¤¤ ¤¤
00:00:00.20\00:00:20.02
¤¤ ¤¤ ¤¤
00:00:20.18\00:00:48.48
>> And now I want to invite you
to turn to page 6 of your
worship bulletin, as we read
00:00:52.81\00:00:57.85
"The Call to Worship
Responsively." And it reads,
00:00:57.85\00:01:05.89
"Who is a God like you, who
pardons sin and forgives the
transgression of the remnant of
00:01:05.89\00:01:13.30
his inheritance? You do not stay
angry forever but delight in
mercy. You will again have
00:01:13.30\00:01:21.51
compassion on us. You will tread
our sins underfoot and hurl our
00:01:21.51\00:01:27.42
iniquities into the depths
of the sea. Come then, let us
00:01:27.42\00:01:32.95
worship our God, who in mercy
forgets what He forgives." And,
please, stand with me as we
00:01:32.95\00:01:38.99
sing the doxology. ¤¤
00:01:38.99\00:01:50.04
>> Almighty God, it all comes
down to this, does it? 36 hours
left of this waning,
00:02:38.85\00:02:46.63
vanishing year that began
with such promise, such great
00:02:46.63\00:02:51.07
expectations. Nothing left now
but a handful of hours and a
heart full of regret, perhaps.
00:02:51.07\00:02:59.27
Must be why you sent the snow.
A gospel sermon disguised as a
00:02:59.27\00:03:05.21
weather report. "Come now and
let us reason together," says
the Lord. "Though your sins be
00:03:05.21\00:03:10.12
as scarlet, they shall be as
white as snow." The gospel of
the old rugged cross and that
00:03:10.12\00:03:18.06
ancient prayer, "Wash me, O,
God, and I shall be whiter than
snow." Which is why we've come
00:03:18.06\00:03:24.70
to worship you, in the name of
Christ Jesus, our savior, for
the promise of that snow-white
00:03:24.70\00:03:31.04
cleansing. Amen. >> Amen.
00:03:31.04\00:03:35.31
[ "When I Survey the
Wondrous Cross" plays ] ¤¤
00:03:35.31\00:03:49.82
¤¤ ¤¤
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>> Hey, boys and girls, nice to
see you on this last Sabbath of
00:06:36.99\00:06:41.80
December. When I saw that
weather this morning, I said,
"Oh, boy. Well, I'll tell the
00:06:41.80\00:06:46.90
story, and they'll be listening
on the radio live, or live
streaming," but nice to see you.
00:06:46.90\00:06:51.54
Thanks for getting mom and dad
up and getting them here. You
had a good Christmas?
00:06:51.54\00:06:56.68
Yes. I can tell
just be looking at you.
00:06:56.68\00:07:01.08
Jesus is always good. Thank
you, Deacon Jones. All right.
00:07:01.08\00:07:05.69
So, hey, today is a really truly
story. Now, all the stories, I
00:07:05.69\00:07:10.53
think, are pretty true, but this
one, I saw it happen. This week,
in Berrien County --
00:07:10.53\00:07:15.10
Anybody here live in Berrien
County? That'd be pretty much
00:07:15.10\00:07:19.23
all of us. Berrien County,
Michigan, this week. Was it cold
00:07:19.23\00:07:23.44
this week? Oh, my. What
was it, 4 degrees or 5 degrees?
00:07:23.44\00:07:26.11
It was Wednesday morning --
Wednesday morning.
Br-br-br-br-br-br-br!
00:07:26.11\00:07:31.81
And our friends, Harold and
Jeanie Smith, they said, "Okay.
We got to take the dogs out."
00:07:31.81\00:07:36.89
Ooh, dogs out? You got to take
dogs out when it's 4 degrees?
00:07:36.89\00:07:40.56
Tell me, please, you don't take
dogs out when it's 4 degrees.
Well, maybe they're really --
00:07:40.56\00:07:44.46
Maybe these are Alaskan Huskies.
Let's see the dogs on the
00:07:44.46\00:07:47.50
screen. Let's just see --
Oh. Oh, those are not Alaskan
00:07:47.50\00:07:51.50
Huskies. Those are standard
Poodles. "You're gonna take the
00:07:51.50\00:07:55.60
Poodles out?" "Yep!
They're used to it."
00:07:55.60\00:07:57.61
"You sure?" "Yep." "Okay."
00:07:57.61\00:08:00.84
They went out. But those two
kids -- that's Trigger, the tall
00:08:00.84\00:08:05.81
one, and Ginger, the shorter
one. Those two children of
theirs said, "You know what?
00:08:05.81\00:08:12.59
Snow. It's Christmas!"
This is two days after
00:08:12.59\00:08:15.89
Christmas. "I say let's go
for a walk." And just like that,
00:08:15.89\00:08:19.46
Trigger's gone. G-o-o-one!
And just like that, right behind
00:08:19.46\00:08:22.50
Trigger, "Wait for me!
Wait for me!" There goes Ginger.
00:08:22.50\00:08:25.73
Gone! It's
killer cold. 4 degrees.
00:08:25.73\00:08:32.94
Wind chill. And when you have
paws and not shoes -- when you
00:08:32.94\00:08:37.45
have paws that step on the ice,
things happen very quickly. And
this poor little family,
00:08:37.45\00:08:43.55
they start praying, "Oh, dear
Jesus, please -- please, please,
please, please, please."
00:08:43.55\00:08:47.46
They got ahold -- Jeanie got
ahold of Karen, so we started
00:08:47.46\00:08:50.53
praying. "Dear Jesus, please,
please, please, please, please."
About halfway through the
00:08:50.53\00:08:54.60
morning, nope! They're gone,
they're gone, they're dead.
00:08:54.60\00:08:57.13
They're frozen. That's exactly
what's happened. They are
00:08:57.13\00:09:00.87
frozen. So we decided -- We were
going -- We were getting in the
car, "Let's just swing by
00:09:00.87\00:09:04.54
their house, see if they need
any help. Maybe they've covered
00:09:04.54\00:09:07.71
all the roads. I don't
know." And as we're going down
00:09:07.71\00:09:10.58
Red Bud Trail, Red Bud Trail,
hills and curves, we go around
the curve, and then I see two
00:09:10.58\00:09:17.22
creatures walking down the
middle of Red Bud Trail. I said,
"Karen, it's the dogs!"
00:09:17.22\00:09:25.16
A big pickup truck had stopped
on the other side, and he had
said the same thing to his two
00:09:25.16\00:09:29.66
little children in the car,
"They're dogs!" We all stopped,
00:09:29.66\00:09:37.54
doors flew open. Oh, no. Because
as soon as we start calling
their names, they start
00:09:37.54\00:09:41.14
running -- the wrong way! [
Gasps ] What are we gonna do?
00:09:41.14\00:09:45.81
But you know what? I do believe
dogs have angels -- guardian
00:09:45.81\00:09:51.95
angels -- because finding those
dogs, said, "Wait a minute. This
is help, and it's very cold
00:09:51.95\00:09:56.66
out here." And one by one,
Trigger, then Ginger came to the
00:09:56.66\00:10:02.60
pickup truck, thrown his door
wide, "Come on, guys. Come on."
00:10:02.60\00:10:05.63
Shump, shump! He said,
"Where do I go with these?"
00:10:05.63\00:10:08.60
We said, "Follow us." And, oh,
my, was there rejoicing in the
Smith family that morning
00:10:08.60\00:10:17.71
in December. Let me show you
a picture of the dogs after they
00:10:17.71\00:10:21.98
were caught out in the snow. Oh.
We're talking about frostbite.
00:10:21.98\00:10:25.82
We're talking about frostbite.
Oh. Hey, wait a minute.
00:10:25.82\00:10:30.86
Come on. I see we have
some guests. Wait a minute.
00:10:30.86\00:10:34.10
No, no, this can't
be. Can it be? Is it?
00:10:34.10\00:10:38.83
It's the dogs! They came
for the children's story today!
00:10:38.83\00:10:42.14
What's up with that? They must
have known it's the last Sabbath
00:10:42.14\00:10:45.87
of December. Look at them.
Do you know, these are therapy
00:10:45.87\00:10:49.38
dogs. They hang around
people who need love. Oh.
00:10:49.38\00:10:54.88
Hey, hey, can you get a camera
in close on him? Because,
Trigger, show them you
00:10:54.88\00:10:58.85
have a coat -- you have a
shirt and tie on. [ Laughter ]
00:10:58.85\00:11:02.59
Can you see the shirt and tie?
Yeah, you can see it. And do you
see the little -- you
00:11:02.59\00:11:05.49
see the little tutu that
Ginger's wearing? Look at that.
00:11:05.49\00:11:11.40
Hey. Did Jesus answer
those prayers? And if --
00:11:11.40\00:11:16.30
Hey, hey, hey, hey,
hey. And if Je-- Shh!
00:11:16.30\00:11:20.64
Stop. If Jesus cares for little
doggies, does he care for little
00:11:20.64\00:11:25.18
boys and girls? Oh, so
much. Who wants to thank Jesus?
00:11:25.18\00:11:28.08
While the doggies are here --
All right, you come here. Okay?
00:11:28.08\00:11:31.65
Martin, you're gonna pray. We
just met Martin last Sabbath in
our Christmas service.
00:11:31.65\00:11:37.63
So, Martin, nice to have you.
You gonna pray in English or
00:11:37.63\00:11:42.53
Portuguese? >> Portuguese. >>
He's gonna pray in Portuguese.
00:11:42.53\00:11:44.90
All right, shh! He's not gonna
start until every boy and girl
00:11:44.90\00:11:48.80
is quiet. Shh! Okay.
Now he's gonna pray in
00:11:48.80\00:11:52.74
Portuguese. See if you can
understand his prayer as he
00:11:52.74\00:11:56.98
thanks Jesus, who goes looking
for the lost and will find them
if they'll just let him.
00:11:56.98\00:12:02.45
All right. Martin. >>
[ Speaking Portuguese ]
00:12:02.45\00:12:11.83
Amen. >> Amen.
Thank you, Martin.
00:12:11.83\00:12:14.56
Thank you, boys and girls. If
you want to pet the dogs,
they'll be here just for a
00:12:14.56\00:12:17.60
second, but you have
to go by them very fast.
00:12:17.60\00:12:21.24
>> Dear God, here we are. What
can we say? Martin said it in
00:12:24.67\00:12:29.01
Portuguese. We say it in
English. Obrigado -- Thank you
for sending a savior who knew
00:12:29.01\00:12:35.85
where we were. No matter
how cold the night, he kept
00:12:35.85\00:12:41.42
searching. He keeps seeking
until we connect. Don't give up
00:12:41.42\00:12:46.83
on us, Father. Don't give up on
our friends, don't give up on
our children, don't give up on
00:12:46.83\00:12:51.27
our neighbors, don't give up on
our nation. Don't give up on us.
That's why Jesus came, for which
00:12:51.27\00:12:58.57
we are very, very thankful.
00:12:58.57\00:13:01.04
In Jesus' name, amen.
Because this is the next to the
00:13:01.21\00:13:06.98
last day of this year, would it
be all right if we begin with a
00:13:06.98\00:13:11.42
question? I hope so.
00:13:11.42\00:13:15.06
So here's the
question. Think carefully.
00:13:15.06\00:13:19.19
How many times have
you sinned this year?
00:13:19.19\00:13:24.13
[ Laughter ] No, I'm serious.
Say, "Dwight, that's none of
00:13:24.30\00:13:28.10
your business." I know that,
but I'm curious. [ Laughter ]
00:13:28.10\00:13:31.67
How many times have you sinned
this year? Pull your little
00:13:31.67\00:13:36.14
calculator out. Come on. You
can figure it out. Just run the
00:13:36.14\00:13:39.85
numbers. If you sin once a
day... I'm not gonna ask for a
00:13:39.85\00:13:46.25
show of hands. But if you sin
once a day, how many times would
you have sinned in a year?
00:13:46.25\00:13:49.22
365. If you had sinned two times
a day, how many times would you
00:13:49.22\00:13:56.26
have sinned in the year? 730.
If you had sinned three times --
00:13:56.26\00:14:01.07
"Wow! Three times a day?" "Yeah,
three times a day." 1,095.
00:14:01.07\00:14:08.41
But that's really not the number
I want. You know the number I
00:14:08.41\00:14:11.98
want? I want to know what the
number would be if we tallied
everybody's sins for this past
00:14:11.98\00:14:16.72
year. What would the number
be? And let's throw in all the
00:14:16.72\00:14:21.46
live-streamers who are here,
extra, sitting in pajamas.
Should have had your suit and
00:14:21.46\00:14:26.19
tie on, but there you
are in pajamas. [ Laughter ]
00:14:26.19\00:14:28.93
I should've known. But
anyway, we throw them all in.
00:14:28.93\00:14:33.00
Lookit, if you had a thousand
people that you threw in, we're
00:14:33.17\00:14:35.34
talking about 1,095,000 sins,
just for this little group.
00:14:35.34\00:14:42.88
That's a big number. Which makes
what you're about to read so
stunning in its offer.
00:14:43.04\00:14:49.98
Want you to open your Bible with
me on this last Sabbath of this
00:14:49.98\00:14:54.02
year. Open your Bible to
Colossians, the little book of
Colossians. Haven't been there
00:14:54.02\00:14:58.39
in a long time, have you? Yeah,
me neither. Colossians chapter
00:14:58.39\00:15:03.16
2. I'll be in the New
International version. You could
grab a pew Bible if
00:15:03.16\00:15:07.34
you like or track it along with
that device of yours. Colossians
00:15:07.34\00:15:11.67
chapter 2. You got
to read these words.
00:15:11.67\00:15:13.07
This is Colossians 2:13.
"When you were dead in your sins
00:15:13.24\00:15:16.71
and in the uncircumcision of
your flesh --" in other words,
00:15:16.71\00:15:19.38
when you were
Pagan. Just a Pagan rebel.
00:15:19.38\00:15:22.78
Mm-hmm. "God made you alive with
00:15:22.78\00:15:25.22
Christ." He's
just been talking about
00:15:25.22\00:15:27.12
baptism and resurrection.
"He made you alive with Christ.
00:15:27.12\00:15:29.62
He forgave us all our sins,
having canceled the charge of
00:15:29.62\00:15:32.13
our legal indebtedness, which
stood against us and condemned
00:15:32.13\00:15:34.56
us. He has taken
it away, nailing it
00:15:34.56\00:15:36.90
to the cross. And
having --" verse 15 --
00:15:36.90\00:15:39.33
"disarmed the powers and
authorities, Jesus made a public
00:15:39.33\00:15:43.10
spectacle of them, triumphing
over them by the cross."
00:15:43.10\00:15:48.38
Now, that sounds just like a
little bit of
theological/spiritual jargon.
00:15:48.54\00:15:52.51
I mean, what is he saying? So I
pull out my little pocket
message translation.
00:15:52.51\00:15:57.29
Let me read it to you in "The
Message." This will be Eugene
00:15:57.29\00:16:00.49
Peterson's rendition. Same
verses. Put them on the screen
00:16:00.49\00:16:04.99
for you so you can follow along.
This feels friendly. Let's read
00:16:04.99\00:16:08.73
it together. "When you were
stuck in your old sin-dead
life," Pagan rebel that
00:16:08.90\00:16:15.17
you were, "you were
incapable of responding to God.
00:16:15.17\00:16:21.31
God brought you alive --
right along with Christ!"
00:16:21.31\00:16:25.31
Mm! "Think of
it!" Now here he goes.
00:16:25.31\00:16:27.92
"All sins forgiven, the slate
wiped clean, that old arrest
00:16:27.92\00:16:35.22
warrant canceled and
nailed to Christ's cross.
00:16:35.22\00:16:38.33
He stripped all the spiritual
tyrants in the universe of their
00:16:38.33\00:16:41.06
sham authority at the Cross, and
he marched them naked through
00:16:41.06\00:16:44.97
the streets."
00:16:44.97\00:16:47.27
Wow. All those demonic powers
that actually led us into sin --
00:16:47.44\00:16:52.34
Was it 1,095 we said,
three a day? That many times.
00:16:52.34\00:16:57.11
And, by the way, they've been
defeated 2,000 years ago. We've
00:16:57.11\00:17:02.02
been defeated by a defeated foe.
He knows he's lost. He's just
trying to take as many
00:17:02.02\00:17:07.22
with him as he can. Wow. Think
of it. What did we just read?
00:17:07.22\00:17:13.26
Think of it. "All sins forgiven,
the slate wiped clean, that old
00:17:13.26\00:17:16.30
arrest warrant canceled and
nailed to Christ's cross.
Talking about good news.
00:17:16.30\00:17:19.60
Ladies and gentlemen, it doesn't
get any better than this. It
doesn't get any better.
00:17:19.60\00:17:25.24
Reminds me of Jerry Bridges in
his wonderful book,
"Transforming Grace: Living
00:17:25.24\00:17:31.28
Confidently in God's Unfailing
Love." Look what he's written.
00:17:31.28\00:17:35.35
Put it on the screen, please.
00:17:35.35\00:17:36.75
"Jesus paid the debt of all
our sins -- past, present, and
00:17:36.92\00:17:44.43
future. As Paul said in
00:17:44.43\00:17:46.13
Colossians 2:13," which we just
read, "'God forgave us all our
00:17:46.13\00:17:49.40
sins.'" He go--
Bridges goes on -- "We
00:17:49.40\00:17:52.37
don't have to start all over
again and try to keep the slate
00:17:52.37\00:17:54.97
clean. There is no more slate."
00:17:54.97\00:17:58.87
As Stephen Brown wrote, 'God
took our slate, and He broke it
00:17:58.87\00:18:03.14
in pieces and threw it
away.'" Isn't that good?
00:18:03.14\00:18:07.98
And NIV renders it, "Having
canceled the charge of our legal
indebtedness," but I like those
00:18:08.15\00:18:13.32
words -- "All sins forgiven."
All of them. Wait a minute.
00:18:13.32\00:18:21.76
Isn't that what Jesus prayed on
the cross for us? You ever see
00:18:21.76\00:18:24.87
Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the
Christ"? It's been a few years
00:18:24.87\00:18:28.77
now. You seen it? There's that
one scene. Remember, they've got
Jesus prone on the -- atop the
00:18:28.77\00:18:34.24
cross, on the ground. Crossbeam
right behind him. Camera moves
00:18:34.24\00:18:38.01
in on one of his hands. They
roughly jerk his hand out,
extend it far, and then hands
00:18:38.01\00:18:44.39
reach in from out of the
picture. We only see the burly
00:18:44.39\00:18:49.09
Roman guard's hands as he
reaches in, and he puts a Roman
nail and holds it with one hand,
00:18:49.09\00:18:54.40
and with the other, mallet -- he
begins to pound, as we watch,
through the flesh of Christ
00:18:54.40\00:19:01.84
Jesus. We never see the face of
the one driving that nail. But
the director, Mel Gibson,
00:19:01.84\00:19:07.81
would later testify that he
asked for that part, his only
moment in his own movie, when he
00:19:07.81\00:19:16.75
holds the nail and he drives it
into the flesh of his savior.
Boy, makes a powerful point,
00:19:16.75\00:19:25.76
doesn't he? We were all there.
We were all there when Jesus
00:19:25.76\00:19:30.60
prayed. The day they executed
him -- You remember the seven
00:19:30.60\00:19:35.90
last words of Christ on the
cross? Number one, put them on
00:19:35.90\00:19:38.67
the screen. You know them well.
"Jesus said, 'Father...'" Let's
read out loud together.
00:19:38.67\00:19:42.94
"'Father...'" >> "'...forgive
them, for they do not know what
00:19:42.94\00:19:47.22
they are doing.'" >> Yeah,
forgive them, Father. They don't
00:19:47.22\00:19:50.19
know what they're doing. You're
kidding me. You don't think they
00:19:50.19\00:19:53.32
know what they're doing? You
don't think 1,095 times this
year we didn't know what we were
00:19:53.32\00:19:56.89
doing? Give me a break.
We know what we're doing.
00:19:56.89\00:20:00.40
They knew what they were doing.
And yet -- get this -- "Desire
00:20:00.40\00:20:04.40
of Ages." Oh. Provocative.
On the screen again.
00:20:04.40\00:20:08.64
"That prayer of Christ for
His enemies embrace the world.
00:20:08.80\00:20:12.64
It took in every sinner that had
lived or should live from the
00:20:12.64\00:20:15.34
beginning of the
world to the end of time."
00:20:15.34\00:20:17.35
Babies yet to be born. Our
next granddaughter's coming
00:20:17.35\00:20:19.85
in February. Her
sins have already been
00:20:19.85\00:20:23.02
covered. Upon all
rests the guilt of
00:20:23.02\00:20:26.82
crucifying the Son of God.
To all, forgiveness is freely
00:20:26.82\00:20:30.43
offered. 'Whosoever
will' may have peace
00:20:30.43\00:20:33.26
with God, and
inherit eternal life."
00:20:33.26\00:20:36.53
That prayer was for
you. That prayer was for me.
00:20:36.53\00:20:39.13
That prayer was for 1,095 times
this year that you and I have
00:20:39.30\00:20:44.01
sinned. Surely, the number's too
low. That prayer... was for
every sin we have sinned
00:20:44.01\00:20:55.92
or yet shall sin. Why don't we
just read from Colossians 2:13.
00:20:55.92\00:21:00.49
Put it on the screen again.
"All sins forgiven." That's the
00:21:00.49\00:21:06.90
gospel. And by the way, not just
forgiven -- mnh-mnh -- but
apparently forgotten, as well.
00:21:06.90\00:21:11.57
May I run these by you just
as fast as I can? Give you just
00:21:11.57\00:21:14.50
enough time to scribble these
verses down, because there's no
study guide, and you'll wish you
00:21:14.50\00:21:18.07
had all four of these. Let me
just run these by you. Four
provocative promises of
00:21:18.07\00:21:22.11
divine amnesia. In chronological
order, here they come.
00:21:22.11\00:21:24.71
Write them down.
00:21:24.71\00:21:26.11
Number one, Isaiah
43:25, God speaking."
00:21:26.28\00:21:31.19
"No more." Here
comes number two,
00:21:40.36\00:21:42.13
Jeremiah 31:34.
00:21:42.13\00:21:44.03
Here comes Hebrews 8:12.
00:21:48.90\00:21:51.31
Sounds just
like Jeremiah. It is.
00:21:54.24\00:21:56.48
Here's Hebrews 10:17.
00:21:56.48\00:21:58.38
There they are, ladies and
gentlemen -- four provocative
00:22:04.82\00:22:08.22
promises of merciful and
gracious divine amnesia --
00:22:08.22\00:22:12.26
"I will remember
your sins no more.
00:22:12.26\00:22:15.83
All sins forgiven." It's
apparently met by "All sins
00:22:16.00\00:22:22.80
forgotten." Isn't that
something? I mean, am I pulling
something over on you here?
00:22:22.80\00:22:29.51
Did we tweak the verses, make
them read what they don't say?
00:22:29.51\00:22:35.35
Yeah, but come on. Doesn't God
keep a record of sin somewhere?
00:22:35.35\00:22:39.15
You're right. He does. Just in
case -- Just in case -- you
decide, when this whole
00:22:39.15\00:22:43.02
thing is over, you'd rather be
your own savior and you no
longer need Jesus to save you.
00:22:43.02\00:22:47.86
If you change your mind --
buyer's remorse -- "I'm not
00:22:47.86\00:22:51.63
taking it." You change your
mind, and you can have all 1,095
sins for this year and however
00:22:51.63\00:22:57.64
many sins it takes till you were
born, backwards, you may have
00:22:57.64\00:23:02.54
them all. But who would be that
stupid to take them all? "I will
remember your sins no
00:23:02.54\00:23:12.69
more." But it gets even better.
Because to match these four
00:23:12.69\00:23:16.59
provocative divine amnesia
promises come these four
provocative divine amnesia
00:23:16.59\00:23:20.73
actions. These will be
even faster. Jot them down.
00:23:20.73\00:23:23.03
Here they come. Four
divine actions. Isaiah 38:17.
00:23:23.03\00:23:26.43
"You," God, "have put all my
sins behind your back." And when
something goes behind
00:23:26.43\00:23:31.77
your back, it is no longer in
your consciousness." It's gone.
00:23:31.77\00:23:36.21
Here comes number two.
00:23:36.21\00:23:37.61
Isaiah 44:22, God speaking.
00:23:37.78\00:23:40.18
Just like, you know,
when the sun shines over the
00:23:46.45\00:23:48.52
St. Joseph Valley, and you got
that low-hanging cloud and mist,
00:23:48.52\00:23:51.13
and then it just
burns it up, gone.
00:23:51.13\00:23:52.69
Where'd it go? It's gone.
00:23:52.69\00:23:54.93
Here's number three, Micah 7:19.
00:23:54.93\00:23:56.93
We were sailing around the world
from Japan, missionary kids and
00:24:04.91\00:24:08.38
missionary parents, and one
early morning, the ship stopped.
00:24:08.38\00:24:11.68
No sound of engine, and
my dad tapped me said...
00:24:11.68\00:24:15.58
"Let Mom and
Greg and Kari sleep.
00:24:15.58\00:24:17.69
You follow me." Pch,
pch, pch, pch, pch, pch,
00:24:17.69\00:24:20.32
pch, pch, up to the top deck.
Dad said, "Look down there."
00:24:20.32\00:24:23.19
There was the captain of
the ship in his immaculate naval
00:24:23.19\00:24:25.53
whites, first officer in his
whites, a little family, and on
00:24:25.53\00:24:29.20
a platform, leaning out over
the sea, a flag-draped coffin.
00:24:29.20\00:24:33.97
A few words were exchanged,
a prayer was made, and that
00:24:33.97\00:24:36.84
platform just went like this.
This is a kid, just watching.
00:24:36.84\00:24:39.91
Platform went like
this, shhhup! Burial at sea.
00:24:39.91\00:24:44.91
God says, "That's what
I've done to your sins.
00:24:44.91\00:24:47.05
I buried them in
the bottom of the sea."
00:24:47.05\00:24:50.35
One more, New
Testament, Acts 3:19.
00:24:50.35\00:24:53.05
"'Repent, then, and turn to
God,'" Peter preaching, "'so
00:24:53.05\00:24:55.99
that your sins may be wiped
out,'" blotted out, as some
00:24:55.99\00:24:58.89
translations render it, "'that
times of refreshing may come
00:24:58.89\00:25:02.03
from the Lord and that
the messiah may return.'"
00:25:02.03\00:25:03.93
That's the next line.
Four divine amnesia actions to
00:25:03.93\00:25:08.37
match four
divine amnesia promises.
00:25:08.37\00:25:10.31
"I will remember your sins
no more." What's that mean?
00:25:10.47\00:25:14.64
"All sins forgiven and all
sins forgotten." That's it.
00:25:14.64\00:25:22.48
But before I sit down, I must
dutifully remind you and me that
what God does for us, we must do
00:25:22.48\00:25:32.29
for others, including ourselves.
The hardest person in the world
to forgive is right here.
00:25:32.29\00:25:44.67
The same Paul who wrote
Colossians 2, in prison, also
wrote Philippians 3, in prison.
00:25:44.67\00:25:48.38
And everybody knows these words.
Put them on the screen, please.
"But this one thing I do" -- one
00:25:48.38\00:25:52.98
thing I do -- forgetting
what is where? What's behind me.
00:25:52.98\00:25:57.72
I'm turning my back on it.
"Forgetting what is behind and
straining forward to what is
00:25:57.72\00:26:01.76
ahead." What does he say?
"I press on toward the goal to
00:26:01.76\00:26:04.66
win the prize for which God has
called me heavenward in Christ
00:26:04.66\00:26:09.53
Jesus." Paul is speaking of
himself. He has a sad and tragic
record. "But I forget -- I
00:26:09.53\00:26:15.77
choose to forget -- what is
behind me." The gift of a good
forgetter. It's not only God's
00:26:15.77\00:26:27.95
gift for us. It's our gift for
others. It's our gift for
ourselves. "Forget it."
00:26:27.95\00:26:36.69
Leave those sins where you
bury them. Leave her sins there.
00:26:36.69\00:26:39.76
Leave his sin-- Don't touch --
Don't, don't, don't touch those.
00:26:39.76\00:26:43.47
Because if I don't forgive you
-- if I don't forgive you -- "I
tell you, I know what he did,
00:26:43.47\00:26:47.50
and I'm not gonna forgive him
for that." "I know what she did.
00:26:47.50\00:26:50.31
I know what she said. I know the
action they took. I'm not gonna
00:26:50.31\00:26:53.41
forgive them. As long as I live,
I'm not gonna forgive them."
00:26:53.41\00:26:58.75
Ooh. Who sins worse? Me
against God or you against me?
00:26:58.75\00:27:03.95
Now, what you've done to me is
not right, but what I've done to
God 1,095 times -- just this
00:27:03.95\00:27:11.53
year -- is wrong. It's a sin.
I know how God has treated me in
00:27:11.53\00:27:20.80
spite of the way I've treated
Him. Sometimes, you know, it's
00:27:20.80\00:27:24.64
just important to remind
ourselves that when Jesus taught
us the Lord's prayer, "Our
00:27:24.64\00:27:28.64
Father who art in heaven," he
chose to comment -- of the
entire prayer of seven
00:27:28.64\00:27:33.08
petitions, he chooses to comment
on only one of them in the
Sermon on the Mount, and here's
00:27:33.08\00:27:37.15
the one he comments on. Put it
on the screen, please. You know
the words very well -- "Forgive
00:27:37.15\00:27:42.49
us our debts as we forgive our
debtors," but that's wrong. The
English has it wrong.
00:27:42.49\00:27:48.46
In the Greek, it reads this way
-- "Forgive us our debts as we
forgave --" already --
00:27:48.46\00:27:55.10
"forgave our debtors." Aris,
past, completed action, before
00:27:55.10\00:28:01.41
now. So God says, "Hey, Dwight,
you want me to forgive you?" "I
00:28:01.41\00:28:04.81
sure do." "Good. I'll do it. I
want to forgive you like you
didn't forgive him."
00:28:04.81\00:28:12.39
No, no, no. Jesus says, "You
don't forgive your friend, you
00:28:12.39\00:28:16.12
don't get forgiven." Why?
Because you're hanging on to it.
00:28:16.12\00:28:19.23
"Forgive us our debts, as we
forgive our debtors." We pray
it, that forgiveness is
00:28:19.23\00:28:22.93
the way of God. Forgiveness
is the way of this book.
00:28:22.93\00:28:25.23
Anywhere in this book you turn,
it's forgiveness. Forgiveness --
00:28:25.23\00:28:28.80
you go to the Bible's Who's Who
collection, and what's happening
with it? You have Joseph
00:28:28.80\00:28:33.91
throwing wide his arms and
forgiving his stepbrothers of
treachery they have done decades
00:28:33.91\00:28:41.18
ago. Forgiven. It's the way
the book operates. With Jesus
00:28:41.18\00:28:46.39
forgiving Mary Magdalene even as
Mary forgave Uncle Simon, who
sexually abused her when she was
00:28:46.39\00:28:50.33
young and led her into sin.
There had to be reciprocal
forgiveness for Mary to be set
00:28:50.33\00:28:55.63
free. It's the way the
book operates. With the prodigal
00:28:55.63\00:29:00.44
father racing off the porch,
throwing his arms around the
now-come-home prodigal son.
00:29:00.44\00:29:04.17
That's just the way it operates
in the kingdom of God. Jesus
forgiving Peter of his
00:29:04.17\00:29:10.48
heinous public denial while
Peter spends the rest of his
life struggling to forgive
00:29:10.48\00:29:15.28
himself. The apostle Paul
forgiving runaway young disciple
00:29:15.28\00:29:24.79
Mark, and in the end, inviting
back into his missionary circle
-- "Bring my son Mark to me," he
00:29:24.79\00:29:29.83
writes from prison. Forgiveness.
Jesus forgiving you and me with
00:29:29.83\00:29:35.30
the words, "Father, forgive
them. They didn't know -- they
00:29:35.30\00:29:38.57
don't know what they're doing."
With mercy, putting the best
00:29:38.57\00:29:43.95
face he can on it.
"Please forgive them."
00:29:43.95\00:29:46.08
Forgetting those
things which are behind.
00:29:46.25\00:29:49.22
It's not God -- just God and
with you and your past, but it's
00:29:49.22\00:29:53.42
me with you and your past.
It's me with me and my past.
00:29:53.42\00:29:59.26
The gift of a good forgetter.
But does God really treat us
00:29:59.26\00:30:03.43
that way? I want to
end with two stories.
00:30:03.43\00:30:06.87
One of the
stories, from the Bible.
00:30:06.87\00:30:08.27
The other, not quite.
The one from the Bible -- you
00:30:08.27\00:30:12.21
remember King David?
That terrible moral meltdown
00:30:12.21\00:30:15.14
with Bathsheba. [ Scoffs ]
00:30:15.14\00:30:16.41
By the time David is through,
he's broken every Commandment.
00:30:16.41\00:30:18.91
Every one of the Ten
Commandments, all of them --
00:30:18.91\00:30:20.85
adultery -- coveting first,
adultery, lying, killing --
00:30:20.85\00:30:23.79
pssh! All of them.
00:30:23.79\00:30:24.95
Honor your
father and mother, gone.
00:30:24.95\00:30:26.62
Broke them all. David
dies, as all good people
00:30:26.62\00:30:31.76
do. After he's
dead, God's talking
00:30:31.76\00:30:35.63
to another king. He
said, "I want to tell you
00:30:35.63\00:30:39.33
about my friend David.
You're not gonna believe this,
00:30:39.33\00:30:42.50
but I want you to
see it." 1 Kings 14.
00:30:42.50\00:30:44.94
Jot this verse -- If
there's nothing else you jot
00:30:44.94\00:30:47.11
down, jot this
verse down. 1 Kings 14:8.
00:30:47.11\00:30:49.58
It's just one verse.
I'll put it on the screen for
00:30:49.58\00:30:51.88
you. Let's do it together.
00:30:51.88\00:30:53.11
"...but," God says to this evil
king, "you have not been like My
00:30:53.11\00:30:56.32
servant David," who is now
dead. "You have not been like My
00:30:56.32\00:30:59.12
servant David, who, number
one --" I put the numbers in --
00:30:59.12\00:31:01.82
"who, number one,
kept My commandments."
00:31:01.82\00:31:03.73
Whoa! Stop! Time-out.
00:31:03.73\00:31:06.56
God, kept your
Commandments? [ Scoffs ]
00:31:06.56\00:31:10.70
Broke every single one of
them by the time he was through!
00:31:10.70\00:31:13.30
What do you mean? Amnesia.
00:31:13.30\00:31:14.90
Is that your
problem? Can't remember, huh?
00:31:14.90\00:31:18.34
You do better. Keep reading.
00:31:18.34\00:31:20.41
"But you have not been like my
servant David, who, number one,
00:31:20.41\00:31:22.91
kept my commandments, and,
number two, followed Me with all
00:31:22.91\00:31:25.71
his heart." Time-out!
00:31:25.71\00:31:28.55
Followed you with all his heart?
You've got to be kidding me!
00:31:28.55\00:31:32.72
He gave -- How many
women did he give his
00:31:32.72\00:31:34.66
heart to? What's going on here?
00:31:34.66\00:31:41.06
Let's read that again.
"But you have not been like my
00:31:41.06\00:31:42.66
servant David, who, number
one, kept my commandments, and,
00:31:42.66\00:31:44.80
number two, followed Me with all
his heart, and, number three,
00:31:44.80\00:31:47.80
did only what was
right in My eyes."
00:31:47.80\00:31:50.01
Come on. Whoa! It's not amnesia.
00:31:50.01\00:31:53.24
It's Alzheimer's!
00:31:53.24\00:31:55.11
[ Laughter ] "Only what is
right in My eyes David did."
00:31:55.28\00:32:01.62
[ Scoffs ] God...have mercy.
And that's exactly what he's
00:32:01.62\00:32:09.29
doing. Having
mercy. [ Breathes deeply ]
00:32:09.29\00:32:17.37
You see... apparently,
when I confess... when I ask for
00:32:17.37\00:32:29.88
forgiveness, and I turn away
from that sin, God treats me as
if, "He never did it."
00:32:29.88\00:32:36.69
Look at David. He never
did it. He never did it.
00:32:36.69\00:32:42.19
No wonder, "Steps of Christ,"
page 62. Jot that note down for
00:32:42.19\00:32:46.70
you, for your reference. "Steps
of Christ," that classic. Page
00:32:46.70\00:32:51.03
62 on the screen. "Just
as if you had not sinned."
00:33:07.95\00:33:12.79
Ladies and gentlemen, it's
called the Gospel, and the
Gospel means "very good news."
00:33:12.95\00:33:26.17
Let's pray. Oh, God. Wow.
00:33:26.17\00:33:36.31
You said it. We read
it. You must mean it.
00:33:36.31\00:33:43.72
We want to believe it. Please,
dear Father, just a few hours
00:33:43.72\00:33:52.49
left. But there's some stuff
we need to settle, you and me.
00:33:52.49\00:33:56.13
We're gonna take you at your
word. I can't live with this
00:34:02.07\00:34:09.91
guilt. I can't live with this
mess. We need to be set free.
Only a God who can forget...
00:34:09.91\00:34:27.66
is a God we can cast ourselves
upon right now. So, thank you.
00:34:27.66\00:34:35.40
Please, don't let us forget that
the news really is this good. In
Jesus' name, we pray.
00:34:35.40\00:34:44.21
Amen.
00:34:44.21\00:34:45.58
[ "How Deep The
Father's Love For Us" plays ] ¤¤
00:34:48.85\00:35:02.90
¤¤
00:35:02.90\00:35:05.87
>> "There's joy in heaven over
one sinner who repents," Jesus
00:40:36.50\00:40:41.44
taught us. Heaven's really big
on sinner celebrations like
this. And, of course, our Lord
00:40:41.44\00:40:49.54
himself is eager to
operationalize the gospel that
we just read together.
00:40:49.54\00:40:55.35
All sins forgiven. All sins
forgotten. Blood of my covenant,
00:40:55.35\00:41:04.59
which was shed for many for the
forgiveness of sins now becomes
not just for many but for me.
00:41:04.59\00:41:12.07
So, for these few moments...
close your eyes if you need to,
visualize that upper room.
00:41:12.07\00:41:24.41
Vida's gonna lead us in the
reading of that sacred account.
But as she reads, let's picture,
00:41:24.41\00:41:31.45
let's be there together. >> Our
scripture for today is taken
from Matthew 26:26-29.
00:41:31.45\00:41:46.03
You can also find it on page 7
of your bulletin. Please follow
00:41:46.03\00:41:52.61
along as I read. "While they
were eating, Jesus took bread,
and when he had given thanks, he
00:41:52.61\00:41:59.25
broke it and gave it to his
disciples, saying, "Take and
eat. This is my body."
00:41:59.25\00:42:05.65
Then he took a cup, and when he
had given thanks, he gave it to
them, saying, "Drink from it,
00:42:05.65\00:42:12.89
all of you. This is my blood
of the covenant, which is poured
00:42:12.89\00:42:17.60
out for many for the forgiveness
of sins. I tell you, I will not
00:42:17.60\00:42:22.94
drink from this fruit of the
vine from now on until that day
when I drink it with you in my
00:42:22.94\00:42:29.91
Father's kingdom." Let us kneel
as my husband, Phil, adds the
00:42:29.91\00:42:35.08
blessing. >> Father in heaven,
we know you're up there, because
we can see the results of the
00:42:53.23\00:43:04.31
sun and the sun shining. Thank
you, Lord, for this opportunity.
00:43:04.31\00:43:12.85
And as I was thinking about it,
is it sympathy, empathy for your
00:43:12.85\00:43:22.36
sacrifice? Those are inadequate
concepts. The only thing I have
left is, I am thankful for what
00:43:22.36\00:43:32.31
you have done for us and what
you are doing for me. Now, Lord,
00:43:32.31\00:43:41.28
add a special blessing to these
emblems to help us be concrete
in our minds and in our
00:43:41.28\00:43:51.13
characters that we may always
follow you, the Son, the Prince
of Peace, the Mighty God, the
00:43:51.13\00:43:59.27
King of Kings. Once again, bless
these emblems. In your holy
name, we humbly pray.
00:43:59.27\00:44:06.78
Amen.
00:44:06.78\00:44:08.68
[ "There Is a Savior" plays ]
>> ¤ There is a Savior ¤ ¤ What
00:44:15.52\00:44:33.03
joys express ¤ ¤ His eyes are
mercy ¤ ¤ His word is rest ¤ ¤
For each tomorrow ¤
00:44:33.03\00:44:51.95
¤ For yesterday ¤ ¤ There is a
Savior ¤ ¤ Who lights our way ¤
00:44:51.95\00:45:13.71
¤ Are there burdens in your
heart? ¤ ¤ Is your past a memory
00:45:13.71\00:45:21.92
that binds you? ¤ ¤ Is there
some pain that you've carried
00:45:21.92\00:45:32.63
far too long? ¤ ¤ Then,
strengthen your heart with His
00:45:32.63\00:45:51.41
good news ¤ ¤ There is a Savior
¤ ¤ And He's forgiven you ¤ ¤¤
00:45:51.41\00:46:08.33
>> ¤ There is a Savior ¤ ¤ What
joys express ¤ ¤ His eyes are
00:46:08.33\00:46:28.98
mercy ¤ ¤ His word is rest
¤ ¤ For each tomorrow ¤ ¤ For
00:46:28.98\00:46:50.77
yesterday ¤ ¤ There is a Savior
¤ ¤ Who lights our way ¤ ¤ There
00:46:50.77\00:47:15.70
is a Savior ¤ ¤
Who lights our way ¤
00:47:15.70\00:47:31.55
¤¤ ¤¤ ¤¤
00:47:44.83\00:48:14.89
¤¤ ¤¤ ¤¤
00:48:14.89\00:48:44.89
¤¤ ¤¤ ¤¤
00:48:44.89\00:49:14.95
¤¤ ¤¤ ¤¤
00:49:14.95\00:49:44.95
¤¤ ¤¤ ¤¤
00:49:44.95\00:50:14.94
¤¤ ¤¤ ¤¤
00:50:14.94\00:50:44.94
¤¤ >> And so Jesus turns to
us. Once all about the table had
00:50:44.94\00:51:01.06
been served, as he did that
Thursday night, he so turns to
00:51:01.06\00:51:09.40
us. You're ready now. "Take
these emblems of my sacrifice,
00:51:09.40\00:51:18.04
and eat this. My body broken for
you. Eat this in remembrance of
00:51:18.04\00:51:22.81
me." [ Organ plays ]
00:51:35.52\00:51:45.40
And then he said the same with
a cup. "This is the symbol of my
00:51:52.74\00:51:58.71
blood, which has been poured out
for many for the forgiveness of
00:51:58.71\00:52:05.49
sins. You drink this in
remembrance of me." [ Organ
00:52:05.49\00:52:16.97
plays ] ¤¤ ¤¤ ¤¤
00:52:16.97\00:52:43.99
And because you and I accepted
his invitation, and we ate the
bread and we drank the cup...
00:52:45.99\00:52:55.27
what was for many is now for me.
For you and me, in Jesus. The
record reads, then they sang
00:52:55.27\00:53:09.82
a hymn, and they left. Well,
we're gonna sing a hymn, and
00:53:09.82\00:53:16.89
we're gonna leave. Unless you'd
rather stay. They received -- it
00:53:16.89\00:53:22.70
was customary -- And they all
thought Judas was doing this,
you remember. They received an
00:53:22.70\00:53:26.23
offering for the poor, for those
in need, financially. We're
gonna do the same today.
00:53:26.23\00:53:31.47
Every -- Every door will have
one of our friendly ushers. And
if God has blessed you these
00:53:31.47\00:53:39.01
last three months, is it? Then
out of the abundance of his
goodness, thank you for passing
00:53:39.01\00:53:46.09
something on. Families all over
this county come to this church
00:53:46.09\00:53:50.43
'cause they know there's help
here. And your sacrificial
giving, your generosity makes it
00:53:50.43\00:53:55.06
possible, so they'll be here,
our ushers. Thank you for what
00:53:55.06\00:54:02.07
you give. Let's sing that hymn.
It's 407. Sent forth by God's
00:54:02.07\00:54:07.71
blessings, we go forth into the
snow, into the new year that
awaits us, clean, snow-white,
00:54:07.71\00:54:15.48
and cleansed. That's the gospel
for us today. Let's stand as we
sing. [ "Sent Forth By God's
00:54:15.48\00:54:21.89
Blessing" plays ] ¤¤ ¤¤
00:54:21.89\00:54:43.88
¤¤
00:54:43.88\00:54:46.18
>> For this last Sabbath of
the old year, this last blessing
00:56:39.76\00:56:49.57
from the Bible. "And he who
testifies to these things says,
'Yes, I'm coming soon.
00:56:49.57\00:56:55.31
Amen.' Come, Lord Jesus.
The grace of the Lord Jesus be
00:56:55.31\00:57:02.48
with God's people. Let all
the people say amen." Amen.
00:57:02.48\00:57:08.42
>> Think of the last time
someone said, "I'm praying for
00:57:12.69\00:57:15.56
you." Didn't it
give you a sense of
00:57:15.56\00:57:17.67
peace and reassurance
that "somebody cares for me"?
00:57:17.67\00:57:20.27
I know how I feel when I get an
e-mail from one of our viewers
00:57:20.27\00:57:23.00
saying, "You know, Dwight, I've
been praying for you lately."
00:57:23.00\00:57:25.51
There's nothing like knowing
someone is praying for you.
00:57:25.51\00:57:27.81
So I want to offer you
an opportunity to partner.
00:57:27.81\00:57:30.15
Let me, let us
partner with you in prayer.
00:57:30.15\00:57:32.55
If you have a special
prayer request or a praise of
00:57:32.55\00:57:35.08
thanksgiving you'd like to share
with us, I'm inviting you to
00:57:35.08\00:57:37.79
contact one of our
friendly chaplains.
00:57:37.79\00:57:39.79
It's simple to do.
You can call our toll-free
00:57:39.79\00:57:42.12
number,
877-HIS-WILL. 877-HIS-WILL.
00:57:42.12\00:57:47.23
That friendly
voice that answers?
00:57:47.23\00:57:49.10
You tell him, you tell
her what your prayer need is.
00:57:49.10\00:57:51.87
We'll join with
you in that petition.
00:57:51.87\00:57:54.00
And may the God who answers
prayer journey with you these
00:57:54.00\00:57:57.11
next few days, until we're right
back here together again next
00:57:57.11\00:58:00.04
time.
00:58:00.04\00:58:00.91
¤¤ ¤¤
00:58:05.58\00:58:25.57
¤¤
00:58:25.57\00:58:28.07