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KESWICK CONVENTION - ´óÏó´«Ã½ RADIO 4

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Leaders: Jodi Whitehouse & Martin Salter

Speaker: Matt Searles

Band lead: Ben Slee

Producer: Philip Billson

Jodi

Good morning and welcome to the Keswick Convention. Among the majestic hills and quiet waters of the Lake District, Christians come together every year to hear the Word of God, to lift their hearts and voices in praise, to encourage each other in prayer and fellowship, and to be inspired to serve God wherever He leads them.

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This week, Christians of all ages and denominations are here in this Lake District town of Keswick, taking part in the second week of a 3-week summer Convention which has been running for nearly 150 years.Ìý

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The Keswick Convention attracts over 12,000 people from across the UK and further afield. It’s streamed around the world. And in addition has a vibrant programme for some 2,000 children and young people. I’m Jodi Whitehouse one of the Convention Trustees and leading today’s service with me is fellow trustee Martin Salter.Ìý

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Martin

This year our theme is ‘gratitude’ for all God is and all he’s done.

Our first Song this morning calls us to lift our hearts and praise our almighty God. Praise my Soul, the King of Heaven

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Song 1 – Praise My Soul the King of Heaven

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Martin:

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Loving God and Father, we thank you that we can gather from far and wide to meet as your people, all one in Christ Jesus. As we prepare to hear your word, sing your praises and come before you in prayer, we are conscious of our many failings – both what we have done that we should not, and what we have not done, that we should. We ask you for forgiveness, forever grateful for the blood of Jesus Christ that cleanses us from every sin, and for the empowering of your Holy Spirit that helps us to live to please you. In Jesus’ name.Ìý

Amen.

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It’s wonderful to sing of the fact that in Jesus we are ‘ransomed, healed, restored and forgiven.’ Our first reading comes from Luke chapter 7 beginning at verse 36. This passage describes a woman who anointed Jesus with an expensive perfume. While the Pharisees reject her as ‘sinful’ Jesus welcomes her and forgives her.

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Our reading is bought to us by Mark Greene. Hear now the Word of the Lord.Ìý

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Reading: Luke 7:36-50

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Jodi:Ìý

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Our next song points towards the place where our forgiveness is found. On the cross Jesus was ‘slain for us’ that we might find peace with him.

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Song 2 - The Power of the Cross (Stuart Townend & Keith Getty Copyright © 2005 Thankyou Music (CCLI Song # 4490766)

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ÌýMission testimony Germa Bishaw

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Martin

This morning’s message will be taken from Psalm 32. We are going to listen to that great psalm being read now by Rosalee Velloso Ewell

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Bible Reading - Psalm 32

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Martin

That Psalm calls us to rejoice and be glad. Why? Because ‘blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven.’ Our next song contains the following lyrics:

No fate I dread, I know I am forgiven

The future sure, the price it has been paid

For Jesus bled and suffered for my pardon

And He was raised to overthrow the grave

Let us sing together, Yet Not I but through Christ in Me

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Song 3 – Yet Not I but through Christ in Me

CCLI Song # 7121852 Jonny Robinson | Michael Farren | Rich ThompsonÌý

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Jodi:Ìý

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Our preacher this morning is Matt Searles. He is currently a faculty member for Crosslands Training, helping to train men and women for church ministry. His passion is to communicate the deep truths of the faith in a clear and accessible way to normal Christians of all backgrounds. . . .

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Matt Searles - Sermon (NB Not exactly as spoken)

It's a great joy to be back at Keswick with you all and back to, I think what must be one of my favourite parts of the country. So much to love about Keswick. I wonder what highlights of this place are for you?Ìý

There's the scenery. If ever I take a bike and cycle out down, past Crossthwaite and look

across the lake up to the fells.Ìý one of the most gorgeous views in England, surely?Ìý

The town itself.Ìý

What a great place to be to hang out, to explore the shops.Ìý

If you're feeling really keen, why not start your Christmas shopping early?Ìý

So many, so many lovely shops, so many shops selling, well....Ìý

For outdoorsy folks there's there's a wealth of shops of courseÌý

for indoorsy folks too... Such shops with beautiful thingsÌý

Ìýand of course for those like me with a sweet tooth, sweet treats galore, great food, great

people.Ìý

And just to let you know, I've been doing my research and I have thoroughly investigated many of these sweet shops and cake shops just to check I could recommend them to you,

and I can tell you – they are up to scratch!Ìý

And of course, the Convention itself and so many things to enjoy.Ìý

But I wonder if like me, you particularly enjoy singing too.Ìý

How wonderful it is being this morning to lift our voices in song to God and that is a

characteristically Christian thing to do.Ìý

To sing.Ìý

Christians sing.Ìý

John Stott, In perhaps one of the most Popular Christian books of the 20th century, The Cross of Christ described the church as a community of celebration, a singing community.Ìý

Well, Psalm 32 that we're looking at this morning.Ìý

Particularly the first verse.Ìý

Shows us why Christians sing, why Christians at their best are people of celebration.Ìý

Blessed is the one Ìý whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.Ìý

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Christians sing because they're forgiven.Ìý

Notice how the verse starts, blessed that word blessed means happy, or to be envied.Ìý

Or we could almost translate it: This is the good life.Ìý

This is the good life.Ìý

How different that is to so many views of Christianity today.ÌýÌý

So many people who see God as restrictive -Ìý God wanting us to have the thin life, the

restricted life, even the bad or impoverished life.Ìý

But now Jesus said I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.Ìý

God is a God of abundance and joy.Ìý

Jesus – God come to earth – was a man of abundance and joy.Ìý

And God wants his people to know abundance and joy and this abundant and joyful and good life.

What does that look like? Where do you find that?ÌýÌý

Psalm32 says.Ìý

Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.Ìý

It's interesting when you think where might the good life be found. Who are those who are to be envied?Ìý

What are some other contenders?Ìý

Many would think the rich the good life is for the rich, the envied ones are the rich.Ìý

Perhaps the powerful, that's the goal.Ìý

Perhaps the high achievers?Ìý

The successful - those are the ones to be envied and to aspire to.Ìý

Maybe in a religious sense, we might think it'sÌý the religious high achievers, the

moral-Ìý they are the ones who receive this blessed life.Ìý

The most devout who

never miss church.Ìý

Who come to the

Keswick Convention?Ìý

But here.Ìý

The Psalms has

blessed those who are forgiven:Ìý

that is, not those

who never have done anything wrong – but those who definitely have!ÌýÌý

Those who have done wrong things – sins or trangressions are the words used here – but who have had them forgiven by God.Ìý

Now that is wonderful news.Ìý

If you've ever broken one of your own moral standards.Ìý

That's wonderful news.Ìý

If you've ever wished you could take back something you said.Ìý

Or something you did.Ìý

That's good news.Ìý

If you've ever wished to hide anything you've done.Ìý

Actually this is good news if you've ever longed for or believed in second chances.Ìý

Jesus is not for the spiritual highfliersÌý

Christianity actually, through history has been good news for the outcasts, for the

downtrodden, for the failed.Ìý

For the shamed.Ìý

Not a religion for the elite either.Ìý

The social elite or the spiritual elite.Ìý

As an aside... as a church, if ever we present Christianity as a religion for the elite, we've

moved away from the teaching of Jesus.Ìý

He was a friend of the least, the last and the lost.Ìý

Blessing - the good life, the enviable life is available is offered by God, not just to certain

people, but to all people who will come to him to have their sins forgiven.ÌýÌý

And we all need that.Ìý

We haven't got time now, but read the gospel accounts of Jesus life and we see a man who came to pour himself out for others.Ìý

A man who came As God on Earth, to live the perfect life that I should have livedÌý

To to die and pay for the sins that I have committed – and the same for all who trust in him.Ìý

Forgiveness is available.Ìý

Blessing and abundance is available not through earning it ourselves, but through God dealing with our biggest problem.Ìý

The choice therefore:Ìý

Well, we can try to carry our sins ourselves.Ìý

Try to carry our failures ourselves, but that's a heavy burden.Ìý

We could try maybe to hide our sins, to deny they even exist - to pretend.Ìý

But I think we all know deep down that's not true, and perhaps we're aware of the dangers of living in denial - trying to suppress certain things.Ìý

Living a lie.Ìý

But this Psalm is an invitation:Ìý

Blessed are those who come to God for forgivenessÌýÌý

Therefore come to God for forgiveness.Ìý

Jesus arms are wide open.Ìý

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Christians here this morning.Ìý

Will we do that daily?Ìý

Week by week in churchÌý not pretending we have no sin.Ìý

Not pretending we're better than other people.Ìý

Which we are certainly not.ÌýÌý

But what joy each day to know afresh the forgiveness Jesus brings,ÌýÌý

and to celebrate the security and joy that gives usÌý

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And if you are not yet persuaded by Jesus, not sure where you stand.Ìý

Find out more.Ìý

Look at Jesus and this offer of abundance and blessing and good life he offers.Ìý

Central to which is forgiveness of sins.Ìý

Or maybe even make today the day that you come to Jesus.Ìý

Maybe for the first time and ask for that forgiveness that he is more than willing to give.Ìý

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Christianity is good news indeed.Ìý

This is why Christians sing as we have been at Keswick today.Ìý

In Jesus we can know the good life, the happy life.Ìý

The blessed life. Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.Ìý

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Song 4 - Confession Song

© Matt Searles & Ben Slee 2022.

CCLI Song #7199457

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Prayers - MartinÌý

We now turn to God in prayer. Let us pray.

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Our Father, the beauty of the English Lake District causes us to thank you for your work of creation, and for your many good gifts to us as our loving Creator. Day by day we experience your grace and mercy, and we thank you for health and strength; for homes, family and friends; for true Christian fellowship across denominations and cultures; and for peace and safety. We thank you that you are the compassionate Father who loves every person he has made.Ìý

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Today we pray for those who are without shelter, or food, or friendship. We specially pray for refugees and the governments and agencies seeking to help them.Ìý We ask that the churches across our world will extend your love to them, will share the good news of Christ, and will become a community which welcomes people, whatever their background or nationality.Ìý

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Lord, in your mercy,Ìý

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Congregation: HEAR OUR PRAYER

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Jodi

We pray for the countries around the world experiencing war, terrorism, civil strife, or social breakdown. It saddens us that there are too many to name, but we lift these nations to you, the Sovereign Lord.Ìý We pray especially for Ukraine. In this world of turmoil, we pray for your peace and justice, for the intervention of wise Government, for the advance of the Christian gospel.ÌýÌý

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Lord, in your mercy,

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Congregation: HEAR OUR PRAYER

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MartinÌý

Almighty God, we thank you for all your goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all whom you have made. We thank and praise you for making and sustaining us, and for giving us everything we need; most of all, though, we thank you for your love beyond measure in sending your Son to die for us. We thank you for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercy, that with we may praise you not only with our lips but with our lives, that with truly thankful hearts we may give ourselves up to serve you, and our lives may be marked by holiness and righteousness.

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Lord, in your mercy,

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Congregation: HEAR OUR PRAYER

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Jodi

We join together in the Lord’s prayer.Ìý

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ALL: Our Father in heaven,

Hallowed be your name,

Your Kingdom come,

Your will be done,Ìý

On earth as in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

Forgive us our sins

As we forgive those who sin against us.

Lead us not into temptation,

But deliver us from evil.

For the kingdom, the power and glory are yours,

Now and for ever,

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Congregation: Amen

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Jodi

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Our final Song this morning, written over 150 years ago, sums up all that we’ve been thinking about - ‘Jesus paid it all, all to him I owe, sin had left a crimson stain, he washed it white as snow.’

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Song 5 – Jesus Paid It All

Baptist Hymnal, 1991

Kim Walker Smith/Worship Circle Songs: Music: All to Christ: JT Grape (1868)

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Close - Martin

Thank you so much for joining with us for our service of worship this morning. As we close let me pray using the blessing God instructed Moses to teach Aaron as recorded inÌý the Old Testament book of Numbers Chapter 6:

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May the Lord bless you and keep you

May the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you

May the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace

AmenÌý