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>> It really is a privilege
today to welcome you to Pioneer
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Memorial Church. Thank you all,
one and all, for being here.
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It's good to see everybody.
For those that are worshipping
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with us online or on the radio,
thank you, also, for joining us.
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Today we are celebrating
Communion here at our church.
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We're going to be returning
to Calvary and discovering the
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majesty in the anguish.
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And so, thank you for being
here. Let's start with our call
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to worship.
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Let's bow our heads. God, today
we are here to sing Your praise.
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We're here to worship You. We're
here to reflect on the moments,
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the last moments, of Your life
and give praise and honor and
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all glory to You. And so, today,
again, one more time, we ask
that Your presence be here in
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this place. Fill the speakers,
fill everyone who's gonna be up
front, fill the musicians, Lord,
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with Your presence. Let us be in
Your throne room so that when we
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leave, we are -- we leave
changed. God, we thank You for
all the goodness that You give
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to us. Thank you,
Lord. Amen. [ Organ playing ]
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[ Chimes tinkle ] ¤¤
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[ Applause ]
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>> I want to pray with you.
And then we're going to brood
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together. Oh, God, that music
that just swept us Heavenward,
my, oh, my, oh, my.
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Thank You for musicians. Thank
You for the gift of music. It
comes from Your soul.
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You're the greatest musician in
the universe. And we get blessed
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every time. These moments now,
we need a spirit to infuse them.
Be in charge of our thinking
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processes. Let us see
what You want us to see.
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We pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
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Return to Calvary.
It begins right now,
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this little April
series. Galatians 6:14.
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"May I never boast except in the
cross of our Lord Jesus Christ,
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through which the world has been
crucified to me and I to the
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world." 1 Corinthians 2:2. "For
I resolved to know nothing while
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I was with you except Jesus
Christ and Him crucified." Why?
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Ah. Because the Maker of
all things loves and wants me.
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When we go to Golgotha first,
the problem is we're 12 hours
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too late because, in fact,
Golgotha without Gethsemane
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is an answer without a
question. We need Gethsemane.
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Brood over these moments in that
dark, dark garden. Brood with me
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right now. A handful of young
men move silently beneath the
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silver white moon. They descend
into this carved notch out the
Eastern gate, a carved notch
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they call the Kidron. The
Kidron tonight flows blood red.
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It is blood. A million
slaughtered Passover lambs this
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weekend. Crimson waters. They
step over them. They ascend.
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We can see them in the dark.
They ascend to a garden up the
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Mount of Olives. From where we
stand, we can't hear their
muffled words to each other.
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But suddenly, that group of 12
breaks into eight who gather
around the gate to the garden,
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and four more stumble on. One of
them stumbling especially into
the dark, dark heart
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of this garden called Oil Press.
Olive Press. Gethsemane in the
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Aramaic. It's like the moon is
blinking on and off as we watch
the four, because high over
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their heads, the gnarly boughs
and branches turn the light off
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and back on again. But that
face. There's one face. We're
sure we know that face. Though
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we hardly recognize it now.
Something terrible. Something
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bad is happening. And when the
face speaks, we know. In the
Gospel of Mark 14:32,
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the Gethsemane narrative begins
with these words. "They went to
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a place called Gethsemane, and
Jesus said to his disciples,
'Sit here while I pray.'
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He took Peter, James and John
along with Him, and He began to
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be deeply distressed and
troubled." Frederick Dale Bruner
renders those two words
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"depressed and confused." In
fact, Bruner says this text is
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the Magna Carta of depression.
Depression to come and a visitor
at our own tables and lives.
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In fact, one French commentator,
put it on the screen for you,
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Pierre Benoit. "Pierre Benoit
translates the verb... 'sudden
fear came over Him,'
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and says that the word in
Greek is 'used of a man who is
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rendered helpless, disoriented,
who's agitated and anguished by
the threat of some approaching
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event.'" Keep reading. "He took
Peter, James and John along with
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Him, and he began to be deeply
distressed and troubled. 'My
soul is overwhelmed with
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sorrow to the point of death,'
He said to them. Stay here...
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Stay here and keep watch.'"
"Stay here. Pray for me. Peter,
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James, John, pray for me. It's
growing darker and darker. I
don't know what's happening."
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"Going a little farther," Jesus
fell to the ground, "and prayed
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that if possible the hour might
pass from Him. 'Abba, Father,'
He said, 'everything is possible
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for you. Take this cup from me.
Yet not what I will, but what
00:15:06.27\00:15:15.98
You will.'" The language of
a story 2,000 years old quickly
00:15:18.21\00:15:26.96
loses its emotion and depth
until a gifted storyteller comes
00:15:26.96\00:15:32.73
along and retells the story for
us. The great American
storyteller Walter Wangerin,
00:15:32.73\00:15:38.73
who sadly died just a year ago.
Walter Wangerin Jr. In his book,
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given to me just a few weeks ago
by a friend -- title of the book
-- "Reliving the Passion" --
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he captures this moment. I want
you to feel the moment now as I
00:15:50.65\00:15:56.99
read Wangerin to all of us. "The
woods are pale and silent. That
one man totally alone
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is swaying back and forth as
if dizzy his face and his hands.
00:16:03.63\00:16:09.80
Suddenly he crumples to
the ground. 'Abba! Abba!'
00:16:09.80\00:16:15.04
The sound is strangled in
his throat. His fingers dig dirt
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like the roots of the tree. His
chin and beard grind against the
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Earth. 'Abba, Father, I don't
want to do this.' 'Please. You
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can do anything.' 'Then take the
cup from me.' The man's voice is
hoarse, a kind of guttural
00:16:31.42\00:16:38.39
barking. And then he sucks air
and howls at the top of his
lungs, 'Hell is in that cup.
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Death and damnation are in
that cup. My father, my father,
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it will tear me away from you.
No, I don't want to do this. No,
sin is in that cup.
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And if I drink it, you won't
look at me. You will loathe me,
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and I will hate myself. I don't
want to drink it. Abba, Abba,
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take the cup away from me.' The
man twists his body under the
00:17:01.12\00:17:06.29
trees, then holds himself in
a tense, unnatural posture, his
00:17:06.29\00:17:10.69
face upward, his eyes shut, his
breathing sharp through his
teeth. He grimaces as if
00:17:10.69\00:17:16.70
smiling, then whispers, almost
inaudibly whispers as soft as
the leaves. 'Nevertheless...
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not what I want.'
'What you want, do.'"
00:17:27.04\00:17:34.52
Well, we read -- we read that
old, old story too tamely, too
00:17:37.19\00:17:46.33
hurriedly. Something terrible
has happened in Gethsemane.
Frederick Dale Bruner
00:17:47.96\00:17:54.77
on the screen. "Might we
reverently say Jesus knew what
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it was to be emotionally crushed
and mentally 'crazy,' at least
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for a while? This would mean
that Jesus knows what we,"
emphasis "His," "what we go
00:18:08.98\00:18:14.12
through at our limits, and knows
this not just 'divinely,' but
00:18:14.12\00:18:22.40
also humanly. Death, even at
middle distance, can be managed.
Imminent death overwhelms."
00:18:22.40\00:18:33.68
How true. Something
terrible is happening to Jesus.
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I mean, just just hours ago in
the upper room, Jesus was the
epitome of peace and joy.
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"My peace I leave with you. My
joy I give to you. Let not your
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heart be troubled. Neither let
it be afraid. In this world, you
will suffer tribulation.
00:18:52.09\00:18:57.43
But cheer up. But take heart. I
have overcome the world."
Where's the peace and joy
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and overcoming now?
That was then. This is now.
00:19:05.27\00:19:13.08
Something terrible is happening
to Jesus. "James, Peter, John,
00:19:13.08\00:19:23.32
I feel like I'm dying. It's
getting dark. I'm afraid. Pray
00:19:23.32\00:19:30.17
for me. Stay with me, please."
The words of one translator --
"I feel so bad, I could die."
00:19:30.17\00:19:37.47
In the Greek, it awkwardly reads
literally, "Grief encircled is
00:19:37.47\00:19:42.58
my psyche unto death." And
Bruner wonders aloud, "But how
could anyone have dared
00:19:42.58\00:19:48.12
to invent a scene that was so
disturbing to faith -- the fear
00:19:48.12\00:19:53.29
of Jesus in the face of death?"
My. But when he turns to His
00:19:53.29\00:20:00.86
closest companions, guess what?
You got it. Those three amigos
00:20:00.86\00:20:10.67
-- no comfort, no praying.
Nothing. "Then He returned
00:20:10.67\00:20:19.28
to His disciples, and He found
them sleeping. 'Simon,' He said
00:20:19.28\00:20:25.95
to Peter, 'Are you asleep?
Couldn't you keep watch for one
00:20:25.95\00:20:32.83
hour?'" "One hour every weekend,
three hours every weekend with
your favorite sports team,
00:20:32.83\00:20:37.03
and you can't spend one
hour with me? One hour every day
00:20:37.03\00:20:41.37
in the Wall Street Journal, and
you can't spend one hour with
00:20:41.37\00:20:46.34
me? One hour? Five hours
with social media, and you can't
00:20:46.34\00:20:51.58
spend one hour with me?"
00:20:51.58\00:20:53.42
"Watch and pray so that you will
not fall into temptation. The
00:20:57.55\00:21:04.43
spirit is willing, but the flesh
is weak. Once more," Jesus went
away, and He prayed the same
00:21:04.43\00:21:11.30
thing. What was that prayer?
"'Abba, Father, He said,
'everything is possible for you.
00:21:11.30\00:21:18.64
Take this cup from me. Yet not
what I will, but what You will."
00:21:18.64\00:21:26.45
What's happening to the
man twisted and troubled on the
00:21:26.45\00:21:34.02
Earth and dirt of Gethsemane?
What's going on? Meade MacGuire
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and his powerful collection
called "His Cross and Mine"
00:21:39.76\00:21:46.63
draws conclusions, I'm telling
you, I find very illuminating
and satisfying. First, MacGuire
00:21:46.63\00:21:52.01
reminds us that Gethsemane, in
fact, has also been told not
just in the Gospels,
00:21:52.01\00:21:55.21
but it's been embedded by Paul
himself in the heart of the Book
00:21:55.21\00:21:59.38
of Hebrews. You and I have been
to this verse many times
together. Hebrews 5:7.
00:21:59.38\00:22:03.45
"During the days of Jesus' life
on Earth, He offered up prayers
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and petitions with fervent
cries." And what's that next
00:22:08.36\00:22:14.10
word? Tears. "With fervent cries
and tears to the one who could
save Him from death,
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and He was heard because of His
reverent submission." With
fervent cries and tears.
00:22:19.77\00:22:27.48
That inspired line has
Gethsemane written all over it,
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doesn't it? Then MacGuire --
Now, brood here with him. Meade
00:22:33.15\00:22:38.89
MacGuire again. "Jesus did not
ask to be saved from dying, but
He did pray most earnestly to be
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saved from death."
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"Why did Jesus shrink from death
instead of facing death like the
00:22:51.27\00:22:57.27
heroic martyrs? The answer is
that the martyrs were facing
mere mortal death and were
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sustained in their sufferings by
the consciousness of God's
presence and acceptance.
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But Christ was taking the
sinner's place." I'm talking
00:23:07.12\00:23:11.82
about you and me. "And as the
typical representative sinner,
He was bearing our load of guilt
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out into the darkness of
separation from God. As the sins
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of the world" -- and I'm talking
about your darling sin, and I'm
00:23:21.13\00:23:24.13
talking about my darling sin --
"As the sins of the world
engulfed Him like a vast ocean
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crashing in, He felt Himself
sinking into a darkness He had
never before known.
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It seemed more than His body
could sustain, and immediate
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death threatened
Him." In Gethsemane.
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It's not the fear of mortal
death that grips Jesus tonight.
It's the fear of immortal death
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that has Him terrified, the fear
that only a sin-bearer could
possibly comprehend.
00:23:57.60\00:24:05.47
He will not even name this dark,
this deadly dread that clutches
His heart and throat.
00:24:05.47\00:24:13.38
He just calls it the
cup. The cup. "Abba, the cup.
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Take the cup away." Desire
of Ages draws a veil partially
00:24:18.35\00:24:28.80
aside for this mystery.
"Three times has He uttered that
00:24:28.80\00:24:34.04
prayer. Three times has humanity
shrunk from the last, crowning
00:24:34.04\00:24:39.44
sacrifice. But now, the history
of the human race comes up
before the world's Redeemer.
00:24:39.44\00:24:43.51
He sees the transgressors of the
law, if left to themselves" --
00:24:43.51\00:24:47.68
left to ourselves -- "must
perish. He sees the helplessness
00:24:47.68\00:24:51.45
of man and woman. He sees
the power of sin. The woes and
00:24:51.45\00:24:56.89
lamentations of a doomed world
rise up before Him. He beholds
its impending fate,
00:24:56.89\00:25:03.03
and His decision is made.
He will save us at any cost to
00:25:03.03\00:25:11.31
Himself. He accepts His baptism
of blood, that through Him
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perishing millions may gain
everlasting life. Having made
the decision, He fell"...
00:25:17.55\00:25:22.82
What's that next word? "He fell
dying." Do you understand that?
00:25:22.82\00:25:27.99
"He fell dying to the ground."
00:25:27.99\00:25:32.63
Wow. You know
what? He would have died
00:25:35.06\00:25:40.34
then and there had not Dr.
Luke, the only one to insert
00:25:40.34\00:25:45.81
this detail, informed us that
from the throne room of Heaven
00:25:45.81\00:25:52.05
-- shoop -- Heaven's highest
created being, Gabriel, appears.
00:25:52.05\00:25:59.89
If He had died there, the plan
of salvation would have been
00:26:03.83\00:26:08.63
completed. But watch -- And this
is MacGuire that helps me see
00:26:08.63\00:26:13.23
this. Watch this. "Though He
might have laid down His life in
the garden" -- Blood had been
00:26:13.23\00:26:19.07
shed, right? Bloody sweat.
"Though He might have laid down
His life in the garden
00:26:19.07\00:26:23.28
and the sacrifice had been
acceptable to the Father, yet
how difficult it would
00:26:23.28\00:26:28.15
have been for men," and women,
"to understand and appropriate
00:26:28.15\00:26:33.79
what He had done. There is a
moral shock connected with the
awful tragedy of the
00:26:33.79\00:26:40.33
crucifixion, which the Spirit of
God uses to stir the
consciences" -- our consciences,
00:26:40.33\00:26:45.43
arising our moral sensibilities
and awakening us from our stupor
00:26:45.43\00:26:52.14
and our blindness
and our selfishness.
00:26:52.14\00:26:54.38
It's outrageous. "The angel
came not to take the cup from
00:26:57.98\00:27:05.19
Christ's hand," mnh-mnh, "but to
strengthen Him to drink it, with
the assurance of the Father's
00:27:05.19\00:27:14.56
love." Wow.
00:27:14.56\00:27:16.36
What father? Oh, Abba Father,
of course. Only Mark, and I say
00:27:18.37\00:27:28.24
this respectfully, God bless
him, only Mark records that
original language that Jesus
00:27:28.24\00:27:37.79
spoke of Aramaic, records Jesus'
actual word in the heart of that
00:27:37.79\00:27:44.03
dark garden. "Abba. Abba."
"Papa. Papa." It's straight out
00:27:44.03\00:27:50.37
of a child's book of prayers.
Jesus had used it all through
00:27:50.37\00:27:57.97
His life. In fact -- And I found
this stunning. I just found it
00:27:57.97\00:28:01.88
this week from the great German
scholar Gerhard Kittel in his
10-volume magnum opus
00:28:01.88\00:28:07.28
"Theological Dictionary of
the New Testament," which I'm
00:28:07.28\00:28:13.72
blessed to have. Never saw this
before. Watch this. "The
probability is that Jesus
00:28:13.72\00:28:19.73
employed the word 'abba'
not merely where it is expressly
00:28:19.73\00:28:25.57
attested," Mark 14:36, where we
just read, "but in all cases,
and particularly in address
00:28:25.57\00:28:33.01
to God," When He's
talking to God, he uses "abba."
00:28:33.01\00:28:36.58
"Where the Evangelists" --
Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John --
"record Him as saying,"
00:28:36.58\00:28:41.02
and then he puts in the brackets
here the actual Greek words for
00:28:41.02\00:28:45.69
"the father." "Father," "My
father." Could it be? Kittel
00:28:45.69\00:28:52.23
will say, "Yep, it is -- Abba."
"The Abba," "Abba," "My Abba,"
and even, perhaps, "Our Abba,
00:28:52.23\00:28:59.33
who art in Heaven, hallowed be
Your name." Wow. Keep reading.
00:28:59.33\00:29:06.57
"In doing so, Jesus applies
to God a term which must have
00:29:06.57\00:29:11.68
sounded familiar and
disrespectful to His
contemporaries because it was
00:29:11.68\00:29:15.15
used in the everyday life of the
family. In other words, He uses
00:29:15.15\00:29:19.49
simple 'speech' of the child to
its father." "Abba, Father.
Papa, take this cup.
00:29:19.49\00:29:30.97
Take this cup from me. I don't
want to drink it. Please, Abba."
00:29:30.97\00:29:38.04
I have three beautiful
granddaughters. I love them to
00:29:38.04\00:29:42.54
death. And you know what
my name is to them? It's Papa.
00:29:42.54\00:29:47.22
And when that little girl comes
up and whispers in my ear,
"Papa," I just melt.
00:29:47.22\00:29:54.56
I just melt. Scoop me up.
When that little girl calls from
00:29:54.56\00:30:00.60
across the living room where
we're playing or across the
00:30:00.60\00:30:04.00
playground, "Papa, over here,"
I just love it. And that's why I
00:30:04.00\00:30:12.24
cannot imagine what it was
like for the father to sit there
00:30:12.24\00:30:18.45
and hear this one who has spent
eternity as his equal, dressed
00:30:18.45\00:30:27.56
now in humanity and sobbing.
"Abba, Papa, you got to take
00:30:27.56\00:30:34.10
this away. Papa... Papa, how
could You sit there and not say
00:30:34.10\00:30:39.83
something? Papa..."
Heaven wept. Heaven wept.
00:30:39.83\00:30:46.98
[ Sighs ] How do you suppose
Papa -- How do you suppose Abba
00:30:49.08\00:30:54.25
Abraham felt, hmm? That knife
trembling in his hands atop
Mount Moriah is about
00:30:54.25\00:31:03.06
to slay His only begotten Son. I
was just telling my seminary
class this week in the seminary,
00:31:03.06\00:31:15.14
when that knife fell, it broke
two hearts. You don't think
00:31:15.14\00:31:24.05
Abba's living this
moment with Abraham?
00:31:24.05\00:31:28.08
Isn't that amazing?
Incidentally, scholars see in
00:31:30.35\00:31:35.02
Jesus' command at the beginning
of the narrative, "Stay here
while we go in" -- remember
00:31:35.02\00:31:39.69
those words, "stay here" -- as
an intentional echo of Abraham
00:31:39.69\00:31:45.83
and Isaac getting ready to go up
Moriah and Abraham says to the
servants, "Stay here
00:31:45.83\00:31:51.07
while the lad and I sacrifice."
Sacrifice in the Old Testament.
The greatest story.
00:31:51.07\00:31:57.15
Sacrifice in the New Testament.
The greatest story linked by the
00:31:57.15\00:32:04.29
words "stay here." But maybe
that's our problem. We just
don't stay there long enough.
00:32:04.29\00:32:10.46
"Stay here. Stay
with me." [ Sighs ]
00:32:10.46\00:32:17.17
"Abba, Father." Now, here's the
point. I pray the Holy Spirit
00:32:17.17\00:32:25.27
will speak to you right now...
if you're listening. Do you
00:32:25.27\00:32:32.08
understand, do you realize God
wants to be Abba? He wants to be
00:32:32.08\00:32:40.06
Papa to you, as well. Some of
you are going through hell right
00:32:40.06\00:32:44.26
now. I know. I've talked with
you. There's a darkness that you
00:32:44.26\00:32:52.27
cannot comprehend, and it
doesn't leave. You're begging
God, "Take this cup.
00:32:52.27\00:32:58.94
Take this cup. I can't drink
it, Papa. Just take it away,
00:32:58.94\00:33:04.61
please." It may be the loss of a
friendship, the loss of a love
that you so desperately
00:33:04.61\00:33:08.25
wanted. "Take it
away. Take it away."
00:33:08.25\00:33:15.39
It may be an existential crisis
in your studies. I don't know.
00:33:15.39\00:33:19.46
It could be your career or life
in general. For some of you,
00:33:19.46\00:33:25.27
it's depression, full-blown,
dark, black depression. "Take
00:33:25.27\00:33:32.94
this cup. I beg of
you. Take it away."
00:33:32.94\00:33:37.11
It may be the approach of a
death and dying -- a death and
dying, you realize,
00:33:39.18\00:33:47.89
grows closer by the day. And you
are begging, "I don't want -- I
00:33:47.89\00:33:55.40
don't want that death. And I
don't want that dying. Take the
00:33:55.40\00:34:02.70
cup." I need you to know that
this abba to whom Jesus sobs,
00:34:02.70\00:34:11.05
though hears nothing, is the
same abba who's loving on you
00:34:11.05\00:34:17.19
right now. Don't you give up.
Don't you quit. He's going to
00:34:17.19\00:34:22.26
love you through this. He's
going to get you through. The
cup will be taken one day.
00:34:22.26\00:34:27.30
If not here,
then. But He is with you
00:34:28.80\00:34:36.27
as Abba/Papa was with Jesus
in the blackest, darkest hour
00:34:36.27\00:34:42.31
of his existence.
00:34:42.31\00:34:44.31
Even if you must drink the cup,
remember this promise -- "When
00:34:48.55\00:34:55.79
we have prayed, whatever the
outcome, let us not lose faith
in God. Let us accept the bitter
00:34:55.79\00:35:02.76
cup, remembering that a father's
hand holds it to our lips."
00:35:02.76\00:35:09.24
A father's hand, Papa's
hand holds it to our lips.
00:35:12.71\00:35:18.55
"No, don't push me
away. I'm loving on you.
00:35:18.75\00:35:25.89
We have to do this. You'll see."
00:35:25.89\00:35:30.33
A father's hand
holds it to our lips.
00:35:30.33\00:35:35.10
"I'm with you till the end."
00:35:35.10\00:35:38.50
That's all Jesus
had. That was it.
00:35:38.70\00:35:42.70
The angel was just an infusion
and salvation from death so that
00:35:45.44\00:35:52.11
He could continue for another 12
hours. That's all. Papa's hand
00:35:52.11\00:36:00.16
holds it to our lips. Ah, my
friends, that's it. That's what
00:36:00.16\00:36:04.36
we've come to celebrate today.
There will be a cup that will
touch your lips in a moment.
00:36:04.36\00:36:08.26
And that cup will be the
assurance that, "Abba/Father
00:36:08.26\00:36:16.67
loves even me." Abba/Father
loves even you. That's the
promise. When we take the cup
00:36:16.67\00:36:22.01
and it touches our lips, we will
know, "Abba/Father loves even
00:36:22.01\00:36:29.85
me." [ Sighs ] Let's
pray. Oh, Abba, Father, Papa...
00:36:32.92\00:36:38.99
Papa... Papa...
00:36:38.99\00:36:42.56
The cup. The cup. As
we gather at the table,
00:36:47.14\00:36:54.51
grant us the courage and the
trust of Jesus to press on with
00:36:54.51\00:37:04.79
Him, with You, who
loves me, too. Amen.
00:37:04.79\00:37:14.93
After Gethsemane, Golgotha.
Before Gethsemane, the Supper.
00:37:14.93\00:37:24.67
Yeah. The Supper. The Lord's
Supper. It was called the Last
Supper. "And as it turns out,
00:37:26.81\00:37:31.65
it's the last supper that you
and I will celebrate together
00:37:31.65\00:37:38.05
right now." Jesus says, "Come
on. This is our moment, You and
00:37:39.65\00:37:44.26
me together." Let it be that for
you. You'll never regret it.
Let's go. Jesus is ready.
00:37:44.26\00:37:48.76
Let's go. When you come back,
there'll be music happening
00:37:48.76\00:37:52.07
here. Let your heart just
rejoice. And then we'll pick up
the cup and the bread together.
00:37:52.07\00:37:56.07
And we'll never be the
same again. See you in a bit.
00:37:56.07\00:37:59.47
[ Piano plays ]
00:38:05.88\00:38:08.08
¤¤ ¤¤
00:38:08.28\00:38:19.89
[ Piano plays ]
00:40:00.36\00:40:02.53
¤¤ ¤¤
00:40:02.73\00:40:18.15
>> What a
beautiful, beautiful song --
00:40:18.15\00:40:20.78
"I Surrender All."
Standing right here singing
00:40:20.78\00:40:24.79
the last refrain with
you, it's a song they sang
00:40:24.79\00:40:29.12
at my baptism in Tokyo, Japan.
00:40:29.12\00:40:31.76
We all make
commitments along the way.
00:40:33.46\00:40:36.93
You remember yours, I
remember mine. The Last Supper,
00:40:37.13\00:40:43.30
the Lord's Supper,
becomes a fresh remaking of our
00:40:43.30\00:40:50.45
commitments, of our pledges, of
our devotion to our Lord Jesus
Christ. It's very interesting
00:40:50.45\00:40:56.18
that the Gospel of John says not
a word about Gethsemane. Oh, he
00:40:56.18\00:40:59.55
was arrested in Gethsemane. We
don't know why he's there,
except probably he went to pray.
00:40:59.55\00:41:04.19
John knows that three synopses
have been written. There's no
00:41:04.19\00:41:07.86
point in retelling the story
again. But John embeds some cues
to the prayer "Abba, Abba,
00:41:07.86\00:41:15.24
take this cup away." It's
the last prayer. It's really the
00:41:15.24\00:41:20.28
Lord's Prayer in the Gospel of
John 17. And I'm going to put
"Abba" where "Father" is.
00:41:20.28\00:41:25.38
"After Jesus said this, He
looked toward Heaven, and he
00:41:25.38\00:41:28.68
prayed, 'Abba, the hour has
come. Glorify your Son that your
Son may glorify You.
00:41:28.68\00:41:35.79
And now, Abba, glorify me in
Your presence with the glory had
00:41:35.79\00:41:40.06
with You before the world
began.'" And then at the end of
the prayer, "Abba, I want those
00:41:40.06\00:41:44.33
You have given me to be with me
where I am and to see my glory,
the glory You have given me
00:41:44.33\00:41:49.34
because You loved me before the
creation of the world. And
righteous Abba, though
00:41:49.34\00:41:54.51
the world does not know You, I
know You, and they know that You
00:41:54.51\00:42:02.25
have sent me." The cue is there.
The Abba Prayer has been made.
Well, that's why He gave this,
00:42:02.25\00:42:09.66
so that we would never forget
Abba loves us, too. Becky Von
00:42:09.66\00:42:15.53
Dorpowski, one half of our board
of elders here at Pioneer, is
going to read the sacred
00:42:15.53\00:42:19.53
account of that night, Thursday
night. And then her husband,
00:42:19.53\00:42:24.34
Bryan, the other half of our
head elders, is going to lead us
00:42:24.34\00:42:30.61
in prayer. Let's hear the word.
00:42:30.61\00:42:32.51
>> "For I received from the Lord
what I also passed on to you,
00:42:32.71\00:42:36.35
the Lord Jesus, on the night
He was betrayed, took bread,
00:42:36.35\00:42:39.95
and when He had given thanks.
He broke it and said, 'This is
00:42:39.95\00:42:43.26
my body which is for you.
Do this in remembrance of me.'
00:42:43.26\00:42:48.00
In the same way, after
supper, He took the cup, saying,
00:42:48.00\00:42:51.20
'This cup is the new
covenant in my blood.
00:42:51.20\00:42:54.00
Do this whenever you
drink it in remembrance of me.
00:42:54.00\00:42:57.64
For whenever you eat this bread
and drink this cup, you proclaim
00:42:57.64\00:43:01.28
the Lord's death
until He comes.'"
00:43:01.28\00:43:04.75
>> Amen. I invite
you to bow your heads
00:43:04.75\00:43:07.15
with me in prayer.
Dear Father in Heaven,
00:43:07.15\00:43:12.75
we bow before You with humble,
thankful hearts as we celebrate
00:43:12.75\00:43:16.99
the Lord's Supper.
Jesus, You said that this bread
00:43:16.99\00:43:20.73
represents Your body
that was broken for us
00:43:20.73\00:43:23.30
and this juice, the
new covenant in Your blood,
00:43:23.30\00:43:26.94
which was shed for us.
00:43:26.94\00:43:29.00
You asked us to remember You,
for He made Him who knew no sin
00:43:29.20\00:43:38.05
to be sin for us that we might
become the righteousness of God
in Him. Thank You for Your
00:43:38.05\00:43:43.95
sacrifice and the gift that sets
us free and for giving us Your
white robe of righteousness.
00:43:43.95\00:43:50.53
Bless these emblems, and thank
You for ministering to our
hearts as we take them.
00:43:50.53\00:43:55.96
In that upper room, You drank
grape juice with the disciples
00:43:55.96\00:43:59.63
and said that You would not
drink it again until we drank it
together in Your father's
00:43:59.63\00:44:05.61
kingdom. We long for that day,
when our faith becomes sight and
we eat and drink with You in
00:44:05.61\00:44:11.75
the home You've prepared for us.
But until that day, we joyfully
00:44:11.75\00:44:17.32
participate in this Communion
service and do this in
remembrance of You.
00:44:17.32\00:44:22.46
In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
00:44:22.46\00:44:26.23
[ Organ plays ]
00:44:28.23\00:44:30.43
¤¤
00:44:30.63\00:44:39.41
>> ¤ The love of
God is greater far
00:44:39.61\00:44:46.78
than tongue or
pen can ever tell ¤
00:44:46.78\00:44:53.09
¤ It goes
beyond the highest star
00:44:53.09\00:44:59.29
and reaches to the lowest hell ¤
00:44:59.29\00:45:05.40
¤ The guilty pair bowed down
with care ¤ ¤ God gave His Son
00:45:05.60\00:45:18.58
to win ¤ His erring child He
reconciled and pardoned from His
sin ¤ ¤ O love of God,
00:45:18.58\00:45:35.70
how rich and pure ¤ ¤ How
measureless and strong ¤ It
shall forevermore endure
00:45:35.70\00:45:51.48
the saints' and
angels' song ¤ ¤¤ ¤¤
00:45:51.48\00:46:04.36
¤ When years of time shall pass
away ¤ ¤ And earthly thrones
00:46:04.36\00:46:15.14
and kingdoms fall ¤ ¤ When
men who here refuse to pray ¤
00:46:15.14\00:46:25.18
¤ On rocks and hills and
mountains call ¤ ¤ God's love,
00:46:25.18\00:46:35.36
so pure, shall still endure ¤
¤ All measureless and strong ¤
00:46:35.36\00:46:48.27
Redeeming grace to Adam's race
¤ ¤ The saints' and angels' song
00:46:48.27\00:47:02.08
¤¤ ¤ Could we with ink the ocean
fill? ¤ And were the skies of
00:47:02.08\00:47:12.49
parchment made ¤ ¤ Were
every stalk on Earth a quill ¤
00:47:12.49\00:47:21.97
¤ And every man a scribe
by trade ¤ ¤ To write the love
00:47:21.97\00:47:31.21
of God above ¤ ¤ Would drain the
ocean dry ¤ Nor would the scroll
00:47:31.21\00:47:44.69
contain the whole ¤ ¤ Though
stretched from sky to sky ¤
00:47:44.69\00:47:55.50
¤ O love of God, how rich
and pure ¤ ¤ How measureless and
00:47:55.50\00:48:09.55
strong ¤ It shall forevermore
endure ¤ The saints' and angels'
00:48:09.55\00:48:24.83
song ¤ The saints' and
angels' song ¤¤ >> Amen.
00:48:26.50\00:48:43.52
>> Thank you, Fred. Beautiful.
Beautiful. A love of God,
00:48:43.52\00:48:47.72
how measureless and strong. The
saints' and angels' song be our
song through eternity,
00:48:47.72\00:48:56.77
I'm sure. Jesus said, "For that
reason, I gave you this supper.
00:48:56.77\00:49:04.64
When you eat this bread, you
think of me, my body broken for
00:49:04.64\00:49:12.61
you for the salvation
of this world. Take. Eat."
00:49:12.61\00:49:16.58
[ Organ plays ] ¤¤ ¤¤
00:49:22.49\00:49:33.94
And after the disciples had torn
off each his piece of bread,
Jesus took the cup,
00:49:42.24\00:49:51.19
the Paschal Cup. He says, "This
cup, celebrating Your
deliverance from Egypt,
00:49:51.19\00:50:03.13
is now my cup. Celebrating
Your deliverance from evil.
00:50:03.13\00:50:08.64
My blood will be spilled
for you. Do this, remember me.
00:50:08.64\00:50:14.28
Do this in remembrance of me."
00:50:14.28\00:50:17.15
[ Organ plays ] ¤¤ ¤¤
00:50:23.45\00:50:36.43
And the Lord's Supper ended. The
record does read one of the
great Hallel Psalms
00:50:38.23\00:50:45.84
they sang, because it was a
custom to sing as you leave,
00:50:45.84\00:50:50.38
and they thought Judas was doing
the other custom. He's gonna go
00:50:50.38\00:50:53.45
out, he's gonna give some money
to the poor. That's what we do.
No, it was money for himself.
00:50:53.45\00:50:59.05
But we receive an offering. We
receive an offering for those in
00:50:59.05\00:51:04.73
need. And we've had a very
needy winter. Spring is here.
00:51:04.73\00:51:09.60
But if God has blessed you over
these last three months and
you'd like to pass some of
00:51:09.60\00:51:13.44
that blessing on, there will
be a greeter, an usher standing
00:51:13.44\00:51:18.44
right there. Just drop your
gratitude in that basket, and be
assured people who need
00:51:18.44\00:51:24.21
it will receive it. I love that
song. It's been our traditional
00:51:24.21\00:51:29.12
ending song. It's number 411 in
your hymnal, if you don't know
00:51:29.12\00:51:34.69
it, but the words will be on the
screen. It's a beautiful song.
It talks about leaving the
00:51:34.69\00:51:37.86
supper, the supper has ended.
And I'm gonna invite you to
stand, and we're gonna sing
00:51:37.86\00:51:41.76
our hearts and gratitude to
God for this moment at His table
00:51:41.76\00:51:48.87
with Jesus. [ Organ plays ]
00:51:49.07\00:51:52.21
¤¤ ¤¤
00:51:52.41\00:52:12.36
I love that line --
"Give honor to Christ
00:54:03.37\00:54:07.18
and His name that we bear."
I'm gonna take a family moment
00:54:07.18\00:54:11.88
right now. This
is a campus where
00:54:11.88\00:54:16.52
Pioneer has been
placed. Kids go to school here.
00:54:16.52\00:54:22.12
Kids fall in love here. I'm
standing between two college
00:54:22.32\00:54:29.16
students who met here and fell
in love here. And then I got to
conduct their wedding.
00:54:29.16\00:54:35.17
What's up with that? [ Laughter
] And then they said, "We're
00:54:35.17\00:54:40.18
gonna stay in this community,
stay in this church." Our head
00:54:40.18\00:54:45.05
elders. Then they had a boy,
they had another boy. I had the
00:54:45.05\00:54:50.59
privilege of dedicating both
of those boys to Jesus. And the
00:54:50.59\00:54:56.36
boys grew up. That's what
happens when you've been around
for a while. The boys grew up.
00:54:56.36\00:55:01.20
And the boys needed to be
baptized, chose to be, and I had
00:55:01.20\00:55:05.20
the privilege of baptizing them
both. And then one of them
decides to get married.
00:55:05.20\00:55:12.47
Who gave him that idea? Decides
to get married. And Brandon and
00:55:12.47\00:55:20.18
I had the privilege of having a
part in that joyful day. And
Michael -- Let me know
00:55:20.18\00:55:27.22
when he gets
married. >> Okay. [ Laughter ]
00:55:27.22\00:55:30.73
>> But we're family, and that's
what community is. Some of you
00:55:30.73\00:55:35.06
have been around here a long
time, and that's good. Some of
you are gonna leave here
00:55:35.06\00:55:38.23
because you're only here for
four years and you're gonna find
another church somewhere
00:55:38.23\00:55:41.24
on this planet. Let that
church become a family for you.
00:55:41.24\00:55:44.74
You make the family difference.
It's Christ's name and His alone
00:55:44.74\00:55:49.64
we just said we give honor
to. But Jesus says, "You are my
00:55:49.64\00:55:53.48
body. I'm the head. You're the
body. Love on each other. Shake
somebody's hand that
00:55:53.48\00:55:58.62
you've never seen before in your
life as you walk out of this
00:55:58.62\00:56:02.39
building. Love on people. Let
them know love on the move is
00:56:02.39\00:56:06.49
what happens here and will keep
happening as the changes roll
by." But until Jesus comes,
00:56:06.49\00:56:12.90
we'll be faithful. And that's
why Hebrews ends with this just
beautiful benediction.
00:56:12.90\00:56:18.07
"Now may the God of peace, who,
through the blood of the eternal
00:56:18.07\00:56:22.14
Covenant, brought back from the
dead, our Lord Jesus, that great
shepherd of the sheep,
00:56:22.14\00:56:26.88
may He equip you with everything
good for doing His will. And may
00:56:26.88\00:56:32.12
He work in us what is pleasing
to Him through Jesus Christ, to
00:56:32.12\00:56:37.63
whom be glory forever and ever.
And all of God's people said"...
00:56:37.63\00:56:43.57
Amen and amen. >> Before you go,
let me take an extra moment to
00:56:47.54\00:56:50.21
share with you an opportunity to
get into the Bible in a fresh,
00:56:50.21\00:56:53.78
new way. All across this planet,
more and more people are hearing
00:56:53.78\00:56:56.24
the call to examine
scriptures for themselves.
00:56:56.24\00:56:59.08
If you felt drawn to learn more
about God's word but you don't
00:56:59.08\00:57:02.15
know where to start or you're
just looking for a more in-depth
00:57:02.15\00:57:04.89
examination of Bible truths,
then I have something right here
00:57:04.89\00:57:07.86
that I believe
you're going to enjoy.
00:57:07.86\00:57:10.46
I want to send you a series
of guides to get you started.
00:57:10.46\00:57:13.13
This one is entitled --
you can see it right here --
00:57:13.13\00:57:15.20
"Why Does God Allow Suffering?"
Each guide begins with a story,
00:57:15.20\00:57:18.90
an introduction of the subject.
Then, through a series of
00:57:18.90\00:57:21.64
focused questions, you'll be
learning portions of the Bible
00:57:21.64\00:57:24.61
you may never have known
before. And when you're through,
00:57:24.61\00:57:27.68
you'll be able to share
with others some of these
00:57:27.68\00:57:30.05
inspiring
scriptural truths for yourself.
00:57:30.05\00:57:32.81
Just call our toll-free number.
It's on the screen right now.
00:57:32.81\00:57:35.72
877 -- you see it there
-- 877 and then the two words
00:57:35.72\00:57:39.45
"HIS WILL." Friendly operators
00:57:39.45\00:57:41.72
are standing by to send
these study guides to you.
00:57:41.72\00:57:44.16
So once again,
that's 877-HIS-WILL.
00:57:44.16\00:57:47.86
Call that
number. And then again,
00:57:47.86\00:57:50.13
join me right here
next week at the same time.
00:57:50.13\00:57:54.50
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