In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of the gospel and its impact on believers. He refers to the apostle Paul's dedication to the gospel and his desire for believers to attain the glory of Jesus Christ. The preacher also mentions Jesus' prayer in John 17, where he prays for believers to be with him and share in his glory. The sermon highlights the challenge for believers to stand firm in the word of God and trust in his plan, even in the face of difficulties and tribulations. The preacher also mentions the future judgment of God and the need for believers to be prepared for that day.

I wonder if you'll turn with me to Paul's second letter to the Thessalonians, please. Paul's second episode to the Thessalonians. I'm sure that we have to be encouraged and challenged by the sweetness of the ministry of Herb. As Richard has said, young people, perhaps you have not passed that reading yet. But there is absolutely no doubt that if the Lord be your God, sometime, somewhere, you will have passed that reading. And just to link with the message, I'm going to speak in chapter number 2 of the 2nd Thessalonians. And I want you just to look, to see it back down, chapter 1 and verse number 4. So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God, for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure. Verse 1 of chapter 2. Now we beseech you brethren, by the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ and by our gathering unto him, that ye be not soon shaken in mind or troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter, as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means, for that day shall not come except there come a falling away first. And that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition, who opposed and exalted himself above all that is called God. For that is worship, so that he, as God, sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. Remember ye not that when I was yet with you, I told you these things. And now ye know what withholdeth, that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work, only he who now letteth or restraineth will restrain until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming, even him whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders. With all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish, because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send strong delusion that they should believe a lie, that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren, beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the spirit and belief of the truth. Whereunto he called you by your gospel to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ, therefore, brethren, stand fast. Hold the traditions which you have been taught, whether by word or our epistle. Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God, even our Father, which hath loved us and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts in every good word and word. Now we are sure that God lies listening to the public reading of his word this evening. The people to whom Paul is writing are the people who are suffering and suffering much, are people who are afflicted, are people who are having to endure. As you know, as Richard said, it's easy to pray and to sing every day when your cup runneth over with joy. What a different story when your cup is empty and dry and you feel you can sit down and cry. Or if the Lord you would please, then get down upon your knees for your cup runneth over with joy. They were going through such difficult experiences that they actually believed that the day of the Lord had come. Having come, that's the thought. And they were actually going through the great tribulation that would come upon this earth. And the apostle, he's writing, he's writing to correct that. And you know, it's a challenge to my heart that what he writes to correct, according to verse number 5, he had also written to prevent in the first place. You see, ministry ought to be both preventative and corrective. Better preventative, of course. But now that they're in the problem and they're believing something which is not according to the word of God, then the apostle will now write to correct that. When he writes his second epistle, he tells them in chapter 1 that that day is going to come. And he tells them why it's going to come. For God will bring tribulation upon those that have troubled you. In verse number, in chapter number 3, he thinks about the effect of the coming of the day of the Lord. What effect it should have in their lives. You see, it's not just something crooked. But it should have a purifying effect in every life. And in chapter number 2, he tells us when that day will come. When that day will come. And you know, we're living an awful lot nearer that day than when the apostle Paul wrote these words. And I'm sure that you dear young folks, as you go about your daily business, as you meet with other Christians, well, they will tell you that as Christians, we will pass through the days of tribulation. Now you would have to read Paul's first epistle to the Thessalonians, and then this one, to find that that will not be the case. But we're going to look at this chapter together, and first it will be a challenge to your heart, an encouragement to your heart. Even in difficult circumstances. And there are principles that will be brought out here that will help you in your personal circumstances. I want to talk in verses 1 and 2 about discouragement of the saints. In verses 1 and 2, the saints are discouraged. But then in relation to that day, verses 3 to 5, Paul says, listen, there are distinctive signs. There are pointers, there are precursors to that day. And unless those things have happened, that day could not have happened. And then he tells us a wonderful thing, and it links up with what our dear brother mentioned to us at the end of his ministry. He says, there is an eternal schedule. God has a divine plan. Never taken by surprise. Whether in your little life circumstances, or whether in a sembler life circumstances, or whether in world affairs. God is never taken by surprise. But he works all things according to the counsel of his own will. He did not have any advisors. He had to tell Jordan that. Where was you when I made the foundation of the world? He never made mistakes. And he doesn't in our life, but it is difficult. As Jesus has said, it is difficult to understand. And we don't know what the future holds, and glad we are. But we do know who holds the future. And know that we can just rest there. Know that we can just rest there. Not only an eternal schedule, but in verses 9 to 12, we have those deluded souls. Which shall go into days of tribulation. When the awful judgment of God will be seen in this world as it has never been seen before. I quote from the Lord Jesus himself. A day pass through. One terrible time of judgment on this world. When a false holy God pours out his judgment in this world. And there will be the opening of the seals. By the Lord Jesus. And there will be the blowing of the trumpets that always speak to the spirit, the breath. And there will be the pouring out of the vials of judgment. By God himself. And a foolish holy God. Rents his anger and wrath. Against a godless world. And the world is turned back against him. But in verses 13 to 17, we have a delightful spirit. A delightful spirit. A praying spirit. And a pleading spirit. In spite of the circumstances that these dear saints find themselves in. I want you to turn with me then to verse number 1. I said that we have here discouraged saints. What is the cause of their discouragement? Well first of all, it's the circumstances that they find themselves in. And that's what we've been hearing about. And we have no control over the circumstances that befall us. But God has. But God has. And I'm sure that those three Hebrew servants in Daniel chapter number 3 had no desire nor delight to go into a fiery furnace any more than you and I have. I want to tell you something. Now when they went in, it took an ungodly kind to call them back out again. Why? Because they were experiencing the presence of God in the deepness of their circumstances that they had never known before. Never known before. And isn't it true that many dear saints who pass through the deep waters have known that wonderful promise? I will be with thee when thou passest through. But not only was their circumstances causing their problem but sadly there was also a rebellious teaching that was not helping their circumstances. And so I suggest that you see first of all the foundation for their faith. And it's for your faith as well. For your encouragement, the foundation of their faith is the word of God, is the truth of God. And the fabrication that caused fear was the erroneous teaching at the radio hall in verse number 2. Paul says now, we beseech you brethren. I love that. And I was taught, and our brother Sandy here will remember it even better than I do. Thou we beseech you brethren. Don't Mr. Cowdishly teach us as young fellows that Paul's beseeching are like a lever effect. The beseeching of Paul is a lever itself. And the fulcrum here is by the soon coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. And say to you, the nearer you get the fulcrum to the problem the easier the burden is lifted, the weight is removed. That's true isn't it? Mind you that's only 1 of 16 that Paul appeals to the saints. And you'll beseech in Romans chapter number 12, a consecrated life. Young folks, are you listening? I beseech you by the tender mercies of God that you present your bodies. It's not just giving God something. It's giving God anything. That's what he's asking for. No, that's what he's demanding. Why? Because that's what he gives. He gives everything for you and for me. Not only for a consecrated life, but in Ephesians chapter 4 he appeals for a consistent walk. That he walk worthy of the vocation wherewith you've been called. When he comes to Philippians chapter number 4 he's appealing for a Christ like child. That he be of the same mind in the Lord. Here, he's longing that the saints might be confirmed. Might have a confirmed mind in their faith. And so he says to them, they say, I beseech you brethren by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now, I have to say just the same as Richard has said. There are men more able than I here. So I've got to be extremely careful. I don't believe for a minute that that is the manifestation. And now I'm gathering unto him. I think that is what I've got. My dear brother, my dear sister. That's the hope that we're looking for in relation to the tribulation. Because these things must happen first. And our blessed Lord will come to take his people home. We're taught by Paul in 2 Corinthians chapter number 5 that we are ambassadors of Christ. You know as well as I do that the first thing that happens when two countries go to war, before the battle commences, is ambassadors are recalled. That's exactly what's happening. Before God comes in judgment on this world. And before the battle begins, he recalls his ambassadors. As he takes them home to heaven. Oh how marvelous. The apostle is saying, listen, here is the answer to the problem, to every problem. By the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, I'm now gathering unto him. You know, when you go through Revelation chapter 2 and chapter 3, you'll read those letters to seven churches that give us a panoramic view of the whole church age. And you know almost in every one of those churches, almost, in every one of those churches, there are problems. There are difficulties. One dear brother used to teach me, the answer to the problem in the assembly is know that door out there. But in chapter 4 he sees another door, some heaven. That's the answer to the problem. When John hears a voice saying, come up here. Come up here. My dear brother, my sister, listen, the Lord is coming. He soon shall appear and he'll call his waiting people home. And young folks, you may be out in the threshold of life, and we were all there once, it maybe doesn't look like it, but we were all there once. And we were just living in the joy of what was going to happen next. And it may have been the job, and it may have been getting married, and all these things were before us. And we just longed that the Lord would wait long enough, you know, to this happen, then that happen. But you know, don't look again. You may just long to hear his voice. You see, we don't really look at signs. We're listening for the shout. We're listening for the shout. And the older you get, the more you long that the Lord Jesus Christ would come and call his waiting people home. And that's what the apostle is appealing to when he's speaking to these dear saints. But then in verse number 2, he says that ye be not soon shaken in mind or troubled neither by letter nor by word as from us. You know, there were those who were teaching that while they were going, they were already in those days of tribulation. And this was just the beginning of sorrows. And they would get much deeper and much worse. And remember, if they knew anything about Matthew chapter 24, then they would realize just how much worse these days would be. But the apostle, like any good minister of the Word of God, he had the care of the saints upon his heart. And when they were worried that he was looking to put that right, and the only way he could put it right was by bringing the Word of God to them. You believe that, don't you? I remember a dear man saying to me one day, I had the work with me. I had went to visit both of the bosses, the father-in-law who was ill. He was a dear old man who was in the Sovereign Baptist Church somewhere in Glasgow. And I went up to visit the old man. And this friend, I think he was a bit worried, perhaps I was found to keep in with the boss, I suppose. And he says to me, they tell me you went to visit Andy's father-in-law, I said, that's right Peter. He says, and they tell me you read the Bible to him. I says, that's exactly right Peter. The man was dying of cancer. He only lived about a few months after that. And he says, why would you do that for? I says, tell me Peter, what would you read to him? The sports page. He's not interested. He's lynched about the head. But what would you read to him? Something about business? The business world? He's not the least bit interested. I says, he is interested in the word of God. And that tells him about eternal verities and exceeding precious promises. And I says, that's his only hope. That's where you are missing for eternity. My dear brother, my dear sister, that's where you and I are missing. On the word of God. And so the apostle says, and I think it's lovely, that ye be not soon shaken in mind. Now when you think, when you think of that word shaken, it just really is. It just really is when our whole world seems to turn upside down. It just causes us to trouble. To be troubled in mind. Perhaps because we don't understand the circumstances or we're not in control of the circumstances. I says, Paul, don't be, don't be soon shaken in mind. And really he was just following the example of his Lord. When in John 14 he says to those disciples who were wavering because he was about to rebuild, he says, let not the hands of God. He believed in God and he believed also in me and my father's house and many mansions. And there's a blessed prospect before you that is not before any Christ who's yet dead. And we're looking for the day when the Lord Jesus Christ shall come and take us home to be forever with himself. I love this though. It says by our gathering unto him. Did you notice that? No, it says our gathering together unto him. The apostle had a great love for the togetherness of the saints. The apostle had a great love for the unity of the saints. He'll speak in Ephesians about being questioned together, about being raised together, about being seated together. That's what, that's what God has done for us. I love what he's saying by our gathering together unto him. That's what you all do. I wonder if you've still got a love for the saints' togetherness. If I could use that word. For the unity of the saints. You know, we're being divided by all sorts of things and we'll always have differences of opinion. But I hope you love, I hope you love to see the saints united. The apostle did. And the Spirit of God, he made that unity that we are now in. And the apostle writes in chapter 4 of Ephesians, endeavoring to keep, not to make it, endeavoring to keep the unity of the peace, the unity of the spirit side and the bond of peace. All that we could in that detail. I'll tell you something that I've noted in my short experience amongst the saints of God. It's quite easy to divide them. It's a much more difficult matter to keep them together. But one day we'll all be gathered together. Thank God for that. Thank God for that. But then notice, says the word of God that there are prospective signs that are going to happen in verses 3 to 5. He says, Let no man deceive you by any means for except there come a falling away first and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition. That man of sin. Now, sadly, the author writes, the same word in the Greek is used in three different ways here. It's interpreted sin. It's interpreted iniquity. And it's interpreted lawlessness. The word I understand ought to be lawlessness and I think you'll understand what I mean just in a moment. This is the man of lawlessness. The man of lawlessness. And as we consider this man, he's going to come upon this world sin. And you know, I'm sure young and old, that the world is crying out for that man. Even now. A man who'll unite the world together in purpose but without God. A man who'll take the place of our blessed Lord Jesus Christ, the Antichrist. And he'll bring nations together. And he'll bring everything it would seem just to work for his favour. And he says, except that man come. He says, that day shall not come. This man's spoken about much in the word of God. In Daniel chapter number 7, you'll read about the man and his conquests. He's going to subdue three nations unto himself. I judge it's a bloodless crew. You may disagree with that. I judge, according to Revelation chapter number 6, it will be a bloodless crew. And you know, it was difficult to appreciate and understand that ten years ago. It's no difficult now. Britain almost took over Iceland in a bloodless crew. Because of how much money they owed us. And Britain was almost taken over by other countries because of how much we owed them. And here's a man coming in the scene. And he'll be the answer to the world's problems as far as the world is concerned. And you see the man who's sending these conquests. But then in chapter number 9 of the same book, you'll see the man who's sending his covenant. He actually makes a covenant with the people of Israel. I ask those eyes there. It's a covenant with death. It's an agreement with hell. And the people that God covenanted with and God never broke his covenant. Nor could. But yet it comes on the cross. And they make a covenant with the Antichrist. What a tragedy. Then if you read again in Revelation chapter number 13, those first ten verses will tell you about the man who's sending his covenants when he's coming to the throne, when he's coming to power. That's what the world is waiting for. By the way, read those verses. And you'll see a deadly wound that's healed. He's counterfeiting the death and resurrection of our blessed Lord Jesus Christ. Then at the end of the chapter, the man who's sending his co-workers for the Roman false prophet. In fact, there'll be a whole trinity of evil. The devil, the Antichrist and the false prophet and Satan counterfeiting the truth of our faith. As he gives these men his power, we're going to see in a moment this man is as near Satan in cabinet as it's possible to be. But when you come here and it's the man of sin and his character that's in view. He's the man of lawlessness. He's governed by no laws. He makes the rules. He bends the rules. He breaks the rules. He does what he likes. Is that no sound like modern politics today? When did you ever hear a few older folks about spin doctors? One day they were way back down there in the garden. Satan created the first spin in the garden. Ha! God spin. Ha! And they both surely died. And he put a political spin in the matter. Now shall we not eat of every tree? God never said that. God says you will not eat of every tree but one. That's political spin. And that's what's happening today. But you know when this man comes, this is a man who will be governed by no one in matter. He just does what pleases him. That's the kind of man that the world won't admit to him and they rejected. The meek and lonely Jesus who humbled himself and came into this scene. Notice a bit more about this man. Notice he is the man of lawlessness. Now that's in contrast to our blessed Lord who magnified them all as he made it wonderful. But you'll notice too that he is the author of death according to Hebrews chapter 2. The Lord Jesus Christ has taken that power from him at Calvary because he is the author of life. And you'll notice too as we think of this man I've said he's as near Satan in Calvary as it's possible to be. I say that because Satan cannot give life. I hope you'll believe that. God alone is the life giver and the Lord Jesus Christ himself is the life giving spirit. In complete contrast to this man and it says about him in chapter number 4 who opposed himself and exalted himself above all that is called God all that is worship. Oh the arrogance of the man. Oh the audacity of the man. The sheer audacity that he would defy the living God and here he is. And as far as he's concerned not only will he oppose that is he'll rebel against God but he'll set himself up as God. And I judge according to Matthew chapter number 24 that this man will set an image and says the Lord Jesus when you see it standing where it ought not standing in that holy spot the spot that was reserved for the act of rebelling he sets up his image in complete arrogance to the power and authority of God. He sets himself up as God and then he calls the people to worship him and you know the people go after him. That's quite amazing that the condemnation of our Lord was thou being a man make thyself God and they rejected him this man made himself God. Oh the tragedy and the world the world etc. Says the apostle remember when I was with you I told you these things that's not true it's good it's good when the teacher can see things that are going to happen and he doesn't just walk the door after the horse is broken you see he saw it and he saw there could be problems and he made clear the teaching to them but in spite of that he might be troubled by things that they do about and they should have known better perhaps he's going to teach them because he wants to see those saints that are shaking those saints that are trembling that are troubled he wants to see them steadfast and in verse number six he says now you know what the strain is you know what the strain is and we do know what the strain is the church is still here and when the church has taken it together thought about it we are the salt of the earth that's what everybody talks about now in this world the salt of the earth and salt has a preserving influence it holds back corruption when they're all gone the salt is gone and corruption rampages through the world and we think it's bad but how much worse is yet to be and in verse number seven he says for the people of the world the people of the of the world the people of the the the world the of the world of the in the God in the church in that special way taken up from this world and then the world oh the spirit will be in the world not in that peculiar way that he is to be, in particular sense, indwelling every single time he went, then the last on worship of a tide of corruption and sin and wickedness moves to its fullest extent. When that happens, then Satan is able to bring his man, his masterpiece, that's what he is, his masterpiece, man that Satan can almost indwell completely and motivate completely. Notice what it says, and then shall that wicked, did you notice that, that wicked, whom is that lawless, now it doesn't even say that lawless one, but we can understand that. What the Spirit of God is telling us is that this man is lawlessness personified, lawlessness personified. And he says, then at that time shall that wicked be revealed who the Lord will consume with the brightness of his coming. You see, what falls no seconds before us is the divine program, the prophetic program, that he might educate our minds, that he might build us up, that he is just bringing out really the main points that could come to heart, could come to heart. And so it says, the Lord shall destroy him with the manifestation of the brightness of his coming. It's the purpose of God that's in you, that's what you encourage your heart and mind. We can see that God has a particular time scale to which he's working. Things seem out of control in the world, sometimes they seem out of control in our lives, but they're never out of control. God is always in control. And you can see that he's working exactly to his own schedule, his own time scale. And Satan can only do what God allows him to do. That's all he can do. Then I notice too, it says, even him, and I'm thinking now of those people who will be deluded by that man. Verse number 9, even him whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and sign and my wonders. Now you know where my mind is going. That's chapter 2, verse number 22. Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved unto God by miracles, signs and wonders, which God did by him. And they knew that, they saw that, they understood that this was the man who had the divine approval start on his life. And Satan brings his man and he puts his satanic approval upon him. A man he says whose coming is after Satan, he says with power, and it will be with power by the way, and it will be with great signs and all my wonders, because he is a deceiver from the beginning. But it says too, doesn't it, not only do we have the approval of Satan, but the acceptance by men. It says in verse number 11, and for this cause, sorry, verse number 10, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness, and then that perish. And he deceives the world into thinking that he's the answer to the world's problems. And the answer to the world's problems was crucified on the cross outside the Jerusalem city wall. It says, notice again, in them that perish, because they receive not the love of the truth. My dear brother, my dear sister, listen, every year so in the Lord's name, who lands in a crisis hell, will be there, because they receive not, and because they believe not. Now don't forget that. It says they receive not the love of the truth. Again my mind is going back to Acts chapter number 2 and verse 41. And then it says, they that gladly received his word were baptized. Now that's what salvation is. It's just a receiving gladly of the word of God. They heard what Peter had to say to them about their sin, about the Lord Jesus Christ, about how they died, not only how they perished to death, and they were responsible for it, but it was also in accordance with the determined counsel and foreknowledge of God. And they said, what shall we do? So they repented of their sin and received the forgiveness of sin. And they that gladly received that word. Tell me, are we still gladly receiving the word? You know, it shouldn't just be something that happened in the distant past. Salvation should not be something past only. Our past experiences isn't that? There ought to be a pleasant enjoyment. Something that we're enjoying every day. And if we receive his word gladly then, we should still be receiving his word. Tell me, do you still want to read the book? Do you still want to meditate upon it? Do you still want to hear it minister to your soul? Is it like cold water to your thirsty soul? Is it food to sustain you? Do they gladly receive it? These folks don't gladly receive it. They receive not the love of the truth that they might be saved. And then it goes a wee bit further doesn't it? Verse number 11 says, and for this cause, God shall send them strong delusion that they should believe. I think you know that there will not be a second chance. For those who know, now listen to me carefully, for those who know and have heard clearly the gospel of the grace of God, there will never be a second chance. But God shall send us strong delusion. And God does that because they have refused to accept. They have refused to accept. And therefore they believe. And there are many thoughts as to what the lie is among themselves. They refuse the one who said I am the way, the truth, they have accepted the lie. They have accepted the lie. And so he says that they should believe a lie that they might be damned to believe not the truth but have pleasure in unrighteousness. You may come to Romans chapter number 1, and where he recreates the apostle who exchanged the truth of God for a lie, for a lie. And here we can see there is a full blown apostasy. People who would not accept the Christ of God but now do accept the Antichrist himself. I install further, we think of God's anger at his actions because of this. Because they refused the truth for a lie, because they refused God for Satan, because they refused light for darkness. So God judges them. God judges them. And he proves that his judgment is absolutely righteous when it befalls upon these people. Oh, if we could only speak to those that we know and love about the gospel, about the judgment of God, because the day is drawing ever near, ever closer, where the Lord Jesus Christ shall come and then these days begin to fall. But then I want you to look just lastly, just for a few moments, I of this delightful spirit that's in the apostle. This delightful spirit. He has a love for the saints. He has a love for the word of God. He has a love for God himself. And in verses 13-15 we see his praising spirit. He's always praising the Lord. And you only have to read through the epistles of Paul to appreciate that. And of course you should know that as well of course. And then when you come to verses 16 and 17, he's also a praising spirit. Both these things mark that man and should mark us. Notice what he's praising God for. In verse number 13 he says, we are bound to give God thanks. To give God thanks always for you brethren of the Lord. You'll notice that he's not circumcised. He's not circumcised Christ, he should say. That is he's not just thinking of those that were Paul's brothers, or those that were Paul's ministry. He's thanking God for them all. When you go to the first epistle, chapter number 1, you'll see that quite clearly. Thanking God for them all and praying for them all. He's not circumcised. He's not circumcised. And he says in verse number 13, we must give God thanks. Why? Because God hath chosen you. God hath chosen you. Now that's a wonderful truth. Never let us forget that truth. That teaches us that God made a divine and sovereign choice for each and every one of us in Sweden. That did not impinge upon our rights of human responsibility. That did not infringe on our liberty. But God chose us. You can understand it if you thank God for it. Why should you ever choose the likes of me? I don't know, but you did. And I thank God for that. Not only chosen by God, but sanctified by the Spirit of God. Set apart for God's glory, for God's use, for God's pleasure, all the wonder of the world. Ah, but he adds a third point, doesn't he? And the re-fit of the truth. And so as we always, I don't say always, but many times in the world abroad, we see divine sovereignty running clearly alongside human responsibility. After chapter 11 and 28, we can all quote it. Come into me all ye that labour and are heavily laden, and I will give you rest. That's human responsibility. Read the verse before you. No man can cry except to have of God. You see, that's divine sovereignty. And both truths are taught in the book, and we must accept both of them. We never accept one at the expense of the other. And so it says here that we're chosen by God. Verse 14, we're called by God. They say in verse number 14, we're unto thee called you by your gospel. I would love to just think about Paul saying it's our gospel. You know, is it your gospel? Is it Paul's gospel? Of course it is. It's the gospel of God because he is the source. It's the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ because he is the subject. It's the gospel of Paul because he's acting in service to him. Now obviously, are we still, do we still love the gospel? Is it still our gospel? Is it still in our lips when we speak to men and women and whatsoever? It was in the Apostle's face all the time. He loved to speak about the gospel. Why? Because of what it did to him and for him and because of what it could do for us. The Apostle made it his gospel and he says he called us by our, he called you, sorry, by our gospel to the obtaining of the glory. Think of what the Lord Jesus says when he prays in John chapter number 17, Father I would, that those that thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my glory. Oh it's beyond our comprehension. Not only beholding his glory but sharing that glory. My, that is beyond our comprehension. Then we'll be free from this world with every child, with every mother and not only call those by God, notice the challenge from the word of God, verse number 15, therefore brethren stand fast, stand fast. It really means stand fast and hold firm. Sorry, stand firm and hold fast. And your mind and mine goes to 1 Corinthians chapter number 15, the last verse, be ye steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, for you know your neighbour is not in vain in the Lord. He's not meaning that we've got to be stubborn and docile like we are now. I'm sure our dear wives could tell you that a thousand times over but that's not what he's teaching us here. He's teaching us in 1 Corinthians 15 and here to be steadfast, immovable. That is don't let wrong doctrine shake your faith. They were teaching the resurrection was past in those days. Now they're teaching us the Lord's not coming for his people. I say don't allow that to shake your faith. Stand firm, stand firm, hold fast, hold the traditions. Now you would think that traditions are a novel thing, that you've got to differentiate between the traditions of God and the traditions of men surely. We're a tradition. We're still doing the things that we did 2000 years ago and there's nothing wrong with having a prayer meeting, nothing wrong with remembering the Lord Jesus Christ as we've always done because these things are right and correct and proper but what isn't proper is to make things traditional that are not of the word of God and not in accordance with the word of God. That's what you are and so he says stand fast still and hold the traditions that you have been taught whether by word or by your official and of course you now see that we've come from a people who have been troubled, who are shaken in mind to a people that are standing fast, a people that are holding fast. That's what the minister should be about. That's what the minister said before. That's what the apostle said and then he finishes up and praying and you know isn't it lovely. He looks back as it were and he thinks about all that God has done and he says in verse number 16 he says God hath loved us and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace and then he says that he may comfort your hearts and establish you in every good work. He looks back and he'll pay some for all of his past and he'll look forward and he'll trust him for all that he can. May God bless his work.