[ "The Glory of
the Father" begins ]
00:00:18.51\00:00:19.98
¤¤ The Word was made
flesh, and dwelt among us.
00:00:19.98\00:00:26.35
We beheld the glory of
the Father, of the Father,
00:00:26.35\00:00:34.13
We beheld the glory
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of the Father,
Full of grace and truth.
00:00:40.20\00:00:54.05
In the beginning was the
Word. The Word was with God.
00:00:54.05\00:01:11.77
In Him was
life; and the life was
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light of men. He came to his own
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and his own and his
own received him not.
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The Word was made
flesh, and dwelt among us.
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We beheld the
glory of the Father,
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We beheld the
glory of the Father,
00:02:00.95\00:02:11.56
Full of grace and truth. ¤¤
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>> "And the Word was
made flesh and dwelt among us,
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and we beheld His glory" --
The glory of the only begotten
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of the Father.
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And is anybody complaining that
the sun in all its resplendent
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beauty is shining into these
windows? I think last year at
this time, Pastor José, we were
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in snow. >> Yes. >> Hard to
believe. >> Hard to believe.
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>> The year has flown by. I want
to welcome you on this Sabbath
just before Christmas.
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Thank you for coming. We
enjoyed that delectable Pioneer
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tradition. First service devoted
to nothing but breakfast
together. Place was packed.
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We got to do that again
and again. I want to thank the
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Sinclair family and the
Francisco family who made with
their team that beautiful spread
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possible. We're gonna shift into
a carol now -- a carol we have
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never sung before. I predict you
have never sung this carol. In
fact, we're not even gonna
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put it to music. The words are
there, and we're gonna read this
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as our responsive call to
Christmas worship today. So open
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your bulletin. It's there in
front of you. Open your
bulletin, turn to the worship,
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and you see it listed -- "A
Christmas Call." I'm gonna
invite you to stand. Once you
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find your bulletin, I want
you to stand as we read this
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together. Who is He in
yonder stall at Whose feet the
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shepherds fall? >>
'Tis the Lord, oh wondrous
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story. 'Tis the Lord,
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the King of glory.
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>> Who is He on yonder tree,
dies in shameful agony? >> 'Tis
the Lord, oh wondrous
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story. 'Tis the
Lord, the King of glory.
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>> At His feet, we humbly fall.
Crown Him, crown Him, Lord of
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all. >> At His feet we humbly
fall. Jesus, Jesus, Lord of all.
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>> Let us pray. Jesus, Jesus,
Lord of all, can we be honest
with You? This countdown to
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Christmas every year, it's
wearing us out, and we have no
one to blame, we know, but
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ourselves. Cognitively, we get
it. Emmanuel, Messiah, born in
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Bethlehem. But truthfully, we're
so distracted, we no longer
marvel over that sticky,
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glistening, newborn being
-- really, truly You, our dear
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Savior. You. And so, this simple
prayer right now -- Forgive us
our distracted living.
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And right now, please, even as
we sing these beloved carols
once again, re-invade our
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imaginations, re-ignite the
inside of us with divinity's
fire of love so that we, too,
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might be convinced that nothing
shall separate us from the love
of God, which is in Christ,
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Jesus, our Lord. Amen.
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[ Organ plays ] ¤¤ ¤¤
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>> Well, good
morning, boys and girls.
00:18:24.83\00:18:26.60
This Sabbath before Christmas.
Are you looking festive or what?
00:18:26.60\00:18:30.74
Thank you, Deacon Jones.
You got red on, a lot of you,
00:18:30.74\00:18:34.61
and green. What is this?
00:18:34.61\00:18:37.21
How beautiful you
are. >> Hi, Pastor Dwight.
00:18:37.21\00:18:40.05
>> Hey, nice to see
you. Glad you're here.
00:18:40.05\00:18:42.88
Oh, I got a special guest today.
I'm gonna introduce him to you
00:18:42.88\00:18:46.19
right now. He graduated from
00:18:46.19\00:18:48.32
Andrews University just a
few years ago -- aviation and
00:18:48.32\00:18:51.86
English major, and
his name John Irvine.
00:18:51.86\00:18:55.16
I want you to meet
my friend John Irvine.
00:18:55.16\00:18:57.30
Come on up, John.
We're not gonna call you
00:18:57.30\00:18:59.47
Uncle John. >> [ Chuckles ]
00:18:59.47\00:19:00.67
>> You're just
John to all of us, okay?
00:19:00.67\00:19:03.41
Does he look like
he's from England?
00:19:03.41\00:19:04.97
>> Yes. >> What
a wonderful country
00:19:04.97\00:19:06.47
to be from.
00:19:06.47\00:19:08.24
And living in our area
now, working down in... >> Well,
00:19:08.41\00:19:14.15
working in Elkhart actually.
>> Working in Elkhart but you're
00:19:14.15\00:19:16.65
living in St. Joe. >> Yes. >>
You're living with your aunt. >>
00:19:16.65\00:19:18.52
That's right. >> Oh, that's a
nice arrangement. I like that.
00:19:18.52\00:19:20.09
>> It works. >> Okay, so,
John, why in the world are you
00:19:20.09\00:19:23.73
standing up in front of these
kids on the Sabbath before
Christmas? What has happened to
00:19:23.73\00:19:27.96
you? >> Well, I've got a very
unusual story about how the best
gift I got this year actually
00:19:27.96\00:19:33.40
came before Christmas,
which is very strange. >> Wow.
00:19:33.40\00:19:36.00
>> Yeah. >> Tell us about the
gift. >> So, I have two dogs,
00:19:36.00\00:19:40.24
one called Mowgli, one called
Brody. >> Two dogs?! >> Two
00:19:40.24\00:19:43.78
dogs, yeah, yeah. >> Whoa, okay.
>> How many of you have got
00:19:43.78\00:19:46.55
pets? >> Anybody have pets at
home? >> Who's got dogs? Who's
00:19:46.55\00:19:49.62
got cats? >> Mm-hmm. Got a lot
of pet-lovers here. You're in
the right audience.
00:19:49.62\00:19:53.15
>> That's it. So you know.
How much do you love your pets?
00:19:53.15\00:19:57.89
Lots, right? Yeah, me, too. So,
one Tuesday morning, I was just
going about my day,
00:19:57.89\00:20:03.06
working on my house, and I get a
phone call. >> Down in Elkhart.
00:20:03.06\00:20:06.70
>> Down in Elkhart. >> Yeah.
>> I get a phone call from my
00:20:06.70\00:20:08.87
aunt that one of my dogs,
Brody, is missing. >> Missing?!
00:20:08.87\00:20:12.84
>> Disappeared, yeah. He
completely disappeared. >>
00:20:12.84\00:20:16.24
Ooh... >> He was nowhere to be
found, so I came back to St.
Joseph, and we looked everywhere
00:20:16.24\00:20:20.95
for this dog. We looked in the
ravines, the neighborhoods --
00:20:20.95\00:20:25.35
everywhere we could, but we
couldn't find him anywhere. He
was nowhere to be found.
00:20:25.35\00:20:29.49
>> Has Brody ever done this
before? >> Not quite that bad,
00:20:29.49\00:20:34.00
but yeah. [ Chuckling ]
>> That was a hedged bet.
00:20:34.00\00:20:37.47
>> Yeah. So this is bad
news 'cause Brody's gone.
00:20:37.47\00:20:41.00
So what are your options? If
you've lost a dog in St. Joseph,
00:20:41.00\00:20:44.21
Michigan, what do you do? >>
Well, first of all, I was
thinking, "What can you do to
00:20:44.21\00:20:47.64
get your pet back when it's
lost?" So I went to Facebook.
00:20:47.64\00:20:50.01
>> Mm! >> And yeah, I thought
I'd make a post for people to
00:20:50.01\00:20:53.38
have a look at with some
pictures of Brody being cute
with his brother, Mowgli.
00:20:53.38\00:20:57.19
It always helps if
you're cute, right? >> Right.
00:20:57.19\00:21:00.59
>> And I put that up there to
see if anyone had seen him
anywhere, but nobody had seen
00:21:00.59\00:21:06.03
him. >> No
response. >> No response.
00:21:06.03\00:21:08.46
Nobody had seen him anywhere at
all, so it was very, very sad.
00:21:08.46\00:21:12.23
>> What'd you do at the gas
stations? >> Well, I went around
00:21:12.23\00:21:15.04
to the gas stations, and we had
fliers, and we said "missing
dog" on the front door.
00:21:15.04\00:21:19.47
>> Oh, you're not gonna
get that dog back. >> No.
00:21:19.47\00:21:22.38
What was that, a Norwegian
Elkhound? >> Yeah, black
00:21:22.38\00:21:25.21
Norwegian. >> Ohh, he was a
great dog. >> He was a fantastic
dog, yeah. >> So that's day one.
00:21:25.21\00:21:30.35
You had all those options. >>
Mm-hmm. >> Oh, you even called
00:21:30.35\00:21:33.05
-- What about the veterinarians?
>> Yeah, I called the local vets
to make sure that, obviously,
00:21:33.05\00:21:36.73
if somebody had found him,
if they brought him to the vets
00:21:36.73\00:21:40.70
just to check. >> Day two,
what's happening? >> So day two,
we're looking -- We obviously
00:21:40.70\00:21:45.23
looked everywhere... >>
Facebook. >> ...to find him, so
00:21:45.23\00:21:47.14
Facebook was going over well. >>
Did you get any responses? >> We
00:21:47.14\00:21:50.07
did get responses. We got
pictures of other dogs -- not
quite Brody, so obviously... [
00:21:50.07\00:21:53.91
Laughter ] Like, "Is this your
dog?" I'm like, "Oh, close. I
mean, if he's going in a week,
00:21:53.91\00:21:57.08
maybe I'll take him but right
now probably not." >> Ohh boy...
00:21:57.08\00:22:00.68
>> Yeah, so... >> 3,000
responses you got? >> Well,
00:22:00.68\00:22:04.82
yeah. All the people in this
church, it was more than double
that, and it's a lot of people
00:22:04.82\00:22:08.76
in church today, isn't there, so
that's a huge response from the
00:22:08.76\00:22:12.49
community. >> Yeah, people were
kind of sad for you. >> Yeah,
00:22:12.49\00:22:15.20
they were. >> Day three, any
sign of Brody yet? >> No sign of
00:22:15.20\00:22:18.90
Brody yet. >> Oy yi yi yi
yi. >> Not at all. >> [ Tsking ]
00:22:18.90\00:22:22.34
So what are you doing now? >>
Well, my neighbors, the
Johnstons who were up earlier,
00:22:22.34\00:22:25.97
actually, they helped us. Their
daughter helped and her husband
00:22:25.97\00:22:29.61
helped -- looked for Brody. We
knocked on everybody's doors in
the local neighborhood just
00:22:29.61\00:22:33.82
to see if they'd seen him, but
again, he was nowhere to be
found, so I was really getting
00:22:33.82\00:22:38.19
sad at this point. >> Is
anybody praying about day three?
00:22:38.19\00:22:41.22
>> Yeah, my grandmother, my
mother, and so many random
people on Facebook.
00:22:41.22\00:22:44.89
>> Where do they live? >> They
live in England. >> So they're
00:22:44.89\00:22:47.23
praying in England for lost
Brody in St. Joseph, Michigan?
00:22:47.23\00:22:50.67
>> Yes, they are.
>> Wow. Okay. Day four.
00:22:50.67\00:22:54.14
>> So, day four, obviously when
you've done everything that you
can and you still don't find
00:22:54.14\00:22:59.64
something that you're looking
for, you get quite sad. So
obviously, on day four,
00:22:59.64\00:23:03.71
I was really sad. I was
thinking, "Is there anything I
haven't already done
00:23:03.71\00:23:07.32
to try and find
Brody?" >> Poor Brody. >> Yeah.
00:23:07.32\00:23:10.79
Four days, it was very,
very cold. There was snow on the
00:23:10.79\00:23:14.76
ground. It was 10 degrees. >>
10 degrees. He can't survive a
00:23:14.76\00:23:18.63
winter like that. >> No, so
we were very worried for him.
00:23:18.63\00:23:23.00
We weren't losing faith
completely, but we were starting
to imagine what life would be
00:23:23.00\00:23:26.70
like without Brody. >> So this
person on Facebook sends you a
00:23:26.70\00:23:31.94
picture from up on Covert area.
Tell us about that. >> Yeah, so,
Covert, Michigan --
00:23:31.94\00:23:35.91
How many of you came from St.
Joseph or Niles today? Anybody
00:23:35.91\00:23:40.25
here? Nobody here, okay, that's
cool. >> No, we're all Berrien
00:23:40.25\00:23:42.92
Springers. >> Berrien Springs?
Okay. Well, that's a long way
away. It's about 30 miles away,
00:23:42.92\00:23:46.52
so it would take you a
while to walk that. >> Alright.
00:23:46.52\00:23:50.09
>> She sent me a picture of the
dog -- or a dog -- with his back
legs and his tail and said,
00:23:50.09\00:23:54.76
"Hey, I know this is a long shot
because we're so far away, but
00:23:54.76\00:24:00.54
is this your dog? He's been
running around, and we've seen
him for the last few days.
00:24:00.54\00:24:03.37
>> And all you can see if
the back and the little tail? >>
00:24:03.37\00:24:05.74
That's right. >> Oh, brother. >>
Yeah, so it wasn't much to go
off, needless to say.
00:24:05.74\00:24:09.28
>> No, no. >> I didn't have
anything else better to do to
00:24:09.28\00:24:12.61
try and find him. >> You drove
up to Covert? >> That's right, I
00:24:12.61\00:24:15.65
did. >> Fortunately, you had a
good car. >> Well, it was on the
00:24:15.65\00:24:18.32
way to Covert, it started
misfiring, as well, so I
thought, "Brilliant, this is my
00:24:18.32\00:24:22.02
day. Fantastic. Everything's
gonna go as planned."
00:24:22.02\00:24:24.33
>> But you had Mowgli with you.
>> I had Mowgli, his brother,
yeah, who was obviously very
00:24:24.33\00:24:28.23
sad, too. Really wanted to
find him by the fourth day.
00:24:28.23\00:24:31.17
>> That was a bad story for
Christmas. Why'd you bring this
00:24:31.17\00:24:33.70
one? >> Well -- Yeah, I know.
So, it gets better, actually. >>
00:24:33.70\00:24:38.47
Oh, it does? >> It does.
Thankfully, yes, it does. >>
00:24:38.47\00:24:40.11
Okay. Alright. >> There is a
happy ending. >> Yeah, what is
it? >> I took Mowgli there, and
00:24:40.11\00:24:43.75
we were looking in the woods, we
were looking along the road. We
were looking everywhere
00:24:43.75\00:24:47.12
and he was nowhere to be seen.
We got the other dog, Mowgli --
00:24:47.12\00:24:52.65
He was barking. All of a sudden,
he was looking all excited. >>
What's the siren thing?
00:24:52.65\00:24:56.19
>> Oh, okay. They howl
at ambulances. >> What?
00:24:56.19\00:25:00.96
>> Yeah, they howl at
ambulances, yeah. >> They have
00:25:00.96\00:25:04.77
an ambulance on your phone and
you play it? >> I played an
ambulance noise, and he howled.
00:25:04.77\00:25:09.27
>> The dogs howl when
they hear it? >> All the time.
00:25:09.27\00:25:11.61
>> Oh, that's brilliant,
brilliant. Okay, so Mowgli
00:25:11.61\00:25:15.34
starts howling. >> Yeah, so I
thought if we can get him to
howl -- 'Cause we was so
00:25:15.34\00:25:19.18
excited, I thought maybe Brody
was there. So he did, and we
walked a bit further down the
00:25:19.18\00:25:23.49
road, and then something
happened... >> What? >> ...which
00:25:23.49\00:25:26.32
was amazing. I was on the
phone with my aunt, looking up a
00:25:26.32\00:25:29.22
deck... >> Yes. >> ...and there
was this black fluffy thing on
top of the deck. >> A black
00:25:29.22\00:25:32.63
fluffy thing? >> Yeah. Yeah,
yeah, yeah. >> [ Exhales sharply
] >> So, it starts looking down
00:25:32.63\00:25:36.67
at me. I'm like, "Brody, is
that you?" And he wags his tail.
00:25:36.67\00:25:40.67
This is five days later. I
thought I was never going to see
00:25:40.67\00:25:44.34
him again. And then he runs down
the deck at what seemed to be
100 miles an hour -- so fast.
00:25:44.34\00:25:49.11
And it was him. We found
him. >> I can't believe it.
00:25:49.11\00:25:51.95
>> Yeah, yeah. It was
absolutely unbelievable, really.
00:25:51.95\00:25:55.95
>> Five days out in the
cold. You said it got down to 8
00:25:55.95\00:25:59.85
degrees one night. >> Yes, it
did, yeah. >> [ Exhales sharply
] Hey, what do you think about
00:25:59.85\00:26:04.33
that? Was that a great story to
have today, the Sabbath before
00:26:04.33\00:26:08.26
Christmas, or what? [ Children
answering yeah ] [ Applause ]
00:26:08.26\00:26:10.93
Well, there's three of you that
enjoyed it. >> That's a start.
00:26:10.93\00:26:14.30
[ Applause continues ] >>
Oh, man. It's too bad you didn't
00:26:14.30\00:26:17.37
bring Brody to church. We don't
allow dogs in this church, but
00:26:17.37\00:26:20.11
it's too bad you didn't bring
him because it would be so cool
to see the dog that got lost and
00:26:20.11\00:26:25.08
found. A lot of prayers going
into him. Wait a minute -- Oh,
00:26:25.08\00:26:28.95
your aunt is here! Oh, your aunt
is here with Brody? [ Children
00:26:28.95\00:26:32.49
whoa ] Your aunt is the
president of Andrews
University?! Are you serious?!
00:26:32.49\00:26:36.66
>> [ Laughs ] [ Whoa'ing
continues ] >> [ Laughs ]
00:26:36.66\00:26:40.36
Alright, guys, stay -- Don't get
up. Stay. Brody's coming your
00:26:40.36\00:26:45.63
way. Oh, Brody is so happy to
see you. He said, "I knew if I
00:26:45.63\00:26:49.77
could get found, I'd be
in church before Christmas."
00:26:49.77\00:26:55.01
Hallelujah. Oh, isn't he
precious? Now, I wish that we
could all hug Brody, but we
00:26:55.01\00:27:00.58
can't. [ Laughter ] Alright.
Auntie Andrea is gonna hold on
00:27:00.58\00:27:07.16
to him. But you know what -- You
know what, John, seriously, you
00:27:07.16\00:27:10.73
and your aunt co-own
that beautiful dog. >> Yeah.
00:27:10.73\00:27:14.30
>> This really is not just an
answer to prayer. >> No, it was
00:27:14.30\00:27:18.73
-- Sometimes in life, you got to
just a little bit more. >> Yeah,
and you certainly did.
00:27:18.73\00:27:22.67
The lengths you went to.
You know what, boys and girls,
00:27:22.67\00:27:24.74
listen to this. This is like
Jesus. Brody reminds me of
Jesus. Because when Jesus
00:27:24.74\00:27:29.48
decided to come to this Earth to
save every boy and girl that He
could, He did everything He
00:27:29.48\00:27:35.45
could think of -- He didn't go
on Facebook. He didn't post it
in the gas station.
00:27:35.45\00:27:39.72
Jesus came himself to look for
lost boys and girls. That's what
00:27:39.72\00:27:46.29
Christmas is all about. It's not
about presents. It's about Jesus
00:27:46.29\00:27:49.40
looking for lost children
-- >> It's definitely not about
00:27:49.40\00:27:53.03
commercials. >> It's definitely
not about commercials. That's
00:27:53.03\00:27:55.64
exactly right. [ Laughter ]
Let's stay out of this
commercial business.
00:27:55.64\00:28:01.24
You may be going into
Communication. [ Laughter ]
00:28:01.24\00:28:04.85
So the deal is, Jesus came all
the way down here to save us,
and we needed Brody to remind us
00:28:04.85\00:28:11.79
that if you can love a dog like
John Irvine and Aunt Andrea love
this dog, then you can sure love
00:28:11.79\00:28:19.13
children all over the world.
What do you say? Come on, I need
00:28:19.13\00:28:23.90
a boy or a girl that would like
to pray on the Sabbath before
Christmas and thank Jesus for
00:28:23.90\00:28:30.81
being our Savior. Okay, you've
had some good comments this
00:28:30.81\00:28:33.71
morning. What's your
first name? >> Jack. >> Jack?
00:28:33.71\00:28:36.81
>> Yeah. >> Oh, Jack,
you're perfect for this.
00:28:36.81\00:28:38.41
>> I'm the son of Adam Fanner.
>> You're the son of Adam
00:28:38.41\00:28:42.65
Fanner? >> Yes. >> Well,
he's proud of you right now.
00:28:42.65\00:28:44.29
[ Laughter ] And Jack,
thank you. Good answers.
00:28:44.29\00:28:48.22
Would you thank Jesus for going
to all of this to save all of
00:28:48.22\00:28:53.66
us? Thanks, Jack. >> Dear
Jesus, thank you for Sabbath.
00:28:53.66\00:28:58.20
Thank you for Christmas. Please
help the poor kids to have a
person that can give
00:28:58.20\00:29:08.54
money to them so that
they can have a little bit.
00:29:08.54\00:29:13.45
Thank you that...he found
his dog, whatever his name is. I
00:29:18.85\00:29:24.99
can't remember. >> [ Whispering
] Thank you for saving us. >>
Thank you for saving us.
00:29:24.99\00:29:29.20
Thank you that You died on the
cross. In Your holy name, amen.
00:29:29.20\00:29:31.93
>> Amen. Thank you, Jack,
for that beautiful prayer.
00:29:31.93\00:29:34.54
>> Alright, boys and girls.
Don't move! Don't move! Because
00:29:34.54\00:29:37.77
we have a special present for
you today because it's the
Sabbath before Christmas.
00:29:37.77\00:29:41.24
So we're gonna get our ladies,
who are friends of Jesus, to be
standing at the aisles where
00:29:41.24\00:29:47.05
you're gonna go back to your
seat. We sure love you just like
00:29:47.05\00:29:50.92
Jesus does, and we're glad
you're a part of our Pioneer
family. A Merry Christmas to all
00:29:50.92\00:29:56.66
of you. >> Well, not all stories
end well, and we know that.
00:30:00.93\00:30:05.77
The story I want to share with
you right now was written by
00:30:05.77\00:30:08.44
Chris Rice -- the
songwriter, the singer,
00:30:08.44\00:30:12.04
well-known. And he
put the story to music.
00:30:12.04\00:30:19.15
It's about a girl, but
we don't know who she is.
00:30:19.15\00:30:23.75
Is she his wife?
Is she his daughter?
00:30:23.75\00:30:27.09
She she a friend?
00:30:27.09\00:30:29.82
All we know about this girl
is that she's lost -- just plain
00:30:29.86\00:30:36.16
lost. And this song, which I
have listened to again and
again, is a haunting prayer at
00:30:36.16\00:30:47.11
night to the God of the
universe. And the title of the
song is "Can You Spare an Angel
00:30:47.11\00:30:53.08
Tonight?" I wish I could sing it
for you, but you'd leave before
00:30:53.08\00:30:59.09
the end...[chuckling] and so I'm
not gonna try that. But I have
the words right here.
00:30:59.09\00:31:05.23
I want you just to kind of get
the picture of this girl who's
00:31:05.23\00:31:09.06
lost. ¤ "Found her staring at
the rain ¤ ¤ And asking why it
00:31:09.06\00:31:13.30
has to hurt so bad ¤ ¤ Where's
the limit to the pain her heart
00:31:13.30\00:31:18.74
can take before it breaks in
half ¤ ¤ I wanted to be strong
enough to hold her and show her
00:31:18.74\00:31:25.01
the way ¤ ¤ But
she's so far out of reach ¤
00:31:25.01\00:31:29.12
¤ And now all I can do is pray
And then the chorus. ¤ Can You
00:31:29.12\00:31:36.83
spare an angel tonight ¤ ¤ Send
a little help from Your side ¤
00:31:36.83\00:31:41.13
¤ 'Cause somebody's lost down
here ¤ ¤ Let him wing his way
00:31:41.13\00:31:46.43
through the dark ¤ ¤ Carry some
of Your love into her heart ¤
00:31:46.43\00:31:51.24
¤ Can You spare an angel ¤ Spare
an angel Every time I listen to
00:31:51.24\00:31:58.11
this song, I'm thinking of
somebody. It might be a she
because the pronoun is feminine.
00:31:58.11\00:32:07.72
Sometimes I think about a he.
And I think of that plaintive
00:32:07.72\00:32:14.30
plea. "Can You spare an angel
tonight? Send some help from
00:32:14.30\00:32:21.10
Your side 'cause somebody's lost
down here." I wonder how many
00:32:21.10\00:32:28.34
angels God would spare for one
lost soul. I'm talking about
somebody that you love right
00:32:28.34\00:32:33.08
now, somebody that you know
right now is lost. How many
angels could God spare for her,
00:32:33.08\00:32:39.72
for him? How many angels could
God spare for a lost planet in
space? "Can You spare an angel
00:32:39.72\00:32:46.59
tonight?" Christmas is all about
night and angels, and so let's
00:32:46.59\00:32:51.67
go to the Christmas story and
find out if this song has
anything to do with what we're
00:32:51.67\00:32:55.40
about to read. Open your Bible.
There are only two places in the
New Testament where the birth of
00:32:55.40\00:32:58.67
Jesus is discussed. Matthew 1:2
and Luke 1:2. Between the two of
00:32:58.67\00:33:03.24
them, 20 times angels show up.
Open your Bible to Luke's
version -- familiar words.
00:33:03.24\00:33:08.12
You've been there before. We
go again. That's what we do at
00:33:08.12\00:33:10.82
Christmas -- tradition.
00:33:10.82\00:33:12.69
We go back to the story again
and again because we never tire
00:33:12.72\00:33:16.39
of hearing it.
I'm in the NIV today.
00:33:16.39\00:33:19.06
Luke chapter 2.
Drop down to verse 6.
00:33:19.06\00:33:22.00
"While they," Joseph and Mary,
"were there," in oh little town
00:33:22.00\00:33:25.97
of Bethlehem, "the time came
for the baby to be born, and she
00:33:25.97\00:33:30.71
gave birth to
her firstborn, a son.
00:33:30.71\00:33:34.14
She wrapped Him in cloths
and placed Him in a manger,"
00:33:34.14\00:33:37.31
a box of cow feed,
"because there was no guest room
00:33:37.31\00:33:40.78
available for them." R.
Kent Hughes in his inspiring
00:33:40.78\00:33:46.02
short book titled "The Gift"
graphically describes the moment
00:33:46.02\00:33:50.46
of Jesus' birth. This
is something else, but you
00:33:50.46\00:33:52.49
got to see it on the screen,
so I'll put the words up on
00:33:52.49\00:33:54.46
the screen.
00:33:54.46\00:33:54.86
I suppose it's a natural human
tendency to want to sanitize God
right out of the Christmas
00:34:37.64\00:34:42.11
picture. Wrong.
There's only one -- At the time
00:34:42.11\00:34:45.71
that the story took place, there
was only one class that would
really understand it.
00:34:45.71\00:34:48.85
They were considered just a
little better than lepers, and
they were called shepherds.
00:34:48.85\00:34:54.56
They understood manure. They
understood blood and birth and
00:34:54.56\00:35:04.40
hard places. And yet, into that
wrenching moment, the King of
angels comes Savior.
00:35:04.40\00:35:12.01
Makes His entrance. Can't
believe this. I mean, I'd love
00:35:14.54\00:35:19.28
to have seen the angels' faces
when they're standing there.
They're everywhere -- but
00:35:19.28\00:35:24.32
they're hovered and they're
watching. Can you imagine what's
00:35:24.32\00:35:27.16
going through their minds as
that tiny head -- as Hughes put
it -- "slippery with blood..."
00:35:27.16\00:35:31.16
The hair, you can see it, sticky
and matted. That little head
00:35:31.16\00:35:35.40
pops out of the birth canal of
a teenaged mother. All they know
00:35:35.40\00:35:39.73
is that their King is gone. For
nine months, He hasn't been
around at all in the kingdom.
00:35:39.73\00:35:43.67
They also know this -- that they
are direct divine orders to do
whatever it takes to save that
00:35:43.67\00:35:49.18
little mother so that the child
can be born. Turns out, there's
00:35:49.18\00:35:55.35
a rebel angel loose who with
half a blink would've destroyed
her and would destroy you and
00:35:55.35\00:36:01.82
would destroy me. But now this.
And they're trying to figure it
00:36:01.82\00:36:07.76
out.
00:36:07.76\00:36:09.30
"The Desire of Ages" beautifully
depicts how the angels are moved
00:36:09.33\00:36:12.90
by the mystery of
love's incarnation.
00:36:12.90\00:36:16.04
"The Desire of
Ages." Look at that.
00:36:16.04\00:36:18.01
"Our little world is the
lesson book of the universe.
00:36:18.01\00:36:21.14
God's wonderful purpose of
grace, the mystery of redeeming
00:36:21.14\00:36:24.75
love, is the them
into which the angels..."
00:36:24.75\00:36:27.98
Go to the New Testament.
"...the 'angels desire to look,
00:36:27.98\00:36:30.89
and it will be their study
throughout the endless ages."
00:36:30.89\00:36:34.02
Now keep reading.
"Both the redeemed and the
00:36:34.02\00:36:38.06
unfallen beings," the angels,
"will find in the cross of
00:36:38.06\00:36:42.36
Christ their
science and their song.
00:36:42.36\00:36:45.00
It will be seen that the glory
shining in the face of Jesus
00:36:45.00\00:36:47.70
is the glory of self-sacrificing
love," end quote.
00:36:47.70\00:36:50.91
Can You spare an angel
tonight? Are you kidding?
00:36:50.91\00:36:55.31
You could've
have kept them away!
00:36:55.31\00:36:58.18
Look at verse 8. "And
there were shepherds living
00:36:58.18\00:37:00.92
out in the fields nearby,
keeping watch over their flocks
00:37:00.92\00:37:04.49
at night. An angel
of the Lord appeared
00:37:04.49\00:37:08.82
to them," oh, "and the glory
of the Lord shone around them,
00:37:08.82\00:37:14.00
and they were terrified."
00:37:14.00\00:37:18.80
Have you ever seen an angel? I
know I have. I just didn't know
00:37:18.83\00:37:23.34
it was an angel. I mean, come
on, you think about it --
Lookit, if Uncle Abraham
00:37:23.34\00:37:27.78
and nephew Lot can see two poor
wayfaring strangers and have no
clue initially that these are
00:37:27.78\00:37:34.98
beings from the eternal kingdom
-- Lookit, if it can happen to
them, it can happen
00:37:34.98\00:37:38.55
to you and to me. In fact,
the Bible gives, based on their
00:37:38.55\00:37:42.49
story, a little
tidbit of advice.
00:37:42.49\00:37:45.06
Let's consider it this
Christmas on the screen, please.
00:37:45.09\00:37:48.10
"Do not forget to show
hospitality to strangers..."
00:37:48.10\00:37:50.90
By the way, little Jack
prayed a beautiful prayer.
00:37:50.90\00:37:54.80
You're listening to these
kids' prayers, aren't you.
00:37:54.80\00:37:57.31
And he's thinking of all the
kids out there that don't have.
00:37:57.31\00:38:01.04
The rest of us are thinking,
"Well, what can I have?"
00:38:01.04\00:38:03.98
Not that little boy. Yeah.
00:38:03.98\00:38:06.35
Wait a minute, come on. I want
to ask you a question. Do you
suppose the salvation
00:38:16.52\00:38:19.49
bell ringer is really an angel
and watches you every time you
walk by without putting a penny
00:38:19.49\00:38:24.47
in that basket? Could be an
angel. I wouldn't be surprised
00:38:24.47\00:38:29.10
if my angel would show up at our
door, I open the door, and
here's a homeless woman begging
00:38:29.10\00:38:33.44
for a handout, and the angels
are saying, "I wonder if
Dwight's ever changed."
00:38:33.44\00:38:38.81
No, it might've been you sitting
there at that intersection. It's
00:38:38.81\00:38:44.62
a red light. There's somebody
standing on that corner beneath
00:38:44.62\00:38:47.66
the red light. He has a
cardboard sign in his hand. And
before you can avert your
00:38:47.66\00:38:51.19
gaze to pretend like you don't
know he's standing there, he's
looking straight at you.
00:38:51.19\00:38:56.40
And the card reads,
"Need food. No work."
00:38:56.40\00:39:01.30
Would you put it past our angels
to show up a lot more than we
00:39:04.77\00:39:10.51
think they do? Just to see is it
making any difference in her
life yet. What's that line we
00:39:10.51\00:39:18.59
just read? Do not forget to show
generosity to strangers. They
may be angels checking to
00:39:18.59\00:39:22.46
see if your belief in Jesus
makes any difference in the way
00:39:22.46\00:39:26.36
you live. ¤ Can You
spare an angel tonight ¤
00:39:26.36\00:39:30.83
I can't imagine what it
was like for those blue collar,
00:39:33.17\00:39:37.04
low social rung shepherds that
starry, starry and chilly night.
00:39:37.04\00:39:43.48
I mean, we just read the
words, and they were terrified.
00:39:43.48\00:39:45.18
The Greek reads, "And
they feared a great a fear."
00:39:45.18\00:39:47.45
They are paralyzed!
00:39:47.45\00:39:49.12
And I'm not
surprised, given who shows up.
00:39:51.19\00:39:54.86
"How do you know,
Dwight, who shows up?"
00:39:54.86\00:39:56.32
Because when this being shows
up from the eternal throne room,
00:39:56.32\00:40:00.06
every single time his first
words are, "Don't be afraid."
00:40:00.06\00:40:04.60
"Hey, yo, yo, yo, yo,
you don't have to be afraid
00:40:04.60\00:40:07.34
of me." Gabriel.
00:40:07.34\00:40:13.14
Easy for you to say,
Gabriel. "Don't be afraid."
00:40:13.14\00:40:17.75
Verse 10, look at it.
00:40:17.75\00:40:19.21
"But the angel said to
them, 'Do not be afraid.'"
00:40:21.22\00:40:25.05
He's already done it
twice in the Christmas story.
00:40:25.05\00:40:27.99
"'Do not be afraid.'" He
did it at the Garden, too.
00:40:27.99\00:40:31.09
When that one angel shows
up, [imitates explosion] they're
00:40:31.09\00:40:33.40
like dead men on the
ground. We can't be hard on the
00:40:33.40\00:40:37.23
shepherds.
00:40:37.23\00:40:38.20
They at least held their
ground. "'Do not be afraid.
00:40:40.84\00:40:45.24
I bring you good news..."
The Greek means "evangelize."
00:40:45.24\00:40:48.88
"'I bring you good news
that will cause great joy
00:40:48.88\00:40:51.25
for all people.'"
We've just had great fear.
00:40:51.25\00:40:52.78
Now we got great
joy for all the people.
00:40:52.78\00:40:54.88
Verse 11. "'Today
in the town of David,
00:40:54.88\00:40:57.02
a Savior has been born to you;
He is the Messiah, the Lord.
00:40:57.02\00:41:01.29
And this will be a sign to
you -- You will find a baby
00:41:01.29\00:41:04.36
wrapped in cloths
and lying in a manger.'
00:41:04.36\00:41:11.53
And suddenly, a great company
of the heavenly host appeared
00:41:11.53\00:41:16.17
with the angel." Hit
the pause button right
00:41:16.17\00:41:18.14
there. The Greek
word for "a great
00:41:18.14\00:41:19.87
company of the
heavenly host" is stratia.
00:41:19.87\00:41:23.58
It means -- It's a military
term for a band of warriors.
00:41:23.58\00:41:28.05
That's why in the Old Testament
when God is referred to, He's
00:41:28.05\00:41:30.59
often called "the
God of angel armies."
00:41:30.59\00:41:33.15
Angels travel
in armies at times.
00:41:33.15\00:41:36.86
[ Shews ]
00:41:36.86\00:41:38.16
The point is this is no
Sabbath afternoon sunshine band
00:41:41.03\00:41:46.57
song service going
on. This is the real deal.
00:41:46.57\00:41:53.11
Kent Hughes one more time.
I happen to agree with him.
00:41:53.11\00:41:56.38
I'd never thought of this
before, but I happen to agree
00:41:56.38\00:41:57.95
with him. See what you think.
00:41:57.95\00:41:59.31
His words on the screen.
"Note well that it says a 'great
00:41:59.31\00:42:03.05
company,'" here in Luke
2, "beyond count," he thinks.
00:42:03.05\00:42:08.99
I think that every angel was
there because this was the most
00:42:08.99\00:42:12.96
amazing and greatest event
that had ever happened in the
00:42:12.96\00:42:15.53
universe. I think
they stretched from
00:42:15.53\00:42:17.67
horizon to horizon, obscuring
the winter constellations,"
00:42:17.67\00:42:20.87
and that midnight sky.
"I like to imagine that they
00:42:20.87\00:42:23.94
radiated gold and pink and
electric blue and hyacinth and
00:42:23.94\00:42:27.54
ultraviolet. And
that some of them were
00:42:27.54\00:42:29.51
sparkling. And then,
when they lifted their
00:42:29.51\00:42:31.91
voices to God, it
was in cosmic stereo!"
00:42:31.91\00:42:35.32
I think it was surround sound.
00:42:35.35\00:42:37.05
Unbelievable. "The Desire of
Ages," by the way -- this is a
00:42:40.22\00:42:45.66
direct quote -- describes that
scene, quote, as, "the brightest
picture ever beheld by human
00:42:45.66\00:42:55.74
eyes." And all of that not for
Caesar, not for Caiaphas or
whoever the reigning high priest
00:42:55.74\00:43:01.94
Annas was. For a
ragtag band of shepherds. Why?
00:43:01.94\00:43:09.08
'Cause God only shows up
where He's wanted, that's why.
00:43:09.08\00:43:12.22
You want Him this Christmas?
Do you really? If you want Him,
00:43:15.59\00:43:24.27
He'll show up. ¤ Can
You spare an angel tonight ¤
00:43:24.27\00:43:27.90
I'll read verse 13 again.
00:43:27.97\00:43:29.44
And guess what, His favor rests
on every man, woman, and child
born onto this planet.
00:43:41.58\00:43:45.99
That's the good news. Can You
spare an angel tonight? How'd
00:43:45.99\00:43:53.96
that go? "Spare an angel
tonight. Send a little help from
Your side 'cause somebody's lost
00:43:53.96\00:43:58.90
down here." You know what, it's
not such an offbeat idea, this
00:43:58.90\00:44:06.47
asking God for a spare angel.
You think about it. I mean, why
00:44:06.47\00:44:12.01
not? After all, angels serve the
King of angels Himself, and they
00:44:12.01\00:44:17.19
adore Him. So what's wrong in
asking? I mean, why else would
they all show up at His birth in
00:44:17.19\00:44:22.46
Bethlehem? He has the
entire...angelic... population
00:44:22.46\00:44:34.54
under His command. And lookit,
if the Son of Man came to seek
and save the lost, which is what
00:44:34.54\00:44:38.37
Jesus announced, by the way, to
the gasping -- to the gasping
shock of all those crowed around
00:44:38.37\00:44:44.78
Zacchaeus' home -- the worst of
the baddest sinners in town,
Zacchaeus. If Jesus can say the
00:44:44.78\00:44:51.12
Son of Man came to seek and save
the lost, and salvation has come
to this house, I don't care how
00:44:51.12\00:44:55.82
bad you are, I don't care how
hopeless you may have been, that
little baby from Bethlehem has
00:44:55.82\00:45:02.96
chosen your heart and your life
for His return address, if you
00:45:02.96\00:45:12.57
wish. ¤ Can You spare an angel
tonight ¤ ¤ Somebody's lost down
00:45:12.57\00:45:18.51
here You know, maybe this is the
gift that we should be praying
for this Christmas.
00:45:18.51\00:45:23.32
A little compilation
called "The Truth About Angels."
00:45:23.35\00:45:25.92
Powerful...these
words on the screen.
00:45:25.92\00:45:30.13
"Angels are sent from the
heavenly courts, not to destroy,
00:45:30.13\00:45:36.10
but to watch over and guard
imperiled souls, to save the
00:45:36.10\00:45:39.70
lost..." All of that.
00:45:39.70\00:45:41.67
That emphasis is mine.
"...to save the lost, to bring
00:45:41.67\00:45:44.84
the straying ones
back to the fold."
00:45:44.84\00:45:47.34
Angels are sent.
Why are they sent?
00:45:47.34\00:45:48.98
Because somebody's asking,
"Can You spare another angel?
00:45:48.98\00:45:52.01
I've got somebody in my life
that is desperate for You, and
if You would just send
00:45:52.05\00:45:56.35
to her an extra angel, I think
this can be the season You win.
Can You spare an angel tonight?
00:45:56.35\00:46:06.13
I beg of You.
00:46:06.13\00:46:07.46
There surely is a mother here --
There surely is a mother here
who, in the anguish of her
00:46:10.90\00:46:17.71
night, has already prayed, "Oh,
God, can You spare an angel for
my little girl, my Lord,
00:46:17.71\00:46:29.48
tonight? Can You spare
an angel for my little boy?"
00:46:29.48\00:46:34.99
There is not a father here who,
without a catch in his throat
and a tear in his eye
00:46:34.99\00:46:44.07
hasn't prayed the prayer, "Dear
God, can You spare another angel
00:46:44.07\00:46:54.14
tonight? Por favor? Please."
00:46:54.14\00:46:59.08
What's that line
again? Put it on the screen.
00:46:59.11\00:47:00.88
I don't know, maybe this should
be the gift that we ought to be
wanting this Christmas.
00:47:09.66\00:47:13.70
This is the gift to pray for.
Can You spare an angel tonight?
I mean, why else would Jesus
00:47:13.70\00:47:21.80
come? Why else did He
die? Somebody's lost down here.
00:47:21.80\00:47:26.64
The Son of Man came to seek and
save the lost. Look, I got to
00:47:26.64\00:47:32.18
sit down. I don't know who
you're praying for. I have no
00:47:32.18\00:47:35.62
idea. You're surely not praying
for yourself. I have no idea who
00:47:35.62\00:47:39.82
it is you pray for. You may be
at the place with that
particular person where it
00:47:39.82\00:47:45.99
just seems this is one unsavable
child. This is one unsalvagable
00:47:45.99\00:47:56.47
life. You pray for them for
forever and nothing seems to
change. You know what our
00:47:56.47\00:48:04.18
problem is? I'll tell you.
We forget who the angels are.
00:48:04.18\00:48:07.42
We're talking about the
guardians, the interveners, the
celestial warriors.
00:48:09.85\00:48:17.76
A New Zealander, a Kiwi named
John Dawson -- I'll never forget
this sentence from his book and
00:48:17.76\00:48:23.37
I read it two or three times.
"Taking Our Cities for God."
00:48:23.37\00:48:26.90
I want to put it on
the screen. John Dawson.
00:48:26.94\00:48:29.44
I hope you never
forget it, either.
00:48:29.44\00:48:30.87
Do you see it on the screen?
"The prayer of a human being
00:48:30.87\00:48:32.91
can alter history by
releasing legions of," what?
00:48:32.91\00:48:37.31
"...legions of
angels into the earth."
00:48:37.31\00:48:39.21
Now here comes the sentence.
00:48:39.21\00:48:40.48
If we really believed
angels made a difference.
00:48:50.79\00:48:54.03
Can You spare a
legion of angels tonight?
00:48:54.03\00:48:59.23
Not to be outdone a century
earlier, Ellen White -- these
00:48:59.23\00:49:02.44
words on the screen, as well.
"Invisible armies of light and
00:49:02.44\00:49:06.61
power attend the
meek and lowly ones..."
00:49:06.61\00:49:09.08
That would be you.
00:49:09.08\00:49:11.75
Can You spare an army tonight?
Why not? You have not because
00:49:18.19\00:49:27.76
you asked not. ¤ Can
You spare an angel tonight?
00:49:27.76\00:49:35.17
That baby born in that...
stable -- not only born to live,
00:49:35.20\00:49:41.74
not only born to save, but that
baby was born to die so that He
00:49:41.74\00:49:45.71
might save the most deformed,
the most lost, and the baddest
00:49:45.71\00:49:53.15
of the bad
sinners. Like you and me.
00:49:53.15\00:50:00.10
And He's the King of angels.
Can't You spare one more angel
00:50:00.10\00:50:04.57
for that boy? One
more angel for that girl?
00:50:04.57\00:50:10.27
Can't You spare
an angel tonight?
00:50:10.27\00:50:13.44
Maybe it's your heart crying
out, "I'm the one in despair.
00:50:15.61\00:50:21.18
I've lost. I've lost the
battle." I tell you what, my
00:50:21.22\00:50:27.82
friend, if you're thinking that
thought, you have not lost the
battle. That's because the
00:50:27.82\00:50:31.53
battle is still waging for you.
It might be this is the prayer
00:50:31.53\00:50:36.53
for you. "God, for me... I have
tried so many times and this is
00:50:36.53\00:50:41.80
like a ball and chain on my
ankle, and I can't get rid of
it. Can You spare one more angel
00:50:41.80\00:50:46.51
tonight for me? For me, one more
angel? And of course He can.
00:50:46.51\00:50:54.68
And of course He will. 'Cause
that's why He came, to answer
00:50:54.68\00:51:01.59
your prayer. "[ Singsong voice ]
I wonder as I wander out under
the sky why Jesus the Savior
00:51:01.59\00:51:12.87
did come for to die for poor
ornery sinners like you and like
00:51:12.87\00:51:24.35
I. I wonder as I
wander out under the sky.
00:51:24.35\00:51:31.79
¤¤ ¤¤
00:51:40.66\00:51:53.98
>> ¤ I wonder as I
wander out under the sky ¤
00:51:53.98\00:52:02.78
¤ How Jesus the
Savior did come for to die ¤
00:52:02.78\00:52:11.83
¤ For poor on'ry
people like you and like I ¤
00:52:11.83\00:52:20.27
¤ I wonder as I
wander out under the sky ¤
00:52:20.27\00:52:33.65
¤ When Mary birthed
Jesus, 'twas in a cow's stall ¤
00:52:33.65\00:52:40.36
¤ With wise men and
farmers and shepherds and all ¤
00:52:40.36\00:52:48.06
¤ But high from God's heaven,
a star's light did fall ¤
00:52:48.06\00:52:55.54
¤ And the promise of
ages it then did recall ¤
00:52:55.54\00:53:09.48
¤ If Jesus had
wanted for any wee thing ¤
00:53:09.48\00:53:16.06
¤ A star in the sky
or a bird on the wing ¤
00:53:16.06\00:53:23.26
¤ Or all of God's
angels in heav'n to sing ¤
00:53:23.26\00:53:32.04
¤ He surely could have
had it for He was the King ¤
00:53:32.04\00:53:45.75
¤ I wonder as I
wander out under the sky ¤
00:53:45.75\00:53:54.83
¤ How Jesus the
Savior did come for to die ¤
00:53:54.83\00:54:03.54
¤ For poor on'ry
people like you and like I ¤
00:54:03.54\00:54:12.81
¤ I wonder as I
wander out under the sky ¤
00:54:12.81\00:54:29.56
¤¤
00:54:29.56\00:54:34.77
>> Amen. Let's stand together.
00:54:36.84\00:54:44.05
Jesus, King of angels,
what can we say? Thank you.
00:54:52.95\00:55:00.96
Thank you. Thank
you. And please...
00:55:00.96\00:55:09.40
can You spare
an angel tonight...
00:55:09.40\00:55:11.87
...and save them, too?
00:55:14.14\00:55:15.88
Please. And thank you. Amen.
00:55:18.55\00:55:25.19
[ Organ plays ] ¤¤ ¤¤
00:55:25.19\00:55:39.13
[ "The First Noel" plays ] >>
What is it about the holiday
season that has given you
00:55:43.14\00:55:48.24
the greatest joy? Is it the time
spent cutting down the family
00:55:48.24\00:55:52.78
Christmas tree at the local farm
or maybe a special ornament
placed on that lighted bough?
00:55:52.78\00:55:57.72
Or do you find joy in
contemplating the profound
meaning of the carols we sing?
00:55:57.72\00:56:02.46
Maybe Christmas joy is found in
the memories you make together
with friends and family
00:56:02.46\00:56:06.49
and the spirit of giving that
surrounds this season. As we
reflect on these joys,
00:56:06.49\00:56:12.30
let's always remember the great
light Who guides us, the One who
brings and meaning to life --
00:56:12.30\00:56:17.57
a loving Father who is at the
heart of all treasured
relationships and the wonderful
00:56:17.57\00:56:22.14
God who gave the ultimate
gift in a newborn child.
00:56:22.14\00:56:26.45
Some of my joy this season
comes in part from your letters,
00:56:26.48\00:56:29.68
your prayers, and your faithful
giving of support to this
00:56:29.68\00:56:32.62
ministry which reaches
literally around the world.
00:56:32.62\00:56:35.59
If you've been blessed this
year, I'd like to ask you to
00:56:35.59\00:56:38.29
join the many people who
financially support this global
00:56:38.29\00:56:41.06
New Perceptions
ministry. It's simple to do.
00:56:41.06\00:56:44.73
Just call our toll-free number
877 -- two words -- HIS-WILL.
00:56:44.73\00:56:49.74
One of our friendly operators
will be happy to help you.
00:56:49.74\00:56:52.34
You can also click the donate
link at the top of our website.
00:56:52.34\00:56:55.18
Trust me, no gift is too small
for God to use to spread the
00:56:55.18\00:56:59.28
good news of His love,
His sacrifice, and His future
00:56:59.28\00:57:02.85
plans for our happiness.
Every gift, by the way,
00:57:02.85\00:57:06.99
is entirely invested in our
mission to communicate God's
00:57:06.99\00:57:09.52
good news to a generation
who needs a hope found in Jesus,
00:57:09.52\00:57:13.43
which will bring
them to joy in life.
00:57:13.43\00:57:15.93
So once again, the
number to call is 877-HIS-WILL.
00:57:15.93\00:57:20.50
This season, my wish for
you is that the mighty God,
00:57:20.50\00:57:23.84
the everlasting Father,
the Prince of Peace will be at
00:57:23.84\00:57:26.74
the heart of the very
best memories made together
00:57:26.74\00:57:30.58
with your family and friends. ¤¤
00:57:30.58\00:57:40.76
¤¤ ¤¤
00:57:40.76\00:57:57.14
¤¤ ¤¤
00:57:59.21\00:58:18.73
¤¤
00:58:18.73\00:58:28.30