i'll preach in english today and kia<\/p>\n
will be translating into thai for us so<\/p>\n
thank you<\/p>\n
for coming to do that you want to say<\/p>\n
happy new year to all of you<\/p>\n
and welcome<\/p>\n
before we read the text for today i just<\/p>\n
want to welcome any of you that may be<\/p>\n
and i think i speak on behalf of the<\/p>\n
entire church when i say<\/p>\n
that we look forward to getting to speak<\/p>\n
with you getting to know you<\/p>\n
guys<\/p>\n
you know we're united<\/p>\n
in our desire to love and care for<\/p>\n
bangkok<\/p>\n
[Music]<\/p>\n
you know we we really what<\/p>\n
when it comes down to it just to make it<\/p>\n
simple<\/p>\n
we long to see our own lives changed by<\/p>\n
the grace of god<\/p>\n
and praying that our neighbors our<\/p>\n
friends our colleagues that they would<\/p>\n
come to know<\/p>\n
the gods<\/p>\n
now here we are just a couple of days<\/p>\n
into a new year<\/p>\n
but in reality<\/p>\n
a lot of the pain and fear<\/p>\n
and hardship from last year it didn't<\/p>\n
just disappear a couple of days ago<\/p>\n
no here in this new year where we're<\/p>\n
likely to find ourselves in the midst of<\/p>\n
the same<\/p>\n
hard things the same difficulties<\/p>\n
with<\/p>\n
but the hope<\/p>\n
that comes through jesus christ is<\/p>\n
eternal now<\/p>\n
god does not change<\/p>\n
and the center of the christian faith is<\/p>\n
an<\/p>\n
unshakable immovable everlasting hope<\/p>\n
christian<\/p>\n
is is a hope that cannot be changed<\/p>\n
in the book of hebrews we read this in<\/p>\n
chapter 13 8<\/p>\n
jesus christ<\/p>\n
is the same<\/p>\n
yesterday<\/p>\n
today<\/p>\n
this truth gives us a good and sure hope<\/p>\n
jesus christ is the same today in this<\/p>\n
new year<\/p>\n
he does<\/p>\n
also not change<\/p>\n
and as we begin this new year let us<\/p>\n
rest<\/p>\n
in the god that does not change<\/p>\n
jesus christ is alive<\/p>\n
he has to put some pressure on you and<\/p>\n
he's ruling over this world that he has<\/p>\n
created<\/p>\n
now our text today is from the psalms<\/p>\n
god<\/p>\n
and tonight today we'll be beginning the<\/p>\n
season this series of psalms<\/p>\n
by reading psalm 61<\/p>\n
and this psalm is a psalm of david king<\/p>\n
david wrote this god<\/p>\n
now the psalms this part of the bible<\/p>\n
they're actually songs<\/p>\n
and just as singing is so expressive<\/p>\n
in the psalms we see the full<\/p>\n
range<\/p>\n
you might say that we see our own lives<\/p>\n
our own hearts on display<\/p>\n
so as you hear this psalm read today as<\/p>\n
you read it to yourself<\/p>\n
they found<\/p>\n
right now at the beginning of this new<\/p>\n
year<\/p>\n
what thoughts what dreams what fears<\/p>\n
occupy<\/p>\n
what is<\/p>\n
so consider all of this and listen to<\/p>\n
the word of god<\/p>\n
some of us you know we have joyful<\/p>\n
hearts today and some of us are full of<\/p>\n
sorrow<\/p>\n
indeed<\/p>\n
some of us feel safe and others may be<\/p>\n
experiencing a sense of dread or<\/p>\n
no matter how we are today god we ask<\/p>\n
that you would meet us here in these<\/p>\n
circumstances<\/p>\n
in thai and i will<\/p>\n
follow reading in english this is psalm<\/p>\n
61. this is the word of god<\/p>\n
foreign<\/p>\n
psalm 61<\/p>\n
to the choir master with stringed<\/p>\n
instruments<\/p>\n
of david<\/p>\n
hear my cry o god<\/p>\n
listen to my prayer<\/p>\n
from the end of the earth i call to you<\/p>\n
and my heart is faint<\/p>\n
lead me to the rock that is higher than<\/p>\n
i<\/p>\n
for you have been my refuge<\/p>\n
a strong tower against the enemy<\/p>\n
let me dwell in your tent forever let me<\/p>\n
take refuge under the shelter<\/p>\n
of your wings<\/p>\n
saila<\/p>\n
for you o god have heard my vows you've<\/p>\n
given me the heritage of those who fear<\/p>\n
your name<\/p>\n
prolong the life of the king may his<\/p>\n
years endure to all generations<\/p>\n
may he be enthroned forever before god<\/p>\n
appoint steadfast love and faithfulness<\/p>\n
to watch over him<\/p>\n
so will i ever sing praises to your name<\/p>\n
as i perform my vows<\/p>\n
day<\/p>\n
after day this is the word of god<\/p>\n
fight or flight<\/p>\n
if you happen to major in psychology<\/p>\n
in your college studies<\/p>\n
and i know a couple of you did<\/p>\n
you remember learning about the human<\/p>\n
body's fight or flight response<\/p>\n
this is when<\/p>\n
the body senses some danger or potential<\/p>\n
harm to ourselves<\/p>\n
and we either fight to defend ourselves<\/p>\n
or we try to escape<\/p>\n
and what we're seeking what we're after<\/p>\n
when we run<\/p>\n
when we try to escape is safety<\/p>\n
we're seeking a place of<\/p>\n
protection from harm now<\/p>\n
we're seeking refuge<\/p>\n
you know this is a major theme in just<\/p>\n
about any action movie<\/p>\n
sometimes they fight and then they flee<\/p>\n
and they have no choice sometimes they<\/p>\n
have to fight<\/p>\n
or they realize the grain the danger is<\/p>\n
so great and they have to get away and<\/p>\n
they flee<\/p>\n
and<\/p>\n
there are a lot of explosions and car<\/p>\n
chases and exciting camera angles<\/p>\n
where do we find where do we find solace<\/p>\n
and peace when the world is falling<\/p>\n
apart around us<\/p>\n
james<\/p>\n
these are the very questions that the<\/p>\n
psalms<\/p>\n
deal with<\/p>\n
david is crying out to god for help<\/p>\n
called from now the words here from the<\/p>\n
ends of the earth they they may have<\/p>\n
david being far<\/p>\n
from jerusalem far from the temple<\/p>\n
but certainly he's feeling<\/p>\n
faint he says he's he's feeling the<\/p>\n
weight<\/p>\n
all that is happening my heart is faint<\/p>\n
at the core of the christian faith is<\/p>\n
the premise that we<\/p>\n
need rescue<\/p>\n
christians<\/p>\n
the basic teaching of many of the<\/p>\n
world's religions<\/p>\n
is is that you do a set of teachings or<\/p>\n
or follow a certain set of laws<\/p>\n
or practice a set of rituals you can<\/p>\n
help yourself<\/p>\n
so if you do this and if you<\/p>\n
pray this and you give this then you<\/p>\n
save yourself you can redefine yourself<\/p>\n
and we need the saving work of god<\/p>\n
through jesus christ to rescue us<\/p>\n
we can't create a safe place in our own<\/p>\n
sinfulness<\/p>\n
if our sinfulness is the problem<\/p>\n
we can't give our own restless hearts<\/p>\n
true and lasting rest that must come<\/p>\n
from outside of ourselves<\/p>\n
if we could solve our problems doesn't<\/p>\n
it seem fair that we would have by now<\/p>\n
now<\/p>\n
from<\/p>\n
if humanity evolved to a place of peace<\/p>\n
and rest and and goodness it it<\/p>\n
certainly seems reasonable that<\/p>\n
the christian belief<\/p>\n
is that we<\/p>\n
need god<\/p>\n
to set everything right<\/p>\n
up<\/p>\n
because i can't help myself i can't save<\/p>\n
myself only you can do that in me oh god<\/p>\n
actually<\/p>\n
as we read the psalms many of them<\/p>\n
written by david<\/p>\n
see that he experiences<\/p>\n
he experiences the saving of god<\/p>\n
and he incorporates these these<\/p>\n
beautiful descriptions that that<\/p>\n
underscore<\/p>\n
he says let me dwell<\/p>\n
in your<\/p>\n
david writes let me take refuge under<\/p>\n
the shelter of your wings<\/p>\n
you know perhaps the reference to the<\/p>\n
tent is is to the tabernacle of god<\/p>\n
the place where god dwells<\/p>\n
david is praying god let me be<\/p>\n
in your presence let me be with you<\/p>\n
forever<\/p>\n
david praise god protect my life protect<\/p>\n
my soul like a like a mother bird drapes<\/p>\n
her wing over her babies<\/p>\n
this picture of god just like a mother<\/p>\n
bird covering us protecting us<\/p>\n
protecting us from harm<\/p>\n
david is praying this let me rest in you<\/p>\n
oh god in this way right here right now<\/p>\n
anytime<\/p>\n
david isn't rescued<\/p>\n
from the danger of his adversary<\/p>\n
god saves us<\/p>\n
in the midst of harm god is present with<\/p>\n
us whatever may come<\/p>\n
one of the true realities of this life<\/p>\n
is that sickness and death are present<\/p>\n
and real<\/p>\n
fast<\/p>\n
and being a christian following god does<\/p>\n
not<\/p>\n
you know crying out the god for saving<\/p>\n
does not mean<\/p>\n
that we won't experience the harsh<\/p>\n
realities of this broken world<\/p>\n
you see god entered into<\/p>\n
our suffering<\/p>\n
jesus came to live a life that we cannot<\/p>\n
live<\/p>\n
so christian come out<\/p>\n
of that<\/p>\n
and all of this is rooted in the<\/p>\n
promises of god<\/p>\n
in verse 5 david writes this you have<\/p>\n
given me<\/p>\n
the heritage of those who fear your name<\/p>\n
looking at the heritage that god has<\/p>\n
given generations that have experienced<\/p>\n
god's leading and provisions<\/p>\n
and as a part of the community of god<\/p>\n
family of god<\/p>\n
david has received<\/p>\n
the promises of god's covenant<\/p>\n
confession<\/p>\n
now at this time in history<\/p>\n
and for david<\/p>\n
this these promises included the promise<\/p>\n
of the land<\/p>\n
and the promise that god would protect<\/p>\n
them and that god would lead them<\/p>\n
but for us<\/p>\n
we see<\/p>\n
how god's promises included the<\/p>\n
fulfillment of the promised<\/p>\n
messiah<\/p>\n
the one that would come<\/p>\n
to make all things right the one that<\/p>\n
would come<\/p>\n
to reconcile<\/p>\n
broken sinners to a holy god<\/p>\n
and david's prayer his song here in<\/p>\n
it turns to petitions for the king<\/p>\n
there may be two possible readings of<\/p>\n
these verses david may be referring to<\/p>\n
himself as king of israel<\/p>\n
that god would bless his earthly rule of<\/p>\n
god's people and and that god would<\/p>\n
bless future generations through a wise<\/p>\n
and faithful<\/p>\n
ruling<\/p>\n
but it's likely that david is is turning<\/p>\n
his prayer now to the promised king to<\/p>\n
come<\/p>\n
in<\/p>\n
but at a deeper level this royal<\/p>\n
position of king it held a theological<\/p>\n
reflected the power<\/p>\n
the glory the majesty of the divine king<\/p>\n
i'm not getting<\/p>\n
hungry<\/p>\n
so david turns his prayer<\/p>\n
and points ahead to the true king that<\/p>\n
would come and establish his good and<\/p>\n
perfect kingdom forever<\/p>\n
who will establish his kingdom and rule<\/p>\n
his rule and reign will have no end<\/p>\n
footage<\/p>\n
and as he sings about this truth david's<\/p>\n
heart is stirred to<\/p>\n
he says so will i ever sing praises to<\/p>\n
your name as i perform my vows<\/p>\n
when we understand who<\/p>\n
god is<\/p>\n
and what god has done through the person<\/p>\n
and work of jesus<\/p>\n
christ<\/p>\n
when we understand that it moves us to a<\/p>\n
place<\/p>\n
of worship<\/p>\n
praising god for his goodness and for<\/p>\n
the present and eternal refuge that he<\/p>\n
is<\/p>\n
if you are a christian if you're someone<\/p>\n
that says hey i believe and i follow<\/p>\n
jesus i'm a christian harmony<\/p>\n
if that is true for you be reminded<\/p>\n
of the god that is present<\/p>\n
and as you walk into this new year with<\/p>\n
the challenges of of last year be<\/p>\n
reminded of god's good plan<\/p>\n
and if you're someone that would say you<\/p>\n
know i'm not a christian that's awesome<\/p>\n
and to you first of all let's say we are<\/p>\n
so thankful that you are here<\/p>\n
and we value your questions and and your<\/p>\n
doubts and your thoughts on all of this<\/p>\n
do you sense a longing in your own heart<\/p>\n
for refuge for safety<\/p>\n
this refuge that that david is singing<\/p>\n
about<\/p>\n
we are sinners we commit sin and these<\/p>\n
sins separate us from god<\/p>\n
our sinfulness has broken our<\/p>\n
relationship<\/p>\n
and friends when we confess<\/p>\n
when we confess our sin to god he<\/p>\n
forgives us<\/p>\n
we speak of the cross or the the image<\/p>\n
the symbol of christianity the cross<\/p>\n
and the cross is where jesus gave<\/p>\n
himself for us it's where he died for<\/p>\n
our sins<\/p>\n
it's where he gave himself that we may<\/p>\n
have<\/p>\n
new<\/p>\n
and that's why david can write and pray<\/p>\n
that he'll dwell in the tent of god<\/p>\n
and resurrection of jesus christ<\/p>\n
has brought us<\/p>\n
near to god again<\/p>\n
so<\/p>\n
look to jesus and find<\/p>\n
refuge for your souls<\/p>\n
refuge from the darkness and brokenness<\/p>\n
these truths encourage us and lead us in<\/p>\n
all things<\/p>\n
think about the questions that we ask<\/p>\n
ourselves<\/p>\n
today how are we doing at<\/p>\n
throughout history there have been many<\/p>\n
different kinds of teachings that have<\/p>\n
helped to teach christian doctrines<\/p>\n
his<\/p>\n
a catechism which we'll read a bit from<\/p>\n
here a catechism is a<\/p>\n
confessional document that that helps to<\/p>\n
teach people about the truth of god<\/p>\n
and this this is a question from the<\/p>\n
heidelberg catechism<\/p>\n
and i want us to just let this sink in<\/p>\n
i'm going to read to it read it read to<\/p>\n
us in english and then kiel is going to<\/p>\n
to read the the thai but i want you to<\/p>\n
think about all that we've just been<\/p>\n
talking about<\/p>\n
and let me tell us all that this would<\/p>\n
be a great question to ask ourselves<\/p>\n
each and every day this year<\/p>\n
imagine<\/p>\n
what<\/p>\n
is my only comfort<\/p>\n
in life<\/p>\n
and death<\/p>\n
that i am not my own<\/p>\n
but belong with body and soul both in<\/p>\n
life and in death<\/p>\n
to my faithful savior jesus christ<\/p>\n
he has paid<\/p>\n
fully paid for all my sins with his<\/p>\n
precious blood<\/p>\n
and has set me free from all the power<\/p>\n
of the devil<\/p>\n
he also preserves me in such a way<\/p>\n
that without the will<\/p>\n
of my heavenly father<\/p>\n
not a hair can fall<\/p>\n
from my head<\/p>\n
indeed all things<\/p>\n
must work<\/p>\n
together<\/p>\n
for my salvation<\/p>\n
therefore by his holy spirit<\/p>\n
he also assures me of eternal life and<\/p>\n
makes me heartily willing<\/p>\n
and ready<\/p>\n
from now on<\/p>\n
to live<\/p>\n
for him<\/p>\n
in the power the saving power<\/p>\n
of jesus christ<\/p>\n
if you look to him for your salvation<\/p>\n
even in the midst of our own sin<\/p>\n
you made a way that we could be<\/p>\n
reconciled to you<\/p>\n
even though we rebelled against you<\/p>\n
you demonstrated your great love through<\/p>\n
the sacrificial death of jesus<\/p>\n
to know that whatever may come in our<\/p>\n
own lives and in this world that<\/p>\n
we ask and pray all of this in your holy<\/p>\n
name lord jesus<\/p>\n
you<\/p>","english_search_text":"","":"","original_publish_date":"20220117","video_url":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=_AJnpkihhaA","video_id":"_AJnpkihhaA","video_duration":"43:57","channel_name":"Grace City Bangkok"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gracecity.machakosconsulting.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/877","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gracecity.machakosconsulting.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gracecity.machakosconsulting.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gracecity.machakosconsulting.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gracecity.machakosconsulting.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=877"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/gracecity.machakosconsulting.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/877\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":878,"href":"https:\/\/gracecity.machakosconsulting.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/877\/revisions\/878"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gracecity.machakosconsulting.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/876"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gracecity.machakosconsulting.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=877"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gracecity.machakosconsulting.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=877"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gracecity.machakosconsulting.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=877"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}