Joan Campbell Brown - "Eyes of Faith" (January 12, 1992) / Duke Chapel Recordings / Duke Digital Repository

♪ Yes, God is real ♪

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♪ For I can feel ♪

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♪ Him in my soul ♪

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♪ I cannot tell ♪

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♪ Just how you felt ♪

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♪ When Jesus took ♪

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♪ Your sins away ♪

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♪ But since that day ♪

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♪ Every sin that I have ♪

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♪ God has been real ♪

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♪ And you can feel ♪

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♪ His holy power ♪

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♪ Oh, yes, God is real ♪

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♪ He's real in my soul ♪

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♪ Yes, God is real ♪

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♪ For He has washed ♪

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♪ And made me whole ♪

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♪ His love for me ♪

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♪ Is like pure gold ♪

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♪ Yes, God is real ♪

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♪ And I can feel ♪

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♪ Him in my soul ♪

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(reverent organ music)

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♪ Sing the wondrous ♪

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♪ Love of Jesus ♪

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♪ Sing His mercy ♪

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♪ And His grace ♪

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♪ In the mansion ♪

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♪ Bright and blessed ♪

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♪ He prepares for us ♪

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♪ A place ♪

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♪ When we all ♪

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♪ Get to heaven ♪

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♪ What a day of rejoicing ♪

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♪ That will be ♪

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♪ Oh, when we all ♪

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♪ See Jesus ♪

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♪ We will sing ♪

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♪ And shout the victory ♪

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♪ Onward to the ♪

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♪ Prize before us ♪

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♪ Soon His mercy ♪

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♪ Will be whole ♪

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♪ Soon the pearly gates ♪

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♪ Will open ♪

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♪ We will tread the streets of gold ♪

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♪ Just when we all ♪

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♪ Get to heaven ♪

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♪ What a day of rejoicing ♪

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♪ That will be ♪

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♪ When we all ♪

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♪ See Jesus ♪

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♪ We will sing and shout ♪

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♪ The victory ♪

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-

We have been led in our worship

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on this first Sunday after Epiphany

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by our own Rosetta Breeze.

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Rosetta, a member of the Duke Chapel Choir.

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She now has quite a career as a singer of gospel music,

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and we appreciate her visit with us

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back here in the chapel on this day.

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A year ago, about this week, I heard a very stirring sermon

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in the National Cathedral by Joan B. Campbell,

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the general secretary of the National Council of Churches.

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She is our James Cleland guest preacher on this Sunday.

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Our lector is Dean Malcolm Gillis,

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dean of the faculty here at Duke.

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We're glad that you're with us.

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Now let us continue our worship as we share in the greeting.

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Let's stand.

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The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

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Congregation

And also with you.

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-

The splendor of Christ shines upon us.

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Congregation

Praise the Lord.

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(joyful organ music)

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♪ Go, tell it on the mountain ♪

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♪ Over the hills and everywhere ♪

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♪ Go, tell it on the mountain ♪

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♪ That Jesus Christ is born ♪

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♪ While shepherds kept their watching ♪

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♪ O'er silent flocks by night ♪

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♪ Behold throughout the heavens ♪

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♪ There shone a holy light ♪

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♪ Go, tell it on the mountain ♪

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♪ Over the hills and everywhere ♪

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♪ Go, tell it on the mountain ♪

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♪ That Jesus Christ is born ♪

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♪ The shepherds feared and trembled ♪

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♪ When lo, above the Earth ♪

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♪ Rang out the angel chorus ♪

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♪ That hailed our Savior's birth ♪

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♪ Go, tell it on the mountain ♪

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♪ Over the hills and everywhere ♪

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♪ Go, tell it on the mountain ♪

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♪ That Jesus Christ is born ♪

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♪ Down in a lowly manger ♪

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♪ The humble Christ was born ♪

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♪ And God sent us salvation ♪

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♪ That blessed Christmas morn ♪

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♪ Go, tell it on the mountain ♪

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♪ Over the hills and everywhere ♪

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♪ Go, tell it on the mountain ♪

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♪ That Jesus Christ is born ♪

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-

Oh, great and gracious God,

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you have given us Jesus, light of the world,

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but we chose darkness, and cling to sins,

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that hide the brightness of your love.

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We have been frightened disciples,

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slow to speak, and to enact your Gospel.

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Baptize us with the Holy Spirit,

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so that forgiven and renewed

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we may preach your word into all the world,

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we may bring out those who are in prison,

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we might open the eyes of the blind.

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So might your word go out to all the nations,

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and we might be your witnesses to tell of your glory,

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shining in the face of Jesus, the Christ,

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our lord and our light forever.

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Amen, be seated.

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-

Let us pray together the prayer for illumination.

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Everyone

Open our hearts and minds, oh God,

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by the power of your Holy Spirit, so.

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Congregation

That as the scriptures are read,

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and your Word proclaimed,

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we might hear with joy what you say to us this day.

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-

This day, Amen.

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The first reading is taken from the Second Letter of Peter,

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starting with the third verse of the first chapter.

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"His divine power has given us

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everything needed for life and godliness

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through the knowledge of Him who called us

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by our own glory and goodness.

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Thus He has given us through these things

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His precious and very great promises, so that through them

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you may escape from the corruption

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that it in the world because of lust,

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and may become participants of the divine nature.

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For this very reason you must make every effort

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to support your faith with goodness,

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and goodness with knowledge,

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and knowledge with self control,

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and self control with endurance,

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and endurance with godliness,

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and godliness with mutual affection,

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and mutual affection with love.

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For if these things are yours,

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and are increasing among you,

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they keep you from being ineffective and unfruitful

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in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

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For anyone who lacks these things is nearsighted and blind,

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and is forgetful of the cleansing of past sins.

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Therefore, brothers and sisters,

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be all the more eager to confirm your call and election.

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For if you do this you will never stumble,

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for in this way entry on the eternal kingdom

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of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ

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will be richly provided for you."

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This is the word of the Lord.

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Congregation

Thanks be to God.

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-

Today's Psalm is number 146.

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It is found on pages 858 and 59 in the hymnal.

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Let us stand and read responsively.

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Praise the LORD, praise the LORD, oh my soul.

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Congregation

I will praise the LORD as long as I live.

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I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.

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-

Put not your trust in princes,

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in mortals in whom there is no help.

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Congregation

When his breath departs,

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he'll return to the earth.

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On that very day his thoughts perish.

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Happy are those whose help is in the God of Jacob.

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Congregation

Whose hope is in the LORD his God.

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Who made heaven and earth,

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the sea, and all that is in them.

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Congregation

Who keeps faith forever,

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who executes justice for the oppressed,

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who gives food to the hungry.

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William

The LORD sets the prisoners free.

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Congregation

The LORD opens the eyes of the blind.

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William

The LORD lifts up those who are bowed down.

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Congregation

The LORD loves the righteous.

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William

The LORD watches over the sojourners.

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Congregation

He upholds the widow and the fatherless,

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but the LORD breaks the way of the wicked.

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William

The LORD will reign forever, your God, of Zion,

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from generation to generation.

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William

Praise the LORD.

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(reverent organ music)

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♪ Glory be to our Creator ♪

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♪ Praise to our Redeemer Lord ♪

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♪ Glory be to our Sustainer ♪

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♪ Ever three and ever one ♪

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♪ As it was in the beginning ♪

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♪ Now and evermore shall be ♪

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-

This reading is the from the Gospel of Mark, chapter 10,

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beginning with verse 42.

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"They came to Jericho.

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"As he and his disciples

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"and a large crowd "were leaving Jericho,

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"Bartimaeus son of Timaeus, a blind beggar,

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"was sitting by the roadside.

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"When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth,

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"he began to shout out and say,

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"'Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!'

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"Many sternly ordered him to be quiet,

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"but he cried out even more loudly,

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"'Son of David, have mercy upon me!'

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"Jesus stood still and said, 'Call him here.'

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"And they called the blind man, saying to him,

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"'Take heart, get up, he is calling you.'

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"So throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus.

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"Then Jesus said to him,

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"'What do you want me to do for you?'

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"The blind man said to him, 'My teacher, let me see again.'

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"Jesus said to him, 'Go, your faith has made you well.'

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"Immediately he regained his sight

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"and followed him on the way."

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This is the word of the Lord.

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Congregation

Thanks be to God.

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(reverent organ music)

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♪ There is a name I love to hear ♪

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♪ I love to speak its worth ♪

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♪ It sounds like music ♪

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♪ In mine ear ♪

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♪ The sweetest name on Earth ♪

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♪ It tells me of a Savior's love ♪

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♪ Who died to set me free ♪

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♪ It tells me of ♪

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♪ His precious blood ♪

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♪ The sinner's perfect plea ♪

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♪ Then oh, how I love Jesus ♪

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♪ Oh, how I love Jesus ♪

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♪ Oh, how I love Jesus ♪

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♪ Because He first loved me ♪

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♪ It tells me what my Maker hath ♪

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♪ In store for every day ♪

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♪ And though I tread a darksome path ♪

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♪ Yields sunshine all the way ♪

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♪ Oh, yes ♪

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♪ Oh, how I love Jesus ♪

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♪ Oh, how I love Jesus ♪

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♪ Oh, how I love Jesus ♪

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♪ Because He first loved me ♪

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♪ It tells of One whose loving heart ♪

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♪ Can feel my deepest woe ♪

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♪ Who in each sorrow bears a part ♪

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♪ That none can bear below ♪

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♪ Yes oh ♪

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♪ How I love Jesus ♪

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♪ Oh, how I love Jesus ♪

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♪ Oh, how I love Jesus ♪

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♪ Because He first ♪

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♪ Loved me ♪

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-

This reading is from Isaiah 42.

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"Thus says God, the Lord,

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"who created the heavens and stretched them out,

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"who spread out the earth and what comes from it,

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"who gives breath to the people upon it,

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"and spirit to those who walk in it:

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"'I am the Lord, I have called you in righteousness.

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"I have taken you by the hand and kept you.

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"I have given you as a covenant to the people,

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"a light to the nations,

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"to open the eyes that are blind,

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"to bring out the prisoners from their dungeons,

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"from the prison those who sit in darkness.'"

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This is the word of the Lord.

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Congregation

Praise be to God.

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-

Good morning.

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It's a wonderful thing to be here with you today.

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Your dean has reminded me this morning

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that we were together a year ago,

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and when he said that it seemed impossible

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to recall that we were together there

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in that magnificent Washington Cathedral

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in a prayer service of some, I think,

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estimated 8,000, 9,000 people,

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praying that our nation would not go to war.

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And it seems almost impossible

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that that was only a year ago.

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Rosetta Breeze, thank you, God bless you.

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What a marvelous voice.

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I can hardly stand to have her sing,

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and not have this congregation say

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a loud and rousing Amen, let's try it.

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Congregation

Amen.

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-

Little did she know that my conversion,

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and my reason for being

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the general secretary of the National Council

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is almost entirely owed to the black church,

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and to my experiences there.

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So Rosetta, you couldn't have made me feel more at home.

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And how can we listen to that and not believe that, in fact,

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she loves Jesus with all her heart?

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It's magnificent.

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Our sermon this morning is based on the reading from Mark.

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It is the story of blind Bartimaeus.

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And Hans-Ruedi Weber of the World Council of Churches,

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who was a missionary in Asia, told me a long time ago

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that unless we can tell the Bible stories

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without reading them from the scripture,

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we really don't know them.

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We have to remember that, in fact,

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the Bible stories were handed down

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from person to person as oral tradition.

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And so, if we really want to come to know those stories,

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we have to know them, and feel them,

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and understand them well enough that we can tell them,

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and in telling them ourselves,

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we begin to contextualize them into our time and place.

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Can you not imagine in our time and place

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a blind Bartimaeus?

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Imagine Jesus walking along,

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and you know, well-known people

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always have people pulling at their coattail,

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and they always have people trying to save them

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from those people that are pulling at their coattail.

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And in part the story is about Jesus understanding

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that he needed to talk to Bartimaeus,

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and he needed to hear his story.

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And you can just see the disciples all saying to Bartimaeus,

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who probably was not the cleanest,

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certainly not the most dressed up of those walking along,

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shoving him aside and telling him

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that Jesus was really quite busy and had another engagement,

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and really, he should stop bothering him.

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And then the story goes on to tell us that Jesus, of course,

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does turn to Bartimaeus,

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and he asks Bartimaeus what he wants.

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And Bartimaeus says to him in the Hebrew,

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"Rabbi," or teacher, "I want my sight."

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But it's interesting, he says, "I want to see again."

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And Jesus says to him, "Go, your faith has made you well."

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And so, it is not so much Jesus the healer,

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but the faith of Bartimaeus himself.

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It is, I think, a very important story,

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a very powerful story.

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And perhaps it will help us

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with the present reality that we face here in this country.

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I come to you from New York City.

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I live in Manhattan, right in the City of New York,

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where poverty and pain confront us on a daily basis,

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and at our very doorstep.

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There may be many Bartimaeuses

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who walk along the streets of New York City.

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No more can you walk down Broadway,

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even in the quote, unquote, "better parts of town,"

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without having to wend your way

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through numerous homeless people.

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Increasingly they refuse to be ignored,

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and desperation makes them all the more aggressive.

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Those of us who live in the city have, I'm afraid,

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learned to simply walk by,

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to tell ourselves that possibly theirs is just a hustle,

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and that, after all, giving them small amounts of money

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won't really help the situation.

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It's, after all, a matter of social policy.

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But as the number of homeless grow,

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and the conditions of life clearly worsen,

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as jobs become harder and harder

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for college graduates to find,

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and increasingly middle class white collar workers

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find themselves unemployed,

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we ask ourselves, "Where is justice?"

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Or worse, we close our eyes to the plight,

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and ask no questions at all.

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There is a wonderful true story about Andrew Young,

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the former mayor of Atlanta,

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and a minister of the United Church of Christ.

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He became very distressed

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about the homeless problem in Atlanta,

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and when he was the mayor,

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he decided that he was going to dress in old clothes,

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and live on the street for a few days

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to experience the problem,

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to see what he could learn firsthand.

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Well, you can imagine how that news

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was received at City Hall.

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The cynics discouraged him,

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and told him that it was really

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one of his less bright ideas,

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that he would be recognized easily,

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since he was on television practically nightly,

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and that the experiment would be totally useless,

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a waste of time, and the classic, of course,

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was beside that, they needed him at City Hall.

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The fact of the matter is that he did go into the streets.

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And much to his surprise and everyone else's,

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no one recognized him.

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Not because his disguise was so good,

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but because, as he discovered,

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no one looks clearly into the face of the homeless,

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so he went unrecognized.

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The poor are faceless and nameless to most of us.

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You could say that we choose not to see,

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and to the degree that we choose not to see the pain,

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and the poverty, and the suffering around us,

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we are as blind as Bartimaeus.

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The cry of Bartimaeus is,

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"Teacher, rabbi, let me see again."

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And Jesus says to him,

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"Go forth, your faith has made you well."

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Think how often the parables of healing that refer to Jesus

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never credit Jesus himself with the healing,

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but almost always, Jesus credits the faith

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of the one who is healed with the cure.

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So, Bartimaeus went forth that day, not only able to see,

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not only freed from blindness, but much more importantly,

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gifted with the eyes of faith.

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And that, my friends, is the point of the parable,

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for our life and our times.

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It says in Isaiah,

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"Justice is far from us and does not reach us.

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"We wait for light, but lo, there is only darkness.

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"We are afflicted in our time

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"with a kind of spiritual blindness,

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"the kind of blindness that only faith will cure."

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But the eyes of faith do not see the world

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in the same way that others do.

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The eyes of faith see pain, and problems, and injustice,

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and the eyes of faith are unable to ignore that reality.

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Bartimaeus' wellness depended upon the depth of his faith.

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On first reading of the parable

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it might be easy to miss its deeper meaning,

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for we assume, of course,

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that anyone who is blind would prefer to be sighted.

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But when we begin to think more deeply,

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we recognize that with the gift of sight,

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especially with the eyes of faith, comes responsibility,

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and often it is easier and less disruptive

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to remain in a world of darkness.

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Anyone who has ever been involved,

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or had anyone they love be involved in any kind of therapy,

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knows that precisely this is the root of good therapy,

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to remove the blindness.

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But anyone ever engaged in a kind of therapy

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knows very well that the removal of the blindness,

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and the ability to function effectively,

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requires a great deal of pain.

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So, it is easier, often, and less disruptive,

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to remain in a world of darkness.

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Not everyone wants to see.

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I have just returned from South Africa,

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that place where in these days

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pain and hope are mixed with equal portions.

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It is a world apart from ours,

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and yet I think it is enough like ours

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to illumine our darkness.

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I want to tell you a true story

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out of the South African Struggle.

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And it seemed important to me,

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because of who you are in this congregation,

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that I not tell you the story of Desmond Tutu,

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or Allan Boesak, or Frank Chikane, or other of those blacks,

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for whom the South African Struggle is their very life.

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But I am going to tell you the story,

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a true story about a white man,

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a white man who could have avoided the Struggle,

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but in fact chose to be in the middle of it.

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The man's name is Beyers Naude.

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I am not surprised if you don't know his name,

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because he has never been the one

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whose name has made the papers.

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But if you look at the negotiating sessions,

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and if you know Beyers as I do,

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you will see sitting at the right hand of Nelson Mandela,

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one Beyers Naude, and when I tell you his story,

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you will know just how remarkable that is.

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Beyers Naude is now 74 years old.

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He is a man with his eyes wide open

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to all that surrounds him, but it was not always that way.

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When Beyers was a young man, he was bright and articulate,

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a rising star in South African society,

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and in the Dutch Reformed Church,

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where he was ordained to the pastorate.

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He was, when he was very young,

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given a large and prestigious congregation

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in the suburbs of Johannesburg.

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And very soon he was elected

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to a very special group of young men, yes, all men,

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called the Broederbond.

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They are the creme de la creme of South African society,

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and of the Dutch Reformed Church, and as such,

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they were the architects and the defenders

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of the system of Apartheid.

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Never forget, my friends,

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that Apartheid was designed and defended

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by church leaders on matters of faith.

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Its chief proponent was the Dutch Reformed Church,

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and Beyers Naude was slated by his colleagues

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to become a future state president of South Africa,

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after he gained proper experience.

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But God had hold of Beyers, and would not let him rest.

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He kept talking to the blacks that worked in his house,

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that worked near his church.

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That may not seem remarkable to you,

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but 40 years ago, that was not the pattern in South Africa.

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He wrestled with their plight,

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and his conscience was gradually,

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like dripping water on a stone, being pricked.

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And after the Sharpeville massacre,

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where hundreds were killed, he could no longer rest easy,

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and he asked to go into the black areas.

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It's a small thing, but so like Beyers,

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not just to go and interject himself,

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but to ask permission to go.

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He wanted to see for himself the conditions of life

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for these children of Africa.

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You see, they were then,

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and to some degree still are today, virtually invisible.

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One can visit South Africa,

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clearly one of the most beautiful nations in this world,

35:49

and one can come away never having encountered the areas

35:53

in which the native people of South Africa

35:59

live and work, and have their being.

36:02

But Beyers asked to go and see for himself, and once he saw,

36:06

he knew for a certainty what he already knew in his heart,

36:13

that what he saw was a travesty

36:20

for human dignity and human freedom.

36:23

And one could almost hear him say,

36:27

"Teacher, rabbi, let me see again."

36:31

And his deep-seated faith removed the years of blindness,

36:37

and Beyers became one of the nation's most ardent

36:43

and effective anti-Apartheid activists.

36:47

Yes, he paid heavily to be a sighted person.

36:51

He was defrocked by his church,

36:56

stripped literally of his robe and his clergy credentials.

36:59

The day that he was asked to step down from his pulpit,

37:06

he was literally asked by his congregation

37:10

to remove his robe and to leave it on the pulpit chair.

37:14

And without his robe that day

37:20

he walked to the back of the church,

37:23

no longer recognized as a minister

37:26

in the Dutch Reformed Church.

37:29

He was ostracized by his friends,

37:32

he was banned by his government.

37:34

And if I had known that we were going to have

37:38

such a fine soloist, I would have asked her to work with me,

37:41

because nothing would have been

37:45

more appropriate to sing here

37:47

than that wonderful gospel song, "He touched me."

37:51

Because what really happened to Beyers,

37:56

was he was touched in that special way by the hand of Jesus.

37:59

And even as his worldly fortunes dwindled,

38:06

his spirit soared.

38:09

His faith had indeed made him strong, and well, and whole,

38:11

and today he is a giant of a man,

38:17

more than we will ever know,

38:21

except those of us who know him personally.

38:23

History will never record

38:26

the many times that he has interjected himself

38:29

between Mandela and De Klerk,

38:33

because you see, he's virtually bilingual,

38:36

not only literally but figuratively.

38:39

He has lived in both these worlds.

38:42

He is one who says and speaks the truth

38:45

in a place where most have preferred blindness.

38:48

And for Beyers, the suffering is not over.

38:53

He will never receive credit.

38:57

Unless his children tell the story,

39:01

his role will probably never be clearly known.

39:03

He will never play a leadership role

39:08

in the country that he has helped to free.

39:11

In fact, the thought would never occur to him,

39:14

for he knows that his task is to prepare the way

39:18

for native African leadership.

39:23

Beyers has given much to South Africa

39:27

and to the Church of Jesus Christ,

39:31

and I am proud to say, to the ecumenical movement.

39:33

He is one of the finest of the ecumenical leaders

39:38

in the world today.

39:41

He followed Desmond Tutu as director

39:43

of the South African Council of Churches.

39:47

Mind you, he came out of retirement

39:50

to take that difficult job

39:53

when Desmond was elected a bishop,

39:56

and he said then that he would only stay there

39:58

until black leadership was identified,

40:03

and that's precisely what he did.

40:06

But he was there at a very crucial time,

40:08

and he has also suffered, and been crucified.

40:12

Make no mistake about it, to be given the eyes of faith

40:17

is always and forever a disruptive experience.

40:22

To be given the eyes of faith is always and forever

40:30

a disruptive experience.

40:36

After leaving the Dutch Reformed Church,

40:40

Beyers spent most of his life in the ecumenical movement,

40:43

for there he found a home.

40:47

There he found kindred souls who were also able to see

40:50

what the rest of the world chose to ignore.

40:55

That, I think, my friends,

40:59

is both the gift and the challenge

41:01

of the ecumenical movement.

41:04

The ecumenical movement connects us

41:06

with people who are very different from us,

41:09

and it is their very difference that sharpens our vision,

41:12

and gives us a new way of seeing the reality around us.

41:17

One of our most severe blind spots today is our inability

41:23

to see that God intends for us to be one people,

41:29

that God intends that we behave as family

41:34

with those who share this planet with us.

41:39

At least a part of the present difficulties

41:44

faced by the ecumenical movement

41:47

is rooted in the spiritual blindness

41:49

that afflicts us as a nation.

41:52

Any institution that continues

41:55

to ask us to be with people who make us uncomfortable,

41:59

with people who are not like us,

42:03

with people who challenge our basic beliefs,

42:06

any institution that asks us to see our racism,

42:10

our sexism, our homophobia,

42:15

our coldness toward the poor and the unlovely,

42:18

toward the homeless, any institution that asks that of us

42:24

can never expect to be popular.

42:30

Yet, at their finest, ecumenical bodies are pressing us

42:34

to the kind of faith that will open our eyes and our hearts,

42:39

to a world of need around us.

42:44

This is the necessary first step

42:46

to solving the problems of violence, and poverty,

42:50

and despair, that plague us as a nation.

42:55

The most confrontive message of today's parable

42:59

is the awesome truth

43:03

that Jesus expects us to be partners in our own salvation.

43:06

The parable tells us that it is our faith

43:14

that will make us well,

43:19

that will heal our spiritual sickness.

43:21

You heard her sing this morning,

43:26

"God is real, I can feel God deep in my soul."

43:27

It is that kind of faith that is needed

43:34

to help us beyond our spiritual blindness.

43:40

It is a radical idea to believe

43:43

that the healing of the nations may just depend on the faith

43:45

of those persons who have the eyes of faith,

43:50

and yet, it may just be true.

43:55

But let us always be mindful of the reality

43:59

that the eyes of faith see no boundaries,

44:01

no special class of people, no color, no nationality,

44:05

and even more so, no faith more right than another.

44:10

But our faith is based on love,

44:15

and it is our understanding that we are one people.

44:19

For Christian people, it is the Eucharist,

44:25

it is the communion that calls us regularly

44:28

to this understanding.

44:30

It is at the table of the Lord that we remember

44:32

that Jesus suffered and died for all humanity.

44:36

The gospel song says, "The debt of love is ours."

44:41

There we remember, and are called to familial relationships.

44:47

We are, you see,

44:54

related to our sisters and brothers in this world by blood.

44:56

It is not a casual relationship.

45:02

We are related by the blood of Jesus,

45:05

and redeemed by his passion and his suffering.

45:08

Communion may be a very personal moment,

45:13

but my friends, it is never, never a privatistic event.

45:17

It is instead a covenant

45:23

to be community with all of God's creation.

45:25

In the Middle East there is a cultural tradition

45:30

that instructs us in the meaning of this meal.

45:33

Now, in the sophisticated times of today,

45:37

I don't suppose that it is fully carried out,

45:40

there there are still parts of the Middle East

45:43

where this tradition holds true.

45:46

You had better not accept an invitation

45:49

to dinner in the Middle East easily.

45:51

We're learning more and more

45:55

about the Middle East these days

45:56

as we watch carefully the peace process,

45:58

and we come to know that the Middle East

46:01

is a place where symbols and gestures have enormous meaning.

46:04

Sometimes we say you must understand the smoke and mirrors

46:10

if you are to understand what's going on in the Middle East.

46:14

If you are invited to a person's home in the Middle East,

46:18

and you are invited to share a meal with them,

46:21

you are then considered to be part of that family.

46:24

And in some measure that is still true in Jewish tradition,

46:29

even outside of the Middle East.

46:33

Not only are you invited,

46:35

but you are expected then to call on that family forever

46:38

for anything that you might want,

46:43

money, health, anything you might need.

46:45

And remember, it was in this land, with this tradition,

46:49

that the Jewish Jesus invited his disciples to supper.

46:55

And it is in that same spirit

47:01

that God invites all of God's children to that table,

47:04

all over the world, week after week,

47:09

year after year, age after age.

47:13

And the people of God come to that table

47:19

with familial privileges,

47:23

hosted by a God who showed his love for us on the cross,

47:25

and who expects that we will love one another.

47:31

God's love for us is not now, nor has it ever been platonic.

47:36

We dare not offer less to our neighbors.

47:43

Rabbi, teacher,

47:48

help me to see again.

47:51

-

At the beginning of our service

48:04

we prayed for the Holy Spirit.

48:04

The Holy Spirit has lead us to change our sermon hymn

48:07

to number 256, "We Would See Jesus."

48:11

Stand.

48:17

(reverent organ music)

48:18

♪ We would see Jesus ♪

48:48

♪ Lo, His star is shining ♪

48:52

♪ Above the stable while the angels sing ♪

48:56

♪ There in a manger on the hay reclining ♪

49:04

♪ Haste, let us lay our gifts before the King ♪

49:12

♪ We would see Jesus, Mary's Son most holy ♪

49:22

♪ Light of the village life from day to day ♪

49:30

♪ Shining revealed through every task most lowly ♪

49:38

♪ The Christ of God, the life, the truth, the way ♪

49:47

♪ We would see Jesus, on the mountain teaching ♪

49:57

♪ With all the listening people gathered round ♪

50:05

♪ While birds and flowers and sky above are preaching ♪

50:14

♪ The blessedness which simple trust has found ♪

50:22

♪ We would see Jesus ♪

50:33

♪ In His work of healing ♪

50:36

♪ At eventide before the sun was set ♪

50:41

♪ Divine and human ♪

50:49

♪ In His deep revealing ♪

50:53

♪ Of God made flesh, in loving service met ♪

50:57

♪ We would see Jesus in the early morning ♪

51:08

♪ Still as of old He calleth, "Follow me!" ♪

51:16

♪ Let us arise, all meaner service scorning ♪

51:25

♪ Lord, we are Thine, we give ourselves to Thee ♪

51:33

-

The Lord be with you.

51:46

Congregation

And also with you.

51:48

-

Let us pray.

51:49

Dr. Campbell has eloquently reminded us

51:58

of the Christ who opens our eyes to need.

52:01

During this part year our eyes were opened to need

52:07

in the state of North Carolina

52:10

with the worst worker-safety tragedy in our state's history,

52:12

the fire at Hamlet.

52:18

Duke Chapel has given funds for the relief

52:21

of the victims of of that fire.

52:24

As we begin this new year,

52:27

and as this tragedy is still before us,

52:30

let us be led in our prayers this morning

52:33

from the Presbyterian book of worship,

52:35

the prayers for those who work.

52:38

Let us pray.

52:41

Oh, God of hope, you sent a star

52:45

to guide people to where Christ was born.

52:47

You have guided us by the light of your word,

52:52

so that our eyes might be open

52:55

to the needs of those among us.

52:57

This day we pray

53:01

for the needs of those who work.

53:04

Lord God, you are ever at work in the world,

53:09

for us, and for all of humanity.

53:12

Guide and protect all who work for their living.

53:15

For those who plow the earth, for those who tend machinery,

53:19

for those who sail deep waters, and venture into space,

53:25

for those who work in offices and warehouse,

53:31

for those who labor in stores or factories,

53:36

for those who work deep in mines,

53:41

for those who buy and sell,

53:44

work with them, oh God.

53:48

For those who entertain us,

53:52

for those who broadcast or publish,

53:55

for those who keep house,

53:58

for those who train children,

54:01

for all who live by strength of arm,

54:05

and for all who live by skill of hand,

54:08

for all who employ or govern,

54:13

work with them, oh God.

54:17

For all who excite our minds with art, science, music,

54:21

for all who instruct, for writers and teachers,

54:26

work with them, oh God.

54:32

And for all who labor without hope,

54:36

for all who labor without interest,

54:40

for those who have too little leisure,

54:44

for those who have too much leisure,

54:48

for those who are underpaid,

54:51

for those who pay small wages,

54:55

for those who cannot work,

55:00

for all those who look in vain for work,

55:04

for those who make their living

55:09

trading on the troubles of others,

55:11

for profiteers, extortioners, and greedy people,

55:15

great God, we pray your mercy, grace,

55:21

and transforming, saving power.

55:26

And we pray this day

55:30

that in this coming year you would work through us,

55:33

and help us always in all that we do,

55:37

things great and small, to work for you.

55:40

In Jesus Christ, our Lord.

55:45

Amen.

55:50

Today's offering is designated

55:53

for the Meals on Wheels program in the Durham area.

55:56

The offering of Duke Chapel

55:59

is one of the founding organizations of this good program.

56:01

We invite you do donate generously.

56:04

(reverent organ music)

56:19

♪ Shackled by a heavy burden ♪

56:28

♪ 'Neath a load of guilt and shame ♪

56:37

♪ Then the hand of Jesus touched me ♪

56:46

♪ Now I am no longer ♪

56:55

♪ The same ♪

57:01

♪ Oh, He touched me ♪

57:04

♪ Yes, He touched me ♪

57:09

♪ And oh, the joy ♪

57:15

♪ That floods my soul ♪

57:20

♪ Somethin' happened ♪

57:27

♪ And now I know ♪

57:32

♪ He touched me ♪

57:39

♪ And made me whole ♪

57:42

♪ Since I met the blessed Savior ♪

57:52

♪ Since He cleansed and made me whole ♪

58:03

♪ I will never cease to praise Him ♪

58:13

♪ I'll shout it while eternity rolls ♪

58:22

♪ For He touched me ♪

58:32

♪ Yes, He touched me ♪

58:36

♪ And oh, what joy ♪

58:43

♪ That floods my soul ♪

58:48

♪ Somethin' wonderful happened ♪

58:55

♪ And now I know ♪

59:00

♪ He touched me ♪

59:08

♪ And He made me whole ♪

59:12

(reverent organ music)

59:31

♪ You have longed for sweet peace ♪

59:41

♪ And for faith to increase ♪

59:46

♪ And have earnestly, fervently prayed ♪

59:52

♪ But you cannot have rest ♪

1:00:02

♪ Or be perfectly blest ♪

1:00:08

♪ Until you all on the altar is laid ♪

1:00:14

♪ Would you walk with the Lord ♪

1:00:25

♪ In the light of His Word ♪

1:00:30

♪ And have peace and contentment always ♪

1:00:36

♪ You must do His sweet will ♪

1:00:47

♪ To be free from all your ill ♪

1:00:52

♪ On the altar your all you must lay ♪

1:00:58

♪ Oh, is your all ♪

1:01:08

♪ On the altar of sacrifice laid ♪

1:01:12

♪ Your heart doth the Spirit control ♪

1:01:21

♪ You can only be blest ♪

1:01:33

♪ And have peace and sweet rest ♪

1:01:39

♪ As you yield Him ♪

1:01:45

♪ Your body and soul ♪

1:01:48

♪ Oh, we never can know ♪

1:01:57

♪ What the Lord will bestow ♪

1:02:03

♪ Of the blessings for which we have prayed ♪

1:02:09

♪ Till our body and soul ♪

1:02:20

♪ He doth fully control ♪

1:02:25

♪ And our all on the altar is laid ♪

1:02:31

♪ Who can tell all the love ♪

1:02:42

♪ He will send from above ♪

1:02:47

♪ And how happy our hearts will be made ♪

1:02:53

♪ Of the fellowship sweet ♪

1:03:04

♪ We shall share at his feet ♪

1:03:10

♪ When our all on the altar is laid ♪

1:03:16

♪ Yes, is your all ♪

1:03:26

♪ On the altar of sacrifice laid ♪

1:03:30

♪ Oh, your heart doth the Spirit control ♪

1:03:39

♪ You can only be blest ♪

1:03:52

♪ And have peace and sweet rest ♪

1:03:58

♪ As you yield Him ♪

1:04:05

♪ Your body and soul ♪

1:04:09

(reverent organ music)

1:04:23

You can sing this with me.

1:04:28

♪ Thank you, Lord ♪

1:04:34

♪ Thank you, Lord ♪

1:04:41

♪ Oh, thank you, Lord ♪

1:04:47

♪ I just want to thank you, Lord ♪

1:04:54

♪ You've been so good ♪

1:05:01

You can take my suffering

1:05:07

♪ You've been so good ♪

1:05:08

♪ Oh, you've been so good ♪

1:05:15

♪ I just want to thank you, Lord ♪

1:05:23

♪ Oh my, thank you, Lord ♪

1:05:29

♪ Oh, thank you, Lord ♪

1:05:37

♪ I thank you, Lord ♪

1:05:43

♪ I just want to thank you, Lord ♪

1:05:52

(reverent organ music)

1:06:06

♪ Praise God, from whom all blessings flow ♪

1:06:30

♪ Praise God, all creatures here below ♪

1:06:35

♪ Alleluia, Alleluia ♪

1:06:41

♪ Praise Him above, ye heav'nly host ♪

1:06:48

♪ Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost ♪

1:06:54

♪ Alleluia, Alleluia ♪

1:06:59

♪ Alleluia, Alleluia ♪

1:07:05

♪ Alleluia ♪

1:07:11

-

Let us pray.

1:07:25

God of light, lord of all nations,

1:07:27

you have shown your glory in Jesus Christ to all humanity.

1:07:29

We thank you for the power in Him

1:07:34

that has drawn us together this day,

1:07:35

and baptized us into one holy church.

1:07:37

We praise you for the work

1:07:43

you have asked us to do in the world,

1:07:44

going before with good news,

1:07:46

so that all people should know your truth, and praise you.

1:07:48

Through Jesus Christ, our Lord,

1:07:52

our Lord, who taught when we pray to say.

1:07:55

Everyone

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be thy name.

1:07:58

Thy kingdom come.

1:08:03

Thy will be done, on Earth as it is in heaven.

1:08:04

Give us this day our daily bread,

1:08:08

and forgive us our trespasses,

1:08:10

as we forgive those who trespass against us,

1:08:13

and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

1:08:16

Thine is the the kingdom, and the power, and the glory,

1:08:21

for ever, amen.

1:08:25

-

Now may the grace of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,

1:08:29

the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit

1:08:32

be with you now and always, amen.

1:08:35

(reverent organ music)

1:09:03

♪ Hope of the world, thou Christ of great compassion ♪

1:09:37

♪ Speak to our fearful hearts by conflict rent ♪

1:09:46

♪ Save us, thy people, from consuming passion ♪

1:09:55

♪ Who by our own false hopes and aims are spent ♪

1:10:04

♪ Hope of the world, God's gift from highest heaven ♪

1:10:14

♪ Bringing to hungry souls the bread of life ♪

1:10:23

♪ Still let thy Spirit unto us be given ♪

1:10:32

♪ To heal Earth's wounds and end our bitter strife ♪

1:10:40

♪ Hope of the world, afoot on dusty highways ♪

1:10:51

♪ Showing to wand'ring souls the path of light ♪

1:11:00

♪ Walk thou beside us, lest the tempting byways ♪

1:11:09

♪ Lure us away from thee to endless night ♪

1:11:18

♪ Hope of the world, who by thy cross didst save us ♪

1:11:29

♪ From death and dark despair, from sin and guilt ♪

1:11:38

♪ We render back the love thy mercy gave us ♪

1:11:47

♪ Take thou our lives, and use them as thou wilt ♪

1:11:56

♪ Hope of the world, oh, Christ o'er death victorious ♪

1:12:07

♪ Who by this sign didst conquer grief and pain ♪

1:12:16

♪ We would be faithful to thy gospel glorious ♪

1:12:25

♪ Thou art our Lord, thou dost forever reign ♪

1:12:34

(joyful organ music)

1:12:53

Joan Campbell Brown - "Eyes of Faith" (January 12, 1992)

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1. Joan Brown Campbell - "Eyes of Faith" (January 12, 1992)

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Joan Campbell Brown - "Eyes of Faith" (January 12, 1992)

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