diff --git "a/2022/Sunday Worship - December 11, 2022_transcript.txt" "b/2022/Sunday Worship - December 11, 2022_transcript.txt" new file mode 100644--- /dev/null +++ "b/2022/Sunday Worship - December 11, 2022_transcript.txt" @@ -0,0 +1,2173 @@ +[0.00 --> 13.64] In the bleak midwinter, all creation groans +[13.64 --> 20.16] For a world in darkness, frozen like a stone +[20.16 --> 26.56] Light is breaking, in a stable for a throne +[26.56 --> 33.70] If I were a wise man, I would travel far +[33.70 --> 40.48] If I were a shepherd, I would do my part +[40.48 --> 46.82] For as I am, I would give to Him my heart +[46.82 --> 53.60] And He shall reign forevermore, forevermore +[53.60 --> 60.74] And He shall reign forevermore, forevermore +[60.74 --> 67.88] Unto us, a child is born, the King of kings, the Lord of lords +[67.88 --> 75.02] And He shall reign forevermore, forevermore +[75.02 --> 78.02] Here within the manger lies +[78.02 --> 81.52] The one who builds the starry skies +[81.52 --> 85.02] This baby born for sacrifice +[85.02 --> 88.02] Christ our Messiah +[88.02 --> 91.16] To our hopes and to our fears +[91.16 --> 94.16] The Savior of the world appears +[94.16 --> 98.16] The promise of eternal years +[98.16 --> 101.16] Christ our Messiah +[101.16 --> 107.30] And He shall reign forevermore, forevermore +[107.30 --> 114.30] And He shall reign forevermore, forevermore +[114.30 --> 127.44] And He shall reign forevermore, forevermore +[127.44 --> 129.44] And He shall reign forevermore, forevermore +[129.44 --> 133.44] A child is born, the King of kings, the Lord of lords +[133.44 --> 140.58] And He shall reign forevermore, forevermore +[140.58 --> 146.58] And He shall reign forevermore, forevermore +[146.58 --> 155.72] He shall reign forevermore, forevermore +[155.72 --> 159.72] And He shall reign forevermore, forevermore +[159.72 --> 160.86] And He shall reign forever, forevermore +[160.86 --> 161.86] And He shall reign forever, forevermore +[161.86 --> 166.86] And He shall reign forever, forevermore +[166.86 --> 186.02] From highest height of heaven's throne +[186.02 --> 191.16] And perfect light of majesty +[191.16 --> 196.16] This broken world became your home +[196.16 --> 201.16] Our broken lives you came to heal +[201.16 --> 206.16] Salvation in your name +[206.16 --> 210.16] And in your heart our freedom +[210.16 --> 215.30] How could we not adore +[215.30 --> 217.30] How could we not adore +[217.30 --> 220.30] To us you have been born +[220.30 --> 224.30] To us you have been given +[224.30 --> 230.30] Glory to you in the highest +[230.30 --> 233.98] The hope of all the earth +[233.98 --> 237.72] The highest name of heaven +[237.72 --> 243.86] Glory to you in the highest +[243.86 --> 247.86] Glory to you +[247.86 --> 248.86] Glory to you +[248.86 --> 252.86] Glory in the highest +[252.86 --> 258.86] Into the night +[258.86 --> 262.16] Into the fray +[262.16 --> 264.74] Struggle and war +[264.74 --> 266.88] On every side +[266.88 --> 269.88] Into a world +[269.88 --> 271.88] Of sin and shame +[271.88 --> 274.88] You came to bridge +[274.88 --> 276.88] The great divide +[276.88 --> 279.88] The prince of peace +[279.88 --> 282.88] And lord of life +[282.88 --> 287.88] A day of grace has come +[287.88 --> 290.88] The dawn of our redemption +[290.88 --> 295.02] Oh let every heart +[295.02 --> 296.02] And Lord +[296.02 --> 301.02] To us you have been born +[301.02 --> 305.02] To us you have been given +[305.02 --> 311.02] Glory to you in the highest +[311.02 --> 315.02] The hope of all the earth +[315.02 --> 319.16] The highest name of heaven +[319.16 --> 325.16] Glory to you in the highest +[325.16 --> 329.16] Glory to you +[329.16 --> 334.16] Glory in the highest +[334.16 --> 339.30] Salvation in your name +[339.30 --> 343.30] And in your heart our freedom +[343.30 --> 346.50] Sing hallelujah +[346.50 --> 349.30] Hallelujah +[349.30 --> 353.30] A day of grace has come +[353.30 --> 356.36] The dawn of our redemption +[356.36 --> 360.16] Sing hallelujah +[360.16 --> 364.30] Glory to us you have been born +[364.30 --> 366.30] To us you have been born +[366.30 --> 370.30] To us you have been given +[370.30 --> 376.30] Glory to you in the highest +[376.30 --> 380.30] The hope of all the earth +[380.30 --> 384.30] And the highest name of heaven +[384.30 --> 388.30] Glory to you in the highest +[388.30 --> 392.44] Glory to you in the highest +[392.44 --> 396.04] Glory to you in the highest +[396.04 --> 398.04] Glory to you in the highest +[398.04 --> 401.14] Glory to your... +[401.14 --> 406.50] Glory in the highest +[406.50 --> 414.44] Oh, come let us adore you +[414.44 --> 421.40] Oh, come let us adore Him. +[421.70 --> 425.54] Oh, come let us adore Him. +[444.44 --> 454.66] We are grateful that you are here and that we can get together. +[455.16 --> 457.72] My name is Chris. I'm one of the pastors here. +[457.72 --> 464.60] And it's my privilege, along with a few others, to lead in our shared worship together this morning. +[465.36 --> 469.92] God is good, and we have a lot going on in our worship this morning, +[469.92 --> 474.58] from Lord's Supper and baptism and celebrations of individual service. +[475.14 --> 482.10] And so we're grateful for the chance to see God at work in so many ways in our midst +[482.10 --> 492.66] and to participate in that and to long for Him to do more among us, with us, and through us to the world. +[493.48 --> 497.36] Before we begin our worship in earnest, there's just a couple announcements. +[497.36 --> 500.48] Kevin has two, so I'm going to invite him to the front. +[500.58 --> 501.64] The microphone's over here. +[502.28 --> 508.92] He can get ready, and while he's on his way over, just a reminder that next week, Sunday evening, +[509.40 --> 521.00] so December 18 at 6 p.m., we are hosting a choir performance and traditional hymn-sing and caroling here at Emanuel. +[521.00 --> 527.10] And so we encourage you to come to invite your family, friends, or neighbors and join us for that. +[527.10 --> 527.88] We'll have choirs. +[528.02 --> 528.82] We have kids' choirs. +[528.98 --> 535.80] We have hymns and carols to sing, and it should be a beautiful evening together, December 18 at 6 p.m. +[536.94 --> 539.88] A reminder, there's practices for that this coming week. +[540.00 --> 542.18] You know the schedule if you are involved in that. +[542.72 --> 550.50] And you may have seen in the e-bulletin that went out that Mark, who is the director, is looking for a page-turner. +[551.18 --> 556.10] And so that's someone who can read music and turn the pages as they move through. +[556.28 --> 560.16] So the stipulation there is that you know how to read music at least decently well. +[561.44 --> 565.32] Otherwise, it'll devolve into chaos very quickly, I imagine. +[566.80 --> 568.22] Oh, you don't even have to read music. +[568.54 --> 570.06] You just have to listen to Mark when he says, now. +[570.06 --> 570.12] Now. +[574.12 --> 575.22] Ken will nod his head. +[575.22 --> 575.50] See? +[575.76 --> 578.02] There's a system for everything that I know nothing about. +[579.26 --> 592.34] Anyways, if you are willing to be a page-turner, which apparently takes no skill now, please talk to Mark following our worship together this morning, and he will give you those details. +[593.16 --> 593.52] Go ahead. +[593.52 --> 598.10] I have two brief announcements, and this microphone's really loud. +[598.54 --> 606.88] The first is for anyone who wants to join the Spring Mexico team to head down to Tijuana on a missions trip in March. +[606.94 --> 611.22] It'll happen over spring break, and this trip is open to anybody grades 10 and up. +[611.60 --> 612.66] Not to grades 12. +[612.92 --> 615.34] Grades 10 to, like, ever. +[615.68 --> 619.34] So if you want to go on this trip, you can sign up in the back. +[619.34 --> 622.12] I think it's around the Connect booth or on the table back there. +[622.12 --> 623.72] Please find that sheet. +[623.78 --> 626.34] We would love to get a number of people out for that. +[626.94 --> 631.24] And same thing, high school students, your grade 10 and older, you're welcome to join that trip as well. +[631.30 --> 632.50] So please consider doing that. +[633.00 --> 638.80] If you want more information, you can chat with me after the service or find Brandon Muller, who's not here today, which is why I'm doing this announcement. +[638.92 --> 642.10] But you can talk to Brandon Muller as well, and he can give you more information on that too. +[642.60 --> 646.00] Second announcement is for all of those participating in Dressember. +[646.18 --> 651.44] If you're wearing a tie or a dress today, oh, I got my nice old school hockey tie on. +[651.44 --> 652.70] Pastor Chris has his on here. +[652.74 --> 653.30] He looks sharp. +[653.84 --> 656.50] If you're doing that tomorrow, we're doing another fundraising blast. +[656.66 --> 660.52] So whoever raises the most money tomorrow, if you're on that team, you get a $10 gift card. +[660.98 --> 662.62] We're going to be doing those every Monday as well. +[662.78 --> 665.88] If you don't know what Dressember is, it's because you're not on social media. +[666.04 --> 668.22] So you should join that and follow along with that. +[668.44 --> 674.28] Again, you can come talk to me or Samara Isenga or Pastor Chris or anybody who's on that team to hear more about that. +[674.56 --> 678.50] So if you see someone wearing a tie or a dress today, give them an ask and see what's going on. +[678.74 --> 678.98] Thanks. +[681.44 --> 685.32] A bunch of people wearing dresses just went, uh-oh. +[688.58 --> 690.10] One last announcement. +[690.42 --> 696.46] You may have seen it in the e-bulletin that goes out, but we have a really unique opportunity this year +[696.46 --> 702.12] to partner with Trinity Western University and their global education program +[702.12 --> 707.52] and many of their international students who are not able to go home during the Christmas holidays. +[707.52 --> 711.22] And so a number of them have chosen to stay on campus. +[711.34 --> 714.46] In fact, the list of students staying on campus is about 130. +[715.70 --> 720.24] And they have been invited to join us for Christmas Day worship. +[720.24 --> 727.50] And then our hope in prayer is to provide a family-style meal for them after our worship on Christmas Day +[727.50 --> 732.02] so that they can have a bit of experience of home and family and hear the gospel, +[732.18 --> 736.16] maybe even for the first time, proclaimed in a church community. +[736.16 --> 740.92] And so if that's something that you are interested in or able to help with, +[740.92 --> 747.54] we will be looking for people to help make a meal, to help serve and share that meal on Christmas Day +[747.54 --> 748.98] after our worship together. +[749.68 --> 752.70] And we will be looking for transportation solutions. +[753.22 --> 754.72] We want to get our hands on a shuttle. +[754.72 --> 759.96] And so if you either know of a shuttle, have a shuttle, or are licensed to drive a shuttle, +[760.18 --> 764.42] I am particularly interested in hearing from you this morning to solve that problem. +[764.86 --> 771.20] So this is a really neat opportunity, and I'm grateful that TWU reached out to us for that +[771.20 --> 774.82] and that we can serve that community in this way. +[775.36 --> 779.00] If that's something you're interested in, grab me after service together. +[779.00 --> 786.30] Let's stand, and we will come to God in worship, song, prayer, and word together. +[791.08 --> 796.22] Immediately following God's greeting, I'm going to invite those who are coming up to do the candles +[796.22 --> 797.66] to do that on their own. +[798.72 --> 802.88] In the presence of God, open your heart to receive his greeting. +[804.20 --> 807.74] Grace, mercy, and peace to you. +[807.74 --> 812.38] From God our Father, from the Lord Jesus Christ, Son, and our Savior, +[812.80 --> 817.82] whose coming we await through the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. +[818.78 --> 819.18] Amen. +[837.74 --> 846.22] Advent is a season of waiting, waiting for the light and darkness, waiting to be filled while empty, +[846.46 --> 847.62] waiting for the return of the King. +[849.92 --> 853.76] The question has always been, who or what will you love most? +[854.16 --> 857.62] This world is full of competing affections that demand our attentions. +[858.14 --> 860.48] From the very beginning, it has always been this way. +[860.48 --> 866.52] And yet God, who is love, has shown us true love and is calling us to a better living in love. +[867.02 --> 869.68] There are so many voices saying, this is love. +[869.90 --> 875.46] But we submit our hearts and minds to God, the creator and sustainer, who alone can tell us. +[875.46 --> 883.14] Living in anticipation of the return of the King invites us to be a people of patient endurance and faith, +[883.40 --> 888.16] who can live rejoicing in the world to come, and with deep joy in the world that is, +[888.74 --> 892.16] holding on to the love that holds on to us, living it boldly. +[892.72 --> 896.30] We light this candle as a reminder of the love of God for his people, +[896.64 --> 899.30] and the love we share that changes the world as we wait. +[899.30 --> 911.58] The voice of the world is loud, the darkness is deep. +[911.72 --> 915.00] Into the chaos and confusion, Jesus speaks the clarin call. +[915.42 --> 917.88] I am the light of the world, you will be a light to the world. +[929.30 --> 959.28] I am the light of the world, you will be a light to the world. +[959.28 --> 989.26] I am the light of the world, you will be a light to the world. +[989.28 --> 1019.26] I am the light of the world. +[1019.26 --> 1029.36] May you the sound of joy, may you live beneath the sound of joy. +[1029.36 --> 1059.34] May you the sound of joy, may you live beneath the sound of joy. +[1059.36 --> 1072.36] He rules the world with love and peace, and makes the nations prove. +[1073.86 --> 1087.36] My glory is love, is not just a sense, and my mercy is love, and my mercy is love. +[1087.36 --> 1105.36] May you the sound of joy, may you live beneath the sound of joy. +[1105.36 --> 1111.36] May you the sound of joy, may you live beneath the sound of joy. +[1111.36 --> 1117.36] May you the sound of joy, may you live beneath the sound of joy. +[1117.36 --> 1123.36] May you the sound of joy, may you live beneath the sound of joy. +[1123.36 --> 1137.36] May you the sound of joy, may you live beneath the sound of joy. +[1137.36 --> 1143.36] May you the sound of joy, may you live beneath the sound of joy. +[1143.36 --> 1157.36] May you the sound of joy, may you live beneath the sound of joy. +[1157.36 --> 1163.36] May you the sound of joy, may you live beneath the sound of joy. +[1163.36 --> 1169.36] May you the sound of joy, may you live beneath the sound of joy. +[1170.36 --> 1171.36] May you will receive drop the sound of joy. +[1171.36 --> 1173.36] May you have a sound of joy, may you live beneath the sound of joy. +[1173.36 --> 1175.36] May you live beneath the sound of joy. +[1175.36 --> 1177.36] May you see yourOLLine sound of joy, may you live beneath the sound of joy. +[1177.36 --> 1178.36] May yousafe hathеничесvel day倒, assume a sign of joy. +[1178.36 --> 1183.54] God gave this song to win +[1183.54 --> 1187.36] His erring trust He runs down +[1188.00 --> 1192.40] And find it how He's saved +[1192.40 --> 1196.36] O Lord and God, how it shall come +[1196.88 --> 1201.36] How measureless and strong +[1201.36 --> 1205.04] It shall forever, forever +[1205.04 --> 1209.36] Be saints and angels +[1209.36 --> 1216.94] When dreams of time shall pass your way +[1216.94 --> 1221.38] And earthly thrones and kingdoms fall +[1221.38 --> 1225.84] When man who yearly fears to break +[1225.84 --> 1230.24] On rocks and hills and mountains fall +[1230.24 --> 1234.32] God's cause of truth shall still endure +[1234.32 --> 1238.32] All measureless and strong +[1238.64 --> 1243.42] Redeeming grace to Adam's grace +[1243.42 --> 1247.32] The saints and angels sing +[1247.32 --> 1251.32] O Lord and God, how rich and pure +[1251.70 --> 1256.32] How measureless and strong +[1256.32 --> 1260.64] It shall forever, forevermore endure +[1260.64 --> 1262.64] The saints and angels sing +[1262.64 --> 1267.64] The saints and angels sing +[1267.64 --> 1271.64] Could we with thee the ocean fill +[1271.64 --> 1275.64] And were the skies of parchment paint +[1275.64 --> 1279.64] Were every stalk on earth a quill +[1279.64 --> 1283.64] And every man ascribed thy trade +[1283.64 --> 1287.96] To let the love of God +[1287.96 --> 1292.64] Would drain the ocean dry +[1292.64 --> 1296.64] Nor could the scroll contain the hope +[1296.64 --> 1300.64] Who spread from sky to sky +[1300.64 --> 1301.64] To time +[1301.64 --> 1302.64] O Lord and God, how rich and pure +[1302.64 --> 1305.64] O Lord and God, how rich and pure +[1305.64 --> 1307.64] How measureless and strong +[1307.64 --> 1309.64] It shall forever, forevermore endure +[1309.64 --> 1310.64] Than saints and angels sing +[1310.64 --> 1314.64] It shall forever, forevermore endure +[1314.64 --> 1319.64] The saints and angels sing +[1319.64 --> 1322.64] O Lord and God, how rich and pure +[1322.64 --> 1323.64] How measureless and strong +[1323.64 --> 1328.64] It shall forever, forevermore endure +[1328.64 --> 1338.08] Now forevermore endure the saints and angels are. +[1342.42 --> 1346.44] God, your love is so rich and pure. +[1347.20 --> 1349.34] It is measureless and strong. +[1349.74 --> 1354.06] Our words, they fall short of describing the wonders of your love, O Lord. +[1355.60 --> 1357.70] And yet we turn away. +[1358.64 --> 1361.12] How could we leave a love so rich? +[1361.52 --> 1366.30] How could we walk away from a God who gives of his only son to reconcile our sin? +[1367.04 --> 1368.42] We are here, aren't we? +[1368.42 --> 1370.20] We are here worshiping you, God. +[1370.54 --> 1374.14] We do the rhythms of church and worship and studying your word. +[1374.86 --> 1378.60] But the eyes of our heart land on other loves that are not you, God. +[1379.54 --> 1383.04] Sometimes we don't even notice until we are far from you. +[1383.04 --> 1392.18] As we celebrate Advent and Christmas and remembering your birth, Jesus, we sit in the tension of awaiting your second coming. +[1392.86 --> 1394.84] That tension is hard and messy. +[1395.76 --> 1400.22] Some of us embrace the festivities and live for the all-familiar Christmas carols. +[1400.84 --> 1404.08] Some of us turn to happy faces and only have tears in return. +[1404.08 --> 1407.42] Some of us don't bat an eye at the changing seasons. +[1408.10 --> 1417.70] All of us struggle to hold you first in our lives, above every other thing and person and life circumstance, during Christmas and year-round. +[1417.70 --> 1421.00] Captivate our hearts, God. +[1421.60 --> 1428.78] That when we come to you and see what you have done, we can do nothing but sing of the story of amazing love. +[1429.42 --> 1438.98] For you did give of your one and only Son, love incarnate, the Savior of humanity, born to suffer and to save, to raise us from our graves. +[1439.72 --> 1441.34] You shall reign forevermore. +[1441.84 --> 1444.48] To you be all praise, glory, and honor. +[1447.70 --> 1477.68] To you be all praise, glory, and honor. +[1477.70 --> 1479.98] Cleveland, and honor. +[1483.26 --> 1483.42] Vizep emo days to lodge the Lord. +[1483.42 --> 1487.34] O, the incarnate love divine. +[1488.92 --> 1493.16] Storm and angels gave the song. +[1495.28 --> 1499.26] Move to babe on bend anything. +[1500.98 --> 1504.56] My Savior of humanity. +[1504.56 --> 1512.62] To us a child is born +[1512.62 --> 1518.06] We shall be forever free +[1518.06 --> 1523.62] Noel, Noel +[1523.62 --> 1531.18] Come and see what God has done +[1531.18 --> 1536.24] Noel, Noel +[1536.24 --> 1543.22] The story of amazing love +[1543.22 --> 1546.68] The light of the world +[1546.68 --> 1550.22] Given for us +[1550.22 --> 1552.06] Noel +[1552.06 --> 1562.06] Son of God and Son of Man +[1562.58 --> 1568.06] There before the world began +[1568.06 --> 1574.06] Born to suffer, born to save +[1574.06 --> 1580.06] Born to raise us from the grave +[1580.06 --> 1586.06] Christ the everlasting Lord +[1586.06 --> 1592.06] He shall be forevermore +[1592.06 --> 1599.12] Noel, Noel +[1599.12 --> 1605.06] Come and see what God has done +[1605.06 --> 1611.06] Noel, Noel +[1611.06 --> 1617.06] A story of amazing love +[1617.06 --> 1620.06] The light of the world +[1620.06 --> 1623.06] Given for us +[1623.06 --> 1625.06] Noel +[1625.06 --> 1629.06] Come and see what God has done +[1629.06 --> 1631.06] Come and see what God has done +[1631.06 --> 1633.06] Come and see what God has done +[1633.06 --> 1635.06] From the world +[1635.06 --> 1636.06] And the light of the world +[1636.06 --> 1637.06] Will be forever +[1637.06 --> 1639.06] You will be forever +[1639.06 --> 1646.06] edo +[1657.08 --> 1662.46] no +[1662.46 --> 1662.96] in +[1662.96 --> 1670.70] Noel, come and see what God has done. +[1670.70 --> 1688.60] Noel, Noel, the story of amazing love, the light of the world given for God. +[1688.60 --> 1700.74] Noel, Noel, come and see what God has done. +[1700.74 --> 1717.74] Noel, Noel, the story of amazing love, the light of the world given for us. +[1718.60 --> 1725.60] Noel, the story of amazing love, the light of the world given for us. +[1725.60 --> 1733.60] Noel, the story of amazing love, the light of the world given for us. +[1733.60 --> 1735.60] Amen. +[1735.60 --> 1736.60] Amen. +[1736.60 --> 1738.60] Amen. +[1738.60 --> 1740.60] Amen. +[1740.60 --> 1742.60] Amen. +[1742.60 --> 1743.60] Amen. +[1743.60 --> 1744.60] Amen. +[1744.60 --> 1746.60] Amen. +[1746.60 --> 1747.60] Amen. +[1747.60 --> 1748.60] Amen. +[1748.60 --> 1749.60] Amen. +[1749.60 --> 1750.60] Amen. +[1750.60 --> 1752.10] Amen. +[1752.60 --> 1753.60] Amen. +[1753.60 --> 1754.60] Amen. +[1754.60 --> 1756.60] Amen. +[1756.60 --> 1757.60] Amen. +[1757.60 --> 1758.60] Amen. +[1758.60 --> 1760.60] Amen. +[1760.60 --> 1763.60] Amen. +[1763.60 --> 1764.60] Amen. +[1764.60 --> 1767.60] Amen. +[1767.60 --> 1768.60] Amen. +[1768.60 --> 1769.60] Amen. +[1769.60 --> 1770.60] Amen. +[1770.60 --> 1771.60] Amen. +[1771.60 --> 1771.90] Amen. +[1771.96 --> 1772.60] OnsingOOD. +[1772.60 --> 1780.20] From a single anchor we're almost home +[1780.20 --> 1786.02] Through every door of danger we're almost home +[1786.02 --> 1791.76] I'm thinking through saints now before us home +[1791.76 --> 1796.52] Stopping now we're almost home +[1796.52 --> 1803.32] This land is falling we're almost home +[1803.32 --> 1809.00] And lives here so grow that we're almost home +[1809.00 --> 1814.78] They crack in the other souls for the kingdom come +[1814.78 --> 1819.08] They turn in love we're almost home +[1819.08 --> 1825.68] We're almost home, we're almost home +[1825.68 --> 1829.12] So place on forth and bless you +[1829.12 --> 1834.48] Sure, praise the Lord we're almost home +[1834.48 --> 1843.86] This journey ours together we're almost home +[1843.86 --> 1849.60] And to that grave forever we're almost home +[1849.60 --> 1855.04] But sun will sink down and cloud be thrown +[1855.04 --> 1859.60] Can fade to heart we're almost home +[1859.60 --> 1866.32] We're almost home, we're almost home +[1866.32 --> 1871.76] So place on earth and bless you sure oh praise the Lord +[1871.76 --> 1879.20] We're almost home, we're almost home +[1879.20 --> 1884.48] This land is just a paper we're almost home +[1884.48 --> 1889.92] The sun is standing yonder we're almost home +[1889.92 --> 1895.92] Take courage for this darkness shall break to dawn +[1895.92 --> 1897.36] Oh, lift your eyes we're almost home +[1897.36 --> 1899.36] Oh, lift your eyes we're almost home +[1899.36 --> 1903.36] We're almost home, we're almost home +[1903.36 --> 1907.36] We're almost home, we're almost home +[1907.36 --> 1911.36] So place on tour and the blessed shore oh praise the Lord +[1911.36 --> 1924.80] We're almost home, we're almost home +[1924.80 --> 1936.24] We're almost home, we're almost home +[1936.24 --> 1937.28] Please be seated +[1937.28 --> 1959.52] Our great pleasure this morning in worship to administer and participate in the sacrament of baptism for one of our little children among us +[1959.52 --> 1970.48] Now we don't believe that there's anything inherently magical about the water that we apply to the child, right? +[1970.48 --> 1974.00] The water does not wash away original sin or save the child +[1974.00 --> 1980.40] We believe and know that only Jesus' life, death, resurrection, and exaltation will do that +[1980.40 --> 1988.80] And we believe that this child and the parents will profess is sinful by nature and from birth +[1988.80 --> 1999.28] And yet we believe that the promises of God for the forgiveness of sins and for life lived in the Holy Spirit are offered to him +[1999.28 --> 2008.08] And so we baptize infants not out of superstition or just because of tradition +[2008.08 --> 2012.16] Or really just because we like cute babies, although he is adorable +[2012.16 --> 2021.76] Right? We baptize infants because they are covenant children and therefore should receive the sign of the covenant +[2021.76 --> 2029.60] In Genesis 15, God made a covenant that is a special relationship of promise with Abraham +[2029.60 --> 2035.28] This covenant was sealed with the sign of circumcision in Genesis 17 +[2035.28 --> 2037.84] And God promised to bless Abraham +[2037.84 --> 2041.60] And for Abraham this meant two things in particular +[2041.60 --> 2045.92] It meant offspring, children, and it meant land +[2045.92 --> 2048.96] But at the heart of the covenant +[2048.96 --> 2055.60] Was God's promise that he would be a god to Abraham and his children +[2055.60 --> 2063.10] And so God cut a covenant into Israel's flesh carving out a people for himself +[2063.10 --> 2069.82] And he gave them a purpose to be a light on the path home for all humanity +[2069.82 --> 2073.74] Now fast forward through the drama of scripture +[2073.74 --> 2080.22] And in the fullness of time, God sent his son, Jesus, to be our savior +[2080.22 --> 2085.42] And in his death on the cross, our old self is dead and buried +[2085.42 --> 2092.46] And in his resurrection, we rise to a new life and we look forward to the new creation +[2092.46 --> 2098.78] And so when we baptize in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit +[2098.78 --> 2103.34] The triune God seals our adoption as his children +[2103.34 --> 2108.62] And he writes his name invisibly on our foreheads +[2108.62 --> 2116.46] He says, you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God +[2116.46 --> 2122.06] Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God +[2123.34 --> 2128.46] By baptism, we have a new identity in Christ +[2128.46 --> 2136.22] And so as a church, we come to administer the sacrament of baptism to Theo today +[2136.22 --> 2140.22] With the weight of church history to encourage us +[2140.22 --> 2144.78] The example of redemptive history to confirm our practice +[2144.78 --> 2149.50] We baptize in obedience to Christ's command +[2149.50 --> 2155.82] As we are about to administer the sacrament +[2155.82 --> 2160.54] And as the sign of inclusion in the covenant community as circumcision was +[2160.54 --> 2166.06] The water that we are about to sprinkle is a sign of cleansing from sin +[2166.06 --> 2170.54] As the sprinkled blood of bulls and goats in the Old Testament was +[2171.58 --> 2176.46] And we pray that Theo will take advantage of his covenant privileges +[2176.46 --> 2180.30] Acknowledging his Lord all the days of his life +[2180.30 --> 2184.70] And that one day, by faith, will make these promises his own +[2187.34 --> 2189.10] He already knows it's going to be a hard journey +[2191.90 --> 2195.58] Nathan and Maria, since you are presenting Theo for baptism +[2196.30 --> 2197.82] We ask you the following questions +[2197.82 --> 2200.06] I'm going to invite you to come with your family up to the front +[2200.38 --> 2202.14] And just find a space here +[2206.46 --> 2216.22] Just right here guys +[2220.78 --> 2224.54] So I'm going to ask you two questions and then at the end you can respond +[2224.54 --> 2226.22] We do with God's help +[2227.58 --> 2228.54] If in fact you do +[2229.34 --> 2229.74] You too +[2229.74 --> 2244.46] Do you believe that your children though sinful by nature are received by God in Christ as members of the covenant and therefore ought to be baptized? +[2245.82 --> 2251.82] And do you promise in reliance on the Holy Spirit and with the help of the Christians in this community gathered here +[2251.82 --> 2257.42] To do all in your power to instruct Theo and all your children in the Christian faith +[2257.66 --> 2263.18] And to lead them by your example into the life of Christian discipleship +[2263.66 --> 2265.18] Nathan and Maria, what is your answer? +[2267.10 --> 2267.50] Amen +[2269.18 --> 2276.14] Our Lord said let the little children come to him and do not hinder them for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these +[2276.14 --> 2282.22] And so if you are a little child or if you are young at heart and you want to come up close to see what's going on +[2282.54 --> 2285.18] We want to invite you to come here to the front +[2288.38 --> 2289.34] Ruby lead the way +[2290.78 --> 2291.90] Yeah, very good +[2292.86 --> 2293.82] Thanks Malachi +[2294.54 --> 2295.98] Not too close +[2295.98 --> 2297.98] Otherwise, you're gonna be in a splash zone +[2297.98 --> 2312.22] Guys in just a minute. We're gonna baptize Theo with this water. We will take it +[2312.78 --> 2314.70] And we will pour it over his head +[2316.78 --> 2319.26] We'll sprinkle it over his head I promise it won't be that much +[2321.34 --> 2327.66] We will take and this water is a picture for us of how jesus makes us clean +[2328.30 --> 2334.06] So just like sometimes hopefully recently you guys have showers or baths and that makes you clean +[2334.46 --> 2337.02] Right. This is a picture for us of what +[2337.58 --> 2344.62] Jesus does in his life and in his death and in his resurrection and we're going to take this picture and put it on theo +[2345.34 --> 2345.66] today +[2349.02 --> 2351.02] Bring him forward +[2353.98 --> 2356.38] Theo William John +[2356.38 --> 2356.86] John +[2356.86 --> 2357.66] Klein Geltink +[2357.66 --> 2360.62] I baptize you in the name of the father +[2362.70 --> 2363.58] In the name of the son +[2365.82 --> 2367.34] And in the name of the holy spirit +[2367.34 --> 2369.42] Amen +[2369.42 --> 2372.46] Amen +[2376.30 --> 2377.18] You like that part +[2383.10 --> 2384.14] Take that and help your mom +[2384.14 --> 2389.10] As we have baptized +[2389.10 --> 2393.82] Theo and heard the promises of god as we have heard his parents make promises +[2393.82 --> 2399.26] We as a church family also have opportunity to make promises +[2400.22 --> 2404.22] And so i'm going to invite you congregation here gathered to stand +[2404.22 --> 2407.26] I'm, going to ask you a question +[2409.26 --> 2416.70] And then following the question I invite you to respond by saying we do with god's help kids if you want to go back to your seats +[2416.70 --> 2418.22] You can thank you for being up here +[2418.22 --> 2426.30] Do you church family of langley emmanuel friends and visitors all who believe in the lord jesus do you promise +[2426.30 --> 2429.58] To love encourage and support nathan +[2429.58 --> 2433.42] Maria kezia marcus julia joel anna and now +[2433.90 --> 2435.58] Theo did I get them all +[2435.58 --> 2436.54] Good +[2436.54 --> 2442.54] Do you promise to love and support them by teaching the gospel of god's love +[2443.18 --> 2453.02] By being an example of christian faith and character and by giving the strong support of god's family in fellowship prayer and service +[2453.26 --> 2457.82] And maybe once in a while by babysitting so that mom and dad can go out on a date +[2457.82 --> 2460.94] Congregation what is your answer? +[2463.90 --> 2464.30] Amen +[2465.10 --> 2465.90] You may be seated +[2470.54 --> 2471.50] Do you mind if I take him? +[2480.86 --> 2486.70] Congregation of the lord jesus christ today this child begins a journey of faith +[2487.90 --> 2495.42] A journey of faith that he will walk with us lord willing straight unto the day where he stands in front of us +[2495.66 --> 2498.14] professing his shared faith +[2498.62 --> 2504.38] Together and so as you have promised to receive him. I urge you +[2505.66 --> 2509.10] Be god's presence in his life +[2511.42 --> 2517.50] Be the one and the way through whom he sees the love of jesus and takes that +[2517.98 --> 2518.62] For himself +[2521.02 --> 2524.38] Be in his life a source of god's peace +[2525.66 --> 2527.42] And a source of god's grace +[2528.62 --> 2532.38] And be for this family and all of these children the same +[2534.22 --> 2540.94] The blood of jesus unites us all and by baptism you have a new family and he +[2540.94 --> 2545.34] Is part of that family amen +[2546.70 --> 2547.02] Amen +[2547.02 --> 2548.54] We're going to pray together +[2548.54 --> 2552.62] Holy god +[2553.58 --> 2554.38] Heavenly father +[2554.38 --> 2554.62] Heavenly father +[2555.42 --> 2559.82] We thank you for who you are and for your promise to us in baptism +[2559.82 --> 2563.58] We thank you for that promise now extended to theo +[2563.58 --> 2571.74] We pray that you would move in power by grace so that faith grows in him strong and sure +[2571.74 --> 2577.82] So that he may be like a tree planted by streams of living water that can endure +[2577.82 --> 2583.82] The wind that fears not the fire that can stand when pushed against +[2585.74 --> 2587.58] Roots your love in him +[2588.14 --> 2588.70] We pray +[2589.82 --> 2597.74] And may we all together cling to the promises that you have spoken over theo and over each of us who believe +[2597.74 --> 2601.66] We pray this in the name of jesus christ our savior +[2602.30 --> 2602.78] amen +[2606.38 --> 2607.74] One more hold on +[2608.62 --> 2608.94] Sorry +[2609.82 --> 2611.18] I appreciate your eagerness +[2612.54 --> 2614.86] We have just a gift to mark this occasion +[2614.86 --> 2618.86] So i'm going to invite john skipper who's your district elder to come forward just a +[2619.18 --> 2624.30] A gift that a reminder a children's book about what happened here today and a certificate +[2625.02 --> 2627.02] To commemorate that together +[2629.10 --> 2629.58] Thank you +[2630.62 --> 2632.62] All right now you can go +[2648.86 --> 2661.02] How deep the father's love for us +[2661.02 --> 2665.02] How God's beyond your measure +[2665.02 --> 2669.02] That he should give his only son +[2669.02 --> 2671.02] To pay the registry +[2671.02 --> 2685.18] How great the pain of searing cause +[2685.18 --> 2689.18] O father has his face away +[2689.18 --> 2693.18] As wounds which guard the troubled heart +[2693.18 --> 2695.18] Amen +[2695.18 --> 2699.34] Such guard the chosen one +[2699.34 --> 2705.34] I can give his only son's to glory +[2715.34 --> 2721.34] Behold the man upon the cross +[2721.34 --> 2727.50] My sin upon his shoulders +[2727.50 --> 2733.50] Ashamed I hear my walking voice +[2733.50 --> 2737.50] Call out among the scoffers +[2737.50 --> 2743.50] It was my sin that held him there +[2743.50 --> 2747.50] Until it was accomplished +[2748.14 --> 2751.66] His time +[2753.34 --> 2755.10] Has pode於愛 +[2755.98 --> 2758.30] Zevence +[2759.26 --> 2761.50] Rec noite +[2761.50 --> 2777.04] I will not boast in anything +[2777.04 --> 2783.06] No gifts, no power, no wisdom +[2783.06 --> 2790.28] But I will boast in Jesus Christ +[2790.28 --> 2795.10] His death and resurrection +[2795.10 --> 2801.58] Why should I gain from His reward? +[2801.58 --> 2807.58] I cannot give an answer +[2807.58 --> 2814.08] But gifts I know with all my heart +[2814.08 --> 2819.06] His words that live my ransom +[2819.06 --> 2826.26] Why should I gain from His reward? +[2826.26 --> 2832.26] I cannot give an answer +[2832.26 --> 2839.60] But gifts I know with all my heart +[2839.60 --> 2845.92] His wounds have made my ransom +[2845.92 --> 2862.64] Good morning. +[2863.12 --> 2869.90] Today's offering, or today, instead of our regular offering, we have a reverse offering. +[2869.90 --> 2876.70] The purpose of this is to directly bless people in our community who may be struggling this Christmas season. +[2877.02 --> 2884.32] So as the deacons pass around the gift cards, please feel free to take what you need and help Emmanuel CRC give back to the community. +[2884.32 --> 2892.04] Thank you +[2892.04 --> 2896.14] Thank you +[2896.14 --> 2923.78] The child is raised to lay to rest +[2923.78 --> 2929.32] On Mary's lavish sleeping +[2929.32 --> 2936.00] Whom angels greet with anthem sweet +[2936.00 --> 2941.54] While shepherds watch our King +[2941.54 --> 2948.24] This, this is Christ our King +[2948.24 --> 2954.42] Whom shepherds guard and angels sing +[2954.42 --> 2960.38] Haste, haste to bring Him all +[2960.38 --> 2966.08] The faith, the Son of Mary +[2966.08 --> 2984.94] Thy lives be in such cleanest state +[2984.94 --> 2990.30] Where ox and ass are feeding +[2990.30 --> 2996.64] Good Christian, dear, for sinners here +[2996.64 --> 3002.30] The silent word is pleading +[3002.30 --> 3008.52] Death's fear shall pierce Him through +[3008.52 --> 3014.30] The cross be born for me, for you +[3014.30 --> 3020.80] Hail, hail, for one may flesh +[3020.80 --> 3026.30] The faith, the Son of Mary +[3026.30 --> 3044.44] So bring Him intense gold and fur +[3044.44 --> 3050.38] Come, peasant King to own Him +[3050.38 --> 3056.38] The King of kings salvation brings +[3056.38 --> 3062.62] Let loving hearts enthrone Him +[3062.62 --> 3068.20] Praise, praise the song on heart +[3068.20 --> 3073.38] The Virgin sings her lullaby +[3073.38 --> 3079.76] Joy, joy, joy for Christ is born +[3079.76 --> 3085.38] The faith, the Son of Mary +[3085.38 --> 3091.38] This, this is Christ the King +[3091.38 --> 3097.12] Whom shepherds guard and angels sing +[3097.12 --> 3102.88] He sings to bring Him all +[3102.88 --> 3108.12] The greater Son of Mary +[3108.12 --> 3127.10] He sings to bring Him all +[3127.10 --> 3130.20] Okay, I'd like to invite all the kids up front +[3130.20 --> 3131.08] For Kids Corner +[3131.08 --> 3138.20] Yeah, you guys can pull up a little closer +[3138.20 --> 3142.82] Alright, how's everyone doing this morning? +[3143.20 --> 3143.50] Good +[3143.50 --> 3145.38] Louder, how's everybody doing? +[3145.70 --> 3146.22] Good +[3146.22 --> 3147.90] Ah, it's good, that's better +[3147.90 --> 3151.52] The last few weeks in children's worship time +[3151.52 --> 3153.72] I've learned and noticed that we're talking about +[3153.72 --> 3155.54] Hearing, listening +[3155.54 --> 3156.84] Hmm +[3156.84 --> 3157.76] About God? +[3158.32 --> 3160.44] Yes, what God's been telling us +[3160.44 --> 3161.58] Or will be teaching us +[3161.58 --> 3163.84] I got a question for you +[3163.84 --> 3165.32] When you guys are at home sometimes +[3165.32 --> 3166.12] And you're around the house +[3166.12 --> 3167.26] Does your mom ever say to you +[3167.26 --> 3168.72] Or dad, are you hearing me? +[3168.80 --> 3170.18] Or are you, can you hear me? +[3170.24 --> 3171.04] Or are you listening? +[3171.22 --> 3172.54] Does that ever happen in your house? +[3172.72 --> 3174.10] Yeah, sometimes, yeah? +[3175.64 --> 3177.48] Like when your mom asks you to clean your room +[3177.48 --> 3178.78] And you're like, and you don't +[3178.78 --> 3180.76] And then she says, did you hear what I said? +[3180.76 --> 3183.38] So guess what? +[3184.10 --> 3185.20] I did some research +[3185.20 --> 3187.10] Humans are not very good listeners +[3187.10 --> 3188.78] We don't, well we're good listeners +[3188.78 --> 3190.12] But we don't hear very well +[3190.12 --> 3192.76] In terms of, in relation to all other animals +[3192.76 --> 3193.72] On this planet +[3193.72 --> 3195.44] There's some that hear better than us +[3195.44 --> 3196.12] Did you know that? +[3196.52 --> 3196.96] Bunnies? +[3197.52 --> 3198.88] Anybody got any other ideas? +[3199.34 --> 3199.60] Yeah +[3199.60 --> 3202.58] Anyway, I've got five of the top +[3202.58 --> 3205.78] Listening animals in the world +[3205.78 --> 3207.44] Does anybody know what that is? +[3207.44 --> 3208.44] The ass +[3208.44 --> 3209.66] Yes, that's number one +[3209.66 --> 3210.56] What's the second one? +[3210.80 --> 3211.34] What's that? +[3212.22 --> 3212.66] Dolphins +[3212.66 --> 3212.68] Dolphins +[3212.68 --> 3212.70] Dolphins +[3212.70 --> 3213.56] What about the next? +[3214.76 --> 3216.72] That was a little surprising to me +[3216.72 --> 3217.50] What's that? +[3218.40 --> 3219.82] That's a moth, actually +[3219.82 --> 3221.92] And the last one is? +[3223.66 --> 3224.26] Owl +[3224.26 --> 3224.54] Owl +[3224.54 --> 3227.20] So today we're going to go in the back +[3227.20 --> 3228.52] And we're going to learn more about +[3228.52 --> 3230.52] Hearing and listening to God's word +[3230.52 --> 3234.34] Should we pray together first before we go? +[3235.30 --> 3236.78] Hold your hands, close your eyes +[3236.78 --> 3237.82] Heavenly Father +[3237.82 --> 3238.80] Thank you for this day +[3238.80 --> 3241.30] Thank you for all the many blessings you've given us +[3241.30 --> 3243.02] Thank you for the teachers +[3243.02 --> 3244.52] That are teaching your word +[3244.52 --> 3246.16] In children's worship time +[3246.16 --> 3248.00] I pray that we have a good time this morning +[3248.00 --> 3249.84] And learning about you +[3249.84 --> 3251.16] For Jesus' sake, amen +[3251.16 --> 3252.20] Alright +[3252.20 --> 3253.36] Stand up +[3253.36 --> 3258.20] Thank you for being free +[3258.20 --> 3259.06] To be a good timeING +[3259.06 --> 3259.68] And begin with your great information +[3259.68 --> 3260.50] Thank you +[3260.50 --> 3260.80] Amen +[3260.80 --> 3261.58] Thank you +[3261.58 --> 3263.38] Amen +[3263.38 --> 3293.36] Thank you. +[3293.38 --> 3303.72] Good morning. +[3303.88 --> 3308.58] My name is Sam, and I'm a member here at Emanuel, and it's my privilege to lead you in prayer +[3308.58 --> 3309.14] this morning. +[3309.88 --> 3311.46] I do have one announcement. +[3311.46 --> 3326.10] David and Leanne Harris are first-time grandparents, and they wanted us to know about that. +[3326.64 --> 3333.02] Lucy Peach Stunenberg, the first child of Megan and Dylan, born late yesterday. +[3333.02 --> 3335.04] So we are grateful with them. +[3340.56 --> 3341.72] Please pray with me. +[3341.72 --> 3345.96] Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. +[3347.00 --> 3354.18] We read in Isaiah, it says, for unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government +[3354.18 --> 3361.22] will be upon his shoulders, and his name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, +[3361.60 --> 3364.28] Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. +[3364.28 --> 3369.46] As we journey in this Advent season, we are mindful of your love. +[3370.52 --> 3372.48] How deep the Father's love for us! +[3373.26 --> 3374.92] How vast beyond all measure! +[3375.50 --> 3379.38] That he should give his only son to make a wretch his treasure. +[3379.38 --> 3388.28] Jesus came into this world, not in a palace which could never match his glory, but in a cattle +[3388.28 --> 3395.92] shed, born to a peasant girl and a humble carpenter, with means that would be considered under the +[3395.92 --> 3397.30] poverty line today. +[3398.48 --> 3401.22] We pray for a world which does not acknowledge him. +[3402.14 --> 3405.74] We think of the war in Ukraine, where thousands are suffering. +[3405.74 --> 3410.06] Unrest in Iran, and many other areas of this world. +[3410.92 --> 3413.34] For a struggle to gain power and greed. +[3414.74 --> 3418.54] May this season be a time when many will seek you as the King of Kings. +[3419.64 --> 3423.56] Bless the efforts of many organizations that try to make a difference. +[3424.64 --> 3427.70] The ones that are your hands and feet to bring the good news of the gospel. +[3428.88 --> 3433.60] We are grateful for the many mission thrift stores which provide means for the Bible League +[3433.60 --> 3441.10] of Canada to provide scriptures, training for new believers in over 43 countries in our world. +[3442.04 --> 3443.00] You are faithful. +[3444.12 --> 3447.72] We also pray for those that find this time a difficult one. +[3448.54 --> 3452.06] Loved ones that may be missing as we gather to celebrate Christmas. +[3452.82 --> 3455.66] Those unable to connect with a strange family and friends. +[3455.66 --> 3462.58] We pray that you will bring restoration to marriages, to strain relationships, and allow healing to take place. +[3463.46 --> 3468.62] Give a measure of your goodness to them, and pass the peace that transcends all understanding. +[3469.98 --> 3475.98] We are also grateful for the successful surgery for Trudy DeVries, and pray for a quick recovery in the weeks ahead. +[3475.98 --> 3483.04] We pray for continued healing for John Philpott, Harry Baumann, who are recovering from recent surgeries. +[3483.82 --> 3488.50] Give them your peace as they take small steps to forward to more normalized life. +[3489.26 --> 3491.78] We pray for Rika Ammons as she waits for hip surgery. +[3492.52 --> 3496.92] Give patient understanding and endurance to this time of pain. +[3496.92 --> 3506.56] We also bring the unspoken request for those who suffer in silence, and are not specifically named, but you know them all. +[3507.76 --> 3511.42] We celebrate with the Klang-Elding family and the baptism of Theo today. +[3512.08 --> 3516.80] We pray that Nathan and Maria will receive the wisdom to nurture him in the knowledge of you. +[3518.28 --> 3524.58] Anoint Pastor Chris this morning as he brings your word, that his words will be focusing on Revelations 2. +[3524.58 --> 3528.12] Speak to us and encourage our walk in the week to come. +[3529.10 --> 3535.12] As we break bread together today, remind us of the incredible gift in the death and resurrection of your Son, +[3535.66 --> 3539.50] who sits at your right hand, interceding for us continuously. +[3540.42 --> 3542.44] Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly. +[3544.04 --> 3553.18] Behold the man upon the cross, my sin upon his shoulders, ashamed to hear my mocking voice call out among the scoffers. +[3553.18 --> 3557.88] It was my sin that held him there until it was accomplished. +[3558.54 --> 3561.12] His dying breath has brought me life. +[3561.70 --> 3563.26] I know that it is finished. +[3564.30 --> 3566.36] Why should I gain from his reward? +[3567.00 --> 3568.54] I cannot give an answer. +[3569.30 --> 3571.06] But this I know with all my heart. +[3571.76 --> 3573.56] His wounds have paid my ransom. +[3574.48 --> 3575.44] In Christ alone. +[3576.36 --> 3576.88] Amen. +[3576.88 --> 3577.02] Amen. +[3583.18 --> 3610.30] This Advent and Christmas season, +[3610.30 --> 3613.82] we have been looking in the book of Revelation. +[3614.10 --> 3617.48] We've been kind of jumping around in different places. +[3617.66 --> 3621.00] We've seen some pretty strange stories +[3621.00 --> 3625.62] and lived in the midst of their teachings for a little while. +[3625.74 --> 3631.56] Today we come to what might be a little bit more familiar of a text to many of you. +[3631.62 --> 3634.94] We're going to read together from Revelation 7. +[3634.94 --> 3637.92] I'm going to read the first seven verses, +[3638.92 --> 3645.92] which is the letter from Jesus through John to the church in Ephesus. +[3646.62 --> 3651.70] As always, I encourage you to have a Bible open in front of you or turned on and the like. +[3652.08 --> 3656.34] We're going to spend some time looking closely at Revelation 2, 1 to 7, +[3656.48 --> 3661.30] but also we're going to spend some time looking at the book of Ephesians. +[3661.30 --> 3664.40] So we're reading the letter to the church in Ephesus, +[3664.64 --> 3666.68] and so it's pertinent for us to have Ephesians. +[3666.74 --> 3669.62] So if you thumb back a couple books and have Ephesians, +[3669.74 --> 3671.68] kind of put your finger in there or a piece of paper, +[3672.02 --> 3674.46] you can follow along more quickly. +[3675.64 --> 3679.92] Let me begin by reading from Revelation 2. +[3681.92 --> 3686.14] To the angel of the church in Ephesus write, +[3686.14 --> 3692.34] These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand +[3692.34 --> 3695.32] and walks among the seven golden lampstands. +[3696.64 --> 3701.76] I know your deeds, your hard work, and your perseverance. +[3702.52 --> 3705.64] I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, +[3705.64 --> 3710.28] that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, +[3710.48 --> 3712.66] and have found them false. +[3712.66 --> 3719.12] You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name +[3719.12 --> 3721.54] and have not grown weary. +[3722.80 --> 3726.30] Yet I hold this against you. +[3727.14 --> 3730.96] You have forsaken the love you had at first. +[3732.14 --> 3734.36] Consider how far you have fallen. +[3735.00 --> 3737.72] Repent and do the things you did at first. +[3737.72 --> 3742.96] If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. +[3744.18 --> 3746.44] But you have this in your favor. +[3747.30 --> 3752.22] You hate the practice of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. +[3753.52 --> 3758.64] Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. +[3758.64 --> 3764.40] To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, +[3764.78 --> 3767.78] which is in the paradise of God. +[3768.52 --> 3770.04] This is the word of the Lord. +[3770.04 --> 3780.78] Right now, in our family devotions at home, +[3781.58 --> 3784.94] which we do after our evening meal together, +[3785.94 --> 3788.22] because it is the season of Advent, +[3788.44 --> 3793.22] and because we are currently reading through the book Seeking God's Face, +[3793.76 --> 3796.16] if you're not familiar with that devotional book, +[3796.16 --> 3800.76] it's a collection of scriptures and confessional texts +[3800.76 --> 3803.54] from the Reformed tradition more broadly, +[3804.02 --> 3807.50] sort of following the structure of the Revised Common Lectionary, +[3808.34 --> 3810.20] following the liturgical calendar, +[3810.94 --> 3814.12] and leads through scriptures and prayers. +[3814.94 --> 3818.64] It's a really interesting book as you move through the year together. +[3819.16 --> 3823.92] Anyway, as part of our doing that as a family this Advent season, +[3823.92 --> 3827.40] we also have our Advent wreath out, +[3827.48 --> 3829.64] where we have candles in that wreath, +[3829.78 --> 3832.28] and we read the blessing, +[3832.58 --> 3834.42] which is just a verse from a psalm, +[3834.50 --> 3838.10] and then one of our kids will light the Advent candle, +[3839.10 --> 3841.78] and then we'll do the readings and the like, +[3841.88 --> 3845.08] and then when we have done the concluding prayer, +[3845.42 --> 3849.08] the same person who lit the candle gets to blow it out at the end. +[3849.08 --> 3854.32] Now, we go through and do that every day, +[3854.44 --> 3856.90] so the first week of devotions we light one candle, +[3857.08 --> 3858.98] and then the second week we light two candles. +[3859.38 --> 3861.72] Today is the first day of the third week of Advent, +[3861.84 --> 3864.16] so we'll light three tonight when we do that. +[3865.86 --> 3868.64] Now, I have to say that as we've been doing this, +[3868.86 --> 3873.02] my kids are really excited for family devotional time, +[3873.66 --> 3874.94] or at least that's what I thought, +[3874.94 --> 3877.02] because really they're excited to light the candle, +[3878.28 --> 3881.28] to get the lighters flicker switch out of the drawer, +[3881.46 --> 3883.90] to run over and to light the candle, +[3884.06 --> 3885.98] and then to play with the burning candle, +[3886.04 --> 3887.76] but not actually play with the burning candle. +[3887.86 --> 3889.76] You know how kids like kind of lean forward, +[3889.88 --> 3892.94] and they talk with a little extra blowing +[3893.64 --> 3895.90] to see if they can make it flicker or blow out, +[3896.08 --> 3897.96] and then when we finally finish, +[3898.04 --> 3898.94] we say amen, and they go. +[3898.94 --> 3902.62] So there's this excitement that they have, +[3903.02 --> 3905.94] but it's not for what we wanted them to be excited about, +[3906.34 --> 3909.22] and yet we are going through the rhythms. +[3909.80 --> 3913.30] Now, I think that kind of can function for us generally +[3913.30 --> 3917.38] as a parallel or a parable, maybe, +[3917.74 --> 3922.10] for our moving through these seasons, right? +[3922.14 --> 3923.36] We want you to be excited, +[3923.58 --> 3926.28] but sometimes we get excited about the wrong things, +[3926.28 --> 3927.84] or we get really excited, +[3928.10 --> 3930.64] and then it kind of wanes a little bit, +[3930.74 --> 3932.06] and then we get excited again, +[3932.12 --> 3935.94] and then it lessens a little bit more, right? +[3935.98 --> 3937.06] I think for some of us, +[3937.12 --> 3940.76] that's our experience of Christmas and Advent, +[3940.92 --> 3942.74] this excitement and it waning, +[3942.88 --> 3943.86] and then excitement again, +[3943.94 --> 3945.50] and then back to waning. +[3946.12 --> 3949.06] Now, maybe for you, it's a different pattern, right? +[3949.08 --> 3952.18] Maybe it's excitement, but then apathy, +[3952.18 --> 3954.52] or maybe it's excitement, +[3954.88 --> 3957.10] but then you remember that thing, +[3957.30 --> 3960.38] and that, oh man, that guy cut you off, +[3960.46 --> 3964.18] and then you're back in anger for a little while. +[3965.28 --> 3968.68] And maybe it's not even moving from one extreme to another, +[3969.10 --> 3970.72] right, like excitement to apathy. +[3971.12 --> 3974.28] Maybe this is just a season of grief for you, +[3974.30 --> 3976.10] or you're under a shadow of doubt, +[3976.10 --> 3978.94] or your faith is just full of despair, +[3978.94 --> 3983.54] or, and so this Advent and Christmas is hard. +[3985.34 --> 3987.74] Now, in our Advent series here, +[3988.14 --> 3992.12] we have been adding another layer to that, +[3992.68 --> 3996.42] because not only is Advent a season of looking back +[3996.42 --> 3999.44] and of waiting for the Christ child, +[3999.74 --> 4003.80] it is also a season of anticipating his return, +[4004.36 --> 4007.60] a season where we look into the future +[4007.60 --> 4009.80] to look forward to the day +[4009.80 --> 4014.68] where Christ will come again in glory, right? +[4014.72 --> 4017.28] And so to all of that excitement and waning, +[4017.52 --> 4019.46] to all that excitement and apathy, +[4019.76 --> 4023.40] to all of that grief and groaning or doubt, +[4023.62 --> 4028.48] we are adding the layer of a future anticipation. +[4028.48 --> 4032.74] And it has been our contention, +[4032.86 --> 4033.94] our point here, +[4033.94 --> 4037.94] that it is precisely this future anticipation +[4037.94 --> 4042.06] that allows us or fuels us +[4042.06 --> 4046.52] to live in the midst of grief with hope, +[4046.56 --> 4049.88] or to live in the midst of despair with rejoicing, +[4050.08 --> 4052.36] properly defined and understood, of course, right? +[4052.52 --> 4054.94] And so looking at the book of Revelation, +[4054.94 --> 4057.86] we have been allowing God's Spirit +[4057.86 --> 4061.32] to fill our lives with patient endurance, +[4061.68 --> 4063.58] with a particular meaning, +[4064.58 --> 4067.44] and to fill our faith with a unique purpose. +[4068.58 --> 4071.00] We've reiterated that in our candle lighting. +[4071.42 --> 4073.86] We've said it over and over again each week here, +[4074.00 --> 4078.42] but living in anticipation of the return of the King +[4078.42 --> 4083.52] invites us to be a people of patient endurance and faith, +[4083.52 --> 4087.24] who can live rejoicing in the world to come +[4087.24 --> 4090.44] and with joy in the world that is, +[4091.16 --> 4094.90] holding on to the love that holds on to us +[4094.90 --> 4096.60] and living it boldly, +[4097.44 --> 4101.72] longing for the day when all will be made whole. +[4103.88 --> 4108.50] This morning, we're going to dig into that third part, +[4108.66 --> 4112.22] holding on to the love that holds on to us, +[4112.22 --> 4114.34] living it boldly. +[4115.10 --> 4117.50] Now to do that, we've read from Revelation 2, +[4117.62 --> 4118.66] this first section here, +[4119.00 --> 4123.40] and our particular focus is going to come from verse 4, +[4123.54 --> 4125.20] and so you might have that there, +[4125.66 --> 4129.48] where Jesus says through John to the church in Ephesus, +[4129.74 --> 4132.10] yet this I hold against you. +[4132.90 --> 4136.86] You have forsaken the love you had at first. +[4136.86 --> 4140.50] Now, just to get everyone caught up +[4140.50 --> 4143.06] and to make sure that we're all on the same page here, +[4143.42 --> 4147.10] Revelation sort of has two halves to it, +[4147.14 --> 4149.20] or two parts, in a sense. +[4149.52 --> 4152.50] The first part, which is not actually near half the letter, +[4152.80 --> 4155.36] is the first three chapters, right? +[4155.38 --> 4156.20] It's the introduction, +[4156.46 --> 4158.46] and it's the seven letters to the churches +[4158.46 --> 4160.14] of a particular area. +[4160.32 --> 4161.88] Now, if you have your Bible open, +[4161.88 --> 4164.30] you'll see in chapter 1, verse 10, +[4165.10 --> 4166.48] John writes, +[4166.76 --> 4169.48] On the Lord's day I was in the Spirit, +[4169.74 --> 4173.72] and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, +[4174.10 --> 4174.60] which said, +[4175.28 --> 4177.38] Write on a scroll what you see, +[4177.54 --> 4179.34] and send it to the seven churches, +[4179.76 --> 4182.16] to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, +[4183.80 --> 4187.20] Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. +[4187.20 --> 4192.50] Now, you can see, we have an image there, +[4193.08 --> 4195.40] that the locations of these churches +[4195.40 --> 4199.18] are in the western part of what we would call +[4199.18 --> 4200.60] modern-day Turkey. +[4200.74 --> 4202.94] They're kind of collected there together. +[4204.40 --> 4208.46] And the first letter is to the church of Ephesus. +[4209.64 --> 4213.96] And our focus this morning in this letter +[4213.96 --> 4216.34] actually starts out really strong, +[4216.64 --> 4218.34] and it's full of lots of praise +[4218.34 --> 4219.76] for the church there, right? +[4219.82 --> 4221.12] Like, look at it again. +[4221.20 --> 4223.74] Jesus says, right, through John's writing, +[4223.82 --> 4224.00] he says, +[4224.08 --> 4226.00] I know what you've done, right? +[4226.02 --> 4227.08] I know your hard work. +[4227.16 --> 4228.56] I know how you've persevered. +[4228.72 --> 4231.02] I know that you've tested for the truth, +[4231.18 --> 4233.40] and that you have challenged those who came in +[4233.40 --> 4234.44] and claimed to be apostles, +[4234.58 --> 4237.00] but you've tested it and discerned with them +[4237.00 --> 4238.28] and found out that they weren't, +[4238.46 --> 4239.60] and you kicked them out. +[4239.74 --> 4240.96] I know that you have persevered. +[4241.12 --> 4243.10] I know that you have endured hardships. +[4243.10 --> 4245.38] I know that you have faced persecution. +[4246.00 --> 4250.36] I know that you have not grown weary in doing so. +[4251.72 --> 4253.16] Now, I don't know about you, +[4253.26 --> 4256.90] but I, for one, would love to hear Jesus say that to me, +[4257.56 --> 4259.16] right, that I have done these things, +[4259.26 --> 4260.96] that I have met these challenges +[4260.96 --> 4262.46] that have been placed in front of me. +[4264.20 --> 4267.12] But then there's a shift in tone. +[4267.30 --> 4268.02] Jesus says, +[4268.02 --> 4270.80] Yet this I hold against you. +[4271.26 --> 4275.54] You have forsaken the love you had at first. +[4276.90 --> 4278.10] Now, as I read that, +[4278.64 --> 4279.76] that begs a question. +[4280.76 --> 4283.46] What love have they forsaken? +[4285.00 --> 4285.78] Now, at first glance, +[4285.92 --> 4288.26] you might think there's an easy answer to that question. +[4288.36 --> 4290.46] We might say that the church in Ephesus +[4290.46 --> 4293.68] allowed secondary things to become primary things, +[4293.98 --> 4294.18] right, +[4294.18 --> 4297.72] or that the church in Ephesus forgot the priority of loving Jesus, +[4298.04 --> 4301.02] that the church in Ephesus forgot to love God +[4301.02 --> 4305.14] and to love the God who first loved them. +[4305.76 --> 4307.08] Or, at the very least, +[4307.14 --> 4309.60] you can argue that they've moved that down +[4309.60 --> 4312.34] to a secondary or tertiary, right, +[4312.42 --> 4314.18] level priority. +[4315.14 --> 4316.24] And to be fair, +[4316.70 --> 4319.12] I've heard good pastors and theologians +[4319.12 --> 4321.32] interpret this text that way. +[4321.32 --> 4324.88] But two things on that. +[4325.66 --> 4325.96] First, +[4327.28 --> 4330.34] I don't think that that takes into account +[4330.34 --> 4332.84] the meaning of the word forsaken, +[4333.62 --> 4334.02] right, +[4334.06 --> 4335.72] which is a pretty strong word +[4335.72 --> 4338.86] for Jesus to speak here, right? +[4338.90 --> 4340.52] The word that's written in Greek +[4340.52 --> 4343.58] can mean to send away, +[4343.72 --> 4344.86] like to force out, +[4345.10 --> 4348.82] and it's actually sometimes even translated as divorce. +[4350.04 --> 4350.74] To divorce. +[4350.74 --> 4351.26] And so, +[4351.38 --> 4353.18] it's a really strong word +[4353.18 --> 4354.94] that Jesus is using. +[4355.12 --> 4355.60] And in fact, +[4355.70 --> 4356.34] I think, +[4356.68 --> 4358.10] and we'll get into this in a minute, +[4358.22 --> 4360.32] I think that the marriage image +[4360.32 --> 4361.54] of this word +[4361.54 --> 4363.34] and the broken marriage image +[4363.34 --> 4365.06] helps us understand +[4365.06 --> 4365.90] the criticism +[4365.90 --> 4368.28] that Jesus has for the church in Ephesus. +[4368.88 --> 4369.08] And so, +[4369.16 --> 4369.78] hang on to that. +[4369.78 --> 4374.16] The second thing I think we need to do +[4374.16 --> 4376.78] is actually go to another source +[4376.78 --> 4379.46] for what we know about the church in Ephesus. +[4379.46 --> 4381.34] And I've already alluded to this, right? +[4381.42 --> 4382.24] Luckily for us, +[4382.24 --> 4384.04] we have another letter +[4384.04 --> 4385.56] that has a firsthand account +[4385.56 --> 4388.04] of exactly what the church in Ephesus +[4388.04 --> 4388.94] was facing +[4388.94 --> 4390.38] and dealing with +[4390.38 --> 4391.38] and struggling with. +[4391.38 --> 4392.70] And so, +[4392.86 --> 4394.56] if you have your Bibles +[4394.56 --> 4395.58] in front of you, +[4395.70 --> 4396.16] I encourage you, +[4396.22 --> 4398.50] flip over a few pages back +[4398.50 --> 4400.54] to the book of Ephesians. +[4400.54 --> 4405.12] Now, this is a letter +[4405.12 --> 4406.50] that Paul writes +[4406.50 --> 4408.06] to the Ephesian church. +[4408.48 --> 4410.14] The Ephesian church is one, +[4410.38 --> 4412.36] or gathering of house churches +[4412.36 --> 4414.00] probably in the city of Ephesus, +[4414.34 --> 4416.00] is one that he planted, +[4416.14 --> 4416.80] that he started +[4416.80 --> 4418.32] on his missionary journey +[4418.32 --> 4419.14] into the region. +[4419.44 --> 4421.88] And he continues to engage with them +[4421.88 --> 4423.36] through letter writing. +[4423.86 --> 4424.96] He continues to do so +[4424.96 --> 4426.12] even as he is in prison +[4426.12 --> 4427.14] in chains for the gospel. +[4427.30 --> 4428.06] He's writing letters +[4428.06 --> 4429.10] to these churches. +[4429.10 --> 4431.18] He's familiar with this church +[4431.18 --> 4432.00] and with these people. +[4432.14 --> 4433.16] He knows their structure. +[4433.32 --> 4434.18] He knows their leadership. +[4434.60 --> 4436.00] He knows who they are +[4436.00 --> 4437.08] and the things +[4437.08 --> 4439.42] that they have endured together. +[4440.68 --> 4442.22] The letter of Ephesians +[4442.22 --> 4443.50] is a beautiful book, +[4443.54 --> 4444.52] and I encourage you, +[4444.56 --> 4445.40] as you have time, +[4445.56 --> 4446.94] to read it on your own. +[4447.40 --> 4448.24] And if you can, +[4448.30 --> 4449.14] do it in one sitting +[4449.14 --> 4449.76] so that you can get +[4449.76 --> 4450.68] the whole scope of it. +[4451.40 --> 4453.52] It is a beautiful articulation +[4453.52 --> 4454.34] of the gospel, +[4454.50 --> 4455.02] what it means +[4455.02 --> 4456.78] to be made alive in Christ, +[4456.94 --> 4458.72] and then how we can connect +[4458.72 --> 4459.66] the gospel +[4459.66 --> 4460.58] and being made alive +[4460.58 --> 4461.04] in Jesus +[4461.04 --> 4462.82] to the everyday stuff of life, +[4462.86 --> 4464.04] how we are to live, +[4464.38 --> 4465.58] how we are to understand +[4465.58 --> 4467.36] and manage our houses +[4467.36 --> 4468.52] and our businesses +[4468.52 --> 4470.10] and our marriage relationships, +[4470.10 --> 4471.36] how we are to endure +[4471.36 --> 4472.56] testing and trial +[4472.56 --> 4473.70] by putting on +[4473.70 --> 4474.86] the armor of God. +[4475.54 --> 4477.12] There's beautiful depth to it. +[4478.42 --> 4479.40] But pertinent +[4479.40 --> 4480.94] to our discussion +[4480.94 --> 4482.12] this morning, +[4482.68 --> 4484.18] there is one theme +[4484.18 --> 4485.44] that runs +[4485.44 --> 4487.08] through the entire letter +[4487.08 --> 4488.78] that highlights something +[4488.78 --> 4490.58] of the Ephesian church +[4490.58 --> 4491.16] for us. +[4491.86 --> 4492.28] Again, +[4492.38 --> 4493.20] if your Bibles are open, +[4493.26 --> 4494.78] look at verse 15. +[4495.44 --> 4496.24] Paul has spoken +[4496.24 --> 4497.50] a word of introduction. +[4498.04 --> 4498.72] He has beautifully +[4498.72 --> 4499.76] and succinctly +[4499.76 --> 4500.92] recapped the gospel +[4500.92 --> 4501.42] for them +[4501.42 --> 4502.24] and their inclusion +[4502.24 --> 4504.16] into this ministry +[4504.16 --> 4504.88] and the effect +[4504.88 --> 4505.38] of the gospel +[4505.38 --> 4505.86] by the work +[4505.86 --> 4506.60] of the Holy Spirit. +[4506.72 --> 4507.62] And then in verse 15, +[4507.72 --> 4508.18] he says, +[4508.18 --> 4510.36] For this reason, +[4510.88 --> 4511.98] ever since I heard +[4511.98 --> 4512.78] about your faith +[4512.78 --> 4513.82] in the Lord Jesus +[4513.82 --> 4515.82] and your love +[4515.82 --> 4518.08] for all God's people, +[4518.66 --> 4520.66] I have not stopped +[4520.66 --> 4521.80] giving thanks for you, +[4522.24 --> 4523.08] remembering you +[4523.08 --> 4524.52] in all my prayers. +[4525.40 --> 4526.76] What does Paul note +[4526.76 --> 4527.60] about this church? +[4528.44 --> 4529.38] Their love +[4529.38 --> 4530.84] for all God's people. +[4532.54 --> 4533.14] Right? +[4533.20 --> 4533.94] There's a theme +[4533.94 --> 4534.94] that runs +[4534.94 --> 4535.82] through the heart +[4535.82 --> 4537.08] of Ephesians +[4537.08 --> 4537.82] that is about +[4537.82 --> 4540.18] loving God's people. +[4540.34 --> 4541.30] It's about understanding +[4541.30 --> 4542.02] properly +[4542.02 --> 4543.14] the miracle +[4543.14 --> 4544.30] and the majesty +[4544.30 --> 4546.44] of being the bride +[4546.44 --> 4547.72] of Christ, +[4548.26 --> 4549.34] of being the church. +[4550.96 --> 4551.18] Now, +[4551.32 --> 4551.82] I'm going to do this +[4551.82 --> 4552.28] really quick +[4552.28 --> 4553.18] and so as Kevin +[4553.18 --> 4554.04] would like to say, +[4554.36 --> 4554.98] buckle up +[4554.98 --> 4556.24] because we're going +[4556.24 --> 4556.74] to dig in. +[4557.72 --> 4558.38] Bible's open. +[4558.78 --> 4559.40] Chapter 2, +[4559.50 --> 4559.96] Ephesians, +[4560.12 --> 4560.60] verse 11. +[4560.74 --> 4561.28] Paul begins +[4561.28 --> 4561.90] this discussion. +[4562.06 --> 4562.32] He says, +[4562.76 --> 4563.20] Remember +[4563.20 --> 4565.40] that formerly +[4565.40 --> 4566.94] you who are Gentiles, +[4566.94 --> 4568.28] Gentiles just means +[4568.28 --> 4569.16] not Jewish. +[4569.82 --> 4569.90] Right? +[4569.96 --> 4571.76] And so in the ancient world, +[4571.90 --> 4574.58] particularly from Christianity +[4574.58 --> 4576.42] that emerged out of Judaism, +[4577.30 --> 4578.36] you have the Jewish world +[4578.36 --> 4579.42] and then everybody else. +[4580.04 --> 4581.62] That category of everybody else, +[4582.16 --> 4582.62] Gentiles. +[4582.88 --> 4583.88] Another way to translate that +[4583.88 --> 4584.58] is nations. +[4585.38 --> 4586.66] So the non-Jewish people. +[4589.16 --> 4590.30] Remember that formerly +[4590.30 --> 4591.44] you who are Gentiles +[4591.44 --> 4591.96] by birth +[4591.96 --> 4593.48] and called uncircumcised +[4593.48 --> 4594.90] by those who call themselves +[4594.90 --> 4595.66] the circumcision. +[4595.92 --> 4596.34] So again, +[4596.72 --> 4597.02] Jews, +[4597.24 --> 4597.70] Gentiles. +[4599.22 --> 4599.68] Remember +[4599.68 --> 4601.08] that at that time +[4601.08 --> 4602.54] you were separate +[4602.54 --> 4603.30] from Christ, +[4603.52 --> 4604.72] excluded from citizenship +[4604.72 --> 4605.40] in Israel +[4605.40 --> 4606.24] and foreigners +[4606.24 --> 4607.16] to the covenants +[4607.16 --> 4607.94] of the promise +[4607.94 --> 4609.00] without hope +[4609.00 --> 4609.84] and without God +[4609.84 --> 4610.42] in the world. +[4610.78 --> 4611.38] But now +[4611.38 --> 4612.78] in Christ Jesus +[4612.78 --> 4613.80] you who were +[4613.80 --> 4614.98] once far away +[4614.98 --> 4616.16] have been brought near +[4616.16 --> 4617.36] by the blood +[4617.36 --> 4618.40] of Christ. +[4619.30 --> 4620.14] And then he goes on, +[4620.46 --> 4621.00] 14, +[4621.00 --> 4622.58] for he himself +[4622.58 --> 4623.62] is our peace +[4623.62 --> 4624.54] who has made +[4624.54 --> 4625.52] the two groups +[4625.52 --> 4626.04] one +[4626.04 --> 4627.26] and has destroyed +[4627.26 --> 4627.94] the barrier, +[4628.12 --> 4629.20] the dividing wall +[4629.20 --> 4630.40] of hostility. +[4630.52 --> 4631.54] Just a little further down, +[4631.76 --> 4632.36] his purpose +[4632.36 --> 4633.44] was to create +[4633.44 --> 4634.16] in himself +[4634.16 --> 4635.78] one new humanity +[4635.78 --> 4636.90] out of the two +[4636.90 --> 4638.38] thus making peace +[4638.38 --> 4639.96] and in one body +[4639.96 --> 4640.88] to reconcile +[4640.88 --> 4642.82] both of them +[4642.82 --> 4643.50] to God +[4643.50 --> 4645.16] through the cross. +[4645.82 --> 4646.56] And then he carries +[4646.56 --> 4647.04] this line +[4647.04 --> 4647.88] of argument forward +[4647.88 --> 4648.62] and he concludes +[4648.62 --> 4649.92] in verse 19, +[4651.02 --> 4651.78] Consequently, +[4652.14 --> 4653.14] you are no longer +[4653.14 --> 4654.48] foreigners and strangers +[4654.48 --> 4655.86] but fellow citizens +[4655.86 --> 4656.98] with God's people +[4656.98 --> 4658.20] and members +[4658.20 --> 4660.52] of his household. +[4662.10 --> 4663.40] This is the theological +[4663.40 --> 4664.24] foundation +[4664.24 --> 4665.74] of church unity. +[4666.74 --> 4667.88] This is the theological +[4667.88 --> 4669.22] and spiritual foundation +[4669.22 --> 4670.86] of what unites us, +[4671.00 --> 4671.72] even us, +[4671.78 --> 4672.44] all together. +[4673.58 --> 4674.86] In the early church +[4674.86 --> 4676.70] it was Gentiles, +[4676.84 --> 4677.68] non-Jewish people +[4677.68 --> 4678.62] being included +[4678.62 --> 4679.82] into the lineage +[4679.82 --> 4681.94] of Abraham's heirs. +[4683.84 --> 4685.50] And I suggest to you, +[4686.20 --> 4689.92] I suggest to you +[4689.92 --> 4691.94] that in the modern church, +[4692.62 --> 4692.90] right, +[4693.38 --> 4693.78] today, +[4694.02 --> 4695.10] because most of us, +[4695.42 --> 4696.34] probably all of us, +[4696.38 --> 4697.10] I think actually, +[4697.46 --> 4698.32] are Gentiles, +[4698.42 --> 4699.70] that is we're not Jewish, +[4699.84 --> 4701.36] ethnically or religiously, +[4702.08 --> 4702.30] right, +[4702.70 --> 4703.84] in the modern church +[4703.84 --> 4705.04] what this unity +[4705.04 --> 4706.12] looks like +[4706.12 --> 4709.18] is the transcendence +[4709.18 --> 4710.12] that Revelation +[4710.12 --> 4711.06] will talk about +[4711.06 --> 4711.96] as the church +[4711.96 --> 4712.66] being made up +[4712.66 --> 4713.52] of every nation, +[4714.00 --> 4714.40] tribe, +[4714.58 --> 4715.16] and tongue. +[4716.06 --> 4716.28] Right, +[4716.32 --> 4717.36] the church of Jesus +[4717.36 --> 4719.38] is out of necessity +[4719.38 --> 4720.68] and by consequence +[4720.68 --> 4721.68] of the gospel +[4721.68 --> 4722.64] diverse +[4722.64 --> 4724.00] and multi-ethnic +[4724.00 --> 4725.08] and multi-culture. +[4725.08 --> 4727.58] to be a Christian +[4727.58 --> 4728.52] transcends +[4728.52 --> 4729.82] national identity, +[4730.18 --> 4731.02] to be a Christian +[4731.02 --> 4731.70] transcends +[4731.70 --> 4733.00] racial identity, +[4733.20 --> 4733.96] to be a Christian +[4733.96 --> 4734.76] transcends +[4734.76 --> 4735.80] to include +[4735.80 --> 4736.40] any +[4736.40 --> 4737.50] who believe +[4737.50 --> 4738.42] and therefore +[4738.42 --> 4739.28] have a heavenly +[4739.28 --> 4740.32] citizenship. +[4741.60 --> 4742.52] And so, +[4742.74 --> 4743.32] Paul +[4743.32 --> 4744.72] prays. +[4745.52 --> 4746.52] He prays, +[4747.06 --> 4747.36] right, +[4747.36 --> 4749.14] for this reason +[4749.14 --> 4750.02] I kneel +[4750.02 --> 4751.94] before the Father +[4751.94 --> 4752.96] from whom +[4752.96 --> 4753.86] every family +[4753.86 --> 4754.48] in heaven +[4754.48 --> 4755.44] and on earth +[4755.44 --> 4756.44] derives its name. +[4757.12 --> 4758.00] And then you can jump +[4758.00 --> 4758.80] in chapter 3, +[4758.86 --> 4759.54] verse 17, +[4760.34 --> 4760.58] right, +[4760.62 --> 4760.96] he says, +[4761.46 --> 4762.38] and I pray that you +[4762.38 --> 4763.26] being rooted +[4763.26 --> 4763.96] and established +[4763.96 --> 4764.50] in love +[4764.50 --> 4765.42] may have power +[4765.42 --> 4766.28] together with all +[4766.28 --> 4767.42] the Lord's holy people +[4767.42 --> 4768.64] to grasp how wide +[4768.64 --> 4769.40] and long +[4769.40 --> 4769.92] and high +[4769.92 --> 4770.56] and deep +[4770.56 --> 4771.22] is the love +[4771.22 --> 4771.78] of Christ +[4771.78 --> 4772.72] and to know +[4772.72 --> 4773.80] that this love +[4773.80 --> 4775.08] that surpasses +[4775.08 --> 4775.42] knowledge +[4775.42 --> 4776.32] that you may be +[4776.32 --> 4776.88] filled +[4776.88 --> 4777.76] to the measure +[4777.76 --> 4778.38] of all +[4778.38 --> 4779.16] the fullness +[4779.16 --> 4780.56] of God. +[4782.02 --> 4782.66] The love +[4782.66 --> 4783.54] of Christ +[4783.54 --> 4785.34] for his bride +[4785.34 --> 4786.58] connects +[4786.58 --> 4787.32] intimately +[4787.32 --> 4789.08] and decidedly +[4789.08 --> 4790.14] to the love +[4790.14 --> 4791.02] of his church +[4791.02 --> 4792.84] as his bride, +[4793.10 --> 4794.08] as his people. +[4794.46 --> 4795.10] The love +[4795.10 --> 4795.90] of Christ +[4795.90 --> 4796.44] connects +[4796.44 --> 4797.12] to the love +[4797.12 --> 4797.98] of unity +[4797.98 --> 4799.58] within the church, +[4800.46 --> 4800.58] right, +[4800.62 --> 4801.52] to the oneness +[4801.52 --> 4802.46] of the church. +[4803.26 --> 4803.54] And so, +[4803.62 --> 4804.30] Paul writes +[4804.30 --> 4805.16] to Ephesians +[4805.16 --> 4806.32] in chapter 4, +[4806.32 --> 4807.00] verse 3, +[4807.44 --> 4808.46] make every effort +[4808.46 --> 4809.50] to keep the unity +[4809.50 --> 4810.40] of the spirit +[4810.40 --> 4811.22] through the bond +[4811.22 --> 4811.78] of peace. +[4812.18 --> 4813.42] There is one body +[4813.42 --> 4814.26] and one spirit +[4814.26 --> 4815.10] just as you were +[4815.10 --> 4816.14] called to one hope +[4816.14 --> 4816.94] when you were called, +[4817.06 --> 4817.58] one Lord, +[4817.70 --> 4818.18] one faith, +[4818.30 --> 4818.94] one baptism, +[4819.64 --> 4820.20] one God +[4820.20 --> 4820.76] and Father +[4820.76 --> 4821.90] of all +[4821.90 --> 4823.10] who was over all +[4823.10 --> 4823.94] and through all +[4823.94 --> 4824.88] and in all. +[4827.08 --> 4828.32] The oneness +[4828.32 --> 4830.08] of our faith +[4830.08 --> 4831.50] is illustrative +[4831.50 --> 4833.26] in our unity. +[4833.26 --> 4834.90] the oneness +[4834.90 --> 4835.48] of God +[4835.48 --> 4836.10] himself +[4836.10 --> 4837.60] is held up +[4837.60 --> 4838.54] as an example +[4838.54 --> 4839.76] for the unity +[4839.76 --> 4840.82] of his church. +[4842.00 --> 4842.66] And so, +[4842.74 --> 4843.20] all of this +[4843.20 --> 4843.90] is to say, +[4845.04 --> 4846.64] if you love God, +[4847.32 --> 4848.40] you will +[4848.40 --> 4849.56] love his church, +[4850.50 --> 4851.64] his multicultural, +[4852.32 --> 4853.42] diverse collection +[4853.42 --> 4854.24] of misfits +[4854.24 --> 4855.20] and sinners +[4855.20 --> 4856.48] turned into saints. +[4856.48 --> 4858.72] And if you say +[4858.72 --> 4859.90] that you love Jesus, +[4860.42 --> 4861.58] you will work +[4861.58 --> 4862.86] then to advance +[4862.86 --> 4863.80] this diverse +[4863.80 --> 4865.62] body of believers +[4865.62 --> 4867.08] in our unified mission +[4867.08 --> 4867.64] with him, +[4867.78 --> 4868.40] for him, +[4868.44 --> 4869.26] and to his glory. +[4869.46 --> 4870.64] The two realities +[4870.64 --> 4872.20] cannot be divorced, +[4873.32 --> 4873.88] the bride +[4873.88 --> 4875.10] from her bridegroom +[4875.10 --> 4876.44] who is Jesus. +[4876.44 --> 4878.76] And so, +[4878.86 --> 4879.54] let's take that back +[4879.54 --> 4881.26] now to Revelation. +[4882.20 --> 4883.84] When John writes, +[4883.90 --> 4884.94] when Jesus says, +[4885.36 --> 4886.20] yet this I hold +[4886.20 --> 4886.78] against you, +[4886.84 --> 4887.28] that you have +[4887.28 --> 4888.98] forsaken the love +[4888.98 --> 4890.16] you had at first, +[4891.02 --> 4891.92] I believe +[4891.92 --> 4893.16] that that +[4893.16 --> 4894.36] is a reference +[4894.36 --> 4895.88] to the fact +[4895.88 --> 4896.66] that these +[4896.66 --> 4898.26] people in Ephesus, +[4898.52 --> 4899.54] this church in Ephesus, +[4899.76 --> 4900.94] have divorced +[4900.94 --> 4901.80] themselves +[4901.80 --> 4903.34] from the love +[4903.34 --> 4904.24] of the body +[4904.24 --> 4905.30] of Christ, +[4905.36 --> 4906.00] from the love +[4906.00 --> 4906.80] of the bride +[4906.80 --> 4907.52] of Christ, +[4907.62 --> 4907.94] the love +[4907.94 --> 4908.58] of the church +[4908.58 --> 4909.68] and her unity. +[4910.40 --> 4911.36] And her unity +[4911.36 --> 4912.82] is both internally +[4912.82 --> 4913.70] and locally +[4913.70 --> 4914.44] expressed +[4914.44 --> 4915.48] in emphasis, +[4915.82 --> 4916.62] but also +[4916.62 --> 4917.82] her unity +[4917.82 --> 4920.50] is transcendentally +[4920.50 --> 4921.60] and universally +[4921.60 --> 4922.36] expressed +[4922.36 --> 4924.08] in the church +[4924.08 --> 4924.84] Catholic +[4924.84 --> 4925.90] all times +[4925.90 --> 4927.18] and all places. +[4928.80 --> 4930.08] They have forgotten +[4930.08 --> 4931.92] that if you love +[4931.92 --> 4932.32] Jesus, +[4932.98 --> 4933.80] you must love +[4933.80 --> 4934.50] his church. +[4936.00 --> 4937.70] And so that begs +[4937.70 --> 4938.22] the question +[4938.22 --> 4938.84] for us. +[4939.40 --> 4940.18] Maybe not begs, +[4940.58 --> 4941.38] but I'm going to ask it. +[4941.82 --> 4942.76] It asks the question +[4942.76 --> 4943.22] for us +[4943.22 --> 4943.88] in application. +[4945.40 --> 4946.10] If you say +[4946.10 --> 4946.98] you love Jesus, +[4947.62 --> 4948.72] but you aren't +[4948.72 --> 4949.70] actively loving +[4949.70 --> 4950.64] his church, +[4951.18 --> 4952.14] now actively loving +[4952.14 --> 4952.50] his church +[4952.50 --> 4953.36] might look different +[4953.36 --> 4954.16] for each of you, +[4954.20 --> 4954.38] right? +[4954.44 --> 4954.90] It might mean +[4954.90 --> 4955.64] supporting its +[4955.64 --> 4956.58] ministries financially. +[4957.26 --> 4958.06] It might mean +[4958.06 --> 4958.60] volunteering +[4958.60 --> 4959.28] in the things +[4959.28 --> 4960.04] that we do +[4960.04 --> 4960.58] here together. +[4960.70 --> 4961.24] It might mean +[4961.24 --> 4961.76] participating +[4961.76 --> 4962.74] in our community +[4962.74 --> 4964.06] and in community events. +[4964.06 --> 4964.96] It might mean +[4964.96 --> 4965.48] volunteering +[4965.48 --> 4966.16] to serve +[4966.16 --> 4967.00] in a particular +[4967.00 --> 4967.64] capacity +[4967.64 --> 4968.54] that you are +[4968.54 --> 4969.20] gifted in +[4969.20 --> 4970.04] or called to. +[4971.66 --> 4972.96] If you aren't +[4972.96 --> 4974.16] doing these things, +[4974.54 --> 4975.90] but you say +[4975.90 --> 4976.72] you love Jesus, +[4977.48 --> 4978.02] this letter +[4978.02 --> 4978.70] is for you. +[4980.36 --> 4980.92] Or, +[4981.92 --> 4982.70] maybe this is +[4982.70 --> 4983.84] even more dangerous, +[4984.40 --> 4985.34] if seemingly +[4985.34 --> 4986.38] out of one side +[4986.38 --> 4986.98] of your mouth +[4986.98 --> 4987.80] you sing hymns +[4987.80 --> 4988.72] of praise to God +[4988.72 --> 4989.52] on Sunday, +[4990.02 --> 4990.30] right, +[4990.46 --> 4991.64] in worship together, +[4991.64 --> 4992.52] but then +[4992.52 --> 4993.40] on the other +[4993.40 --> 4994.20] side of your mouth, +[4994.28 --> 4995.12] maybe even as quickly +[4995.12 --> 4996.46] as coffee afterwards, +[4996.82 --> 4997.98] you are slandering +[4997.98 --> 4999.22] or gossiping +[4999.22 --> 5000.46] or talking back +[5000.46 --> 5001.18] or bad +[5001.18 --> 5002.18] about church members +[5002.18 --> 5003.26] or church leadership, +[5003.78 --> 5003.94] right, +[5003.98 --> 5005.60] or just generally +[5005.60 --> 5006.48] about church. +[5007.22 --> 5008.06] But if you are not +[5008.06 --> 5009.38] actively pursuing +[5009.38 --> 5010.94] unity in the church, +[5011.12 --> 5012.62] you are actively +[5012.62 --> 5013.66] or more dangerously, +[5013.96 --> 5014.60] passively +[5014.60 --> 5015.46] contributing +[5015.46 --> 5016.66] to disunity. +[5016.66 --> 5016.80] unity. +[5022.42 --> 5023.98] So hear these words +[5023.98 --> 5026.30] and be careful +[5026.30 --> 5028.84] because your love +[5028.84 --> 5029.40] for Jesus +[5029.40 --> 5031.22] will manifest +[5031.22 --> 5032.48] in a love +[5032.48 --> 5033.24] for his church. +[5035.20 --> 5036.10] We'll give you this +[5036.10 --> 5037.42] as a last word +[5037.42 --> 5038.18] for us +[5038.18 --> 5039.18] before we come +[5039.18 --> 5039.74] to the table +[5039.74 --> 5041.22] where we celebrate +[5041.22 --> 5042.34] this unity, +[5042.54 --> 5043.40] where we live it +[5043.40 --> 5043.94] together. +[5043.94 --> 5048.44] This also relates +[5048.44 --> 5049.70] to that last word +[5049.70 --> 5050.32] of praise +[5050.32 --> 5051.04] or encouragement +[5051.04 --> 5051.92] that Jesus has +[5051.92 --> 5052.48] for the church +[5052.48 --> 5053.74] in verse 6. +[5054.90 --> 5055.94] He comes back +[5055.94 --> 5056.36] and he says, +[5056.46 --> 5057.20] you have this +[5057.20 --> 5058.04] in your favor, +[5058.18 --> 5059.34] you hate the practices +[5059.34 --> 5060.92] of the Nicolaitans, +[5061.02 --> 5063.02] which I also hate. +[5064.28 --> 5064.48] Now, +[5064.52 --> 5065.10] I'm going to be candid +[5065.10 --> 5065.40] with you, +[5065.46 --> 5066.12] Bible scholars +[5066.12 --> 5066.86] are divided +[5066.86 --> 5068.26] on exactly who +[5068.26 --> 5068.84] or what +[5068.84 --> 5070.06] the Nicolaitans are, +[5070.40 --> 5070.78] right, +[5070.80 --> 5071.42] whether they are +[5071.42 --> 5072.42] a group of people +[5072.42 --> 5073.10] who followed +[5073.10 --> 5073.68] the teachings +[5073.68 --> 5074.16] of someone +[5074.16 --> 5074.94] named Nicholas +[5074.94 --> 5076.56] or if they are +[5076.56 --> 5077.28] a group of people +[5077.28 --> 5077.60] who have been +[5077.60 --> 5078.10] called that +[5078.10 --> 5079.08] because the word +[5079.08 --> 5079.62] in Greek, +[5079.80 --> 5080.20] Nikola, +[5080.58 --> 5081.74] means let us eat, +[5082.82 --> 5082.94] right, +[5082.98 --> 5083.82] but what scholars +[5083.82 --> 5084.56] agree on +[5084.56 --> 5085.88] is what's happening +[5085.88 --> 5087.02] in this practice +[5087.02 --> 5087.74] and in this group, +[5087.82 --> 5088.52] what they taught. +[5089.08 --> 5089.88] This group taught +[5089.88 --> 5091.62] that it was okay +[5091.62 --> 5093.10] to eat meat +[5093.10 --> 5094.18] sacrificed +[5094.18 --> 5095.38] to idols +[5095.38 --> 5097.60] and then would +[5097.60 --> 5098.52] take that +[5098.52 --> 5099.50] as a further +[5099.50 --> 5100.60] license +[5100.60 --> 5102.10] into licentious +[5102.10 --> 5102.68] behavior. +[5102.84 --> 5103.06] They would +[5103.06 --> 5103.90] take that +[5103.90 --> 5104.90] and turn it +[5104.90 --> 5106.58] into self-indulgent +[5106.58 --> 5107.44] behavior, +[5107.58 --> 5108.30] into practices +[5108.30 --> 5109.28] that participated +[5109.28 --> 5110.64] in idolatry. +[5111.88 --> 5113.50] Clement of Alexandria, +[5114.40 --> 5116.52] who is a second century, +[5116.68 --> 5117.70] so very early on, +[5117.78 --> 5118.56] church leader, +[5119.22 --> 5119.88] he writes +[5119.88 --> 5121.22] of the Nicolaitans, +[5121.34 --> 5121.76] he says, +[5122.14 --> 5123.64] they abandoned themselves +[5123.64 --> 5124.40] to pleasure +[5124.40 --> 5125.32] like goats, +[5126.28 --> 5127.28] leading a life +[5127.28 --> 5128.96] of self-indulgence. +[5128.96 --> 5129.00] goats. +[5130.08 --> 5130.96] I know some of you +[5130.96 --> 5131.64] have goats +[5131.64 --> 5134.16] and you know +[5134.16 --> 5135.14] how easily +[5135.14 --> 5135.80] they can go +[5135.80 --> 5136.60] from place to place +[5136.60 --> 5137.08] just taking +[5137.08 --> 5137.82] whatever they have. +[5137.98 --> 5138.72] If they break out +[5138.72 --> 5139.24] of their pen +[5139.24 --> 5140.00] into your garden, +[5140.10 --> 5140.50] they will eat +[5140.50 --> 5141.10] all the flowers +[5141.10 --> 5142.18] off of the plants +[5142.18 --> 5142.66] that you have there. +[5142.72 --> 5143.74] They're self-indulgent. +[5143.82 --> 5144.34] They don't care, +[5145.34 --> 5145.48] right? +[5145.48 --> 5145.94] If it's there, +[5146.02 --> 5146.64] they're going to eat it +[5146.64 --> 5147.78] and not even if it's food, +[5147.94 --> 5148.10] right? +[5148.18 --> 5149.32] Goats will eat paper +[5149.32 --> 5150.12] and garbage +[5150.12 --> 5151.28] that you leave out. +[5152.54 --> 5153.46] That's what these people +[5153.46 --> 5153.98] were doing, +[5154.20 --> 5155.50] but their sin +[5155.50 --> 5156.96] is even greater +[5156.96 --> 5157.88] because they were +[5157.88 --> 5159.18] encouraging others +[5159.18 --> 5159.82] to do the same, +[5160.98 --> 5161.16] right? +[5161.18 --> 5161.86] So it's not just +[5161.86 --> 5162.40] that they were eating +[5162.40 --> 5163.42] meat sacrificed to idols +[5163.42 --> 5163.88] because, in fact, +[5164.06 --> 5164.90] you can go to Romans, +[5165.00 --> 5165.42] for instance, +[5165.56 --> 5166.50] and Paul will have +[5166.50 --> 5167.40] a complicated argument +[5167.40 --> 5167.92] about that. +[5168.12 --> 5168.84] It says that in the end, +[5168.90 --> 5170.18] that doesn't really matter +[5170.18 --> 5171.80] because what are idols +[5171.80 --> 5172.76] but wood and stone? +[5173.76 --> 5174.48] What matters +[5174.48 --> 5175.72] is that they are +[5175.72 --> 5177.14] enticing people +[5177.14 --> 5178.62] away from the truth. +[5178.70 --> 5180.18] They are driving people +[5180.18 --> 5181.64] into sin. +[5183.64 --> 5185.62] That's the disunity +[5185.62 --> 5187.72] of the Nicolaitans. +[5190.56 --> 5192.56] That's the celebration. +[5192.76 --> 5193.40] That's why they are +[5193.40 --> 5194.52] held up again +[5194.52 --> 5196.70] and why Jesus says +[5196.70 --> 5197.68] he hates them +[5197.68 --> 5199.82] because they're breaking +[5199.82 --> 5202.32] the unity of his bride. +[5203.58 --> 5205.38] Self-indulgence divides +[5205.38 --> 5206.34] the church. +[5208.06 --> 5209.38] Living in anticipation +[5209.38 --> 5210.68] of the return of the king +[5210.68 --> 5211.80] invites us to be +[5211.80 --> 5213.02] a people of patient +[5213.02 --> 5214.40] endurance and faith +[5214.40 --> 5215.72] who can live rejoicing +[5215.72 --> 5217.06] in the world to come +[5217.06 --> 5218.20] and with joy +[5218.20 --> 5219.24] in the world that is +[5219.24 --> 5221.26] holding on to the love +[5221.26 --> 5222.90] that holds on to us, +[5223.34 --> 5225.04] living it boldly. +[5225.66 --> 5228.22] We live this love boldly +[5228.22 --> 5230.36] when we desire +[5230.36 --> 5231.96] and work towards +[5231.96 --> 5233.16] and maintain +[5233.16 --> 5234.62] and pursue +[5234.62 --> 5235.60] the unity +[5235.60 --> 5237.24] of the church. +[5237.78 --> 5239.78] We live this love boldly +[5239.78 --> 5240.40] when we celebrate +[5240.94 --> 5242.20] our diversity +[5242.20 --> 5243.38] as a reflection +[5243.38 --> 5245.16] of the kingdom come +[5245.16 --> 5246.28] and the kingdom coming +[5246.28 --> 5247.58] as the new creation +[5247.58 --> 5248.72] of all nations, +[5248.96 --> 5249.24] tribes, +[5249.36 --> 5249.78] and tongues +[5249.78 --> 5251.04] stand around +[5251.04 --> 5252.72] the table of our Lord +[5252.72 --> 5254.32] feasting together +[5254.32 --> 5255.80] with the Lamb. +[5258.10 --> 5261.14] This is who +[5261.14 --> 5262.68] we are called +[5262.68 --> 5263.94] to be. +[5264.98 --> 5266.06] And in responding +[5266.06 --> 5266.84] to that call, +[5266.94 --> 5268.64] we come to this table now +[5268.64 --> 5270.04] both in anticipation +[5270.04 --> 5271.22] of that feast, +[5271.32 --> 5273.04] but also to feed us +[5273.04 --> 5275.14] and to fuel us +[5275.14 --> 5276.56] towards +[5276.56 --> 5278.00] that feast. +[5278.88 --> 5280.22] This is the table +[5280.22 --> 5280.98] around which +[5280.98 --> 5281.72] we stand +[5281.72 --> 5282.62] united. +[5283.56 --> 5284.32] And so, +[5284.50 --> 5285.32] we are going to come +[5285.32 --> 5286.64] to this table together, +[5286.76 --> 5287.50] which is why we've +[5287.50 --> 5289.22] also invited the kids +[5289.22 --> 5289.86] to come back +[5289.86 --> 5290.74] and why we invite them +[5290.74 --> 5291.22] to come +[5291.22 --> 5292.96] so that we might come +[5292.96 --> 5293.86] united +[5293.86 --> 5295.24] to the table. +[5295.78 --> 5296.98] So that we might have +[5296.98 --> 5298.32] heard the promises +[5298.32 --> 5299.64] of God given in baptism, +[5299.80 --> 5300.74] we might have seen +[5300.74 --> 5302.02] the call of God +[5302.02 --> 5303.62] spoken in the word +[5303.62 --> 5304.88] and that we might now +[5304.88 --> 5306.30] live that together +[5306.30 --> 5308.40] here around his table. +[5308.88 --> 5309.66] Coming to the table, +[5309.78 --> 5310.70] we will move through +[5310.70 --> 5312.18] a liturgy together. +[5312.32 --> 5312.88] There will be +[5312.88 --> 5314.16] responsive portions +[5314.16 --> 5315.86] on the screen behind me. +[5316.00 --> 5316.62] I encourage you +[5316.62 --> 5317.32] to speak that +[5317.32 --> 5318.34] as we come. +[5320.00 --> 5321.32] Lift up your hearts. +[5322.32 --> 5323.82] Give the love to the Lord. +[5323.82 --> 5325.34] Let us give thanks +[5325.34 --> 5326.00] to the Lord. +[5329.38 --> 5330.44] Let's pray together. +[5333.50 --> 5334.52] With joy, +[5334.70 --> 5335.86] we praise you, +[5336.32 --> 5337.02] gracious God. +[5337.86 --> 5338.86] For you have created +[5338.86 --> 5339.52] heaven and earth, +[5339.60 --> 5340.16] have made us +[5340.16 --> 5340.86] in your image, +[5340.94 --> 5341.70] have kept covenant +[5341.70 --> 5342.20] with us, +[5342.46 --> 5343.68] even when we fell +[5343.68 --> 5344.26] into sin. +[5344.98 --> 5346.34] We give you thanks +[5346.34 --> 5347.48] for Jesus Christ, +[5347.90 --> 5349.14] who by his life, +[5349.30 --> 5349.52] death, +[5349.60 --> 5350.20] and resurrection +[5350.20 --> 5351.34] opened to us +[5351.34 --> 5352.64] the way of life +[5352.64 --> 5353.70] everlasting. +[5354.80 --> 5355.20] Amen. +[5358.72 --> 5359.28] Jesus, +[5359.74 --> 5361.12] before he suffered, +[5361.48 --> 5363.20] gave us this memorial +[5363.20 --> 5364.52] of his sacrifice +[5364.52 --> 5366.88] until he comes again. +[5367.88 --> 5368.72] The Lord Jesus, +[5368.98 --> 5370.44] on the night he was betrayed, +[5371.08 --> 5371.64] took bread. +[5372.46 --> 5373.82] And when he had given thanks, +[5373.98 --> 5375.20] he broke it and said, +[5375.36 --> 5376.86] this is my body, +[5377.30 --> 5378.46] which is for you. +[5379.10 --> 5380.66] Do this in remembrance +[5380.66 --> 5381.84] of me. +[5382.64 --> 5384.58] In the same way, +[5384.80 --> 5385.76] he took the cup +[5385.76 --> 5386.84] after supper +[5386.84 --> 5387.80] and said, +[5388.38 --> 5388.90] this cup +[5388.90 --> 5390.16] is the new covenant +[5390.16 --> 5391.58] in my blood. +[5394.80 --> 5396.08] Do this +[5396.08 --> 5396.90] in remembrance +[5396.90 --> 5398.12] of me. +[5399.28 --> 5400.74] For whenever we eat +[5400.74 --> 5401.62] this bread +[5401.62 --> 5402.74] and drink +[5402.74 --> 5403.66] this cup, +[5403.78 --> 5404.42] we proclaim +[5404.42 --> 5405.34] the Lord's death +[5405.34 --> 5406.20] and resurrection +[5406.20 --> 5407.68] until he comes +[5407.68 --> 5408.62] again. +[5408.62 --> 5412.10] this is the mystery +[5412.10 --> 5413.82] of our faith. +[5414.78 --> 5415.78] For the rest +[5415.78 --> 5416.58] of your faith, +[5416.58 --> 5416.88] we affirm +[5416.88 --> 5421.68] with joy. +[5422.36 --> 5423.00] Your coming, +[5423.18 --> 5423.68] we await +[5423.68 --> 5424.28] with hope. +[5424.94 --> 5426.30] Glory be to you, +[5426.52 --> 5427.00] Lord Jesus. +[5428.34 --> 5429.30] Church family, +[5429.40 --> 5430.74] the Lord has prepared +[5430.74 --> 5431.66] his table +[5431.66 --> 5432.78] for all who +[5432.78 --> 5434.32] trust in him +[5434.32 --> 5435.08] and all who +[5435.08 --> 5436.48] love him. +[5436.48 --> 5437.80] and so, +[5438.00 --> 5439.04] come to this +[5439.04 --> 5439.68] table, +[5440.18 --> 5441.06] you who have +[5441.06 --> 5441.86] much faith +[5441.86 --> 5442.56] and you who +[5442.56 --> 5442.98] would like +[5442.98 --> 5443.64] to have more. +[5444.28 --> 5445.16] Come to this +[5445.16 --> 5445.44] table, +[5445.58 --> 5446.10] you who have +[5446.10 --> 5446.74] been to this +[5446.74 --> 5447.60] sacrament often +[5447.60 --> 5448.52] and you who +[5448.52 --> 5449.28] have not been +[5449.28 --> 5450.34] for a long time +[5450.34 --> 5451.34] or you who are +[5451.34 --> 5452.20] coming in faith +[5452.20 --> 5453.20] for the first time. +[5453.86 --> 5454.62] You who have +[5454.62 --> 5455.58] tried to follow +[5455.58 --> 5456.02] Jesus +[5456.02 --> 5457.28] and you who +[5457.28 --> 5458.44] have failed. +[5458.98 --> 5459.68] Come to this +[5459.68 --> 5460.40] table if you are +[5460.40 --> 5461.58] here with us +[5461.58 --> 5462.30] or at home +[5462.30 --> 5463.42] online because +[5463.42 --> 5464.32] it is Christ +[5464.32 --> 5465.52] who invites +[5465.52 --> 5467.04] us here. +[5467.94 --> 5468.64] The gifts +[5468.64 --> 5469.22] of God +[5469.22 --> 5470.44] for the people +[5470.44 --> 5471.52] of God. +[5472.94 --> 5473.80] As we come +[5473.80 --> 5474.52] to this table, +[5475.28 --> 5475.92] the ushers +[5475.92 --> 5476.82] are going to +[5476.82 --> 5478.20] move back +[5478.20 --> 5479.02] row by row +[5479.02 --> 5479.70] inviting you +[5479.70 --> 5480.32] to come to the +[5480.32 --> 5480.56] front. +[5480.68 --> 5481.06] We will then +[5481.06 --> 5481.82] gather in a +[5481.82 --> 5483.12] circle around +[5483.12 --> 5484.96] here and we +[5484.96 --> 5486.00] will pass the +[5486.00 --> 5487.14] elements around +[5487.14 --> 5487.78] the circle. +[5488.24 --> 5489.56] As you receive +[5489.56 --> 5491.14] the tray of +[5491.14 --> 5492.00] bread and as +[5492.00 --> 5492.78] you pass that +[5492.78 --> 5493.36] to the person +[5493.36 --> 5494.16] beside you, +[5494.56 --> 5495.14] we invite you +[5495.14 --> 5495.88] to say the +[5495.88 --> 5496.78] body of Christ +[5496.78 --> 5498.06] given for you +[5498.06 --> 5498.54] and then as +[5498.54 --> 5499.18] you pass the +[5499.18 --> 5500.08] tray of juice, +[5500.22 --> 5500.72] we invite you +[5500.72 --> 5501.66] to say the +[5501.66 --> 5502.62] blood of Christ +[5502.62 --> 5503.78] shed for you. +[5505.10 --> 5505.54] We are going +[5505.54 --> 5506.54] to invite the +[5506.54 --> 5507.44] worship leaders +[5507.44 --> 5508.94] and elders to +[5508.94 --> 5509.56] come up to the +[5509.56 --> 5510.16] front who are +[5510.16 --> 5510.94] serving so that +[5510.94 --> 5512.04] we can serve +[5512.04 --> 5512.62] them first and +[5512.62 --> 5513.04] then they will +[5513.04 --> 5514.24] lead us in song. +[5514.66 --> 5515.22] As well, +[5515.36 --> 5515.98] during our +[5515.98 --> 5516.56] Lord's Supper +[5516.56 --> 5517.44] service, if you +[5517.44 --> 5518.16] would like prayer +[5518.16 --> 5518.86] or if you want +[5518.86 --> 5520.20] to connect with +[5520.20 --> 5521.16] someone before +[5521.16 --> 5521.80] coming up to +[5521.80 --> 5522.22] the table, +[5522.22 --> 5522.70] there are +[5522.70 --> 5523.24] people who +[5523.24 --> 5523.52] will be +[5523.52 --> 5524.62] available in +[5524.62 --> 5524.98] the back +[5524.98 --> 5525.48] room there. +[5525.68 --> 5526.14] They have +[5526.14 --> 5526.88] name tags on, +[5527.04 --> 5527.44] there should be +[5527.44 --> 5528.08] a yellow square +[5528.08 --> 5528.58] on them, you +[5528.58 --> 5529.16] can grab them, +[5529.54 --> 5530.00] they will pray +[5530.00 --> 5531.44] with you and +[5531.44 --> 5532.56] then you may +[5532.56 --> 5533.76] come to the +[5533.76 --> 5534.04] table. +[5534.42 --> 5534.64] I'm going to +[5534.64 --> 5535.92] invite the elders +[5535.92 --> 5536.38] and worship +[5536.38 --> 5537.16] leaders to come +[5537.16 --> 5538.24] to the front at +[5538.24 --> 5538.58] this time. +[5538.58 --> 5538.64] Thank you. +[5538.64 --> 5540.64] Thank you. +[5540.64 --> 5542.64] Thank you. +[5542.64 --> 5544.64] Thank you. +[5544.64 --> 5545.64] Thank you. +[5545.64 --> 5546.64] Thank you. +[5546.64 --> 5547.64] Thank you. +[5547.64 --> 5548.64] Thank you. +[5548.64 --> 5549.64] Thank you. +[5549.64 --> 5550.64] Thank you. +[5550.64 --> 5551.64] Thank you. +[5551.64 --> 5552.18] Thank you. +[5552.22 --> 5553.22] God. +[5553.22 --> 5553.24] God. +[5553.24 --> 5553.76] Body of Christ +[5553.76 --> 5554.50] given for you. +[5556.50 --> 5557.38] Body of Christ +[5557.38 --> 5558.00] given for you. +[5563.02 --> 5563.82] Body of Christ +[5563.82 --> 5564.48] given for you. +[5565.38 --> 5566.08] Body of Christ +[5566.08 --> 5566.68] given for you. +[5566.68 --> 5576.74] The Body of Christ +[5576.74 --> 5578.74] given for you. +[5578.74 --> 5591.94] eat and remember +[5608.74 --> 5611.98] the blood of Christ shed for you +[5611.98 --> 5615.98] the blood of Christ shed for you +[5617.56 --> 5625.46] the blood of Christ shed for you +[5625.46 --> 5627.52] the blood of Christ shed for you +[5638.74 --> 5668.72] Thank you. +[5668.74 --> 5698.72] Thank you. +[5698.74 --> 5728.72] Thank you. +[5728.74 --> 5758.72] Thank you. +[5758.74 --> 5760.74] Thank you. +[5788.74 --> 5793.74] Oh my soul rejoice. +[5794.74 --> 5798.74] Take joy my King. +[5798.74 --> 5810.74] May it be a sweet, sweet sound in your ear. +[5810.74 --> 5822.74] May it be a sweet, sweet sound in your ear. +[5822.74 --> 5832.74] May it be a sweet, sweet sound in your ear. +[5832.74 --> 5834.74] I exalt thee. +[5862.74 --> 5868.74] I exalt thee, I exalt thee, I exalt thee. +[5868.74 --> 5878.74] Oh Lord, I exalt thee. +[5878.74 --> 5888.74] I exalt thee, I exalt thee. +[5888.74 --> 5898.74] Oh Lord, I exalt thee. +[5898.74 --> 5902.74] I exalt thee. +[5902.74 --> 5908.74] I exalt thee. +[5908.74 --> 5910.74] Oh Lord. +[5910.74 --> 5912.74] Oh Lord. +[5912.74 --> 5914.74] Oh Lord. +[5914.74 --> 5920.74] Oh Lord. +[5920.74 --> 5930.74] Come, thou long-expective Jesus, born to set thy people free. +[5930.74 --> 5943.74] Come, thou long-expective Jesus, born to set thy people free. +[5943.74 --> 5955.74] From our fears and sins release us, let us find our rest in thee. +[5955.74 --> 5957.74] Jesus, O Lord. +[5957.74 --> 5959.74] Jesus, strength and consolation. +[5959.74 --> 5965.74] Hope of all the earth, thou art. +[5965.74 --> 5977.74] Dear desire of every nation, joy of every longing heart. +[5977.74 --> 5987.74] Born thy people to deliver, born a child and yet a king. +[5987.74 --> 5999.74] Born to reign in us forever, now thy gracious kingdom free. +[5999.74 --> 6010.74] By thy own eternal spirit, rule in all our hearts alone. +[6010.74 --> 6024.74] By thine all-sufficient merit, raise us to thy glorious throne. +[6040.74 --> 6042.74] Lord, O Lord. +[6042.74 --> 6043.74] Lord, O Lord. +[6043.74 --> 6044.74] Lord, O Lord. +[6044.74 --> 6045.74] Lord, O Lord. +[6045.74 --> 6046.74] Lord, O Lord. +[6046.74 --> 6047.74] Lord, O Lord. +[6047.74 --> 6055.74] Angels from the crowns of glory, bring your fight for all the earth. +[6055.74 --> 6062.74] You who sang creation's story, now proclaim the Zion's word. +[6062.74 --> 6069.74] Come and worship, come and worship, worship Christ the newborn King. +[6069.74 --> 6071.74] Lord, o Lord. +[6071.74 --> 6072.74] Who've seen you from today, come my boy. +[6072.74 --> 6073.74] You who singでき strong, thank you the alt iten. +[6073.74 --> 6074.74] Since your cuntic avaient his son, put some law and zwei and onepf. +[6074.74 --> 6075.74] To belong to whom your own Ezra, hila will know the Murray. +[6075.74 --> 6095.24] If there's love to save us whereas your eternal truth,miyor us ungly Ci +[6095.24 --> 6097.24] new born King +[6099.24 --> 6103.24] know an infant knowing you in me +[6103.24 --> 6107.24] will share his father's throne +[6107.24 --> 6111.24] gather all the nations to him +[6111.24 --> 6115.24] every knee shall then grow down +[6115.24 --> 6119.24] come and worship, come and worship +[6119.24 --> 6123.24] worship Christ the new born King +[6123.24 --> 6127.24] O creation, joy +[6127.24 --> 6129.24] and praising God the +[6129.24 --> 6131.24] Father, Spirit, Son +[6131.24 --> 6133.24] evermore +[6133.24 --> 6135.24] your voice is +[6135.24 --> 6137.24] raising to the eternal +[6137.24 --> 6139.24] free in time +[6139.24 --> 6141.24] come and worship +[6141.24 --> 6143.24] come and worship +[6143.24 --> 6145.24] worship Christ the +[6145.24 --> 6147.24] new born King +[6147.24 --> 6149.24] worship Christ the +[6149.24 --> 6151.24] new born King +[6151.24 --> 6153.24] home +[6153.24 --> 6155.24] Amen. +[6183.24 --> 6188.44] We worship and adore you. +[6188.44 --> 6197.44] Glorify thy name in all the earth. +[6197.44 --> 6203.94] Glorify thy name. +[6203.94 --> 6208.94] Glorify thy name. +[6208.94 --> 6218.94] Glorify thy name in all the earth. +[6218.94 --> 6223.94] Jesus, we love you. +[6223.94 --> 6229.94] We worship, we adore you. +[6229.94 --> 6237.94] Glorify thy name in all the earth. +[6237.94 --> 6243.94] Glorify thy name. +[6243.94 --> 6247.94] Glorify thy name. +[6247.94 --> 6259.94] Glorify thy name in all the earth. +[6259.94 --> 6265.94] Spirit, we love you. +[6265.94 --> 6269.94] We worship and adore you. +[6269.94 --> 6279.94] Glorify thy name in all the earth. +[6279.94 --> 6285.94] Glorify thy name. +[6285.94 --> 6289.94] Glorify thy name. +[6289.94 --> 6293.94] Glorify thy name in all the earth. +[6293.94 --> 6303.94] Glorify thy name. +[6303.94 --> 6305.94] Glorify thy name. +[6305.94 --> 6307.94] Glorify thy name. +[6307.94 --> 6319.94] Glorify thy name in all the earth. +[6319.94 --> 6321.94] Glorify thy name in all the earth. +[6321.94 --> 6327.90] Glorify thy name. +[6327.94 --> 6335.00] Glorify thy name. +[6335.00 --> 6361.72] Rejoice, the Lord is King, your Lord and King adore. +[6361.72 --> 6371.10] Rejoice, the thanksgiving, triumph nevermore. +[6371.10 --> 6384.90] Lift up your heart, lift up your voice, rejoice again, I say, rejoice. +[6384.90 --> 6393.94] His kingdom cannot fail, he rules nor have an end. +[6394.36 --> 6402.28] The keys of death and hell to Christ the Lord are King. +[6402.28 --> 6414.28] Lift up your heart, lift up your voice, rejoice again, I say, rejoice. +[6414.28 --> 6424.28] Since that God's right hand, till all is first amid, +[6425.50 --> 6433.28] bow down at his command and fall beneath his feet. +[6433.28 --> 6447.38] Lift up your heart, lift up your voice, rejoice again, I say, rejoice. +[6447.38 --> 6457.38] Rejoice in glorious hope, for Christ the judge shall come. +[6457.38 --> 6466.38] To gather all his saints to their eternal home. +[6466.38 --> 6474.38] We soon shall hear your angels' voice. +[6474.38 --> 6482.38] The trumpet of God shall sound with rejoice. +[6482.38 --> 6506.84] Great is he who's the King of kings and the Lord of lords, he is wonderful. +[6506.84 --> 6522.00] Great is he who's the King of kings and the Lord of lords, he is wonderful. +[6522.00 --> 6538.00] Great is he who's the King of kings and the Lord of lords, he is wonderful. +[6538.00 --> 6553.00] Great is he who's the King of kings and the Lord of lords, he is wonderful. +[6553.00 --> 6582.98] Great is he who's the King of kings and the Lord of lords, he is wonderful. +[6582.98 --> 6612.96] Great is he who's the King of kings and the Lord of lords, he is wonderful. +[6612.96 --> 6615.96] Wonderful. +[6642.96 --> 6672.94] Thank you. +[6672.96 --> 6702.94] Thank you. +[6702.96 --> 6732.94] Thank you. +[6732.96 --> 6762.94] Thank you. +[6762.96 --> 6792.94] Thank you. +[6792.96 --> 6794.96] Thank you. +[6799.60 --> 6803.62] We're going to end our time at the table with a prayer. +[6804.18 --> 6809.30] Following that prayer, I'm going to invite Eric Van Heusen, Chair of Council, up to the front one more time. +[6809.30 --> 6839.28] Let's pray together. +[6839.30 --> 6843.22] We're going to join us with a mission of your holiness. +[6844.90 --> 6847.42] United, we come to this table. +[6847.64 --> 6850.22] United, we go on mission. +[6850.22 --> 6853.46] In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. +[6853.46 --> 6860.56] Okay. +[6860.56 --> 6875.76] At this time, we're going to do a little appreciation for Sylvia. +[6875.76 --> 6879.28] But before I call her up, I have one other announcement from Council for everyone. +[6879.28 --> 6884.00] As was mentioned, has been mentioned every week, usually in December, as we get close +[6884.00 --> 6885.00] to the end of the year. +[6885.00 --> 6890.12] We just want to encourage everyone to make sure that your givings are up and that we +[6890.12 --> 6894.62] can make sure that we are fulfilling our budget obligations for the year. +[6894.62 --> 6898.80] So we'd like to give you a reminder for that at this time of the year. +[6898.80 --> 6903.20] But what we really want to do right now is invite Sylvie up front here for a brief little +[6903.20 --> 6906.26] moment. +[6906.26 --> 6912.62] For those of you who don't know, Sylvia is retiring from being our church administrator. +[6912.62 --> 6917.36] So if you walked in this morning and you're wondering why the cake's out there, we're going +[6917.36 --> 6921.96] to have a little bit of time of appreciation for Sylvia. +[6921.96 --> 6926.30] Sylvia, we just want to thank you on behalf of Council and everyone here for your eight +[6926.30 --> 6928.16] and a half years of service. +[6928.16 --> 6932.20] Through those times, I'm sure, especially the last couple of years with COVID, I'm sure +[6932.20 --> 6939.52] it was difficult dealing with changing pastors, changing chairs of council. +[6939.52 --> 6944.26] The last one's a real piece, but that's okay. +[6944.26 --> 6947.26] I just want to thank you for your time and your appreciation. +[6947.26 --> 6954.00] And I brought, we got you this beautiful bouquet of flowers that we want to give to you. +[6954.00 --> 6958.64] As well, we thought we would get you a gift. +[6958.64 --> 6964.20] And I did a lot of research and I decided that I would go way out on a limb here and get you +[6964.20 --> 6967.94] one of these. +[6967.94 --> 6973.94] But before I give you this, as you can see, I didn't get a vase for the flowers because +[6973.94 --> 6975.26] I went all out on this. +[6975.26 --> 6977.26] I blew the budget on this fishing rod here. +[6977.26 --> 6983.50] But I figured you'd have a vase at home. +[6983.50 --> 6987.98] I went to the best fishing store in town, McFrugal's. +[6987.98 --> 6990.26] And I bought this expensive fishing rod. +[6990.26 --> 6991.26] And I bought this expensive fishing rod. +[6991.26 --> 6995.26] It comes with a little bit of an oath and vow you have to make to it. +[6995.26 --> 7000.26] So I would like you to repeat after me if you don't mind. +[7000.26 --> 7007.26] I, Sylvia, take you this fishing rod as my retirement friend. +[7007.26 --> 7013.26] I, Sylvia, take you this fishing rod as my retirement friend. +[7013.26 --> 7014.26] And you don't have. +[7014.26 --> 7015.48] I will love you. +[7015.48 --> 7016.86] dép смотреть +[7016.86 --> 7017.98] I will love you. +[7017.98 --> 7020.92] I will cherish you. +[7020.92 --> 7022.26] I will cherish you. +[7022.62 --> 7026.10] I will take good care of you. +[7026.10 --> 7028.00] I will take good care of you. +[7028.00 --> 7035.04] When your time is done fishing rod, I will retire you graciously. +[7035.04 --> 7037.44] When your time is done near fishing +[7037.44 --> 7040.34] rod, I will retire you graciously. +[7040.34 --> 7045.74] I will not lie about any situation that involves this fishing rod. +[7045.74 --> 7050.52] I will not lie about any situation that involves this fishing rod. +[7050.52 --> 7055.38] I will not exaggerate any situation that involves this fishing rod. +[7055.38 --> 7060.30] I will not exaggerate any situation that involves this fishing rod. +[7060.30 --> 7063.52] Only truth and honesty will be spoken. +[7063.52 --> 7066.86] Only truth and honesty will be spoken. +[7066.86 --> 7072.54] And finally, I will be a great partner to my husband who will want me to go fishing more now that I am retired. +[7077.88 --> 7082.30] I will be a great partner to my husband who will want to go fishing more. +[7083.42 --> 7085.78] Well done. I present you this fishing rod. +[7086.24 --> 7088.26] Thank you very much. Round of applause. Thank you. +[7096.86 --> 7097.86] Thank you. +[7102.86 --> 7108.00] Does anyone else remember when Homer Simpson gave Marge a bowling ball that said Homer on it? +[7110.22 --> 7111.78] Frank, did you have a hand in that gift? +[7114.90 --> 7116.02] It would have been a... Oh. +[7117.52 --> 7119.00] Eric, he's telling you how to do your job. +[7120.72 --> 7122.78] We do want to say thank you, Sylvia. +[7123.20 --> 7126.66] As staff, we have organized a separate time for that, +[7126.66 --> 7129.06] so I won't take any more of our time this morning, +[7129.26 --> 7135.26] except to make sure you hear the invitation to stick around for cake and to congratulate Sylvia. +[7135.38 --> 7141.42] One of the things she loves most is when people queue up to fill her next 45 minutes with personal interaction and time. +[7141.60 --> 7143.28] So make sure you do that well. +[7144.38 --> 7149.40] I'm going to invite you as you are able to stand, and we can receive God's blessing today. +[7156.66 --> 7162.04] We go with God who goes with us, and we go together. +[7163.04 --> 7165.00] Receive the blessing of God. +[7166.26 --> 7169.00] God, go before you to prepare a way for you. +[7169.48 --> 7172.02] God, go behind you to protect you. +[7172.62 --> 7174.68] God, go beneath you to support you. +[7174.76 --> 7177.64] And God, go beside you to befriend you. +[7177.64 --> 7179.32] Do not be afraid. +[7179.76 --> 7181.72] Let the blessing of God come upon you today. +[7181.84 --> 7188.40] Do not be afraid, but go in peace to love and serve the Lord. +[7189.40 --> 7190.04] Amen. +[7190.04 --> 7190.12] Amen. +[7190.12 --> 7210.38] Should nothing of our efforts stand, +[7210.38 --> 7216.38] No legacy survive. +[7216.38 --> 7222.88] Unless the Lord does raise the house, +[7223.34 --> 7228.62] In vain its builders strive. +[7229.36 --> 7235.04] To you who boast tomorrow's game, +[7235.04 --> 7240.66] Tell me what is your life. +[7241.24 --> 7247.00] A mist that vanishes at dawn, +[7247.00 --> 7252.68] All glory be to Christ. +[7252.68 --> 7259.42] All glory be to Christ our King. +[7259.42 --> 7265.32] All glory be to Christ. +[7265.32 --> 7271.80] His rule and reign will ever sing. +[7271.80 --> 7278.06] All glory be to Christ. +[7278.06 --> 7287.64] Will be done His kingdom come on earth as this of all. +[7287.64 --> 7291.44] Who is Himself our daily? +[7291.44 --> 7295.78] We'll praise Him, the Lord of love. +[7296.22 --> 7303.90] We'll give you water, satisfy the mercy with the Christ. +[7303.90 --> 7307.48] Will take the cup of life. +[7307.48 --> 7311.80] We'll give you water, satisfy the mercy with the Lord. +[7311.80 --> 7316.10] All glory be to Christ our King. +[7316.10 --> 7319.86] All glory be to Christ. +[7319.86 --> 7324.16] His rule and reign will ever sing. +[7324.16 --> 7328.02] All glory be to Christ our King. +[7328.02 --> 7338.00] All glory be to Christ our King. +[7338.00 --> 7341.32] All glory be to Christ our King. +[7341.32 --> 7349.38] All glory be to Christ our King. +[7349.38 --> 7379.36] All glory be to Christ our King. +[7379.36 --> 7386.36] All glory be to Christ our King. +[7386.36 --> 7392.36] His rule and reign will ever sing. +[7392.36 --> 7399.36] All glory be to Christ. +[7399.36 --> 7416.98] All glory be to Christ our King. +[7416.98 --> 7446.96] Thank you. +[7446.98 --> 7476.96] Thank you.