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Rev James Maciver preaches on Jeremiah 14:7 "Though our iniquities testify against us, act, O Lord, for your name's sake; for our backslidings are many; we have sinned against you. 8 O you hope of Israel, its saviour in time of trouble, why should you be like a stranger in the land, like a traveller who turns aside to tarry for a night? 9 Why should you be like a man confused, like a mighty warrior who cannot save? Yet you, O Lord, are in the midst of us, and we are called by your name; do not leave us."

Rev Kenneth I Macleod preaches on 'Daniel Reveals a Heart for Prayer' from Daniel 9:3-5, in this service of worship recorded at home.

Order of Service:

Welcome

Call to Worship: Psalm 51:1-7 (Scottish Psalter, page 280)

Prayer

Children's Talk

Lord's Prayer

Scripture Reading: Daniel 9:1-23

Sermon: 'Daniel Reveals a Heart for Prayer', Daniel 9:3-5

Prayer

Praise: Psalm 32:1-5 (Sing Psalms, page 38)

Benediction

Psalm 51:1-7 (Scottish Psalter)

1 After thy loving-kindness, Lord,

have mercy upon me:

For thy compassions great, blot out

all mine iniquity.

2 Me cleanse from sin, and thoroughly wash

from mine iniquity:

3 For my transgressions I confess;

my sin I ever see.

4 'Gainst thee, thee only, have I sinned,

in thy sight done this ill;

That when thou speak'st thou may'st be just,

and clear in judging still.

5 Behold, I in iniquity

was formed the womb within;

My mother also me conceived

in guiltiness and sin.

6 Behold, thou in the inward parts

with truth delighted art;

And wisdom thou shalt make me know

within the hidden part.

7 Do thou with hyssop sprinkle me,

I shall be cleansed so;

Yea, wash thou me, and then I shall

be whiter than the snow.

Daniel 9:3–5

[3] Then I turned my face to the Lord God, seeking him by prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting and sackcloth and ashes. [4] I prayed to the LORD my God and made confession, saying, “O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, [5] we have sinned and done wrong and acted wickedly and rebelled, turning aside from your commandments and rules. (ESV)

Rev James Maciver preaches from Ecclesiastes 7:1-10 A good name is better than precious ointment, and the day of death than the day of birth. 2 It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart. 3 Sorrow is better than laughter, for by sadness of face the heart is made glad. 4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth. 5 It is better for a man to hear the rebuke of the wise than to hear the song of fools. 6 For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fools; this also is vanity. 7 Surely oppression drives the wise into madness, and a bribe corrupts the heart. 8 Better is the end of a thing than its beginning, and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. 9 Be not quick in your spirit to become angry, for anger lodges in the bosom of fools. 10 Say not, "Why were the former days better than these?" For it is not from wisdom that you ask this.

Rev Kenneth I Macleod preaches on 'Watching and Waiting' from Habakkuk 2:1 at our midweek meeting online.

Habakkuk 2:1

[1] I will take my stand at my watchpost

and station myself on the tower,

and look out to see what he will say to me,

and what I will answer concerning my complaint. (ESV)

Rev James Maciver preaches from Ecclesiastes 6 There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, and it lies heavy on mankind: 2 a man to whom God gives wealth, possessions, and honor, so that he lacks nothing of all that he desires, yet God does not give him power to enjoy them, but a stranger enjoys them. This is vanity; it is a grievous evil. 3 If a man fathers a hundred children and lives many years, so that the days of his years are many, but his soul is not satisfied with life's good things, and he also has no burial, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he. 4 4700 For it comes in vanity and goes in darkness, and in darkness its name is covered. 5 Moreover, it has not seen the sun or known anything, yet it finds rest rather than he. 6 Even though he should live a thousand years twice over, yet enjoy no good--do not all go to the one place? 7 All the toil of man is for his mouth, yet his appetite is not satisfied. 8 For what advantage has the wise man over the fool? And what does the poor man have who knows how to conduct himself before the living? 9 Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the appetite: this also is vanity and a striving after wind. 4701 10 Whatever has come to be has already been named, and it is known what man is, and that he is not able to dispute with one stronger than he. 11 The more words, the more vanity, and what is the advantage to man? 12 For who knows what is good for man while he lives the few days of his vain life, which he passes like a shadow? For who can tell man what will be after him under the sun?

Rev Kenneth I Macleod preaches on 'A Walk from Earth to Heaven' from Hebrews 11:5 in this worship service recorded at home

ORDER OF SERVICE

Welcome

Call to Worship: Psalm 112:1-6 (Scottish Psalter)

Prayer

Children's Talk

The Lord's Prayer

Scripture Reading: Hebrews 11:1-16

Sermon: Hebrews 11:5, 'A Walk from Earth to Heaven'

Praise: Psalm 22:27-31 (Sing Psalms)

Benediction

 

Psalm 112:1-6 (Scottish Psalter)

1 Praise ye the Lord. The man is blessed

that fears the Lord aright,

He who in his commandments

doth greatly take delight.

2 His seed and offspring powerful

shall be the earth upon:

Of upright men blesséd shall be

the generation.

3 Riches and wealth shall ever be

within his house in store;

And his unspotted righteousness

endures for evermore.

4 Unto the upright light doth rise,

though he in darkness be:

Compassionate, and merciful,

and righteous, is he.

5 A good man doth his favor show,

and doth to others lend:

He with discretion his affairs

will guide unto the end.

6 Surely there is not any thing

that ever shall him move:

The righteous man's memorial

shall everlasting prove.

Hebrews 11:5

[5] By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. (ESV)

 

Psalm 22:27-31 (Sing Psalms)

27 The whole earth will remember him

And turn towards the LORD their God.

All peoples will bow down to him—

The nations of the world abroad.

28 Dominion to the LORD belongs

And over nations he is king.

29 The rich of all the earth will feast

And worship with an offering.

All those whose destiny is dust

Will humbly kneel before his throne;

They cannot keep themselves alive,

For they depend on him alone.

30 Posterity will serve the LORD;

31 And generations still to come

Will tell a people yet unborn

The righteous acts that he has done.

Rev James Maciver preaches on 'Life Immediately After the Fall' from Genesis 4 at our midweek meeting via Zoom.Genesis 4

Cain and Abel

[1] Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, “I have gotten a man with the help of the LORD.” [2] And again, she bore his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a worker of the ground. [3] In the course of time Cain brought to the LORD an offering of the fruit of the ground, [4] and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the LORD had regard for Abel and his offering, [5] but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. [6] The LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? [7] If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.”

[8] Cain spoke to Abel his brother. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him. [9] Then the LORD said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know; am I my brother’s keeper?” [10] And the LORD said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to me from the ground. [11] And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. [12] When you work the ground, it shall no longer yield to you its strength. You shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.” [13] Cain said to the LORD, “My punishment is greater than I can bear. [14] Behold, you have driven me today away from the ground, and from your face I shall be hidden. I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.” [15] Then the LORD said to him, “Not so! If anyone kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.” And the LORD put a mark on Cain, lest any who found him should attack him. [16] Then Cain went away from the presence of the LORD and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.

[17] Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch. When he built a city, he called the name of the city after the name of his son, Enoch. [18] To Enoch was born Irad, and Irad fathered Mehujael, and Mehujael fathered Methushael, and Methushael fathered Lamech. [19] And Lamech took two wives. The name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah. [20] Adah bore Jabal; he was the father of those who dwell in tents and have livestock. [21] His brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of all those who play the lyre and pipe. [22] Zillah also bore Tubal-cain; he was the forger of all instruments of bronze and iron. The sister of Tubal-cain was Naamah.

[23] Lamech said to his wives:

“Adah and Zillah, hear my voice;

you wives of Lamech, listen to what I say:

I have killed a man for wounding me,

a young man for striking me.

[24] If Cain’s revenge is sevenfold,

then Lamech’s is seventy-sevenfold.”

[25] And Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and called his name Seth, for she said, “God has appointed for me another offspring instead of Abel, for Cain killed him.” [26] To Seth also a son was born, and he called his name Enosh. At that time people began to call upon the name of the LORD. (ESV)

Rev James Maciver preaches on Ecclesiastes 5 : 8 If you see in a province the oppression of the poor and the violation of justice and righteousness, do not be amazed at the matter, for the high official is watched by a higher, and there are yet higher ones over them. 9 But this is gain for a land in every way: a king committed to cultivated fields. 10 He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity. 11 4697 When goods increase, they increase who eat them, and what advantage has their owner but to see them with his eyes? 12 Sweet is the sleep of a laborer, whether he eats little or much, but the full stomach of the rich will not let him sleep. 13 There is a grievous evil that I have seen under the sun: riches were kept by their owner to his hurt, 14 and those riches were lost in a bad venture. And he is father of a son, but he has nothing in his hand. 15 As he came from his mother's womb he shall go again, naked as he came, and shall take nothing for his toil that he may carry away in his hand. 16 4698 This also is a grievous evil: just as he came, so shall he go, and what gain is there to him who toils for the wind? 17 Moreover, all his days he eats in darkness in much vexation and sickness and anger. 18 Behold, what I have seen to be good and fitting is to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of his life that God has given him, for this is his lot. 19 Everyone also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil--this is the gift of God. 20 For he will not much remember the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with joy in his heart.

Rev Kenneth I Macleod preaches on 'Jesus Healing at the Pool' from John 5:1-9 in this service of worship recorded at home.

Order of Service:

Welcome

Call to Worship: Psalm 34:1-7 (Sing Psalms)

Prayer

Children's Talk

Lord's Prayer

Scripture Reading: John 5:1-18

Sermon: 'Jesus Healing at the Pool', John 5:1-9

Prayer

Praise: Psalm 103:1-4 (Scottish Psalter)

Benediction

 

John 5:1–9

The Healing at the Pool on the Sabbath

[1] After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

[2] Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Aramaic called Bethesda, which has five roofed colonnades. [3] In these lay a multitude of invalids—blind, lame, and paralyzed. [5] One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. [6] When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be healed?” [7] The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me.” [8] Jesus said to him, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.” [9] And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked.

Now that day was the Sabbath. (ESV)

 

Psalm 103:1-4 (Scottish Psalter)

1 O thou my soul, bless God the Lord;

and all that in me is

Be stirred up his holy name

to magnify and bless.

2 Bless, O my soul, the Lord thy God,

and not forgetful be

Of all his gracious benefits

he hath bestowed on thee.

3 All thine iniquities who doth

most graciously forgive:

Who thy diseases all and pains

doth heal, and thee relieve.

4 Who doth redeem thy life, that thou

to death may'st not go down;

Who thee with loving-kindness doth

and tender mercies crown:

Rev Kenneth I Macleod preaches on 'The Secret of the Kingdom from Mark 4:11 at our midweek meeting online.Mark 4:11

[11] And he said to them, “To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables, (ESV)