¤
00:00:02.76\00:00:09.60
>> Bring joy. Give thanks.
00:00:15.78\00:00:18.38
We feast today on hymns of joy
00:00:18.48\00:00:21.28
and thanksgiving.
00:00:21.38\00:00:23.52
Stand with me as we read
00:00:23.62\00:00:26.45
the following together.
00:00:26.55\00:00:28.09
[ Organ playing, trumpet plays ]
00:01:15.94\00:01:19.21
¤
00:01:19.31\00:01:24.11
¤
00:01:24.21\00:01:30.79
¤
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¤
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¤
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[ Congregation sings ]
00:01:48.00\00:01:50.01
>> Words of joy today
00:04:50.32\00:04:52.05
are taken from Psalm 98.
00:04:52.15\00:04:55.96
"O' sing to the Lord a new song,
00:04:56.06\00:04:58.59
for He has done marvelous
00:04:58.69\00:05:00.10
things.
00:05:00.20\00:05:01.96
His right hand and His holy arm
00:05:02.06\00:05:04.33
have gained Him the victory.
00:05:04.43\00:05:06.94
The Lord has made known
00:05:07.04\00:05:08.04
His salvation.
00:05:08.14\00:05:09.87
His righteousness
00:05:09.97\00:05:11.04
He has revealed
00:05:11.14\00:05:12.41
in the sight of the nations.
00:05:12.51\00:05:15.08
He has remembered His mercy
00:05:15.18\00:05:17.31
and His faithfulness
00:05:17.41\00:05:18.51
to the house of Israel.
00:05:18.61\00:05:21.42
All the ends of the Earth
00:05:21.52\00:05:22.62
have seen the salvation
00:05:22.72\00:05:23.82
of our God.
00:05:23.92\00:05:25.85
Shout joyfully to the Lord
00:05:25.95\00:05:27.82
all the Earth.
00:05:27.92\00:05:29.32
Break forth in song.
00:05:29.42\00:05:31.33
Rejoice and sing praises.
00:05:31.43\00:05:34.30
Sing to the Lord with a harp,
00:05:34.40\00:05:36.56
with a harp and the sound
00:05:36.67\00:05:38.07
of the psalm,
00:05:38.17\00:05:39.63
with trumpets
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and the sound of a horn.
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Shout joyfully to the Lord,
00:05:43.54\00:05:45.34
the King.
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This is God's Word.
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May we be touched
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by God's abundant joy today."
00:05:50.81\00:05:53.42
[ Organ playing ]
00:06:04.03\00:06:06.19
¤
00:06:06.29\00:06:10.80
¤
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>> ¤ Angels on high,
00:06:15.80\00:06:17.34
now praise the Creator ¤
00:06:17.44\00:06:19.71
¤ Heavenly hosts,
00:06:19.81\00:06:21.11
bring praise to God ¤
00:06:21.21\00:06:24.71
¤ Radiant sunshine,
00:06:24.81\00:06:26.68
beautiful starlight ¤
00:06:26.78\00:06:28.52
¤ All in the sky,
00:06:28.62\00:06:29.75
bring praise to God ¤
00:06:29.85\00:06:34.82
¤ All in the heavens,
00:06:34.92\00:06:37.09
all on the Earth,
00:06:37.19\00:06:38.66
all honor His name ¤
00:06:38.76\00:06:43.70
¤ All of creation,
00:06:43.80\00:06:45.93
now and forever honor His name ¤
00:06:46.03\00:06:50.21
¤ All praise His name
00:06:50.31\00:06:57.08
¤
00:06:57.18\00:07:02.45
¤ Rivers and oceans,
00:07:02.55\00:07:04.62
mountains and valleys ¤
00:07:04.72\00:07:06.52
¤ All on the Earth,
00:07:06.62\00:07:07.79
bring praise to God ¤
00:07:07.89\00:07:11.46
¤ Women and children,
00:07:11.56\00:07:13.50
men of all nations ¤
00:07:13.60\00:07:15.46
¤ All He has made,
00:07:15.56\00:07:16.63
bring praise to God ¤
00:07:16.73\00:07:21.70
¤ All in the heavens,
00:07:21.80\00:07:24.17
all on the Earth,
00:07:24.27\00:07:25.74
all honor His name ¤
00:07:25.84\00:07:30.88
¤ All of creation,
00:07:30.98\00:07:33.08
now and forever honor His name ¤
00:07:33.18\00:07:37.32
¤ All praise His name
00:07:37.42\00:07:43.89
¤
00:07:43.99\00:07:50.27
¤ Praise the Lord of all
00:07:50.37\00:07:56.87
¤ Praise the Lord of all
00:07:56.97\00:08:02.04
¤
00:08:02.14\00:08:06.68
¤
00:08:06.78\00:08:11.55
¤ By His command,
00:08:11.65\00:08:13.15
all things were created ¤
00:08:13.25\00:08:15.46
¤ Heaven and Earth,
00:08:15.56\00:08:16.79
bring praise to God ¤
00:08:16.89\00:08:20.26
¤ All in the heavens,
00:08:22.46\00:08:23.73
bring praise ¤
00:08:23.83\00:08:26.33
¤ All on the Earth,
00:08:26.43\00:08:27.70
bring praise ¤
00:08:27.80\00:08:30.47
¤ All He has made,
00:08:30.57\00:08:31.71
bring praise
00:08:31.81\00:08:36.81
to God ¤
00:08:36.91\00:08:41.98
¤
00:08:42.08\00:08:46.86
>> ¤ Praise
00:08:46.96\00:08:47.86
>> ¤ Praise
00:08:47.96\00:08:48.86
>> ¤ Praise
00:08:48.96\00:08:49.86
>> ¤ To God
00:08:49.96\00:08:54.76
[ Organ playing ]
00:09:01.00\00:09:03.00
¤
00:09:03.10\00:09:10.38
¤
00:09:10.48\00:09:18.05
[ Congregation sings ]
00:09:18.15\00:09:19.69
¤
00:10:30.13\00:10:36.67
¤
00:10:36.77\00:10:43.34
¤
00:10:43.44\00:10:49.54
[ Piano playing ]
00:11:37.29\00:11:39.49
¤
00:11:39.59\00:11:44.47
¤
00:11:44.57\00:11:49.47
¤
00:11:49.57\00:11:54.48
¤
00:11:54.58\00:12:00.85
>> ¤ When I gaze
00:12:00.95\00:12:05.69
into the night sky ¤
00:12:05.79\00:12:10.99
¤ And see the work
00:12:11.09\00:12:13.83
of Your fingers ¤
00:12:13.93\00:12:20.87
¤ The moon and stars
00:12:20.97\00:12:25.41
suspended in space ¤
00:12:25.51\00:12:31.78
>> ¤ Oh, what is man?
00:12:31.88\00:12:34.78
>> ¤ Oh, what is man?
00:12:34.88\00:12:38.05
>> ¤ That You are mindful
00:12:38.15\00:12:41.39
of him? ¤
00:12:41.49\00:12:47.40
¤ You have given man
00:12:47.50\00:12:50.30
a crown of glory and honor ¤
00:12:50.40\00:12:58.27
¤ And have made him
00:12:58.37\00:13:01.08
a little lower than the angels ¤
00:13:01.18\00:13:09.85
¤ You have put him in charge
00:13:09.95\00:13:12.89
of all creation ¤
00:13:12.99\00:13:17.29
>> ¤ The beasts of the field
00:13:17.39\00:13:20.96
>> ¤ The birds of the air
00:13:21.03\00:13:24.90
>> ¤ The fish of the sea
00:13:25.00\00:13:30.67
>> ¤ But what is man?
00:13:30.77\00:13:34.44
>> ¤ But what is man?
00:13:34.54\00:13:38.35
>> ¤ Oh, what is man
00:13:38.45\00:13:42.35
that You are mindful of him? ¤
00:13:42.45\00:13:51.56
¤
00:13:51.66\00:13:53.36
¤ O Lord, our God
00:13:53.46\00:13:58.77
¤ The majesty and glory
00:13:58.87\00:14:04.81
of Your name ¤
00:14:04.91\00:14:12.75
¤ Transcends the Earth
00:14:12.85\00:14:17.95
and fills the heavens ¤
00:14:18.05\00:14:25.16
¤ O Lord, our God
00:14:25.26\00:14:30.60
¤ Little children praise You
00:14:30.70\00:14:34.57
perfectly ¤
00:14:34.67\00:14:39.27
¤ And so would we
00:14:39.37\00:14:44.35
¤ And so would we
00:14:44.45\00:14:54.26
¤ Hallelujah
00:14:54.36\00:15:01.30
¤ Hallelujah
00:15:01.40\00:15:08.50
¤ The majesty
00:15:08.60\00:15:12.11
and glory of Your name ¤
00:15:12.21\00:15:20.35
¤ Hallelujah
00:15:20.45\00:15:26.79
¤ Hallelujah
00:15:26.89\00:15:33.86
¤ The majesty
00:15:33.96\00:15:37.37
and glory of Your name ¤
00:15:37.47\00:15:44.84
¤ Hallelujah
00:15:44.94\00:15:51.35
¤ Hallelujah
00:15:51.45\00:15:57.12
¤ Hallelujah
00:15:57.22\00:16:02.79
¤ Hallelujah
00:16:02.89\00:16:12.57
¤
00:16:12.67\00:16:18.01
¤ Hallelujah
00:16:18.11\00:16:26.18
¤ Hallelujah
00:16:26.28\00:16:34.02
>> ¤ Hallelujah
00:16:34.12\00:16:42.50
>> ¤ Hallelujah
00:16:42.60\00:16:52.24
¤
00:16:52.34\00:16:58.08
>> Amen.
00:16:58.18\00:16:59.65
>> Amen.
00:16:59.75\00:17:01.62
[ Applause ]
00:17:01.72\00:17:03.92
>> In the middle years
00:17:10.09\00:17:11.36
of World War II,
00:17:11.46\00:17:14.36
on a dark night over
00:17:14.46\00:17:17.10
the European theater of war,
00:17:17.20\00:17:20.87
a formation of B-17 bombers
00:17:20.97\00:17:22.87
was making its way
00:17:22.97\00:17:24.11
to its target.
00:17:24.21\00:17:28.01
Bombing at night was considered
00:17:28.11\00:17:29.84
to be safer, if anything in war
00:17:29.94\00:17:32.75
can be considered safe at all.
00:17:32.85\00:17:35.58
Then day bombing was, perhaps
00:17:35.68\00:17:37.19
for obvious reasons.
00:17:37.29\00:17:38.45
Slow, lumbering B-17 bombers,
00:17:38.55\00:17:40.79
at least slow relative
00:17:40.89\00:17:42.09
to the fighter planes
00:17:42.19\00:17:43.59
that the Nazis used at the time,
00:17:43.69\00:17:45.19
didn't seem
00:17:45.29\00:17:46.66
like a very good idea.
00:17:46.76\00:17:48.40
And, indeed, it was a fairly
00:17:48.50\00:17:49.36
short-lived experiment.
00:17:49.46\00:17:50.47
They moved to night bombing
00:17:50.57\00:17:51.90
in the hopes that they would be
00:17:52.00\00:17:52.67
able to improve
00:17:52.77\00:17:54.24
their effectiveness.
00:17:54.34\00:17:56.50
On one of the B-17s,
00:17:56.60\00:17:58.44
there was a young crew member
00:17:58.54\00:18:00.64
somewhat comforted
00:18:00.74\00:18:02.21
by being at night on this run,
00:18:02.31\00:18:05.38
but nervous nonetheless.
00:18:05.48\00:18:07.95
As they approached their target,
00:18:08.05\00:18:09.75
descending, perhaps,
00:18:09.85\00:18:10.95
through 4,000 feet or so,
00:18:11.05\00:18:14.99
the last thing a B-17 crew wants
00:18:15.09\00:18:18.83
to see was very clearly seen.
00:18:18.93\00:18:22.10
The cockpit was lit up,
00:18:22.20\00:18:24.53
and then the wings were lit up,
00:18:24.63\00:18:25.90
not from within the plane
00:18:26.00\00:18:27.30
but from without.
00:18:27.40\00:18:29.37
Apparently, the Nazis
00:18:29.47\00:18:30.91
had determined ahead of time
00:18:31.01\00:18:32.57
that this just might be
00:18:32.67\00:18:33.78
an approach path
00:18:33.88\00:18:35.41
for this particular target.
00:18:35.51\00:18:36.51
And they had spotlights,
00:18:36.61\00:18:37.65
powerful spotlights,
00:18:37.75\00:18:39.18
that were set up right next
00:18:39.28\00:18:41.15
to very substantial artillery.
00:18:41.25\00:18:44.59
And no sooner had those B-17s
00:18:44.69\00:18:46.82
been lit up,
00:18:46.92\00:18:48.49
then the artillery lit up.
00:18:48.59\00:18:51.73
And the B-17 formation
00:18:51.83\00:18:53.60
began to take on heavy damage.
00:18:53.70\00:18:55.93
Now, those of you that know
00:18:56.03\00:18:57.03
your World War II history,
00:18:57.13\00:18:58.07
you know that the B-17
00:18:58.17\00:18:59.53
was very well-respected
00:18:59.63\00:19:01.07
by pilots and crew alike,
00:19:01.17\00:19:02.64
because the B-17 had the ability
00:19:02.74\00:19:05.01
to absorb immense destruction.
00:19:05.11\00:19:07.18
I mean, you could shoot it
00:19:07.28\00:19:08.24
full of holes, sometimes even
00:19:08.34\00:19:09.14
taking off entire panels
00:19:09.24\00:19:10.71
or a tail, and it would still
00:19:10.81\00:19:12.21
get its crew safely home.
00:19:12.31\00:19:16.02
But even a B-17 has its limits.
00:19:16.12\00:19:19.62
And on one of the B-17s,
00:19:19.72\00:19:21.49
this crew was terrified now
00:19:21.59\00:19:24.09
at the prospect of what
00:19:24.19\00:19:24.96
was developing.
00:19:25.06\00:19:25.86
The plane had fires
00:19:25.96\00:19:26.86
that were beginning.
00:19:26.96\00:19:28.03
One of the fuel tanks exploded.
00:19:28.13\00:19:29.50
And it was very clear that
00:19:29.60\00:19:30.73
this plane was not going
00:19:30.83\00:19:32.37
to make it back home.
00:19:32.47\00:19:34.97
The command came from the flight
00:19:35.07\00:19:36.64
deck to abandoned ship --
00:19:36.74\00:19:37.97
"Bail out! Get your chute.
00:19:38.07\00:19:38.81
Let's leave."
00:19:38.91\00:19:40.04
Immediately
00:19:40.14\00:19:41.68
the crew sprang into action.
00:19:41.78\00:19:43.65
One by one, they grabbed
00:19:43.75\00:19:45.15
their chutes, jumped out
00:19:45.25\00:19:47.02
the side of the stricken plane.
00:19:47.12\00:19:49.22
But when it came
00:19:49.32\00:19:50.55
to the last crew member,
00:19:50.65\00:19:53.92
he went to reach for his chute,
00:19:54.02\00:19:57.76
and there wasn't one.
00:19:57.86\00:20:01.23
Now, in the chaos of war,
00:20:01.33\00:20:03.57
who knew what had happened?
00:20:03.67\00:20:04.80
Perhaps it had been blown out
00:20:04.90\00:20:06.23
somehow by one of the shells
00:20:06.33\00:20:07.44
that had struck the planes.
00:20:07.54\00:20:08.44
Maybe somebody had forgotten
00:20:08.54\00:20:09.64
to stock the B-17
00:20:09.74\00:20:11.17
for the number of crew that were
00:20:11.27\00:20:12.11
actually going to be on it.
00:20:12.21\00:20:13.88
But at that particular moment,
00:20:13.98\00:20:15.28
whatever the case was,
00:20:15.38\00:20:16.44
there was no chute.
00:20:16.54\00:20:17.98
And this young man had to make
00:20:18.08\00:20:19.31
a decision.
00:20:19.41\00:20:21.88
Would he ride the plane
00:20:21.98\00:20:24.12
down to the ground
00:20:24.22\00:20:26.35
and hope that it would crash
00:20:26.45\00:20:27.46
in such a way
00:20:27.56\00:20:28.59
that he would survive?
00:20:28.69\00:20:30.96
And then would he survive,
00:20:31.06\00:20:32.36
doing the calculus in his brain,
00:20:32.46\00:20:33.86
the onslaught of the enemy that
00:20:33.96\00:20:35.30
would undoubtedly be tracking
00:20:35.40\00:20:36.40
his plane to the ground?
00:20:36.50\00:20:38.07
Or option B --
00:20:38.17\00:20:40.44
Should he jump
00:20:40.54\00:20:42.60
out of the side of the plane
00:20:42.70\00:20:43.84
into the dark night
00:20:43.94\00:20:47.44
without a parachute?
00:20:47.54\00:20:51.95
And in what probably seemed
00:20:52.05\00:20:53.11
like an eternity
00:20:53.21\00:20:54.25
but really only took
00:20:54.35\00:20:55.38
a few fractions of a second,
00:20:55.48\00:20:57.49
he chose option B.
00:20:57.59\00:21:00.16
And he went to the door,
00:21:00.26\00:21:01.82
and he jumped out
00:21:01.92\00:21:03.19
into the darkness.
00:21:03.29\00:21:04.76
The story doesn't tell us
00:21:08.23\00:21:09.50
what he thought on the way down.
00:21:09.60\00:21:11.50
We can only speculate. You know,
00:21:11.60\00:21:13.44
many people that have been faced
00:21:13.54\00:21:14.54
with life-threatening situations
00:21:14.64\00:21:15.67
like that, their life
00:21:15.77\00:21:16.97
flashes before their eyes.
00:21:17.07\00:21:18.47
If you've ever had one of those,
00:21:18.57\00:21:19.71
you know this can actually
00:21:19.81\00:21:20.41
happen.
00:21:20.51\00:21:21.78
Maybe family and friends from
00:21:21.88\00:21:23.18
back home, things in the past,
00:21:23.28\00:21:24.61
the good times, et cetera,
00:21:24.71\00:21:25.71
the things that he would now
00:21:25.81\00:21:26.92
not be able to do in the future.
00:21:27.02\00:21:28.28
Perhaps all of that
00:21:28.38\00:21:29.68
was passing through his mind.
00:21:29.78\00:21:31.05
We don't know.
00:21:31.15\00:21:32.52
But we do know this.
00:21:32.62\00:21:35.06
After just a few seconds,
00:21:35.16\00:21:39.86
he ran into something.
00:21:39.96\00:21:42.63
Now, it wasn't a very hard hit.
00:21:42.73\00:21:46.07
But instinct took over,
00:21:46.17\00:21:47.57
and whatever it was,
00:21:47.67\00:21:49.27
he wrapped his arms around it.
00:21:49.37\00:21:52.77
And to his great surprise,
00:21:52.87\00:21:54.38
whatever it was
00:21:54.48\00:21:56.21
wrapped its arms around him.
00:21:56.31\00:22:00.45
And a moment later,
00:22:00.55\00:22:02.42
there came this hard tug,
00:22:02.52\00:22:04.15
not downward or sideways
00:22:04.25\00:22:05.92
but blessedly upward,
00:22:06.02\00:22:08.02
and the sound of an unfurling
00:22:08.12\00:22:09.72
parachute hit his ears.
00:22:09.82\00:22:12.39
You see, what had happened
00:22:12.49\00:22:13.96
was this --
00:22:14.03\00:22:15.80
the crewman before him
00:22:15.90\00:22:17.23
that jumped out with a parachute
00:22:17.33\00:22:19.17
knew that he should not
00:22:19.27\00:22:21.24
pull his parachute right away,
00:22:21.34\00:22:22.60
even though, by this time,
00:22:22.70\00:22:23.71
they're only 3,000 or 4,000 feet
00:22:23.81\00:22:24.64
above the ground.
00:22:24.74\00:22:25.67
Because if the chute
00:22:25.77\00:22:26.88
had been popped immediately,
00:22:26.98\00:22:28.04
the spotlights would have
00:22:28.14\00:22:28.74
seen it.
00:22:28.84\00:22:30.31
And as had happened
00:22:30.41\00:22:31.61
to many a soldier
00:22:31.71\00:22:33.05
parachuting down to the ground,
00:22:33.15\00:22:34.55
he would probably have been hit
00:22:34.65\00:22:35.92
either by artillery
00:22:36.02\00:22:37.19
or by enemy planes that could
00:22:37.29\00:22:38.55
now see him very, very clearly.
00:22:38.65\00:22:40.72
And so, that second-to-last
00:22:40.82\00:22:42.26
crewman had waited
00:22:42.36\00:22:43.69
and free-falled just as long
00:22:43.79\00:22:44.83
as he possibly could
00:22:44.93\00:22:46.26
and then had pulled his chute,
00:22:46.36\00:22:47.66
and it was just enough time
00:22:47.76\00:22:49.53
for the last crewman
00:22:49.63\00:22:51.70
to fall through the darkness
00:22:51.80\00:22:53.07
far enough that they met.
00:22:53.17\00:22:55.97
And the parachute carried them
00:22:56.07\00:22:57.84
safely to the ground.
00:22:57.94\00:23:01.64
Eventually they made it safely
00:23:01.74\00:23:03.18
out of enemy territory,
00:23:03.28\00:23:05.75
and I cannot help but think
00:23:05.85\00:23:08.88
that whenever it was that the
00:23:08.98\00:23:11.49
first Thanksgiving that crewman
00:23:11.59\00:23:14.46
was able to celebrate
00:23:14.56\00:23:15.69
with his family and friends --
00:23:15.79\00:23:16.76
perhaps it was after the war,
00:23:16.86\00:23:17.66
maybe he was sent home,
00:23:17.76\00:23:18.53
we don't know --
00:23:18.63\00:23:19.93
but I can't help but think
00:23:20.03\00:23:21.26
that at that first Thanksgiving,
00:23:21.36\00:23:24.53
if there was anyone in the room
00:23:24.63\00:23:27.40
who deserved to feel grateful,
00:23:27.50\00:23:29.80
it was that young man.
00:23:29.90\00:23:31.37
And that's how it's supposed
00:23:36.54\00:23:37.68
to work, isn't it?
00:23:37.78\00:23:40.18
I mean, isn't that how gratitude
00:23:40.28\00:23:41.82
functions?
00:23:41.92\00:23:44.25
Something good happens to us.
00:23:44.35\00:23:47.62
Maybe somebody sends you a nice
00:23:47.72\00:23:49.49
gift that you weren't expecting.
00:23:49.59\00:23:50.56
"Oh, thank you. Thank you
00:23:50.66\00:23:51.56
for giving that to me."
00:23:51.66\00:23:53.03
Maybe you have been driving here
00:23:53.13\00:23:54.56
on a Friday afternoon
00:23:54.66\00:23:56.70
in the greater Berrien Springs
00:23:56.80\00:23:58.07
metropolitan area
00:23:58.17\00:23:59.50
and you have met
00:23:59.60\00:24:00.74
with the horrific traffic
00:24:00.84\00:24:01.74
that sometimes is there.
00:24:01.84\00:24:02.80
And maybe somebody held back
00:24:02.90\00:24:04.17
just a little so that you could
00:24:04.27\00:24:06.21
get into line on the road.
00:24:06.31\00:24:08.04
"Thank you. Thank you,"
00:24:08.14\00:24:09.04
you'd wave.
00:24:09.14\00:24:11.45
Whatever it is, we experience
00:24:11.55\00:24:14.05
positive results, something
00:24:14.15\00:24:15.38
someone has done for us,
00:24:15.48\00:24:17.09
or perhaps we experience
00:24:17.19\00:24:18.22
less negative results
00:24:18.32\00:24:19.62
than we had expected, and
00:24:19.72\00:24:20.99
we are consequently grateful,
00:24:21.09\00:24:23.36
usually without even thinking
00:24:23.46\00:24:25.39
about it.
00:24:25.49\00:24:27.66
And so, the gratitude
00:24:27.76\00:24:29.30
computation is clear.
00:24:29.40\00:24:31.07
Good stuff first.
00:24:31.17\00:24:33.67
Gratitude second.
00:24:33.77\00:24:38.04
That's how the Thanksgiving math
00:24:38.14\00:24:39.44
is supposed to work, isn't it?
00:24:39.54\00:24:42.58
In fact, if it doesn't work
00:24:42.68\00:24:43.95
that way, we tend to get
00:24:44.05\00:24:46.31
a little perturbed, don't we?
00:24:46.41\00:24:48.82
You know, even Jesus experienced
00:24:48.92\00:24:49.78
this a little bit.
00:24:49.88\00:24:50.99
We're not going to look there
00:24:51.09\00:24:51.95
right now, but if we were to
00:24:52.05\00:24:52.75
take the time and look in
00:24:52.85\00:24:53.86
Luke 17, we would find the story
00:24:53.96\00:24:55.59
of 10 lepers.
00:24:55.69\00:24:57.36
They call from afar off, "Jesus,
00:24:57.46\00:24:58.86
you know, have mercy on us."
00:24:58.96\00:25:00.46
Jesus says, "Go show yourselves
00:25:00.56\00:25:01.20
to the priest."
00:25:01.30\00:25:02.43
And on the way, all 10 of them
00:25:02.53\00:25:04.13
are healed.
00:25:04.23\00:25:06.13
But only one comes back to say
00:25:06.23\00:25:07.34
thank you.
00:25:07.44\00:25:09.04
And even Jesus says,
00:25:09.14\00:25:11.31
"Wait a second,
00:25:11.41\00:25:12.47
we're not all 10 healed?
00:25:12.57\00:25:14.18
But there's only one."
00:25:14.28\00:25:16.14
Huh.
00:25:16.24\00:25:19.51
And certainly, being grateful
00:25:19.61\00:25:21.58
after marvelous or even merely
00:25:21.68\00:25:23.89
good things have happened to us
00:25:23.99\00:25:25.52
is a very good practice
00:25:25.62\00:25:28.09
for all people.
00:25:28.19\00:25:30.39
And we should cultivate it well.
00:25:30.49\00:25:32.36
And -- And...
00:25:35.56\00:25:39.63
I can't help but wonder if there
00:25:39.73\00:25:41.84
is not an even better formula,
00:25:41.94\00:25:46.07
a better way to be grateful,
00:25:46.17\00:25:48.04
a better way to express
00:25:48.14\00:25:49.38
our thanks, one that
00:25:49.48\00:25:50.85
can fit us that much more
00:25:50.95\00:25:52.98
for God's Kingdom.
00:25:53.08\00:25:56.32
A single text for you
00:25:56.42\00:25:57.39
this morning.
00:25:57.49\00:25:58.45
Job 1:13, please.
00:25:58.55\00:26:00.56
Job 1:13.
00:26:00.66\00:26:02.12
It's page 346 in most of the
00:26:02.22\00:26:04.56
pew Bibles that are here in the
00:26:04.66\00:26:05.46
sanctuary today.
00:26:05.56\00:26:06.36
Page 346.
00:26:06.46\00:26:07.86
Job chapter 1,
00:26:07.96\00:26:09.90
beginning with verse 13.
00:26:10.00\00:26:11.47
Now, a little background here
00:26:11.57\00:26:12.33
to the story.
00:26:12.43\00:26:14.10
Most scholars will agree
00:26:14.20\00:26:15.44
that Job is probably
00:26:15.54\00:26:16.84
the oldest book
00:26:16.94\00:26:18.37
in the Old Testament,
00:26:18.47\00:26:19.74
possibly written by Moses.
00:26:19.84\00:26:20.98
Regardless of
00:26:21.08\00:26:22.08
who the author was,
00:26:22.18\00:26:23.21
it undoubtedly deals with some
00:26:23.31\00:26:25.28
of the most profound issues
00:26:25.38\00:26:27.22
that face humanity.
00:26:27.32\00:26:28.42
I mean, you can read the
00:26:28.52\00:26:29.75
Book of Job over and over again,
00:26:29.85\00:26:31.32
and you will still be plumbing
00:26:31.42\00:26:32.59
new depths here, so powerful is
00:26:32.69\00:26:33.72
the inspiration of God
00:26:33.82\00:26:34.72
in His Word.
00:26:34.82\00:26:36.56
Now, the story to this point,
00:26:36.66\00:26:37.83
we're going to join in verse 13.
00:26:37.93\00:26:38.93
If we were to read before that,
00:26:39.03\00:26:40.03
we would find that God
00:26:40.13\00:26:41.60
and Satan have been talking,
00:26:41.70\00:26:43.33
and Satan has a complaint.
00:26:43.43\00:26:44.83
There's this guy named job
00:26:44.93\00:26:46.20
who follows God faithfully,
00:26:46.30\00:26:47.67
but Satan says, "The only reason
00:26:47.77\00:26:49.47
that he follows You faithfully
00:26:49.57\00:26:50.81
is because You give him
00:26:50.91\00:26:51.84
good stuff."
00:26:51.94\00:26:53.04
And God and he have
00:26:53.14\00:26:53.98
a conversation.
00:26:54.08\00:26:55.18
There's a series of events
00:26:55.28\00:26:55.94
take place.
00:26:56.04\00:26:57.05
The devil is not making the
00:26:57.15\00:26:57.85
headway with Job
00:26:57.95\00:26:58.78
that he wanted to.
00:26:58.88\00:26:59.91
And so, he said, "Okay, God,
00:27:00.08\00:27:01.88
You've got to give me
00:27:01.98\00:27:03.28
free rein in Job's life."
00:27:03.39\00:27:05.75
And God says, "Okay.
00:27:05.85\00:27:08.36
But you can't kill him.
00:27:08.46\00:27:10.33
Anything else, have at."
00:27:10.43\00:27:13.29
And the devil is absolutely
00:27:13.40\00:27:15.30
certain that, given the right
00:27:15.40\00:27:16.83
time and circumstances,
00:27:16.93\00:27:18.33
Job will curse God.
00:27:18.43\00:27:21.74
And that's where we join
00:27:21.84\00:27:22.67
the story.
00:27:22.77\00:27:23.67
Job 1:13.
00:27:23.77\00:27:26.21
"Now, there was a day
00:27:26.31\00:27:27.28
when his," meaning
00:27:27.38\00:27:28.41
Job's sons and daughters,
00:27:28.51\00:27:30.05
"were eating and drinking wine
00:27:30.15\00:27:31.51
in their oldest brother's house.
00:27:31.61\00:27:33.58
And a messenger came to Job
00:27:33.68\00:27:35.48
and said, 'The oxen were plowing
00:27:35.58\00:27:37.19
and the donkeys
00:27:37.29\00:27:38.25
feeding beside them
00:27:38.35\00:27:39.52
when the Sabeans raided them
00:27:39.62\00:27:40.96
and took them away.
00:27:41.06\00:27:42.12
Indeed, they have killed
00:27:42.22\00:27:43.16
the servants with the edge
00:27:43.26\00:27:44.16
of the sword, and I alone
00:27:44.26\00:27:45.46
have escaped to tell you.'
00:27:45.56\00:27:47.86
While he was still speaking,
00:27:47.96\00:27:49.63
another also came and said,
00:27:49.73\00:27:51.47
'The fire of God fell from
00:27:51.57\00:27:52.53
heaven and burned up
00:27:52.63\00:27:53.64
the sheep and the servants
00:27:53.74\00:27:54.44
and consumed them.
00:27:54.54\00:27:55.44
And I alone have escaped
00:27:55.54\00:27:56.57
to tell you.'
00:27:56.67\00:27:58.41
While he was still speaking,
00:27:58.51\00:28:00.21
another also came and said,
00:28:00.31\00:28:01.84
'The Chaldeans formed
00:28:01.94\00:28:03.01
three bands, raided the camels,
00:28:03.11\00:28:04.21
and took them away, yes,
00:28:04.31\00:28:05.21
and killed the servants
00:28:05.31\00:28:06.65
with the edge of the sword.
00:28:06.75\00:28:07.58
I alone have escaped
00:28:07.68\00:28:09.02
to tell you.'
00:28:09.12\00:28:11.15
While he was still speaking,
00:28:11.25\00:28:12.92
another also came and said,
00:28:13.02\00:28:15.99
'Your sons and daughters
00:28:16.09\00:28:18.06
were eating and drinking wine
00:28:18.16\00:28:19.69
in their oldest brother's house,
00:28:19.79\00:28:21.60
and, suddenly, a great wind
00:28:21.70\00:28:23.10
came from across the wilderness
00:28:23.20\00:28:24.33
and struck the four corners
00:28:24.43\00:28:25.10
of the house,
00:28:25.20\00:28:26.37
and it fell on the young men,
00:28:26.47\00:28:27.44
and they are dead.
00:28:27.54\00:28:28.84
And I alone have escaped
00:28:28.94\00:28:30.41
to tell you.'
00:28:30.51\00:28:33.81
Then Job arose
00:28:33.91\00:28:36.48
and tore his robe
00:28:36.58\00:28:38.85
and shaved his head.
00:28:38.95\00:28:41.32
And he fell to the ground
00:28:41.42\00:28:44.05
and worshiped.
00:28:44.15\00:28:46.96
And he said, "Naked
00:28:47.06\00:28:49.66
I came from my mother's womb,
00:28:49.76\00:28:52.36
and naked shall I return there.
00:28:52.46\00:28:54.93
The Lord gave,
00:28:55.00\00:28:57.13
and the Lord has taken away.
00:28:57.23\00:28:59.93
Blessed be the name
00:29:00.10\00:29:02.07
of the Lord.'"
00:29:02.17\00:29:04.57
Hmm.
00:29:06.84\00:29:08.14
Of all the things that we would
00:29:10.65\00:29:12.05
expect,
00:29:12.15\00:29:14.25
someone who has just lost
00:29:14.35\00:29:16.25
not just herds and servants,
00:29:16.35\00:29:19.09
but even his own family
00:29:19.19\00:29:21.49
has now been taken from him --
00:29:21.59\00:29:23.09
All in the space of a few
00:29:23.19\00:29:24.69
seconds, he receives this news.
00:29:24.79\00:29:26.36
Of all the things we would
00:29:26.46\00:29:27.40
expect him to say,
00:29:27.50\00:29:28.73
this is not even remotely
00:29:28.83\00:29:30.10
on the list.
00:29:30.20\00:29:31.23
"The Lord giveth,
00:29:31.33\00:29:32.30
the Lord taketh away.
00:29:32.40\00:29:33.70
Praise be the name of the Lord.
00:29:33.80\00:29:34.80
Blessed be the name
00:29:34.90\00:29:35.70
of the Lord"?
00:29:35.80\00:29:36.87
That sounds suspiciously
00:29:36.97\00:29:38.91
like gratitude.
00:29:39.01\00:29:40.88
And as we struggle
00:29:44.55\00:29:45.78
to figure out, "Well,
00:29:45.88\00:29:46.88
how could this be happening?
00:29:46.98\00:29:47.95
How could these words be coming
00:29:48.05\00:29:48.72
from Job,"
00:29:48.82\00:29:50.39
it's tempting to dismiss it
00:29:50.49\00:29:51.45
at first as a response,
00:29:51.55\00:29:53.02
perhaps, from shock or maybe
00:29:53.12\00:29:55.66
just the overwhelming grief
00:29:55.76\00:29:56.76
and he doesn't know
00:29:56.86\00:29:57.73
what else to say.
00:29:57.83\00:29:59.66
But there's a problem with that
00:29:59.76\00:30:00.66
guess.
00:30:00.76\00:30:02.40
You see, the rest of the
00:30:02.50\00:30:03.60
Book of Job, if we were to read
00:30:03.70\00:30:04.70
it, makes it clear that Job
00:30:04.80\00:30:05.90
has no problem speaking openly
00:30:06.00\00:30:08.24
and honestly, with integrity,
00:30:08.34\00:30:09.80
even in the face
00:30:09.90\00:30:10.97
of profound loss.
00:30:11.07\00:30:13.58
In fact, so clear is the example
00:30:13.68\00:30:15.44
in Job, in The Book of Job,
00:30:15.54\00:30:17.35
that the conclusion, to me,
00:30:17.45\00:30:18.65
is inescapable.
00:30:18.75\00:30:20.12
Job really meant it.
00:30:20.22\00:30:24.55
When he said those words,
00:30:24.65\00:30:26.12
he actually meant it.
00:30:26.22\00:30:30.23
"The Lord gave, and the Lord
00:30:30.33\00:30:32.36
has taken away.
00:30:32.46\00:30:34.13
Blessed be the name
00:30:34.23\00:30:36.73
of the Lord."
00:30:36.83\00:30:41.07
And suddenly, in the space
00:30:41.17\00:30:42.70
of a single sentence,
00:30:42.80\00:30:43.94
Job manages to sweep away
00:30:44.04\00:30:45.74
all of the pretense
00:30:45.84\00:30:46.84
that so often manages
00:30:46.94\00:30:48.21
to pass as, quote, "gratitude,"
00:30:48.31\00:30:50.15
gratitude that only comes in
00:30:50.25\00:30:51.51
response to the right stimulus,
00:30:51.61\00:30:53.18
gratitude that springs only
00:30:53.28\00:30:54.48
from favorable conditions,
00:30:54.58\00:30:56.18
gratitude that seeks its own
00:30:56.28\00:30:57.59
gratification just as much
00:30:57.69\00:30:59.09
or even more than anyone else's.
00:30:59.19\00:31:02.16
Job takes the usual
00:31:02.26\00:31:03.96
Thanksgiving math,
00:31:04.06\00:31:06.53
and he morphs it into something
00:31:06.63\00:31:08.33
rarely seen today --
00:31:08.43\00:31:11.63
a formula for giving thanks,
00:31:11.73\00:31:14.00
even when the only things to be
00:31:14.10\00:31:16.60
thankful for are that God is
00:31:16.71\00:31:21.84
and that, come hell
00:31:21.94\00:31:22.81
or high water,
00:31:22.91\00:31:24.31
we can trust Him to do
00:31:24.41\00:31:25.81
what is good and just and right.
00:31:25.91\00:31:31.19
Make no mistake.
00:31:31.29\00:31:33.12
This is thankfulness
00:31:33.22\00:31:34.36
at its most defiant.
00:31:34.46\00:31:36.76
This is thankfulness that puts
00:31:36.86\00:31:38.69
a finger in the eye of fate.
00:31:38.79\00:31:41.26
This is thankfulness
00:31:41.36\00:31:43.03
in its unsurpassed purity.
00:31:43.13\00:31:45.87
And, of course, therein lies
00:31:51.04\00:31:51.97
the challenge.
00:31:52.07\00:31:55.14
This holiday season,
00:31:55.24\00:31:57.05
please give thanks for all
00:31:57.15\00:31:59.85
the good things that others,
00:31:59.95\00:32:02.12
and particularly God,
00:32:02.22\00:32:03.62
have done for you.
00:32:03.72\00:32:05.85
By all means, let us be grateful
00:32:05.95\00:32:07.99
in the rearview mirror.
00:32:08.09\00:32:09.22
There's nothing wrong with that.
00:32:09.32\00:32:11.16
If someone has done something
00:32:11.26\00:32:12.33
nice for you this week or this
00:32:12.43\00:32:13.23
month or this year,
00:32:13.33\00:32:14.36
let them know, particularly
00:32:14.46\00:32:15.16
at this season.
00:32:15.26\00:32:16.33
Let them know how grateful
00:32:16.43\00:32:18.07
you are, and tell God,
00:32:18.17\00:32:19.73
"Thank you, thank you,
00:32:19.83\00:32:21.30
thank you," for the many things
00:32:21.40\00:32:22.60
that He has already done.
00:32:22.70\00:32:25.24
Please, do those things.
00:32:25.34\00:32:29.68
And also, take up the challenge
00:32:29.78\00:32:35.05
that Job so clearly gives to us.
00:32:35.15\00:32:38.52
Let us also give thanks
00:32:38.62\00:32:40.66
when it doesn't compute.
00:32:40.76\00:32:43.12
That is, even in the midst
00:32:43.22\00:32:44.89
of the pain, not for the pain,
00:32:44.99\00:32:47.00
but in the midst of the pain.
00:32:47.10\00:32:48.86
Let us give thanks
00:32:48.96\00:32:50.00
even in a world that is
00:32:50.10\00:32:51.13
increasingly at war,
00:32:51.23\00:32:53.00
even when we receive bad news
00:32:53.10\00:32:54.47
multiplied upon bad news
00:32:54.57\00:32:55.90
from the international
00:32:56.00\00:32:56.81
and national stages.
00:32:56.91\00:32:58.07
Let us give thanks
00:32:58.17\00:32:59.17
even in the midst of the
00:32:59.27\00:33:00.38
struggles that may be plaguing
00:33:00.48\00:33:01.44
you at home or in other
00:33:01.54\00:33:02.54
relationships, with finances,
00:33:02.64\00:33:04.55
at school, at work, even when,
00:33:04.65\00:33:06.65
from a human perspective,
00:33:06.75\00:33:08.02
there seems to be no good reason
00:33:08.12\00:33:10.35
to give thanks.
00:33:10.45\00:33:13.02
Let us give thanks even then,
00:33:13.12\00:33:17.13
simply because we know that,
00:33:17.23\00:33:18.86
as Job did,
00:33:18.96\00:33:20.03
that God is still God
00:33:20.13\00:33:22.13
and we are still His children.
00:33:22.23\00:33:24.70
Because we know that whatever
00:33:24.80\00:33:26.13
He decides to do or not do,
00:33:26.23\00:33:28.17
that will ultimately be
00:33:28.27\00:33:29.37
what is best for us.
00:33:29.47\00:33:32.04
And because of that, we know --
00:33:32.14\00:33:33.14
we know --
00:33:33.24\00:33:34.91
that, sooner or later,
00:33:35.01\00:33:36.48
we will be okay.
00:33:36.58\00:33:42.28
It's the new math of gratitude.
00:33:42.38\00:33:46.25
And with that new math,
00:33:46.35\00:33:48.79
whether we have just jumped out
00:33:48.89\00:33:50.19
of a burning airplane
00:33:50.29\00:33:52.89
or, like Job, seems we have lost
00:33:52.99\00:33:54.63
all that is dear to us
00:33:54.73\00:33:55.96
or even if we are sitting here
00:33:56.06\00:33:58.07
in the comfort of a sanctuary,
00:33:58.17\00:34:01.57
we can show the world that Jesus
00:34:01.67\00:34:05.11
really does make a difference,
00:34:05.21\00:34:08.31
that entitlement isn't a part
00:34:08.41\00:34:10.05
of the Christian's essential
00:34:10.15\00:34:11.05
virtues
00:34:11.15\00:34:12.98
and that God can be trusted even
00:34:13.08\00:34:15.35
when gratitude does not compute.
00:34:15.45\00:34:19.79
May God's peace be with us.
00:34:19.89\00:34:22.56
And may the Lord find us truly
00:34:22.66\00:34:24.23
grateful this holiday season.
00:34:24.33\00:34:27.03
>> Amen!
00:34:27.13\00:34:28.90
>> ¤ My Lord,
00:34:33.23\00:34:37.21
what a morning ¤
00:34:37.31\00:34:43.68
¤ My Lord,
00:34:43.78\00:34:47.82
what a morning ¤
00:34:47.92\00:34:53.25
¤ Oh, my Lord,
00:34:53.36\00:34:59.16
what a morning ¤
00:34:59.26\00:35:05.60
¤ When the stars
00:35:05.70\00:35:08.97
begin to fall ¤
00:35:09.07\00:35:17.81
¤ When the stars
00:35:17.91\00:35:21.52
begin to fall ¤
00:35:21.62\00:35:30.89
¤ My Lord,
00:35:32.66\00:35:37.30
what a morning ¤
00:35:37.40\00:35:44.47
¤ My Lord,
00:35:44.57\00:35:49.11
what a morning ¤
00:35:49.21\00:35:54.95
¤ Oh, my Lord,
00:35:55.05\00:36:01.39
what a morning ¤
00:36:01.49\00:36:07.86
¤ When the stars
00:36:07.96\00:36:11.97
begin to fall ¤
00:36:12.07\00:36:21.78
[ Choir humming ]
00:36:21.88\00:36:24.81
[ Humming ends ]
00:36:43.13\00:36:44.63
¤ Done quit
00:36:44.73\00:36:47.94
all my worldly ways ¤
00:36:48.04\00:36:50.87
¤ Done quit
00:36:50.97\00:36:54.31
all my worldly ways ¤
00:36:54.41\00:36:57.31
¤ Done quit
00:36:57.41\00:36:59.11
all my worldly ways ¤
00:36:59.21\00:37:04.65
¤ Join that heavenly band
00:37:04.75\00:37:11.86
¤ Oh
00:37:11.96\00:37:17.13
¤ My Lord,
00:37:17.23\00:37:21.44
what a morning ¤
00:37:21.54\00:37:26.41
>> ¤ Oh
00:37:26.51\00:37:29.54
>> ¤ My Lord,
00:37:29.64\00:37:33.88
what a morning ¤
00:37:33.98\00:37:39.92
¤ Oh, my Lord,
00:37:40.02\00:37:46.33
what a morning ¤
00:37:46.43\00:37:52.83
¤ When the stars
00:37:54.97\00:37:58.21
begin to fall ¤
00:37:58.31\00:38:08.08
¤
00:38:08.18\00:38:10.09
¤ When the stars
00:38:10.19\00:38:16.32
¤ Begin to
00:38:16.42\00:38:25.40
¤ Fall
00:38:25.50\00:38:35.08
[ Organ playing ]
00:38:43.95\00:38:46.29
¤
00:38:46.39\00:38:54.56
¤
00:42:21.84\00:42:28.41
¤
00:42:28.51\00:42:35.08
¤
00:42:35.18\00:42:41.76
¤
00:42:41.86\00:42:45.79
>> And now some instructions
00:42:55.77\00:42:57.34
as we prepare for the noisiest
00:42:57.44\00:42:59.47
and most delightful
00:42:59.57\00:43:01.38
offering of the year.
00:43:01.48\00:43:03.38
I'm going to invite our
00:43:03.48\00:43:04.65
Pathfinders to take their places
00:43:04.75\00:43:06.28
right here in the front.
00:43:06.38\00:43:08.08
For our processional offering,
00:43:08.18\00:43:09.62
you're invited to bring
00:43:09.72\00:43:10.89
your gifts of food and song,
00:43:10.99\00:43:13.49
your tithes and offering,
00:43:13.59\00:43:15.09
and the Thanksgiving letters
00:43:15.19\00:43:16.62
that you just filled out
00:43:16.73\00:43:18.46
right here to the platform.
00:43:18.56\00:43:20.26
Our Pathfinders will be
00:43:20.36\00:43:21.23
holding a basket,
00:43:21.33\00:43:22.83
and that basket will indicate
00:43:22.93\00:43:24.27
what offering
00:43:24.37\00:43:25.63
should go in there.
00:43:25.73\00:43:27.37
And if you brought some meals
00:43:27.47\00:43:29.64
today, they'll be collected
00:43:29.74\00:43:32.17
right here on the front.
00:43:32.27\00:43:33.41
We cleared out
00:43:33.51\00:43:34.58
first service already
00:43:34.68\00:43:35.94
and are excited to receive
00:43:36.04\00:43:37.78
those offerings this morning.
00:43:37.88\00:43:40.68
So while we collect
00:43:40.78\00:43:42.75
this morning, we invite you
00:43:42.85\00:43:43.99
to come down these side aisles
00:43:44.09\00:43:47.26
and do so prayerfully.
00:43:47.36\00:43:49.22
Hearing the others singing,
00:43:49.32\00:43:50.73
bring your offering,
00:43:50.83\00:43:52.09
bring it down here,
00:43:52.19\00:43:53.86
go back up the center,
00:43:53.96\00:43:55.66
and when you return to your pew,
00:43:55.76\00:43:56.87
please join us
00:43:56.97\00:43:58.87
in singing at this time.
00:43:58.97\00:44:01.67
Now, a time of singing,
00:44:01.77\00:44:04.47
rejoicing, and giving.
00:44:04.57\00:44:07.24
[ Organ playing ]
00:44:09.78\00:44:11.78
¤
00:44:11.88\00:44:20.36
[ Congregation singing ]
00:44:20.46\00:44:22.29
¤
00:45:15.28\00:45:21.85
¤
00:45:21.95\00:45:28.52
¤
00:45:28.62\00:45:31.46
¤
00:46:56.75\00:47:02.65
¤
00:47:02.75\00:47:08.39
¤
00:48:15.82\00:48:21.53
¤
00:48:21.63\00:48:27.37
¤
00:48:27.47\00:48:33.84
¤
00:50:11.81\00:50:18.38
¤
00:50:18.48\00:50:25.05
¤
00:50:25.15\00:50:32.53
¤
00:52:21.47\00:52:27.71
¤
00:52:27.81\00:52:33.85
¤
00:53:14.59\00:53:21.13
¤
00:53:21.23\00:53:27.80
¤
00:53:27.90\00:53:33.94
¤
00:55:49.81\00:55:53.08
>> Oh, Father God, what a feast
00:55:53.18\00:55:54.48
we have had this morning.
00:55:54.58\00:55:56.65
All the reminders, Lord,
00:55:56.75\00:55:57.79
in song and in word
00:55:57.89\00:55:59.05
of Your goodness to us,
00:55:59.15\00:56:00.49
and for that, we say thank you.
00:56:00.59\00:56:03.36
Lord, may this holiday season
00:56:03.46\00:56:05.69
not be one in which we forget.
00:56:05.79\00:56:08.63
May it instead be one in which
00:56:08.73\00:56:10.13
we remember the great abundance,
00:56:10.23\00:56:12.20
overflowing blessings
00:56:12.30\00:56:13.94
that You have granted to us,
00:56:14.04\00:56:15.24
Lord, this last year.
00:56:15.34\00:56:16.97
Truly may we leave this season
00:56:17.07\00:56:19.11
with a better understanding
00:56:19.21\00:56:20.64
of just how good
00:56:20.74\00:56:21.98
You have been to us.
00:56:22.08\00:56:23.75
We pray this, Lord,
00:56:23.85\00:56:24.65
in your name.
00:56:24.75\00:56:25.95
Amen.
00:56:26.05\00:56:27.38
[ Organ playing ]
00:56:27.48\00:56:30.15
¤
00:56:30.25\00:56:33.72
¤
00:56:33.82\00:56:37.06
>> Before you go, let me take
00:56:40.50\00:56:42.00
just a moment to share with you
00:56:42.10\00:56:43.16
an opportunity to get into the
00:56:43.26\00:56:44.50
Bible in a fresh, new way.
00:56:44.60\00:56:46.60
All across the world,
00:56:46.70\00:56:48.24
more and more people are hearing
00:56:48.34\00:56:49.24
the call to examine
00:56:49.34\00:56:50.61
the scriptures for themselves.
00:56:50.71\00:56:52.27
If you felt drawn to learn more
00:56:52.37\00:56:54.24
about God's word but you don't
00:56:54.34\00:56:55.68
know where to start or you're
00:56:55.78\00:56:56.78
just looking for a more in-depth
00:56:56.88\00:56:58.38
examination of Bible truths,
00:56:58.48\00:57:00.72
then I have something right here
00:57:00.82\00:57:02.22
that I believe you're
00:57:02.32\00:57:03.12
going to enjoy.
00:57:03.22\00:57:04.55
I would like to send you
00:57:04.65\00:57:05.85
a series of Bible study guides.
00:57:05.95\00:57:07.76
Each of these study guides
00:57:07.86\00:57:09.19
asks and answers
00:57:09.29\00:57:10.59
very important questions, such
00:57:10.69\00:57:12.16
as these examples right here --
00:57:12.26\00:57:13.86
"Why Does God Allow Suffering?"
00:57:13.96\00:57:15.76
"Can God be trusted?"
00:57:15.86\00:57:18.43
Each of the initial five guides
00:57:18.53\00:57:20.20
begins with a story
00:57:20.30\00:57:21.67
to introduce the subject.
00:57:21.77\00:57:23.17
Then, through a series of
00:57:23.27\00:57:24.41
focused questions, you'll soon
00:57:24.51\00:57:26.14
be learning portions of the
00:57:26.24\00:57:27.18
Bible you may never
00:57:27.28\00:57:28.51
have known before.
00:57:28.61\00:57:30.11
And when you're through,
00:57:30.21\00:57:31.25
you'll be able to share
00:57:31.35\00:57:32.41
with others these inspiring
00:57:32.51\00:57:33.85
truths from God's words.
00:57:33.95\00:57:36.02
Just call our toll-free number.
00:57:36.12\00:57:37.79
It's on your screen now.
00:57:37.89\00:57:39.39
877, the two words "HIS WILL,"
00:57:39.49\00:57:42.62
Friendly operators
00:57:42.72\00:57:43.93
are standing by to send you
00:57:44.03\00:57:44.86
these guides.
00:57:44.96\00:57:46.33
Once again, that's 877-HIS-WILL.
00:57:46.43\00:57:49.33
Call that number.
00:57:49.43\00:57:50.80
And don't forget to join me
00:57:50.90\00:57:51.97
next week right here
00:57:52.07\00:57:53.34
at the same time.
00:57:53.44\00:57:54.37
¤
00:58:00.71\00:58:07.28
¤
00:58:07.38\00:58:13.96
¤
00:58:14.06\00:58:20.63
¤
00:58:20.73\00:58:26.03