Philippians 2
tells us about Jesus,
00:00:33.37\00:00:37.80
"Therefore God exalted
him to the highest place
00:00:37.83\00:00:41.67
and gave him the name
that is above every name,
00:00:41.70\00:00:45.05
that at the name of
Jesus, every knee should bow,
00:00:45.08\00:00:49.98
and in heaven and on
earth and under the earth
00:00:50.01\00:00:53.11
and every tongue confess
00:00:53.14\00:00:54.84
Jesus Christ is Lord to
the glory of the Father."
00:00:54.87\00:00:59.44
Sing with us this morning.
00:00:59.47\00:01:05.82
Over all the
earth You reign on high
00:01:05.85\00:01:10.55
Every mountain
stream every sunset sky
00:01:10.58\00:01:15.28
But my one
request, Lord, my only aim
00:01:15.31\00:01:21.01
Is that You'd reign in me again
00:01:21.04\00:01:24.68
Lord, reign in me,
reign in Your pow'r
00:01:24.71\00:01:29.41
Over all my
dreams in my darkest hour
00:01:29.44\00:01:34.01
You are the Lord of all I am
00:01:34.04\00:01:39.80
So won't You reign in me again
00:01:39.83\00:01:43.88
Over every
thought, over every word
00:01:53.33\00:01:57.92
May my life reflect
the beauty of my Lord
00:01:57.95\00:02:02.36
'Cause You mean more to me
00:02:02.39\00:02:04.71
Than any earthly thing
00:02:04.74\00:02:08.17
So won't You reign in me again
00:02:08.20\00:02:11.96
Lord, reign in me,
reign in Your pow'r
00:02:11.99\00:02:16.76
Over all my
dreams in my darkest hour
00:02:16.79\00:02:21.35
You are the Lord of all I am
00:02:21.38\00:02:26.84
So won't You reign in me again
00:02:26.87\00:02:30.83
Lord, reign in me,
reign in Your pow'r
00:02:30.86\00:02:35.46
Over all my
dreams in my darkest hour
00:02:35.49\00:02:40.14
You are the Lord of all I am
00:02:40.17\00:02:45.69
So won't You reign in me again
00:02:45.72\00:02:52.77
We fall down, we lay our crowns
00:03:10.79\00:03:15.59
At the feet of Jesus
00:03:15.62\00:03:21.47
The greatness of
His mercy and love
00:03:21.50\00:03:26.38
At the feet of Jesus
00:03:26.41\00:03:31.10
And we cry holy, holy, holy
00:03:31.13\00:03:36.61
And we cry holy, holy, holy
00:03:36.64\00:03:42.08
And we cry holy, holy, holy
00:03:42.11\00:03:47.86
Is the Lamb
00:03:47.89\00:03:54.93
We fall down, we lay our crowns
00:03:54.96\00:03:59.52
At the feet of Jesus
00:03:59.55\00:04:05.01
The greatness of
His mercy and love
00:04:05.04\00:04:10.70
At the feet of Jesus
00:04:10.73\00:04:15.39
And we cry holy, holy, holy
00:04:15.42\00:04:21.05
We cry holy, holy, holy
00:04:21.08\00:04:27.07
We cry holy, holy, holy
00:04:27.10\00:04:33.12
Is the Lamb
00:04:33.15\00:04:40.15
What a beautiful name, amen.
00:05:00.65\00:05:04.06
What a beautiful
name is the name of Jesus.
00:05:04.09\00:05:07.45
This name that,
when the angels hear it,
00:05:07.48\00:05:11.38
they cover their faces.
00:05:11.41\00:05:14.30
Do we love His
name that much? Do you?
00:05:14.33\00:05:18.21
When was the last time
that someone spoke that name,
00:05:18.24\00:05:21.17
that we felt like
just covering our faces,
00:05:21.20\00:05:24.57
because of its beauty,
its holiness, its power.
00:05:24.60\00:05:30.03
Jesus, what a beautiful name.
00:05:30.06\00:05:32.70
Jesus, what a beautiful name
00:05:32.73\00:05:40.57
Son of God, Son of Man
00:05:40.60\00:05:45.41
Lamb that was slain
00:05:45.44\00:05:49.93
Joy and peace, strength and hope
00:05:49.96\00:05:54.48
Grace that blows all fear away
00:05:54.51\00:05:59.35
Jesus, what a beautiful name
00:05:59.38\00:06:06.37
Jesus, what a beautiful name
00:06:08.75\00:06:16.48
Truth revealed, my future sealed
00:06:16.51\00:06:21.10
Healed my pain
00:06:21.13\00:06:25.75
Love and
freedom, life and warmth
00:06:25.78\00:06:30.30
Grace that blows all fear away
00:06:30.33\00:06:34.97
Jesus, what a beautiful name
00:06:35.00\00:06:40.61
Jesus, what a beautiful name
00:06:43.98\00:06:51.52
Rescued my soul, my stronghold
00:06:51.55\00:06:56.37
Lifts me from shame
00:06:56.40\00:07:00.36
Forgiveness,
security, power and love
00:07:00.39\00:07:05.02
Grace that blows all fear away
00:07:05.05\00:07:09.91
Jesus, what a beautiful name
00:07:09.94\00:07:17.50
Forgiveness,
security, power and love
00:07:17.53\00:07:22.07
Grace that blows all fear away
00:07:22.10\00:07:27.07
Jesus, what a beautiful name
00:07:27.10\00:07:32.94
As many of you
know, our worship theme
00:07:35.81\00:07:38.66
for this semester is
"Mercy came a runnin'".
00:07:38.69\00:07:43.41
Now the Bible says that God's
mercy endures forever, amen.
00:07:43.44\00:07:49.59
Well, I have with me
today a Dr. Robert Moore,
00:07:49.62\00:07:53.09
the chair of the
mathematics department here,
00:07:53.12\00:07:55.48
at our very own
Andrews University.
00:07:55.51\00:07:58.02
Good morning.
00:07:58.05\00:07:59.72
And I just want to ask you
a few questions, Dr. Moore.
00:07:59.75\00:08:04.22
The Bible says a
lot about eternity,
00:08:04.25\00:08:07.66
about things that have no end.
00:08:07.69\00:08:10.51
We call it infinity, I suppose.
00:08:10.54\00:08:13.03
And as we've
been studying mercy,
00:08:13.06\00:08:17.48
we notice that it lasts forever.
00:08:17.51\00:08:20.33
But we want to understand
00:08:20.36\00:08:21.47
more about
forever, about infinity.
00:08:21.50\00:08:23.35
So how can you help us
to understand this concept?
00:08:23.38\00:08:28.37
Well the mathematics of infinity
00:08:28.40\00:08:29.98
is rather complicated,
00:08:30.01\00:08:32.02
but let's try a
few illustrations.
00:08:32.05\00:08:33.74
Okay.
00:08:33.77\00:08:34.80
All right, let's
start with your salary.
00:08:34.83\00:08:35.98
Okay.
00:08:36.01\00:08:37.23
All right, I suppose you
could use a little extra.
00:08:37.26\00:08:40.56
Yes, I could.
00:08:40.59\00:08:42.06
All right, how about if
I had double your salary?
00:08:42.09\00:08:44.64
That sounds good.
00:08:44.67\00:08:45.75
Okay.
00:08:45.78\00:08:46.94
And even better yet,
how about the next month,
00:08:46.97\00:08:49.40
I double it again?
00:08:49.43\00:08:50.94
Are we taking notes?
This sounds good, keep going.
00:08:50.97\00:08:54.20
And the next
month, we'll double again.
00:08:54.23\00:08:55.92
Okay. And again.
00:08:55.95\00:08:57.60
So every month it doubles.
00:08:57.63\00:08:59.03
Yes, before long
you'll be a wealthy man.
00:08:59.06\00:09:01.65
It's true, it's true.
00:09:01.68\00:09:02.83
You'll have more than I have.
00:09:02.86\00:09:04.62
It's true.
00:09:04.65\00:09:06.37
When will you have an
infinite amount of money,
00:09:06.40\00:09:09.63
an infinite
salary, by this process?
00:09:09.66\00:09:14.51
I'm guessing never.
00:09:14.54\00:09:16.60
You're right.
00:09:16.63\00:09:18.45
In fact, even though
you have a great deal,
00:09:18.48\00:09:22.42
it will always
be a finite amount
00:09:22.45\00:09:24.61
and you'll never reach infinity.
00:09:24.64\00:09:26.48
In fact, you'll
always be infinitely short
00:09:26.51\00:09:29.75
of having an infinite amount.
00:09:29.78\00:09:33.78
So the closer I get to infinity,
00:09:33.81\00:09:36.83
I'm still short infinity.
00:09:36.86\00:09:39.55
Yeah, you are not really
getting close to infinity.
00:09:39.58\00:09:41.52
At all?
00:09:41.55\00:09:42.62
No.
00:09:42.65\00:09:43.92
Okay.
00:09:43.95\00:09:45.07
Let's try a
different aspect of infinity.
00:09:45.10\00:09:48.25
Let's illustrate
this with some apples.
00:09:48.28\00:09:49.94
Okay. We have a slide already.
00:09:49.97\00:09:54.94
Okay, now there's a
basket of apples with--
00:09:54.97\00:09:58.29
Okay.
00:09:58.32\00:09:59.80
13 apples, now
that's a finite number.
00:09:59.83\00:10:01.60
Right.
00:10:01.63\00:10:02.66
You like apples, I suppose.
00:10:02.69\00:10:03.89
So I'll offer you one.
00:10:03.92\00:10:05.19
Okay, thank you.
Would you like to have one?
00:10:05.22\00:10:06.28
Thank you.
00:10:06.31\00:10:07.36
Okay, how many apples
would remain in the basket
00:10:07.39\00:10:10.15
after you took one?
00:10:10.18\00:10:12.06
Well, I'm, it says
that we have 12 left.
00:10:12.09\00:10:16.21
Okay.
00:10:16.24\00:10:17.27
That's why we have the chair
of the mathematics department.
00:10:17.30\00:10:19.40
You're doing well, Jerry.
00:10:19.43\00:10:21.24
Thank you, I'm trying.
00:10:21.27\00:10:22.64
Do you have any
fewer than you had to,
00:10:22.67\00:10:25.98
than we had to start with?
00:10:26.01\00:10:27.38
Yes, of course.
00:10:27.41\00:10:28.46
That's right, and
if we share the apples
00:10:28.49\00:10:30.61
with other people here.
00:10:30.64\00:10:31.79
They will be gone quickly.
00:10:31.82\00:10:32.92
That's right. All gone.
00:10:32.95\00:10:35.19
Let's imagine a
bigger basket of apples.
00:10:35.22\00:10:37.48
Okay.
00:10:37.51\00:10:38.54
I mean, a really
large basket of apples.
00:10:38.57\00:10:41.69
Infinitely large.
00:10:41.72\00:10:42.97
Okay.
00:10:43.00\00:10:44.52
Next slide, next slide.
00:10:44.55\00:10:47.36
That's a lot of apples.
00:10:47.39\00:10:48.81
Doesn't even fit on the screen.
00:10:48.84\00:10:49.89
That's good, that's more than
00:10:49.92\00:10:51.12
we can produce here in Michigan.
00:10:51.15\00:10:53.36
Yes, now I offer you
an apple from that basket.
00:10:53.39\00:10:56.42
Okay, all right.
00:10:56.45\00:10:57.57
How many apples
remain in the basket?
00:10:57.60\00:11:01.23
I'm guessing the answer is
not one less than infinity.
00:11:01.26\00:11:05.85
You're right. It's not.
00:11:05.88\00:11:07.41
Okay.
00:11:07.44\00:11:08.50
What do you think
the answer might be?
00:11:08.53\00:11:11.02
Well if I take another peek,
00:11:11.05\00:11:14.33
I see that the
answer is still infinity.
00:11:14.36\00:11:17.96
In fact, you'll have
just as many apples left
00:11:17.99\00:11:21.95
as you started with.
00:11:21.98\00:11:24.25
What if I, now see I
can, I can see this is easy,
00:11:24.28\00:11:26.90
if I just take one out
because if you took one out,
00:11:26.93\00:11:29.62
I'd still say
there was the same number
00:11:29.65\00:11:31.18
because I can't
tell by looking at it.
00:11:31.21\00:11:33.55
But what if,
what's the largest number
00:11:33.58\00:11:35.78
that we know, besides infinity?
00:11:35.81\00:11:39.41
Is it a million,
billion, trillion.
00:11:39.44\00:11:41.17
A googolplex.
00:11:41.20\00:11:42.39
Googolplex.
00:11:42.42\00:11:43.74
Well, what if I
subtract a googolplex
00:11:43.77\00:11:46.12
of apples from this basket?
00:11:46.15\00:11:48.19
There will still
be just as many apples
00:11:48.22\00:11:50.83
in the basket
as we started with.
00:11:50.86\00:11:53.32
All right.
00:11:53.35\00:11:54.63
Now I know
that's hard to explain
00:11:54.66\00:11:56.67
but let me illustrate
it with a number line.
00:11:56.70\00:11:59.10
Let's look at
the next slide here.
00:11:59.13\00:12:01.80
And we have two rows of numbers
00:12:01.83\00:12:04.91
and the three
dots mean the numbers,
00:12:04.94\00:12:07.56
you know, the lists
go on forever and ever.
00:12:07.59\00:12:09.45
Forever, an
endless line of numbers.
00:12:09.48\00:12:11.14
Okay, now would you say
that there is the same number
00:12:11.17\00:12:14.04
of numbers in
each of these lists?
00:12:14.07\00:12:15.85
I would.
00:12:15.88\00:12:16.91
Yeah, okay, so the one matches
00:12:16.94\00:12:18.72
with the one,
the two with the two,
00:12:18.75\00:12:20.13
and so on all the
way down the line.
00:12:20.16\00:12:21.31
Okay.
00:12:21.34\00:12:22.38
All right, now take away
the one from the lower list.
00:12:22.41\00:12:26.29
Okay.
00:12:26.32\00:12:28.93
Now how many numbers
are in the lower list?
00:12:28.96\00:12:32.25
More or less or the
same as the first list?
00:12:32.28\00:12:36.54
Well, it looks
like there is one less
00:12:36.57\00:12:38.62
but I'm guessing I'm wrong.
00:12:38.65\00:12:40.18
Now in mathematics
when we want to count
00:12:40.21\00:12:43.56
an infinite number of things,
00:12:43.59\00:12:44.90
we don't actually count
them, we try to pair them off.
00:12:44.93\00:12:49.00
So let's pair the
one in the upper list
00:12:49.03\00:12:51.03
with the two in the lower list.
00:12:51.06\00:12:52.94
The two in the upper list
00:12:52.97\00:12:54.14
with the three in the lower list
00:12:54.17\00:12:55.38
and so on down the line.
00:12:55.41\00:12:57.23
Does every number in the
upper list have a partner?
00:12:57.26\00:13:00.86
If we keep going, yes.
00:13:00.89\00:13:02.84
Does every number in the
lower list have a partner?
00:13:02.87\00:13:05.23
Yes.
00:13:05.26\00:13:06.30
Now if we can pair them off
one for one, wouldn't you say
00:13:06.33\00:13:10.17
there is the same
number in each list?
00:13:10.20\00:13:12.98
Yes.
00:13:13.01\00:13:15.63
Very good.
00:13:15.66\00:13:17.28
I'm learning.
00:13:17.31\00:13:19.11
You are.
00:13:19.14\00:13:20.60
Yes, the mathematics of
infinity is strange, okay.
00:13:20.64\00:13:27.50
This reminds me of when
Jesus told the disciples
00:13:27.53\00:13:30.47
you should forgive your
neighbor seventy times seven.
00:13:30.50\00:13:35.83
That's a lot. It is.
00:13:35.86\00:13:37.25
And I think He just
meant don't try to keep count.
00:13:37.28\00:13:39.89
Okay.
00:13:39.92\00:13:41.19
But I think He was
also trying to hint
00:13:41.22\00:13:43.03
at the infinite
forgiveness and mercy of God.
00:13:43.06\00:13:47.39
Amen.
00:13:47.42\00:13:48.80
Let's illustrate this
with some church pews.
00:13:48.83\00:13:51.71
Okay.
00:13:51.74\00:13:53.62
Okay, so here we have
a pew filled with people.
00:13:53.65\00:13:57.85
No arms.
00:13:57.88\00:13:59.23
It's like a full of people.
00:14:01.90\00:14:02.95
They have heads
and they're thinking.
00:14:02.98\00:14:04.32
That's enough.
00:14:04.35\00:14:08.90
Okay, now that
church pew is full.
00:14:08.93\00:14:12.12
Yes, it's full.
00:14:12.15\00:14:13.21
And if another
person comes along,
00:14:13.24\00:14:15.04
we might try to make room,
00:14:15.07\00:14:16.30
we say everybody
scoot down one to make room
00:14:16.33\00:14:18.89
but the person on
the end of the pew
00:14:18.92\00:14:20.90
is going to get bumped off
the end and that's no good.
00:14:20.93\00:14:23.04
It's true, I see that
happening here sometimes.
00:14:23.07\00:14:25.34
Okay, so let's try a longer pew.
00:14:25.37\00:14:28.26
Okay, how long?
00:14:28.29\00:14:30.56
You guess.
00:14:30.59\00:14:31.63
Infinitely long.
00:14:31.66\00:14:32.70
Very good.
00:14:32.73\00:14:33.84
Okay.
00:14:33.87\00:14:35.48
Okay, so now that
pew is filled with people
00:14:35.51\00:14:39.62
and you might
think there's no room.
00:14:39.65\00:14:41.76
Another person comes along,
needs a place, no problem.
00:14:41.79\00:14:45.51
Now we have
everybody move over one
00:14:45.54\00:14:48.34
and since the pew
is infinitely long,
00:14:48.37\00:14:51.44
we can do that.
00:14:51.47\00:14:52.79
They can do that.
00:14:52.82\00:14:53.88
Everybody moves over
one and now there is a room
00:14:53.91\00:14:56.31
at the beginning of the
pew for this new person.
00:14:56.34\00:14:58.65
So what you are telling me
00:14:58.68\00:14:59.75
is that if this
infinite pew is full of people,
00:14:59.78\00:15:05.79
it's not really, or is it full?
00:15:05.82\00:15:13.19
Well, it's kind of both.
00:15:13.22\00:15:15.01
But we can
always make more room.
00:15:15.04\00:15:17.01
Okay, I guess that's the
most important thing, isn't it?
00:15:17.04\00:15:19.27
Yes.
00:15:19.30\00:15:20.60
When we were talking,
00:15:20.63\00:15:21.69
I was reminded of a
song that we like to sing.
00:15:21.72\00:15:26.00
The song, one of the most
popular hymns, amazing grace.
00:15:26.03\00:15:30.07
Amazing grace, that's
right, the last stanza.
00:15:30.10\00:15:33.45
Does everyone know
that? Let's say it together.
00:15:33.48\00:15:37.31
When we've been
there, ten thousand years,
00:15:37.34\00:15:41.46
Bright shining as the sun,
00:15:41.49\00:15:44.80
we've no less days
to sing God's praise,
00:15:44.83\00:15:49.30
than when we'd first begun.
00:15:49.33\00:15:53.33
And the same is
true with God's mercy.
00:15:53.36\00:15:56.20
So 10,000 years in
heaven doesn't make a dent?
00:15:56.23\00:16:00.31
No, you still have just as
much time left to praise God.
00:16:00.34\00:16:03.93
Amen.
00:16:03.96\00:16:05.19
Now what does all of
this talk about infinity,
00:16:05.22\00:16:08.73
the mathematics of infinity?
00:16:08.76\00:16:10.41
What is it tell
us about God's mercy.
00:16:10.44\00:16:13.13
You cannot ever
use up God's mercy.
00:16:13.16\00:16:16.95
There's always room for God
to forgive me one more time.
00:16:16.98\00:16:21.26
There is always God
to forgive your neighbor,
00:16:21.29\00:16:23.92
my neighbor one more time.
00:16:23.95\00:16:25.90
We can't use it up.
00:16:25.93\00:16:27.59
So when I feel like I
have used it up, what then?
00:16:27.62\00:16:31.49
You just walk up to that pew
00:16:31.52\00:16:32.89
and ask everybody to scoot over.
00:16:32.92\00:16:34.66
Amen. Amen.
00:16:34.69\00:16:37.85
Psalm 136, "Give praise
to the Lord for He is good."
00:16:37.88\00:16:43.32
"His mercy endures forever."
00:16:43.35\00:16:46.50
"Give thanks to the God of
Gods His mercy endures forever."
00:16:46.53\00:16:52.39
'Gives thanks to
the Lord of Lords."
00:16:52.42\00:16:55.68
Say it with me. "His
mercy endures forever."
00:16:55.71\00:17:03.36
Thank you Professor Bob,
00:17:03.39\00:17:05.32
for those reminders,
00:17:05.35\00:17:11.43
how mysterious is
this infinite mercy, wow.
00:17:11.46\00:17:15.92
Always room for one
more sinner, always room.
00:17:15.95\00:17:20.53
And if that one more
sinner is here today,
00:17:20.56\00:17:23.26
I want to assure you that
00:17:23.29\00:17:24.36
by the time
this service is over,
00:17:24.39\00:17:27.81
there will be room
in that pew for you.
00:17:27.84\00:17:31.35
You'll be listening.
00:17:31.38\00:17:32.82
Mercy has a
message for you today.
00:17:32.85\00:17:38.19
That's great.
00:17:38.22\00:17:42.98
Oh, God, the mystery,
the infinity of mercy.
00:17:43.01\00:17:50.78
How could we ever possibly wrap
00:17:50.81\00:17:55.64
our finite minds
around so great a truth?
00:17:55.67\00:17:59.92
We're trying Father,
we're trying hard this season.
00:17:59.95\00:18:02.81
We're coming back to
mercy, over and over again
00:18:02.84\00:18:06.40
and mercy keeps
running after us.
00:18:06.43\00:18:10.70
Today, with mercy's teaching,
00:18:10.73\00:18:14.00
today, remind us
that there is always room
00:18:14.03\00:18:21.67
for one more sinner on Your pew,
00:18:21.70\00:18:27.77
in Christ Jesus' name,
00:18:27.80\00:18:31.95
we pray, amen.
00:18:31.98\00:18:38.15
I'm gonna show you a
picture, in just a moment,
00:18:38.18\00:18:41.37
of somebody, I'm gonna ask you
00:18:41.40\00:18:44.18
if you can recognize
who this somebody is.
00:18:44.21\00:18:48.82
It has been reputed all
right, this is the little hint.
00:18:48.85\00:18:51.37
It has been reputed, reportedly,
00:18:51.40\00:18:56.76
this somebody
once owned the estate
00:18:56.79\00:19:03.01
at the end of Kephart Lane here
00:19:03.04\00:19:06.39
in Berrien Springs,
Michigan, all right.
00:19:06.42\00:19:09.51
Now you old timers are saying,
oh, yeah, I know, all right.
00:19:09.54\00:19:13.77
So let's take a
look at this somebody,
00:19:13.80\00:19:15.42
reputedly once in our town
00:19:15.45\00:19:18.00
and lets see if
we recognize him.
00:19:18.03\00:19:20.92
Recognize him? Oh, come on.
00:19:20.95\00:19:26.22
The notorious 1920s and 1930s
00:19:26.25\00:19:30.27
mob gangster
name Alphonse Capone.
00:19:30.30\00:19:36.45
"Chicago Tribune"
just a few days ago
00:19:36.48\00:19:37.98
ran a piece on Al Capone.
00:19:38.01\00:19:41.02
Included in it were
these un-enviable highlights
00:19:41.05\00:19:44.53
from his police rap sheet.
00:19:44.56\00:19:47.42
Can we run a few these by you?
00:19:47.45\00:19:49.26
Born Alphonse Capone January
17, 1899, Brooklyn, New York.
00:19:49.29\00:19:54.16
At the age of 14 he quits school
00:19:54.19\00:19:55.52
to join the notorious
five points gang in Manhattan.
00:19:55.55\00:19:58.72
While working as a
bouncer and a bartender
00:19:58.75\00:20:01.31
at the seedy Little
Harvard Inn in Brooklyn,
00:20:01.34\00:20:03.95
he got into a fight
with one of the patrons,
00:20:03.98\00:20:06.31
scared up his face
00:20:06.34\00:20:07.46
and hence his
nickname, Scar face.
00:20:07.49\00:20:10.82
In 1919, the New
York gang war heated up
00:20:10.85\00:20:13.00
and Capone moved
to the windy city
00:20:13.03\00:20:15.53
and he became one
of our own, Chicago.
00:20:15.56\00:20:18.81
Capone went to work for
the crime boss John Torrio,
00:20:18.84\00:20:21.07
by 1922 Capone had risen
to the number two position
00:20:21.10\00:20:25.26
in the mob in Chicago.
00:20:25.29\00:20:26.75
When Torrio left town
in 1925, Capone took over,
00:20:26.78\00:20:31.39
controlling the
speakeasies, the bookie joints,
00:20:31.42\00:20:33.49
the gambling
houses, the brothels,
00:20:33.52\00:20:34.95
the race tracks,
the distilleries,
00:20:34.98\00:20:36.33
remember that's
during the prohibition
00:20:36.36\00:20:37.66
when they were
bootlegging alcohol
00:20:37.69\00:20:39.71
and other
businesses, he ran them all.
00:20:39.74\00:20:42.74
February 14, 1929,
Capone reportedly ordered
00:20:42.77\00:20:47.56
the Saint
Valentine's Day Massacre,
00:20:47.59\00:20:50.51
you've heard of that.
00:20:50.54\00:20:52.03
Six members of the rival Bugs
Moran's mob were gunned down.
00:20:52.06\00:20:55.20
Capone said, I
didn't do it, his alibi,
00:20:55.23\00:20:56.96
he was in
Florida, and he really was.
00:20:56.99\00:20:59.39
By 1930, at the
peak of his power,
00:20:59.42\00:21:02.27
Al Capone was declared
00:21:02.30\00:21:03.36
Chicago's public
enemy number one.
00:21:03.39\00:21:07.48
Ended up on Time magazine,
00:21:07.51\00:21:08.87
in 1931, Capone
indicted for income tax evasion,
00:21:08.90\00:21:11.59
the jury found him not
guilty on 18 of the 23 charges.
00:21:11.62\00:21:15.13
He was sentenced to 10 years
00:21:15.16\00:21:16.23
in Federal
penitentiary first in Atlanta,
00:21:16.26\00:21:18.53
you've heard of
this place Alcatraz?
00:21:18.56\00:21:20.86
There he went.
00:21:20.89\00:21:21.94
He was released
in November 16, 1939,
00:21:21.97\00:21:24.12
returned home to
Palm Island in Florida.
00:21:24.15\00:21:27.92
Capone's heath
rapidly deteriorated.
00:21:27.95\00:21:30.69
He suffered from a
syphilis related complication,
00:21:30.72\00:21:34.10
probably contracted
syphilis while he was young.
00:21:34.13\00:21:37.28
He died a powerless
recluse on January 25, 1947,
00:21:37.31\00:21:41.05
at home in bed and he is buried
00:21:41.08\00:21:42.84
in the Mount
Carmel Catholic cemetery,
00:21:42.87\00:21:44.64
in west of
Bremen, Illinois, Chicago.
00:21:44.67\00:21:49.45
You're saying, please pastor,
00:21:49.48\00:21:51.53
all this fuss about
Al Capone, what's up?
00:21:51.56\00:21:54.14
I'll tell you what's
up, that's his grave stone.
00:21:54.17\00:21:56.64
Thanks to my friend Bob Little,
00:21:56.67\00:21:58.01
I have a picture
of his grave stone
00:21:58.04\00:21:59.81
and I want you to see it,
00:21:59.84\00:22:01.38
we'll put it on the
screen for you right now.
00:22:01.41\00:22:03.71
There it is.
00:22:03.74\00:22:05.85
Alphonse Capone, 1899-1947,
00:22:05.88\00:22:09.99
and then this
prayer, my Jesus, mercy.
00:22:10.02\00:22:17.65
Quite a prayer to pray,
00:22:17.68\00:22:18.72
I mean, you think
about it, my Jesus, mercy.
00:22:18.75\00:22:20.84
When you're a
public enemy number one,
00:22:20.87\00:22:22.28
bootlegging, gun
toting, scar face,
00:22:22.31\00:22:23.73
syphilis infected, mobster,
00:22:23.76\00:22:25.37
wouldn't you say
that's the prayer to pray.
00:22:25.40\00:22:27.20
My Jesus,
mercy, I mean, come on.
00:22:27.23\00:22:29.81
You don't suppose God
would dare to have mercy
00:22:29.84\00:22:32.55
on such a reprobate
sinner, as Al Capone, do you?
00:22:32.58\00:22:37.86
Open your Bible please with me,
00:22:37.89\00:22:40.09
to Al Capone's two word prayer.
00:22:40.12\00:22:45.88
Four times in one gospel,
00:22:45.91\00:22:49.99
this two word prayer,
that Al Capone prayed.
00:22:50.02\00:22:55.07
And every time that it's prayed,
00:22:55.10\00:22:57.28
every time it is prayed,
00:22:57.31\00:22:58.49
mercy comes a
running, hallelujah.
00:22:58.52\00:23:01.94
Which, by the way, if I
might move to the punch line
00:23:01.97\00:23:03.72
rather early in the teaching,
00:23:03.75\00:23:06.25
ought to be reason enough
for you and me to earnestly
00:23:06.28\00:23:10.20
latch onto this prayer
00:23:10.23\00:23:11.30
and pray it for
the rest of our lives.
00:23:11.33\00:23:13.37
Two word prayer.
00:23:13.40\00:23:14.47
Four stories, two
words, one prayer,
00:23:14.50\00:23:17.48
we're gonna look for it.
00:23:17.51\00:23:18.59
In this
particular teaching series,
00:23:18.62\00:23:19.88
we're only in one book so
we'll go to that one book,
00:23:19.91\00:23:21.74
it's a book of Matthew,
00:23:21.77\00:23:22.80
that's our theme
book for this series
00:23:22.83\00:23:24.86
"When mercy came a runnin'"
00:23:24.89\00:23:26.23
Open you Bible please,
to the gospel of Matthew.
00:23:26.26\00:23:29.01
Four stories, we're
looking for a two word prayer,
00:23:29.04\00:23:33.09
just one prayer.
00:23:33.12\00:23:34.85
First story, Matthew 9.
00:23:34.88\00:23:37.34
By the way if you
dint bring a Bible,
00:23:37.37\00:23:38.41
grab the Bible right in
front of you in the pew rack.
00:23:38.44\00:23:40.38
We're gonna read these
in rapid fire succession.
00:23:40.41\00:23:42.48
Four stories, you got to read
00:23:42.51\00:23:43.58
the stories for
yourself, grab the Bible.
00:23:43.61\00:23:45.53
Pew Bible page
number would be 655.
00:23:45.56\00:23:49.20
And this is Matthew 9,
so I'm finding it with you,
00:23:49.23\00:23:52.10
New King James version,
which I'll be reading from.
00:23:52.13\00:23:56.58
Those of you
watching on television
00:23:56.61\00:23:57.69
that's what you'll
be reading on the screen
00:23:57.72\00:23:59.01
and that's our pew
Bible as it turns out.
00:23:59.04\00:24:01.93
Matthew 9, lets
drop down to verse 27.
00:24:01.96\00:24:04.10
"When Jesus departed from there,
00:24:04.13\00:24:05.57
two blind men
followed Him, crying out."
00:24:05.60\00:24:08.38
By the way isn't that something,
00:24:08.41\00:24:09.56
you can be blind
and follow Jesus.
00:24:09.59\00:24:12.12
Isn't that great?
00:24:12.15\00:24:13.54
You can be blind
and follow Jesus.
00:24:13.57\00:24:17.52
You can follow Jesus and
still be blind by the way.
00:24:17.55\00:24:22.09
Either way, you look
at it, it's good news.
00:24:22.12\00:24:25.30
"When Jesus departed from there,
00:24:25.33\00:24:26.41
two blind men followed
Him, crying out and saying,
00:24:26.44\00:24:28.31
'Son of David,
have mercy on us!'
00:24:28.34\00:24:32.12
And when He had
come into the house
00:24:32.15\00:24:33.34
the blind men came to Him,
Jesus, and Jesus said to them,
00:24:33.37\00:24:35.62
'hey, do you believe
I am able to do this?'
00:24:35.65\00:24:39.30
they said to Him,
yes sir, we believe."
00:24:39.33\00:24:43.51
Verse 29, "Then he
touched their eyes, saying,
00:24:43.54\00:24:46.98
'According to your
faith, let it be to you.'
00:24:47.01\00:24:51.96
And their eyes were opened."
Whose face did they see first?
00:24:51.99\00:24:57.32
Now that's a good a way
to begin everyday, isn't it?
00:24:57.35\00:24:59.66
The first face you see everyday,
00:24:59.69\00:25:01.77
that would be the face of Jesus.
00:25:01.80\00:25:03.34
First face they
see, and its Jesus.
00:25:03.37\00:25:05.63
"And their eyes were opened,
and Jesus sternly warned them."
00:25:05.66\00:25:07.50
Jesus was not a masochist,
he was not looking for trouble.
00:25:07.53\00:25:10.08
He said I am trying
to stay out of trouble,
00:25:10.11\00:25:11.74
don't tell anybody
what I've done to you,
00:25:11.77\00:25:13.65
I don't want a premature death.
00:25:13.68\00:25:15.56
So Jesus sternly warns
them in, what verse is this?
00:25:15.59\00:25:19.93
He sternly warns
them in verse 30,
00:25:19.96\00:25:21.19
"See that no one knows it."
00:25:21.22\00:25:22.31
Verse 31, "But
when they had departed,
00:25:22.34\00:25:24.59
they spread the news
about Him in all that country."
00:25:24.62\00:25:26.99
You know why?
00:25:27.02\00:25:28.05
Because when mercy is just come
run into you, you can't help
00:25:28.08\00:25:30.54
but go running
with the good news.
00:25:30.57\00:25:33.59
That's the mystery of mercy.
00:25:33.62\00:25:35.50
Once you have
it, you got to share.
00:25:35.53\00:25:39.23
Okay, story number two.
00:25:39.26\00:25:41.26
Two word prayer,
story number two,
00:25:41.29\00:25:42.48
just turn the page
over to chapter 15.
00:25:42.51\00:25:45.72
Chapter 15, few pages over,
00:25:45.75\00:25:47.98
Matthew 15, drop
down to verse 21.
00:25:48.01\00:25:51.34
What's the two word prayer?
00:25:51.37\00:25:52.45
We're trying to find
this two word prayer,
00:25:52.48\00:25:53.65
see if you can spot it.
00:25:53.68\00:25:54.84
Matthew 15:21, "Then
Jesus went out from there
00:25:54.87\00:25:57.99
and departed to the
region of Tyre and Sidon.
00:25:58.02\00:26:00.66
And Behold, a woman of Canaan."
00:26:00.69\00:26:02.10
Let me tell you something,
00:26:02.13\00:26:03.40
that woman is a
pagan, she is raw.
00:26:03.43\00:26:06.68
She is not of the saved,
00:26:06.71\00:26:08.13
she is not of the
community of faith,
00:26:08.16\00:26:09.38
she is a pagan
and a godless pagan.
00:26:09.41\00:26:14.37
"And behold, a
woman of Canaan verse 22.
00:26:14.40\00:26:16.28
Came from that region
and cried out to Him saying,
00:26:16.31\00:26:21.86
'Have mercy on me,
O Lord, son of David!
00:26:21.89\00:26:24.27
My daughter is
severely demon-possessed.'"
00:26:24.30\00:26:27.30
But Jesus does something
totally uncharacteristic
00:26:27.33\00:26:30.71
of the compassionate nature
00:26:30.74\00:26:31.77
you and I have
come to know Him as,
00:26:31.80\00:26:34.51
and He answered her, verse 23.
00:26:34.54\00:26:36.04
"But He
answered her not a word."
00:26:36.07\00:26:39.51
To the place--
because in the Greek,
00:26:39.54\00:26:42.21
in the Greek, the
tense of the Greek verb here
00:26:42.24\00:26:45.13
indicates it
wasn't just one time
00:26:45.16\00:26:46.83
she said have mercy.
00:26:46.86\00:26:47.90
She's saying O Lord, have mercy,
00:26:47.93\00:26:49.26
son of David have mercy,
00:26:49.29\00:26:50.38
it's repetitious, over and over.
00:26:50.41\00:26:52.01
Have mercy, have
mercy, have mercy.
00:26:52.04\00:26:53.58
And she is
driving the guys crazy
00:26:53.61\00:26:55.35
and finally the
disciples come to Jesus
00:26:55.38\00:26:57.00
and they said, well
what's up with this?
00:26:57.03\00:26:58.56
Please do something.
00:26:58.59\00:27:00.48
And that's what they're
saying here in the verse 23,
00:27:00.51\00:27:01.90
"His disciples came
and urged Him, saying,
00:27:01.93\00:27:03.38
'Send her away, for
she cries out after us.'
00:27:03.41\00:27:09.39
But He answered and said,
00:27:09.42\00:27:11.15
'I was not sent
except to the lost sheep
00:27:11.18\00:27:14.08
of the house of Israel.'"
00:27:14.11\00:27:16.24
Is He talking
about the disciples?
00:27:16.27\00:27:18.92
Or He is talking about her?
00:27:18.95\00:27:22.00
A mystery, we don't know.
00:27:22.03\00:27:26.16
"And then she
came and worshiped."
00:27:26.19\00:27:29.27
Now the Greek is clear that
00:27:29.30\00:27:30.36
in order to do
this verb "worship"
00:27:30.39\00:27:32.31
she has to go on
her hands and knees.
00:27:32.34\00:27:35.41
"And she came on
her hands and knees
00:27:35.44\00:27:37.92
and worshiped Him,
saying, 'Lord, help me!'
00:27:37.95\00:27:42.63
But He answered
and said, Hey, look.
00:27:42.66\00:27:44.44
'It is not good to
take the children's bread
00:27:44.47\00:27:45.65
and throw it to
the little dogs.'
00:27:45.68\00:27:51.29
And she said, 'Yes, Lord,
00:27:51.32\00:27:53.08
yet even the
little dogs eat the crumbs
00:27:53.11\00:27:55.55
which fall from
their masters' table,
00:27:55.58\00:27:57.30
have mercy on me, a dog,
Lord, give me something.'"
00:27:57.33\00:28:02.47
And Jesus, I'm sure tears of joy
00:28:02.50\00:28:05.49
just welled up
in His eye and He,
00:28:05.52\00:28:07.83
you know His vision goes blur,
00:28:07.86\00:28:09.41
He is looking
into this pagan's face
00:28:09.44\00:28:11.17
and "He says 'O
woman, great is your faith!
00:28:11.20\00:28:16.18
Let it be to you as you desire.'
00:28:16.21\00:28:18.20
And her daughter was
healed from that very hour."
00:28:18.23\00:28:23.69
Story number three
of that two word prayer,
00:28:23.72\00:28:26.39
turn to one more
page again, to Matthew 17.
00:28:26.42\00:28:30.47
Four stories, in
rapid fire succession.
00:28:30.50\00:28:32.59
Drop down to verse 14.
00:28:32.62\00:28:34.56
Matthew 17:14
00:28:34.59\00:28:36.42
"And when they had
come to the multitude,
00:28:36.45\00:28:37.75
a man came to
Him, kneeling down."
00:28:37.78\00:28:40.08
Have you noticed the posture?
Have you noticed the posture?
00:28:40.11\00:28:44.12
She goes down on
her hands and knees,
00:28:44.15\00:28:45.90
he goes down on
his hands and knees,
00:28:45.93\00:28:47.78
a man comes to
Him, you know why?
00:28:47.81\00:28:49.26
Because they're both parents,
00:28:49.29\00:28:50.92
and that is the
posture of most parents
00:28:50.95\00:28:53.64
who go to Jesus
about their children.
00:28:53.67\00:28:56.50
Hands and knees.
00:28:56.53\00:28:58.80
He's a dad now,
we just saw a mom,
00:28:58.83\00:29:00.83
watch the dad.
00:29:00.86\00:29:02.62
"And when they had
come to the multitude,
00:29:02.65\00:29:03.86
a man came to Him,
kneeling down to Him
00:29:03.89\00:29:05.72
and saying, 'Lord,
have mercy on my son,
00:29:05.75\00:29:09.54
for he is an
epileptic and suffers severely
00:29:09.57\00:29:11.84
for he often falls into the fire
00:29:11.87\00:29:13.25
and often into the water.
00:29:13.28\00:29:15.45
So I brought him
to Your disciples,
00:29:15.48\00:29:17.10
but they could not cure him.'"
00:29:17.13\00:29:19.85
Now I want you to
catch a little bit
00:29:19.88\00:29:20.96
of the
desperation, much more dramatic
00:29:20.99\00:29:23.35
that desperation in
the gospel of St. Mark
00:29:23.38\00:29:25.09
and so hold your
finger right here
00:29:25.12\00:29:26.19
because we have one
more story in Matthew,
00:29:26.22\00:29:27.32
but just go over to Mark 9.
00:29:27.35\00:29:28.99
We'll let Mark finish the story
00:29:29.02\00:29:30.89
because we want
to sense the pathos,
00:29:30.92\00:29:34.53
the psyche of
this desperate father.
00:29:34.56\00:29:36.62
So we go over to Mark 9
00:29:36.65\00:29:38.46
and in the pew Bible
that would be page 680.
00:29:38.49\00:29:41.57
Take a look at this,
00:29:41.60\00:29:42.76
keep your finger right
where it was in Matthew.
00:29:42.79\00:29:44.81
Verse 20, so Mark, we'll
pick up Mark's story right
00:29:44.84\00:29:46.89
where we left it
off in Matthew's story.
00:29:46.92\00:29:48.26
Verse 20, "And
then they brought him,
00:29:48.29\00:29:49.94
the boy to Him, Jesus.
00:29:49.97\00:29:52.68
And when he, the boy saw Him,
00:29:52.71\00:29:54.41
Jesus, immediately
the spirit convulsed him,
00:29:54.44\00:29:58.71
and he fell on the
ground and wallowed,
00:29:58.74\00:30:00.88
foaming at the mouth.
00:30:00.91\00:30:02.85
So Jesus asked the father,
00:30:02.88\00:30:04.08
'how long has this been
happening to your boy?'"
00:30:04.11\00:30:06.39
Sounds like a doctor,
physical examination, isn't it?
00:30:06.42\00:30:09.49
How long has this been going on?
00:30:09.52\00:30:11.98
And immediately the
father says from childhood,
00:30:12.01\00:30:14.95
verse 22, and father goes on,
00:30:14.98\00:30:16.05
"'And often he, the
spirit has thrown him,
00:30:16.08\00:30:18.46
my boy both into the fire
and into the water to destroy
00:30:18.49\00:30:21.49
but, look, look, if
You can do anything,
00:30:21.52\00:30:24.49
if you can do anything,
you, you can do anything
00:30:24.52\00:30:29.91
have compassion
on us and help us.'
00:30:29.94\00:30:32.93
And Jesus said, 'what you are
talking about, if me? If you,'"
00:30:32.96\00:30:38.92
and quotes him right back.
00:30:38.95\00:30:39.98
"'If you can believe,
00:30:40.01\00:30:43.01
all things are
possible to him who believes.'
00:30:43.04\00:30:44.80
And immediately that
father of the child cried out
00:30:44.83\00:30:48.06
and said with tears."
00:30:48.09\00:30:49.56
I want you to
mark that word tears.
00:30:49.59\00:30:51.66
How many of you have
parents? Should be most of us.
00:30:51.69\00:30:57.91
Do you know what tears are?
00:30:57.94\00:31:00.42
They are the pathology
of parental desperation.
00:31:00.45\00:31:04.43
Tears are the very
nature of parental desperation.
00:31:04.46\00:31:07.16
You got a momma at
home, you got a papa at home?
00:31:07.19\00:31:10.03
Let me tell you something,
00:31:10.06\00:31:11.13
I don't even have
to ask them, they know.
00:31:11.16\00:31:14.68
They know the meaning of tears.
00:31:14.71\00:31:18.43
The mother
cries, the daddy cries.
00:31:18.46\00:31:22.16
I've seen dad's cry,
that's not a pretty sight,
00:31:22.19\00:31:25.86
it's bad, it's
bad when a man cries.
00:31:25.89\00:31:29.53
It's good for him to
cry, just doesn't look good.
00:31:29.56\00:31:35.17
And papa burst in the tears.
00:31:35.20\00:31:36.78
This is so, this is so touching,
00:31:36.81\00:31:38.86
"Immediately the
father of the child cried out
00:31:38.89\00:31:40.93
and said with tears,
00:31:40.96\00:31:41.99
'Lord, I believe, You got
to help my unbelief! Please.'
00:31:42.02\00:31:47.28
And when Jesus saw
00:31:47.31\00:31:48.34
that the people
came running together."
00:31:48.37\00:31:49.74
I am not gonna make a
show out of this Jesus said,
00:31:49.77\00:31:51.42
let's quick,
let's get to action.
00:31:51.45\00:31:53.25
Jesus, what is this?
00:31:53.28\00:31:54.64
Verse 25, "Jesus
rebuked the unclean spirit,
00:31:54.67\00:31:56.71
saying to it
'Deaf and dumb spirit,
00:31:56.74\00:31:58.24
I command you, come out of
him and enter him no more!'
00:31:58.27\00:32:00.89
Then the spirit cried out,
00:32:00.92\00:32:02.13
convulsing the boy
greatly, and came out of him.
00:32:02.16\00:32:04.34
And the boy became as one dead,
00:32:04.37\00:32:05.74
so that those standing
by said, 'He is dead.'"
00:32:05.77\00:32:08.88
Too late.
00:32:08.91\00:32:12.63
"But Jesus, mercy
took him by the hand
00:32:12.66\00:32:16.85
and lifted him
up, and he arose."
00:32:16.88\00:32:20.57
Story number four
of the two word prayer,
00:32:20.60\00:32:22.99
go back to
Matthew, Matthew last story,
00:32:23.02\00:32:24.92
Matthew 20, Matthew 20.
00:32:24.95\00:32:28.76
Four stories in one
gospel, two words, one prayer.
00:32:28.79\00:32:34.68
Matthew 20, drop
down to verse 29.
00:32:34.71\00:32:36.97
"And now, as they
went out of Jericho,
00:32:37.00\00:32:40.79
a great multitude followed Him,"
00:32:40.82\00:32:42.11
that would be Jesus.
00:32:42.14\00:32:43.18
"And behold, two blind
men sitting by the road."
00:32:43.21\00:32:45.20
Hey, wait a minute, are
these the same two blind men
00:32:45.23\00:32:47.39
that were in that first story?
00:32:47.42\00:32:49.23
Impossible, of course it
can't be the same blind men,
00:32:49.26\00:32:50.85
those guys see now.
00:32:50.88\00:32:52.78
These are two more blind
men. You know what the deal is?
00:32:52.81\00:32:55.43
The blind beggars
traveled in pairs,
00:32:55.46\00:32:59.39
so that when one goes down,
00:32:59.42\00:33:01.63
the other can
stumble in that darkness
00:33:01.66\00:33:03.72
to raise the first
one back onto his feet.
00:33:03.75\00:33:07.51
It's a classic case of
the blind leading the blind.
00:33:07.54\00:33:11.72
And it's a paradigm a
life around here, isn't it?
00:33:11.75\00:33:16.04
So they traveled in two's.
00:33:16.07\00:33:18.69
"And behold, two blind
men sitting by the road,
00:33:18.72\00:33:20.60
when they heard Jesus
was passing by, cried out"
00:33:20.63\00:33:23.05
There is that cry again.
00:33:23.08\00:33:24.20
"Cried out, saying, 'Have mercy
on us, O Lord, Son of David!'"
00:33:24.23\00:33:28.69
Now in the story of the mother,
00:33:28.72\00:33:31.24
the Greek tense
indicates she's just saying it
00:33:31.27\00:33:32.92
over and over and over again,
00:33:32.95\00:33:34.68
but in this story the
Greek tense is absolutely clear,
00:33:34.71\00:33:37.27
they get it out only once.
00:33:37.30\00:33:38.88
You know why?
00:33:38.91\00:33:39.94
Because as soon as they
cry out that two word prayer,
00:33:39.97\00:33:42.97
the grumbling crowd has a
two word response, shut up.
00:33:43.00\00:33:47.17
"Then the multitude,"
verse 31, "warned them
00:33:51.60\00:33:53.50
that they should be quiet."
00:33:53.53\00:33:54.69
Hush your mouth.
00:33:54.72\00:33:59.11
"But they cried
out," I love this.
00:33:59.14\00:34:00.91
"But they cried
out all the more,
00:34:00.94\00:34:03.21
over the noise of the crowd,
00:34:03.24\00:34:05.06
saying, 'Have mercy on
us, O Lord, Son of David!'"
00:34:05.09\00:34:07.58
So Jesus above the
cacophony of that rabble,
00:34:07.61\00:34:10.91
Jesus hears the cry.
00:34:10.94\00:34:14.93
"And He stood
still and He called them,
00:34:14.96\00:34:17.99
and He said, 'What do
you want Me to do for you?'
00:34:18.02\00:34:20.21
And they said to Him, 'Lord,
that our eyes may be opened.'
00:34:20.24\00:34:24.50
So Jesus had compassion
and touched their eyes.
00:34:24.53\00:34:27.74
And immediately
their eyes received sight,
00:34:27.77\00:34:30.46
and they followed Him."
00:34:30.49\00:34:34.26
There they are
ladies and gentlemen,
00:34:34.29\00:34:35.58
four stories, two
words, one prayer.
00:34:35.61\00:34:41.58
Have you figured out, what
the two word, one prayer is?
00:34:41.61\00:34:46.26
The prayer that Al Capone
prayed on his grave stone.
00:34:46.29\00:34:50.59
I wish you would write it down,
00:34:50.62\00:34:51.87
so that you'll never
forget this prayer again.
00:34:51.90\00:34:53.59
I need to write it down,
00:34:53.62\00:34:54.78
so that we might
earnestly embrace this prayer
00:34:54.81\00:34:56.84
for the rest of our lives.
00:34:56.87\00:34:57.90
Write it down, right
now the two word prayer.
00:34:57.93\00:34:59.93
Take your study guide out.
00:34:59.96\00:35:01.03
You got a study guide
in your worship bulletin
00:35:01.06\00:35:02.46
grab it right now, please.
00:35:02.49\00:35:03.84
Ushers, thank
you, for making sure
00:35:03.87\00:35:05.08
that everybody here gets one,
00:35:05.11\00:35:06.14
hold your hand up if you
don't have a study guide.
00:35:06.17\00:35:08.19
Way in the
balcony, up here, front,
00:35:08.22\00:35:10.35
doesn't matter, just, they
are coming in both directions,
00:35:10.38\00:35:12.12
so just hold your hand up.
00:35:12.15\00:35:13.29
And we will make
sure you'll get it.
00:35:13.32\00:35:14.38
And while they are doing that,
00:35:14.41\00:35:15.45
I want to say to those
of you watching right now,
00:35:15.48\00:35:17.09
if you go to our website,
00:35:17.12\00:35:18.15
let me put it on
the screen for you.
00:35:18.18\00:35:19.62
There it is, www.pmchurch.tv,
00:35:19.65\00:35:23.71
that's our website
Pioneer Memorial Church,
00:35:23.74\00:35:25.41
pmchurch.tv.
00:35:25.44\00:35:27.08
Go to our, our new series
called "Mercy came a runnin'"
00:35:27.11\00:35:30.73
And when you go to that series
00:35:30.76\00:35:31.97
you want to click
on to this teaching,
00:35:32.00\00:35:33.29
this is called
"The two word prayer."
00:35:33.32\00:35:36.16
You'll see right
there, the word study guide.
00:35:36.19\00:35:39.48
Click onto that word study guide
00:35:39.51\00:35:41.09
and you'll have the same study,
00:35:41.12\00:35:42.59
the same study
guide we have right here.
00:35:42.62\00:35:46.18
I give you a second to do
that, those of you watching.
00:35:46.21\00:35:48.98
If you're on a DVD right
now just hit that pause get it
00:35:49.01\00:35:51.28
and pick right
up with us, please.
00:35:51.31\00:35:54.06
All right, right there at
the top of the study guide,
00:35:54.09\00:35:55.41
jot it down please.
00:35:55.44\00:35:56.47
Al Capone, the prayer of
Al Capone, "My Jesus Mercy."
00:35:56.50\00:36:03.30
Write it down. Four
stories, two words, one prayer.
00:36:03.33\00:36:07.44
What is that one prayer?
00:36:07.47\00:36:09.03
Say it out loud
with me, "Have mercy."
00:36:09.06\00:36:11.59
Have mercy, would you
please write that down.
00:36:11.62\00:36:14.53
My Jesus, have mercy.
00:36:14.56\00:36:16.32
You know what
mercy is, don't you?
00:36:16.35\00:36:17.64
You know what you're
saying, when you say have mercy,
00:36:17.67\00:36:19.09
you're saying,
you're saying hey look,
00:36:19.12\00:36:20.92
don't give me what I deserve,
00:36:20.95\00:36:23.31
give me what I desperately need.
00:36:23.34\00:36:26.34
Don't give me what I deserve.
00:36:26.37\00:36:28.18
I know what I deserve, I don't
need another voice telling me,
00:36:28.21\00:36:31.27
everybody is telling me.
00:36:31.30\00:36:33.48
I'm asking for
what I don't deserve,
00:36:33.51\00:36:36.09
that's mercy,
that's what I need.
00:36:36.12\00:36:40.11
Question is, when in life
should we pray this prayer?
00:36:40.14\00:36:43.82
When in life? Okay, let's
go back to the fourth story.
00:36:43.85\00:36:46.00
Boom, boom, boom.
00:36:46.03\00:36:47.06
We're not gonna look 'em up now,
00:36:47.09\00:36:48.12
because you
already know the story,
00:36:48.15\00:36:49.18
story number one
tells us the answer.
00:36:49.21\00:36:50.34
When in life
should I pray this prayer?
00:36:50.37\00:36:52.00
When you cannot behold. That's
one word, fill it in please.
00:36:52.03\00:36:55.47
When you cannot see,
when you cannot behold,
00:36:55.50\00:36:58.73
that's when you pray
the prayer, have mercy.
00:36:58.76\00:37:01.34
You know, it's like driving,
don't you just love winter?
00:37:01.37\00:37:04.65
I mean, you're
driving on a highway,
00:37:04.68\00:37:05.91
it's two lane highway, and an
18 wheeler is in front of you.
00:37:05.94\00:37:08.47
Doesn't that just bug you
00:37:08.50\00:37:09.54
because one half
of those 18 wheels,
00:37:09.57\00:37:11.16
9, 9 of those tires are hitting
every mucky, brown puddle
00:37:11.19\00:37:15.97
between here and
your destination.
00:37:16.00\00:37:17.61
And when they hit that
muck where does it end up?
00:37:17.64\00:37:19.84
Splattered all over you.
00:37:22.50\00:37:24.41
All over the windshield
or as our friends in England
00:37:24.44\00:37:26.07
would say all
over the windscreen.
00:37:26.10\00:37:30.64
Pray the prayer.
00:37:30.67\00:37:33.05
When personal guilt and
sin have morally blinded you,
00:37:33.08\00:37:36.97
you cannot even
behold, the Lamb of God
00:37:37.00\00:37:39.19
who takes away
the sin of the world,
00:37:39.22\00:37:41.11
that's the time to cry out,
00:37:41.14\00:37:42.28
Lord, you got to
have mercy on me.
00:37:42.31\00:37:44.31
Have mercy on me. I can't see.
00:37:44.34\00:37:48.27
I love this line,
it describes the face
00:37:48.30\00:37:51.01
that the two blind men saw,
00:37:51.04\00:37:52.23
the very first vision they
saw when their eyes were opened.
00:37:52.26\00:37:55.64
And this line is
in your study guide.
00:37:55.67\00:37:56.82
Isn't this great?
Never, you see that word?
00:37:56.85\00:37:59.69
I wish you would
circle the word 'never'.
00:37:59.72\00:38:01.26
Never, circle that word never.
00:38:01.29\00:38:04.07
"Never does that kindly face
and that arm of strength..."
00:38:04.10\00:38:08.45
he's speaking of Jesus,
00:38:08.48\00:38:09.57
"turn from the
supplicating hands
00:38:09.60\00:38:11.44
that are
stretched out for mercy.'
00:38:11.47\00:38:15.24
Isn't that great? Never.
00:38:15.27\00:38:16.92
You want one prayer
that God will always answer.
00:38:16.95\00:38:18.74
Do you want a prayer
that God will always answer?
00:38:18.77\00:38:20.58
It's the prayer
for mercy. Always.
00:38:20.61\00:38:24.40
You want mercy. I
have mercy on you, boy.
00:38:24.43\00:38:28.08
I have mercy on you, girl.
Never, never will He turn away.
00:38:28.11\00:38:35.03
My Jesus, have mercy.
00:38:35.06\00:38:37.88
And by the way, in Matthew,
in between these stories
00:38:37.91\00:38:40.56
there's a story about
Peter walking on the water,
00:38:40.59\00:38:41.90
remember Peter
in a stormy night,
00:38:41.93\00:38:42.99
he's walking on water,
he says, Jesus, called me,
00:38:43.02\00:38:44.57
and so Jesus says come on, boy,
00:38:44.60\00:38:46.55
and Peter gets out, middle
of the night, remember that?
00:38:46.58\00:38:48.65
And then he takes
his eyes off of Jesus
00:38:48.68\00:38:50.22
and what happens to him?
00:38:50.25\00:38:51.46
Refresh my memory,
what happens to him?
00:38:51.49\00:38:53.65
He thinks he is going down
to Davy Jones locker, all right.
00:38:53.68\00:38:56.30
And he cries out
a two word prayer,
00:38:56.33\00:38:57.85
you know what that
two-word prayer was?
00:38:57.88\00:38:59.04
Lord, save me.
00:38:59.07\00:39:01.51
I want to tell
you something guys,
00:39:01.54\00:39:02.59
if you ever forget
the words, have mercy,
00:39:02.62\00:39:04.25
you can know that their
synonym prayer is save me.
00:39:04.28\00:39:07.28
Same prayer, have
mercy, save me, save me.
00:39:07.31\00:39:14.48
So that's the two
word prayer to pray.
00:39:14.51\00:39:16.48
When should I pray
this two word prayer?
00:39:16.51\00:39:17.90
When you cannot
behold story number two,
00:39:17.93\00:39:20.40
when you cannot be helped.
00:39:20.43\00:39:23.20
Write that in as well.
00:39:23.23\00:39:24.72
Pray the prayer,
when you cannot be helped.
00:39:24.75\00:39:27.99
You've turned your help from,
to everyone you can think of,
00:39:28.02\00:39:30.27
your
physiatrist, your counselors,
00:39:30.30\00:39:31.64
your doctors,
the bank, the church,
00:39:31.67\00:39:33.26
but that which is dear
to you is slipping away
00:39:33.29\00:39:35.74
and there is no one
left to whom you can turn.
00:39:35.77\00:39:39.21
That's the time
to pray this prayer.
00:39:39.24\00:39:40.59
Have mercy on me,
Son of David, have mercy.
00:39:40.62\00:39:44.83
Because truth
be known, hey look,
00:39:44.86\00:39:46.61
truth is, we
know this, don't we?
00:39:46.64\00:39:49.18
Like that Syrophoenician mother
00:39:49.21\00:39:51.09
it may sometimes appear
that your pleading and sobbing
00:39:51.12\00:39:55.66
are falling on
even deaf ears up there.
00:39:55.69\00:39:58.81
Come on, I know, you know that.
00:39:58.84\00:40:00.57
They are times when it
seems nobody will hear,
00:40:00.60\00:40:03.51
not even God Himself.
00:40:03.54\00:40:04.74
But you know what, guys,
lets take a, lets take a page
00:40:04.77\00:40:07.77
out of this
desperate mother's play book.
00:40:07.80\00:40:10.93
And like the
Greek tense indicates
00:40:10.96\00:40:12.69
lets just keep
repeating the prayer and
00:40:12.72\00:40:15.13
To be walking by.
00:40:33.63\00:40:35.04
Surely, He will be
accosted by your desperation.
00:40:35.07\00:40:39.24
My sobbing, surely
He will stop and stoop,
00:40:39.27\00:40:41.95
where we've thrown
ourselves to block His path.
00:40:41.98\00:40:44.16
Surely He will
stop and have mercy.
00:40:44.19\00:40:47.69
So you pray that prayer
and you can't be helped.
00:40:47.72\00:40:54.62
Philip Yancey, oh, boy this,
00:40:54.65\00:40:56.35
I wish I could
get this book for you.
00:40:56.38\00:40:58.86
It says, provocative brand new
book, Philip Yancey's new book,
00:40:58.89\00:41:02.64
"Prayer, Does it
Make Any Difference."
00:41:02.67\00:41:05.55
We're brooding over this book
00:41:05.58\00:41:06.62
and how's the prayer, by
the way, on Wednesday night?
00:41:06.65\00:41:08.73
Love to have you
come and join us.
00:41:08.76\00:41:10.08
It is just very provocative,
00:41:10.11\00:41:11.52
the answer is
totally transparent
00:41:11.55\00:41:12.99
as he struggles with
the reality of prayer
00:41:13.02\00:41:14.80
and which of us
hasn't struggled with prayer?
00:41:14.83\00:41:17.56
But the answer is,
he's dealing with prayer
00:41:17.59\00:41:19.54
and he's recalling that story
00:41:19.57\00:41:21.41
where Abraham, with
the mental stranger.
00:41:21.44\00:41:23.61
You remember the, remember
the stranger that showed up
00:41:23.64\00:41:26.09
outside of his tent
one day and he gave him,
00:41:26.12\00:41:28.08
you know, he gave that meal.
00:41:28.11\00:41:29.53
And then the other two leave
00:41:29.56\00:41:30.91
and so it's just Abraham
alone with that mental stranger
00:41:30.94\00:41:33.38
and the mental stranger
says, I'm going down to Sodom,
00:41:33.41\00:41:35.52
to figure out what I'm
gonna do with this city.
00:41:35.55\00:41:37.39
And Abraham realizes his
nephew, his one boy, is there
00:41:37.42\00:41:41.17
and so Abraham
begins to barter with God,
00:41:41.20\00:41:43.04
you remember that story?
00:41:43.07\00:41:44.83
He said okay
God, look, look, look.
00:41:44.86\00:41:46.64
I know this is very important
what's happened down at Sodom,
00:41:46.67\00:41:48.89
if there are 50 people there,
00:41:48.92\00:41:50.15
would you save the
city if there are 50?
00:41:50.18\00:41:51.74
And God looks,
00:41:51.77\00:41:52.80
the mental stranger
looks out of those shadows
00:41:52.83\00:41:54.31
into the face of this
man who's bartering with him.
00:41:54.34\00:41:56.16
He says, I'll
give you Sodom for 50.
00:41:56.19\00:41:59.88
There Abraham
realizes, man, that was easy,
00:41:59.91\00:42:02.58
let me go down five.
00:42:02.61\00:42:03.64
He says, how
about if there are 45?
00:42:03.67\00:42:05.56
Will you save him for 45?
00:42:05.59\00:42:07.07
And the mental
stranger looks back,
00:42:07.10\00:42:08.13
he says, I will
give it to you for 45.
00:42:08.16\00:42:09.91
And Abraham says
well, I am really dumb,
00:42:09.94\00:42:12.65
let me ask you one
more time. How about for 40?
00:42:12.68\00:42:15.18
And just like that
the mental stranger says,
00:42:15.21\00:42:16.83
you can have it for 40
and suddenly Abraham realizes,
00:42:16.86\00:42:19.48
he is winning in this bartering
00:42:19.51\00:42:20.88
and so instead of
an increment of five,
00:42:20.91\00:42:22.70
he now jumps to
increments of 10.
00:42:22.73\00:42:24.43
I'm dropping it down to 30,
would you save Sodom for 30?
00:42:24.46\00:42:26.90
I will save it for 30.
00:42:26.93\00:42:28.00
I will save it for
30. Would save it 20?
00:42:28.03\00:42:29.06
I'll save it for 20?
00:42:29.09\00:42:30.21
Oh, God don't strike me
dead, please, I'm just ashes,
00:42:30.24\00:42:33.91
but would you save it for 10?
00:42:33.94\00:42:37.13
And the mental stranger
looks straight into his face
00:42:37.16\00:42:38.81
and he says I
will save it for 10.
00:42:38.84\00:42:41.43
And there's this
pause and Yancey wonders,
00:42:41.46\00:42:45.66
could it be the
mental stranger saying,
00:42:45.69\00:42:48.78
you want to go any lower?
00:42:48.81\00:42:51.24
You want to go any lower?
00:42:51.27\00:42:54.70
What if Abraham
had gone down to one?
00:42:54.73\00:42:57.87
I got a boy.
00:42:57.90\00:43:00.69
So now Yancey's writing,
00:43:00.72\00:43:02.20
it's in your study
guide, this is great.
00:43:02.23\00:43:03.31
Watch, look.
00:43:03.34\00:43:04.37
"Was God, so quick
to concede each point,
00:43:04.40\00:43:06.59
actually
looking for an advocate,
00:43:06.62\00:43:08.16
a human being
bold enough to express
00:43:08.19\00:43:10.71
God's own deepest
instinct of mercy?"
00:43:10.74\00:43:13.60
I wish you'd just circle that,
00:43:13.63\00:43:14.72
God's deepest instinct of mercy.
00:43:14.75\00:43:17.10
Yancey goes on.
00:43:17.13\00:43:18.16
"God invites
argument and struggle
00:43:18.19\00:43:19.95
from you and me,
and often yields,
00:43:19.98\00:43:22.12
especially when the point
of contention is God's mercy."
00:43:22.15\00:43:26.69
Hold on, he is quoting this,
00:43:26.72\00:43:28.29
somebody named
Archbishop Trench,
00:43:28.32\00:43:30.28
"Prayer is not overcoming
God's reluctance." I like this.
00:43:30.31\00:43:34.36
"Prayer is laying hold of
God's highest willingness."
00:43:34.39\00:43:38.32
And they agree.
00:43:38.35\00:43:39.80
Yes, you have
to talk me into it.
00:43:39.83\00:43:41.57
I already am mercy.
00:43:41.60\00:43:44.81
I want to do what you're asking.
00:43:44.84\00:43:47.62
Ask me, have
mercy. Have mercy, wow.
00:43:47.65\00:43:52.93
So a desperate
mother, kept on pleading,
00:43:52.96\00:43:55.14
have mercy on me, Son of
David, you got to have mercy.
00:43:55.17\00:43:57.73
And finally tears in His eyes,
00:43:57.76\00:43:59.11
He says, woman
great is your faith,
00:43:59.14\00:44:00.96
I have mercy on you,
go, it's okay, you win.
00:44:00.99\00:44:05.88
Mercy comes a runnin', you win.
00:44:05.91\00:44:10.17
So when do you pray this prayer?
00:44:10.20\00:44:13.11
You pray this prayer,
when you can't be behold.
00:44:13.14\00:44:17.05
You pray this prayer,
when you can't be helped.
00:44:17.08\00:44:20.58
And story number three,
00:44:20.61\00:44:21.64
you pray this prayer
when you can't believe.
00:44:21.67\00:44:24.96
Write it down,
you can't believe.
00:44:24.99\00:44:28.81
Living in this
academic environment as we do,
00:44:28.84\00:44:30.57
we must be honest and confess
00:44:30.60\00:44:32.05
that at times it
is hard to believe,
00:44:32.08\00:44:34.84
hard to know what
to believe, at times.
00:44:34.87\00:44:36.71
Hard to know how
to believe, at times.
00:44:36.74\00:44:38.85
I received a card
from one of our viewers
00:44:38.88\00:44:41.65
out on the west
coast just this last week.
00:44:41.68\00:44:45.53
It read and asked for a book,
00:44:45.56\00:44:48.28
little book, "Built to
Last" so we send him the book,
00:44:48.31\00:44:50.28
I got the card back.
00:44:50.31\00:44:52.51
Skip the first
couple of paragraphs,
00:44:52.54\00:44:53.76
"Pastor Nelson, although
I believe in a higher power,
00:44:53.79\00:44:59.19
I am still an angry agnostic
00:44:59.22\00:45:01.82
due to the
horrible life of my..."
00:45:01.85\00:45:04.02
and then he
describes a loved one of his
00:45:04.05\00:45:06.20
and what that loved
one has had to endure.
00:45:06.23\00:45:09.92
"Consequently, I am continually
looking for answers."
00:45:09.95\00:45:16.24
He signs his name.
00:45:16.27\00:45:19.86
The third story is
about a father who says,
00:45:19.89\00:45:21.80
you know what, I don't believe.
00:45:21.83\00:45:25.08
I believe, but you
got to help my un-belief.
00:45:25.11\00:45:27.70
Don't you suppose
ladies and gentlemen,
00:45:27.73\00:45:28.93
that God actually
responds to such transparency,
00:45:28.96\00:45:34.01
don't you think it
just moves the heart of God
00:45:34.04\00:45:36.10
when you're honest with me.
00:45:36.13\00:45:38.55
The problem is
when you and I pray,
00:45:38.58\00:45:39.77
we're never honest with
God, that's the problem.
00:45:39.80\00:45:41.86
We always think
we got to come to God
00:45:41.89\00:45:43.38
as the way we think God wants
us to be when we come to Him
00:45:43.41\00:45:46.06
and so we put on the charade
00:45:46.09\00:45:47.65
and God says,
who are you fooling?
00:45:47.68\00:45:50.60
C.S. Lewis, you have
this in your study guide.
00:45:50.63\00:45:52.29
This is so great.
00:45:52.32\00:45:53.61
C.S. Lewis, he says "The prayer
preceding all prayers is this,
00:45:53.64\00:45:57.90
'May it be the
real I who speaks."
00:45:57.93\00:46:01.42
No games God, no games.
00:46:01.45\00:46:03.63
"May it be the real I who speaks
00:46:03.66\00:46:05.72
and may it be the
real Thou that I speak to."
00:46:05.75\00:46:10.21
I talk to the real
God, not this caricature.
00:46:10.24\00:46:13.92
I make a caricature of
me, I make a caricature of Him
00:46:13.95\00:46:17.93
and we had these
little caricatures
00:46:17.96\00:46:19.44
going through this play acting.
00:46:19.47\00:46:20.97
No, Yancey
commenting on that prayer,
00:46:21.00\00:46:23.20
look at this, you got
it in your study guide.
00:46:23.23\00:46:24.85
"Prayer invites
me to lower defenses
00:46:24.88\00:46:27.35
and present the self that
no other person fully knows
00:46:27.38\00:46:30.82
to a God who already knows."
00:46:30.85\00:46:34.71
You don't have to play with Him.
00:46:34.74\00:46:36.73
To play game with
Him, He knows who you are.
00:46:36.76\00:46:39.19
He knows what you're like.
00:46:39.22\00:46:41.09
Be honest, come to mercy.
00:46:41.12\00:46:44.48
Like that father, O,
I believe, I believe,
00:46:44.51\00:46:47.81
but help my un-belief.
00:46:47.84\00:46:50.67
God says, bring it
to me, come as you are.
00:46:50.70\00:46:55.23
And I couldn't go to mercy,
mercy came in runnin' to me.
00:46:55.26\00:47:00.75
Two word prayer,
00:47:04.67\00:47:06.83
showed you the mercy of God
is for universities like us.
00:47:06.86\00:47:10.64
Two word prayer. You pray this
prayer when you cannot behold.
00:47:10.67\00:47:14.50
You pray this prayer
when you cannot be helped.
00:47:14.53\00:47:17.53
You pray this prayer
when you cannot believe.
00:47:17.56\00:47:20.19
And you pray this prayer
when you cannot be heard.
00:47:20.22\00:47:23.91
Write it down.
That's our fourth story.
00:47:23.94\00:47:28.07
When you cannot be heard.
00:47:28.10\00:47:32.14
I didn't know her.
00:47:32.17\00:47:34.52
I don't imagine you did either.
00:47:34.55\00:47:39.05
But I, I want to tell you
something, just be honest here.
00:47:39.08\00:47:41.33
I have felt such
a sense of sadness,
00:47:41.36\00:47:45.41
over the tragic death
and even more tragic life
00:47:45.44\00:47:49.03
of Anna Nicole Smith.
00:47:49.06\00:47:55.56
Newsweek magazine
carried a story on her
00:47:55.59\00:47:57.52
and they showed a picture
of her when she is in Texas
00:47:57.55\00:47:59.48
as a young mother and
wife and I tell you what
00:47:59.51\00:48:01.21
she is just a garden
variety woman next door.
00:48:01.24\00:48:04.10
She is just...
That's all she was.
00:48:04.13\00:48:07.98
An average, commoner woman.
00:48:08.01\00:48:10.95
But who becomes
driven by a fiend,
00:48:10.98\00:48:15.49
hungry for
acceptance, hungry for live,
00:48:15.52\00:48:18.68
hungry for popularity,
fame and fortune, give me that.
00:48:18.71\00:48:22.38
Vanity, vanity, all is vanity.
00:48:25.39\00:48:32.62
Anna Nicole Smith became a
third millennial embodiment
00:48:32.65\00:48:35.86
of
ecclesiastic's forlorn obituary.
00:48:35.89\00:48:40.98
There she is,
00:48:41.01\00:48:42.09
that's what the book of
Ecclesiastics is all about.
00:48:42.12\00:48:47.83
Makes you wonder, doesn't it?
00:48:47.86\00:48:49.14
Did any of the men, who
now claim paternity rights
00:48:49.17\00:48:53.08
to her surviving baby,
that surviving baby daughter.
00:48:53.11\00:48:58.04
A baby crying. For somebody
to say, I am your daddy.
00:48:58.07\00:49:04.48
Did any of the men,
you think about this guys,
00:49:15.36\00:49:17.87
I mean this, you
just can't believe,
00:49:17.90\00:49:19.12
this soap opera
is just a circus.
00:49:19.15\00:49:22.07
Did any of the men who
now claim paternity rights
00:49:22.10\00:49:24.96
to her surviving baby daughter,
00:49:24.99\00:49:26.99
ever get close
enough to Anna Nicole Smith
00:49:27.02\00:49:29.37
to satisfy her
pleading for love?
00:49:29.40\00:49:31.54
Did they know what
she was hungry for?
00:49:31.57\00:49:33.41
It was not sex, it was
love. Somebody love me.
00:49:33.44\00:49:39.05
And so she screaming,
00:49:42.16\00:49:45.13
but the paparazzi and the noisy
crowd that ever dogged her,
00:49:45.16\00:49:50.50
spiked heels, drowned
out her sobs for mercy.
00:49:50.53\00:49:56.16
Could that be it?
00:49:56.19\00:49:58.62
But then doesn't that fourth
story tell us there is someone
00:49:58.65\00:50:01.50
who can hear above the
cacophony of the crowd.
00:50:01.53\00:50:04.33
The whispered prayer, for mercy.
00:50:05.71\00:50:09.20
My Jesus mercy,
00:50:14.01\00:50:15.81
prays the grave
stone of Al Capone,
00:50:15.84\00:50:17.49
could it be the contested
body still in the morgue
00:50:17.52\00:50:20.20
of Anna Nicole Smith
prays the same today.
00:50:20.23\00:50:22.67
Could it be that in the
words of Frederick Faber?
00:50:27.29\00:50:31.23
"There is
wideness in God's mercy,
00:50:31.26\00:50:34.11
like the wideness of the sea.
00:50:34.14\00:50:38.37
There is a
kindness in God's justice,
00:50:38.40\00:50:43.73
which is more than liberty."
00:50:43.76\00:50:45.90
Could it be true
00:50:45.93\00:50:48.20
in that second stanza
of his that the love of God
00:50:48.23\00:50:50.83
is broader than the
measure of man's mind
00:50:50.86\00:50:53.63
and the heart of the eternal?
00:50:53.66\00:50:55.78
The infinite, the
heart of the eternal.
00:50:55.81\00:51:00.61
He's most wonderfully kind.
00:51:00.64\00:51:03.28
Could it be?
00:51:03.31\00:51:04.34
There is room in the pew
for one more, Anna Nicole.
00:51:04.37\00:51:10.14
There is welcome for the sinner
and more graces for the good,
00:51:14.16\00:51:17.01
there is mercy with the savior,
there is healing in His blood.
00:51:17.04\00:51:22.13
And could it be,
finally I ask you, could it be?
00:51:22.16\00:51:25.41
That we are just as
much in need of mercy today
00:51:25.44\00:51:29.64
as Al Capone and
Anna Nicole Smith,
00:51:29.67\00:51:33.12
you and me.
00:51:33.15\00:51:35.77
My Jesus mercy.
00:51:35.80\00:51:38.30
I mean, didn't Jesus
tell us story once upon a time
00:51:38.33\00:51:40.33
about two men who
went to church on Sabbath,
00:51:40.36\00:51:43.39
did He tell the
story about them?
00:51:43.42\00:51:45.84
Didn't He tell us
the story about that one?
00:51:45.87\00:51:48.02
The self righteous
one who stood up in church
00:51:48.05\00:51:51.87
and he cried out,
O, God I thank you
00:51:51.90\00:51:53.71
that I am not like Al
Capone and Anna Nicole Smith,
00:51:53.74\00:51:57.45
I tie, stewardship is my thing,
00:51:57.48\00:51:59.85
I eat carefully,
diet is my thing.
00:51:59.88\00:52:04.91
And I thank you that I am
not like other men and women
00:52:04.94\00:52:07.66
and like that sinner, sitting
in the back row of this church.
00:52:07.69\00:52:12.18
Did Jesus story,
come on, come on,
00:52:12.21\00:52:14.02
didn't Jesus story
also tell about the sinner
00:52:14.05\00:52:17.52
in the back row of
the church that Sabbath,
00:52:17.55\00:52:20.54
who beat his heart and
during the closing hymn
00:52:20.57\00:52:23.76
could not even
raise his eyes heavenward,
00:52:23.79\00:52:25.71
but sob quietly into
the sleeve of his jacket.
00:52:25.74\00:52:29.54
O, God, be merciful, be
merciful to me a sinner.
00:52:29.57\00:52:35.75
My Jesus, mercy,
have mercy on me.
00:52:35.78\00:52:41.45
And did it?
00:52:41.48\00:52:42.58
Come on and didn't
the story of Jesus end
00:52:42.61\00:52:45.55
with the punch line that
the likes of Anna Nicole Smith
00:52:45.58\00:52:49.77
and Al Capone got saved
00:52:49.80\00:52:51.69
while the likes of that
self righteous prig got lost.
00:52:51.72\00:52:56.16
What made the difference?
00:53:00.51\00:53:02.99
You want to know
what made the difference?
00:53:03.02\00:53:04.99
You want to know
what made the difference?
00:53:05.02\00:53:06.98
That two word prayer.
00:53:07.01\00:53:08.10
Because only
sinners plead for mercy
00:53:11.02\00:53:16.52
and only for
sinners can mercy plead.
00:53:16.55\00:53:21.45
Have mercy upon me O, God,
00:53:33.01\00:53:37.79
according to
Your loving kindness,
00:53:37.82\00:53:41.25
according to the multitude
of Your tender mercies,
00:53:41.28\00:53:45.15
blot out my transgressions.
00:53:45.18\00:53:48.50
Wash me
thoroughly from my inequity
00:53:48.53\00:53:51.58
and cleanse me from my sin.
00:53:51.61\00:53:54.60
For I
acknowledge my transgressions
00:53:54.63\00:53:56.48
and my sin is always
before me, against You,
00:53:56.51\00:53:59.16
You only, have I sinned, I've
done this evil in Your sight,
00:53:59.19\00:54:03.62
that you may be found
just when You speaking
00:54:03.65\00:54:05.96
and blameless when you judge.
00:54:05.99\00:54:09.15
Purge me with hyssop
and I shall be clean.
00:54:09.18\00:54:14.29
Wash me and I shall
be whiter than snow.
00:54:14.32\00:54:19.33
Hide your face from my
sins and blot out my inequities.
00:54:19.36\00:54:22.76
Create in me a
clean heart O, God
00:54:22.79\00:54:24.73
and renew a
steadfast spirit within me.
00:54:24.76\00:54:27.20
Do not cast me
away from your presence.
00:54:27.23\00:54:29.69
And do not take
your Holy Spirit from me.
00:54:29.72\00:54:34.06
My Jesus mercy, please. I
beg of you, have mercy on me.
00:54:34.09\00:54:41.24
O, God, Holy Father,
00:54:45.50\00:54:53.44
have mercy on us.
00:54:53.47\00:54:54.71
Jesus' story is right.
00:54:58.69\00:55:01.26
We all ended up in church today
00:55:01.29\00:55:05.00
and the truth
about both worshipers,
00:55:05.03\00:55:09.45
they were each
desperately in need of mercy.
00:55:09.48\00:55:16.53
Holy God, please
have mercy on us.
00:55:16.56\00:55:21.63
If there is a
sinner here, today,
00:55:36.18\00:55:42.31
like Al Capone
00:55:42.34\00:55:47.24
or like Anna Nicole Smith
00:55:47.27\00:55:51.56
and you're in need of mercy,
00:55:51.59\00:55:58.05
I would like to
invite you to stand
00:55:58.08\00:56:00.18
and sing this two word
prayer to heaven right now.
00:56:00.21\00:56:06.60
Holy Father,
00:56:22.59\00:56:26.12
we have got to home
today saved from worship.
00:56:26.15\00:56:31.91
Which ever one we
are, in Jesus' story,
00:56:31.94\00:56:37.80
which ever one we are Capone,
Smith, it doesn't matter.
00:56:37.83\00:56:45.68
We stand with a
prayer, have mercy,
00:56:45.71\00:56:52.95
O, God, upon us.
00:56:52.98\00:56:59.74
Amen.
00:56:59.77\00:57:02.19
Let me take one
more moment of you time
00:57:02.22\00:57:03.84
to let you know that one
of the blessings I've received
00:57:03.87\00:57:05.92
from this telecast is being
in touch with viewers like you,
00:57:05.95\00:57:08.92
all across Michigan and our
nation and literally the world.
00:57:08.95\00:57:12.55
I'm humbled and honored
00:57:12.58\00:57:13.61
with your sharing
of journey with us.
00:57:13.64\00:57:15.11
Sometimes it's a Bible question,
00:57:15.14\00:57:16.81
other times it's an
observation or suggestion
00:57:16.84\00:57:19.14
and sometimes just a note
00:57:19.17\00:57:20.33
to share a prayer
or a prayer request.
00:57:20.36\00:57:22.57
I'd love to hear from you
and it's so easy to be in touch.
00:57:22.60\00:57:25.36
Just go to our Pioneer
Memorial Church website
00:57:25.39\00:57:27.86
www.pmchurch.tv,
and click on contact,
00:57:27.89\00:57:32.53
and then the word pastor
00:57:32.56\00:57:34.08
and then jot down the
message you wish to send.
00:57:34.11\00:57:36.62
If you have a prayer
request, click on those words
00:57:36.65\00:57:39.26
or call our toll
free number 1-877-HIS-WILL
00:57:39.29\00:57:43.67
and I promise you
00:57:43.70\00:57:44.77
that our prayer partners will
lift your personal need to God,
00:57:44.80\00:57:47.55
because, nobody
should have to journey alone.
00:57:47.58\00:57:49.94
Not only do we have Jesus
but we also have each other.
00:57:49.97\00:57:52.96
So write me, won't
you at www.pmchurch.tv.
00:57:52.99\00:57:57.51
In the meantime,
may the God whose mercy
00:57:57.54\00:57:59.43
continually runs
after us, be with you 24/7
00:57:59.46\00:58:03.27
every step of the way.
00:58:03.30\00:58:05.60
I will see you again
right here next time.
00:58:05.63\00:58:08.20