When God’s Waiting Room Feels Like Losing: Finding Courage in the True King

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Let's pray.
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[00:01:48] I was cracking.
[00:01:56] Yeah.
[00:01:58] Yeah, I watched.
[00:02:04] Yeah, it was pretty shocking.
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[00:03:08] Oh my gosh, so that was actually really accurate, what I just said.
[00:03:24] I almost said the same thing.
[00:03:24] Oh, congratulations.
[00:03:50] Congratulations.
[00:03:51] Let's pray.
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Thank you.

[00:05:52] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
Good morning.
[00:06:26] Welcome to Center Presbyterian Church.
[00:06:29] It's so good to see each of you.
[00:06:32] It's so good to see people hugging one another and just seeing each other and fellowshipping.
[00:06:37] It really is.
[00:06:38] One thing we're here for is building that connection, right?
[00:06:42] We say it every week is building connections, meeting people.
[00:06:44] If you see someone around you that's new, definitely introduce yourself to them.
[00:06:51] I've always found Center to be such a welcoming place, and it's our people.
[00:06:54] Thank you for doing that.
[00:06:56] We welcome here this morning the theme of our service today.
[00:06:59] Logan is away with his family as most of you know.
[00:07:02] They are visiting Ambrose's school.
[00:07:05] So pray for them as they're there that they would have a joyful time.
[00:07:09] I really do hear that things are going well for Ambrose and the school has been a big, huge help and something he's loving.
[00:07:17] So just pray for them as they're there.
[00:07:18] But the theme of our service here today is only Christ's Lordship brings us peace.
[00:07:24] Again, only Christ's Lordship brings us peace.
[00:07:26] We are going to stand together if you're able, and we will recite together the call to worship.
[00:07:32] It'll come from Psalm 100.
[00:07:34] I will read where it says leader, and we'll read together in the white where it says people.
[00:07:38] Shout for joy to the Lord all the earth.
[00:07:42] Worship the Lord with gladness.
[00:07:44] Come before him with joyful songs.
[00:07:47] Know that the Lord is God.
[00:07:49] It is he who made us.
[00:07:55] of His Pasture.
[00:07:58] Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise.
[00:08:02] Give thanks to Him and praise His name.
[00:08:05] For the Lord is good and His love endures forever.
[00:08:09] His faithfulness continues through all generations.
[00:08:14] Amen.
[00:08:15] Let us worship God.

[00:08:24] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]:
Holy Spirit, we welcome you into this place this morning.
[00:08:27] Thank you for bringing us here to worship you.
[00:08:31] Father, I just pray that you would open our hearts to you this morning, that we would have the ability to worship you in spirit and in truth.
[00:08:40] Let your will be done here today.
[00:08:42] Let these not just be songs that we sing, but worship from our hearts that we lift up to you.
[00:08:49] In Jesus' name.

[00:09:06] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
There was a moment when the lights went out When death had claimed its victory The King of love had given up his life The darkest day in history
[00:09:34] There on a cross they made for sinners For every curse His blood atoned One final breath and it was finished But not the end we could have known
[00:10:01] For the earth began to shake And the veil was torn What sacrifice was made As the heavens rose

[00:10:26] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
All hail King Jesus All hail the Lord of heaven and earth All hail King Jesus All hail the Savior of the world
[00:11:08] There was a moment when the sky lit up A flash of light breaking through When all was lost across eternity The King of life was on the move
[00:11:45] One miraculous breath And we're forever changed Oh, hail King Jesus
[00:12:07] All hail the Lord of heaven and earth All hail the Jesus All hail the Savior of the world All hail the Jesus
[00:12:41] All hail King Jesus All hail the Savior of the world

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So let every knee come bow before the King of Kings Let every tongue confess that He is Lord Lift up your shout, let us join with all of heaven, we're singing
[00:13:46] Let every need, so let every need Come bow before the King of Kings Let every tongue come and confess that He is Lord Lift up your shout, let us join with all the parents singing
[00:14:18] You are Holy We join with heaven singing Holy We're singing Holy Holy Jesus
[00:14:52] All hail the Lord of heaven and earth All hail King Jesus All hail the Savior of the world All hail King Jesus All hail the Lord of heaven and earth
[00:15:22] All hail Jesus All hail the Savior of the world All hail the Savior of the world
[00:15:58] The Savior of the world
[00:16:47] I saw the Lord seated on His throne He was clothed in glory, exalted high
[00:17:15] In the train of His road He fills the temple And the angels circle around Him And they cry
[00:17:42] They cried, You are holy, oh so holy, You are holy, Lord
[00:18:13] Holy you are Holy also Holy you are Holy Lord of all I saw the Lord
[00:18:45] He was clothed in glory, exalted high above the heavens.
[00:19:19] They just circled around Him And they cried And they cried, You are holy, oh so holy
[00:19:53] Lord of all, we cry out to you Lord, you
[00:20:35] I am clean For my eyes have seen The Holy King Jesus And He cleansed my lips Right before I died
[00:21:08] In the pillar's shore As the angels cry And we cry out, and we cry You are holy, oh so
[00:22:17] Because you are holy, oh so holy You are holy, Lord of all
[00:22:44] and we cry you are holy oh so holy you are holy
[00:23:05] We cry your word, we cry you are You're worthy, oh so worthy you are

[00:23:31] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]:
Worthy Lord of all.

[00:23:54] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
Father God, all hail King Jesus.
[00:23:58] Lord, we praise you.
[00:24:00] Your holiness, Lord, we cannot fathom.
[00:24:05] Lord, we praise you that it's only through Jesus Christ that we can come to you.
[00:24:11] Lord, that through his blood shed on the cross for our sins, Lord, our sins have been paid for.
[00:24:17] The guilt, the shame, the punishment was on him, Lord, and not on us.
[00:24:24] We give you praise.
[00:24:26] Lord I am a sinful human being we are sinful human beings we so desperately need you thank you Jesus Lord for prayer thank you Lord for the opportunity to worship you this day pray that everything that comes out of our mouths Lord would be pleasing in your sight
[00:24:45] Lord that you would be worshipped Lord that people here that do not know you that may not know you that would be drawn to you this day Lord that you would be praised that they would walk out this door knowing you as Lord Lord I pray you would just convict and shape and mold each of us to take one step closer in our walk with you
[00:25:07] Lord, we fall each day, but Lord, we get back up.
[00:25:10] The power of your Spirit lives within us.
[00:25:12] That same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead is alive within us.
[00:25:18] Lord, help us in our sin, Lord.
[00:25:21] We repent from it and turn from it.
[00:25:25] Lord, we want more of you.
[00:25:27] Lord, we want to live according to your purposes and plan.
[00:25:31] Help us, Lord, to trust you in this life.
[00:25:34] Lord, we all bring things into this place today that we're worried about, we're anxious about, we're concerned about, we have decisions to make.
[00:25:42] Lord, give us your peace.
[00:25:44] As we come to you with prayer and with thanksgiving, Lord, the scriptures say that you will give us a peace that transcends all understanding.
[00:25:54] Give us your wisdom, we pray, in all our decisions.
[00:25:57] Lord, help us to follow your will and your way in our lives.
[00:26:02] God, we pray for those in our congregation.
[00:26:05] We especially pray for Logan and his family.
[00:26:09] Is there a way visiting Ambrose?
[00:26:10] We pray for a good visit.
[00:26:12] We give you thanks that Ambrose is liking school.
[00:26:14] We pray you would continue to bless him there to build friendships.
[00:26:18] and just Lord to to grow spiritually and and just just bless him in all ways I pray be with Logan and Melissa I know they worry about him and the separation just use this time this weekend to grow their family together and just just give them good times together and I pray you'd be worshiped pray for the sick in our congregation those Lord that are uh not well we pray for your healing Lord comfort those who need to be comforted
[00:26:48] Lord we know that you are a God of compassion that Lord in our struggles you look on us with compassion well just remember Lord that that you're not angry with us but that you love us that you want to hear from us that you want us to know you more Lord as we see our world around us we do pray for the world around us Lord as I even look this morning at the headlines it seems to always be someone's been killed someone
[00:27:17] Something's happened, Lord.
[00:27:18] We pray for the families, Lord, that are struggling in our community, the loss of loved ones.
[00:27:24] We pray for all those that are hospitals, the workers, the doctors, the nurses, all those who care for our people, those in nursing homes and assisted livings, Lord, in hospice care.
[00:27:33] Just be with all those workers.
[00:27:35] Be with all those families.
[00:27:38] We commit to you our government, Lord, as we are shut down.
[00:27:41] We pray you would give unity to the spirit of our leaders and, Lord, that you would bring a unity, Lord.
[00:27:48] I pray for those that could lose jobs or be laid off.
[00:27:51] We just pray you be with those families.
[00:27:54] Comfort them.
[00:27:55] Help us to know that ultimately, God, you're in control.
[00:27:59] Help us to trust you no matter what.
[00:28:02] We give you thanks, God, so much in our lives, Lord.
[00:28:05] I focus on so much of what's going wrong, but Lord, there's so much good in our lives.
[00:28:10] Lord, you bless us more than we could ever imagine, and we give you thanks.
[00:28:15] We commit our service to you, Lord.
[00:28:17] May the words that come today be yours.
[00:28:21] Teach us, Lord, I pray.
[00:28:23] And Lord, we pray all this in the name of Jesus, and we pray as he taught us to pray in the Lord's Prayer, saying,
[00:28:31] Our Father who art in heaven hallowed be thy name thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven give us this day our daily bread forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil
[00:28:55] For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever.
[00:29:01] Amen.
[00:29:03] Well, it's time for announcements.
[00:29:04] It's so good to see everyone here again.
[00:29:06] We welcome you here.
[00:29:07] My name is Brian Martin, again with Logan Out.
[00:29:10] I'm here if you have any questions after the service, feel free to see me, see any of the folks up front.
[00:29:16] Thank you for our worship band.
[00:29:19] Thank you for... Y'all do a wonderful job.
[00:29:21] Shana does a wonderful job.
[00:29:22] All you guys do a wonderful job.
[00:29:24] We're grateful for you.
[00:29:26] Yes.
[00:29:28] They did not ask for that, by the way.
[00:29:29] We are grateful for you.
[00:29:31] And for Dan making that coffee this morning, I'm going to announce this before I forget it.
[00:29:34] There's coffee at the back.
[00:29:36] There's leftover from we have a time at 10 o'clock in the morning.
[00:29:39] You can always come get to know people, grab a cup of coffee.
[00:29:41] But Dan brings the leftovers and he puts them in the back.
[00:29:44] So feel free to grab a cup of coffee.
[00:29:46] You could do so now or during our time of getting up and greeting, or you could do so after the service after you leave.
[00:29:52] See your announcements in the bulletin if you have to go to the restroom it's to my right or to your left through actually probably best to go out the back door up the sidewalk and there's a building right here if you go in the restrooms are on the right there's also a mom's cry room you can go in there as well we have transformation groups you can read about that in your bulletin
[00:30:12] The goal here at Center is that we want to connect you, excuse me, let me actually read our mission statement of making room for everyone to experience joyful, life-transforming connection to Jesus and his people.
[00:30:25] We want you to connect with Christ but also with one another.
[00:30:28] Transformation groups
[00:30:29] Good morning.
[00:30:31] We again are going to collect boxes for Samaritan's Purse.

[00:31:04] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]:
We have that opportunity, and you I know about Operation Christmas Child, and on the 23rd of November,
[00:31:35] Or you can just use a regular shoebox.
[00:31:38] A regular shoebox would just be fine.
[00:31:40] There's no problem.
[00:31:42] We have one other little announcement.
[00:31:44] There is an announcement about the Lunch Bunch.
[00:31:47] That is the ladies of the church who get together on Thursday.
[00:31:50] And it's not at Carol Ellison's house.
[00:31:52] Carol looked at me and said, My house?

[00:31:57] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
No, it's at my house.
[00:31:58] So it is noon on Thursday and we'd like any of you who would like to come.

[00:32:07] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]:
Oh, thank you, Nancy.

[00:32:13] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
It's never a good thing to see your name in the bulletin saying everyone's going to come to your house.
[00:32:18] But thankfully, we don't print your address, right?
[00:32:20] Or your phone number.
[00:32:22] But thank you.
[00:32:22] Grab a box.
[00:32:23] Grab five.
[00:32:24] I mean, it's something to do as a family.
[00:32:27] We'd encourage you highly to do that.
[00:32:30] At this time, we'll recite together the Apostles' Creed.
[00:32:35] It's going to be printed.
[00:32:38] On the screen above, let us recite together what we believe as a church.
[00:32:42] I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was crucified by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and was buried.
[00:33:03] He descended into hell.
[00:33:05] The third day He rose again from the dead.
[00:33:08] He ascended into heaven and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty.
[00:33:15] From there he shall come to judge the living and the dead.
[00:33:20] I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.
[00:33:33] Amen.
[00:33:35] This is good news.
[00:33:38] At this time, I'd ask our ushers to come forward.
[00:33:40] They're going to take this morning's offering.
[00:33:42] You can see a QR code in the bulletin.
[00:33:44] You can choose to give that way via online.
[00:33:47] And if you're a guest here, you're welcome to let it pass by.
[00:33:50] This service is a gift to you.

[00:34:18] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
I've seen your goodness on the mountain I've felt your love within the valley And your grace, it still surrounds me God, you've been good to me You've been good to me

[00:34:44] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
And my soul sings My soul sings with all my heart I love you, Lord You're my first love
[00:35:22] And through the years You've been good to me So good to me So good to me

[00:35:54] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]:
Let's stand together and sing the second verse.

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I have breath within my body I have life inside my bones And I cannot help but praise God, you've been good to me

[00:36:21] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
You've been good to me And my soul sings My soul it sings We lift it up to You My soul
[00:36:47] My soul sings with all my heart I love you Lord Oh how we love you You're my first love Jesus You're my reward

[00:37:37] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
So good to me Oh you've been so faithful Lord You've been so good And I'm dancing on The rising sun To the hopeful future And the dreams to come
[00:38:06] And when seasons change No I won't give up Cause you've never failed me

[00:38:17] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
No not once and I'm dancing on The rising sun to the hopeful future And the dreams to come when seasons change And when seasons change No I won't give up cause you've never failed me
[00:38:44] No not worse And my soul sings My soul it sings Oh we sing to you Lord My soul sings My soul it sings
[00:39:19] I love you Lord You're my first love You're my reward And through the years
[00:39:46] You've been good to me.
[00:40:02] So good to me.

[00:40:14] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
So good to me.

[00:40:21] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
At this time, I would ask our children, we'll dismiss children for children's church.
[00:40:26] I have a leader here to my left, and you'll go to our children's area.
[00:40:31] Thank you to our leaders helping with our children.
[00:40:33] We pray for our children as we go, and you bless them, keep them, and teach them, and draw them to yourself.
[00:40:38] But as we're here, use this time to pass the peace, greet one another, and welcome them.

[00:40:47] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
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[00:41:12] You know, when you notice I've started every song, I'm kind of in the middle of the way.
[00:41:36] I'm kind of in the middle of the way.
[00:41:37] I'm kind of in the middle of the way.
[00:41:38] This is great.
[00:41:38] This is great.

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[00:42:30] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
At this time we will recite together our doxology.
[00:42:44] If you could please sing with me so I'm not alone.
[00:42:49] Praise God from whom all blessings flow.

[00:42:56] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
Praise Him all creatures here below Praise Him above ye heavenly hosts Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost Amen You may be seated.

[00:43:26] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
One last announcement I don't want to forget.
[00:43:28] Tom O'Farrell is leading a security team.
[00:43:31] And if you are a part of that or if you would like to be part of that, immediately after the service in the fellowship hall, the building right here to my left, to your right, he will be meeting just for a few minutes.
[00:43:41] He'd like everyone that's wanting to be part of that, is part of that, to meet with him afterwards.
[00:43:45] Thank you again for your service to that team as well.
[00:43:48] Very important.
[00:43:50] Our text today is coming from 1 Samuel 8.
[00:43:54] and we will read together the text let me pray for we do God we thank you for your word it's a light unto our path Lord scripture says we are not to be led by our own understanding but Lord we are to be led by you that you will make straight our paths open our hearts our minds convict us show us guide us we want to be more like Jesus Lord change us this morning we pray through your word we ask it in Jesus name amen
[00:44:23] Please stand for the reading of God's word.
[00:44:27] I am reading the entire chapter, but how about I read kind of fast?
[00:44:37] When Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons as Israel's leaders.
[00:44:44] The names of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of his second was Abijah, and they served at Beersheba.
[00:44:50] But his sons did not follow his ways.
[00:44:52] They turned aside after dishonest gain and accepted bribes and perverted justice.
[00:44:57] So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah.
[00:45:02] They said to him, You are old, and your sons do not follow your ways.
[00:45:07] Now appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have.
[00:45:12] But when they said, Give us a king to lead us, this displeased Samuel.
[00:45:19] So he prayed to the Lord, and the Lord told him, Listen to all the people are saying to you.
[00:45:24] It is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king.
[00:45:29] As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you.
[00:45:37] Now listen to them, but warn them solemnly, and let them know what the king who will reign over them will claim as his rights.
[00:45:46] Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people who were asking him for a king.
[00:45:51] He said, This is what the king who will reign over you will claim as his rights.
[00:45:56] He will take your sons and make them serve with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front of his chariots.
[00:46:02] Some he will assign to be commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and others to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and still others to make weapons of war and equipment for his chariots.
[00:46:14] He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers.
[00:46:18] He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his attendants.
[00:46:23] He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants.
[00:46:28] Your male and female servants and the best of your cattle and donkeys he will take for his own use.
[00:46:33] He will take a tenth of your flocks and you yourselves will become his slaves.
[00:46:38] When that day comes, you will cry out for relief for the king you have chosen, but the Lord will not answer you in that day.
[00:46:44] But the people refused to listen to Samuel.
[00:46:47] No, they said, we want a king over us.
[00:46:51] Then we will be like all the nations, with a king to lead us and go out before us and fight our battles.
[00:46:58] When Samuel heard all the people had said, he repeated it before the Lord.
[00:47:01] The Lord answered, listen to them and give them a king.
[00:47:05] Then Samuel said to the Israelites, everyone go back to your own town.
[00:47:11] Thanks be to God for the reading of his word.
[00:47:14] You may be seated.
[00:47:19] It's interesting that the text today as we as Logan preached last week and he's preached in Samuel.
[00:47:25] Has Samuel been a good leader for Israel?
[00:47:27] Yes.
[00:47:29] He was God's chosen, and Samuel has been a great leader.
[00:47:33] We learned last week how he led the people of Israel, and Israel worships many gods.
[00:47:39] Israel, as you've seen through the years as you're reading the Old Testament, very disobedient people running from God.
[00:47:46] But Samuel last week, as a true spiritual leader, leads them back to God in a way of repentance.
[00:47:54] Confession of sin and they return to God and what does God do is a blessing to the people
[00:48:00] He rescues them from the Israelites.
[00:48:02] The Israelites are their feared enemy at this time, a very well-organized enemy.
[00:48:07] And although Israel outnumbers the Philistines, they are not as organized.
[00:48:13] So when the Philistines come, technically they should be able to overrun the Israelites.
[00:48:17] But with the power of God, what do we see?
[00:48:20] We see an Israelite victory.
[00:48:22] God comes and defeats the enemy and Israel runs them out of town.
[00:48:29] And yet today, you know, years have passed in this passage in 1 Samuel 8 from 1 Samuel 7, the people seem to have forgotten what God has done for them, right?
[00:48:42] And as we read a passage like this where the people ask for a king, you know, they got Samuel as their human leader, who's their ultimate leader?
[00:48:51] God.
[00:48:51] God is their ultimate leader.
[00:48:53] Samuel is this man who leads them in repentance.
[00:48:56] He's a true spiritual leader.
[00:48:58] A man, as you would say, a man after God's own heart.
[00:49:03] That's the title given to David.
[00:49:05] But Samuel is faithfully leading God's people.
[00:49:09] But the people run.
[00:49:10] The people in this passage
[00:49:11] They ask for a king, and God lays out in here, I'll give you a king, but this is what's coming from it.
[00:49:19] This king's going to take, take, take, take, take.
[00:49:22] And you're going to serve as a slave to this king.
[00:49:25] And what's their answer?
[00:49:26] Bring it on.
[00:49:27] We want a king.
[00:49:30] You know, what's interesting is we read things like this, read of the disobedience of the Israelites, and we say, I can't believe they would do that.
[00:49:38] You know what?
[00:49:40] We do the same thing.
[00:49:42] Last week, we talked about an Ebenezer, a remembrance of all that God has done with us up to this point.
[00:49:51] In the past, God has been faithful all the way up to today.
[00:49:54] God has been faithful, but how quickly we forget.
[00:49:58] How quickly we forget to remember the things that God does for us.
[00:50:05] The title of this sermon is When Waiting Feels Like Losing.
[00:50:10] Who here likes to wait?
[00:50:12] Somebody probably likes to wait.
[00:50:14] No, no one?
[00:50:15] All right, we have a bunch of people made like me.
[00:50:17] No, right?
[00:50:19] We don't like to wait.
[00:50:20] You know, especially when it's something we really want.
[00:50:23] What is that something that you really want?
[00:50:26] You know, you think you know what's best for you.
[00:50:28] You're tired of waiting.
[00:50:30] You're tired of it not happening.
[00:50:32] Maybe you've prayed for days and weeks and months, but God's not bringing this thing.
[00:50:39] Maybe it's a marriage.
[00:50:40] Maybe you're single and you want to be married.
[00:50:42] I was single for a lot of years.
[00:50:44] I wanted to be married.
[00:50:45] I prayed for that all the time.
[00:50:47] And year after year after year, God did not bring that.
[00:50:51] But maybe it's a husband or a wife.
[00:50:53] Maybe it's a new job.
[00:50:54] Maybe it's for your marriage to be closer to your spouse, for the fighting to stop, for it to come there to be peace and to be closeness in your relationship.
[00:51:07] You know, should you get out?
[00:51:09] Right?
[00:51:10] These things, as we sit and we think, we wonder.
[00:51:13] For our family, it's a sibling for Audrey.
[00:51:16] You know, the thing that Audrey's adopted, I could not have kids.
[00:51:20] And so adoption was on Carrie's heart and my heart.
[00:51:23] So we adopted Audrey seven years ago.
[00:51:26] She's seven now.
[00:51:27] But the thing we've always, I think, really feared is her being an only child.
[00:51:32] If you're an only child out there, we know there's nothing wrong with being an only child.
[00:51:37] Let me confess that there's nothing wrong with that.
[00:51:40] But there's a fear inside of me and I think Carrie would answer the same.
[00:51:43] There's a fear inside of her of Audrey being an only child.
[00:51:47] We see her play alone.
[00:51:49] Sometimes she struggles to play alone.
[00:51:51] She wants to play with us and we long and we pray and ask God for a sibling.
[00:51:57] But to this point, God hasn't brought her a sibling.
[00:52:00] And one reason is with me.
[00:52:02] I think I've told you all before, I struggle with anxiety and I struggle with depression.
[00:52:07] And I think having a second child, to adopt a second child, would probably be more than I can handle, more than our family can handle.
[00:52:16] So I pray God would take the anxiety and the depression away so that it's not me that's keeping us from having a child.
[00:52:24] But God hasn't taken that away.
[00:52:26] And so as we wait, there's days that I wake up that I'm like, let's go sign papers at an adoption agency.
[00:52:32] We're gonna make this thing happen because I know it's best and Carrie knows it's best that she has a sibling.
[00:52:41] But then reality hits and we wake up and we realize that that might not be God's will, right?
[00:52:48] And I don't know where you're at where that's something that might not be God's will.
[00:52:54] It makes me sad, right?
[00:52:55] There's a human sadness around that.
[00:52:57] There's a human sense of loss around that.
[00:53:03] But it's something, we're not promised that God will fulfill all of our longings and all of our desires.
[00:53:09] Ultimately, those will be fulfilled in the person of Jesus and in heaven and eternity spent with him.
[00:53:15] But I give this to you that my area, the carry, or excuse me, of Audrey having a sibling, that's real for us, right?
[00:53:22] And what is that for you?
[00:53:24] What is that area where you're asking from God, you're wanting from God, and you're sick and tired of waiting?
[00:53:31] In returning to the text, the Israelites are tired of things as they've been.
[00:53:36] Again, years have passed from chapter seven when God rescued the people from the Philistines and the ark had been returned and the people had repented and been made right with God and they experienced a time
[00:53:49] of peace but time has passed and the people have become impatient they fear the organized army of the philistines rising up again they see nations around them that have kings and they want to be like them these nations have organized armies to defend them they want that stability they want that security they want that peace of mind
[00:54:14] But may they not forget that God is their ultimate king, that Ebenezer that was raised saying that God has had you from the beginning and God will promise and has promised to be there to the end to keep you safe.
[00:54:30] But again, years have passed.
[00:54:32] They've forgotten.
[00:54:33] How could they know for sure, for certainty, that God would deliver them again the next time the Philistines came?
[00:54:43] D.A.
[00:54:43] Carson, in his commentary on 1 Samuel, he offers up an interesting point of view.
[00:54:48] He looks at this story that we read, the situation we read in 1 Samuel 8, from several perspectives.
[00:54:53] From the point of view of a modern historian, this rise of what we would call a monarchy, it's Israel asking for a king, it was inevitable.
[00:55:04] Right?
[00:55:04] And it should produce anxiety in Israel.
[00:55:08] For the Philistines posed a serious threat.
[00:55:11] They were well equipped.
[00:55:12] They were well organized as an army.
[00:55:15] Israel, again, had more people, but were not near as equipped and not near as organized.
[00:55:21] The tribes, Israel made of 12 tribes, and these tribes often acted independently.
[00:55:28] So again, not as organized.
[00:55:29] You can imagine the threat that these people are facing in Israel.
[00:55:34] Samuel, as the text says, was growing old.
[00:55:38] And the people noticed this.
[00:55:39] Samuel, you've been a good leader, but man, you're growing old.
[00:55:43] And Samuel has a broke tradition, and his sons have been made judges in other parts of the land.
[00:55:49] And what do we know about Samuel's sons?
[00:55:52] They're corrupt, right?
[00:55:54] The people of Israel, see, you're older, Samuel.
[00:55:57] Your sons are corrupt.
[00:55:59] We're looking at our future, and it looks bleak.
[00:56:03] So God, we've basically forgotten the covenant that God made with us, and we're worried.
[00:56:10] So from a historian's point of view, their anxiety, you can see, is that seems reasonable.
[00:56:16] But to switch perspectives from the view of the biblical author, Israel already had a king, and it was Yahweh, the personal name of God.
[00:56:26] Human kings were weak and would be incompetent at times, but how could a divine king fail to lead his people to peace and prosperity?
[00:56:37] For God had proven time and time again in the past that he could be trusted.
[00:56:42] We've seen that in 1 Samuel 7.
[00:56:46] More than this, the defeats Israel had experienced in the past weren't due to God's incompetence, they were due to their own disobedience to Yahweh as king.
[00:56:59] So from the biblical author's perspective, the elder's request for a human king was sinful, right?
[00:57:07] It was a rejection of God as king in an attempt to win victory without God's guidance and help.
[00:57:15] And if you can imagine yourself as Samuel in this passage, as he's faithfully sought God for the people and led them to repentance, we see in this pastoral, he too feels rejected, right, as a human leader.
[00:57:31] But it's interesting in this passage, what do we not see Israel doing with respect to God?
[00:57:38] We don't see Israel returning to God and saying, God,
[00:57:42] Bring your king.
[00:57:43] We cry out to you.
[00:57:45] In scripture, we often see Israel cry out to God and God hears and God answers.
[00:57:49] But in this passage, we don't see Israel raising their hands and raising their voices to God.
[00:57:54] God help.
[00:57:55] But we see it in Samuel.
[00:57:58] Samuel's the prophet.
[00:57:59] He goes back to God and he delivers all the words of God to the people.
[00:58:04] But God says specifically to Samuel, Samuel, it's not just you reject.
[00:58:08] They're rejecting me.
[00:58:10] Ultimately, they're God.
[00:58:13] The Lordship of Jesus is what they're ultimately rejecting.
[00:58:19] You know it's interesting the historical context of this chapter in verse Samuel.
[00:58:24] It's among the most significant of the historical books and that's Joshua through Esther in the Bible of the Old Testament.
[00:58:30] It marks a transition from the judgeship that we saw in the book of Judges where Israel, God would raise up a judge at specific times through Israel's history and the people would be given leadership and judges would make decisions for the people and lead them in battle.
[00:58:49] But it's now a switch to kingship in ancient Israel.
[00:58:52] And this is a huge, huge switch, right?
[00:58:56] It's moving from God's lordship to that of a king.
[00:59:01] And again, the people are rejecting God's authority.
[00:59:05] They're seeking stability and prosperity of the nation from a human king.
[00:59:12] I read an illustration.
[00:59:13] It said, following God is like planting a seed.
[00:59:18] Is anyone here aerating their yard and trying to get grass to grow?
[00:59:22] Anyone?
[00:59:23] Gotta be, right?
[00:59:25] Everybody here wants green grass, right?
[00:59:27] Am I the only one?
[00:59:29] Y'all, I have to admit, I covet my neighbor's yards.
[00:59:31] They have really, really green grass.
[00:59:35] Let me show you.
[00:59:36] Oh, there it is.
[00:59:37] That's Carrie's backyard.
[00:59:39] No, that's my backyard and Carrie's backyard, and I did that to it.
[00:59:47] So we have a lot of, our grass has a lot of Bermuda mixed in, which I find is very natural for living here.
[00:59:54] It has a lot of Bermuda, a lot of crabgrass, and I decided this year I'm just gonna get rid of it all.
[01:00:00] Not all my grass, but all that brown area was the non-fescue.
[01:00:03] We have a fescue yard, right?
[01:00:05] So I sprayed some things.
[01:00:06] I went to the store, this guy informed me what I should do, and I sprayed my yard.
[01:00:11] He told me what to do, and he said, you will get grass to grow, right?
[01:00:16] But in this illustration that following God is like planting seed.
[01:00:21] You can plant seed.
[01:00:23] You can water it.
[01:00:24] You can care for it.
[01:00:26] You can hope and believe that under that ground, under all that brown, that something is going on, that that seed is getting into the soil and it's germinating and that one day that brown yard is going to be bright green.
[01:00:39] Who believes that?
[01:00:42] I hope I believe that.
[01:00:45] Please believe that for me.
[01:00:47] I'll have to let you know.
[01:00:49] But it's interesting.
[01:00:52] I like the illustration that following God is like that, that you can plant the seed, you can ask God for what you want, you can water it, but ultimately we have to wait and we have to be patient.
[01:01:06] and not all things are God's will forget grass right but it's just an illustration of whatever it is that you're asking for we don't know that that will come true the big idea of this passage that i want you to take away it's a very simple sentence and i actually changed it a bit from but it says is you the next slide please it takes courage
[01:01:30] and Patience and I'm going to say in surrender I added that kind of late to follow God it takes courage it takes a lot of patience and it takes surrender to follow God it takes courage to trust God's leading when you can't see the next step
[01:01:47] You know, often in life, we don't know the next step.
[01:01:50] God may give us our daily bread such that we have enough for today, but we don't know what that next step is, right?
[01:01:58] God's given us Audrey.
[01:01:59] We love Audrey as much as we possibly can, but we want that other sibling.
[01:02:04] But we just, we don't know.
[01:02:05] We wait.
[01:02:06] So it takes courage to walk in and to trust God and to believe God that behind the scenes, God is working.
[01:02:14] It takes patience to wait on God's timing when all you really want to do inside is to move ahead.
[01:02:21] It takes patience to listen to God, to pray to God, and to wait on Him.
[01:02:27] Waiting feels so passive, but in actuality, in God's economy, it's actively trusting Him.
[01:02:35] right and it's not as we wait that we just sit and wait but as we wait we are to be drawn back to God that we are to continually raise our needs and our desires and our longings before God committing it unto his will as Jesus prayed in the garden of Gethsemane Jesus God may your will be done not mine but it's daily seeking God asking him for your peace asking him for his comfort because it can be it can be frustrating
[01:03:06] And it's surrendering to trust the outcome to God, to trust that God knows best.
[01:03:11] I don't know if it's best in our lives that God would give Audrey a sibling.
[01:03:14] I don't know if that's best for our family.
[01:03:17] I don't know if that's best for me as a dad.
[01:03:19] I don't truly know if that's best for Audrey, even though I think it is.
[01:03:24] But we're called to trust God.
[01:03:27] Whatever that thing is in your life that you're waiting for, are you willing to trust God?
[01:03:32] Are you willing to say, God, with open hands, I come to you with the outcome.
[01:03:35] This may not work out like I won't, but I can trust that behind the scenes, like under that soil, you're working and you're accomplishing your plan, which scripture tells us is best.
[01:03:48] The problem is we long for certainty.
[01:03:51] We don't want to surrender to God and His will and His way.
[01:03:55] I look for control.
[01:03:57] I want to control.
[01:03:58] I want things to be like I want it to be.
[01:04:00] I want to find comfort as I wait.
[01:04:03] I want to find security.
[01:04:05] But instead, God calls us to be courageous.
[01:04:07] He calls us to wait with patience.
[01:04:12] The questions we ask or should ask
[01:04:16] Who is my king?
[01:04:19] Who is your king, ultimately?
[01:04:22] Who is the king of your life?
[01:04:25] Who do we truly serve?
[01:04:27] You know, in our daily lives, are we serving us?
[01:04:30] Are we seeking to serve our needs, or are we committing our lives unto God?
[01:04:34] Are we living under the lordship, or what we call the ownership of Jesus?
[01:04:38] Where daily we ask God, God give us eyes to see the needs of people around us.
[01:04:44] Lord, let today not just be about me.
[01:04:46] Let it be about the people that you will put in my path, that you choose to help me bless, that you help me give a smile to that may really need that.
[01:04:56] I pray that God would give me eyes to see the needs of people around me.
[01:05:02] Why do we prefer our own ideas as opposed to trusting the Lord?
[01:05:07] I think it's because we can't see or touch God.
[01:05:12] We want to live life by sight.
[01:05:16] We want to live by what we can see and what we can touch and what we can feel.
[01:05:20] When we talk to God, we want God to audibly respond to us such that we can know, we can be certain that what we've heard is of God.
[01:05:29] But we learn in Peter that the God we serve and the God we love is a God that we can't see.
[01:05:37] But He's the God who saves.
[01:05:39] And we are to have faith in Him.
[01:05:41] And that faith can be blind.
[01:05:44] We don't know.
[01:05:45] But what we do know about God from the Scriptures is God is faithful.
[01:05:51] that Ebenezer don't forget that Ebenezer don't forget whatever it is that that those points of remembrance in your life when God delivered you when God was there for you God has promised to never leave you never forsake you and we can trust that whatever he has for our future is best did you ever watch the game show let's make a deal
[01:06:14] That ages me, I know.
[01:06:16] I know our young people have never heard of that.
[01:06:20] How many have never heard of that before in your life?
[01:06:25] I am old all right so let me let me educate you on let's make a deal so they always have these curtains generally it was three curtains right you go into this game show and a lot of times they would show you what was behind one of the curtains so they would show you xyz maybe it's a vacation to Florida right but then they have these other two curtains these other two curtains they weren't going to show you what was behind those curtains
[01:06:51] But you could have this certain trip to Florida, but what about curtains two or three?
[01:06:57] You want either one of those, right?
[01:07:00] And the whole point of the show is would you give up what you know, what you can see, what you can touch behind curtain number one for the possibility of something greater?
[01:07:10] But you know what was so frustrating about that game show?
[01:07:14] What was behind curtain two and three could be a big dud.
[01:07:18] It might be some mule.
[01:07:19] Do you ever remember they'd have a mule or something behind there and he was feeding, right?
[01:07:25] Isn't that what we do in life?
[01:07:27] We're scared to death that whatever we're trusting God for is going to be a dud.
[01:07:31] That it's not going to satisfy.
[01:07:34] God, it's going to ultimately make me mad.
[01:07:37] I didn't get what I want.
[01:07:38] I knew if I can see it and feel it and touch it, I'm good with it.
[01:07:42] But God, I struggle so much behind curtain two and three because I don't know what's there.
[01:07:47] But again, the Ebenezer, God calls us to remember and to trust no matter what we're going through, he will never leave and forsake us, that he is there.
[01:07:56] It takes courage and patience and surrender to follow God.
[01:08:03] In 1 Samuel 8.20, as we look in the text, I'm going to pull that back up.
[01:08:15] I'm going to read again, it's verse 20.
[01:08:19] This is verse 19, but the people refused to listen to Samuel.
[01:08:23] No, they said, we want a king over us.
[01:08:25] Verse 20, then we'll be like all the other nations with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our enemies.
[01:08:32] Battles.
[01:08:33] They so wanted to be like the other nations.
[01:08:36] To have a king that could physically be with them and fight with them.
[01:08:41] It reflects a failure to trust God's power to save his people.
[01:08:45] God had rescued Israel from the Philistines in remarkable ways and given them peace, but it's not enough for the people.
[01:08:51] They don't trust God.
[01:08:52] They want a king they can see.
[01:08:53] Again, they want to live by sight.
[01:09:00] Bill Arnold, in his commentary, he writes this.
[01:09:03] He says, In our clearest and most honest moments, we all too often seek security by conforming to the spirit of the times, rather than serving the world as God's counterculture, as we were created to be.
[01:09:16] And like Israel, we tend to forfeit the lordship of God to become like other nations.
[01:09:23] In Scripture, God calls us to be holy.
[01:09:25] Can you fill that in?
[01:09:27] As he is holy.
[01:09:30] Does God call us to be different?
[01:09:33] Does God call us to live counter-culturally?
[01:09:36] Yes.
[01:09:38] God calls us to be salt and light in our world, in a world that's dark.
[01:09:44] But often we want to fit in, we want to blend in.
[01:09:46] Like the Israelites, we want to be like the nations.
[01:09:51] Real quick, three points.
[01:09:54] In Israel's demand for a king,
[01:09:56] Bill Arnold says it was sinful in its motives.
[01:09:59] And a motive is the reason for doing it.
[01:10:02] They desired to be like the other nations.
[01:10:05] They were tired of being who they are.
[01:10:08] They wanted to be like the other nations.
[01:10:11] But that wasn't God's plan for them.
[01:10:13] That wasn't God's best.
[01:10:16] You remember the Garden of Eden, the Israelites in Samuel's day, their attempt to cross over divinely ordained boundaries to become something they were not created to be and were not supposed to be.
[01:10:28] They are not satisfied with what God has done for them and where God has placed him.
[01:10:34] As Adam and Eve longed to become like God, the elders of Israel longed to be like the other nations.
[01:10:41] I love in comparing that to Adam and Eve.
[01:10:43] In the garden, they had perfect community with God.
[01:10:47] There was no sin.
[01:10:51] But instead, Satan comes in and convinces them that they want to be like God, that God's provision is not enough.
[01:10:59] How similar that is to the Israelites in this passage, how God's delivered them.
[01:11:04] They set up as Ebenezer.
[01:11:05] Now they've forgotten that what God is is not enough.
[01:11:08] They now want to be like the other nations.
[01:11:13] It's interesting, as you look forward into the first and second Kings, there were consequences of the Israelites' actions in this passage to create a monarchy and to create a kingship.
[01:11:24] The consequences we read in first and second Kings
[01:11:26] Solomon tanks over as king and he had everything going for him.
[01:11:31] He had asked God for wisdom.
[01:11:32] He had asked God to bless him with that.
[01:11:34] God gave him wisdom.
[01:11:36] God gave him a great rise in the kingdom.
[01:11:40] But before long, he became rich.
[01:11:42] He built up a large army.
[01:11:43] He married many wives and idolatry worked its way all through his life.
[01:11:49] As a result of that, God's kingdom was promised to be divided.
[01:11:53] The kingdom of Israel was divided into a north and to a south.
[01:11:56] Ten tribes went to the north, two went to the south.
[01:11:58] What would eventually happen to this divided kingdom?
[01:12:02] Eventually, Assyria would come into the north and scatter the people and the Israelites and kill and scatter the people, the Israelites away.
[01:12:09] In the south, the Babylonians would come in and would take the people Israel into exile.
[01:12:15] So the consequence of what they're choosing
[01:12:19] There are consequences when we choose to go away that's not of God.
[01:12:23] We see that consequence here in 2 Kings.
[01:12:26] We see that their actions have resulted in a divided kingdom.
[01:12:30] The people have been exiled.
[01:12:32] So I want you to know that there are consequences in our lives when we make our own paths instead of trusting God.
[01:12:41] The example of the rich young ruler.
[01:12:43] Do you remember that story in Mark 10, 17 to 22?
[01:12:47] He wanted eternal life, but he didn't trust Jesus enough to surrender his wealth.
[01:12:52] He loved the things of this world more than he did Jesus.
[01:12:55] And what did he miss?
[01:12:56] What was his consequence?
[01:12:59] He missed the joy of following Jesus.
[01:13:05] Okay, point two.
[01:13:05] The demand for a king was not only sinful in motives, but it was selfish in its timing.
[01:13:10] The people wanted a king now.
[01:13:12] you know you look back earlier in the old testament god promises that there would there would be a king and to abraham god said i will make nations of you and kings will come from you god was going to bring a king but it was going to be a king of his timing and it was going to be a king of his choosing but the israelites were impatient they rebelled against god they weren't willing to wait on god so not only was was
[01:13:38] was the demand for a king sinful in its motives, selfish in its timing, but cowardly in its spirit.
[01:13:45] They take things into their own hands and they take the easy way out.
[01:13:50] You know, the neighboring nations were threatening them.
[01:13:53] The Philistines, they were afraid and they were scared.
[01:13:56] They didn't know what to do.
[01:13:57] The Israelites panicked and they run and they ask God for a king.
[01:14:03] Forgetting that the source of their problem ultimately was their own disobedience not the lack of God's faithfulness.
[01:14:13] It's interesting.
[01:14:14] I took a trip a few years back, actually been a long years back, when I got out of seminary.
[01:14:19] I went to Vegas.
[01:14:20] I think most seminary graduates usually go to Vegas.
[01:14:23] I'm pretty sure.
[01:14:25] But my friends took me to Vegas, and we went to Zion Canyon, which is in Utah.
[01:14:29] We drove there, and there's a hike there known as the Narrows.
[01:14:32] It's a really cool, great hike.
[01:14:34] Go do it.
[01:14:35] Put it on your bucket list.
[01:14:37] but thing to know about me is i don't swim real well right and as you're we backpacked overnight through this through this canyon and the guide before you leave tells you all right you're going to get to places where the water is over your head how do you think that made me feel fearful right so he tells you all you got to do when you get to that point in the river is just lay back put your your backpack just be at peace and just float it'll take you down the river and everything will be okay
[01:15:07] All right, we get to that point at the river where it gets over my head.
[01:15:11] Remembering what the guide said, I just got to sit back, lay back and be at peace.
[01:15:16] I do that for about two seconds.
[01:15:20] I remember that I can't swim very well.
[01:15:22] I start to turn over because I want to be in control, and I can only really be in control if I'm facing forward.
[01:15:30] Little did I know that pack was going to put my head in the water.
[01:15:33] I begin flailing my arms.
[01:15:35] My friends are with me.
[01:15:37] A few seconds later, I forget that the water is pushing me down the river.
[01:15:43] I hear my friend Greg.
[01:15:44] He's hollering, dude, stand up.
[01:15:50] The river had pushed me far enough down to where I literally could stand up, but the whole time I was flailing.
[01:15:59] I didn't listen to my guide.
[01:16:01] I took the easy way out.
[01:16:02] I didn't even really give him a chance at what he was doing.
[01:16:05] I took the easy way out.
[01:16:06] I turned over.
[01:16:09] We gotta listen to our guide.
[01:16:11] We gotta seek God.
[01:16:12] Seek God in his word.
[01:16:14] Not just blindly trust him, but read his word, study his word, get in transformation groups, get around people.
[01:16:21] You wanna be around people who are also pursuing and running after God.
[01:16:25] But you know there's good news as we close.
[01:16:30] When life feels uncertain and we're wrestling with does God care, is God gonna show us the way?
[01:16:39] Thankfully, when we're unfaithful, God promises to still be faithful.
[01:16:45] God's faithfulness never leaves.
[01:16:49] Dale R. Davis in his commentary says, Israel's rejection of God does not paralyze God's providence.
[01:16:56] And that's God's working behind the scenes, under the soil, what we can't see.
[01:17:01] He says, although Yahweh sees Israel's idolatry in her cry for a king, he also hears her distress in her cry for relief.
[01:17:09] Israel's stupidity cannot wither Yahweh's compassions.
[01:17:14] Let that sink in.
[01:17:16] Our ignorance in the way we live and we seek to go our own ways cannot wither God's compassion.
[01:17:22] These foolish, stubborn people do not cease to be objects of Yahweh's compassion.
[01:17:26] Your sin does not dry up the fountain of God's compassion.
[01:17:30] His pity refuses to let go of His people.
[01:17:34] Psalm 103 verse 11 says, For His unfailing love toward those who fear Him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth.
[01:17:44] We can't outrun God's compassion.
[01:17:47] Even we make our way, go our own way, the good news is that, as Logan said last week, God's our ultimate king.
[01:17:56] Jesus is the king above kings and the king of kings and the Lord of lords.
[01:18:01] For God would later give Israel a king.
[01:18:04] It wouldn't be Saul, it wouldn't be David, but it would be who?
[01:18:08] Jesus.
[01:18:10] King of kings, Lord of lords, the true king, the one who came not to take nor to be served, but to what?
[01:18:16] To serve.
[01:18:18] To give his life as a ransom for many.
[01:18:20] That's Mark 10.45.
[01:18:22] Jesus doesn't demand our sons or daughters or our lands like the kings would in the nation, but he gives his life for you.
[01:18:30] He gives his life for me.
[01:18:32] And because of this, we can trust him.
[01:18:37] You and I can wait on Him.
[01:18:41] We can follow Him when everything in us wants to just peel and run and make our own decision and control things and make it work.
[01:18:51] So as we close today, where in life is God calling you to trust?
[01:18:57] Where is God calling you to wait, to be patient?
[01:19:01] Where is He calling you to wait on His wisdom
[01:19:06] As we wait, may we repent, may we confess, may we surrender whatever we have, whatever we're going through unto God, and ask God, may your will be done and trust.
[01:19:19] Let me close this in prayer.
[01:19:20] Father, we thank you for your word.
[01:19:23] Oh Lord, we are so much, I am so much like the Israelites, more than I can ever imagine.
[01:19:31] But Lord, when I and we are unfaithful, God, you are faithful.
[01:19:36] We praise you, Jesus, that our salvation does not depend upon us.
[01:19:40] It rests solely in the work and the finished work of Jesus on the cross.
[01:19:46] For that, we are thankful.
[01:19:47] Lord, we love you and praise you in Jesus name.
[01:19:50] Amen.

[01:20:03] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]:
Let's stand and sing this last song together.

[01:20:25] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
We fold down, we lay our crowns at the feet

[01:20:35] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
The greatness of His mercy and love At the feet of Jesus We cry holy, holy, holy
[01:20:59] We cry holy, holy, holy We cry holy, holy, holy Israel
[01:21:22] We fall down, we lay our crowns at the feet of Jesus The greatness of His mercy and love at the feet
[01:21:46] of Jesus We cry holy, holy, holy We cry holy, holy, holy We cry holy, holy, holy Israel
[01:22:18] We cry holy, holy, holy We cry holy, holy, holy We cry holy, holy, holy
[01:22:46] He is the Lamb Holy is the Lamb He is the Lamb For thou, O Lord, art high
[01:23:14] Above all the earth, Thou art exalted far above all other.
[01:23:40] Are high above all the earth Thou art exalted far above all gods So I exalt Thee
[01:24:12] I exalt Thee I exalt Thee O Lord I exalt Thee

[01:24:42] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
I exalt Thee I exalt Thee O Lord So we cry holy And we cry holy, holy

[01:25:11] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
We cry holy, holy, holy We cry holy, holy, holy Islaam Islaam
[01:25:40] I exalt Thee I exalt Thee I exalt Thee O Lord, we exalt Thee
[01:26:08] We exalt Thee We exalt Thee We exalt Thee

[01:26:39] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
We serve a God who doesn't leave us.
[01:26:41] A God who doesn't forsake us.
[01:26:43] We are a forgiven people.
[01:26:46] We're called to be different.
[01:26:47] We're called to be sight, salt.
[01:26:49] We're called to be light.
[01:26:51] May we be different in this world, counter-cultural, in the power of the Spirit that lives within us.
[01:26:58] Let me close with this benediction from Ephesians 3.20.
[01:27:02] God's Word says, Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more,
[01:27:08] Then we can ask or imagine, according to His power, the Spirit at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations, forever and ever.
[01:27:20] Amen.
[01:27:21] Go in peace.