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[ Applause ] >> Amen! Amen.
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Praise the Lord for good
music on a Sabbath morning.
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Welcome to
worship at Pioneer today.
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Welcome to those on the balcony,
to those on the lower level, to
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those on the livestream, and if
there's anyone on the radio, we
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welcome you all to worship
today, as we celebrate the
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miracle of the Resurrection.
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And now it's time for a call
to worship. And we will read it
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responsively.
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And since we're celebrating,
I want to hear those voice of
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rejoicing and
triumph as we say...
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>> Amen. Let us pray.
Risen Christ, we worship you
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today. We adore you, precious
Savior. And we're so grateful
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that you are alive. Because
you live, we can face tomorrow.
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Because you live, we don't have
to be afraid. Because you live,
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there's a reason for us to
endure and press forward into
the future. As we worship you
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today, we invite you to rid us,
Lord, of everything that robs us
of the resurrection power that
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you want to give us. Restore in
us your image and remind us of
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what it means to truly worship
you in spirit and in truth. We
pray in Jesus name.
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Amen.
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[ Applause ]
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>> Well, thank you,
Andrews Academy Symphony Band.
00:17:02.68\00:17:08.29
Elsy Gallardo-Diaz.
Oh, we needed that.
00:17:08.29\00:17:12.83
Come, Christians, now
and sing joy in all things.
00:17:12.83\00:17:18.43
Are you grateful
for our teenagers?
00:17:18.43\00:17:21.04
What a blessed parish we
are with Andrews Academy. For 25
00:17:21.24\00:17:28.84
Easters now, this procession of
hope that we begin together has
been a sacred but beloved
00:17:28.84\00:17:36.05
tradition in this congregation.
Pastor Esther introduced it to
us 25 years ago, and we've
00:17:36.05\00:17:40.56
been doing it ever since. Paul
was right. We do not grieve as
00:17:40.56\00:17:45.76
those who have no hope. We
do grieve. There's no denying
00:17:45.76\00:17:52.37
grief. Karen and I are about to
read the names of 35 individuals
who died between last Easter
00:17:52.37\00:17:57.11
and this one. There's a whole
lot of grief in this parish.
00:17:57.11\00:18:01.54
And today we will pause to
remember these that were a part
00:18:01.54\00:18:08.42
of us here. But we don't grieve
without hope. Jesus said, "I am
00:18:08.42\00:18:11.82
the resurrection and the life."
They who have died in me, though
they die, yet shall they
00:18:11.82\00:18:16.69
live." And that's what stirs up
our hearts in this procession of
00:18:16.69\00:18:22.76
hope. And by the way,
I need to insert this.
00:18:22.76\00:18:25.47
This is not just for members.
Now I'm looking around and
people have come with flowers.
00:18:25.47\00:18:30.27
Good for you. You have a loved
one, a very special loved one
00:18:30.27\00:18:33.34
that you're going to remember
today, and we join you in that
memory. You're expressing your
00:18:33.34\00:18:37.71
own hope when you put a flower
at the foot of the cross, but
you're also declaring that
00:18:37.71\00:18:42.42
beloved one is still very much
alive in your heart. But you
00:18:42.42\00:18:49.79
don't have to be a member. I
repeat myself, you're here and
you didn't know this was
00:18:49.79\00:18:52.66
happening. You have somebody
that you wish to remember.
00:18:52.66\00:18:56.60
You believe in the glorious
tidings of Easter that Christ
00:18:56.60\00:19:02.20
has risen. You want to express
that hope, you come forward, as
well. We're going to read these
00:19:02.20\00:19:08.24
names to you. And as we
begin to read, please come.
00:19:08.24\00:19:13.31
Now, I've been doing this for 25
years, and I know that everybody
kind of sits still.
00:19:13.31\00:19:17.79
Nobody moves until one brave
soul steps forward and says,
"I'm going to go get that
00:19:17.79\00:19:22.06
flower." So you be that brave
soul. Trust me, the door will be
00:19:22.06\00:19:25.56
open and then everybody will be
coming. We read to you now the
00:19:25.56\00:19:30.30
names of these beloved. Ruth
Boelter, May 10, 2022. >> Irene
Touchard, May 13, 2022.
00:19:30.30\00:19:43.81
>> Aileen Edwards, June 17,
2022. >> Donna Habenicht, June
00:19:43.81\00:19:53.09
22, 2022. >> Ivan
Flores-Heilbron, July 10, 2022.
00:19:53.09\00:20:01.53
>> Gary Erhard, July 14, 2022.
>> Herald Habenicht, July 29,
00:20:01.53\00:20:12.87
2022. >> Helena Stout, August
14, 2022. >> Dick Postman,
00:20:12.87\00:20:21.98
September 6, 2022. >> Art
Robertson, September 9, 2022.
00:20:21.98\00:20:29.66
>> Harold Smith III, September
10, 2022. >> Alice Poole,
00:20:29.66\00:20:38.63
September 14, 2022. >> Carolyn
Frolenko, September 24, 2022.
00:20:38.63\00:20:47.58
>> Norman Pottle, September
28, 2022. >> Glenn St. Clair,
00:20:47.58\00:20:54.68
October 13, 2022. >> Fred
Stephan, October 24, 2022.
00:20:54.68\00:21:05.76
>> Rita Baker, October 31, 2022.
>> KV Rathnam, November 14,
00:21:05.76\00:21:14.17
2022. >> Sharon
Dudgeon, November 23, 2022.
00:21:14.17\00:21:21.98
>> Cynthia Coetzee, December
2, 2022. >> Marilyn Babienco,
00:21:21.98\00:21:30.15
December 3, 2022. >> Rowena
Futcher, December 12, 2022.
00:21:30.15\00:21:39.03
>> Sharon Brophy Russell,
December 16, 2022. >> John
00:21:39.03\00:21:46.87
Randall, December 18, 2022. >>
Esther Goetzke, January 8, 2023.
00:21:46.87\00:21:56.71
>> Kenneth Straw, January 11,
2023. >> Naomie Prosper, January
00:21:56.71\00:22:05.55
13, 2023. >> Mary
Zappia, January 28, 2023.
00:22:05.55\00:22:13.86
>> Esther Melnechuk, January
30, 2023. >> Wolfhard Touchard,
00:22:13.86\00:22:21.44
February 5, 2023. >>
Floyd Ahlers, February 6, 2023.
00:22:21.44\00:22:30.18
>> Gerre St. Clair, February
21, 2023. >> Jim McKee, March 2,
00:22:30.18\00:22:41.26
2023. >> Sandra Camp, March 9,
2023. >> And John Henson, March
00:22:41.26\00:22:52.53
13, 2023. ¤¤ ¤¤ ¤¤
00:22:52.53\00:23:18.43
Let us stand to our feet and
sing our glorious confession of
00:23:18.43\00:23:22.33
faith. Christ the
Lord is risen today.
00:23:22.33\00:23:25.90
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00:23:26.10\00:23:43.55
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00:24:18.52\00:24:35.97
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00:24:53.42\00:25:10.94
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00:25:10.94\00:25:28.39
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00:25:28.39\00:25:45.84
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00:25:45.84\00:26:03.36
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00:26:03.36\00:26:20.81
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00:26:20.81\00:26:38.26
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00:26:55.71\00:27:13.23
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00:27:13.23\00:27:30.55
>> Oh, God, every time we stand
to our feet and we throw wide
our hearts and mouths in this
00:27:30.75\00:27:39.19
mighty resurrection confession,
it thrills us to the core.
00:27:39.19\00:27:49.13
Because it's true. We haven't
gathered to celebrate a myth. We
00:27:49.13\00:27:53.67
have not convened to celebrate a
rumor. The one who lives
eternally receives our worship
00:27:53.67\00:28:03.28
at this moment. Ours, the
cross, the grave, the skies.
00:28:03.28\00:28:09.18
Alleluia, in the mighty name of
Jesus Christ, our Lord, we cry
00:28:09.18\00:28:18.49
out to you. Amen.
00:28:18.49\00:28:20.43
Be seated, please.
00:28:20.63\00:28:22.16
Galatians 6:14 -- "May I never
boast except in the cross of our
00:28:34.24\00:28:40.82
Lord Jesus Christ, through which
the world has been crucified to
me, and I to the world."
00:28:40.82\00:28:45.15
1 Corinthians 2:2 -- "For I
resolved to know nothing while I
was with you except
00:28:45.15\00:28:49.82
Jesus Christ and Him crucified."
Why? Because the Maker of all
00:28:49.82\00:28:55.90
things loves and wants me.
That's why. It is high noon.
00:28:55.90\00:29:02.67
For three grueling,
exhausting hours now, He has
00:29:02.87\00:29:10.05
been hung up to dry, to die.
Somewhere between the brassy
00:29:10.05\00:29:17.62
heavens and the
brazen and profane Earth.
00:29:17.62\00:29:22.29
The butt of every sad fool's
ridicule, crude as it is. [
00:29:22.49\00:29:30.13
Spits ] Jesus of Nazareth, King
of the Jews, draped and dangling
00:29:30.13\00:29:36.54
from three Roman spikes. As
I say, hanged up to dry and to
00:29:36.54\00:29:45.31
die. It's noon. I want to pick
up the story right there with
00:29:45.31\00:29:50.29
you now. Open your Bible,
please, to Matthew -- the Gospel
of Matthew 27, the crucifixion
00:29:50.29\00:29:56.02
chapter. Drop down to verse
45. Read it in your own Bible.
00:29:56.02\00:30:06.57
"From noon until 3 in the
afternoon, darkness came over
00:30:06.57\00:30:18.61
all the land. And about 3 in the
afternoon, Jesus cried out in a
loud voice, 'Eli, Eli, lema
00:30:18.61\00:30:31.16
sabachthani?' Which means, 'My
God, my God, why have you
forsaken me?'" Hit the pause
00:30:31.16\00:30:42.47
button right there. Because
scientists in the UK just this
00:30:42.47\00:30:48.81
week made an incredible
discovery, and I have to pass it
on to you. They found what they
00:30:48.81\00:30:57.89
believe is going to turn out to
be one of the largest black
holes in this universe.
00:30:57.89\00:31:06.63
You say, "What's a black hole?"
The scientist types are
grinning, because they know the
00:31:06.63\00:31:12.27
answer. Us laymen look it up on
the Web. Here's what I found --
00:31:12.27\00:31:17.94
"Black holes are volumes of
space where gravity is extreme
enough to prevent the escape of
00:31:17.94\00:31:23.45
even the fastest moving
particles. Not even light can
break free, hence the name black
00:31:23.45\00:31:30.59
hole." What's left after a star
implodes upon itself? Sucks it
00:31:30.59\00:31:38.26
in. Get this -- listen to these
stats, news clip this week.
Chron.com -- I think that's
00:31:38.26\00:31:44.90
probably the
HoustonChronicle.com. News
00:31:44.90\00:31:49.27
release. "A group of astronomers
have just discovered a rare,
ultramassive black hole believed
00:31:49.27\00:31:55.48
to be one of the largest ever
detected to date." Keep reading.
00:31:55.48\00:32:01.95
"The gargantuan black hole,
which is said to have the mass
of 30 billion suns --"
00:32:01.95\00:32:09.52
That's our sun. 30 billion of
our suns are in that hole as a
00:32:09.52\00:32:18.33
mass. This black hole "is
located at the center of a
galaxy, hundreds of millions
00:32:18.33\00:32:23.94
of light-years from Earth. It
was uncovered by a team led by
00:32:23.94\00:32:27.78
Durham University in the United
Kingdom using a new technique
known as gravitational lensing."
00:32:27.78\00:32:32.55
Black holes. Black holes,
they're everywhere. I want to
00:32:32.55\00:32:40.32
shift and pivot on that black
hole metaphor, and for a few
moments with you, brood over
00:32:40.32\00:32:52.03
over how the second person of
the Godhead who created black
holes across the cosmos -- I'm
00:32:52.03\00:33:01.14
talking about Jesus. In the
beginning, there was the word
and the word was with God
00:33:01.14\00:33:05.48
and the word was with God. All
things were made through Him.
00:33:05.48\00:33:14.02
Without Him, nothing was made
that was made. I'm talking about
00:33:14.02\00:33:17.43
that Jesus, the word who became
flesh, the Jesus who dwelt among
us, hoisted halfway between
00:33:17.43\00:33:26.63
heaven and Earth on that awful
Good Friday. The creator of
00:33:26.63\00:33:35.61
black holes is about to be
sucked, pulled into the heart of
the most destructive black hole
00:33:35.61\00:33:47.59
ever and ever.
Amen. We just read it.
00:33:47.59\00:33:53.03
What's going on here? What were
those words again? "My God, My
00:33:53.03\00:33:59.43
God." Last night in Gethsemane,
as we reviewed last Sabbath,
last night, it was "Abba, Papa,
00:33:59.43\00:34:07.74
Papa, no, not the cup." "Abba,
Papa" last night. No, "Abba,
00:34:07.74\00:34:18.02
Papa" now. "My God, My God, you
have forsaken Me. Why?" It's not
00:34:18.02\00:34:28.10
a statement. "You have abandoned
Me. Why?" You know what? Jesus
00:34:28.10\00:34:36.97
knows exactly what's happening
now. That's why He was pleading
last night in Gethsemane,
00:34:36.97\00:34:42.28
"Get me out of here. I don't
want that cup. Take the cup.
00:34:42.28\00:34:47.35
Take it away. Find another
way." But -- How did He end the
00:34:47.35\00:34:54.36
prayer? "Not what I
want but you want." Yeah.
00:34:54.36\00:35:01.50
Apparently this is what He
wants. Oh, Jesus is no stranger
00:35:01.50\00:35:08.10
to this black hole. In fact,
it's interesting, in the
gospels, seven times --
00:35:08.10\00:35:12.41
count them seven times -- Jesus
will end a parable, a story, or
make an observation
00:35:12.41\00:35:20.05
with this awful ending, terrible
ending. I put it on the screen
00:35:20.05\00:35:25.12
for you. You can see how bad it
is. "...and they shall be thrown
outside," Jesus speaking,
00:35:25.12\00:35:30.66
red letters, "and they shall be
thrown outside into darkness,
where there will be weeping
00:35:30.66\00:35:37.40
and gnashing of teeth..." What's
He talking about? Whatever it
00:35:37.40\00:35:43.97
is, it is so terrible you don't
want to go there. That's His
00:35:43.97\00:35:48.08
point. Because that, my friends,
darkness, weeping, gnashing of
teeth is His code language for
00:35:48.08\00:35:55.52
Hell -- H-E-L-L, Hell. You don't
want to go there. You don't want
00:35:55.52\00:36:06.46
your story to end in darkness
with weeping and gnashing of
teeth. And what is hell?
00:36:06.46\00:36:15.37
Oh, we know Romans 6:23 well,
don't we, you and I? For the
wages of sin is death,
00:36:15.37\00:36:21.08
and the gift of God is
what? Eternal life through Jesus
00:36:21.08\00:36:26.85
Christ our Lord. So whatever the
wage is, it's the antithesis of
the gift. And the gift is
00:36:26.85\00:36:30.65
eternal. So guess what? The wage
is -- The wage is eternal death.
00:36:30.65\00:36:36.93
Black hole. Black hole. Gone.
00:36:36.93\00:36:44.07
Forever. That's
what's going on. Wow.
00:36:44.07\00:36:51.11
Adiós. Finis. Owari.
00:36:51.11\00:36:56.95
Au revoir. Forever and
ever, forever and ever.
00:36:56.95\00:37:03.95
Just let the Bible describe it
for you and me. Hebrews 2:9 --
00:37:03.95\00:37:09.96
"But we do see Jesus --" Yes, we
do. "Who was made lower than the
00:37:09.96\00:37:13.50
angels for a little while, now
crowned with glory and honor
because He suffered death on the
00:37:13.50\00:37:19.30
cross." Keep reading.
"So that by the grace of God,
00:37:19.30\00:37:22.90
He might taste death for
everyone." Let's be really clear
00:37:22.90\00:37:28.84
about this right now. Hell
is not eternal dying. Hell is
00:37:28.84\00:37:39.62
eternal death. If He descended
into hell as the old Protestant
confession of faith declares,
00:37:39.62\00:37:46.90
then He would still be dying
if Hell were dying. It's not at
00:37:46.90\00:37:52.17
all. It's death. Black hole,
oblivion sucked into the
ravaging pull of that from
00:37:52.17\00:38:02.68
which you will never escape.
Gone forever. He tasted that for
00:38:02.68\00:38:15.39
you and me. Unbelievable. Oh,
here's another one. 2
Corinthians 5:21 --
00:38:15.39\00:38:19.49
"God made Jesus who had no sin
to be sin for us, so that in Him
we might become the
00:38:19.49\00:38:27.64
righteousness of God."
Something's going on. Three
hours of funereal darkness
00:38:27.64\00:38:36.08
only pierced in the end
by a naked scream. My God.
00:38:36.08\00:38:42.48
And by the way, it wasn't a
whisper. It's not -- It's not a
00:38:42.48\00:38:47.12
cry, a whimper, mnh-mnh.
"Megaphone" in the Greek,
"megaphone" in English.
00:38:47.12\00:38:53.56
A loud voice. It's a scream,
a naked scream. At the end of
00:38:53.56\00:38:59.07
three torturous hours of utter
blackness. Black hole. Sucked in
00:38:59.07\00:39:09.91
by sin's gravity. Oblivion where
there is no escape, that's where
He went. God made Him to be sin
00:39:09.91\00:39:18.85
in order to save me from my sin.
I bow before it. I cannot
comprehend what I'm
00:39:18.85\00:39:26.59
talking of. Oh, and this is the
familiar words of the ancient
00:39:26.59\00:39:31.07
gospel prophet Isaiah, as well.
We know these words well. Isaiah
00:39:31.07\00:39:35.50
53 -- "Surely He, the Messiah,
took up our pain and bore our
suffering, yet we considered Him
00:39:35.50\00:39:41.21
punished by God, stricken by
Him, and afflicted." Black hole.
00:39:41.21\00:39:49.68
"But He was pierced for our
transgressions, He was crushed
for our iniquities.
00:39:49.68\00:39:55.22
The punishment that brought us
peace was on Him, and by His
wounds, we are healed."
00:39:55.22\00:40:00.96
Now, here it comes. "We all,
like sheep, have gone astray,
00:40:00.96\00:40:04.87
each of us has turned to our own
way," time and time and time
again. Between two Easters,
00:40:04.87\00:40:10.11
how many times have we turned
to our own way? You have and I
00:40:10.11\00:40:15.61
have. "Each of us has turned to
our own way." And here it comes.
00:40:15.61\00:40:18.85
"The Lord has laid on Him
--" The spotless Lamb of God who
00:40:18.85\00:40:25.79
takes away the sin of the world.
"He has laid on Him --" In that
00:40:25.79\00:40:32.49
awful blackness. What did
He lay on Him? What's it read?
00:40:32.69\00:40:35.53
The iniquity of how
many of us? All of us.
00:40:35.53\00:40:39.30
Your darling
sin, my darling sin.
00:40:39.30\00:40:41.67
Yep, there it was dealt with.
00:40:41.67\00:40:44.87
Wow. What's going on here?
00:40:48.51\00:40:53.62
The maker of all
things loves and wants me.
00:40:53.62\00:40:56.18
That's what's
going on. That's it.
00:40:56.18\00:41:00.22
He loved and wanted you so bad,
He loved and wanted me so bad,
00:41:00.22\00:41:05.59
He let sin suck Him into
the black hole of oblivion
00:41:05.59\00:41:10.40
from which no one escapes.
00:41:10.40\00:41:14.74
My, oh, my. Oh, my.
Listen to Mead McGuire in that
00:41:14.94\00:41:23.14
book of his, "His Cross
and Mine" -- "Probably the most
00:41:23.14\00:41:30.42
dreadful punishment men can
inflict is solitary confinement
00:41:30.42\00:41:35.69
in darkness. It often drives men
insane." Those of you that read
the autobiography of
00:41:35.69\00:41:45.70
John McCain remember the torture
he faced in what they called the
Hanoi Hilton there in
00:41:45.70\00:41:51.84
North Vietnam during the war.
Solitary confinement. No
sentient being comes
00:41:51.84\00:42:00.28
in communication and touch
with you. Dark, dark, alone.
00:42:00.28\00:42:11.19
McGuire is right. He goes
on -- "The consciousness of His
00:42:11.19\00:42:17.23
Father's presence, which had
sustained Jesus throughout His
life, had left Him.
00:42:17.23\00:42:20.97
He was drinking that dreadful
cup that He pleaded last night
00:42:20.97\00:42:25.24
not to drink." Please. "He was
drinking that dreadful cup over
which He had wrestled
00:42:25.24\00:42:29.24
so many hours in Gethsemane, but
which He had never named. But
now, with a sudden cry
00:42:29.24\00:42:36.25
of inexpressible woe, the words
burst from His lips, 'My God, My
00:42:36.25\00:42:42.19
God, why hast thou forsaken
me? He was grappling with the
00:42:42.19\00:42:46.03
overwhelming sense of
abandonment and despair. All the
pain and torture of the
00:42:46.03\00:42:49.56
crucifixion were as nothing to
the horror of spiritual
separation from God. In
00:42:49.56\00:42:55.57
descending into that outer
darkness, He was suffering not
only the sorrows of death, but
00:42:55.57\00:43:03.88
the pains of hell." Go to Hell.
Some poor soul cries out. And He
00:43:03.88\00:43:12.42
did. He went to hell for
you so you'll never go to hell.
00:43:12.42\00:43:17.86
Richard John Neuhaus, in his
stirring book, "Death on a
Friday Afternoon", puts it
00:43:21.73\00:43:27.84
this way, that naked scream --
"Something has been lost,
something has been withdrawn,
00:43:27.84\00:43:33.61
and it cannot be called back."
00:43:33.61\00:43:37.68
Hmm. Matthew Arnold, the poet,
in his poem, "Dover Beach",
00:43:40.32\00:43:48.22
captures a bit of that sense of
lostness. "The Sea of Faith was
00:43:48.22\00:43:57.37
once, too, at the full and round
Earth's shore. Lay like the
00:43:57.37\00:44:03.10
folds of a bright girdle furled.
But now I only hear its
melancholy, long, withdrawing
00:44:03.10\00:44:10.35
roar. Retreating to the breath.
Of the night wind, down the vast
00:44:10.35\00:44:14.88
edges drear. And naked
shingles of the world."
00:44:14.88\00:44:19.35
Did you catch that line? "Its
melancholy, long, withdrawing
00:44:19.35\00:44:28.23
roar." "My God, My God, why have
you forsaken me?" "Desire of
Ages" offers the last
00:44:28.23\00:44:37.44
word -- "Satan with
his fierce temptations --"
00:44:37.44\00:44:43.38
There on Calvary in that
funereal darkness. "Wrung the
00:44:43.38\00:44:49.42
heart of Jesus. The Savior could
not see through the portals of
the tomb. Hope did not present
00:44:49.42\00:44:54.69
to Him. His coming forth from
the grave a conqueror, or tell
Him of the Father's acceptance
00:44:54.69\00:44:59.03
of the sacrifice. He feared
that sin was so offensive to God
00:44:59.03\00:45:02.86
that Their --" Capital
"T". "Their separation was to be
00:45:02.86\00:45:07.20
eternal." Forever. Goodbye.
00:45:07.20\00:45:18.68
Finis.
00:45:18.68\00:45:20.22
Wow. "Desire of Ages" goes
on -- "But it was not the spear
00:45:24.55\00:45:28.59
thrust, it was not the pain of
the cross, that caused the death
00:45:28.59\00:45:33.19
of Jesus. That cry, uttered
'with a loud voice' at the
moment of death, the stream of
00:45:33.19\00:45:37.80
blood and water that flowed from
His side, declared that Jesus
died of a broken heart.
00:45:37.80\00:45:42.80
His heart was broken by mental
anguish. He was slain by the sin
00:45:42.80\00:45:50.21
of the world."
00:45:50.21\00:45:51.35
So whatever I laugh off cost Him
Hell. Whatever I dismiss with a
00:45:55.12\00:46:07.10
silly grin cost Him Hell.
00:46:07.10\00:46:12.60
He thought their separation was
to be eternal. He thought that
00:46:15.80\00:46:23.48
He would never return from this
black hole. And so He dies of a
broken heart for you, for me.
00:46:23.48\00:46:36.02
It cannot be, but it is. Oh, of
course, we've been singing with
00:46:36.02\00:46:46.53
all the gusto. We could ramp up
that mighty, triumphant
declaration, "Christ the Lord is
00:46:46.53\00:46:53.68
risen today." You're right.
Love rose on the first day, but
00:46:53.68\00:47:02.35
it was love with a broken heart
that will be broken forever and
00:47:02.35\00:47:11.06
ever. Yeah, some people come
to me and say, "Oh, Dwight, come
00:47:14.30\00:47:19.53
on, get real. He didn't really
die forever. That's impossible.
He knew He was coming out of
00:47:19.53\00:47:24.24
it." Oh, really? I end
with a story that I heard
00:47:24.24\00:47:32.45
sometime in childhood somewhere.
The story of a young boy who was
terribly sick, so sick, in fact,
00:47:32.45\00:47:40.69
that the doctors determined that
unless they could find a rare
but perfect match for the boy,
00:47:40.69\00:47:49.40
it was curtains. He would die.
They tested the whole family.
00:47:49.40\00:47:54.44
His little sister, you guessed
it -- rare but perfect match.
00:47:54.44\00:48:02.01
The doctors, grateful. The
parents look down into that
little girl's face, and they ask
00:48:02.01\00:48:09.68
if she'd be willing to give
her blood to save her brother's
00:48:09.68\00:48:17.19
life. She looked away for a
moment, ponderous written on her
00:48:17.19\00:48:27.37
face. Thought. The mother looks
back and into the downturn faces
-- faces that are waiting for an
00:48:27.37\00:48:32.67
answer. She nods her curls. She
will give her blood. The med
techs are ready to go.
00:48:32.67\00:48:40.52
In goes the needle into
her elbow. And soon that little
00:48:40.52\00:48:45.69
plastic bag began to fill with
her life-saving blood. It's not
a hurried procedure.
00:48:45.69\00:48:51.76
It takes time, but eventually
the procedure is through. And as
they're leading her
00:48:51.76\00:48:57.37
out of the room, she looks up at
her father, the tears in her
eyes and a quiver in her voice.
00:48:57.37\00:49:09.84
She said, "Daddy, Daddy, when
will I die now?" The father
smiled, looked down
00:49:09.84\00:49:21.39
at her. And then it hit
him like a bolt of lightning.
00:49:21.39\00:49:27.03
She had just gone through that
procedure believing that when
the procedure was through,
00:49:27.03\00:49:30.83
she would die. I ask
you a question. Academic but
00:49:30.83\00:49:38.67
essential. Did that little girl
die for her brother? Yes or no?
00:49:38.67\00:49:44.48
Yes or no? Tell
me yes or no. >> Yes.
00:49:44.48\00:49:48.45
>> She did right here. Did Jesus
die forever for that sin that I
00:49:48.45\00:49:59.16
wish to let go of, but struggle
to hold onto? Did He die forever
for that sin? Yes or no?
00:49:59.16\00:50:05.07
>> Yes. >> Yes, He
did, forever right here.
00:50:05.07\00:50:11.21
The black hole. Into that
black hole. That is the truth
00:50:18.15\00:50:25.82
of Good Friday, Holy Sabbath,
and Easter Sunday. Some of you
00:50:25.82\00:50:35.23
right now, I know, are standing
on the precipice of the black
hole of death. Death, period.
00:50:35.23\00:50:43.61
You know it's coming. And unless
there is a miracle, as Pastor
00:50:43.61\00:50:52.38
Jenifer described, death will
arrive. I want to say to you who
are pondering this gargantuan
00:50:52.38\00:51:03.36
black hole you have
never been to before.
00:51:03.36\00:51:07.66
I want to say to you that
the glad tidings of Easter
00:51:07.86\00:51:15.04
are proof -- Jesus,
if He had not come out of
00:51:15.04\00:51:22.38
that grave, would not have
accomplished what He set out to
00:51:22.38\00:51:27.35
do. In my humble opinion,
00:51:27.35\00:51:32.52
the resurrection of Christ
is the existential evidence
00:51:32.52\00:51:35.99
we need to prove He went
into the black hole and emerged
00:51:35.99\00:51:45.40
for you and me forever.
00:51:45.40\00:51:47.94
And today, in that ravaging
black hole, that the enemy
00:51:53.21\00:51:58.71
would make certain
devours the entire human race.
00:51:58.71\00:52:03.12
Hey, listen, listen,
listen, before you leave.
00:52:03.12\00:52:05.42
In the heart of that black hole
of oblivion today because of
00:52:05.42\00:52:10.76
Calvary, there flows a white
stream of light through the
00:52:10.76\00:52:16.10
heart of that black hole.
00:52:16.10\00:52:18.97
A white stream of light that
declares, "Because I live, you
00:52:19.17\00:52:26.14
shall live also. I promise you,
you will live again. I promise
00:52:26.14\00:52:34.35
you." Why? Because the Maker of
all things loves and wants me,
00:52:34.35\00:52:39.59
that's why. In my humble
opinion, this is the greatest
truth in the universe.
00:52:39.59\00:52:47.86
Which is why Romans 8 ends the
way it does. I want us to read
00:52:47.86\00:52:53.17
these words out loud together.
Romans 8, that will declare to
00:52:53.17\00:53:00.81
us this truth. It will declare
to us this truth -- "He was
willing to die forever
00:53:00.81\00:53:07.72
so that I -- we might live
forever." I don't understand it,
00:53:07.72\00:53:15.12
my friend. I do not comprehend
it. He was willing to die
00:53:15.12\00:53:19.73
forever so that I might live
forever. That's the very point
at the pinnacle of Scripture,
00:53:19.73\00:53:27.84
is Romans 8:38-39. Let's read
these out loud together, as well
00:53:27.84\00:53:33.04
-- "For I am convinced that
neither death nor life, neither
angels nor demons, neither the
00:53:33.04\00:53:43.28
present nor the future, nor any
powers, neither height nor
depth, nor anything else in all
00:53:43.28\00:53:51.16
creation, will be able to
separate us from the love of God
that is in Christ Jesus our
00:53:51.16\00:53:59.27
Lord." And all the
people of God said what?
00:53:59.27\00:54:03.24
>> Amen. >> Amen. And amen.
00:54:03.24\00:54:07.24
A blessed Easter to you.
00:54:07.24\00:54:08.91
¤¤ >> We've been really blessed
00:54:12.75\00:56:49.60
by the financial support
that comes from our viewers.
00:56:49.60\00:56:52.51
And we made a conscious
decision, and you know this is
00:56:52.51\00:56:54.64
true, not to continually
appeal to you for that support.
00:56:54.64\00:56:58.15
But the fact is, as everyone in
the industry will tell you, we
need to be making constant
00:56:58.35\00:57:02.82
upgrades to our technology.
While I'll be leaving Pioneer
soon, I'm confident
00:57:02.82\00:57:07.49
that God has a plan to continue
growing the media ministry here
with the new leader.
00:57:07.49\00:57:12.69
The new lead pastor will
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00:57:12.69\00:57:17.70
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00:57:28.14\00:57:30.65
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Again, that number
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00:57:40.19\00:57:42.66
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00:57:42.66\00:57:46.26
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