The sermon focuses on the promise of the Gospel, which is for everyone who believes in Jesus Christ. This promise is rooted in the Word of God and offers assurance that those who believe will not be put to shame. The Gospel calls for faith in Christ, acknowledging that salvation comes through Him alone. The significance of not being put to shame lies in the fact that all of our shame and sin is taken away by Christ, allowing us to stand confidently before God. The example of Adam and Marina's baptism and profession of faith serves as a reminder of the power of the Gospel to remove shame and bring salvation.

Thank you. Good morning everyone. What a delight it is to be gathered together in the Lord's house again to be able to lift up our hearts and minds towards King Jesus and to worship Him together as God's people. A very, very warm welcome to all of you and it is our prayer that the Lord himself would minister to you and build up your hearts that you might indeed worship our great triune God. We have the opportunity this morning to worship God but just before that just a couple of brief announcements.

Firstly, just a reminder for all of our ladies that we have Women's Brunch coming up this Saturday. Please come and join us at 10 o'clock for some food and then a time of prayer together. Secondly, we enjoyed the, oh perfect timing, We enjoyed the wedding of Scott and Laura yesterday. And it was joyful, but the sad aspect of that is it means Scott's moving down to Christchurch. And so I'd like to welcome Scott and Laura to come to the front so we can pray for them and just send them on there.

Yeah, I did warn them, Jocelyn. My beautiful wife's amazing at correcting me and reminding me of all the things I always forget. So yes, Laura lives down in Christchurch and so Scott's going to be joining her down there. They leave tomorrow so today is your opportunity to say farewell to them and we can just pray that the Lord by His providence will bring them back to us again. But let's pray.

Father in heaven we thank you for Scott and Laura. We rejoice in their union yesterday and the fact that they have come together as husband and wife and we just pray that you would build them up. We thank you for the time we've been able to enjoy having Scott here. We thank you for his growth in grace, his growth in the gospel and we pray that you would cause them both to flourish. We ask that you would be with them as they nurture children and as they seek to follow you all the days of their lives.

Build them up and indeed Lord if it is your will bring them back to us that they might be a part of us again. In Jesus name we pray, Amen. Thanks guys. The only other notice is there's a heap of food left over from the wedding yesterday, and we need help eating it all. So please don't go home straight after church.

And I'm not joking, like if you walk in the kitchen, there is a bomb of food over there. So please stay after church and help us eat it all because otherwise we're not quite sure what we're gonna do with it. It'll probably still be here at dinner time as well so come for dinner tonight as well. But we have come here to worship the one true living God haven't we? So I'd like to invite you if you're able to stand as we come into God's presence.

And as God himself calls us to come and worship him with the words of Psalm 99. The Lord reigns, Let the peoples tremble. He sits enthroned upon the cherubim. Let the earth quake. The Lord is great in Zion.

He is exalted over all the peoples. Let them praise your great and awesome name. Holy is he. The king in his might loves justice. You have established equity.

You have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob. Exalt the Lord our God. Worship at his footstool. Holy is he. Amen.

Let us pray. Father in heaven we thank you so much that we can come before your footstool and gaze upon your holiness and bow down in adoration and praise And as we quieten our hearts as we come into your presence, we ask that by your Holy Spirit you might enable us to worship you, because we recognize that we cannot worship you without the Holy Spirit working inside of our hearts. We ask that you would accept our praise, our offerings of worship. We ask that you would forgive us, for we recognize that we as we come into your presence this morning that we are sinful. That so often we turn our hearts towards the lusts of our flesh and the idols of our heart.

So wash us clean, cleanse our consciences that we might indeed praise you with a clean heart. In Jesus' name we pray, amen. Let us worship God with the words of all hail the power of Jesus' name and then I'll ask you to remain standing and we'll confess our faith together. Let's worship God. O hail the power of Jesus' name!

When angels must withhold, when angels must pay fall, pay fall the royal fire dead, and crown him, crown him, crown him, crown him, crown him, crown him, crown him, crown him, crown him, Lord of all. From him and from him, Lord of all. And I I I I I I Every kindred, every child, All history for all history, Rest, we'll hold, In it all majesty, Our smile when crowned, Majesty, our smile and crown him, crown him, crown him, crown him, and crown him Lord of all. Oh, that with yonder sacred ball, we at his feet would fall, we at his feet would fall, we'll join the ever-lasting song, The e'er his feet may fall, He'll throw away the e'er of the house we saw, and crown him, crown him, crown him, crown him, crown him, crown him, crown him and round him for all. We have the blessing this morning of witnessing a baptism and two professions of faith and as we come to celebrate that we also have the opportunity to confess what we believe, why it is that people receive baptism, why it is that people do profess their faith.

And we do that this morning with the words of the first Heidelberg Catechism question and answer. If you're not a believer here this morning, You don't need to say these words, in fact I'd encourage you just to prayerfully ponder where it is that you will find hope and comfort in the life to come, and in this life too. But as for us who are believers I'd ask you to respond with me to the following question, what is your only comfort in life and in death? That I am not my own, but belong with body and soul, both in life and in death, to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ. He has fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood and has set me free from all the power of the devil.

He also preserves me in such a way that without the will of my Heavenly Father, not a hair can fall from my head. Indeed, all things must work together for my salvation. Therefore, by His Holy Spirit, He also assures me of eternal life and makes me heartily willing and ready from now on to live for Him. Amen. Please be seated.

We're going to turn through to God's word this morning through to the Psalms chapter 78 and Brother Phil will bring us that reading. Good morning. I'm reading Psalm 78 verses 1 to 31 which is page 457 in the church bible. Tell the coming generation a Masculine of Asaph. Give ear O my people to my teaching incline your ears to the words of my mouth.

I will open my mouth in a parable, I will utter dark sayings from of old. Things that we have heard and known that our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children but tell them to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord and his might and the wonders that he has done. He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel which he commanded our fathers to teach to their children that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn and arise and tell them to their children so that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God but keep his commandments. That they should not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation.

A generation whose heart was not steadfast, whose spirit was not faithful to God. The Ephraimites armed with the bow turned back on the day of battle. They did not keep God's covenant but refused to walk according to his law. They forgot his works and the wonders that he had shown them. In the sight of their fathers he performed wonders, in the land of Egypt, in the fields of Zoan.

He divided the sea and let them pass through it and made the waters stand like a heap. In the daytime he led them with a cloud and all the night with a fiery light. He split rocks in the wilderness and gave them drink abundantly as from the deep. He made streams come out of the rock and cause waters to flow down like rivers. Yet they sinned still more against him rebelling against the most high in the desert.

They tested God in their heart by demanding the food they craved. They spoke against God saying can God spread a table in the wilderness? He struck the rock so that water gushed out and streams overflowed. Can he also give bread or provide meat for his people. Therefore, when the Lord heard he was full of wrath, a fire was kindled against Jacob.

His anger rose against Israel because they did not believe in God and did not trust his saving power. Yet he commanded the skies above and opened the doors of heaven and he rained down on them manna to eat and gave them the grain of heaven. Man ate of the bread of angels, he sent them food in abundance, He caused the east wind to blow in the heavens, and by his power he led out the south wind. He rained meat on them like dust, winged birds like the sand of the seas. He let them fall in the midst of their camp, all around their dwelling.

And they ate and were well filled. He gave them what they craved. But before they had satisfied their craving, while the food was still in their mouths, the anger of God rose against them. And he killed the strongest of them and laid low the young men of Israel. Thank you brother.

Well as Israel looked back upon its history and remembered the work of the Lord, we can do the same. And yet we look back towards our Savior, don't we? We look back to Jesus who was both strong and kind. And So let us do that. Let us stand and sing together Jesus, strong and kind.

Jesus said, I gave I curse, I should come to thee. No one else can be my strength, I should come to Thee. For the Lord is good and faithful, He will keep us day and night. We can always run through Jesus, Jesus, strong and kind. Jesus said, If I live, I should come to live.

The Lord is good and faithful. He will keep us day and night. We can always run to Jesus, Jesus, for the night. Jesus said, If I am lost, He will come to me, and He shall be on that cross. He will come to me, for the Lord is good and faithful.

He will keep us, day and night. We can always run to Jesus, Jesus strong and bright. For the Lord is good and faithful. He will keep us, day and night. We can always come to Jesus.

Jesus, strong and kind. Jesus, strong and kind. Please proceed. Jesus, drawing light. Jesus, drawing light.

Do we have any children that would like to come to the front? Yeah, shovel on guys. Squish, squish, squish, squish. There we go. That way.

Yep, yep, there we go. Beauty. Well, children, I've got a story for you. Once upon a time I had a dream. This was an actual dream.

It was a long time ago, you know, when I was about this big. I had a dream. I used to go to school and we used to have a school uniform. Pretty cute little jacket and jersey and stuff and grey shirt. Looked pretty cool.

And I went to school and we were lining up to do our things and you know I've got my jersey, I've got my backpack and I've got my proper shirt on looking all tidy and ready to go. Got my shoes on ready for school now all of a sudden I looked down and realized I had no pants on. It was awkward. In fact, it was extremely embarrassing. This is a dream, remember.

This is not real. This is a dream. Just to clarify, in case any of you are wondering. So in this dream, I was caught at school with no pants on, but no one else realized. But you can imagine what sort of feeling I had, right?

What do you think I was feeling? Yes! I was like bright red. I was running around like, surely my pants are at school somewhere. But I couldn't find them anywhere.

And I woke up absolutely traumatized and I'm still scarred, as you can tell. And that feeling of embarrassment and shame just never really left me. It was just, even when I still think about it today, I can still feel that feeling of shame and embarrassment for being stuck in that situation. And maybe some of you guys have been, maybe not in that particular situation, but you've been really embarrassed somewhere before. Well, you know, The Bible tells us that you and I are in a similar situation because of our sin.

We're not embarrassed, but we have shame. And the Bible tells us that there's only one way to get that shame taken away, and it's in the Lord Jesus Christ. See, last Sunday, Mr. Vucetich preached for us, and he talked about Jesus enduring and despising the shame of the cross, And part of that was the shame of taking our sin upon Him. And you know, He takes our shame upon Himself so that we don't have to be ashamed anymore.

And we're going to see in our Bible passage today that there's one who happily takes all of our shame away so that we can stand sure and boldly before our God and Father. Isn't that amazing? And today, we're going to witness very shortly a baptism. And we're going to witness two people stand up in front of the whole church, I know, pretty scary, stand up for the whole church without shame because God has saved them, because God has set them free from shame. And so they can stand up before all of us knowing that because of Christ they are perfect and loved by the Lord.

And maybe Lord willing one day you guys can do the same thing. That'd be cool. Let's pray. Father in heaven we thank you that you take away our shame in Jesus Christ. And we pray that you would help all of us to come and have our shame taken away.

Help us to remember that it has been taken away and not to live in doubt or fear. We pray Lord that we would be confident in Jesus Christ alone. In whose name we pray. Amen. Well children you can stay there for a second.

We're going to do the membership stuff and then after that when we sing you guys can find your worksheets But that way you get the front row because, well, that's part of it too. Yeah, don't worry. We won't miss the baptism out. Otherwise I've got the ball out for no reason. But we do have the joy this morning of celebrating Adam and Marina coming into membership and Adam being baptized into the faith, which is just such a joy, isn't it?

Doesn't it swell your own heart to look and remember the day when you two were baptized, to remember the day you professed your faith, to remember the fact that you two have been chosen by the Lord Jesus Christ, have been saved and redeemed and set apart to be a holy people, a people of God's own choosing. You know I love to say it and I'll say it again, it's just something so special about saying to a person, you're part of our family. It's what we do today, don't we? We wrap our arms around them, and we love them, and we support them, and they love us and support us, and we see Christ worked out, the gospel worked out in one another's lives. Isn't it an immense privilege to be a part of the family of God?

To have brothers and sisters in Christ, to walk side by side in the faith. What a joy. Well the session did examine both Adam and Marina and we're very glad to welcome them into the church. If you want an amazingly comical story when you go and introduce yourself to them ask them how they found covenant it's good for a laugh so have a chat with them about that but apart from that I would encourage you later on to welcome them into the church as well but Adam and Marina would you like to come to the front. That would be great.

Come and join me up here. If you are wondering, also Adam and Maria are engaged and planning on getting married next year so you can talk to them about that as well. Well let's start with what baptism is Adam and then we'll go on to the questions about the profession of faith, and then after that we'll do the baptism as well. Adam, baptism is a sign of your need to be washed by the blood of Christ. For the forgiveness of your sins and the promise of salvation that comes to you in the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

It is a seal by which you are united to Christ and joined to the body of Christ by God's grace and through the Holy Spirit. It is a means by which you are nourished and strengthened to live for God in this life. It is a pledge by which you can be assured of God's goodness, grace, and fatherly care. And it is a call to live faithfully as one who has been set apart by God himself. However, we gather this morning to witness both of you come into the church, to witness Adam profess his faith and be baptized, and Marina confirm the promises that she received as a child and enter into the membership as well.

And so, in accordance with Romans 10, which says, If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. Therefore I would ask you to profess before God and his people through the following questions. Do you acknowledge yourself to be a sinner in the sight of God, justly deserving the wrath of God and without hope except in his sovereign mercy? Do you repent of your sins and your sinfulness and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Son of God and Savior of sinners, loving and trusting him alone as the one who saves you from your sins and provides you with his perfect righteousness.

Do you believe that the Bible is the complete word of God, perfectly revealing Christ, his redemption and all things necessary for His people? Do you promise, in humble reliance upon the grace of the Holy Spirit, to strive with all your might to live as becomes a follower of Christ. Do you promise to give yourself wholeheartedly to the Church of Christ, to submit yourself to its authority and discipline, and to exercise your gifts for its purity, peace and praise. Praise the Lord. Brothers and sisters, can I ask you to please stand?

People of God, I ask you to answer to the following questions with the words which are on the screen. Do you promise to receive Adam and Marina in Christ? Do you promise to love, encourage and support them by teaching and living out the gospel. Do you promise to give them the strong support of God's family in fellowship, prayer and service? What is your answer?

Amen. Let us pray. Father in heaven as we come to witness the baptism of Adam, we pray by your Holy Spirit would you make it effective would you cause this means of grace to be fruitful that he might go from strength to strength Lord we thank you for this wonderful gift of the washing and cleansing of our sins. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

You may be seated. You just want to kneel down here, brother? You're welcome to come over here. It's always awkward, isn't it? What do I do?

Well, Adam, Shaw Smith, I baptise you in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen. Would the elders please come forward and welcome them into the church. You can stand up. If you want to draw yourself.

Thank you. Lord, we thank you for this joyous occasion this morning. We thank you for Adam and Marina and the call that you've placed on their hearts. Lord we thank you for the way that you've worked in their lives throughout their lives and that you've brought them to the point where they trust in you and your son Jesus. Well we thank you for the strange series of events that brought them here to worship with us at Covenant.

We acknowledge the baptism that Marina had when she was young, and now the baptism that has been placed upon Adam. And Lord, as it reminds us of our own baptisms, of your claim on our lives, your washing of us clean, and the righteousness that you've granted us through Christ. Lord, we ask that you would protect the commitments that Adam and Marina have made here this morning. Nourish them, Lord, in this place as members of your people And wherever they go in their lives, Lord, that you would continue to nourish them in the church as a part of your people. Lord, as they are part of our congregation here this morning, we pray that you would help us to support them, help us to live up to the commitments that we've made.

And Lord, we pray that you would use their service to strengthen this body of believers. And Lord, as we conclude this part of the service Lord we would ask that as a group of your children you would bind us together, that you would build your church and that you would glorify your name, the name of your son Jesus Christ in whom we pray. Amen. We have an exhortation for you to go on in the faith which comes from 1 Timothy 6. Fight the good fight of the faith.

Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. I charge you in the presence of God who gives life to all things and of Jesus Christ who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession. Keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. And may God be with you.

Well Let us stand and sing together of our Church's One Foundation, and while we sing, children, you guys can go find worksheets from over at the door. Let's stand and sing together. The church is one foundation, with Jesus Christ alone. She is a civilization by water and the world, from heavy rain and storm, with holy earth, With wisdom, blood, and water, and for a life each night. He led from every nation, great one on all the earth, her children of salvation, one Lord one great wonder.

The Lord one great wonder, my holy name she presents, the James my holy clue, and to my heart she presents with every praise to you. Though with a sparkle under me, And see her sorrow bred, Thy shills and tender scandal My error sees her spread. Then sings the one child, believing, Where pride goes on now long, And soon the night of weeping shall be the dawn of song. In toil and tribulation and to both of them all, She wakes the consolation of peace forevermore. Till with her vision glorious, That all the eyes are blest, And the great Church victorious Shall be the Church at rest.

Yet she on earth and beyond, shall be the Church at rest. Yet she on earth thy union with God the free in mind, We're part of three in one. Let this place speak of union. We're those whose rest is one. For happy ones and holy, Lord give us grace and peace.

Like many and only, God find me proudly here. Let's dedicate the offering to the Lord. Father in heaven we thank you that we can bring our gifts and offerings to you, and we just pray that you would enable us to give with joyous and thankful hearts. Lord, we recognize that often We give and worry, we give and we're anxious, we give and we can complain in our hearts. And so we pray, help us Lord to be cheerful, help us to rejoice as we give.

Help us to give with bold confidence and assurance that you provide our every need. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. Please be seated. Let's come to the Lord in a time of congregational prayer as we lift up the needs of our God, the needs of us before our God. Let's pray.

Father in heaven we thank you that we can come before you with all of our needs, that you're a God who is gracious and merciful and loving and kind. Lord we thank you this morning for the baptism anniversary of Kayleigh Voschezeng. We thank you that you have set her in a covenantal home where she might be nourished in the faith, where she might receive all of the promises of the covenant and baptism and be raised up to walk with you. Lord, we thank you that she comes with a history of faith in her family. And Lord, we pray for James and Josie as they raise her, as they seek to set Christ before her, and we ask that you would help them to do that.

Lord, we lift up before you Steve Parnipa, who we have heard is unwell. We ask, Lord, that you would just restore his health, give him patience as He endures from whatever this condition is. And we pray, Lord, restore his health, that he might return to preaching and leading the church in Maungari. We pray, Lord, that you would continue to be with Karen and Dan and Scott and Laura as they live out their marriages. We thank you for their weddings yesterday and the testimonies that they were as we bore testimony to your grace and kindness in giving us marriage.

Lord, as we live in a world which is destroying the significance and meaning of marriage, we pray that you would help us to show just how glorious it is and just what a joy and privilege it is. Lord we lift up before you Rodney and Fever Chand and the church from American Samoa that is visiting here at the moment. We thank you that they can come across and we pray that you would strengthen them as they make connections throughout the Grace churches, other churches and the Island to Island connection that Lord they would be encouraged and that they would be an encouragement to us. Lord, we pray that you would continue to strengthen the Island to Island initiative, that God, you would raise up many opportunities for us to reach into the islands with the Gospel. Lord we pray for Janice Simons, we thank you for her, And though she can no longer gather with us, we do pray that you would minister to her heart.

That, Lord, though her mind might become frail and her body age, Yet we ask, Lord, would you turn her mind and heart towards you in whatever way that that's possible. Lord, we pray for our youth group. We thank you for the break that the leaders are able to have. And we pray that you would help the youth group as we start again in a week and a bit, that it might be a real blessing to the kids that attend, that we might see them built up in their faith, That though they have fun, yet they will also see Christ and find great joy in Him. We pray for the unbelievers who come along occasionally.

We pray that you would minister to them. We pray for the youth leaders, Lord, that you would help them to be a godly example. We also ask that you would raise up more leaders as we know some of the leaders are moving on next year and so we pray that you would raise up people to come alongside these teenagers in this and what is such an important stage of their development in life. Lord we pray for Michelle Thompson, we thank you for her ongoing mission work in Africa. We ask that you would strengthen her as she cares for the physical needs of people and we ask that you would present her with many opportunities to speak of the hope of Christ as well, to bear witness to the testimony of a loving and gracious and merciful God.

We pray that you would provide for her every need and that she would have no reason to be afraid. Lord we lift up Trinity before you, we thank you for our sister church in Flatbush and we pray that you would continue to build them up. Would you help Lenny as he preaches your word, be with the elders there. We think of Ian Cochrane especially, Lord if it's your will we do ask that you would heal him, that you would restore his health, that you would get rid of this cancer, that he might continue to serve you. Lord, we know that we ask selfishly for ourselves because we don't want to lose him, But in the end of the day we pray that you would do what is right and good according to your will and what is for Ian's very best.

We thank you that you are a gracious father who only ever does what's for our best. And so we pray for Christine, we pray for Robert Cochrane and for the rest of the family as they process this. We ask that Lord you would comfort our weary hearts. Lord lastly we just pray for the working of the gospel in this place. That God, we would see many people coming to know Christ, that we would see sinners converted, that we would see the kingdom of God advancing into Manurewa, the darkness being pushed back, the brokenness being healed.

Lord, we long to see Christ reigning visibly in this place. We know, Jesus, that you are upon the throne, but we long to see people bowing their knee to you here and now before it's too late. And so we pray by your Spirit would you continue to work, would you start here Lord, turn our hearts and minds towards you with fresh vigor, that we might live in a way that is in keeping with the kingdom of God, that we might seek first the kingdom of God and God's righteousness. Do your work, Lord, that we might see triumphs of grace. In Jesus' name we pray.

Amen. Now, before we come to the preaching of God's word, let's stand and sing again the old again the old rugged cross. All the hills are aware, stood all over the cross, the empress of freedom share. And I love them all, in the deepest of days, for a world of most sinners one day. I will sing so I'll cherish you high and low until my trophies and my vows die lay down.

I will cling to the old wedding bells I will wait till the old man in town Let me change himself and pay for a crown For when all right it crawls so despised by the world, as a round with such wretches for me. For the dear Lamb level God, thank His glory above, You led it through the delvery. So I'll cherish the old running cross Till my trophies and last night lay down I will paint the new running cross where the shadiers of pain pour out brown. In that old private cross, stained with glass of divine, How wondrous beauty I see! For it was all a metal cross, Jesus suffered and died Till the violent end sanctified me So I'll cherish the old world even more Till my trophies and last night lay down Share the face of the old crowd in France Build my trophies and rise, gliding now I will wait till the old crowd is full Let me change its own name for a crown To the old running cross, I will never be true with shame, and we perch gladly there.

May the glories of death bring my own fire away. Where is glory for where thou art shared? To my home far away, where his glory's all well bound still. So, there is the old bragging clause, till my road is an last-night day down. I will change the old rugged cross Till my road is at last I lay down I will change the old rugged cross And exchange it something more than a crown We're going to be turning through to the book of Romans this morning.

The book of Romans chapter 10. As you'll see in the bulletin we're looking at Romans chapter 10 verse 11 this morning. But in order to just put it in its wider context, we'll read from verse 5 of chapter 10 through to 17. So that was Romans chapter 10 and we are picking up at verse 5. For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them.

But the righteousness based on faith says, Do not say in your heart, who will ascend into heaven? That is, to bring Christ down. Or, who will descend into the abyss? That is, to bring Christ up from the dead. But what does it say?

The Word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart. That is the word of faith that we proclaim. Because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For from the heart one believes and is justified and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, Everyone who believes in Him will not be put to shame.

For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in Him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?

And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, how beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news. But they have not all obeyed the Gospel, for Isaiah says, Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us. So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. Amen.

And may God bless the reading of his word to us, and as we come to consider it this morning let us bow our heads in a time of prayer. Father in heaven we thank you for just the glory of your word that in it we see the glory of Christ. In it we find all our hope and salvation and everything necessary for a life of obedience. And we pray, Father, as we turn to your word, and as I preach it, that Jesus Christ, Your word would be heard loud and clear, that as we've just read, that we might have faith that comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ, that we wouldn't so much hear the word of Logan at all, that Lord we would hear Christ speaking to our ears and our hearts. We long to be fed from your own mouth, Lord.

In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. Now just to read our text, Romans 10 verse 11, for the scripture says, everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame. You know, every nation has its monumental moments in history, right? And New Zealand's no different, though we have a short history. We still have significant moments of history.

We can think of the protests during the South African tour. We can think of protests marching across North Harbour Bridge. We can think of land wars. We can find many different times in New Zealand's history where we can say that was really significant. That moment of time was like a watershed moment.

But I wonder for you, what would you say was the most monumental moment in New Zealand's history. Where was the most significant watershed moment in the history of this land? Would it not be Christmas Day just over 200 years ago when a missionary stood upon a beach and said, Behold, I bring you good news of great joy." The dawning of the gospel of Jesus Christ in New Zealand is the most significant moment that will ever take place here. And the dawning of the gospel in any place is the most significant thing, because in the dawning of the gospel the hope of Christ is found. And in the dawning of the gospel, the promise of God, the promises of Christ come to us.

It's where we find all of our hope. It's where we look to find our hope and comfort as we confess this morning. And it's to that promise that I want us to turn our minds today in light of the baptism this morning, and the profession of faith this morning, to set our hearts and minds towards the promise that comes to us in the Gospel. The promise that we find here written in verse 11. But before we turn our mind, we are going to look at three words that come out, three statements.

Those are just the way this sentence breaks down. Everyone who believes in Him and will not be put to shame. But before we look at those things, do you notice what this promise is rooted in? Paul says, for the scripture says, Paul doesn't say because I know it's true. Paul doesn't say because it feels right.

He says because the word of God says. Brothers and sisters, what that means is the promise we're about to open up and expound is as sure and steady as God himself. This promise can only fail if God can fail. This promise can only change if God is a liar and the Word of God says, God does not lie. This promise is as firm a foundation as the living God is.

And so you can bank everything upon it. Paul roots this promise in two Old Testament texts. Isaiah 29 and Joel chapter 2. And he effectively takes these two verses and brings them together, but really he takes the entirety of the Old Testament and brings it together. This is the hope of the Old Testament and the hope of the new.

It's the hope of God. So let us look and consider this glorious promise that comes to us in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. First notice the who of the Gospel. Paul says, everyone, everyone who believes. Now, that might not seem shocking to you and I as we sit in a room with a myriad of different people from a myriad of different backgrounds, different ethnicities, different cultural backdrops.

But to the Jews, that was shocking. You see, the incorrect understanding of the Jewish New Testament people was that they were the ones that would receive the promise. Who cares about the Gentiles? It's coming to a me. It's coming to us as the Israel of old.

But Paul says everyone. And when he says everyone, brothers and sisters, he means everyone. He means the rich and the poor. And we see that in the Bible, don't we? We hear in Acts of rich, powerful Greek women believing in the Gospel.

We hear of people selling their homes and following Christ. And We see poor, demon-possessed slave girls coming to believe in Christ. We see slaves and free. Think about that beautiful little letter to Philemon, where Onesimus the slave is being commended by Paul back to the slave master, not as slave and master, but as brother. But it's not just slave and free, it's male and female.

Think of Aquila and Priscilla serving side by side in the gospel. It comes to every people group doesn't it? It comes to every tribe, every language, every nation, every tongue. Just Do you remember the picture in Revelation 7, where we get this picture of all of the redeemed together? And John says that he sees myriad upon myriad.

He sees people from all of the nations of the world, all of the peoples, all of the tongues. It's the picture of a people chosen out and redeemed and saved from every people group on the face of the planet. And that's why Jesus says, I will not return until the gospel has been proclaimed into every people group, into every nation. And don't we see that evidenced here brothers and sisters? Don't We see that evidenced here this morning with Adam and Marina.

Two people from just completely different backgrounds whom the Lord has brought his gospel to. And that means two very important things for you today, brothers and sisters. Firstly, all of us are without excuse. None of us can say, oh, I would have believed, but you know, the gospel wasn't suitable to a person like me but the Gospels for weak people or the Gospels for strong people you know the Gospels for the poor and I'm rich or the Gospels for the rich and I'm poor Everyone is without excuse because God offers indiscriminately the gospel to everyone. But the flip side of that is that whoever you are, you can have confidence that God's gospel is good enough for you.

You can have bold assurance, brothers and sisters, that you are a part of the everyone. That none of us can look around and say, oh, that's fine for Logan. He's Dutch. Of course the Dutch would be accepted. No one probably thinks that, let's be honest.

But you know what I mean, you can't say that. Because God will accept anyone that comes in the Gospel. He'll accept everyone that comes in the Gospel, and that includes you, brothers and sisters. That includes you. And so this Gospel comes to everyone.

But notice, not just the who of the Gospel, but the how of the Gospel. Paul says, everyone who believes in Him. Paul says the promise of the Gospel comes by faith alone. By faith alone. What is faith?

Well, turn to Hebrews with me. In Hebrews 11 we get a wonderful description of Faith. Hebrews 11, from verse 1. Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for. The conviction of things not seen, for by it the people of old received their commendation.

Let's just look at one example here, verse 3. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. So the writer of the Hebrews says, This is faith, it's having assurance about things that you're hoping for, not wishing for, but hoping for. It is a conviction, a sure conviction, it's a fixed knowledge of things that you haven't seen. Then the writer says that the people of old, old Israel, they received everything they were meant to receive, all of the promises through faith.

And then he gives this example in verse 3. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the Word of God so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. The reason we know God created the heavens and the earth is not because scientists help us understand. It's not because even the creation scientists have shown you that it's true. It's because by faith, God tells us and we believe.

We accept it. Faith is resting, as Horatius Bonar puts it. We rest. We cease from activity when we come by faith. Works means I labor.

Faith means I rest. And Paul says, everyone who believes, everyone who ceases from striving to earn the favor of God. But the follow-up question is not just what is faith, but what is this faith placed in? What is the object of our faith? Paul says, in verse 11, everyone who believes in Him, the Him being Jesus Christ.

Everyone who believes in Him. This is very very important brothers and sisters. Your faith does not save you. The theory of the atonement does not save you. Calvinism does not save you.

The Reformed faith does not save you. Belief does not save you. Jesus Christ saves you. If you get that wrong, you will spend the rest of your life laboring to try and be accepted. If you start to think that it's your faith that saves you, then what's the follow-on from that?

Well, I better make sure I'm believing really, really hard, right? I better make sure I've got a really big faith, Because otherwise I won't be saved. How do I know if my faith is enough? But the gospel declares that Jesus Christ is the savior of sinners Jesus Christ died to redeemer people Jesus Christ gave his righteousness the Spirit of God applies the gifts of Christ to us, the Father adopts and elects us. It is the triune God in Jesus Christ that saves us and so we don't come striving, we come resting because he in his person and work has achieved everything.

This is why the Apostles can say we preach him, we proclaim him. This is why the theme of everything we do in the faith is Jesus Christ. He is the hope of the world. What is my only comfort in life and in death? I am not my own but belong body and soul to my faithful Savior, Jesus Christ.

Not a theory. Oh, how we have to get our heads around this. You are not saved by your correct understanding of salvation. Yeah, you can go to hell with a wrong understanding of salvation, but you are not saved by your correct understanding of salvation, but by the application of all of the benefits of Christ and so brothers and sisters come to him Believe in Him. Don't believe in the God of your parents, children.

Believe in Him. Don't believe in the testimony of the church. Believe in Him, because in Him, as Colossians tells us, dwells the full deity of God bodily. Isn't he glorious? Doesn't your heart just want to explode as you think about your Savior?

As you think about all that he endured, all that he despised, all that he did, that you might be saved. That's how much he loves you. And so we believe in him. And so we notice the who, everyone, we notice the how by faith in Christ. But then we notice the what, the what of the Gospel.

Have a look with me in verse 11 again. Everyone who believes in Him will not be put to shame. I wonder if you find that striking. I wonder if I had given you a pop quiz this morning, and I had said to you, you know those things like a line and you have to finish the sentence at quiz night and we put up a quiz here and I said to you, everyone who believes in Him will. I wonder how many of you would have written, be saved.

And I wonder how many of you would have written, will not be put to shame? Why does Paul say not be put to shame? Is it just because he's quoting the Old Testament? Well partially yes. That's only part of it because there's a very good reason for why he says shame.

And it has to do with the entirety of the story of redemption. You see, do you remember in the garden, there's that beautiful little statement in Genesis 2, towards the very end, Adam and Eve come together, and Moses writes, they were together, and they were naked, and they were unashamed. Right? There was no shame. No one could put them to shame.

It's not just a comment about their nudity. It's because they were sinless. So there was nothing to be shameful about. But what's the first thing they do in Genesis 3? Don't they hide in a bush?

Why? Now God comes to them and He says to them, Why are you hiding Adam? He says, I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid. And humanity's been ashamed ever since, haven't they? Why did you put clothes on this morning?

It's not just because it's culturally appropriate to wear pants in New Zealand, is it? Because it would be shameful to be exposed before other people, and that's not just a physical reality is it? I mean let me put it a different way. Let me imagine for a second that I had a device and I could invite you up and I could plug this device into the side of your brain, and it would show every thought of your heart from the last week. How many of you would volunteer to come up the front?

Why do we laugh? Because we have a whole lot of things in our hearts to be ashamed of, right? What if we were to play all of the thoughts of your hearts from before you knew the Lord? Anyone game? Why not?

Are we not filled with shame, brothers and sisters? Now, I don't know about you, but the thought of being exposed on the day of judgment, were it not for Christ, is a terrifying reality. To be exposed before the all-seeing eye of God. Shame. Do you feel shame this morning?

For something you've done this week? Something you've done this month, something you did this morning. Feel shame for your past or shame for your present. Or maybe you feel shame for the future, for a day when you will be tested for what you're truly worth. You know, there's a really good reason, Paul says, that we will not be put to shame.

And it's because our sin is so thick and so dark, and our sinfulness is so rank, that if anyone were to look into the blackness of my heart, they wouldn't let me stand up here. Isn't that true? But for the grace of Christ. You see because Paul says everyone who believes will not be put to shame. How can that be?

When I look at all the things I've done, and all the things I've thought, and all the things I've wished for. When you look at all that you've done, when you look at all of your dreams which are corrupt, when you think about the way you've treated your children, the way you've treated your husband, the way you've treated your wife, when you think about your disrespectful attitude, your godlessness, your coveting, your idolatry, your slander, your complaining, your murmuring. How can you not be put to shame? Because Jesus Christ takes all of it upon himself. Because all of your shame, all of your sin, all of your brokenness is laid upon the sacrificial Lamb of God and is crucified in Him so that when the accuser comes to you tomorrow and says to you, oh, you're not fooling anyone you know, You realize everyone knows what you're really like.

You know what you can say? You're right. Everyone does. And it makes no difference. Because Christ has taken it all away.

And on the day of the return of Christ, because I think that's what Paul is looking to, because he uses the future tense, doesn't he? He says, they will not be put to shame. On the day of the judgment day of Christ, when you stand before the world, and the books are brought out, and there is the list of all of the corruptions of your heart, all of the deeds of your flesh, all of the wickedness and abominations. Christ will say, I've taken all of them. They're not his, they're mine, and I've paid for them.

Do you know that, brothers and sisters? Have you had your shame taken away? Do you know how freeing it is to be able to walk in, to walk in to a group of people and say to them, whatever you think of me, I'm actually far worse. But whatever you think of me, Jesus Christ is far more glorious and far more able to save than anything you might lay upon me." You know, that was one of Spurgeon's favorite responses. He got a lot of criticism in his life.

One time a lady came up to him and just laid complaint after complaint after accusation after accusation of all of these horrible things against him. And he stood up and he looked at this dear woman in the face and he said to her, My dear lady, whatever you think of me, my heart is ten times worse. But praise be to God for His grace. Can you say that this morning? Maybe you're sitting here this morning and actually you just feel weighed down with your sin.

Whether you're a believer or an unbeliever, you just feel weighed down with the shame of your brokenness. Give it over to Christ, because by faith you receive the assurance. By faith you receive the promise That you will not be put to shame Regardless of what anyone thinks around you lay hold of the promise brothers and sisters Take it by the hands and run. That's exactly what we've witnessed here today, isn't it? We witnessed Brother Adam.

We witnessed God testify to the cleansing of the heart of Adam, that there is one who washes away our sin. Hallelujah? Amen. Let's pray. Father in Heaven, we thank you for your gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

That sinners like us find hope. Lord, take away our shame. Lord take away our shame. Lord I want to pray for anyone here this morning who is filled with shame, who is heavy laden with their sin. And I want to pray that you would help them to lay their burden down at the cross, at the old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine that they might believe in this Gospel promise, like a simple child, and find salvation.

We thank you for the testimony this morning of your saving power to Adam and Marina and to all of us. Help us to glory in the cross. Help us to proclaim Him, and Lord, would you save people. Thank you for your gospel. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.

Well, as we respond to God's Word, let us stand and sing together with the words of There Is One Gospel in which we stand, and then I'll ask you to remain standing and we'll receive the blessing of God. Let's stand and sing together. Oh, say can you see by the dawn's early light What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming? What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming? What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?

For all eternity, there is my story, my valor's turn, your Son has rest with me. Oh, what a gospel, what a peace, My highest joy and my deepest peace! Now and forever he is my life! I stand in the gospel of Jesus Christ! The world on Jesus Christ.

There is one gospel truth which I do, all else I can as was, For they've made justice and mercy true To save me on the cross No more I boast in what I can bring no more I marry the wave of sin, For he has brought me from death to life, I stand in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ. There is one gospel where hope is known, yet he turns to speak. O death, who not is my Savior, he lives and I am free. Thou art my savior, I fix my eyes, my life is his and his hope is mine.

For he has promised my to the right, I stand in gospel of Jesus Christ. And with us God's full objectives, we do not walk alone. We have the Spirit as we pray so to heal us safely from. Let us hear it as we praise God, to feel us safely home. And when in glories will I will sing of this old story where praise will be, praise will I stay, fill the deep of Life!

I stand in the last fold of Jesus Christ, And then in glory still I will sing Of this false story that prayers be, O Praise to thy Savior, the King of Life. I stand in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Praise to thy Savior, the King of Life. I stand in the gospel of Jesus Christ. I stand in the gospel of Jesus Christ.

I stand in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Our brothers and sisters lift up your hearts and your minds by faith. Look to Jesus Christ and receive his abundant blessing. The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you.

The Lord lift up his countenance upon you, yes smile upon you and give you peace. Amen. Gloria Petri. Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is how we never shall be. One will win, one will win.

Amen, Amen Thou art place, brothers and sisters Turn your eyes upon Jesus Look full in His wonderful face And the things of earth will grow strangely dim In the light of his glory and grace. Turn your eyes to the hillside where justice and mercy embrace. There the Son of God gave his life Jesus, to You we lift our eyes. Jesus, our glory and our prize We adore You, behold You Our Savior ever true Oh Jesus, we turn our lives to You. Jesus, to You we lift our lives.

Jesus, our glory and our life. We adore you, behold you, our Savior ever true. Oh Jesus, we turn our eyes to You. Oh Jesus, we turn our eyes to you you