Let's pray.
00:00:12.67\00:00:15.61
Risen Christ, we
praise You today.
00:00:15.64\00:00:19.48
We thank You for
this chance we have
00:00:19.51\00:00:22.32
to join together to worship You.
00:00:22.35\00:00:26.39
We thank You
for another Sabbath.
00:00:26.42\00:00:29.06
And we thank You for
the rest that Sabbath brings
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physically,
emotionally, spiritually.
00:00:32.96\00:00:38.03
And we rest in
Your presence today.
00:00:38.07\00:00:41.90
We thank You for Your power,
00:00:41.94\00:00:44.47
and Your presence,
and Your selfless love
00:00:44.51\00:00:48.04
that caused You
to lay down Your life
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for our redemption.
00:00:51.05\00:00:54.08
And that power
which raised You up
00:00:54.12\00:00:56.79
gives us assurance,
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as the Apostle Paul says,
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"Assurance that our
preaching is not empty,
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that our faith is not in vain,
00:01:04.69\00:01:07.96
that our sins can be forgiven,
00:01:08.00\00:01:11.27
and that we can have
hope of eternal life."
00:01:11.30\00:01:15.84
So as we worship You today,
00:01:15.87\00:01:18.27
infuse this place and or space
with Your powerful presence
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that we might forget
about every distraction
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that we might focus on you
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and worship You in
spirit and in truth
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and that we might
experience the transformation
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from Your resurrection power.
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We pray in Jesus' name.
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Amen.
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Redeemed, How I
love to proclaim it!
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Redeemed By the
blood of the Lamb
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Redeemed Thro'
His infinite mercy
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His child and forever I am
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Redeemed, redeemed
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Redeemed By the
blood of the Lamb
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Redeemed, How I
love to proclaim it!
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His child and forever I am
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I think of my blessed Redeemer
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I think of Him all the day long
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I sing, for I cannot be silent
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His love is the theme Of my song
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Redeemed, redeemed
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Redeemed By the
blood of the Lamb
00:03:06.11\00:03:10.12
Redeemed, How I
love to proclaim it!
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His child and forever I am
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I know I shall see in His beauty
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The King in whose law I delight
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Who lovingly
guardeth My footsteps
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And giveth me songs In the night
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Redeemed, redeemed
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Redeemed By the
blood of the Lamb
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Redeemed, How I
love to proclaim it!
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His child and forever I am
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Your only Son no sin to hide
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But You have sent
Him From Your side
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To walk upon this guilty sod
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And to become the Lamb of God
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Your gift of love They crucified
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They laughed and
scorned Him As He died
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The humble King
They named a fraud
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And sacrificed the Lamb of God
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Oh Lamb of God Sweet Lamb of God
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I love the holy Lamb of God
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Oh wash me In His precious blood
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My Jesus Christ,
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The Lamb of God
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I was so lost I should have died
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But You have
brought me To Your side
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To be led by Your staff and rod
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And to be called a lamb of God
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Oh Lamb of God Sweet Lamb of God
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I love the holy Lamb of God
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Oh wash me In His precious blood
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My Jesus Christ,
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The Lamb of God
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My Jesus Christ, The Lamb of God
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Amen.
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Jesus, the Lamb of God
made the ultimate sacrifice.
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He was in dust
bonds, but He has risen.
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He has resurrected,
He has been victorious
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and we have joyful hope.
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Can we say hallelujah?
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Hallelujah. Amen.
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So let us
reflect on His sacrifice
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and remember the risen Christ.
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O Breath of God
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Come fill this place
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Revive our hearts
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To know Your grace
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And from our slumber
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Make us rise
00:08:01.24\00:08:04.41
That we may
know The risen Christ
00:08:04.45\00:08:11.32
O Word of God
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So clear and true
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Renew our minds
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To trust in You
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And give to us
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The Bread of Life
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That we may
know The risen Christ
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O love of God
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So unrestrained
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Refresh our souls In Jesus' name
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Let us reflect
00:09:04.54\00:09:07.78
Your sacrifice
00:09:07.81\00:09:11.91
That we may
know The risen Christ
00:09:11.95\00:09:18.49
May God the Father
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God the Son
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And God the Spirit
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Make us one
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In holiness
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Let us unite
00:09:41.64\00:09:45.85
That we may
know The risen Christ
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Thank you for the cross Lord
00:10:47.74\00:10:54.55
Thank you For the price You paid
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Bearing all my sin and shame
00:11:01.56\00:11:06.26
In love You came
00:11:06.29\00:11:09.63
And gave amazing grace
00:11:09.66\00:11:15.30
Thank you for this love Lord
00:11:15.34\00:11:22.14
Thank you For the
nail-pierced hands
00:11:22.18\00:11:29.08
Washed me In Your cleansing flow
00:11:29.12\00:11:33.82
Now all I know
00:11:33.86\00:11:36.69
Your forgiveness and embrace
00:11:36.73\00:11:41.16
Worthy is the Lamb
00:11:44.43\00:11:48.04
Seated on the throne
00:11:51.14\00:11:57.95
Crown You now With many crowns
00:11:57.98\00:12:04.29
You reign victorious
00:12:04.32\00:12:07.69
High and lifted up
00:12:11.43\00:12:18.10
Jesus Son of God
00:12:18.13\00:12:24.84
The Darling of heaven crucified
00:12:24.87\00:12:31.71
Worthy is the Lamb
00:12:35.98\00:12:39.55
Worthy is the Lamb
00:12:43.09\00:12:46.09
Thank you for the cross Lord
00:12:50.07\00:12:56.97
Thank you For the price You paid
00:12:57.01\00:13:03.65
Bearing all my sin and shame
00:13:03.68\00:13:08.32
In love You came
00:13:08.35\00:13:11.75
And gave amazing grace
00:13:11.79\00:13:17.23
Thank you for this love Lord
00:13:17.26\00:13:24.03
Thank you For the
nail-pierced hands
00:13:24.07\00:13:30.61
Washed me In Your cleansing flow
00:13:30.64\00:13:35.14
Now all I know
00:13:35.18\00:13:38.05
Your forgiveness and embrace
00:13:38.08\00:13:42.48
Worthy is the Lamb
00:13:45.65\00:13:49.22
Seated on the throne
00:13:52.26\00:13:58.73
Crown You now With many crowns
00:13:58.77\00:14:05.21
You reign victorious
00:14:05.24\00:14:08.31
High and lifted up
00:14:12.41\00:14:15.82
Jesus Son of God
00:14:18.95\00:14:24.93
The Darling of heaven Crucified
00:14:24.96\00:14:30.40
Worthy is the Lamb
00:14:35.60\00:14:38.87
Worthy is the Lamb
00:14:42.84\00:14:45.68
Worthy is the Lamb
00:14:49.85\00:14:53.02
Worthy is the Lamb
00:14:57.13\00:15:00.63
Hey, see this,
Dad and Mom, come on,
00:15:15.78\00:15:19.01
children's story's on.
00:15:19.05\00:15:21.98
Good morning boys and girls.
00:15:22.02\00:15:23.65
Thank you for joining me
for children's story today.
00:15:23.69\00:15:26.35
Today I wanted to
talk to you about stories
00:15:26.39\00:15:29.26
about your favorite stories.
00:15:29.29\00:15:31.09
My daughter Audrey has a
favorite story right now.
00:15:31.13\00:15:34.10
And it's this one,
00:15:34.13\00:15:35.46
I have it right
here to show you.
00:15:35.50\00:15:36.93
It's called Bunnies Book Club.
00:15:36.97\00:15:39.53
I'm going to tell you
a little bit about it.
00:15:39.57\00:15:41.84
In the story, bunny
enjoys living near a library,
00:15:41.87\00:15:45.57
and he gets to
hear the librarian
00:15:45.61\00:15:47.24
tell stories at story time
00:15:47.28\00:15:48.84
outside on the lawn every day.
00:15:48.88\00:15:51.01
But when winter comes,
00:15:51.05\00:15:52.38
they have to move back inside.
00:15:52.41\00:15:54.28
And bunny gets sad
00:15:54.32\00:15:55.65
because he can't
hear the stories anymore.
00:15:55.68\00:15:57.72
So he comes up with a plan
00:15:57.75\00:15:59.35
to sneak into the
library every night,
00:15:59.39\00:16:02.16
through the book return
00:16:02.19\00:16:03.66
and read as many
stories as he wants.
00:16:03.69\00:16:06.23
His friends get involved,
00:16:06.26\00:16:07.86
the other animals
that live in the forest,
00:16:07.90\00:16:09.83
and they do this together.
00:16:09.86\00:16:12.10
But after a little
while, they get caught.
00:16:12.13\00:16:16.07
And this is the
part of the story
00:16:16.10\00:16:17.87
when Audrey
pretends to be nervous,
00:16:17.91\00:16:20.81
just like the
animals in the book.
00:16:20.84\00:16:23.24
Now she knows
what's going to happen,
00:16:23.28\00:16:25.31
because we've read
this story many times.
00:16:25.35\00:16:28.78
But the animals don't
know what's going to happen.
00:16:28.82\00:16:31.25
And so they wait.
00:16:31.29\00:16:32.69
And they're nervous,
00:16:32.72\00:16:34.06
and they are not sure
00:16:34.09\00:16:37.13
if they're going
to get in trouble
00:16:37.16\00:16:38.59
for what they've
been doing or not.
00:16:38.63\00:16:40.43
Well, it turns out
00:16:40.46\00:16:41.80
that the librarian
00:16:41.83\00:16:43.16
doesn't want them
to get in trouble.
00:16:43.20\00:16:44.53
She just wants to
give them library cards,
00:16:44.57\00:16:46.63
so that they can
check out books properly.
00:16:46.67\00:16:48.84
And the story ends happy.
00:16:48.87\00:16:50.44
And I think that's
why Audrey likes it.
00:16:50.47\00:16:51.91
Because even though you
get worried in the middle,
00:16:51.94\00:16:54.18
it ends happy.
00:16:54.21\00:16:55.64
You know, there's another book
that we have full of stories.
00:16:55.68\00:16:59.38
And that's the Bible.
00:16:59.41\00:17:01.38
We have stories of Abraham
and stories of Moses, Noah.
00:17:01.42\00:17:05.99
We have the stories
of Jesus in His life,
00:17:06.02\00:17:08.92
from when He's born
00:17:08.96\00:17:10.56
to the miracles
He does as an adult,
00:17:10.59\00:17:13.50
and then to His death.
00:17:13.53\00:17:15.90
You know, that's a story
00:17:15.93\00:17:17.27
you're probably
hearing a lot of right now.
00:17:17.30\00:17:20.57
The disciples, Jesus' friends,
00:17:20.60\00:17:23.07
they didn't know
00:17:23.10\00:17:25.41
what was going to
happen after Jesus died.
00:17:25.44\00:17:28.18
And they spent a
few days being very sad
00:17:28.21\00:17:31.58
and very worried,
00:17:31.61\00:17:32.95
just like the
animals in the other book,
00:17:32.98\00:17:34.98
just like we do sometimes.
00:17:35.02\00:17:37.29
But Jesus knew that
00:17:37.32\00:17:38.65
everything was going to be okay.
00:17:38.69\00:17:41.26
The disciples
just didn't understand.
00:17:41.29\00:17:44.09
Until a few days later,
00:17:44.13\00:17:45.89
when they heard the
amazing miraculous news
00:17:45.93\00:17:49.60
that God's power
had won out over death,
00:17:49.63\00:17:52.13
and Jesus was alive again.
00:17:52.17\00:17:54.60
Don't you think that
they would have enjoyed
00:17:54.64\00:17:56.81
understanding that
00:17:56.84\00:17:58.41
during that time,
00:17:58.44\00:17:59.77
they wouldn't have been scared
and nervous or worried at all.
00:17:59.81\00:18:03.55
You know, this
Bible is full of stories.
00:18:03.58\00:18:06.25
But it also is a story.
00:18:06.28\00:18:07.68
It's our story.
00:18:07.72\00:18:09.35
From the beginning,
when God created our world,
00:18:09.38\00:18:12.62
to the end
00:18:12.65\00:18:13.99
when God is coming back.
00:18:14.02\00:18:15.66
We know the end of our story.
00:18:15.69\00:18:18.69
We know that God will
return and defeat Satan,
00:18:18.73\00:18:22.43
He actually
already has at the cross.
00:18:22.46\00:18:25.50
And He will
take us home with Him
00:18:25.53\00:18:27.04
and we will live in
heaven with Him forever.
00:18:27.07\00:18:30.17
My dad likes to say that
00:18:30.21\00:18:31.97
God wrote the end
of the story first,
00:18:32.01\00:18:34.41
so that we
wouldn't have to worry.
00:18:34.44\00:18:37.11
And I hope you
remember that, boys and girls,
00:18:37.15\00:18:39.51
as we go forward,
00:18:39.55\00:18:40.95
as we have worrisome days
00:18:40.98\00:18:43.49
and maybe share
that with somebody
00:18:43.52\00:18:45.45
who's having a hard time
00:18:45.49\00:18:47.12
that that you
know, that we know.
00:18:47.16\00:18:49.66
And we can read it here
as many times as we want
00:18:49.69\00:18:54.00
that God is coming back,
00:18:54.03\00:18:55.56
that the end of the
story is already written
00:18:55.60\00:18:58.00
and that it's a happy ending,
00:18:58.03\00:18:59.70
and we don't
have to worry at all.
00:18:59.73\00:19:03.10
So thanks for joining me today
00:19:03.14\00:19:04.87
and I hope you
have a happy Sabbath.
00:19:04.91\00:19:06.34
Dear Jesus, thank
You for the Sabbath day.
00:19:09.34\00:19:12.81
Please help us
to forgive others.
00:19:12.85\00:19:16.58
We love You, Jesus.
00:19:16.62\00:19:17.95
Amen.
00:19:17.99\00:19:19.32
Amen!
00:22:21.10\00:22:22.74
Let's pray.
00:22:26.47\00:22:27.81
Oh God, ours the
cross, the grave, the skies,
00:22:27.84\00:22:33.62
it's that hope do we cling to.
00:22:33.65\00:22:36.18
A few moments left in your words
00:22:36.22\00:22:38.19
speak to us please,
00:22:38.22\00:22:39.99
don't let us leave
the same way we came.
00:22:40.02\00:22:42.52
We pray in Jesus' name.
00:22:42.56\00:22:45.09
Amen.
00:22:45.13\00:22:46.90
I want you to try to
imagine for a moment,
00:22:46.93\00:22:48.70
it'd be hard to do but
try to imagine for a moment
00:22:48.73\00:22:51.50
what that moment
was actually like.
00:22:51.53\00:22:55.60
Okay, so we're talking,
we're talking about pitch,
00:22:55.64\00:23:00.28
black darkness.
00:23:00.31\00:23:03.35
All right. I'm
already in trouble.
00:23:03.38\00:23:06.31
And then we're talking
about no circulating air.
00:23:06.35\00:23:10.89
Bigger trouble.
00:23:10.92\00:23:14.86
In fact, if you
raised right now,
00:23:14.89\00:23:17.19
your hand in front of your face,
00:23:17.23\00:23:18.56
you could not see it.
00:23:18.59\00:23:20.33
There's not a shred
of light in the space.
00:23:20.36\00:23:23.70
And it is as silent as a grave.
00:23:23.73\00:23:26.23
You're alone,
00:23:30.37\00:23:32.71
you're the only
living being in that space,
00:23:32.74\00:23:35.54
but there is a body
00:23:35.58\00:23:39.61
somewhere in the
dark in front of you,
00:23:39.65\00:23:41.12
maybe three or four feet away.
00:23:41.15\00:23:45.52
It's not your own body.
00:23:45.55\00:23:47.79
You're not in a casket.
00:23:47.82\00:23:49.99
Your arms are just
pinned to your side,
00:23:50.03\00:23:51.56
you know that.
00:23:51.59\00:23:52.93
You can move your arms
00:23:52.96\00:23:54.30
and when you try to
raise them over your head
00:23:54.33\00:23:56.43
about up this high,
00:23:56.46\00:23:57.80
you hit something and you feel
00:23:57.83\00:23:59.63
it is, it's cold, it's damp.
00:23:59.67\00:24:02.87
It's the rock
ceiling of a sepulcher.
00:24:02.90\00:24:08.21
And you're sealed in it,
00:24:08.24\00:24:12.11
when suddenly your heart stops
00:24:12.15\00:24:15.02
because you've
been absolutely careful
00:24:15.05\00:24:17.55
not to breathe a sound
00:24:17.59\00:24:19.95
but now you hear a sound
00:24:19.99\00:24:22.72
something in the dark rustles.
00:24:22.76\00:24:28.16
And you know that
a body in the dark
00:24:28.20\00:24:29.70
and if you're
in that same space,
00:24:29.73\00:24:31.07
you can actually hear a body
00:24:31.10\00:24:35.07
if it moves.
00:24:35.10\00:24:36.44
It rustles,
00:24:40.48\00:24:42.68
you can hear legs
just drop off a stone ledge
00:24:42.71\00:24:47.35
where they've been lying reposed
00:24:47.38\00:24:49.52
since late Friday.
00:24:49.55\00:24:50.89
Was that an intake?
00:24:57.13\00:25:00.96
Was that a quiet exhale?
00:25:01.00\00:25:04.60
Maybe they heard them both.
00:25:04.63\00:25:07.30
They try to imagine that moment,
00:25:07.34\00:25:09.20
it's just beyond me.
00:25:09.24\00:25:10.84
It could have been another way,
00:25:10.87\00:25:12.51
it could have been in
that suffocating darkness.
00:25:12.54\00:25:14.54
There you are.
00:25:14.58\00:25:15.91
When in a
nanosecond of a nanosecond
00:25:15.94\00:25:18.35
there is a
flicker of atomic light
00:25:18.38\00:25:20.75
that fissures
into a nuclear sunrise
00:25:20.78\00:25:24.52
that evaporates
the darkness into dust
00:25:24.55\00:25:27.62
that collapses on the floor.
00:25:27.66\00:25:29.06
And there he is.
00:25:29.09\00:25:34.20
Hey, look,
00:25:34.23\00:25:35.83
I gotta admit,
00:25:35.86\00:25:37.20
it almost seems sacrilegious to,
00:25:37.23\00:25:38.87
to try to imagine,
to try to eyewitness,
00:25:38.90\00:25:42.10
this single most important event
00:25:42.14\00:25:45.07
chronicled in the
histories of the universe,
00:25:45.11\00:25:49.24
the resurrection of Christ.
00:25:49.28\00:25:51.85
Let's go to an
eyewitness account,
00:25:51.88\00:25:53.48
except we can't,
00:25:53.52\00:25:54.85
there were no eyewitnesses.
00:25:54.88\00:25:56.28
Let's go to the
Gospel of Matthew.
00:25:56.32\00:25:57.82
Grab your Bible.
00:25:57.85\00:25:59.19
Let's just at least read
a description of the moment
00:25:59.22\00:26:02.89
that's preserved
these 2000 years,
00:26:02.92\00:26:04.86
Matthew, the Gospel of Matthew.
00:26:04.89\00:26:06.46
You have your
device, pull your device out.
00:26:06.49\00:26:08.30
Matthew Chapter 28.
00:26:08.33\00:26:11.07
Matthew Chapter 28,
beginning in verse 1.
00:26:11.10\00:26:13.54
"Then after the Sabbath,
00:26:13.57\00:26:15.30
at dawn on the
first day of the week,
00:26:15.34\00:26:17.41
Mary Magdalene,
oh, you know here,
00:26:17.44\00:26:20.28
and the other
Mary we don't know her,
00:26:20.31\00:26:22.74
"went to look at the tomb."
00:26:22.78\00:26:25.98
Verse 2,
00:26:26.01\00:26:27.35
"There was a violent earthquake,
00:26:27.38\00:26:30.79
for an angel of the
Lord came down from heaven
00:26:30.82\00:26:33.56
and going to the tomb
00:26:33.59\00:26:34.92
rolled back the
stone and sat on it."
00:26:34.96\00:26:38.13
I love that.
00:26:38.16\00:26:39.49
His appearance
was like lightning
00:26:39.53\00:26:40.86
and his clothes
were as white as snow.
00:26:40.90\00:26:42.96
The guards were so afraid of him
00:26:43.00\00:26:45.47
that they shook and
became like dead men."
00:26:45.50\00:26:50.71
Now what feels like
an eyewitness account,
00:26:50.74\00:26:52.77
I want to read this with you.
00:26:52.81\00:26:54.21
We read it together,
00:26:54.24\00:26:55.58
put it on the screen
00:26:55.61\00:26:56.95
from the classic
on the life of Jesus
00:26:56.98\00:26:58.31
Desire of Ages,
00:26:58.35\00:26:59.68
"The face the
guards look upon..."
00:26:59.71\00:27:01.85
So this being that
shoom, that has come down.
00:27:01.88\00:27:05.25
"The face the guards look upon
00:27:05.29\00:27:06.96
is not the face
of a mortal warrior.
00:27:06.99\00:27:09.19
It is the face of the
mightiest of the Lord's host.
00:27:09.22\00:27:12.83
This messenger is He
who fills the position
00:27:12.86\00:27:15.76
from which Satan fell."
00:27:15.80\00:27:17.13
That would have to
be Gabriel, wouldn't it?
00:27:17.17\00:27:18.60
It's got to be Gabriel.
00:27:18.63\00:27:19.97
"It is he who on
the heels of Bethlehem
00:27:20.00\00:27:21.87
proclaimed Christ's birth.
00:27:21.90\00:27:23.57
The earth
trembles at his approach,
00:27:23.61\00:27:26.07
the hosts of darkness flee,
00:27:26.11\00:27:30.71
and as he rolls away the stone,
00:27:30.75\00:27:32.61
heaven seems to
come down to the earth.
00:27:32.65\00:27:36.79
The soldiers see
him removing the stone
00:27:36.82\00:27:39.72
as he would a pebble.
00:27:39.75\00:27:42.59
And they hear him cry,
Son of God, come forth,
00:27:42.62\00:27:46.39
they father Calls Thee.
00:27:46.43\00:27:48.53
And He who had
vanquished death and the grave
00:27:48.56\00:27:51.23
came forth from the tomb
with a tread of a conqueror,
00:27:51.27\00:27:54.54
amid the reeling of the earth,
00:27:54.57\00:27:56.44
the flashing of lightning
and the roaring of thunder.
00:27:56.47\00:28:00.21
I tell you what, if
you wanted an eight story,
00:28:00.24\00:28:02.11
IMAX screen
surround sound moment,
00:28:02.14\00:28:04.41
you just got it.
00:28:04.45\00:28:07.72
When He the maker of all things,
00:28:07.75\00:28:10.02
who loves and wants me
00:28:10.05\00:28:13.56
when He comes
forth, the Lord Jesus.
00:28:13.59\00:28:17.29
Wow.
00:28:17.33\00:28:18.79
So here's the question.
00:28:18.83\00:28:21.06
Who raised Jesus from the dead?
00:28:21.10\00:28:24.97
There seems to be
some conflicting testimony,
00:28:25.00\00:28:28.97
who raised Jesus from the dead?
00:28:29.00\00:28:31.21
Oh, we have this line.
I'll share it with you.
00:28:31.24\00:28:33.11
This is Peter thundering away
00:28:33.14\00:28:36.98
on Pentecost morning.
00:28:37.01\00:28:40.68
And in the middle of
that homily, Peter cries out,
00:28:40.72\00:28:43.15
"But God raised him
00:28:43.18\00:28:44.52
speaking of Jesus from the dead,
00:28:44.55\00:28:46.02
freeing him from
the agony of death
00:28:46.05\00:28:47.92
because it was impossible
00:28:47.96\00:28:49.86
for death to
keep its hold on him."
00:28:49.89\00:28:51.76
I want an amen to that.
00:28:51.79\00:28:53.13
Isn't that a great line?
00:28:53.16\00:28:54.50
It was impossible for
death to keep its hold on him.
00:28:54.53\00:28:59.80
Well, clearly, the Father
raised Jesus from the dead.
00:28:59.83\00:29:05.37
But then you
come across this text
00:29:05.41\00:29:07.41
a little bit.
00:29:07.44\00:29:09.14
Now what are we
gonna do with this?
00:29:09.18\00:29:10.51
This is Romans
8:11, Paul writing.
00:29:10.55\00:29:13.62
"And if the spirit of him
who raised Jesus from the dead
00:29:13.65\00:29:16.69
is living in you,
00:29:16.72\00:29:18.35
he who raised
Christ from the dead,
00:29:18.39\00:29:21.16
will also give life
to your mortal bodies
00:29:21.19\00:29:23.63
because of his
Spirit who lives in you?
00:29:23.66\00:29:27.00
Well, it's
obviously the Holy Spirit
00:29:27.03\00:29:28.36
that raised
Christ from the dead.
00:29:28.40\00:29:30.37
This is confusing.
00:29:30.40\00:29:31.73
And then it really
becomes complicated
00:29:31.77\00:29:33.84
when we have the
words of our Lord Himself
00:29:33.87\00:29:35.60
here in John 10: 17.
00:29:35.64\00:29:37.24
Jesus said,
00:29:37.27\00:29:38.61
"The reason My Father loves Me
00:29:38.64\00:29:40.21
is that I lay down My
life only to take it up again.
00:29:40.24\00:29:44.68
No one takes it from Me,
00:29:44.71\00:29:47.18
but I lay it
down on My own accord.
00:29:47.22\00:29:49.28
I have authority to lay it down
00:29:49.32\00:29:50.99
and I have
authority to take it up again.
00:29:51.02\00:29:53.25
This command I
received from My Father."
00:29:53.29\00:29:56.32
So who raised
Jesus from the dead?
00:29:56.36\00:30:00.00
Hmm,
00:30:00.03\00:30:01.80
that's gotta be the
entire three member,
00:30:01.83\00:30:04.93
Divine Trinity, right?
00:30:04.97\00:30:07.34
I mean, should we be surprised?
00:30:07.37\00:30:09.27
All three of them collaborated
00:30:09.30\00:30:11.61
in the creation of
earth from scratch?
00:30:11.64\00:30:15.21
Should we be surprised
all three of them collaborated
00:30:15.24\00:30:17.48
in the salvation of the
human race from scratch?
00:30:17.51\00:30:21.28
And now all three
of them collaborate
00:30:21.32\00:30:23.12
in the resurrection of Jesus
from the dead from scratch.
00:30:23.15\00:30:28.62
Wow!
00:30:28.66\00:30:30.43
We're talking about power here.
00:30:30.46\00:30:33.03
And that's the point.
00:30:33.06\00:30:34.93
What's the big deal?
00:30:34.96\00:30:36.30
I tell you what the big deal is.
00:30:36.33\00:30:40.17
The resurrection of
Christ Jesus, our Lord,
00:30:40.20\00:30:43.57
required the
unleashing of divine omnipotence
00:30:43.61\00:30:47.94
equally shared
among the Trinity Father,
00:30:47.98\00:30:50.01
Son and Holy Spirit,
00:30:50.05\00:30:52.65
the unleashing of
divine omnipotence
00:30:52.68\00:30:55.55
that is available
for you and me right now.
00:30:55.58\00:30:59.79
Do you believe that?
00:30:59.82\00:31:01.62
You're not sure, are you?
00:31:01.66\00:31:03.22
Available for
you and me right now.
00:31:03.26\00:31:07.40
I love the way Paul describes
this incredible unleashing,
00:31:07.43\00:31:12.63
and I just put a line
of his on the screen here.
00:31:12.67\00:31:15.07
This is Ephesians 1:19-20.
00:31:15.10\00:31:19.54
When Paul describes
that power, this way,
00:31:19.57\00:31:21.68
"The incomparably great power
00:31:21.71\00:31:24.78
that raised
Christ from the dead."
00:31:24.81\00:31:28.38
Do you know what that
word? Come on. Come on. Come on.
00:31:28.42\00:31:30.22
Do you know what this
word right here means?
00:31:30.25\00:31:33.46
What is incomparably mean?
00:31:33.49\00:31:36.59
Incomparably means
00:31:36.62\00:31:38.46
that you cannot compare
it with any other power,
00:31:38.49\00:31:41.20
any other power
you come up with,
00:31:41.23\00:31:42.76
and we throw it up to
put it beside it born new
00:31:42.80\00:31:47.17
the incomparably great power
00:31:47.20\00:31:50.34
that raised
Christ from the dead.
00:31:50.37\00:31:52.04
I don't know
00:31:52.07\00:31:53.41
if you were
following this story.
00:31:53.44\00:31:54.81
I was with a bit of bemusement.
00:31:54.84\00:31:59.31
I'm talking about that massive,
00:31:59.35\00:32:01.55
that massive Freightliner
200, 000 tons weighing
00:32:01.58\00:32:06.79
ever given is its name.
00:32:06.82\00:32:10.83
Did you follow
the news on this thing
00:32:10.86\00:32:12.19
over the last few days?
00:32:12.23\00:32:13.56
Huh?
00:32:13.60\00:32:14.93
One thousand three
hundred and forty two feet long.
00:32:14.96\00:32:17.23
That is one quarter of a mile.
00:32:17.27\00:32:20.70
It is carrying 20,000 containers
00:32:20.74\00:32:24.64
and they are filled with
$9 billion of merchandise
00:32:24.67\00:32:28.74
to be sold
somewhere on this earth.
00:32:28.78\00:32:31.15
And that that Freightliner
00:32:31.18\00:32:33.88
is trying to
negotiate a 225 foot canal
00:32:33.92\00:32:37.65
called the Suez Canal.
00:32:37.69\00:32:40.49
And because of high
winds and low visibility,
00:32:40.52\00:32:43.73
that one quarter mile long
of the Freightliner twisted
00:32:43.76\00:32:49.66
in the narrow channel
and you got it, right?
00:32:49.70\00:32:53.47
It got winched. It was stuck.
00:32:53.50\00:32:57.84
And the whole world
watched for six days and night.
00:32:57.87\00:33:01.21
Listen to this.
00:33:01.24\00:33:03.14
They tried everything.
00:33:03.18\00:33:04.85
Every tugboat
they could think of,
00:33:04.88\00:33:06.72
every winch, every bulldozer
00:33:06.75\00:33:08.98
trying to free
this stuck vessel.
00:33:09.02\00:33:14.29
Well, guess who
ended up doing it?
00:33:14.32\00:33:17.19
God did.
00:33:17.23\00:33:18.56
God freed the vessel.
00:33:18.59\00:33:19.96
They tried everything.
00:33:20.00\00:33:21.43
And then it
happened to be a full moon
00:33:21.46\00:33:23.37
and God made sure that
00:33:23.40\00:33:24.73
those tidal forces
got underneath that ship
00:33:24.77\00:33:27.37
and pulled it with a
strength of the omnipotent
00:33:27.40\00:33:31.44
and pulled it
right off that sandbar
00:33:31.47\00:33:34.64
and freed it up.
00:33:34.68\00:33:37.35
What man cannot do God can do.
00:33:37.38\00:33:41.78
That's the deal about
this incomparably great power
00:33:41.82\00:33:45.49
when it belongs to God.
00:33:45.52\00:33:46.86
It's the divine power
that raised up a dead body,
00:33:46.89\00:33:49.89
you are stand, you were
sitting squatting by that body
00:33:49.92\00:33:52.99
just a few moments ago
and boom, something happened.
00:33:53.03\00:33:57.80
And when that body
took that in that tomb,
00:33:57.83\00:34:04.17
the door is
rollback by Gabriel himself.
00:34:04.21\00:34:07.51
What does Jesus declare?
00:34:07.54\00:34:08.88
I am the
resurrection and the life.
00:34:08.91\00:34:11.88
She who believes in me,
00:34:11.91\00:34:14.12
he who believes in me
00:34:14.15\00:34:15.88
though they may die...
00:34:15.92\00:34:17.65
Come on read that
last line out loud with me,
00:34:17.69\00:34:20.12
yet shall they?
00:34:20.16\00:34:22.56
What's that word?
00:34:22.59\00:34:23.93
They shall live."
00:34:23.96\00:34:26.39
Incomparably great power
00:34:26.43\00:34:31.60
that's what we're
here to celebrate today.
00:34:31.63\00:34:35.40
What man cannot do God can do.
00:34:35.44\00:34:38.24
Your life right now by the way,
00:34:38.27\00:34:39.94
your life right now is
jammed like that Freightliner,
00:34:39.97\00:34:42.61
you are stuck and you know it.
00:34:42.64\00:34:44.41
I don't know what's
going on in your life.
00:34:44.45\00:34:46.25
But you are stuck right now,
00:34:46.28\00:34:47.75
you can't go forward,
you can't go backwards.
00:34:47.78\00:34:49.92
You're dead in the water.
00:34:49.95\00:34:52.49
The some of you right now.
00:34:52.52\00:34:54.86
Your academic seemed pin down
00:34:54.89\00:34:56.96
and unable to
get forward traction.
00:34:56.99\00:34:59.29
It looks like you're going
to have to give up your dream
00:34:59.33\00:35:02.60
of that major
00:35:02.63\00:35:03.97
that you have
worked so hard so far,
00:35:04.00\00:35:07.07
but you can't.
00:35:07.10\00:35:09.87
Some of you, your
finances are intractable,
00:35:09.90\00:35:13.07
running out by the hour
00:35:13.11\00:35:14.44
and there is not a
single dollar bill in sight
00:35:14.48\00:35:17.41
and you know what
I'm talking about?
00:35:17.45\00:35:19.41
That's what as
you trapped today.
00:35:19.45\00:35:21.72
Some of you are struggling
with deteriorating health
00:35:21.75\00:35:25.25
and everything they throw at it
00:35:25.29\00:35:28.12
does not seem to reverse it.
00:35:28.16\00:35:33.83
Some of you are
half of a marriage
00:35:33.86\00:35:38.30
on the rocks.
00:35:38.33\00:35:41.14
And it looks like
00:35:41.17\00:35:42.50
this marriage
is not salvageable.
00:35:42.54\00:35:48.11
That's what we're talking about.
00:35:48.14\00:35:52.01
And then along comes
this incomparably great power
00:35:52.05\00:35:57.69
of the resurrected Christ.
00:35:57.72\00:35:59.95
I love what this same Gabriel,
the one that was at the tomb,
00:35:59.99\00:36:02.52
this same
Gabriel who really is...
00:36:02.56\00:36:05.26
Well, it was
Jesus' guardian angel
00:36:05.29\00:36:07.13
if you wish to know.
00:36:07.16\00:36:08.50
This same Gabriel shows up
00:36:08.53\00:36:09.93
to the teenage virgin named Mary
00:36:09.96\00:36:12.43
and he speaks these words
00:36:12.47\00:36:14.27
and I don't want
you to ever forget him.
00:36:14.30\00:36:15.90
Here is Gabriel speaking,
00:36:15.94\00:36:17.77
"No word from
God will ever fail,
00:36:17.81\00:36:20.71
for with God
nothing will be impossible."
00:36:20.74\00:36:23.95
Jot that down, Luke 1:37.
00:36:23.98\00:36:26.72
Isn't that amazing?
00:36:26.75\00:36:29.22
Mary must have, you know,
00:36:29.25\00:36:31.15
I love the
Katie's children's story
00:36:31.19\00:36:32.69
a moment ago about, you know,
parents keep telling the story.
00:36:32.72\00:36:35.02
Mary must have told
her little boy Jesus
00:36:35.06\00:36:37.26
the story about the angel
00:36:37.29\00:36:38.63
who showed up and said this,
00:36:38.66\00:36:40.16
because Jesus when He
grew up quotes His mother
00:36:40.20\00:36:42.90
who is quoting
Gabriel on that day
00:36:42.93\00:36:45.30
when that rich
young ruler, crestfallen,
00:36:45.33\00:36:49.24
convinced it's impossible
to follow this Christ,
00:36:49.27\00:36:51.97
Jesus said,
00:36:52.01\00:36:53.34
"Hey, guys, see that?
00:36:53.38\00:36:57.15
With man, come on,
put Jesus on the screen.
00:36:57.18\00:37:00.25
"With man, this is impossible,
00:37:00.28\00:37:04.42
but with God all
things are possible."
00:37:04.45\00:37:09.39
I need you to get this,
00:37:09.42\00:37:10.76
I need you to just lock
this in your solar souls
00:37:10.79\00:37:13.43
what man cannot do, God can do.
00:37:13.46\00:37:18.23
A marriage can
look lost on every front
00:37:23.27\00:37:29.68
except the divine front
00:37:29.71\00:37:32.15
and its
incomparably great power.
00:37:32.18\00:37:38.22
Now, one of the joys of
living in this little community
00:37:38.25\00:37:43.76
in this parish is that
00:37:43.79\00:37:45.13
we live pretty
close to each other,
00:37:45.16\00:37:47.33
in the dorms,
even in the community.
00:37:47.36\00:37:51.93
And that can be good.
00:37:51.97\00:37:53.84
But sometimes that
can be not so good.
00:37:53.87\00:37:57.67
It's hard for a marriage
to struggle in this community.
00:37:57.71\00:38:01.21
I'll just be honest with you.
00:38:01.24\00:38:02.81
Why? Because everybody knows.
00:38:02.84\00:38:05.11
And people who
don't deserve to know,
00:38:05.15\00:38:07.02
try to find out.
00:38:07.05\00:38:08.38
It's not good.
00:38:11.35\00:38:13.36
There's some downsides
00:38:13.39\00:38:14.72
to living in an
Adventist ghetto,
00:38:14.76\00:38:17.16
as we do,
00:38:17.19\00:38:19.36
but one of the
great upsides, come on,
00:38:19.39\00:38:21.26
one of the great upsides
00:38:21.30\00:38:22.76
is how people come
to the side of those
00:38:22.80\00:38:24.73
who are suffering,
00:38:24.77\00:38:26.10
and they journey alongside them.
00:38:26.13\00:38:29.74
They don't take sides,
00:38:29.77\00:38:31.11
you never take sides, you can't,
00:38:31.14\00:38:32.47
you'll destroy any hope
of a marriage being restored.
00:38:32.51\00:38:35.01
You can't take sides,
00:38:35.04\00:38:36.85
you just be at the
side of the ones who suffer.
00:38:36.88\00:38:40.28
Now, this isn't rocket science,
00:38:43.65\00:38:44.99
everybody here knows this.
00:38:45.02\00:38:46.35
Marriage is facing
some immense challenges
00:38:46.39\00:38:50.13
the world over.
00:38:50.16\00:38:52.43
So I'm listening to a
podcast the other day,
00:38:52.46\00:38:54.46
because Albert Mohler,
who is just a bright mind,
00:38:54.50\00:39:00.94
he is the president
00:39:00.97\00:39:02.30
of the Southern
Baptist Theological Seminary
00:39:02.34\00:39:05.47
in Louisville, Kentucky.
00:39:05.51\00:39:06.98
And he has a podcast
called Thinking in Public,
00:39:07.01\00:39:10.08
there's a couple of them.
00:39:10.11\00:39:11.45
I love listening to him
because he's got a bright mind.
00:39:11.48\00:39:13.62
And I say you go, Albert,
00:39:13.65\00:39:16.05
I'd love to meet him someday.
00:39:16.08\00:39:17.92
But anyway, this particular day,
00:39:17.95\00:39:19.29
he's interviewing
Mark Regnerus, okay?
00:39:19.32\00:39:23.26
And who is Mark Regnerus?
00:39:23.29\00:39:25.33
He is a tenured
sociologist, all right,
00:39:25.36\00:39:27.43
a professor of sociology
00:39:27.46\00:39:28.93
at the
University of Texas, Austin,
00:39:28.96\00:39:30.87
and he's the
author of a brand new book
00:39:30.90\00:39:32.33
called The Future
of Christian Marriage.
00:39:32.37\00:39:34.37
And it's published by
Oxford University Press.
00:39:34.40\00:39:37.44
And I want to
tell you something,
00:39:37.47\00:39:38.81
if you ever get a book published
00:39:38.84\00:39:40.18
by Oxford University Press,
00:39:40.21\00:39:42.21
we will all rise up
and call you blessed,
00:39:42.24\00:39:44.71
because they are very particular
00:39:44.75\00:39:47.62
about what they put
their imprimatur to.
00:39:47.65\00:39:51.39
So we're not talking about
00:39:51.42\00:39:52.75
some kind of
Wal-Mart book on marriage.
00:39:52.79\00:39:56.83
This is a bright man.
00:39:56.86\00:39:58.33
And I listen to
them go back and forth.
00:39:58.36\00:40:00.50
I'm so impressed
00:40:00.53\00:40:01.86
that I immediately got
down in my little laptop,
00:40:01.90\00:40:03.23
and I ordered the book
00:40:03.26\00:40:04.60
and it just finished reading it.
00:40:04.63\00:40:05.97
It turns out
00:40:06.00\00:40:07.34
marriage is in an unusual
sort of trouble these days
00:40:07.37\00:40:08.74
on this planet.
00:40:08.77\00:40:10.11
I hadn't heard about this.
00:40:10.14\00:40:11.67
Mark Regnerus, who by the
way, is a practicing Christian,
00:40:11.71\00:40:16.38
a Presbyterian, I believe,
and he's very upfront about it.
00:40:16.41\00:40:20.35
He is not set out
00:40:20.38\00:40:22.38
to provide a biblical
defense of Christian marriage.
00:40:22.42\00:40:25.12
That's not his point at all.
00:40:25.15\00:40:26.49
He's not set out to show
00:40:26.52\00:40:28.32
how you can be
happy in your marriage.
00:40:28.36\00:40:30.33
He's a sociologist.
00:40:30.36\00:40:31.76
He's studying seven
regions of the world,
00:40:31.79\00:40:33.53
the United States
being one of them.
00:40:33.56\00:40:35.33
And he's trying to understand
00:40:35.36\00:40:36.97
what is happening
to marriage today.
00:40:37.00\00:40:38.37
And you know what's
happening in the marriage today?
00:40:38.40\00:40:39.97
Fewer and fewer
people are getting married,
00:40:40.00\00:40:42.34
because they're
waiting longer and longer
00:40:42.37\00:40:43.97
and longer and longer.
00:40:44.01\00:40:45.64
And marriage is an institution
00:40:45.67\00:40:47.31
is facing what
it's never faced before.
00:40:47.34\00:40:51.18
Oh,
00:40:51.21\00:40:52.78
and we'll deal with
that next week and beyond
00:40:52.81\00:40:54.75
this little
short one month series.
00:40:54.78\00:40:58.12
Now, this, I'm not
telling you anything,
00:40:58.15\00:41:00.29
but we live in a
culture right now,
00:41:00.32\00:41:01.76
you know this,
00:41:01.79\00:41:03.16
where there is
a swath of people,
00:41:03.19\00:41:08.36
academics and seculars alike
00:41:08.40\00:41:10.17
who believe marriage
is an outdated institution
00:41:10.20\00:41:12.93
that needs to be
replaced by a more egalitarian
00:41:12.97\00:41:15.74
user friendly for this
age kind of relationship.
00:41:15.77\00:41:18.81
And we'll talk
about that as well.
00:41:18.84\00:41:22.88
But I need to,
00:41:22.91\00:41:24.51
I need to have you
hear from a ethicist
00:41:24.55\00:41:27.55
from University of Chicago.
00:41:27.58\00:41:29.15
He's the late Don Browning.
00:41:29.18\00:41:31.19
He was very much a
believer in marriage.
00:41:31.22\00:41:33.02
Now Mark Regnerus
quotes Don Browning.
00:41:33.05\00:41:37.09
So I'm gonna put it
on the screen for you.
00:41:37.13\00:41:38.49
Okay.
00:41:38.53\00:41:39.86
Marriage is not,
so this is Brown.
00:41:39.89\00:41:41.66
This is Browning now
talking, the great ethicist.
00:41:41.70\00:41:43.80
All right.
00:41:43.83\00:41:45.17
Marriage is not a popular topic.
00:41:45.20\00:41:47.00
Boy, you got that right.
00:41:47.04\00:41:49.10
It is often
referred to as the M word,
00:41:49.14\00:41:54.61
almost in the same
category as other dirty words.
00:41:54.64\00:41:57.71
Of course, it is
not a dirty word,
00:41:57.75\00:42:00.08
still quoting Browning.
00:42:00.12\00:42:01.45
But it is a word that
makes people uncomfortable
00:42:01.48\00:42:03.82
as a topic of
serious conversation.
00:42:03.85\00:42:05.92
People start squirming
00:42:05.95\00:42:07.29
when you say let's
talk about marriage.
00:42:07.32\00:42:08.66
Why? Because we don't
know what to do with it.
00:42:08.69\00:42:12.56
We survive
ourselves, but we're not sure.
00:42:12.59\00:42:15.13
And, yeah, now Regnerus goes on.
00:42:15.16\00:42:19.13
Add Christianity to marriage
as a topic of conversation,
00:42:19.17\00:42:23.61
and you get the holy
grail of unfashionable pairings
00:42:23.64\00:42:28.01
in the scholarly world.
00:42:28.04\00:42:29.48
Don't you bring that up at all.
00:42:29.51\00:42:32.88
Oh my.
00:42:32.91\00:42:34.88
Has the M word,
00:42:34.92\00:42:36.85
a marriage lost its
benefits for this society?
00:42:36.89\00:42:41.39
Question.
00:42:41.42\00:42:43.73
Answer.
00:42:43.76\00:42:45.09
Are you kidding?
00:42:45.13\00:42:46.96
Let me run this by you.
00:42:47.00\00:42:48.36
We just read Regnerus.
00:42:48.40\00:42:51.30
I went ahead and
put some numbers in,
00:42:51.33\00:42:52.67
so you're gonna,
we're gonna count
00:42:52.70\00:42:54.04
how many benefits
00:42:54.07\00:42:55.40
could we just count
on our pinkies right now,
00:42:55.44\00:42:57.24
if we were trying
to get some together?
00:42:57.27\00:42:58.64
Here we go.
00:42:58.67\00:43:00.01
The data on
marriage remains solid,
00:43:00.04\00:43:01.61
even if you want to go
on the record admitting it.
00:43:01.64\00:43:04.91
Man, it's not really that great.
00:43:04.95\00:43:06.95
Come on.
00:43:06.98\00:43:08.32
Notice this, marriage is by far,
00:43:08.35\00:43:09.68
I put the number in,
00:43:09.72\00:43:11.05
one, the optimal
context for child rearing.
00:43:11.09\00:43:14.86
I get that.
00:43:14.89\00:43:16.22
Two, married men and
women accumulate more education
00:43:16.26\00:43:19.93
and wealth and are
more likely to own a home
00:43:19.96\00:43:22.53
than are unmarried adults
00:43:22.56\00:43:24.33
even similarly
situated cohabiting,
00:43:24.37\00:43:27.24
that means not
married, but living together,
00:43:27.27\00:43:30.31
cohabiting or single adults.
00:43:30.34\00:43:33.27
Hmm!
00:43:33.31\00:43:34.64
Three, they are also more likely
00:43:34.68\00:43:36.98
to have jobs at all,
00:43:37.01\00:43:38.35
even when
controlling for other factors
00:43:38.38\00:43:40.35
such as race and education.
00:43:40.38\00:43:43.42
Number four, marriage
also consolidates expenses
00:43:43.45\00:43:46.62
like food,
childcare, electricity and gas.
00:43:46.65\00:43:49.22
You want to get
married and save money?
00:43:49.26\00:43:51.89
Come on.
00:43:51.93\00:43:54.06
Keep reading,
00:43:54.10\00:43:55.43
and over the life course
00:43:55.46\00:43:56.80
of those who engage in marriage,
00:43:56.83\00:43:59.27
marriage drastically reduces
00:43:59.30\00:44:00.94
the odds of becoming indigent,
00:44:00.97\00:44:03.14
a homeless person or
dependent on the state.
00:44:03.17\00:44:06.27
And those are just
the economic emphasis
00:44:06.31\00:44:08.81
his benefits of marriage.
00:44:08.84\00:44:10.18
He says, I got more.
00:44:10.21\00:44:11.55
I say, okay, tell me more.
00:44:11.58\00:44:13.11
Recent high quality research
00:44:13.15\00:44:14.48
suggests that
marriage is associated
00:44:14.52\00:44:16.15
with five higher
life satisfaction,
00:44:16.18\00:44:18.65
six, greater happiness, seven...
00:44:18.69\00:44:24.89
Seven who's changing these?
00:44:24.93\00:44:27.50
Oh, that's me, okay.
00:44:27.53\00:44:28.86
Seven, better
mental and physical health.
00:44:28.90\00:44:31.63
I'm so excited about this.
00:44:31.67\00:44:33.00
Eight, and greater longevity
00:44:33.03\00:44:34.60
even after
controlling for baseline health.
00:44:34.64\00:44:37.54
The guy knows what
he's talking about.
00:44:37.57\00:44:39.61
Keep reading.
00:44:39.64\00:44:40.98
Marriage is connected to,
00:44:41.01\00:44:42.34
nine, higher levels of
meaning and purpose in life,
00:44:42.38\00:44:45.18
10, more positive relationships,
00:44:45.21\00:44:47.72
11, less loneliness.
00:44:47.75\00:44:50.72
How many disciples were there?
00:44:50.75\00:44:52.92
Okay, we need 12.
00:44:52.95\00:44:54.29
At 12, greater social support,
00:44:54.32\00:44:57.86
even controlling
00:44:57.89\00:44:59.23
for financial
status and education.
00:44:59.26\00:45:01.33
Twelve benefits.
00:45:01.36\00:45:02.70
You just saw
them on this screen.
00:45:02.73\00:45:04.17
Cohabitation,
00:45:04.20\00:45:05.53
living together
reflects uncertainty
00:45:05.57\00:45:07.94
and diminished commitment
while splitting up ends its,
00:45:07.97\00:45:12.54
lends itself to emotional
and financial struggles.
00:45:12.57\00:45:16.38
I could go on, he writes.
00:45:16.41\00:45:21.58
Well, looks like
there's some benefits.
00:45:21.62\00:45:26.12
It looks like
there's some benefits
00:45:26.15\00:45:29.52
to this thing
00:45:29.56\00:45:32.03
that's getting a
bad rap these days.
00:45:32.06\00:45:36.03
The M word, marriage.
00:45:36.06\00:45:40.74
If I sound like
the Chamber of Commerce
00:45:40.77\00:45:42.70
pushing marriage for
these next few weeks,
00:45:42.74\00:45:46.17
you got it right.
00:45:46.21\00:45:48.51
That's my mission as a pastor.
00:45:48.54\00:45:50.95
Push it, Dwight.
00:45:50.98\00:45:53.82
Well, Dwight,
what about the singles?
00:45:53.85\00:45:55.18
Come on. Come on,
cut us some slack.
00:45:55.22\00:45:57.15
Now this isn't about singles.
00:45:57.19\00:45:58.72
This is about marriage.
00:45:58.75\00:46:01.89
We'll cross this,
00:46:01.92\00:46:03.26
we'll cross the bridge
that you're not sure about,
00:46:03.29\00:46:07.53
we'll cross it.
00:46:07.56\00:46:09.86
So whatever you've
heard about marriage,
00:46:09.90\00:46:11.23
here's the deal.
00:46:11.27\00:46:12.60
If you're not
married, doesn't matter,
00:46:12.63\00:46:14.90
or whatever you concluded
to the contrary about marriage
00:46:14.94\00:46:17.81
if you are
married or were married,
00:46:17.84\00:46:19.44
the research simply shows
00:46:19.47\00:46:21.28
that the institution of marriage
00:46:21.31\00:46:23.24
brings huge benefits to
human beings the world over,
00:46:23.28\00:46:27.48
which doesn't make
every marriage happy.
00:46:27.52\00:46:30.35
I understand that.
00:46:30.39\00:46:33.22
And which
doesn't necessarily mean
00:46:33.25\00:46:35.09
every marriage is
fixable or repairable,
00:46:35.12\00:46:39.29
because sometimes, now
listen to me carefully.
00:46:39.33\00:46:40.96
Sometimes the choice
is taken out of your hand.
00:46:41.00\00:46:46.57
Right?
00:46:46.60\00:46:47.94
She did this, he did this.
00:46:47.97\00:46:51.54
This is not my choice.
00:46:51.57\00:46:53.38
And I understand that as well.
00:46:53.41\00:46:54.74
You're absolutely right.
00:46:54.78\00:46:56.21
Nobody's trying to pin
a bad marriage on anybody.
00:46:56.24\00:47:01.08
But we're
thinking about it out loud.
00:47:01.12\00:47:02.72
Because if you take two people
00:47:05.85\00:47:07.19
who decide to call upon
the incomparably great power,
00:47:07.22\00:47:12.33
that is unleashed
by the risen Christ,
00:47:12.36\00:47:14.76
all bets are off.
00:47:14.80\00:47:16.97
If both of you are willing,
00:47:17.00\00:47:19.93
that's what I stand
before you today to announce.
00:47:19.97\00:47:22.77
If both of you are willing,
00:47:22.80\00:47:26.51
what seems impossible to man,
00:47:26.54\00:47:30.38
it's possible to God.
00:47:30.41\00:47:34.08
That's the point
00:47:34.12\00:47:37.09
because we are
standing you and I right here,
00:47:37.12\00:47:40.32
in the gaping mouth.
00:47:40.36\00:47:42.32
I remind you of
an empty sepulcher.
00:47:42.36\00:47:47.93
It's empty. Do
you understand that?
00:47:47.96\00:47:50.27
He is alive.
00:47:50.30\00:47:52.50
He is well,
00:47:52.53\00:47:53.90
He is here through
His Spirit right now.
00:47:53.94\00:47:57.31
And He is the Lord of hope.
00:47:57.34\00:47:59.27
And He's breathing hope
into your mind right now.
00:47:59.31\00:48:01.51
He is breathing
promise into your soul.
00:48:01.54\00:48:03.81
And He is
telling you I don't care
00:48:03.85\00:48:05.18
how many bad
marriages you have had.
00:48:05.21\00:48:07.85
I can still give you one
00:48:07.88\00:48:12.29
that could turn
your life around.
00:48:12.32\00:48:15.52
Jesus would love
the woman at the well.
00:48:15.56\00:48:18.56
I know you've had
four bad marriages
00:48:18.59\00:48:20.03
and the guy
you're living with now,
00:48:20.06\00:48:21.40
cohabitation is not your own.
00:48:21.43\00:48:25.17
Come on, girl.
00:48:25.20\00:48:26.63
Follow me.
00:48:26.67\00:48:28.30
See what I can do for you.
00:48:28.34\00:48:31.44
We dismiss it too quickly.
00:48:31.47\00:48:33.11
What was Gabriel's?
00:48:33.14\00:48:34.48
What was Gabriel suggestion
to virgin teenager Mary?
00:48:34.51\00:48:37.65
No word from God
will ever fail girl,
00:48:37.68\00:48:40.05
I'm promising you
that for with God,
00:48:40.08\00:48:42.28
nothing will be impossible.
00:48:42.32\00:48:45.55
And I know what you're thinking.
00:48:45.59\00:48:46.92
You're saying, Dwight,
00:48:46.96\00:48:48.29
I just love all
this celestial beings
00:48:48.32\00:48:50.36
that you're
deciding to quote today.
00:48:50.39\00:48:51.93
Give me somebody
human for Pete's sake.
00:48:51.96\00:48:54.86
Okay, I will, I'm
gonna give you Job.
00:48:54.90\00:48:58.50
Job.
00:48:58.53\00:48:59.87
Job apparently didn't have
it just a really hot marriage.
00:48:59.90\00:49:03.44
Because after he
got really bummed out,
00:49:03.47\00:49:04.81
his wife said,
00:49:04.84\00:49:06.17
"Why don't you
just curse God and die."
00:49:06.21\00:49:07.54
She's just kind of
ready for the same end.
00:49:07.58\00:49:10.48
So don't look at Job as a model
for how to deal with crises
00:49:10.51\00:49:15.65
as far as Mrs. Job is concerned.
00:49:15.68\00:49:18.25
All right.
00:49:18.29\00:49:19.62
But Job at the end of his book,
00:49:19.65\00:49:21.49
he's finally speaking to God.
00:49:21.52\00:49:22.86
He said, "Oh, man, I
have been so wrong about you."
00:49:22.89\00:49:25.66
And God says, guess what?
00:49:25.69\00:49:27.13
You're right now.
00:49:27.16\00:49:30.00
Job says to God,
00:49:30.03\00:49:31.37
"Oh, God, I know
You can do all things,
00:49:31.40\00:49:34.10
no purpose of yours.
00:49:34.14\00:49:35.94
Give me what this
word is? Can be what?
00:49:35.97\00:49:37.91
What's this word?
00:49:37.94\00:49:39.64
Can be thwarted, can be stymied,
00:49:39.67\00:49:41.44
can be blocked, can be wedged
00:49:41.48\00:49:43.51
can be stopped,
no purpose of yours.
00:49:43.55\00:49:46.45
This guy have a
purpose for marriage?
00:49:46.48\00:49:48.22
Take a look.
00:49:48.25\00:49:49.58
Genesis,
00:49:49.62\00:49:50.95
"It is not good for
the man, adam, to be alone.
00:49:50.99\00:49:54.99
I will make a
helper suitable for him."
00:49:55.02\00:49:57.23
Does guy have a
purpose for the human race?
00:49:57.26\00:49:59.79
Yes, He does.
00:49:59.83\00:50:01.16
And it's the M word, marriage.
00:50:01.20\00:50:05.97
Doesn't mean
everybody has to get married.
00:50:06.00\00:50:09.00
But it's the plan
for the human race today,
00:50:09.04\00:50:13.34
incomparably great power.
00:50:16.38\00:50:21.68
Just remember that
when it comes to marriage,
00:50:21.72\00:50:23.75
what man cannot do God can do,
00:50:23.79\00:50:27.89
for His purpose
cannot be thwarted.
00:50:27.92\00:50:32.19
And some of you have your
heart on being married one day.
00:50:32.23\00:50:34.66
Good for you. I'm proud of you.
00:50:34.70\00:50:37.93
Don't you let this
culture talk you out of it?
00:50:37.97\00:50:40.14
And don't you let this culture,
00:50:40.17\00:50:41.50
we'll talk about this next week.
00:50:41.54\00:50:42.87
Don't you let this
culture tell you well,
00:50:42.90\00:50:44.24
they'll come a
time manyana, manyana
00:50:44.27\00:50:45.61
too many parents have
said manyana, manyana, manyana
00:50:45.64\00:50:47.01
until it's too late,
00:50:47.04\00:50:48.38
now their children
don't want to be married.
00:50:48.41\00:50:51.38
That's true.
00:50:51.41\00:50:53.55
Don't let anybody
talk you out of it.
00:50:53.58\00:50:55.92
You don't have to marry today.
00:50:55.95\00:50:57.82
But if God has
put it on your heart
00:50:57.85\00:50:59.19
because it's a divine
purpose for the human race,
00:50:59.22\00:51:01.22
and He's put it on
your heart, hang on to that.
00:51:01.26\00:51:03.83
He has incomparably great power
00:51:03.86\00:51:05.46
and He'll step in
for you, you watch.
00:51:05.49\00:51:07.86
Don't count Him out.
00:51:07.90\00:51:09.30
Don't count Him out.
00:51:09.33\00:51:12.33
I want to close with a story.
00:51:12.37\00:51:13.70
This is a story of
Scott and Sherry Jennings.
00:51:13.74\00:51:17.17
In 2005,
00:51:17.21\00:51:19.11
we had every reason in the world
00:51:19.14\00:51:20.91
to believe our
marriage was over.
00:51:20.94\00:51:23.81
My husband Scott was
living with another woman
00:51:23.85\00:51:29.65
and I could see no indication
00:51:29.68\00:51:31.02
that he would ever
turn his heart back
00:51:31.05\00:51:32.75
to our marriage and family.
00:51:32.79\00:51:34.82
Everyone had advice to offer me,
00:51:34.86\00:51:37.13
kick them to the
curb girl, move on.
00:51:37.16\00:51:39.63
You deserve
better than this, you go.
00:51:39.66\00:51:44.00
But God also placed
two strong women in my life
00:51:44.03\00:51:46.50
to encourage me with the truth.
00:51:46.53\00:51:49.14
I should love and respect
my husband unconditionally
00:51:49.17\00:51:51.87
honoring the
covenant I made with God.
00:51:51.91\00:51:53.88
They told me as long
as you are breathing,
00:51:53.91\00:51:56.61
there is hope.
00:51:56.64\00:52:00.38
In September of 2005,
00:52:00.42\00:52:01.78
on the day of our
14th wedding anniversary,
00:52:01.82\00:52:04.85
we divorced.
00:52:04.89\00:52:06.25
Three days later,
00:52:10.33\00:52:12.13
Christ invaded Scott's heart,
00:52:12.16\00:52:14.70
and we remarried each other
00:52:14.73\00:52:16.43
after a period
of reconciliation.
00:52:16.46\00:52:21.64
Today, we like to tell people,
00:52:21.67\00:52:23.74
our divorce
just didn't work out.
00:52:23.77\00:52:27.81
I like that.
00:52:27.84\00:52:30.41
Yet, the truth is that
00:52:30.45\00:52:31.78
we decided to intentionally
walk with God and each other
00:52:31.81\00:52:34.68
and it worked.
00:52:34.72\00:52:36.25
We find ourselves
asking if no one tells couples,
00:52:36.28\00:52:39.39
how will they know that as
long as they are breathing,
00:52:39.42\00:52:42.12
there is hope
for their marriage.
00:52:42.16\00:52:43.83
Don't ever sell yourself short
00:52:49.53\00:52:52.47
of the incomparably great
power of the risen Christ.
00:52:52.50\00:52:58.97
There is a reason
the tomb is empty today.
00:52:59.01\00:53:04.15
And you are that reason?
00:53:04.18\00:53:10.02
Let's pray.
00:53:10.05\00:53:12.52
Oh, God,
00:53:12.55\00:53:15.22
do not let him give up.
00:53:15.26\00:53:18.63
Do not let her give up.
00:53:18.66\00:53:20.33
Not yet, not yet.
00:53:20.36\00:53:22.00
Not before Your
incomparably great power
00:53:22.03\00:53:25.27
can be unleashed for
him, unleashed for her.
00:53:25.30\00:53:29.74
All because he lives
00:53:29.77\00:53:33.27
because he lives.
00:53:33.31\00:53:35.68
Amen.
00:53:39.45\00:53:40.78
God sent His son
00:54:27.33\00:54:30.93
They called Him, Jesus
00:54:30.97\00:54:34.70
He came to love
00:54:34.74\00:54:38.54
Heal and forgive
00:54:38.57\00:54:42.31
He lived and died
00:54:42.34\00:54:46.08
To buy my pardon
00:54:46.11\00:54:49.92
An empty grave is there
00:54:49.95\00:54:52.79
To prove my Savior lives
00:54:52.82\00:54:57.69
Because He lives
00:54:57.73\00:55:01.60
I can face tomorrow
00:55:01.63\00:55:05.57
Because He lives
00:55:05.60\00:55:09.64
All fear is gone
00:55:09.67\00:55:13.51
Because I know
00:55:13.54\00:55:17.58
He holds the future
00:55:17.61\00:55:21.45
And life is worth the living
00:55:21.48\00:55:24.95
Just because He lives
00:55:24.99\00:55:29.39
How sweet to hold
00:55:29.42\00:55:33.50
A newborn baby
00:55:33.53\00:55:37.50
And feel the pride
00:55:37.53\00:55:41.34
And joy He gives
00:55:41.37\00:55:45.34
But greater still
00:55:45.37\00:55:49.38
The calm assurance
00:55:49.41\00:55:53.28
This child can
face Uncertain days
00:55:53.31\00:55:57.59
Because He lives
00:55:57.62\00:56:01.39
Because He lives
00:56:01.42\00:56:05.43
I can face tomorrow
00:56:05.46\00:56:09.53
Because He lives
00:56:09.56\00:56:13.60
All fear is gone
00:56:13.64\00:56:17.51
Because I know
00:56:17.54\00:56:21.74
He holds the future
00:56:21.78\00:56:25.81
And life is worth the living
00:56:25.85\00:56:29.42
Just because He lives
00:56:29.45\00:56:34.42
Because He lives
00:56:34.46\00:56:38.73
I can face tomorrow
00:56:38.76\00:56:42.73
Because He lives
00:56:42.76\00:56:46.94
All fear is gone
00:56:46.97\00:56:51.01
Because I know
00:56:51.04\00:56:55.11
He holds the future
00:56:55.14\00:56:59.11
And life is worth the living
00:56:59.15\00:57:03.15
Just because He lives
00:57:03.18\00:57:06.49
Think back to
your last heartfelt,
00:57:16.33\00:57:17.67
meaningful prayer.
00:57:17.70\00:57:19.03
Has it been a while?
00:57:19.07\00:57:20.40
Has your prayer life felt stale,
00:57:20.44\00:57:21.77
routine or boring?
00:57:21.80\00:57:23.91
I want to take an extra moment
at the end of our worship today
00:57:23.94\00:57:26.24
to share with you
a new way to pray.
00:57:26.27\00:57:28.78
I invite you to
reenergize your devotional life
00:57:28.81\00:57:30.88
with this little prayer journal.
00:57:30.91\00:57:32.58
In fact I'd love
to send you a copy.
00:57:32.61\00:57:34.22
Just call 877,
those are three numbers
00:57:34.25\00:57:36.35
877 the two words, HIS WILL.
00:57:36.38\00:57:38.75
That's it 877-HIS-WILL.
00:57:38.79\00:57:41.16
One of our friendly operators
will be happy to assist you.
00:57:41.19\00:57:44.03
I believe this new way to pray
00:57:44.06\00:57:45.39
can raise a
prayer bar for all of us.
00:57:45.43\00:57:48.00
So I hope you'll
take advantage of it.
00:57:48.03\00:57:49.56
Again call us 877-HIS-WILL.
00:57:49.60\00:57:52.70
And I hope I'll see you
right back here next time.
00:57:52.73\00:57:55.47