WEBVTT
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(high pitched beeping)
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(soft organ music)
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(humming)
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(chattering)
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♪ I will greatly rejoice in the Lord ♪
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♪ For my soul shall exalt in my God ♪
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♪ For he has clothed me ♪
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♪ With the garments of salvation ♪
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♪ He has covered me ♪
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♪ With the robe of righteousness ♪
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♪ As a bridegroom, as a bridegroom ♪
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♪ Decks himself in the robe, decks himself in the robe ♪
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♪ As a bride adorns herself with her jewels ♪
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♪ Adorns herself with her jewels ♪
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♪ With her jewels ♪
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♪ For as the earth springs forth its sprouts ♪
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♪ And as a garden causes what is sown ♪
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♪ And as a garden causes what is sown to spring up ♪
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♪ To spring up ♪
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♪ So the Lord God, the Lord God, the Lord ♪
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♪ Will cause righteousness and praise ♪
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♪ Will cause righteousness and praise ♪
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♪ To spring forth ♪
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♪ To spring forth ♪
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♪ To spring forth ♪
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♪ Before all our nations ♪
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(soft organ music)
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(muffled choir singing)
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Be seated.
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We have been unwilling to be faithful.
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We have failed to take seriously
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our responsibility to other persons,
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and we ignore the tragedy of human separation.
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Hear then, oh God, our prayer for forgiveness.
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Oh God, we depart from what has gone
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for better or for worse.
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We strike upon the hopeful opportunities
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of the days yet to come.
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However, let us not forget our mistakes of the past.
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Deliver us, Lord, from the arrogance of prejudice,
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the delusion of pride,
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the extravagance of greed,
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the pity of uninvolvement.
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Turn not away from us, oh Lord,
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in the presence of our iniquities.
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Forgive us, renew us, inspire us,
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that we may evolve maturely beyond
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our crooked paths of yesterday.
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This we pray through Jesus Christ our Lord.
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Amen.
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May Almighty God,
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who caused light to shine out of darkness,
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shine in our hearts,
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cleansing us from all our sins
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and restoring us to the light
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of the knowledge of God's glory
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in the face of Jesus Christ our Lord.
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Amen.
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Let us give thanks for God is good
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and God's love is everlasting.
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Thanks be to God
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whose love has made us.
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Thanks be to God
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whose mercy forgives us.
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Thanks be to God
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whose promise secures us.
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Amen.
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We welcome you this morning
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to the university service of worship
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here at Duke University Chapel.
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It is a day of national rejoicing
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as we welcome home
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our American hostages from Iran.
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And we surely join in prayer and thought
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with these 52 Americans as they return home,
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and with their families,
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as somehow they begin now to begin now to,
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begin to face the future and what lies ahead.
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Our prayers, our love and thoughts
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surround them in this reentry time.
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You will note in the bulletin that
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the American Cross Bloodmobile
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will be here tomorrow on campus.
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We invite you to come and participate.
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It will be in the chapel basement area,
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Monday and Tuesday.
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Please come by if you can be a possible donor
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to this worthy cause.
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You will also note that we are receiving
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applications for Student Preacher Sunday
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to be March the 1st of this year.
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We invite any student, undergraduate or graduate,
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to consider applying for this opportunity
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to preach in Duke Chapel.
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You are welcome to submit an application.
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We will schedule an interview for you
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and we look forward to meeting with some of you
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for this very special occasion.
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Let us pray.
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Oh Lord our God,
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you have given your Word
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to be a lamp unto our feet
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and a light unto our path.
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Grant us grace to receive your truth
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in faith and love.
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That by it, we may be prepared
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unto every good word and work,
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to the glory of your name.
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Through Jesus Christ our Lord, amen.
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The Old Testament lesson is from Isaiah chapter nine,
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verses two through seven.
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The people who walked in darkness
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have seen a great light.
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Those who dwelled in a land of deep darkness
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on them has light shined.
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Thou hast multiplied the nation.
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Thou hast increased its joy.
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They rejoice before thee as with joy at the harvest.
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As men rejoice when they divide the spoil.
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For the yoke of his burden
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and the rod for his shoulder,
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the rod of his oppressor,
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thou hast broken as in the day of Midian.
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For every boot of the trampling warrior in battle tumult,
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and every garment rolled in blood
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will be burned as fuel for the fire.
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For unto us a child is born.
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To us, a Son is given.
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And the government will be upon his shoulder.
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And his name will be called Wonderful Counselor,
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Mighty God, Everlasting Father,
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Prince of Peace.
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Of the increase of his government and of peace,
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there will be no end.
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Upon the throne of David
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and over his kingdom to establish it.
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To uphold it with justice and with righteousness.
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From this time forth and forevermore.
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The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.
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Here ends the reading from the Old Testament.
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Amen.
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(soft organ music)
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(muffled choir singing)
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Will the congregation please rise
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for the reading of the New Testament?
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The Gospel is from John chapter three,
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verses 16 through 21.
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For God so loved the world
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that he gave his only Son,
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that whoever believes in him
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should not perish,
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but should have eternal life.
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For God sent the Son into the world,
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not to condemn the world,
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but that the world might be saved through him.
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He who believes in him is not condemned.
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He who does not believe is condemned already
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because he has not believed
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that the light has come into the world.
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And men love darkness rather than light
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because their deeds were evil.
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For everyone who does evil, hates the light,
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and does not come to the light.
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Lest his deeds should be exposed.
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But he who does what is true comes to the light.
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That it may be clearly seen
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that his deeds have been wrought in God.
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Here ends the reading from the Gospel lesson.
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Amen.
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(soft organ music)
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(muffled choir singing)
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In the name of the Lord our God,
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who creates us,
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who through Jesus Christ redeems us,
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and who through the power and presence
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of the Holy Spirit sustains us.
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Amen.
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In the Old Testament and the New Testament,
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in our Holy Bible,
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in our holy Scriptures and what we Christians
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call the written Word of God,
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there are many beautiful, power-filled,
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unforgettable passages.
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Passages that I would call,
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"passages that preach."
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You can recall them.
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1 Corinthians 13.
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The 23rd Psalm.
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Isaiah 6:1 through 8.
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Mark 16, where the words,
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"He is not here, he has risen" are found.
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Luke chapter 15.
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John chapter one, verses one through 14.
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The eighth chapter of the book of Romans.
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Revelation 21 and 22.
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Passages that preach.
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But perhaps the best known, the best remembered,
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the most often repeated passage
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in all of Scripture is John 3:16.
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But as I look at that this morning
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and ask you to look at it with me,
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I want us always to keep John 3:16
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and John 3:17 together.
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For one feeling I have is that when
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we think of John 3:16 only,
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we miss what may be an even greater message,
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which is found in John 3:17.
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"For God so loved the world
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"that he gave his only Son.
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"That whoever believes in him should not perish,
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"but have eternal life.
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"For God sent the Son into the world,
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"not to condemn the world,
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"but that the world through him,
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"might be saved."
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So for the next few times that I preach,
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I want to look at some of these passages that preach.
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These passages that we all know.
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That have well known, ready made, memorable
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messages in them.
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Passages that you could preach about,
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I have an idea, just as well as I could.
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Because I feel that now is the time
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for us within the Christian church
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to get back to the basics,
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to see what are our roots,
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to see what is the faith,
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what are the passages,
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what are the words that have made us
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and that shape us and our lives in Christ.
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It's like Emil Brunner,
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the great late Swiss theologian wrote
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at the beginning of World War II,
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when he and his people, his country,
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were threatened,
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and they knew not what lay ahead.
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They're drops from everyone
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of the great words of the Bible.
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A particularly clear light
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upon the events of time.
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We, he wrote in the early 1940s,
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"we can understand what the issues are today
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"only when we place ourselves at the highest height.
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"We can recognize what God requires of us today
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"only when we reflect upon
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"the deepest foundations of our faith."
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He who wants to build a solid house
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must lay his foundation deep.
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Superficial things of which there are indeed enough
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will not really be of service to us today.
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We want to build our house upon rock,
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upon God's own Word,
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upon Jesus Christ and everything that can make
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God's Word great to us,
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and that can make Jesus Christ
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the center of our thinking and our willing.
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That and that alone is now truly relevant to the times.
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So for the sermons I preach the next few times,
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I want to concentrate on those passages
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that can make God's Word great
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and can make Jesus Christ
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the center of our thinking and our willing.
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Today, John 3:16 through 21.
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And here we see in just a few words
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the fullness of God's divine mind
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and God's divine plan.
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John wants us to know very simply
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that God is love.
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And the first result of God being love
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is that God sends his Son.
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And the second result of God's being love
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is that God is going to save
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the whole world.
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John 3:16 or John 3:16 and 17
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is everybody's text.
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This is everybody's favorite passage, or one of them.
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This is the verse everybody knows and remembers.
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This is the Gospel in miniature,
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as Martin Luther once said.
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All of the Bible's message in just a few lines.
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The entire Word, if you will,
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in just a few words.
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And here, John is summarizing Jesus' message.
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Here John is also summarizing his own message
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that he writes in the Gospel.
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If you read carefully the entire Gospel of John
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all the way through,
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there's certain words and phrases
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that occur over and over.
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Words and phrases that obviously are John's favorite
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very special words.
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And so here, in just six verses,
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John uses his most important
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and his choice words several times.
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He uses them to pull all together here
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in just a few lines.
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Surely to emphasize for us
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that this really is at the heart and soul
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of the message that God and Jesus and he,
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John, have to give to the world.
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For then and for now.
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Words like "love."
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"Agape."
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Which occurs 37 times in the Gospel of John.
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Words like "the world", (speaking foreign language).
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Words like "the only son."
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Words like "believes."
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Words that come from John like "eternal life"
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or "be saved."
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Surely this is the gospel in miniature,
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this is God's word of home, of assurance, of love,
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of salvation, of new life for all persons
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given in just a few lines and what a passage,
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what a message, what beauty, what a word.
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Thank God for this incomparable word so rich,
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so rare,
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indeed, so unforgettable.
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These words, if we notice, are put in the context of
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John's gospel just after the story of Nicodemus.
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Nicodemus, the ruler of the Jews,
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the one who came from the Pharisees,
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who came to Jesus by night, marveling at all the things
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that Jesus did and exclaiming that surely Jesus was
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a teacher come from God for no one can do these things
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that you do, he said to Jesus,
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unless that one is from God.
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Jesus then tells Nicodemus that mysterious word
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that one must be born again in order to enter
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into the kingdom of God.
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Nicodemus, as most of us would, would naturally responds
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and wants to know how can one be born again,
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can one possibly enter a second time
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into one's mother's womb and be born again?
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00:31:51.398 --> 00:31:56.362
And Jesus replies, "unless one is born of water
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"and the Spirit, one cannot enter the kingdom of God."
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And then he goes on in just a few words to explain
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to Nicodemus what he means about
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00:32:07.595 --> 00:32:12.111
being born of water and the Spirit and being born anew
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and he finishes his words to Nicodemus with these words:
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"as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness,
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00:32:18.910 --> 00:32:22.403
"so must the Son of man be lifted up,
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"that whoever believes in him,
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"may have eternal life."
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Now, those are Jesus' words.
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00:32:36.267 --> 00:32:38.040
I think that John then comes on here
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with his own words because what Jesus has
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00:32:40.500 --> 00:32:44.816
just told Nicodemus is so important
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00:32:44.816 --> 00:32:48.466
that John wants to be sure that all,
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00:32:48.466 --> 00:32:50.099
all persons hear,
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00:32:50.099 --> 00:32:52.315
and see and understand,
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00:32:52.315 --> 00:32:57.315
and comprehend and believe
352
00:32:58.090 --> 00:33:02.565
and thus have eternal life.
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00:33:02.565 --> 00:33:05.030
For these words in this passage this morning
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00:33:05.030 --> 00:33:08.255
are the words of eternal life, my friends.
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These are the words that show us the way and the truth
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and the life.
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00:33:14.151 --> 00:33:17.134
These are the words,
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00:33:17.134 --> 00:33:21.992
this is the one who will draw all persons unto himself,
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Jesus.
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Jesus who said "so must the Son of man be lifted up
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"and as the Son of man is lifted up,
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"he will draw all persons unto him."
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00:33:34.940 --> 00:33:37.802
John.
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For you see,
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God loved the world so very much
366
00:33:46.220 --> 00:33:51.220
that he gave his only Son that whoever believes in him
367
00:33:51.340 --> 00:33:55.056
should not perish but have eternal life.
368
00:33:55.056 --> 00:33:58.634
For God sent the Son into the world
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00:33:58.634 --> 00:34:02.070
not to condemn the world but that the world
370
00:34:02.070 --> 00:34:07.070
through him might be saved.
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00:34:07.639 --> 00:34:11.470
First of all, for God so loved the world,
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that's what it says.
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00:34:14.304 --> 00:34:17.380
We need to remind ourselves again in this day and time
374
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that God does love the world.
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00:34:21.872 --> 00:34:25.090
Surely as the Psalmist wrote, the earth is the Lord's,
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the world and all who dwell therein,
377
00:34:27.780 --> 00:34:32.378
the world, the earth is the Lord's.
378
00:34:32.378 --> 00:34:34.777
The way John puts it, for God so loved the world,
379
00:34:34.777 --> 00:34:37.351
(speaking foreign language),
380
00:34:37.351 --> 00:34:41.575
from which we get the word cosmos,
381
00:34:41.575 --> 00:34:45.110
for God so loved everything,
382
00:34:45.110 --> 00:34:47.035
the whole universe,
383
00:34:47.035 --> 00:34:52.035
the entire cosmos,
384
00:34:52.350 --> 00:34:55.420
all that there is surrounding us,
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00:34:55.420 --> 00:34:58.140
all that we have and own and use,
386
00:34:58.140 --> 00:35:01.610
all that feeds us, nourishes us, sustains us,
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00:35:01.610 --> 00:35:06.610
all that keeps us going, all animate and inanimate things,
388
00:35:07.000 --> 00:35:12.000
there is nothing outside the love of God.
389
00:35:12.350 --> 00:35:15.116
For God so loved the world,
390
00:35:15.116 --> 00:35:20.008
that is the cosmos.
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00:35:20.008 --> 00:35:21.760
And we need to remind ourselves of that
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00:35:21.760 --> 00:35:25.754
and learn or maybe perhaps learn again how to love
393
00:35:25.754 --> 00:35:28.750
and respect and care for the world which God has made
394
00:35:28.750 --> 00:35:31.671
and has given us to enjoy.
395
00:35:31.671 --> 00:35:35.315
Perhaps the old Genesis concept
396
00:35:35.315 --> 00:35:37.900
that we have been created by God to have,
397
00:35:37.900 --> 00:35:40.148
you remember the words there?
398
00:35:40.148 --> 00:35:42.883
To have dominion over the created order
399
00:35:42.883 --> 00:35:47.083
will just not work any longer, my friends.
400
00:35:47.083 --> 00:35:49.560
Perhaps even John knew this and John was trying
401
00:35:49.560 --> 00:35:50.770
to tell the people in that day
402
00:35:50.770 --> 00:35:53.363
and is trying to tell us here,
403
00:35:53.363 --> 00:35:57.704
if God so loved the world enough to give the Son,
404
00:35:57.704 --> 00:36:00.138
to send the Son and to save the world,
405
00:36:00.138 --> 00:36:03.590
then surely we should love the world enough
406
00:36:03.590 --> 00:36:07.236
to care for it
407
00:36:07.236 --> 00:36:11.567
and to treat it caringly
408
00:36:11.567 --> 00:36:13.867
and lovingly
409
00:36:13.867 --> 00:36:17.923
and respectfully.
410
00:36:17.923 --> 00:36:20.904
There are some frightening words coming to us today
411
00:36:20.904 --> 00:36:25.851
by demographers, people who are studying what we are doing
412
00:36:25.851 --> 00:36:30.851
with earth's natural resources.
413
00:36:30.960 --> 00:36:33.010
Demographers are telling us
414
00:36:33.010 --> 00:36:38.010
that we must learn to love the earth.
415
00:36:38.310 --> 00:36:41.470
We must learn to be more caring
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00:36:41.470 --> 00:36:45.310
and more careful with the world than we have been
417
00:36:45.310 --> 00:36:49.490
for the past 50 years and than we are now.
418
00:36:49.490 --> 00:36:52.173
Or the world as we know it,
419
00:36:52.173 --> 00:36:57.173
will just absolutely be no more.
420
00:36:57.690 --> 00:37:01.810
I was just reading that if we continue consumption
421
00:37:01.810 --> 00:37:06.810
at the current rate in the world,
422
00:37:06.840 --> 00:37:09.270
many of the natural resources that we have
423
00:37:09.270 --> 00:37:10.630
will soon be gone.
424
00:37:10.630 --> 00:37:15.255
Aluminum will last 100 years,
425
00:37:15.255 --> 00:37:18.141
2081.
426
00:37:18.141 --> 00:37:23.141
Copper will last 36 years.
427
00:37:23.960 --> 00:37:27.226
Led, 26 years.
428
00:37:27.226 --> 00:37:31.510
Natural gas, 38 years.
429
00:37:31.510 --> 00:37:34.156
Zinc, 23 years.
430
00:37:34.156 --> 00:37:37.919
Tin, 17 years.
431
00:37:37.919 --> 00:37:40.870
Petroleum,
432
00:37:40.870 --> 00:37:42.820
31 years.
433
00:37:42.820 --> 00:37:47.010
Or, at the present rate that we are consuming
434
00:37:47.010 --> 00:37:51.061
the natural resources, all of the petroleum that
435
00:37:51.061 --> 00:37:55.711
demographers estimate that will be at our disposal
436
00:37:55.711 --> 00:38:00.703
will be gone by the year 2012.
437
00:38:02.990 --> 00:38:07.990
No wonder God loved and loves the world.
438
00:38:08.120 --> 00:38:11.360
God knows that the world must be loved and respected
439
00:38:11.360 --> 00:38:15.040
and cared for, replenished wherever possible,
440
00:38:15.040 --> 00:38:19.935
God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son.
441
00:38:21.100 --> 00:38:26.020
That's how much God loves the world, the cosmos.
442
00:38:27.040 --> 00:38:29.240
But somehow rather in our thinking about God
443
00:38:29.240 --> 00:38:32.160
and about the world, we think that God is far off somewhere
444
00:38:32.160 --> 00:38:34.850
and that the world, the earth, is here and is separated
445
00:38:34.850 --> 00:38:37.818
from God, we think that God is way out there somewhere
446
00:38:37.818 --> 00:38:42.256
and the world, the earth, is here, not so.
447
00:38:42.256 --> 00:38:44.750
Not the God in whom we Christians believe,
448
00:38:44.750 --> 00:38:47.870
for God is incarnate, God is in the midst of it all
449
00:38:47.870 --> 00:38:51.536
right here in the world.
450
00:38:51.536 --> 00:38:54.170
And some poetic lines of
451
00:38:54.170 --> 00:38:57.158
G. A. Studdert Kennedy say it beautifully.
452
00:38:57.158 --> 00:39:01.450
He says, "how far above the things of earth
453
00:39:01.450 --> 00:39:04.640
"is Jesus Christ at God's right hand?
454
00:39:04.640 --> 00:39:09.640
"How far away is God?
455
00:39:09.840 --> 00:39:13.530
"As far as meaning is from speech,
456
00:39:13.530 --> 00:39:16.290
"as beauty from a rose,
457
00:39:16.290 --> 00:39:19.450
"as far as music is from sound,
458
00:39:19.450 --> 00:39:22.110
"as poetry from prose,
459
00:39:22.110 --> 00:39:24.860
"as far as art from cleverness,
460
00:39:24.860 --> 00:39:27.520
"as painting is from paints,
461
00:39:27.520 --> 00:39:30.580
"as far as signs from sacraments,
462
00:39:30.580 --> 00:39:33.340
"as Pharisees from Saints,
463
00:39:33.340 --> 00:39:36.080
"as far as love from friendship is,
464
00:39:36.080 --> 00:39:38.360
"as reason is from truth,
465
00:39:38.360 --> 00:39:41.130
"as far as laughter is from joy,
466
00:39:41.130 --> 00:39:43.410
"and early years from youth.
467
00:39:43.410 --> 00:39:46.260
"As far as love from shining eyes,
468
00:39:46.260 --> 00:39:48.490
"as passion from a kiss,
469
00:39:48.490 --> 00:39:52.061
"so far is God from God's green earth,
470
00:39:52.061 --> 00:39:56.020
"so far that world from this.
471
00:39:56.020 --> 00:39:58.280
"No wonder that God loved the world so much,
472
00:39:58.280 --> 00:40:00.638
"for God is as close to the world,
473
00:40:00.638 --> 00:40:03.054
"as beauty is close to a rose,
474
00:40:03.054 --> 00:40:04.687
"as music is to sound,
475
00:40:04.687 --> 00:40:06.711
"as painting is to paint,
476
00:40:06.711 --> 00:40:11.685
"as close as signs are to sacraments."
477
00:40:13.640 --> 00:40:18.623
No wonder God loved the world that much.
478
00:40:20.390 --> 00:40:25.385
But God's loving the world in the second place, I believe.
479
00:40:27.530 --> 00:40:32.436
God's loving the world, the cosmos,
480
00:40:33.300 --> 00:40:38.300
I believe.
481
00:40:39.100 --> 00:40:43.436
Never saved a soul,
482
00:40:43.436 --> 00:40:48.436
it never made anyone whole,
483
00:40:48.650 --> 00:40:53.587
it never brought anyone into the kingdom of heaven,
484
00:40:55.200 --> 00:41:00.147
it never gave anyone eternal life.
485
00:41:02.210 --> 00:41:04.739
So,
486
00:41:04.739 --> 00:41:09.295
for God so loved the world then
487
00:41:09.295 --> 00:41:11.261
must mean that,
488
00:41:11.261 --> 00:41:13.027
must mean more than,
489
00:41:13.027 --> 00:41:18.025
that God loves the world as the world.
490
00:41:19.990 --> 00:41:22.201
And it does.
491
00:41:22.201 --> 00:41:24.560
It must.
492
00:41:24.560 --> 00:41:27.553
Surely it does.
493
00:41:27.553 --> 00:41:30.890
For God so loved the world, yes,
494
00:41:30.890 --> 00:41:35.711
sure, absolutely, unequivocally,
495
00:41:35.711 --> 00:41:38.302
but how about saying,
496
00:41:38.302 --> 00:41:41.419
for God so loved not the world
497
00:41:41.419 --> 00:41:46.405
but God so loved all the people of the world?
498
00:41:48.470 --> 00:41:53.470
Don't tell me just that God loves the world.
499
00:41:54.110 --> 00:41:56.318
Don't tell me just that God
500
00:41:56.318 --> 00:41:59.976
loves the world enough to send the Son,
501
00:41:59.976 --> 00:42:03.163
for the world is things and elements
502
00:42:03.163 --> 00:42:08.097
and creatures and rocks and skies and trees
503
00:42:08.097 --> 00:42:11.840
and hills and deserts and stumps and mud and glass
504
00:42:11.840 --> 00:42:15.770
and caves and valleys and hills and storms in the night
505
00:42:15.770 --> 00:42:18.560
and hail in the rain and fire that burns
506
00:42:18.560 --> 00:42:21.170
and wind that destroys.
507
00:42:21.170 --> 00:42:24.960
No, please, please, don't tell me just that God loves
508
00:42:24.960 --> 00:42:28.790
the world as the world because that really never saved
509
00:42:28.790 --> 00:42:31.640
anybody's soul,
510
00:42:31.640 --> 00:42:36.618
and it never made anybody whole.
511
00:42:37.620 --> 00:42:42.610
So, please, will you tell me that when John says
512
00:42:42.610 --> 00:42:45.562
for God so loved the world that what he really meant was
513
00:42:45.562 --> 00:42:50.558
for God so loved all the peoples of the world,
514
00:42:52.610 --> 00:42:57.610
so much so that God sent his Son that each child
515
00:42:57.910 --> 00:43:02.231
who belonged to God might have eternal life.
516
00:43:02.231 --> 00:43:06.470
There are times in my life and I'm sure there are times
517
00:43:06.470 --> 00:43:08.860
in your life when it is important for us to know
518
00:43:08.860 --> 00:43:11.820
that God loves and cares about the world and it is,
519
00:43:11.820 --> 00:43:13.690
we must believe that.
520
00:43:13.690 --> 00:43:16.480
And we must love the world
521
00:43:16.480 --> 00:43:20.566
but there are other times when I really couldn't care less
522
00:43:20.566 --> 00:43:24.300
whether God loves the world, what I really want to know
523
00:43:24.300 --> 00:43:29.300
is that God loves me.
524
00:43:29.640 --> 00:43:31.723
There is a part of me that says
525
00:43:31.723 --> 00:43:35.256
yes, it is important to know,
526
00:43:35.256 --> 00:43:39.714
that God loves the world.
527
00:43:39.714 --> 00:43:44.510
There is another part of me that says, I don't give a damn
528
00:43:44.510 --> 00:43:47.550
whether or not God loves the world,
529
00:43:47.550 --> 00:43:50.580
what I really want to know deep in my heart and soul
530
00:43:50.580 --> 00:43:52.190
is that God loves me
531
00:43:52.190 --> 00:43:56.100
and that God loves every brother and sister of mine
532
00:43:56.100 --> 00:43:58.760
who lives and walks on the face of this earth,
533
00:43:58.760 --> 00:44:01.018
red and yellow, black and white,
534
00:44:01.018 --> 00:44:05.614
all are precious in his sight.
535
00:44:05.614 --> 00:44:07.855
Jesus, God,
536
00:44:07.855 --> 00:44:12.848
loves all the children of the world.
537
00:44:15.130 --> 00:44:20.130
Surely it is as Saint Augustine once wrote centuries ago,
538
00:44:20.810 --> 00:44:23.518
"God loves each of us,
539
00:44:23.518 --> 00:44:28.473
"as if there was only one to love."
540
00:44:30.211 --> 00:44:33.934
Each of us surely needs to know and believe that
541
00:44:33.934 --> 00:44:38.463
our beginning and our ending are in God, are with God,
542
00:44:38.463 --> 00:44:42.658
are in the presence of God, are in the love of God.
543
00:44:42.658 --> 00:44:45.446
There's another passage in John where John says,
544
00:44:45.446 --> 00:44:48.020
behold the Lamb of God in the first chapter of John
545
00:44:48.020 --> 00:44:51.320
where he says, behold the Lamb of God who takes away
546
00:44:51.320 --> 00:44:54.390
the sin of the world, that's beautiful, that's powerful,
547
00:44:54.390 --> 00:44:57.910
that's important, that's rich, that's filled with meaning
548
00:44:57.910 --> 00:45:00.230
but don't tell me to behold the Lamb of God
549
00:45:00.230 --> 00:45:02.090
who takes away the sin of the world
550
00:45:02.090 --> 00:45:04.965
when what I really need is to be told
551
00:45:04.965 --> 00:45:08.081
behold the Lamb of God who takes away your sin,
552
00:45:08.081 --> 00:45:13.048
and my sin.
553
00:45:14.080 --> 00:45:19.079
For God so loved the world, no.
554
00:45:19.970 --> 00:45:24.095
For God so loved me,
555
00:45:24.095 --> 00:45:28.494
yes.
556
00:45:28.494 --> 00:45:31.780
And then in John 3:17, for God sent the Son into the world
557
00:45:31.780 --> 00:45:36.650
not to condemn the world but that the world through him
558
00:45:36.650 --> 00:45:40.315
might be saved.
559
00:45:40.315 --> 00:45:42.137
Would you let me rephrase that?
560
00:45:42.137 --> 00:45:45.912
For God sent the son,
561
00:45:45.912 --> 00:45:49.666
not to condemn us
562
00:45:49.666 --> 00:45:52.799
but that through the son,
563
00:45:52.799 --> 00:45:57.211
we might be saved.
564
00:45:57.211 --> 00:45:59.561
Not to condemn us,
565
00:45:59.561 --> 00:46:03.197
no more condemnation.
566
00:46:03.197 --> 00:46:07.210
My friend, if God in Christ is not going to condemn us,
567
00:46:07.210 --> 00:46:09.685
who are we to condemn ourselves or,
568
00:46:09.685 --> 00:46:12.956
who are we to condemn one another?
569
00:46:12.956 --> 00:46:17.471
No more condemnation, not to condemn us.
570
00:46:17.471 --> 00:46:20.438
Absolutely beautiful word,
571
00:46:20.438 --> 00:46:24.381
that we need today.
572
00:46:24.381 --> 00:46:28.070
I know of so many pulpits from which the word,
573
00:46:28.070 --> 00:46:31.460
the heavy word of condemnation flows forth
574
00:46:31.460 --> 00:46:36.148
Sunday after Sunday after Sunday.
575
00:46:36.148 --> 00:46:39.110
But my friends, I, this morning, stand here to tell you
576
00:46:39.110 --> 00:46:43.840
I don't know of any child of God this day
577
00:46:43.840 --> 00:46:46.920
who needs to be made to feel any more guilty
578
00:46:46.920 --> 00:46:49.990
about living the kind of life that he or she is living.
579
00:46:49.990 --> 00:46:53.020
I don't know of any child of God upon the face
580
00:46:53.020 --> 00:46:56.118
of this earth who needs to be condemned in any way
581
00:46:56.118 --> 00:47:01.118
any more whatsoever.
582
00:47:01.420 --> 00:47:05.163
Not to condemn us.
583
00:47:05.163 --> 00:47:09.551
God sent the Son into the world
584
00:47:09.551 --> 00:47:12.243
not to tell us how bad,
585
00:47:12.243 --> 00:47:17.124
or evil or wrong or guilty we are,
586
00:47:17.124 --> 00:47:20.340
not to condemn us,
587
00:47:20.340 --> 00:47:25.195
but to save us.
588
00:47:25.195 --> 00:47:29.662
And the Greek word for save here is not
589
00:47:29.662 --> 00:47:31.677
"come down that sawdust trail,
590
00:47:31.677 --> 00:47:33.350
"and get your heart right with God"
591
00:47:33.350 --> 00:47:34.183
or,
592
00:47:34.183 --> 00:47:37.238
"fall on your knees and get your soul right with God,"
593
00:47:37.238 --> 00:47:39.670
it's not many of the things that we often think
594
00:47:39.670 --> 00:47:42.030
being saved today really means.
595
00:47:42.030 --> 00:47:44.770
What that Greek word means is to be put in,
596
00:47:44.770 --> 00:47:47.040
means is to be put in right relation,
597
00:47:47.040 --> 00:47:47.873
it is,
598
00:47:47.873 --> 00:47:52.843
it means to be made whole again.
599
00:47:54.590 --> 00:47:59.320
So, God sent the Son into the world
600
00:47:59.320 --> 00:48:01.828
not to condemn you or me,
601
00:48:01.828 --> 00:48:05.497
or any other person
602
00:48:05.497 --> 00:48:08.820
but that through that same Son each one of us,
603
00:48:08.820 --> 00:48:11.384
every one of us,
604
00:48:11.384 --> 00:48:16.379
might be made whole.
605
00:48:18.120 --> 00:48:20.503
The year I was in Scotland,
606
00:48:20.503 --> 00:48:22.828
I had the privilege of working with a man called
607
00:48:22.828 --> 00:48:25.862
the Reverend Willy Wright.
608
00:48:25.862 --> 00:48:29.370
He was 71 years old at the time I was there,
609
00:48:29.370 --> 00:48:31.020
the year I worked with him.
610
00:48:31.020 --> 00:48:34.650
He had been at this same church where he was at that time.
611
00:48:34.650 --> 00:48:38.690
He had been at this same church for 35 years.
612
00:48:38.690 --> 00:48:40.800
There was no man, there was no person,
613
00:48:40.800 --> 00:48:45.420
any more beloved in that community of Rutherglen, Scotland
614
00:48:45.420 --> 00:48:50.420
than Willy Wright.
615
00:48:51.050 --> 00:48:56.050
He married people, he baptized people, he buried people.
616
00:48:56.390 --> 00:48:59.030
He visited those who were sick and those who were shut in,
617
00:48:59.030 --> 00:49:01.490
he held the hands of those who were dying,
618
00:49:01.490 --> 00:49:04.480
and he stood beside the beds of those who were bereaved
619
00:49:04.480 --> 00:49:08.230
and grieving.
620
00:49:08.230 --> 00:49:11.940
I have known days on which he had as many as
621
00:49:11.940 --> 00:49:16.940
three funerals in one day.
622
00:49:17.340 --> 00:49:21.580
One Sunday morning, after we had had a particularly
623
00:49:21.580 --> 00:49:23.213
heavy week in that
624
00:49:23.213 --> 00:49:28.213
steel mill village congregation.
625
00:49:28.590 --> 00:49:33.231
Willy Wright stood before his people,
626
00:49:33.231 --> 00:49:35.837
and he said,
627
00:49:35.837 --> 00:49:39.420
"my dear friends,
628
00:49:39.420 --> 00:49:42.981
"the longer I live with you
629
00:49:42.981 --> 00:49:47.539
"and the more I share your struggles and your heartaches
630
00:49:47.539 --> 00:49:51.935
"and the hard times and the difficulties that you have,
631
00:49:51.935 --> 00:49:56.195
"the more I live life with you,
632
00:49:56.195 --> 00:49:58.620
"the less I want to speak
633
00:49:58.620 --> 00:50:02.493
a word of condemnation of you
634
00:50:02.493 --> 00:50:07.493
"and the more I want to speak a word of love
635
00:50:07.502 --> 00:50:12.479
"and compassion for you."
636
00:50:17.750 --> 00:50:21.995
Will you stand, please?
637
00:50:21.995 --> 00:50:23.478
(chattering)
638
00:50:27.795 --> 00:50:29.800
In the old days, they used to line hymns
639
00:50:29.800 --> 00:50:31.380
and someone would sing a line
640
00:50:31.380 --> 00:50:35.474
and then the congregation would respond.
641
00:50:35.474 --> 00:50:38.220
I'd like to line this passage of Scripture
642
00:50:38.220 --> 00:50:43.220
and ask you to repeat these words after me, if you will.
643
00:50:43.900 --> 00:50:48.900
With full voice and with all the feeling that you have,
644
00:50:49.516 --> 00:50:52.313
will you respond?
645
00:50:52.313 --> 00:50:54.411
For God so loved the world.
646
00:50:54.411 --> 00:50:58.247
For God so loved the world.
647
00:50:58.247 --> 00:51:00.264
That he gave his only Son.
648
00:51:00.264 --> 00:51:02.870
That he gave his only Son.
649
00:51:02.870 --> 00:51:05.851
That whoever believes in him.
650
00:51:05.851 --> 00:51:08.630
That whoever believes in him.
651
00:51:08.630 --> 00:51:10.171
Should not perish.
652
00:51:10.171 --> 00:51:11.803
Should not perish.
653
00:51:11.803 --> 00:51:13.611
But have eternal life.
654
00:51:13.611 --> 00:51:16.028
But have eternal life.
655
00:51:16.028 --> 00:51:18.279
For God sent the Son into the world.
656
00:51:18.279 --> 00:51:21.244
For God sent the Son into the world.
657
00:51:21.244 --> 00:51:23.286
Not to condemn the world.
658
00:51:23.286 --> 00:51:25.505
Not to condemn the world.
659
00:51:25.505 --> 00:51:28.785
But that the world through him might be saved.
660
00:51:28.785 --> 00:51:32.444
But that the world through him might be saved.
661
00:51:32.444 --> 00:51:37.444
And now will you repeat these words with me?
662
00:51:38.667 --> 00:51:42.884
For God so loved the people of the world.
663
00:51:42.884 --> 00:51:46.065
For God so loved the people of the world.
664
00:51:46.065 --> 00:51:49.068
That he gave his only Son.
665
00:51:49.068 --> 00:51:51.084
That he gave his only Son.
666
00:51:51.084 --> 00:51:53.742
That whoever believes in him.
667
00:51:53.742 --> 00:51:56.465
That whoever believes in him.
668
00:51:56.465 --> 00:51:59.628
Should not perish but have eternal life.
669
00:51:59.628 --> 00:52:02.650
Should not perish but have eternal life.
670
00:52:02.650 --> 00:52:05.665
For God sent the Son to us.
671
00:52:05.665 --> 00:52:08.860
For God sent the Son to us.
672
00:52:08.860 --> 00:52:11.644
Not to condemn us.
673
00:52:11.644 --> 00:52:13.981
Not to condemn us.
674
00:52:13.981 --> 00:52:16.844
But that through the Son.
675
00:52:16.844 --> 00:52:18.930
But that through the Son.
676
00:52:18.930 --> 00:52:22.110
We all might be made whole.
677
00:52:22.110 --> 00:52:25.595
We all might be made whole.
678
00:52:25.595 --> 00:52:29.846
And that is the gospel truth.
679
00:52:29.846 --> 00:52:30.946
Amen.
680
00:52:36.225 --> 00:52:39.142
(soft organ music)
681
00:52:47.366 --> 00:52:50.699
(muffled choir singing)
682
00:54:48.280 --> 00:54:50.773
Let us affirm what we believe.
683
00:54:51.850 --> 00:54:56.246
We believe in God who has created and is creating,
684
00:54:56.246 --> 00:55:01.246
who has come in the truly human Jesus to reconcile
685
00:55:01.650 --> 00:55:06.650
and make new, who works in us and others by the Spirit.
686
00:55:07.170 --> 00:55:11.760
We trust God who calls us to be the church,
687
00:55:11.760 --> 00:55:14.880
to celebrate life and its fullness,
688
00:55:14.880 --> 00:55:17.430
to love and serve others,
689
00:55:17.430 --> 00:55:20.620
to seek justice and resist evil,
690
00:55:20.620 --> 00:55:24.560
to proclaim Jesus crucified and risen,
691
00:55:24.560 --> 00:55:29.560
our judge and our hope in life, in death,
692
00:55:29.630 --> 00:55:33.940
in life beyond death, God is with us,
693
00:55:33.940 --> 00:55:36.110
we are not alone.
694
00:55:36.110 --> 00:55:38.600
Thanks be to God.
695
00:55:38.600 --> 00:55:40.966
The Lord be with you.
696
00:55:40.966 --> 00:55:42.320
And in your spirit.
697
00:55:42.320 --> 00:55:43.443
Let us pray.
698
00:55:56.640 --> 00:56:01.100
O Eternal God, you have sent your only Son,
699
00:56:01.100 --> 00:56:06.100
Jesus the Christ, to liberate us from the plight of sin
700
00:56:07.070 --> 00:56:11.423
and to deliver us from the finality of death.
701
00:56:12.680 --> 00:56:17.050
You have clothed him in flesh and invested in him
702
00:56:17.050 --> 00:56:20.960
the keys to what is a greater kingdom.
703
00:56:20.960 --> 00:56:24.702
Jesus came and lived among us,
704
00:56:24.702 --> 00:56:27.533
he identified with us,
705
00:56:28.470 --> 00:56:31.460
Jesus gave us love,
706
00:56:31.460 --> 00:56:33.360
compassion,
707
00:56:33.360 --> 00:56:35.000
joy,
708
00:56:35.000 --> 00:56:36.610
peace,
709
00:56:36.610 --> 00:56:37.923
and hope.
710
00:56:38.890 --> 00:56:42.901
But due to our failure to grasp the spiritual thrust
711
00:56:42.901 --> 00:56:46.581
of his message of truth.
712
00:56:46.581 --> 00:56:51.581
O God, we have become rich in power and yet poor in spirit.
713
00:56:53.670 --> 00:56:57.580
We find ourselves rejoicing in bigotry
714
00:56:57.580 --> 00:57:01.453
and yet fail to mourn social injustices.
715
00:57:02.490 --> 00:57:07.313
We are deep in pride and yet shallow in humility.
716
00:57:08.500 --> 00:57:13.178
We find ourselves inflicting cruelty in our relationships
717
00:57:13.178 --> 00:57:16.493
and we stand deficient in mercy.
718
00:57:17.477 --> 00:57:20.437
We glutton after iniquity
719
00:57:20.437 --> 00:57:24.880
and yet we starve after righteousness.
720
00:57:24.880 --> 00:57:29.880
We choose to refine ourselves with false appearances
721
00:57:30.330 --> 00:57:33.653
yet remain impure in our hearts.
722
00:57:35.040 --> 00:57:38.170
We admit that we are crafty peacemakers
723
00:57:38.170 --> 00:57:41.915
around conference tables and yet we are
724
00:57:41.915 --> 00:57:46.743
blundering peace breakers in the name of Christian love.
725
00:57:48.090 --> 00:57:50.230
We remain complacent in unrighteousness
726
00:57:51.683 --> 00:57:55.585
and yet we are unwilling to suffer in the cause
727
00:57:55.585 --> 00:57:57.893
of spiritual justice.
728
00:57:59.510 --> 00:58:03.185
Lord, on this day, forgive us of our shallow piety
729
00:58:03.185 --> 00:58:06.823
and our cushion self-righteousness.
730
00:58:07.800 --> 00:58:12.800
Rather, give us compassion, mercy, and forgiveness
731
00:58:14.960 --> 00:58:17.980
through Jesus Christ, our Lord,
732
00:58:17.980 --> 00:58:20.930
who came and lived among us,
733
00:58:20.930 --> 00:58:25.930
who taught us to pray, saying, our Father who art in heaven,
734
00:58:27.730 --> 00:58:31.757
hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come,
735
00:58:31.757 --> 00:58:36.030
thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
736
00:58:36.030 --> 00:58:39.000
Give us this day our daily bread
737
00:58:39.000 --> 00:58:42.760
and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those
738
00:58:42.760 --> 00:58:46.945
who trespass against us and lead us not into temptation
739
00:58:46.945 --> 00:58:51.945
but deliver us from evil for thine is the kingdom
740
00:58:52.065 --> 00:58:56.108
and the power and the glory forever.
741
00:58:56.108 --> 00:58:56.941
Amen.
742
00:59:10.588 --> 00:59:13.505
(soft organ music)
743
00:59:14.865 --> 00:59:17.948
♪ Behold a star ♪
744
00:59:17.948 --> 00:59:21.527
♪ From Jacob shining ♪
745
00:59:21.527 --> 00:59:26.527
♪ And a scepter from Israel rising ♪
746
00:59:27.649 --> 00:59:32.649
♪ And a scepter from Israel rising ♪
747
00:59:34.209 --> 00:59:39.209
♪ Behold a star from Jacob shining ♪
748
00:59:41.207 --> 00:59:46.207
♪ Behold a star from Jacob shining ♪
749
00:59:47.708 --> 00:59:52.708
♪ And a scepter from Israel rising ♪
750
00:59:54.620 --> 00:59:59.257
♪ And a scepter from Israel rising ♪
751
00:59:59.257 --> 01:00:03.045
♪ Behold a star from Jacob's shining ♪
752
01:00:03.045 --> 01:00:08.045
♪ Behold a star from Jacob's shining ♪
753
01:00:08.284 --> 01:00:12.006
♪ Behold a star ♪
754
01:00:12.006 --> 01:00:17.006
♪ Behold a star from Jacob's shining ♪
755
01:00:19.212 --> 01:00:23.629
♪ Behold a star from Jacob's shining ♪
756
01:00:30.079 --> 01:00:35.079
♪ From Jacob's shining ♪
757
01:00:37.287 --> 01:00:40.537
♪ From Jacob's shining ♪
758
01:00:44.734 --> 01:00:47.651
(soft organ music)
759
01:00:59.146 --> 01:01:04.146
♪ To reign in glory ♪
760
01:01:05.409 --> 01:01:10.409
♪ Over the nations ♪
761
01:01:12.011 --> 01:01:17.011
♪ To reign in glory ♪
762
01:01:19.169 --> 01:01:24.169
♪ Over the nations ♪
763
01:01:25.009 --> 01:01:30.009
♪ To reign in glory ♪
764
01:01:30.624 --> 01:01:35.624
♪ In glory over the nations ♪
765
01:01:39.810 --> 01:01:44.621
♪ Over the nations ♪
766
01:01:44.621 --> 01:01:46.576
♪ In glory ♪
767
01:01:46.576 --> 01:01:50.268
♪ In glory ♪
768
01:01:50.268 --> 01:01:53.185
♪ Over the nations ♪
769
01:02:00.740 --> 01:02:05.185
♪ To reign in glory ♪
770
01:02:05.185 --> 01:02:10.185
♪ Over the nations ♪
771
01:02:11.509 --> 01:02:16.509
♪ To reign in glory ♪
772
01:02:18.474 --> 01:02:23.474
♪ Glory ♪
773
01:02:24.295 --> 01:02:29.272
♪ Glory ♪
774
01:02:29.272 --> 01:02:33.153
♪ In glory ♪
775
01:02:33.153 --> 01:02:36.070
♪ Over the nations ♪
776
01:02:47.707 --> 01:02:51.521
♪ Behold the star ♪
777
01:02:51.521 --> 01:02:55.627
♪ Behold the star ♪
778
01:02:55.627 --> 01:02:59.787
♪ Of Jacob's shining ♪
779
01:02:59.787 --> 01:03:02.886
♪ Behold the star ♪
780
01:03:02.886 --> 01:03:06.310
♪ Behold the star ♪
781
01:03:06.310 --> 01:03:10.667
♪ Behold the star ♪
782
01:03:10.667 --> 01:03:15.139
♪ Of Jacob's shining ♪
783
01:03:15.139 --> 01:03:17.562
♪ Behold the star ♪
784
01:03:17.562 --> 01:03:22.562
♪ Of Jacob's shining ♪
785
01:03:23.982 --> 01:03:28.880
♪ Behold the star ♪
786
01:03:28.880 --> 01:03:31.498
♪ The star ♪
787
01:03:31.498 --> 01:03:36.498
♪ Behold the star ♪
788
01:03:36.756 --> 01:03:39.839
♪ Of Jacob's shining ♪
789
01:03:53.760 --> 01:03:58.760
♪ Like some bright ♪
790
01:03:59.018 --> 01:04:02.101
♪ Morning star is he ♪
791
01:04:11.147 --> 01:04:16.147
♪ The promise ♪
792
01:04:16.481 --> 01:04:19.481
♪ Of the coming day ♪
793
01:04:27.707 --> 01:04:32.707
♪ Beyond the night ♪
794
01:04:34.162 --> 01:04:36.495
♪ Of sorrow ♪
795
01:04:44.605 --> 01:04:49.605
♪ Break forth ♪
796
01:04:51.041 --> 01:04:56.041
♪ O Light ♪
797
01:04:57.240 --> 01:05:02.240
♪ We, our joyful hearts ♪
798
01:05:04.258 --> 01:05:08.091
♪ Uplifting with thanksgiving ♪
799
01:05:17.123 --> 01:05:22.123
♪ Hail the brightness ♪
800
01:05:23.289 --> 01:05:25.956
♪ Of Thy rising ♪
801
01:05:35.571 --> 01:05:38.488
(soft organ music)
802
01:06:14.186 --> 01:06:17.103
(soft organ music)
803
01:06:35.171 --> 01:06:38.504
(muffled choir singing)
804
01:06:46.172 --> 01:06:48.473
♪ Hallelujah ♪
805
01:06:48.473 --> 01:06:50.890
♪ Hallelujah ♪
806
01:06:52.611 --> 01:06:55.944
(muffled choir singing)
807
01:07:03.870 --> 01:07:06.489
♪ Hallelujah ♪
808
01:07:06.489 --> 01:07:09.129
♪ Hallelujah ♪
809
01:07:09.129 --> 01:07:12.073
♪ Hallelujah ♪
810
01:07:12.073 --> 01:07:14.829
♪ Hallelujah ♪
811
01:07:14.829 --> 01:07:17.246
♪ Hallelujah ♪
812
01:07:22.413 --> 01:07:25.746
(muffled choir singing)
813
01:07:34.153 --> 01:07:38.920
Eternal God, giver of every good and perfect gift,
814
01:07:38.920 --> 01:07:42.355
we ask that you seek above all to give yourself to us
815
01:07:42.355 --> 01:07:45.875
and grant now with these token gifts of our hands
816
01:07:45.875 --> 01:07:50.300
that we may more fully give ourselves to you
817
01:07:50.300 --> 01:07:53.400
in joyous obedience and service
818
01:07:53.400 --> 01:07:56.373
through Jesus Christ, our Lord, amen.
819
01:07:58.595 --> 01:08:01.512
(soft organ music)
820
01:08:48.576 --> 01:08:51.909
(muffled choir singing)
821
01:11:52.180 --> 01:11:54.935
The Lord bless you and keep you.
822
01:11:54.935 --> 01:11:57.960
The Lord's face shine upon you
823
01:11:57.960 --> 01:12:00.010
and be gracious to you.
824
01:12:00.010 --> 01:12:02.580
The Lord's countenance be upon you
825
01:12:02.580 --> 01:12:03.913
and give you peace.
826
01:12:06.753 --> 01:12:11.753
♪ Amen ♪
827
01:12:13.987 --> 01:12:15.904
♪ Amen ♪
828
01:12:24.113 --> 01:12:29.113
♪ Amen ♪
829
01:12:31.991 --> 01:12:36.991
♪ Amen ♪
830
01:12:39.052 --> 01:12:40.969
♪ Amen ♪
831
01:12:52.492 --> 01:12:54.409
♪ Amen ♪
832
01:13:04.231 --> 01:13:06.148
♪ Amen ♪
833
01:13:25.793 --> 01:13:28.710
(soft organ music)
834
01:17:43.553 --> 01:17:45.970
(chattering)