been ignorant to the meaning of the frogs 150 00:08:36,170 --> 00:08:39,330 and the meaning of the river turning to blood, these life sources 151 00:08:40,290 --> 00:08:43,010 attacking the false gods of Egypt. 152 00:08:43,650 --> 00:08:49,210 Nor would he have been surprised at the angel of death in 153 00:08:49,210 --> 00:08:52,210 the 10th plague, as Moses recounted it in that night, for them 154 00:08:52,210 --> 00:08:56,170 to get ready, because there would have been a knowledge of the 155 00:08:56,170 --> 00:08:59,760 punishment that gods would have brought out upon people who 156 00:08:59,760 --> 00:09:00,960 rebelled against them. 157 00:09:01,600 --> 00:09:05,680 And so Jethro hears it, and this is his response. 158 00:09:06,400 --> 00:09:11,320 He effectively hears the gospel, the good news of God's salvation 159 00:09:11,320 --> 00:09:12,080 of his people. 160 00:09:12,720 --> 00:09:13,920 And his response is this. 161 00:09:13,920 --> 00:09:18,320 In verse nine, he was delighted to hear about all the good 162 00:09:18,320 --> 00:09:22,000 things the Lord had done for Israel in rescuing them from the 163 00:09:22,000 --> 00:09:23,280 hand of the Egyptians. 164 00:09:24,410 --> 00:09:28,090 This is an appropriate response to the gospel. 165 00:09:29,290 --> 00:09:33,530 An appropriate response is to be delighted in what God has done. 166 00:09:33,930 --> 00:09:38,170 And that's exactly what this pagan priest Jethro does. 167 00:09:38,410 --> 00:09:40,570 And what we're seeing is a transformation. 168 00:09:41,370 --> 00:09:45,250 Jethro isn't simply going to pluck the God of Israel and set him 169 00:09:45,250 --> 00:09:48,970 in a pantheon of gods just simply to add it to another one to 170 00:09:48,970 --> 00:09:49,770 whom they worship. 171 00:09:50,630 --> 00:09:53,750 Jethro, as we will now see in these verses, is going to believe 172 00:09:54,390 --> 00:09:55,270 in the Lord. 173 00:09:56,230 --> 00:09:59,230 And so this is simply more than good news to Jethro, because 174 00:09:59,230 --> 00:10:02,630 the Lord is doing something wonderful in Jethro's life. 175 00:10:02,630 --> 00:10:06,990 And in verse 10, he breaks into a song of praise at what God 176 00:10:06,990 --> 00:10:07,430 has done. 177 00:10:07,430 --> 00:10:10,390 And listen again to the exaltation in verse 11. 178 00:10:11,350 --> 00:10:16,570 Now I know that the Lord is greater than all other gods, for 179 00:10:16,570 --> 00:10:20,730 he did this to those who had treated Israel arrogantly. 180 00:10:21,690 --> 00:10:26,410 The Lord had repeatedly told Moses that his miraculous signs of 181 00:10:26,410 --> 00:10:30,090 deliverance would result in people's knowing or acknowledging 182 00:10:30,250 --> 00:10:31,370 his true nature. 183 00:10:32,410 --> 00:10:34,970 And here we see the testimony of that. 184 00:10:35,370 --> 00:10:39,290 Jethro is doing just what the Lord had said would happen. 185 00:10:40,090 --> 00:10:43,450 He's even using the very personal name of the Lord. 186 00:10:43,950 --> 00:10:46,830 He says, yahweh, that name that even the children of Israel 187 00:10:46,830 --> 00:10:50,990 wouldn't utter, nor would they spell out fully, is greater than 188 00:10:50,990 --> 00:10:51,550 all gods. 189 00:10:51,550 --> 00:10:54,510 And whether Jethro is coming to believe in the God of Israel for 190 00:10:54,510 --> 00:10:57,870 the first time, or coming to a higher view of the Lord, we don't 191 00:10:57,870 --> 00:10:58,110 know. 192 00:10:58,110 --> 00:11:03,190 But there is a significant change in who Jethro is now looking 193 00:11:03,190 --> 00:11:03,550 to. 194 00:11:04,350 --> 00:11:08,430 So what is clear is the exalted position the Lord now has 195 00:11:08,830 --> 00:11:10,190 in his view of the world. 196 00:11:11,330 --> 00:11:14,210 And because of this, he just doesn't respond with a song. 197 00:11:14,770 --> 00:11:18,930 But he also presents items of worship to God. 198 00:11:19,010 --> 00:11:23,370 Jethro brings a burnt offering and he brings other sacrifices to 199 00:11:23,370 --> 00:11:28,210 demonstrate who he understands God to be and to demonstrate the 200 00:11:28,210 --> 00:11:29,490 significance of this moment. 201 00:11:29,570 --> 00:11:33,290 Aaron the priest, comes along with the elders of Israel, believing 202 00:11:33,290 --> 00:11:36,050 that what Jethro is doing is appropriate and right. 203 00:11:36,130 --> 00:11:39,490 And they partake in this sacrificial meal. 204 00:11:40,300 --> 00:11:43,260 So Jethro has sung praise of God through exaltation. 205 00:11:43,900 --> 00:11:47,180 He has demonstrated by the giving of burnt offerings that the 206 00:11:47,180 --> 00:11:51,580 proper form of worship of God and people are recognizing it to 207 00:11:51,580 --> 00:11:52,620 be true and genuine. 208 00:11:52,620 --> 00:11:57,940 And so they come along, led by Aaron, and partake in this sacrificial 209 00:11:57,940 --> 00:11:58,380 meal. 210 00:11:59,500 --> 00:12:03,460 And there are three things I want you to notice about Jethro's 211 00:12:03,460 --> 00:12:07,020 saving response to the good news of God's salvation. 212 00:12:07,660 --> 00:12:10,860 And the most important thing, firstly is his faith. 213 00:12:11,740 --> 00:12:16,580 Jethro came to a clear and certain conviction that the God of 214 00:12:16,580 --> 00:12:20,300 Israel was the one true and supreme deity. 215 00:12:21,900 --> 00:12:24,060 Now, the Midianites worshiped gods. 216 00:12:24,940 --> 00:12:27,820 And remember, gods were geographical. 217 00:12:28,620 --> 00:12:29,980 That's how people thought of them. 218 00:12:29,980 --> 00:12:31,420 My God is for my area. 219 00:12:32,220 --> 00:12:35,820 And if we overcome your area, well, it means that our God is better 220 00:12:35,820 --> 00:12:38,240 than your God, that that's how it played out. 221 00:12:39,440 --> 00:12:42,960 But Jethro's doing something different here that is countercultural 222 00:12:43,040 --> 00:12:45,600 to all of the cultures of his time. 223 00:12:46,240 --> 00:12:51,600 He has a conviction that the God of Israel is the supreme deity. 224 00:12:52,480 --> 00:12:58,040 This wasn't some blind response, nor was it a popular cultural 225 00:12:58,040 --> 00:12:58,720 reaction. 226 00:12:59,520 --> 00:13:03,920 There's been no battle done on behalf of Jethro for him to exalt. 227 00:13:05,100 --> 00:13:08,060 Nor is he naturally an Israelite to believe in this. 228 00:13:08,620 --> 00:13:09,900 He is a pagan. 229 00:13:09,900 --> 00:13:11,180 He is a Gentile. 230 00:13:11,900 --> 00:13:14,900 He's not from the family line of Israel. 231 00:13:14,900 --> 00:13:17,180 He hadn't been brought up in the ways of the Lord. 232 00:13:17,340 --> 00:13:19,100 So all of this is new to him. 233 00:13:19,660 --> 00:13:24,060 But when he sees the Lord at work, he responds in faith to believe 234 00:13:24,380 --> 00:13:27,500 that there is no God like the Lord. 235 00:13:28,780 --> 00:13:31,420 The second thing from faith is praise. 236 00:13:32,720 --> 00:13:36,240 And this is the saving response. 237 00:13:36,880 --> 00:13:37,920 It's praise. 238 00:13:39,600 --> 00:13:43,240 You see, whenever God brings people to saving faith, it's so that 239 00:13:43,240 --> 00:13:45,920 they will bow down and worship him. 240 00:13:46,560 --> 00:13:50,000 So, like Moses and like the Israelites, Jethro was saved for 241 00:13:50,000 --> 00:13:51,120 God's glory. 242 00:13:51,760 --> 00:13:54,800 And this is part of the purpose of evangelism. 243 00:13:55,200 --> 00:13:57,520 There are many reasons to share the gospel. 244 00:13:58,030 --> 00:14:00,790 It is a command of Christ, most certainly, and that should be 245 00:14:00,790 --> 00:14:01,470 reason enough. 246 00:14:01,710 --> 00:14:05,710 But it's also part of God's plan of salvation, his way of rescuing 247 00:14:05,710 --> 00:14:08,270 sinners from the wrath that is yet to come. 248 00:14:08,830 --> 00:14:12,990 But the goal of all gospel ministry is the worship of God. 249 00:14:12,990 --> 00:14:16,350 That's why John Piper, whom I'VE quoted before says mission exists 250 00:14:16,670 --> 00:14:18,110 because worship doesn't. 251 00:14:18,830 --> 00:14:22,110 The whole goal of mission is the worship of God. 252 00:14:22,750 --> 00:14:26,350 And so through worship of God, we testify to the good news about 253 00:14:26,350 --> 00:14:30,150 Jesus Christ, so that indeed all, all people will praise him, 254 00:14:30,150 --> 00:14:33,590 just as Jethro did, understanding that he is the supreme 255 00:14:33,590 --> 00:14:35,110 God and Savior over all. 256 00:14:35,510 --> 00:14:39,150 And so our proclamation of the Gospel is for the salvation of the 257 00:14:39,150 --> 00:14:42,950 lost, with a view to their celebration of God. 258 00:14:43,670 --> 00:14:47,190 So ultimately, evangelism is for the glory of God. 259 00:14:47,990 --> 00:14:49,870 So there's faith, there's praise. 260 00:14:49,870 --> 00:14:52,790 But thirdly, an appropriate response is joy. 261 00:14:53,590 --> 00:14:57,270 Verse nine tells us that he delighted or he rejoiced to hear 262 00:14:57,270 --> 00:14:58,390 what the Lord had done. 263 00:14:59,040 --> 00:15:02,040 And this is a natural response, because God gives the same 264 00:15:02,040 --> 00:15:04,960 joy to everyone who comes to Christ. 265 00:15:05,840 --> 00:15:09,400 There is great rejoicing in the knowledge that God has saved 266 00:15:09,400 --> 00:15:12,560 us and will love us forever and ever. 267 00:15:14,080 --> 00:15:17,800 One Christian witnessed this joy when he went to teach English 268 00:15:17,800 --> 00:15:18,480 in China. 269 00:15:19,120 --> 00:15:23,080 He lived in a college dormitory when he often had opportunities 270 00:15:23,080 --> 00:15:25,040 to share his faith about Jesus Christ. 271 00:15:25,910 --> 00:15:28,550 One night, he studied the Bible with the student next door. 272 00:15:28,550 --> 00:15:31,630 Together they read the Scriptures and discussed the meaning 273 00:15:31,630 --> 00:15:32,390 of salvation. 274 00:15:33,030 --> 00:15:36,190 And then later that night, the English teacher heard a strange noise 275 00:15:36,190 --> 00:15:37,590 coming from the student's room. 276 00:15:38,070 --> 00:15:40,190 It was a sign that he'd never heard before. 277 00:15:40,190 --> 00:15:43,350 A kind of gurgling sound from somewhere in the throat. 278 00:15:43,910 --> 00:15:46,350 And when he went to investigate, he discovered that the 279 00:15:46,350 --> 00:15:48,550 student had come to faith in Jesus Christ. 280 00:15:48,870 --> 00:15:52,470 And now that the student knew that there was love in the world 281 00:15:52,470 --> 00:15:56,630 and that there was a God in heaven, and he knew that his sins 282 00:15:56,630 --> 00:16:00,310 were forgiven and that he had received the free gift of eternal 283 00:16:00,310 --> 00:16:00,630 life. 284 00:16:00,950 --> 00:16:04,430 And in those first moments of salvation, the student expressed 285 00:16:04,430 --> 00:16:08,910 such great joy that he simply had to give it utterance of some 286 00:16:08,910 --> 00:16:09,270 kind. 287 00:16:09,910 --> 00:16:11,990 He didn't know the hymns to sing. 288 00:16:12,070 --> 00:16:14,310 He didn't know the prayers to pray. 289 00:16:14,310 --> 00:16:17,030 He didn't know the scripture to recite. 290 00:16:17,590 --> 00:16:21,790 The gurgling was coming from somewhere deep in his heart as he 291 00:16:21,790 --> 00:16:25,050 rejoiced in the knowledge of salvation. 292 00:16:26,410 --> 00:16:29,530 And that's what he bore testimony to. 293 00:16:30,170 --> 00:16:32,370 Knowing there was a change, knowing there was something. 294 00:16:32,370 --> 00:16:36,690 And the only expression in that moment was to simply make some 295 00:16:36,690 --> 00:16:38,650 noise in his throat. 296 00:16:39,370 --> 00:16:44,170 God gives great joy to everyone who comes to faith in him. 297 00:16:44,650 --> 00:16:46,490 So Jethro displays faith. 298 00:16:46,810 --> 00:16:50,740 He displays praise, and he displays joy. 299 00:16:52,660 --> 00:16:58,820 See, in seeing the truth of God before him, of bearing witness 300 00:16:58,820 --> 00:17:00,500 to what God has done. 301 00:17:00,500 --> 00:17:02,420 This is how Jethro responds. 302 00:17:02,820 --> 00:17:07,700 And these are the marks of a Christian, a true Christian. 303 00:17:07,700 --> 00:17:09,460 Because the Christian faith is not for a Sunday. 304 00:17:09,780 --> 00:17:14,980 And the demonstration of outward appearance Faith in Christ 305 00:17:15,220 --> 00:17:19,860 stays with us all the time and is seen in how we live out faith, 306 00:17:19,860 --> 00:17:22,960 how we pray God, and in the joy that we know. 307 00:17:22,960 --> 00:17:26,560 Understanding that joy does not always equate to happiness. 308 00:17:27,680 --> 00:17:28,880 So what about you? 309 00:17:29,840 --> 00:17:34,080 Have you responded to the same demonstration of God's salvation 310 00:17:34,240 --> 00:17:36,640 in faith and praise and joy? 311 00:17:37,760 --> 00:17:39,040 You know the gospel. 312 00:17:39,840 --> 00:17:43,400 You know that Jesus died something no one else could do for 313 00:17:43,400 --> 00:17:48,440 you, just like God was the only God who could rescue his people 314 00:17:48,440 --> 00:17:49,280 from Egypt. 315 00:17:50,520 --> 00:17:53,800 You know this truth, but have you responded to it? 316 00:17:56,040 --> 00:18:00,360 Because this is what is required to respond to Jesus Christ. 317 00:18:01,000 --> 00:18:04,280 As Jethro heard what God had done and responded in faith, praise 318 00:18:04,280 --> 00:18:06,920 and joy, so we have seen something greater. 319 00:18:07,800 --> 00:18:13,040 Not deliverance from Egypt, but the resurrected Savior Jesus 320 00:18:13,040 --> 00:18:13,320 Christ. 321 00:18:14,360 --> 00:18:17,960 The question is not simply whether we admire what God has done, 322 00:18:18,750 --> 00:18:24,590 but whether we will respond in faith and in praise and in joy. 323 00:18:24,590 --> 00:18:29,550 And that's what 1 Peter 1:8:9 assures us, as it tells us, though 324 00:18:29,550 --> 00:18:31,470 you have not seen him, you love him. 325 00:18:31,470 --> 00:18:34,870 And even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are 326 00:18:34,870 --> 00:18:38,950 filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving 327 00:18:38,950 --> 00:18:44,030 the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls. 328 00:18:45,570 --> 00:18:50,170 We do not have the physical human Jesus Christ walking before 329 00:18:50,170 --> 00:18:51,250 us and leading us. 330 00:18:51,650 --> 00:18:55,730 It would be absolutely fantastic if he was. 331 00:18:56,690 --> 00:18:59,770 But as Scripture tells us, at just the right time, Christ Jesus 332 00:18:59,770 --> 00:19:01,770 came into the world to save sinners. 333 00:19:01,770 --> 00:19:04,970 So we know that in human form, Christ could only be with us for 334 00:19:04,970 --> 00:19:05,650 a certain time. 335 00:19:05,650 --> 00:19:09,170 But His Holy Spirit is sent the comforter on the day of Pentecost, 336 00:19:09,170 --> 00:19:13,030 so that indeed we would believe that even though we do not 337 00:19:13,030 --> 00:19:15,790 see him, we would love him because of the love he has shown 338 00:19:15,790 --> 00:19:19,670 us, that even though we do not see him now, we believe in him because 339 00:19:19,670 --> 00:19:23,110 of what we understand his sacrifice to have achieved. 340 00:19:23,910 --> 00:19:28,510 And just like Jethro, we respond in faith with an inexpressible 341 00:19:28,510 --> 00:19:31,750 and glorious joy, because we're receiving the goal of our faith, 342 00:19:31,830 --> 00:19:36,150 the salvation of our souls that will lead onto eternal life 343 00:19:36,800 --> 00:19:39,600 and everlasting praise of God. 344 00:19:41,920 --> 00:19:44,000 What about you? 345 00:19:45,440 --> 00:19:52,639 Have you responded in faith, in praise and in joy, not just for 346 00:19:52,639 --> 00:19:58,040 a Sunday, not just for a date in the diary, but for all of your 347 00:19:58,040 --> 00:19:58,240 life. 348 00:19:58,240 --> 00:20:00,000 Because this is what is required of us. 349 00:20:01,440 --> 00:20:07,240 This is faithful Christian worship so that indeed we will have 350 00:20:07,240 --> 00:20:11,280 that wonderful assurance of salvation in Christ and in him alone. 351 00:20:12,560 --> 00:20:14,840 But we do need to move on to the second half of the passage. 352 00:20:14,840 --> 00:20:18,280 And now, with a new understanding of God, Jethro pays 353 00:20:18,280 --> 00:20:22,000 more attention and care to Moses as the leader of God's people. 354 00:20:22,560 --> 00:20:26,440 And as he's out the following day, he sees Moses judge for the 355 00:20:26,440 --> 00:20:26,680 people. 356 00:20:26,680 --> 00:20:31,080 And Moses explains to Jethro in verses 15 and 16, because the 357 00:20:31,080 --> 00:20:34,860 people come to me to seek God's will, whenever they have a 358 00:20:34,860 --> 00:20:38,300 dispute, it is brought to me, and I decide between the parties 359 00:20:38,300 --> 00:20:40,980 and inform them of God's decrees and laws. 360 00:20:41,860 --> 00:20:45,540 Now, Jethro doesn't challenge the important role that Moses has 361 00:20:45,540 --> 00:20:46,980 as a leader of the people. 362 00:20:46,980 --> 00:20:50,380 He understands that as a leader himself, he knows that he 363 00:20:50,380 --> 00:20:54,180 needs to speak to the people and judge for the people in their 364 00:20:54,180 --> 00:20:54,740 disputes. 365 00:20:55,700 --> 00:20:58,900 But he does see the role as too big for one man. 366 00:20:59,430 --> 00:21:02,670 And he points out that Moses approach is neither suitable nor 367 00:21:02,670 --> 00:21:07,670 efficient because the task is too great for Moses to do alone, 368 00:21:07,670 --> 00:21:08,950 it will wear him out. 369 00:21:09,270 --> 00:21:12,710 An image of the language here is given of a withered leaf, where 370 00:21:12,870 --> 00:21:16,870 he'll simply look like a leaf on a plant that is sad and weary 371 00:21:16,870 --> 00:21:18,390 and doesn't have any strength. 372 00:21:19,430 --> 00:21:22,790 And the same weariness will be true for the people, many of whom 373 00:21:22,790 --> 00:21:26,070 will have to wait for countless hours for the simplest 374 00:21:26,070 --> 00:21:27,190 case to be heard. 375 00:21:28,360 --> 00:21:32,520 And Jethro's solution is as simple as it is wise. 376 00:21:33,240 --> 00:21:37,480 He recognizes that Moses has a unique leadership role to play and 377 00:21:37,560 --> 00:21:39,080 so should continue in it. 378 00:21:39,320 --> 00:21:42,880 That being representing the people to God, bringing their cases 379 00:21:42,880 --> 00:21:47,080 to him, and revealing his statutes and laws so that the people 380 00:21:47,080 --> 00:21:48,120 will know how to act. 381 00:21:48,760 --> 00:21:52,280 But Jethro also recognizes that when a burden is too heavy, 382 00:21:52,360 --> 00:21:54,280 others are needed to help carry it. 383 00:21:54,750 --> 00:21:58,910 And so he identifies ways in which Moses can delegate responsibilities. 384 00:21:59,070 --> 00:22:03,470 And he says in verse 21, but select capable men from all the people, 385 00:22:03,470 --> 00:22:07,790 men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate, dishonest, gain and 386 00:22:07,790 --> 00:22:12,030 appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, 50s and tens. 387 00:22:12,990 --> 00:22:17,710 Moses is to find men of skill and especially of character. 388 00:22:18,430 --> 00:22:22,630 In particular those who have deep reverence of God and and obey 389 00:22:22,630 --> 00:22:26,470 his ways, who are fully reliable and who cannot be persuaded 390 00:22:26,470 --> 00:22:28,510 to pervert the course of justice. 391 00:22:29,310 --> 00:22:33,910 And as always in the Bible, good character is the necessary foundation 392 00:22:33,910 --> 00:22:36,830 for leadership, as first Timothy chapter three tells us. 393 00:22:37,550 --> 00:22:41,310 So Moses is then to arrange the people in groups of varying sizes 394 00:22:41,550 --> 00:22:46,350 and place over them the chosen men to whom the people will go to 395 00:22:46,350 --> 00:22:49,230 first when they have legal cases to resolve. 396 00:22:50,030 --> 00:22:53,950 The appointed judges will then address the simpler cases in keeping 397 00:22:53,950 --> 00:22:57,390 with the laws Moses has already revealed and will leave the 398 00:22:57,390 --> 00:22:59,150 more complicated ones to him. 399 00:23:00,110 --> 00:23:04,310 And this will drastically reduce Moses burden, protecting him 400 00:23:04,310 --> 00:23:08,110 from burnout and also enabling the people to resolve their cases 401 00:23:08,190 --> 00:23:11,590 much more quickly and undoubtedly lowering their frustrations 402 00:23:11,590 --> 00:23:12,590 at having to wait. 403 00:23:13,150 --> 00:23:17,500 In short, sharing leadership responsibilities is Good for both 404 00:23:17,500 --> 00:23:20,300 the leader and those being led. 405 00:23:20,940 --> 00:23:25,900 And verses 24 and 25 tell us Moses response to Jethro's advice. 406 00:23:26,620 --> 00:23:29,900 Moses listened to his father in law and did everything he said. 407 00:23:30,300 --> 00:23:34,700 He chose capable men from all Israel and made them leaders of the 408 00:23:34,700 --> 00:23:38,660 people, officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and 409 00:23:38,660 --> 00:23:39,180 tens. 410 00:23:40,540 --> 00:23:44,630 It perhaps feels as if these are two very separate accounts. 411 00:23:44,630 --> 00:23:47,990 One is about salvation and the other is about leadership. 412 00:23:47,990 --> 00:23:48,710 But they're not. 413 00:23:49,030 --> 00:23:51,590 They're given to us as one chapter and therefore one account. 414 00:23:52,710 --> 00:23:55,710 You see, the story that's going on here is that as Jethro comes 415 00:23:55,710 --> 00:23:59,670 to faith in the Lord, so he becomes concerned for the leaders 416 00:23:59,670 --> 00:24:04,910 of God's people, and then in turn, the people themselves, so that 417 00:24:04,910 --> 00:24:06,550 they are served well by the leaders. 418 00:24:07,270 --> 00:24:10,070 And Jethro offers advice for Moses. 419 00:24:10,840 --> 00:24:12,480 Now, Jethro is only one man. 420 00:24:12,480 --> 00:24:14,520 He's not a team of people, he's not many. 421 00:24:15,160 --> 00:24:18,760 But he's speaking into the life of this leader of God's people. 422 00:24:19,480 --> 00:24:24,480 And God uses Jethro, this Gentile priest who comes to saving 423 00:24:24,480 --> 00:24:29,760 faith but the day before and uses him to bless Moses so the people 424 00:24:29,760 --> 00:24:31,720 would be led as they should. 425 00:24:32,600 --> 00:24:36,560 And our response to this is to understand that leadership in the 426 00:24:36,560 --> 00:24:42,090 church today is first and foremost the leadership of Jesus. 427 00:24:43,290 --> 00:24:46,330 He is the sole king and head of the church. 428 00:24:46,970 --> 00:24:50,890 He has appointed leaders through ministers and pastors, elders 429 00:24:50,890 --> 00:24:54,570 and deacons, who are all fallen human beings. 430 00:24:55,450 --> 00:24:59,370 But yet Christ calls his people to be united. 431 00:25:00,090 --> 00:25:03,450 And that is the thrust of his great prayer in John 17. 432 00:25:04,580 --> 00:25:08,180 And sometimes it is easier to criticize the church and its people, 433 00:25:08,420 --> 00:25:09,700 particularly its leaders. 434 00:25:10,420 --> 00:25:14,100 But ministers and elders are as fallen as anyone else. 435 00:25:14,580 --> 00:25:18,100 And we have all the feelings that are common to the rest of humanity. 436 00:25:19,140 --> 00:25:23,620 But whatever we say about the church, we should remember this. 437 00:25:24,980 --> 00:25:30,340 For all its weaknesses, it is the only institution that God has 438 00:25:30,340 --> 00:25:32,580 promised will last until the end of time. 439 00:25:33,570 --> 00:25:37,210 That's what he assures us when he says to Peter, and I tell you 440 00:25:37,210 --> 00:25:38,210 that you are Peter. 441 00:25:38,530 --> 00:25:40,690 On this rock I will build my church. 442 00:25:41,090 --> 00:25:45,090 And the gates of Hades will not overcome it. 443 00:25:46,130 --> 00:25:51,210 Jesus is here, taking the physical and bringing it into the 444 00:25:51,210 --> 00:25:51,890 spiritual. 445 00:25:52,370 --> 00:25:57,730 That spiritual realm of the dead, of hell, of Hades, will never 446 00:25:57,730 --> 00:26:02,610 win against the physical and spiritual church of Jesus Christ. 447 00:26:03,970 --> 00:26:07,730 And so, for all its weaknesses, the church is the only 448 00:26:07,730 --> 00:26:11,450 institution that God has promised will last until the end 449 00:26:11,450 --> 00:26:11,970 of time. 450 00:26:13,330 --> 00:26:17,010 The church is the only organization in the world that is 451 00:26:17,010 --> 00:26:19,330 governed by God's very own Son. 452 00:26:19,730 --> 00:26:24,450 And because of this, it will remain until he returns. 453 00:26:25,480 --> 00:26:29,360 But often the attacks against it are not from outside, but from 454 00:26:29,360 --> 00:26:29,720 within. 455 00:26:30,600 --> 00:26:34,840 The devil uses God's own people to be his agents of division 456 00:26:35,320 --> 00:26:36,280 and hurt. 457 00:26:36,920 --> 00:26:41,400 And as a local church, we must be aware of this and place the good 458 00:26:41,400 --> 00:26:44,280 of Christ above our own opinion and personal choice. 459 00:26:44,920 --> 00:26:49,200 For if we only look to ourselves, then we will not be caring 460 00:26:49,200 --> 00:26:50,760 of others around us. 461 00:26:53,490 --> 00:26:57,330 You will be aware in the past three minutes that I have read everything 462 00:26:58,370 --> 00:27:03,170 that's in front of me because it is very hard for ministers and 463 00:27:03,170 --> 00:27:09,970 pastors to preach this section without being accused of an undertone 464 00:27:10,210 --> 00:27:12,210 or an undercurrent. 465 00:27:13,330 --> 00:27:17,260 So if you think I'm pointing fingers, I am not. 466 00:27:18,220 --> 00:27:21,580 If you think there is an issue going on that I am choosing to address 467 00:27:21,740 --> 00:27:24,460 covertly from the pulpit, there is not. 468 00:27:25,660 --> 00:27:30,660 If any time God at work in this place means that this can be 469 00:27:30,660 --> 00:27:36,300 said freely, not for the present, but perhaps for the future. 470 00:27:37,420 --> 00:27:42,780 So that I, along with you, will know what is God's way for us 471 00:27:43,380 --> 00:27:46,260 that we may live faithfully understanding. 472 00:27:46,260 --> 00:27:49,700 The sole king and head of the Church is Jesus Christ, and therefore 473 00:27:49,780 --> 00:27:51,380 he is the church's leader. 474 00:27:53,940 --> 00:27:58,900 I told you way back in 2018 that I could only do 27 years here. 475 00:28:00,820 --> 00:28:04,220 And I said that because you had a predecessor who was 36, and 476 00:28:04,220 --> 00:28:07,060 before that 42, and before that again another 32. 477 00:28:07,860 --> 00:28:10,660 Whenever I tell people that I'm only the eighth minister in Anna 478 00:28:10,660 --> 00:28:12,740 long over 200 years, they are shocked. 479 00:28:13,730 --> 00:28:16,370 And they often said they must be treating yous very well. 480 00:28:18,690 --> 00:28:21,010 And I say they do. 481 00:28:23,490 --> 00:28:25,490 But the devil doesn't like that. 482 00:28:27,810 --> 00:28:29,490 The devil is at work. 483 00:28:30,530 --> 00:28:33,050 And whenever we come to our announcements a little bit later, 484 00:28:33,050 --> 00:28:34,770 you will hear a little of that. 485 00:28:35,650 --> 00:28:36,610 He is at work. 486 00:28:36,610 --> 00:28:39,450 He will want to bring us down, he will want to bring me down, and 487 00:28:39,450 --> 00:28:40,850 he will want to bring you down. 488 00:28:41,850 --> 00:28:47,250 And so in this moment, can we please look to Scripture and see 489 00:28:47,250 --> 00:28:53,690 what it says of how God ordains His people to be led? 490 00:28:54,650 --> 00:28:58,130 Not that the one standing in front of you is above reproach because 491 00:28:58,130 --> 00:29:00,730 I am a sinner just like you. 492 00:29:02,330 --> 00:29:04,810 And we all need the grace of God daily. 493 00:29:05,930 --> 00:29:10,140 But yet we must respond as God calls us to. 494 00:29:10,780 --> 00:29:17,100 And that is to look as this local church, that it is a place 495 00:29:17,180 --> 00:29:21,420 for the good of Christ in this community and amongst this people, 496 00:29:22,540 --> 00:29:26,620 that actually Christ is above our own opinions and personal choices 497 00:29:27,740 --> 00:29:29,380 because he has to be above mine. 498 00:29:29,380 --> 00:29:32,300 Otherwise we'd be doing things very differently. 499 00:29:33,830 --> 00:29:37,350 But we must understand as we are different and as we approach 500 00:29:37,430 --> 00:29:41,950 God differently, we are to be faithful to one another so that we 501 00:29:41,950 --> 00:29:46,310 will live more for the unity of Christ rather than the division 502 00:29:46,790 --> 00:29:52,590 that the devil wants to bring in Jethro visited Moses and he hears 503 00:29:52,590 --> 00:29:54,470 what God has done for his people. 504 00:29:55,270 --> 00:29:57,430 Jethro responds in faith. 505 00:29:57,670 --> 00:30:02,390 And Jethro demonstrates a care for Moses and the people of God. 506 00:30:03,050 --> 00:30:08,410 And our calling today is to do likewise, to respond in faith, in 507 00:30:08,410 --> 00:30:09,930 praise, and in joy. 508 00:30:11,130 --> 00:30:14,370 To understand what God has ordained through the leadership of 509 00:30:14,370 --> 00:30:19,050 the church, and that we will be faithful under the Holy Spirit 510 00:30:19,050 --> 00:30:24,410 and led by the Holy Spirit to be a people of unity and not division, 511 00:30:25,530 --> 00:30:30,900 people who are agents of Christ and not agents of the devil. 512 00:30:32,660 --> 00:30:36,580 And as I finish, I draw us to Acts 13, because this is where we 513 00:30:36,820 --> 00:30:43,060 get this demonstrated to us by this stage. 514 00:30:43,300 --> 00:30:47,820 Paul and his companions are heading to Pisidian Antioch, which 515 00:30:47,820 --> 00:30:48,740 is in Turkey. 516 00:30:49,380 --> 00:30:52,820 And it's the third of the great sermons that's preached of 517 00:30:52,900 --> 00:30:56,220 Paul's story and of the story of the Jewish people. 518 00:30:56,700 --> 00:31:00,460 And at the end of it he says this that's recorded for us. 519 00:31:00,460 --> 00:31:03,140 When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honored the word 520 00:31:03,140 --> 00:31:08,460 of the Lord and all who were appointed for eternal life believed. 521 00:31:09,340 --> 00:31:12,260 You see, this is the appropriate response to what this 522 00:31:12,260 --> 00:31:17,180 passage is saying, to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and to be 523 00:31:17,180 --> 00:31:17,580 saved. 524 00:31:18,860 --> 00:31:22,800 We know the stories, we know what Jesus has done. 525 00:31:22,800 --> 00:31:26,640 We know the history of the church, we know the great missionary 526 00:31:26,640 --> 00:31:28,480 endeavor into all the world. 527 00:31:28,480 --> 00:31:34,480 And yet we still sit oblivious to the great need of our souls of 528 00:31:34,480 --> 00:31:35,240 a Savior. 529 00:31:36,360 --> 00:31:40,520 And yet look what happens when we respond, when we hear this truth. 530 00:31:41,000 --> 00:31:42,320 Well, we will be glad. 531 00:31:42,320 --> 00:31:43,560 We will have joy. 532 00:31:44,600 --> 00:31:48,380 We will honor the word of the Lord by following it by faith and 533 00:31:48,380 --> 00:31:52,220 with joy, so that indeed we will know eternal life. 534 00:31:52,860 --> 00:31:56,380 And until that moment of eternal life, well, we will live 535 00:31:56,380 --> 00:31:59,420 in the church for how God has ordained it to be. 536 00:32:00,460 --> 00:32:02,540 So what about you this morning? 537 00:32:03,740 --> 00:32:06,860 Maybe there's people you don't like coming to your door, but Jethro 538 00:32:06,860 --> 00:32:10,340 was a welcome sight for Moses because of the encouragement that 539 00:32:10,340 --> 00:32:10,860 he brought. 540 00:32:11,900 --> 00:32:16,080 Christ is the one who comes to you this day and says, trust in me 541 00:32:16,320 --> 00:32:21,200 and live for me, so that indeed we will know great salvation, 542 00:32:21,760 --> 00:32:26,360 salvation that is truly for the glory of God, and we will delight 543 00:32:26,360 --> 00:32:27,840 in all that he has for us. 544 00:32:28,720 --> 00:32:30,160 Don't walk away from Christ. 545 00:32:30,720 --> 00:32:33,920 Don't ignore him and don't ignore his church. 546 00:32:34,880 --> 00:32:40,240 Rather, look to him and him alone, as together we live in this 547 00:32:40,240 --> 00:32:44,860 place, proclaiming this good news and seeing others come onto 548 00:32:44,860 --> 00:32:45,460 salvation. 549 00:32:46,020 --> 00:32:49,260 Let us pray, our Father God for this, your word. 550 00:32:49,260 --> 00:32:49,940 We thank you. 551 00:32:50,900 --> 00:32:54,820 As difficult at times it may be, as controversial as it may seem. 552 00:32:55,540 --> 00:32:58,420 Thank you for the moment in which we're in where we can know 553 00:32:58,420 --> 00:33:02,340 we can speak with freedom, that it's not about finger pointing 554 00:33:02,580 --> 00:33:05,300 and it's not about an undertone. 555 00:33:06,590 --> 00:33:06,910 Thank you. 556 00:33:06,910 --> 00:33:09,390 That we look to your Word to guide us, each and every one of us. 557 00:33:10,030 --> 00:33:13,950 That none of us know the full counsel of your word, nor its full 558 00:33:13,950 --> 00:33:17,550 understanding, but yet eagerly, each one looking to you 559 00:33:17,790 --> 00:33:22,150 for salvation and for wisdom in knowing how we live in this weary 560 00:33:22,150 --> 00:33:24,670 path of life until Christ will take us home. 561 00:33:25,470 --> 00:33:30,590 So may we respond well this day as we look ever to Jesus and 562 00:33:30,590 --> 00:33:33,480 as we seek him, and it's in his name we pray. 563 00:33:34,280 --> 00:33:34,920 Amen.