We extend a warm welcome with all those who are worshiping with us this afternoon. We now confess our undoubted Catholic faith. Our help is in the name of the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth. Amen. Grace and peace to you from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. Amen. Let us sing together to the praise of our God, Psalm 66, the stanzas one and two. Sing to the glory of his name. and Savior, always by thee. And all your works have breached your path. Ye, for your strength, good God, almighty, your enemies all print and count. O'er the oaks that we fell before you, sing praises to your glorious name. To you, O God, lay all praise abound. With hymns of joy we sing. ♪ Come and sing with record for all good ♪ ♪ He awesome deeds that God has done ♪ ♪ His might in hearts among the nations ♪ ♪ The victories he's had has won ♪ Before we make confession of our Catholic undoubted Christian faith, a few words from the prophet Isaiah in Isaiah 66. For thus says the Lord, behold, I will extend peace to Israel like a river. and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream, and you shall feed on her side, shall you be carried and be dandled on her knees. As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you, and you shall be comforted in Jerusalem. Let us now together with the church of all times and places confess our Catholic, undoubted Christian faith, the words of the Apostles' Creed as you find them in hymn one. I believe in God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son, our Lord. who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, lepering in his anger into hell. ♪ Again from the dead ♪ ♪ Be our symphony to heaven and sing to them the bright head ♪ ♪ For God the Father almighty ♪ ♪ From heaven's day shall come to draw us the living and the dead ♪ ♪ I believe in the Holy Spirit ♪ Oh, we have the riches and the wealth and the saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. Let us together call on the name of the Lord, our God, and ask for a blessing on this worship service. Our gracious God and heavenly Father, we come into your presence on the afternoon of this first day of a new week. And once again, Lord, we want to thank you and to praise you for the opportunity that we have to worship together. We thank you, Lord, that we may do so in a land of freedom and opportunity. We thank you that no one hinders us, no law forbids us, no punishment awaits us. We thank you, Father, that freely we may assemble and during the days of the week we may freely speak about the things that you have taught us in your word to those around us. Father, we thank you for the freedoms that are present in this country of Australia. And we pray that we may cherish those freedoms And realize as well that there are many people living in different parts of the world who do not have what we have here. Because there are so many places in this world where there is a restriction on the ability to gather together and to worship and to confess your name. There are so many places, O Lord, where there is lawlessness and where there is a manner of conflict and unrest that makes it difficult for the spread of the gospel. But we thank you, Father, that it is not so in this land, and we pray that that may continue. We pray that there may always be freedom and opportunity for us to testify of the hope that is in us. At the same time, Father, we also realize that in this country in which we live, not everything is done according to your will. There are philosophies and ideologies and ideas and opinions that frequently clash with what you have revealed to us in your word. And also in these days and on this day, when there is a prayer service about the sexual norms in this country, Father, we pray that also with respect to that matter, that there may be a reformation of heart and of mind and a realization that only when we live our lives in obedience to your word can we expect a blessing upon them. And so we pray. We pray for this world and this country in which we live. We pray that there may be an ever-increasing awareness of your law, your standards of holiness and daily living, that there may be a realization that marriage is holy, that the family is to be protected and to promoted, that sexuality is a blessing but only within the framework of marriage. And so, Father, we pray. that you would melt hearts, change opinions, and also renew the thinking and the minds and the hearts of many. Lord, we also pray that you would be with us this afternoon as we turn to the reading of your word. And we pray that you would bless its reading as well as its proclamation, that once again, your word may be a lamp unto our feet. and a light to our daily path. We also pray Father would you bless the offering that will be taken for Eucalyptus and we pray that this offering as well as all of the other offerings that are undertaken in this church may be used in your service. for building up the lives of your children, for bringing happiness and peace and all the needs and necessities of daily living as well. And so Father, we ask, receive what we offer as an expression of our gratitude and as a way of showing to you that truly the God called Mammon has been enthroned in our lives and we recognize that you are the ultimate owner and dispenser of all things. So, Lord, make us good stewards of all of your gifts, spiritual as well as material, that we may serve you well and thankfully and humbly in everything that we do. Be with us, we humbly pray in Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. You now have the opportunity to give your offering unto the Lord, the offering. And after the offering, let us sing together from Psalm 23, the stanzas one, two, and three. ♪ The Lord, my Shepherd, he proudly cares me ♪ ♪ I shall not want him, but to freely test me ♪ His care and mercy surely leads me where peaceful streets are gently following. He for his land's sake surely will restore ♪ The cross of righteousness before me ♪ ♪ For the light is moving, shadows overtaken ♪ ♪ In death's dark valley ♪ and one forsaken. I fear no evil, you are there beside me. Through all the depths of sorrow you will guide me. of my salvation. Oh, who can stop me now, my hope's salvation. When all thine earths glow, Alma, you reign slowly. And we'll serve Thee all anointed Like a proud worker For You have appointed Goodness and mercy Till forsaken ever Let us open the Word of God together this afternoon. We turn to the Book of Acts, the Acts of the Apostles, or better yet, the Acts of Jesus Christ through the Apostles, Chapter 18, 1 to 18. Let us listen together to the word of God. After these things, Paul departed from Athens and went to Corinth. And he found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to depart from Rome, and he came to them. So because he was of the same trade, he stayed with them and worked, for by occupation they were tent makers. And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath and persuaded both Jews and Greeks. When Silas and Timothy had come from Macedonia, Paul was compelled by the Spirit and testified to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ. But when they opposed him and blasphemed, he shook his garments and said to them, your blood be upon your own heads. I am clean. From now on, I will go to the Gentiles. And he departed from there and entered the house of a certain man named Justice, one who worshipped God, whose house was next door to the synagogue. Then Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his household. And many of the Corinthians, hearing, believed and were baptized. Now the Lord spoke to Paul in the night by a vision. Do not be afraid, but speak and do not keep silent, for I am with you. And no one will attack you to hurt you, for I have many people in this city." And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them. When Galileo was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews, with one accord, rose up against Paul and brought him to the judgment seat, saying, This fellow persuades men to worship God contrary to the law. And when Paul was about to open his mouth, Galileo said to the Jews, if it were a matter of wrongdoing or wicked crimes, O Jews, there would be reason why I should bear with you. But if it is a question of words and names and your own law, look to it yourselves, for I do not want to be a judge of such matters. And he drove them from the judgment seat. Then all the Jews took Sostanus, the ruler of the synagogue, and beat him before the judgment seat. But Galileo took no notice of these things. So Paul still remained a good while. Then he took leave of the brethren and sailed for Syria. And Priscilla and Aquila were with him. He had his hair cut off at Cancria, for he had taken a vow. Thus far the reading of God's holy word. Let's respond with singing the sixth stanza of Psalm 27. and is spread in high affliction. If I had not believed that in his time the Lord would show his goodness, his protection, The Lord is faithful, the Lord be strong, and help this way. The Lord is grateful, why then be afraid? Take courage, for He's steadfast, now He's sure. I preach to you this afternoon from the Word of God as you find it in the second epistle of Paul to the Corinthians chapter 1, verses 3 to 11. 2 Corinthians chapter 1, beginning at verse 3 to verse 11. Listen once again to the Word of God. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ. Now, if we are afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effective for enduring the same sufferings which we also suffer. if we are comforted is for your consolation and salvation. And our hope for you is steadfast because we know that as you are partakers of the suffering, so also you will partake of the consolation. For we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life. Yes, we have the sentence of death in ourselves that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead, who delivered us from so great a death and does deliver us, in whom we trust that He will still deliver us. You also helping together in prayer for us that thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf for the gift granted to us through many. Thus far, the reading of our text. May God bless His holy word. After the proclamation of the gospel, let's respond with a singing of hymn 15, the stanzas one, two, and three. Beloved congregation of our Lord and our Savior, Jesus Christ, as people, we all have many different kinds of needs. We have the need to sleep, and maybe some of you feel that need right now. We have the need to eat, to rest, all kinds of emotional, physical, psychological, spiritual needs. And as a matter of fact, if after this worship service you were to take out paper and pencil and you were to try to list all of the needs that you have as human beings, you would soon discover that the need list is very long. We are in many respects needy people. Oh, and if you want to delve into the subject even further, you might want, for example, to consider what Abraham Maslow wrote, who took all of these human needs, or at least who tried to take them, and who, as it were, constructed them in a form of a pyramid. And according to him, our human needs have five levels. And at the top of the pyramid, there are needs like morality and creativity. And at the bottom level of the pyramid, we have needs like food, water, and sleep. You can look it up in Wikipedia. Makes for a rather interesting, if not debatable, reading. However, this afternoon, we are not here to busy ourselves with the thinking of a man by the name of Maslow. and his hierarchy of human needs, but rather we want to busy ourselves with the Word of God and ask ourselves, what does the Word of God say about our human needs? Well, beloved, what exactly does it say? Well, it says, for example, that one of our most basic and most fundamental needs as we go through this life is the need for comfort. We human beings need comfort. It's one of those things, you might say, that makes this life livable, bearable, doable, possible. In other words, without comfort, this life really is not worth living. It's not even livable. And strangely enough, Maslow doesn't even mention comfort among his hierarchy of needs. The word comfort cannot be found either directly or indirectly, but it can be found very prominently in the teachings of the Apostle Paul. And so let's turn to what he has to say under the guidance of the Holy Spirit also about the matter of comfort. I preach to you on the scene the God of all comfort. And we're going to look at the source the calling as well as the reliance. So the God of all comfort the source of this comfort our calling with respect to this comfort and our reliance in this particular comfort. Well beloved There is little doubt that one word in particular dominates over these opening verses of Paul's second letter to the church in Corinth. Time and time again, you'll notice he uses the word comfort here. He uses it actually in verses three, four, five, six, and seven. And sometimes he even uses it twice, and that may not always come out in your translation, but it's there. He uses it twice in verse four, and he uses it twice in verse six. And then you might ask yourself, well, why is he so obsessed with that one particular word? And why does he mention it so often? Well, because it is in all respects a most beautiful and fitting word. In it, one finds the idea of standing beside a person in order to encourage him or her as he or she is undergoing severe trials and testing. And the key is in the idea of standing beside someone, being there for someone, being there to help someone. Now, some translations take the word comfort, at least the Greek word, and they translate it as consolation or encouragement. And that comes close, but I dare say the word comfort still does a better job. Comfort comes from the Latin word, which means to strengthen or to make strong. And that's what it does. It depicts someone who comes and stands beside you and makes you strong, who helps you through, who comes to your aid. And so, beloved, hopefully you realize that the Apostle Paul here is speaking about a most wonderful quality. And he says it's a quality that helps us in all of life's ugly situations. Paul refers to it as being effective in all our tribulations or in all our troubles. In other words, he says this particular word and the concept that lies behind it has applications for situations of sickness, loneliness, conflict, grief, disaster, injury, death. He says it's good for all troubles, not just some. No matter, in other words, what the problem the apostle is saying, what the pain, what the sorrow, what the distress in your life, what the anguish or the hurt, this comfort helps. It really does. Then you say, how's that possible? How can that be? Sounds too good to be true. Yes, and it would be were it not for comfort's source. For look now and see where exactly does this exquisite quality come from in the first place. Paul, an apostle by the will of God, an apostle of Jesus Christ, comes to the church in Corinth, to the saints spread throughout Achaia, and to us today as well, and he directs us to the one great ultimate source of comfort. He writes, blessed Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies or compassions, and the God of all comfort, who comforts us. You see, Paul makes it crystal clear, this comfort comes from God. And there's no doubt about it. Paul designates Him as the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, the God of all comfort. What glorious descriptions. Why simply He is comfort source, its origin, its inventor. It all comes from Him and flows from Him. And I'm sure, beloved, as the Apostle Paul was writing and speaking about this, it caught many of his readers and his listeners completely by surprise. We've read how he turned from the synagogue of Jews to the Gentiles. And you know, for the Gentiles, this is something completely and utterly new because their gods are not like this God. If you study it, you find out the gods of the Greeks are fundamentally indifferent to human needs and difficulties. They couldn't care less about you and your situation. They only cared about themselves. They had their own agenda to work through. And so for these people to be told that there is a God who is the source of all comfort, well, that sounded improbable, unthinkable, if not impossible. But the Apostle Paul insists, not the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort. And the proof, beloved, well, it's everywhere, isn't it, on the pages of Holy Writ? What accounts for the fact that this God doesn't write off the human race in the days of Adam and Eve or of Noah? What accounts for his promise to send the Savior, for the call of Abraham, for the choosing of Israel, for his inexhaustible patience in the days of the wilderness journey, and the judges, and the kings, and the prophets? And what accounts for the sending of his Son in the fullness of time, and for the life, and the ministry, and the death and the resurrection and the ascension of our Lord. What accounts for the gift of the Holy Spirit and for our adoption and justification and sanctification and redemption? What accounts for His sustaining presence in our lives and for the promise of a future full of life and peace and glory? Beloved, if our God were not the God of compassion, if he were not the God of comfort none of this would be coming our way you see it's his compassion that is at the bottom of our salvation it is his comfort that sustains us in all of life situations And maybe sometimes you've seen that too. I've seen it often in my ministry. Something's ailing a parishioner and they go to the doctor and they have a whole battery of tests taken and they meet with the doctor again and the doctor says, you have cancer. Stage four cancer. And when you hear that, It's like as if in an instant, your whole life kind of crumbles before your eyes. The tears begin to flow. And at first, you don't know what to do, what to say. But then you turn to God. You call on His name. You petition His throne. And what happens? Little by little, your strength returns, you discover the meaning of the word hope, and you begin to testify of it to others. Your condition and the prognosis may be as bleak as ever, but somehow, from somewhere, a new confidence fills your heart and spills over into your soul. How many times have people not remarked to me, I went there to comfort brother or sister so and so, but they comforted me instead. Now, how is that possible? Well, beloved, it's because the God and Father of compassion, the God of comfort, comes and stands beside that particular person and fills them with strength from above. That's what he does. That's what he's been majoring in for centuries. Who do you think gave Abraham a backbone? Who do you think gave Joseph hope, Job strength, David bravery, Jeremiah courage, Jesus obedience, Who instills amazing commitment into the hearts of God's martyrs? Who walks with us through the valley of the shadow of death and the pits of despair? None other than our God. None other than the one who invites us, call on me and I will answer you. none other than our Lord Jesus Christ, who beckons, come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I, I will give you rest. None other than the Holy Spirit, another comforter and counselor. You see, beloved, our God, our triune God, is an ever-sustaining, supporting, strengthening God. Turn to him every day. In all your sorrows, in all of your troubles, call on his name. And he will answer you. He will come. And he'll stand beside you. And he will make you strong. So beloved, our text speaks, first of all, about the source of our comfort. But it also reveals something further about our calling in all of this. Look, for example, at verse 4. There Paul writes, who comforts us in all our troubles, that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. Take special note of that one word, that, or in some translations, the word so that. Because it expresses the idea of purpose or intent or direction. You know, often when trouble comes our way, be it in the form of an accident, illness, financial hardship, marriage trouble, family problems or what have you. We ask the proverbial question why? Why is this happening to us? Why is this happening to me? Why am I on the receiving end of all of this misery? What in the world is God trying to do by letting this happen to me? Those are very deep and searching questions. And let's admit it, none of us have all the answers to this question. At best, all we get are glimmerings or glimpses, if you will, of an answer. Yes, and here, beloved, is one of those glimpses. Here Paul says that at least one purpose to be found in all of our troubles and in the comfort we receive is this. It has everything to do with turning us into comforters. It has to do with turning us into vehicles of or instruments if you will of comfort. The purpose is so that we can comfort those in trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. Do you hear that? It's saying if God has helped you through a difficult time in your life, that's not just something to sit on and to savor. No, it's something that should motivate you to get out there and help others. It should turn you from a comfort receiver or recipient into a comfort giver and dispenser. Is that hard? Is it difficult to be a comfort dispenser? Well, it depends. If you think that it means visiting someone and preaching a sermon to them, then I suppose it's hard. But if it simply means being there for others, extending a helping hand, saying the odd fitting word, giving a hug, supplying a listening ear, uttering a prayer, then it's not so hard, is it? And it's also not so hard if you realize that along with trouble, God always gives comfort. Isn't that what the Apostle Paul is getting at in the verses 5 to 7, verse 5, for just as the sufferings of Christ flow into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows? In other words, as Christians we all will know suffering. We will come to know that following Christ is not without suffering. However, the same Christ who allows suffering also sends comfort. Paul says even, overflowing comfort. And what about verse 7, and our hope for you is firm because we know that as you share in our suffering, so also you share in our comfort, in our consolation. That's the apostles way of saying that suffering and comfort go hand in hand. that God balances them out, that with the one comes the other, and that for the children of God, suffering is never, ever without comfort. Believe that and remind others of that as you stand beside them. But then realize that along with God giving comfort and suffering, He also gives something else. You find that mention in the second part of verse 6. If we are comforted, it is for your comfort which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. What does that mean? Well, it's Paul's way of saying that suffering is also not without benefit. Often we would say suffering is meaningless, useless, senseless. Paul says that's not true. Suffering produces something. And he dares to say suffering produces something worthwhile. What does it produce? Well, he says it produces endurance, effective for enduring, patient endurance. In other words, suffering, Paul says, has a way of creating spiritual muscle, staying power, steadfastness. It has a way of molding and shaping human character. Character that runs deeper and becomes stronger and sees better and realizes more. And character that doesn't live this life so artificially and superficially. And isn't that true? Don't we so often live this life in a very superficial kind of way? We hardly give a thought to this or to that. We just kind of coast along from day to day, week to week. Our brains sometimes are barely working overtime. But that's not, Paul says, what's beneficial. Suffering, he says, produces effective endurance. And you know, Paul, of course, says that elsewhere as well. Think of Romans 5. We know he writes there to the Romans that suffering produces perseverance. Perseverance produces character. And character, hope, and hope does not disappoint us. So remember, beloved, as God gives comfort to you, and as you give comfort to others that that God never allows suffering without giving comfort and he never ever allows suffering to be meaningless it works something something in terms of endurance something in terms of perseverance something in terms of character and hope And hope doesn't disappoint us. Now, of course, some of you may be thinking to yourself, well, sounds good. But really, I'm not buying into any of this. This is all theological, religious humbug. Because suffering really is senseless and useless. And as for the Apostle Paul, he's just an armchair theologian, probably sitting beside a warm fire somewhere, smoking a cigar or a pipe, having a glass of wine, out of touch with reality and with life's daily struggles. You know, that's sometimes how the Apostle Paul is depicted. But is that an accurate description? Well, Mount Beloved, for example, if you read what follows in our text in the verses 8 to 11, because from there we read that Paul knows a lot about suffering. He writes, we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters too, by the way, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure far beyond our ability to endure so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. And he goes on. Now, we don't know exactly what the Apostle Paul is referring to. Maybe some kind of illness or disease. It may have been something relating to persecution. He doesn't get very specific. But nevertheless, it's very clear that the Apostle Paul finds himself in deep, deep trouble. He talks about hardship, pressure, despair, affliction, burdens, even death. And the impression is that he has his back against the wall, that he doesn't know where to turn, and he has no way out. In other words, beloved, the Apostle Paul's life was often full of trouble. He's no abstract theologian. He's no ivory tower preacher. Now he knows what it is to suffer. Read later on 2 Corinthians chapter 11 about shipwrecks and beatings and hunger and lashes and all kinds of terrible things that he experiences. He knows what it is to suffer and he knows that suffering is not pointless. You know, he goes on to say, verse 9, this is about a different translation, but maybe a bit clearer, but he says, this happened that we might not rely on ourselves, but on God who raises the dead. Now, how often don't we do that? How often don't we rely on ourselves? We get in a jam. We get in difficulties. I can fix it. I got the answer. I know the solution. I can take care of it. Don't bother helping me. I can manage. You know, that kind of do-it-yourself spirit lives by nature, our fallen nature in all of us. And it even lived in Paul. But God had come along to the apostle Paul, and God had dropped a wake-up call on him. God had made him realize that in and of himself he is weak and vulnerable and without strength. But in his God, he is strong. You know, he writes to the Philippians, I can do all things through him who strengthens me. Because after all, as he says here, this is the God who raises the dead. And who else can do that? Talk about great, unimaginable power when your reliance is on God and God alone. And talk about someone on whom to build your life. Paul goes on, he has delivered us from such a deadly peril and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us. Very confident language. Not only, Paul says, has God delivered him, but Paul is confident that God will always deliver him. In spite of his dire circumstances, the apostle has hope. He has this abiding hope in his God. He has, and he will, and he will continue to deliver me. And so, beloved, what else do comfort givers do? You know, in addition to standing beside those who suffer, to knowing that along with suffering God supplies comfort, and to knowing and understanding that comfort produces endurance, they also dispense lots of hope. They remind those who they're standing beside that suffering and sickness and death will not have the final words in this life. Thanks to Him who raises the dead there is hope and there is a future full of blessing and there is a coming life full of glory and there is an approaching reunion full of surprises and there's a new creation waiting to be explored and there is so much more to come. If you think the present has good things in it. You haven't seen anything yet, says the gospel. But then how to drive it all home? How do you convince those who are suffering of all of this? How do you get the troubled to see it? Well, again, Paul says there is a way. And he says it's the way of prayer. Because prayer changes hearts and minds and attitudes. And Paul himself knows that prayer works because he says he's been on the receiving end of this. He speaks about as you help us by your prayers and as the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many. He's saying, without your prayers, people, without your petitions, the outcome would have been vastly different. Because prayer has power. Remember that, beloved. Prayer has power. You know, there is these days a rather disturbing tendency among far too many believers to speak about prayer as if it is the last pretty much useless exercise of desperate people. We come across a seemingly, humanly speaking, hopeless situation and we say, all we can do is pray. You ever hear that one? All we can do is prayer. And doesn't that strike you as kind of lame? All we can do is pray. You know, we put more hope in doctors and nurses and medicines and hospitals than we do in prayer. Yes, and then the Apostle Paul would say to us, that, beloved, requires a serious rethink in your lives. Because the first thing and the best thing you can do as a comfort giver is to pray for the person beside whom you are standing. James writes, the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. So I would say to you, pray. Pray earnestly to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion, the God of all comfort, for he will hear you and he will help you. The psalmist said long ago, I call on you, O God, for you will answer me. Yes, you will answer me. You will answer me with your comfort from above. Amen. ♪ Comfort, comfort now, my people ♪ ♪ Speak of peace, the saints have come ♪ ♪ As you sit in campus ♪ ♪ Mourning and the sorrows learn ♪ ♪ As the new Jerusalem ♪ ♪ Of the peace that waits for them ♪ Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave? of the blessed flame. Let your hearts be true and humbled, as we pitch this holy grave. All the glory of the Lord The flesh shall see that I am, that His Word is there ever done. There are a number of announcements. First of all, the consistory announces that Amos Scott and Denny Islander, you may not understand my pronunciation of those names, but hopefully you know who they are, have indicated their intention to enter the married state according to the ordinance of God. They desire to begin this holy state in the name of the Lord and to complete it to his glory. If no lawful objections are brought forward, the ceremony will take place on Friday, the 24th of February in the Free Reformed Church of Rockingham at 2 p.m., Reverend Anderson officiating. The Lord willing, we will celebrate the Lord's Supper next Sunday morning as we read in 1 Corinthians 11, 27 to 29, lest anyone eat and drink condemnation upon themselves by eating and drinking in an unworthy manner. You are called to examine yourselves. As we confess in Lord's Day 30, only those may come to the table who are truly displeased with themselves because of their sins, and yet trust that they are forgiven them and that their remaining weakness is covered by the suffering and death of Christ, and who desire more and more to strengthen their faith and amend their life. But hypocrites and those who do not repent eat and drink judgment upon themselves. The congregation is reminded the next Sunday morning there will be a Thanksgiving service and there will be a special Thanksgiving collection in that morning's service. Attestation has been received from the Free Reform Church of Melville for Brother Jeff Hunewalt. We welcome him into the congregation. And then with respect to family or home visits, Brother H. DeHaan, Monday, 730. Brother Brunson Decker, Wednesday, 730. Family J. Bosvelt, Thursday, 8 p.m. Family W. Timmer, Wednesday at 730. And Sister E. Kramer, Thursday at 730. Those are the announcements. Let us give thanks to the Lord in prayer. Our good and gracious God and heavenly Father, we come to you and we are thankful. Thankful that you give us the opportunity to praise your holy name. Thankful that we may give an offering of our substance. Thankful that we may also listen to the reading and the proclamation of the gospel. And Father, especially we pray that your gospel may continually penetrate our hearts and our minds. And also the gospel that is so full of comfort, Father, as we go through this life, we so often experience setbacks. So often we deal with life's brokenness. So often we are reminded of sickness and grief and of death even. And Lord, then we especially realize that we need help. We need strength. We need something that will enable us to endure all of these things. And we thank you that you have given us that something in the comfort of the gospel. We thank you, Laura, that in all of these situations, you come when your people call upon you. You come and you stand beside them and you make them strong. You make them realize how much you can do for them and in their lives with your promises and with your presence. Father, make us to realize as well that along with suffering, you always give comfort. And you never give anything that is beyond our ability to bear. And at the same time, Father, in all of this, you also work character, a deepening of our personalities, a greater sensitivity to your way in this world and in the salvation of your people. And so, Father, fill us with hope. Fill us with the realization that you, as the God of comfort, are at the same time the God who raises the dead. And if you can raise the dead, then most certainly You can also raise us up in the midst of life's disappointments and difficulties. And so, Lord, be with us, each and every one of us. You know our needs, our circumstances. Nothing is hidden from you. Father, deal with us in wisdom, compassion, and mercy, because you are truly the God of all comfort. Father, we also pray that you would continue to be with this congregation here in Rockingham. We pray that you would bless all of her members, also in this new week that lies before us. Be with the young and old alike. Be with the single members. Be with the married members. Be with all those in whatever station of life they may be. And also, Father, we pray. We pray that you would continue to equip your people and that your people may be a light and a salt in the earth, that we may shed forth the light of Jesus Christ, the light of the world, also in our lives today. We pray, Father, would you also prepare your people as next Sunday they hope to celebrate together the sacrament of the Lord's Supper. May this week also be a time of reflection, a reflection upon the sinfulness and the brokenness in our lives, reflection upon the great salvation of Jesus Christ, and about our thankfulness and gratitude every day. How do we live from here on in? And so, Lord, be with us. Bless also, Father, we pray, the pastor of this congregation. Give to Reverend Anderson everything that he needs, that he may be a faithful preacher of your word and also a caring pastor to your flock. Be with the elders that they also may care for the needs of your people here and for the deacons as well as they make visible the mercy of Jesus Christ, our Savior. Lord, bless all and everyone. And bless all the causes supported by your people here as well. We pray particularly for missionaries in far off places, whether it be in Indonesia, whether it be in PNG or other parts of the world, Father, grant that wherever your word is being faithfully proclaimed, that your blessing and your peace may be upon it. Keep us, Lord, in your grace. Help us every day. May we be always the recipients of the comfort of Jesus Christ. And if we are, Help us also to stand beside others, to also become comfort dispensers. And so, Lord, hear us and bless us in Jesus Christ, the source of all comfort. Amen. Let us sing together once again this time from hymn 64, the stanzas one and two. Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave I am the bread, I am my troubles paid. I am the Bible, Christ with holy pain. For all my sins have saved me. His gracious love for higher places gave me. Free me from all the devil's power and slavery. For evermore, God, God, He hath prayed me. ♪ And His word be made plain ♪ ♪ My faithful Savior gives me His care ♪ ♪ Greater my father's will when not at hand ♪ ♪ Her heavenly habitation ♪ ♪ All is now served to her by salvation ♪ ♪ His holy spirit brings me consolation ♪ Receive now the blessing of the Lord and go your way in his peace. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.