Thank you very much. th th th th th Yeah. So, Good morning, brothers and sisters. We are thankful that God calls us to worship Him and that we may come into His presence this morning with reverence and awe to praise and glorify His holy name. We extend a warm welcome to any visitors and guests who are with us today. May we all be strengthened and edified by the proclamation of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. This morning, Brother Dee Pot will lead the worship service. And before we commence this service, let us sing a psalm of praise to our God, Psalm 34, verse 1. I will not cease to sing His praise, His goodness I proclaim. ♪ My glory in the Lord ♪ ♪ Let the afflicted hear my voice ♪ ♪ Oh, let them find the Lord with me ♪ ♪ With me in Him rejoice ♪ If you are able, please rise to receive the greeting of the Lord. Our help is in the name of the Lord who made heaven and earth. Grace be unto us and peace from God the Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Congregation, let us sing together in response from hymn 14, verses 1 and 8. Hymn 14, verse 1 and 8. ♪ For I have heard the tidings of you and of your might ♪ ♪ Your deeds reveal your greatness ♪ ♪ I tremble at their sight ♪ ♪ Call it out, I bring you in ♪ ♪ Hear how they make them learn ♪ ♪ Be proud, remember mercy ♪ ♪ Do not forget your own ♪ I hear your steps approaching, an endless sound, I pray. This quiver burns a trembling, bright altar, and I shake. In quiet expectation I shall await the day when those who now invade us will all be swept away. Let us now listen to the holy law of our God, and then in response, sing from Psalm 96, verse 8. Shout forth, you gladness of creation. Sing to the Lord with exultation. We now, with all respect, put ourselves under the discipline of the law of the Lord, and let us also test our lives on it, and mirror ourselves in the law of our God, but also as on the rule of thankfulness. God spoke all these words, saying, I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other God before me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me. But showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me, and keep my commandments. You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the Sojourner who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. Honor your father and your mother that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not be a false witness against your neighbor. You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's. To have both your gladness, O creation, Sing to the Lord with exultation. Behold, he counts your joy express. He counts in truth and righteousness. Let us bow our heads in prayer and ask the Lord for a blessing on this church service. Almighty, merciful God and Father who is in heaven. How wonderful, how beautiful it is to come into your presence again this morning as the congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ. We thank you, Lord, that despite the turmoil in this world, despite bushfires, famines and floods in other places, unrest and political instability in many countries and places, we are privileged to meet with you in peace and in freedom. Yes, we humble ourselves before your great majesty, and we acknowledge your awesome power, your greatness, your glory, We cannot even fathom how majestic, how great, and how awesome and glorious you really are, as we are but small, insignificant, and sinful people, creatures. We have just a little while ago mirrored our lives in your law. And we have to confess that we have frequently and also grievously sinned against you during the past week. Father, so often we fall and stumble and fail to do what you have commanded us to do. We fail to give you the glory in our life, which is due to you alone. we confess that we all, like sheep, have gone astray. And we forgot so often to focus and look at our Lord Jesus Christ, the Great Shepherd, who is willing to show us the way. Father, have compassion on us as we confess that our sins and our shortcomings are indeed innumerable. And we pray, Father, forgive us our sins, our misdeeds, our failures, our shortcomings for the sake of your son, Jesus Christ, who has laid down his life so that we may obtain salvation. We ask, yes, we plead, will you wash us in the pure fountain of his blood? so that we may become clean and white as snow. Will you also shape our will according to your will, so that in all our doings, in all our actions, we may seek to do your will, so that you receive the honor and glory in our life? After all, that is the very purpose of our life, and that is why you have created us. Father, we thank you too this morning for the gift of birthdays, the gift of anniversaries, the gift of happy days and also holidays. Many of us have traveled during the holidays and some even have covered great distances. And yet it is pleased you to protect us all. We thank you for Christian homes where our children are instructed in a godly way. We pray will you give parents and grandparents a good measure of wisdom to instruct their children and grandchildren in the way they should live, so that a new generation may grow up in love for you and for the service of your kingdom. Father, we pray now for your blessing on this church service, that even by means of this reading service, we may be enriched. We may be encouraged and strengthened in faith Grant, we pray, that we all may be edified, and that your name may be glorified. We pray this in Jesus' name. Amen. Brothers and sisters, the script you're reading this morning we find in the second letter of Paul written to the Thessalonians, and we turn to the second letter chapter 2 and we read from chapter 2 right up to verse 15 of chapter 3. So 2 Thessalonians 2 verse 1 to chapter 3 verse 15. Now, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers, not to be quickly shaken in minds or alarmed either by a spirit or a spoken word or a letter seeming to be from us to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come unless the rebellion comes first and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called God or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. Do you not remember that when I was still with you, I told you these things? And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with his breath of his mouth and bring to nothing but the appearance of his coming. The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing because they refused to love the truth and to be saved. Therefore God sends them a strong delusion so that they may believe what is false in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth. but had pleasure in unrighteousness. But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth. Through this he called you, through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter. Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word. Finally, brothers, pray for us. that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored as happened among you, and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men. For not all have faith, but the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one. And we have confidence in the Lord about you, that you are doing and will do the things that we command. May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ. Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us. For you yourself know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone's bread without paying for it. But with toil and labor we worked night and day that we might not be a burden to any of you. And it was not because we do not have that right but to give you in ourselves an example to imitate. For even when we were with you, we would have given you this command. If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busy bodies. Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living. As for you brothers, do not grow weary in doing good. If anyone does not obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person and have nothing to do with him. that he may be ashamed. Do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother. Let us now then sing together from Psalm 98, the verses one, two, and four. Sing to the Lord a new song, boys, sing, For mighty wonders he has done. His right hand and his arm are slowly The victory for him hath won The Lord has blessed us with salvation His righteousness has he made known. He has revealed to all the nations the justice issued from his throne. We have remembered all his mercy, his faithfulness to Israel, and our God's everywhere triumphance. ♪ The whole wide world saw Him prevail ♪ ♪ Let all men gather to adore Him ♪ ♪ And His victorious might proclaim ♪ Now make a joyful noise before him, Let all creation praise his name. Let seas and oceans roar and thunder, ♪ Praise God, all you who dwell on earth ♪ ♪ Let rivers clap their hands rejoicing ♪ ♪ Let ev'ry mountain shout with glad ♪ It comes, it comes to rule the nations And every wrong he will redress The mighty God of our salvation The sermon which I will read shortly was made by the late Reverend Clarence Stam. The last church he served was the Canadian Reformed Church in Hamilton, Canada. Now, he has chosen as text for their sermon, also very fitting for the beginning of this year, 2 Thessalonians 3, the verses 1 and 2. The verses 1 and 2 from 2 Thessalonians 3. We will read those two verses again. Finally, brothers, Pray for us that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored as happened among you and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men. For not all have faith. Thus far, the word of the Lord. In response to the sermon, we will sing together from Hymn 67, the verses 1, 2, and 7. 1, 2, and 7 from Hymn 67. Beloved congregation, beloved brothers and sisters, this morning we will devote our attention to the petition concerning our daily bread, as taught by our Lord. Before we do this, I want this morning to ask your attention for another petition which we learn from scripture, namely the prayer for the preaching. We may ask for our daily bread, our material needs, but this must never be isolated from the prayer for the spiritual needs of ourselves, and for the world. The prayer for the preaching, and in that context also for the preachers, is a very important task of ministry of the Church. Paul, in his second letter to the Thessalonians, very strongly and urgently solicits this prayer for the preaching and the preachers. And he has special reasons for doing this, as we will see shortly. But it is an important matter also for us today. Brothers and sisters, do you pray regularly for the preaching and for the preachers? I remember from the time of my youth that on Saturday evening, every now and then, at the dinner table, my father would pray for the minister. Of course, because the next day was Sunday and then the man had to preach, right? Later on in reflection, in life, I thought about this. If the minister still has to make his sermons on Saturday evening, the man and his congregation are most likely in deep trouble. Why not start on Monday evening? asking the Lord to guide and bless the pastors in their preparation of sermons. For they need that help during the whole week. The hardest part of a minister is not getting up on Sunday morning to deliver one or two sermons, even though that brings with it its own tension and fatigue. The real challenge is to prepare properly for the Sunday services in the course of the week. It is during the week that this prayer is required. Well, at least we did pray for the preaching and the preacher. I wonder in how many families this is done on a regular basis. In our series on prayer, therefore, it is important to include a sermon precisely on this matter so that you all may be guided to remember the preaching and the preachers in your daily devotions. We must understand that his prayer for the preaching is not just for personal benefit of the preachers, it is an essential aspect of our life as believers and Church of our Lord Jesus Christ, as it has something to do with the true expectation of Advent. The weeks leading up to Christmas are often referred to as the time of Advent, which means the time of expectation, the time of anticipation, in which we await the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. And now we live in the time of the second advance. We await his coming in glory on the clouds of heaven. And in that framework of advance, of anticipation, this prayer for the preaching plays a tremendous role. If you're going to sing after the service, come Lord Jesus, Maranatha, you are going to have to back that up with this prayer for the preacher. For you see, that in the context in which Paul writes these words, the Lord Jesus will not come back until the gospel has been preached as a testimony throughout all creation to all nations. The coming of the day of the Lord is in that sense determined by the pace of the preacher. So we are called to pray for the preaching of the gospel, and then we pray that Christ will ensure, and we consider three aspects, the rapid progress of the preaching, the mighty power of the preaching, and the constant protection of the preaching. Our text then begins with the word, finally. Finally, brothers. So the apostle is in fact summing up. making some last conclusions from what he has written already earlier. And to understand our text properly, we need to take a brief look at what he has written until this point. It appears that the Thessalonians had been brought into confusion about the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. We know that there was among the early Christians an intense expectation concerning Christ's return. And then it's not hard for people to abuse that expectation. In chapter 2, 1 and 2, we read this important information. Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus and our being together to Him, we ask you, brothers, not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarms. either by spirit or a spoken word or a letter seeming to be from us, saying that the day of the Lord has already come. We are not sure as to exactly what it was that the Thessalonians were thinking, that the day of the Lord had already, actually had already come or was about to come. In any case, The anticipation had become a preoccupation. It even had become an obsession for some. And Paul is not sure how this notion about the day of Christ having come had reached the Thessalonians. The source may have been some false prophecy, some rumor by means of the word, or even the suggestion of an apostolic letter. But he wants to cover all the possibilities, no prophecy, no word, no letter from any apostle. If this message has gone out to you, the rumor is simply false. And Paul then reminds the Thessalonians that the idea of an immediately bending return of Christ is not consistent with what he taught them when he was with them. He says in verse five, Don't you remember that I told you how first the man of lawlessness must be revealed? First, there will be a time of great delusion, which will affect many. And only after the kingdom of the Antichrist has been fully manifested will Christ come to destroy it in one final battle. And instead of becoming confused, the Thessalonians should stand firm, continue to lead a Christian life, and do their normal work. Above all, they should remain faithful to the given teaching and not to be upset by all kinds of new and conflicting doctrines. And then in chapter three, Paul introduces a parallel line. Just as the man of lawlessness must first be fully revealed, so also in this time the gospel must be preached to all nations. The time between Christ's ascension and his return has a twofold purpose. One, being that the man of lawlessness must be revealed, but the other, even more important, that the gospel is fully proclaimed to the entire creation. So Paul says, if you are so concerned about the return of Christ, you better pray that the gospel be proclaimed everywhere. For that preaching has a direct impact on the day of Christ's return. Only the preaching brings closer that day for which the Thessalonians were longing for so much. So instead of perhaps giving up on their task in this world, since Christ was about to come anyway, they should set their sights far and wide, continue to be faithful and steadfast, to work diligently and to pray for the progress of the preaching. And in this light, we understand Paul's admonition. Finally, brothers, pray for us that the message of the word may spread rapidly. For this is indeed the bottom line. The flow of the preaching determines the day of the Lord, and all longing for the day of Christ must be made concrete in a praying for the preaching. Pray for us, writes Paul. And he means himself and his fellow workers, apostles and others, all who have dedicated their life to the preaching of the gospel. Pray for us as individual persons and as workers together. For we know that a preaching is done by weak and sinful people, earthen vessels, as Paul writes it elsewhere, who cannot do this monumental work in their own strength or by their own means. And from many of Paul's letters, we know that he was a truly humble servant of the Lord. He could ardently defend his apostolic office when challenged, but he never once overestimated his personal ability. Here is a servant who realizes that everything depends on the help and the blessing of the Lord. This apostle knew of weakness, of fear and trembling, and it is in the imperative sense, so it is an apostolic command, but it also has the tone of an urgent request. Please pray for us. And it is in the present tense, pray constantly for us. There is not one moment of the day that God's preachers can do without the help and guidance of the Lord Jesus Christ. And brothers and sisters, if you truly long for the day of Christ's return, then please pray every day for the preachers of the gospel. Now this prayer for the preachers is a prayer for the preaching. Paul writes that the message of the Lord may spread It says literally, the word of the Lord, indeed, it means not only the process of preaching, but also the contents of that preaching. Pray that the word may spread. And the NIV has translated it as follows, may spread rapidly. And that's a correct rendering for in the original, it has that the word may speed on. Speed, a lot of people may think of a movie by that name, but the gospel must speed on. Now why speed? Because the times are becoming more and more serious and difficult as we move towards the appearing of the man of lawlessness, the Antichrist. It will not take long for the delusion and wickedness of the world to become so strong and widespread that there is no room anymore for preaching. It is therefore of the greatest importance that the gospel be spread rapidly. That means that nothing hinders it in its progress. It means that the entire church, all congregations everywhere, must fully cooperate in the work of evangelism and mission. for the time will come when such work is no longer possible. Speed. A word is used that applies to a messenger who goes from town to town with an urgent and important message. Everyone must know that message, for it has great consequences for their lives. It is the message that the day of the Lord is coming soon, and that now they must repent and turn to Him. or they will go under with the world. The messenger goes out before him who is coming to judge the living and the dead. This message is the only hope for those who must face that judge. And so Paul urges the Thessalonians to pray for the rapid progress of the preaching. The preachers can do nothing without God's blessing. And the Lord demands that behind these preachers stand living congregations with folded hands and uplifted hearts, praying that the gospel may progress rapidly and that so many may yet be saved before the great day of the Lord comes. This has tremendous meaning also for us today. We all have a task with respect to the coming of the Lord, and that task is, first of all, to pray constantly for the rapid, the unhindered progress of the gospel in the world. The progressive preaching of the church must be borne by the persistent praying of the church. Then we show the proper spirit of offense, and we are all rightly focused on the coming of the Lord in glory. And then we come to our second point, Paul adds something important here. He not only writes, pray that the word may progress rapidly, but also that it be honored just as it was with you. Here the apostle focuses on the mighty power of the preaching. For you and I know that the preaching of the gospel is not received by everyone. As a matter of fact, There are many who will outrightly reject the preaching. So Paul does not just say pray for the preachers, that's one task, but pray also for the hearers, that's another related task. May the mighty power of this preaching become evident in this, that many may hear the gospel and also honor the preaching. The word honor is rather remarkable here. It has the connotation of to glorify. That a preaching may be glorified. Is that not a bit too much? Well, it's a good thing that it doesn't say that the preachers should be glorified. Most of them do not run that risk anyway, for many preachers are rather vilified, sometimes even within our churches. But Paul writes that a word may be glorified, and he means, of course, the Lord Jesus Christ who is preached. He is the word incarnate. He is the focus and content of the preaching. And the point is then that people everywhere, when hearing this word, may come to esteem it properly value it highly, yes, place it at the center of their lives and embrace him who alone can save from utter ruin and eternal damnation. It is remarkable that Paul does not say just pray for the preaching. That could be a formal request, but it isn't. Here is a real missionary's heart beating that the gospel be spread unhindered. and that it may bear abundant fruit, and that it is honoured, that it is received and appreciated in its true value. This is not a formal request but a sensitive emotional appeal. Pray for the progress of the preaching and that its might and power be evident in that many may receive it with joy. Mission work is not something that we do because we have to. No, it is something that moves us, it stirs us up, it captivates us, because this work is the only work that offers true hope in a dark world of sin and death. The time of Advent is so exciting, so captivating, so urgent, because you are on a rescue mission. Mission is work of rescue among those doomed to perish. It is a work of faith, a work of hope, and above all, a work of love, love for sinners who can only be saved by Christ alone. We do not just ask that the word may be preached, but that it may be honored, esteemed in its true value. Oh, how important this is. Many people just hear the word and go on as if nothing important was said. Paul has seen many people turn away from the word that very moment they heard it. And that's the pain of the mission worker. That's the pain for every preacher, of every Christian in fact. It hurts when the word is dishonored. mocked and rejected, when people refuse the only lifeline that can save them, millions. Millions would rather drown in sin and wrath than grasp that only lifeline of the preaching of the gospel. But in this respect, Paul also has seen many great blessings. He writes, just as it was with you, many reject the gospel yet. But there are also those, O miracle of grace, who receive it and honor it. The Thessalonians did. Paul is still amazed at their faith, their hope, their love, their longing for the day of Christ. He was so concerned about them and rejoiced when he heard that they were remaining steadfast in the faith. just as it was with you. That's not a little insignificant phrase, but one which does show forth the mighty power of the preaching. Through this simple means, God is able to call out of this world whomever he wills. The preacher does not depend on the goodwill of the hearers, but on the mighty power of the gospel. Many reject the word, but also many honor and accept the gospel with a believing heart. That gives joy and delight to the preachers. The difficult work of supporting the ministry, the mission work, is not without fruit, but it is always blessed in God's measure of grace. So we never lose the proper perspective on mission and evangelism. One day there will be a multitude that no one can count, out of every tongue and nation, praising God around His throne. And so you may believe, especially as the delusion in this world grows and the man of lawlessness gains in influence, that the power of the word is mightier than all the lies and the deceit of Satan. Jesus Christ can and will save whomever he will, save through that simple yet mighty means of the preaching. Therefore, we plot on. in Advent faith, Advent hope, Advent love, every preaching, every praying, working tirelessly for the day of Christ. The world must know, and will know, that the word of God has been proclaimed among them, and they will have to acknowledge that they, by their own willful disobedience, dishonored the word of life. And so we come to our final aspect. Paul has yet one more item to add here in our text, verse two. He says, pray that we may be delivered from evil men, for not everyone has faith. We are also called to pray for the constant protection of the preaching. The preachers, and the sentence is, in them the preaching must be protected. For you see, the word of God must be preached purely in complete submission to the apostolic truth. Undoubtedly, Paul here refers also to the people in Thessalonica who were spreading this false rumor about the day of the Lord. At this point in time, Paul may have been writing from Corinth, where, as we know, there was much opposition to the ministry. This opposition came for a larger part from the outside. from Jews and Gentiles who just hated the gospel. But it also came from within, from the inside, from people who were perverted to truth and tried to promote their own gain and interest. Paul constantly had to deal with both dangers. Pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men. Paul already experienced at that moment the need for deliverance and protection. The words that he uses to describe these men are quite telling. The word wicked tells us something about their methods. Literally, it says confusing men. That is, men who constantly put things out of their proper place, who either fully twist the gospel or slightly alter it. But the result is that the people become confused instead of properly guided. The word evil speaks about the motive of such men. They are in fact servants of Satan instead of ambassadors of Christ. Their motive is to twist the word of the preacher and so hinder the salvation of the hearers. I think that Paul here especially means people who may be esteemed because of their so-called position within the churches, for he adds, for not everyone has faith, Not everyone who claims to promote the gospel does this. They simply have no faith. They are imposters planted by Satan in the congregation to destabilize, to confuse, to lead astray. We must not just pray for the preachers. But of paramount importance is the prayer for faithful preachers. We need men of pure motives, true faith, and therefore also proper methods. We need preachers who, in faith, are also faithful to the given word of God, who neither add to it nor take from it. Therefore, we need to pray that the preachers are, again, constantly delivered from wicked and evil men. The preachers need to be delivered so that the preaching may remain sound and true, for these preachers are only human, and they can be taken in by wrong ideas and enticed to selfish motives. Of course, it is true that we all, whether we are preachers or not, be delivered from wicked and evil men. In this respect, we do not have to elevate our missionaries or ministers above the members of the congregation. Every day we all need deliverance from the evil one and his cronies. But you do realize, do you not, that when preachers of the gospel derail, the consequences are often much greater and more impacting. Then they can drag with them many trusting people who are totally unaware of the dangerous path on which they are being led. So we should not just pray for the preaching, but for the faithful preaching, thus also for faithful preachers, men who stick to the scriptures and never compromise the word of salvation, especially for preachers. It is so easy to be taken in by wrong ideas, to say what people want to hear or not say what they don't want to hear, to be liked for all the wrong reasons. People tend to gather around preachers after their own ears. And the church has perhaps through the centuries suffered more from wicked and evil preachers than from any outside force. So Paul must add this to the command to pray for the preacher. The church and the world benefit only when the preaching of the gospel is faithful to the word. And Satan's attack on the church is foremost an attack on the preachers. that they compromise or falsify the word, or that they are surrounded by wicked and evil men who derail them or neutralize them. Well, brothers and sisters, our prayer is required in these matters. As congregation, as families, as individuals, pray for the preaching, for Catholic preaching, for powerful preaching, for faithful preaching. And in this way, you can help to bring the day of Christ even closer. Christ's great day will come, but it comes also through this prayer. And when he comes, he will ask us, have you prayed for my coming by praying for my preachers and for the preaching? One thing I have learned about prayer activity, we pray ardently for the things that most concern us. The prayer for the preaching is a good thermometer of your spiritual maturity, of your longing for the day of the Lord. It is again the time of advance. What are you doing, my brother, my sister, to bring that day of the Lord closer? Pray for the preaching. Pray for the preachers. Maranatha. Come, Lord Jesus. Amen. In response, we will sing now from hymn 67, the verses 1, 2, and 7. O Jesus, Maranatha, pray the Spirit and the bride. Come upon the clouds of heaven with your angels at your side. Paranatha, come, Lord Jesus, evermore with us abide. Come, O Lord, with power and glory, when we stand before our eyes. Then the sounding of the trumpet shall re-echo through the skies. Then the voice of your out-angel shall command the dead to rise. to honor the day of our birth, when the bridegroom shall appear. Let us then be ever watchful, lay our heads with pride and fear, Shall we pray and thank the Lord together? Merciful God and Heavenly Father, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts that you revealed yourself to us, that we may know who you are, and above all, what you have done for us. Even before the foundations of the world were laid, you called us. You predestined us to be your children. Father, and now also through your word, through the preaching of your word, you explain to us what you've done for us. That you've opened the way for salvation. alive with you forever. Father, give that we already, while we are here on earth, we may have a foretaste of that inexpressible joy which is waiting us when we go one day to be with you in heaven. Father, we thank you for the preaching, for the message we could hear this morning. Father, we pray for that preaching as it takes place today, as your word is echoing all around the globe in many different tongues, in many different languages, in many different places, at many different times. Father, grant that indeed that preaching may be faithful preaching, that indeed it may edify and encourage your people, but above all, that it may glorify your holy name. And we pray for the mission. For the workers on our mission field in PNG, but also for those who labor on other mission fields all around the world, that also those missionaries who often have to work under difficult circumstances, having to combat with the evil forces of darkness, Father, will you empower them and give them what it is they need to proclaim the gospel to all those who are still living in darkness. There are so many, thousands, millions of people living in this world, even around us, who are walking to their own destruction. They hear the word, or maybe not even have heard the word, and just reject it. Father, give us, too, to be readable letters of our Lord Jesus Christ. Also, when it comes to evangelism, to promote your name, that every opportunity which we receive in our daily life, also for the coming week, We may utilize these opportunities and speak about the hope which lives within us, so that others may be drawn to that glorious light of salvation through Jesus Christ. Father, we thank you for our minister. There are a number of our congregations which are vacant, where there is no minister. We thank you that we have our minister. who is about to begin his task again in our midst this coming week. Give him, we pray, Lord, what it is he needs in preparing himself for the task of preaching. Give him what it is he needs in the preparation of making sermons, in preparation for teaching, and also for providing pastoral care for those in need. Will you bless our Reverend Poppy with energy, with wisdom, with insight, with patience, but also with a spirit of humility, so that he may continue to work fruitfully for the up-building of our church here in Southern River, but above all for the glorification of your name. Continue to use him as an instrument in your hands for the up-building of your church. We ask to be with his wife, Amanda, and the children that they also may be a good support for our minister. Father, we also pray for all those in our midst who have special needs. We think of those brothers and sisters who suffer physically from illnesses, those who recover from operations, others who suffer mental or emotional spiritual distress. May it please you to heal the sick, Father, especially this morning, we'd like to pray for our elderly brothers and sisters. We realize that with growing old and older, our bodies become weaker and the pains and the aches are often on the increase. Then it is sometimes even difficult to admit that when our earthly temple is gradually breaking down, Father, we pray that when we physically become weaker, will you spiritually make us stronger? And that also in that situation, we may continue to place our trust in you and in you alone. Lift up those who are depressed and cast down. Comfort the widows and widower in our midst. And will you show your love to the lonely who are often suffering in silence, that also as congregation we may be a hand and a foot to each other, that we may reach out to other brothers and sisters, that they may experience also the riches of the communion of saints. Father, watch over us the rest of this day. Will you keep us in your service? Give us a blessed day. Forgive all our sins and shortcomings also after this last hour, and hear our prayer in Jesus' name. Amen. Then before our final song, hymn 41, verses 1, 2, and 3, you have the opportunity to give you gifts to the Lord. And this morning, the collection will be for the Indonesian churches. And then after that, hymn 41, verses 1, 2, and 3. So, ♪ Of old glory seated in triumph and strong to stay ♪ ♪ Dying, you have death depleted ♪ ♪ Bearing, you has for the grave ♪ ♪ You have gone where now is given ♪ On the mortal mind forgave, On the eternal throne of heaven, In the Father's path to reign. ♪ May your kingdom's power adore you ♪ ♪ And the pow'r of heaven be mine ♪ ♪ While the decks of hell bid for you ♪ ♪ Trembling and defeated bow ♪ ♪ We revere you, Lord and Savior ♪ ♪ We implore your grace and love ♪ ♪ Hear our prayers and help us never ♪ ♪ Seek the things that are above ♪ For when you return in glory, From the clouds of heaven above, We of love will stand before you, kept forever in your love. In your faithfulness confiding, Jesus, all shall you adore. Lift up your hearts unto God and receive the blessing of the Lord and go in peace. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen. Thank you. th th you.