God’s Unfolding Kingdom: From Abraham’s Promise to Christ’s Reign

[00:00:00] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
To worship Spirit moving Mercy washing Healing in these living waters Lead your children to the shoreline Life is in these living waters
[00:00:30] And there's a river that blows With mercy and love
[00:00:36] Bringing joy to the city of our God
[00:00:41] There our hope is secure I do not fear anymore
[00:00:48] Praise the Lord

[00:00:53] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]:
There's a river that blows With mercy and love
[00:00:59] Bringing joy to the city of our God
[00:01:04] There our hope is secure I do not fear anymore
[00:01:11] Praise to the Lord
[00:01:16] There our hope is secure I do not fear anymore

[00:01:24] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
Praise the Lord in living waters
[00:01:54] There our hope in living water
[00:01:58] In living waters

[00:02:02] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
In living water
[00:02:06] You are our refuge
[00:02:07] In life
[00:02:10] In misdeed
[00:02:12] You are our refuge
[00:02:12] And strength
[00:02:14] Andtag
[00:02:15] And Hej
[00:02:16] In life
[00:02:18] In life
[00:02:20] You are our refuge
[00:02:22] In life
[00:02:23] Everywhere that you will lead, you will sustain.

[00:02:29] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]:
You keep your promises.
[00:02:36] And your goodness never ends.
[00:02:42] From generation to generation.
[00:02:48] And you keep your covenant.
[00:02:55] And we've seen your faithfulness.
[00:03:02] From generation to generation.

[00:03:08] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]:
From generation to generation.
[00:03:13] And it is written.
[00:03:17] We're redeemed.
[00:03:18] We're redeemed by your blood.

[00:03:20] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_08]:
And all the old has passed away and new has come.
[00:03:26] And it is written.
[00:03:30] It's not by power or might.

[00:03:33] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]:
But by the spirit of the living God in us.
[00:03:41] And you keep your promises.
[00:03:45] Yes, yes, God.
[00:03:48] Your goodness never ends.
[00:03:53] From generation to generation.
[00:04:01] You keep your covenant.
[00:04:05] You are always faithful.
[00:04:08] And we've seen your faithfulness.
[00:04:11] From generation to generation.
[00:04:15] Yes, Lord.
[00:04:16] From generation to generation.
[00:04:18] We thank you, Jesus.

[00:04:30] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
We thank you, Jesus.

[00:04:36] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
We will trust you and believe.
[00:04:40] As it's written, let it be.
[00:04:43] You alone will be a firm foundation.
[00:04:48] What you've spoken is enough.
[00:04:49] It's the crown we're standing on.
[00:04:50] You are God and we will not be shaken.
[00:04:51] What you've spoken is enough.
[00:04:52] It's the crown we're standing on.
[00:04:53] You are God and we will not be shaken.
[00:04:54] We will trust you and believe.
[00:04:55] As it's written, let it be.
[00:04:56] You alone will be a firm foundation.
[00:04:57] We will trust you and believe.
[00:04:58] As it's written, let it be.
[00:04:59] You alone will be a firm foundation.
[00:05:00] We will trust you and believe.
[00:05:01] As it's written, let it be.
[00:05:02] You alone will be a firm foundation.
[00:05:03] We will trust you and believe.

[00:05:04] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]:
As it's written, let it be.
[00:05:05] You alone will be a firm foundation.
[00:05:06] We will trust you and believe.
[00:05:07] We will trust you and believe.
[00:05:08] As it's written, let it be.
[00:05:09] You alone will be a firm foundation.
[00:05:13] What you've spoken is enough.
[00:05:19] It's the ground where you stand.
[00:05:21] You are God and we will not be shaken.
[00:05:32] You keep your promises.
[00:05:36] You're so good to us, Lord.
[00:05:42] From generation to generation.
[00:05:51] You keep your covenant.
[00:05:58] We've seen your faithfulness.
[00:06:02] From generation to generation.
[00:06:06] From generation to generation.
[00:06:10] From generation to generation.
[00:06:15] From generation to generation.
[00:06:26] Your promises, yes and amen.
[00:06:30] Hallelujah.
[00:06:36] Thank you, Jesus.
[00:06:41] Thank you, Jesus.
[00:06:42] Thank you, Jesus.
[00:06:43] Thank you, Jesus.
[00:06:44] Thank you, Jesus.
[00:06:45] Thank you, Jesus.
[00:06:46] Thank you, Jesus.
[00:06:47] Thank you, Jesus.
[00:06:48] Thank you, Jesus.
[00:06:49] Thank you, Jesus.
[00:06:50] Thank you, Jesus.
[00:06:51] Thank you, Jesus.
[00:06:52] Thank you, Jesus.
[00:06:53] Thank you, Jesus.
[00:06:54] Thank you, Jesus.
[00:06:55] Thank you, Jesus.
[00:06:56] Thank you, Jesus.
[00:06:57] Thank you, Jesus.
[00:06:58] Thank you, Jesus.
[00:06:59] Thank you, Jesus.
[00:07:00] Thank you, Jesus.
[00:07:01] Thank you, Jesus.
[00:07:02] Thank you, Jesus.
[00:07:03] Thank you, Jesus.
[00:07:04] Thank you, Jesus.
[00:07:05] We'll be right back.
[00:07:35] Thank you.
[00:08:05] Thank you.
[00:08:35] Thank you.
[00:09:05] Thank you.

[00:09:35] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_08]:
Thank you.
[00:10:05] Well, now that I'm older, could you say it again?
[00:10:13] I remember I was afraid.
[00:10:18] And oh, the hand I felt lead the way.
[00:10:24] And for the first time in my life, I felt safe.
[00:10:30] Well, God, now that I'm older,
[00:10:32] would you lead me again?
[00:10:37] Oh, when the storm's out on the ocean
[00:10:43] and the violent wind gets to blowing,
[00:10:50] oh, take me back, back, all the way back.
[00:10:56] Oh, take me back to my first love.
[00:11:01] Yeah.
[00:11:02] I remember when I was blind.
[00:11:06] And then your love opened up my eyes.
[00:11:13] And oh, the light that bloodied my life.
[00:11:19] Well, now that I'm older, could you show me again?
[00:11:25] Oh, would you show me again?
[00:11:29] Because when the storm's out,
[00:11:32] on the ocean and the violent wind gets to blowing,
[00:11:42] oh, take me back, back, all the way back.
[00:11:48] Oh, take me back to my first love.
[00:11:54] Because you are real to me.
[00:11:58] Yeah.
[00:12:00] I've known it from.
[00:12:02] I've known it from the start.
[00:12:04] And there's no space between the heavens and my heart.
[00:12:10] And there's no space between the heavens and my heart.
[00:12:17] And there's no space between the heavens and my heart.
[00:12:21] You are near to me.
[00:12:26] I've never been too far.
[00:12:30] Hey.
[00:12:31] Hey.
[00:12:31] Hey.
[00:12:32] Hey.
[00:12:32] hey.
[00:12:33] Hey.
[00:12:33] And in an endless wait.
[00:12:38] You brought heaven to my heart.
[00:12:44] Yeah!
[00:12:46] Hey.
[00:12:47] Hey.
[00:12:47] Hey.
[00:12:47] Hey.
[00:12:48] Hey.
[00:12:48] Hey.
[00:12:49] Oh!
[00:12:49] Hey.
[00:12:49] Oh!
[00:12:49] Hey.
[00:12:50] Oh!
[00:12:50] Hey.
[00:12:50] Oh!
[00:12:51] Hey.
[00:12:51] Oh!
[00:12:51] Hey.
[00:12:52] So.
[00:12:52] Hey.
[00:12:53] Hey.
[00:12:53] Yeah.
[00:12:54] Hey.
[00:12:54] Yay.
[00:12:55] Yeah.
[00:12:55] Yeah.
[00:12:55] Yeah.
[00:12:56] Yeah.
[00:12:58] Yeah.
[00:12:58] Yeah.
[00:12:58] Yeah.
[00:12:58] Yeah.
[00:13:00] Yeah.
[00:13:00] Yeah.
[00:13:00] Delicious.
[00:13:01] 것 shar Utah does any mind on television like you do?
[00:13:01] Anyway, enjoy your weekend.

[00:13:02] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
Well, as you're coming in, I just want to give you some announcements.
[00:13:09] There's a few things to let you know about.
[00:13:12] We have been doing midday communion on Wednesdays.
[00:13:14] We took a break over the last couple of weeks.
[00:13:18] We have one more week off, and then we will resume on the 21st.
[00:13:23] So January 21st is when midday communion will resume.
[00:13:27] There's an executive committee meeting for the Presbytery that I have to be a part of this week during that time.
[00:13:34] Also, we will be resuming our prayer meeting on Tuesday at 9 a.m.
[00:13:39] We'd love for you to join us.
[00:13:40] In your bulletin, there is a little prayer card, and I would love it if you would go ahead and take that out and fill it out for us.
[00:13:47] We try to pray for each and every person here every week.
[00:13:51] And so if you would even just put your first name, if that's all you want to put on there,
[00:13:55] know that we will spend time praying for you on Tuesdays.
[00:13:57] Yesterday, we had a lot of people come out for cleaning up the kids' area,
[00:14:03] and I just want to say thank you to everybody.
[00:14:04] Maybe we can have a little round of applause for all those people.
[00:14:07] The hallways are clean.
[00:14:09] The rooms are emptied.
[00:14:10] And so we are one step closer to getting those spaces back for our kids' ministry,
[00:14:14] and that is wonderful news.
[00:14:17] Also, we have a great team that makes coffee every Sunday morning before the service.
[00:14:22] If you're ever here a little bit early, we invite you to head to our fellowship hall
[00:14:26] and have some coffee.
[00:14:27] But we also have it right out there near the entryway if you would like some.
[00:14:32] And then the last thing, every year on Martin Luther King weekend,
[00:14:36] I have people over to my house to read through a letter from Birmingham Jail.
[00:14:41] And so we are going to do that again this year.
[00:14:45] That's going to be next Sunday.
[00:14:47] And the time is going to be to be determined depending on the outcome of the Patriots game tonight.
[00:14:53] So.
[00:14:57] We would love for you to join us, though.
[00:14:59] Come on out if you ever read it before.
[00:15:00] It's a very powerful letter still today that really has a wonderful message for the church.
[00:15:07] With all that said, I want to invite us to prepare our hearts as we come into worship this morning.
[00:15:13] So take a deep breath.
[00:15:14] Take a deep breath.
[00:15:22] However you may be coming today.
[00:15:27] Just want to invite you to recognize that the Lord sees you.
[00:15:32] That he's been with you this morning.
[00:15:36] That he's seen you this week.
[00:15:47] And now he is inviting you to come and worship him.
[00:15:54] To trust him with the concerns and the worries.
[00:15:57] On your mind.
[00:16:01] To disconnect.
[00:16:03] For this next few hours.
[00:16:04] And fix your eyes and your hearts on him.
[00:16:13] If you would stand with me.
[00:16:15] And join me in this call to worship.
[00:16:22] Sing to the Lord all the earth.

[00:16:25] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]:
Glory and salvation.
[00:16:27] To the day after day.

[00:16:30] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
Declare his glory among the nations.
[00:16:33] His marvelous deeds among the peoples.

[00:16:36] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_10]:
Praise the Lord.
[00:16:38] And the most worthy of grace.

[00:16:41] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
Father, we come before you this morning.
[00:16:43] And we ask that you would draw our hearts.
[00:16:48] That our songs would not just be words.
[00:16:52] But they would be the overflow of our soul.
[00:16:55] Amen.
[00:16:57] God, would you remind us of your great love for us through Jesus Christ.
[00:17:00] And especially, Lord, we pray for those who may not know you today.
[00:17:04] That you would reveal yourself.
[00:17:06] And that you would draw them in.
[00:17:07] We pray in Christ's name.
[00:17:08] Let's stand together and sing.
[00:17:09] Amen.
[00:17:10] Amen.
[00:17:11] Amen.
[00:17:12] Amen.
[00:17:13] Amen.
[00:17:14] Amen.
[00:17:15] Amen.

[00:17:16] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]:
Amen.
[00:17:18] Amen.
[00:17:19] Amen.
[00:17:21] Amen.
[00:17:21] Amen.
[00:17:21] Amen.
[00:17:21] Amen.
[00:17:22] Amen.
[00:17:23] Amen.
[00:17:24] Amen.
[00:17:25] Amen.
[00:17:25] Amen.
[00:17:25] Amen.
[00:17:26] Amen.
[00:17:27] Amen.
[00:17:28] Amen.
[00:17:29] Amen.
[00:17:30] Amen.
[00:17:31] Amen.
[00:17:32] Amen.
[00:17:33] Amen.
[00:17:34] Amen.
[00:17:35] Amen.
[00:17:36] Amen.
[00:17:37] Amen.
[00:17:38] Amen.
[00:17:39] Amen.
[00:17:40] Amen.
[00:17:41] Amen.
[00:17:42] Amen.
[00:17:43] Amen.
[00:17:44] Amen.
[00:17:45] Amen.
[00:17:46] Amen.
[00:17:47] Amen.
[00:17:48] Amen.
[00:17:49] Amen.
[00:17:50] Amen.
[00:17:51] Amen.
[00:17:52] Amen.
[00:17:53] Amen.
[00:17:54] Amen.
[00:17:55] Amen.
[00:17:56] Amen.
[00:17:57] You're true as you did at first.
[00:18:10] Spirit of the living God, come fall fresh on me.
[00:18:18] Come awake in my sleep.
[00:18:23] Come and go through the caverns of my soul.
[00:18:28] Pour in me to overflow.
[00:18:36] To overflow.
[00:18:43] Awaken my soul.
[00:18:50] Come awake.
[00:18:53] To hunger.
[00:18:58] To thirst.
[00:19:01] To thirst for your love.
[00:19:09] Awaken, first love.
[00:19:15] Come awake.
[00:19:21] Come awake.
[00:19:22] Come awake.
[00:19:23] Do as you did at first.
[00:19:31] Spirits of the living God, come fall fresh on me.
[00:19:44] Come wake me from my sleep.
[00:19:49] Come and go through the caverns of my soul.
[00:19:52] Yes!
[00:19:53] So pour in me to overflow Spirit, Spirit of the living blood
[00:20:07] Come fall fresh on me Come wake me from my sleep
[00:20:15] Come and go through the caverns of my soul Pour in me to overflow
[00:20:23] To overflow
[00:20:30] To overflow
[00:20:37] Spirit come
[00:20:45] and fill this place
[00:20:53] Let your glory
[00:20:58] now
[00:21:01] in me
[00:21:03] Spirit come
[00:21:10] and fill
[00:21:14] this place
[00:21:15] Let your glory
[00:21:25] now in me
[00:21:29] Spirit come
[00:21:37] and fill
[00:21:41] this place
[00:21:43] Let your glory
[00:21:45] now in me
[00:22:02] Come
[00:22:02] in spirit
[00:22:03] of the living
[00:22:06] blood
[00:22:06] Come fall
[00:22:08] fresh on me
[00:22:10] Come wake me
[00:22:11] from my sleep
[00:22:15] Come and go through the caverns of my soul, you're in me to overflow, to overflow, to overflow.
[00:22:35] Oh, Spirit of the living God, come fall afresh on me, come wake me from my sin.
[00:22:55] Blow through the caverns of my soul, pour in me to overflow.
[00:23:05] Oh, to overflow.

[00:23:35] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
There was a moment when the lights went out, when death had claimed its victory.
[00:24:01] The King of love had given up his life.
[00:24:05] The darkest day in history.
[00:24:14] They run across the air for sinners, for every curse is but one.
[00:24:27] One final breath, and it was finished.

[00:24:34] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
But not again.
[00:24:35] And we could know.

[00:24:39] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]:
For the earth began to shake, and the veil was torn.
[00:24:49] What sacrifice was made, as the heavens were torn?
[00:24:58] Oh, oh, oh.
[00:25:00] Oh, oh, oh.
[00:25:01] Oh, oh, oh.
[00:25:03] Oh, oh, oh.
[00:25:04] Oh, oh, oh.
[00:25:05] Oh, oh, oh.
[00:25:05] Oh, oh, oh.
[00:25:06] Oh, oh, oh.
[00:25:06] Oh, oh, oh.
[00:25:09] Oh, oh, oh.
[00:25:10] Oh, oh, oh.
[00:25:12] All hail, king Jesus.
[00:25:15] All hail, the Lord of heaven and earth.
[00:25:19] All hail, king Jesus.
[00:25:24] All hail, you Savior of the world.
[00:25:29] Yeah.
[00:25:30] We bow before the king and the glory of Christ.
[00:25:33] All hail, living, Judge, holy God.
[00:25:34] All hail.
[00:25:35] For you, Lord.
[00:25:42] There was a moment when the sky lit up.
[00:25:49] A flash of light breaking through.
[00:25:55] When all was lost, he crossed eternity.
[00:25:59] The key of life was on the move.
[00:26:06] We're in a dark, cold tomb.
[00:26:12] Where our Lord knows his name.
[00:26:17] One miraculous friend.
[00:26:21] We're forever changed.
[00:26:29] All hail King Jesus.
[00:26:38] All hail the Lord of heaven and earth.
[00:26:45] All hail King Jesus.
[00:26:51] All hail the Savior of the world.
[00:26:58] All hail.
[00:26:59] All hail King Jesus.
[00:27:04] All hail the Lord of heaven and earth.
[00:27:11] All hail King Jesus.
[00:27:15] All hail King Jesus.
[00:27:17] All hail the Savior of the world.
[00:27:29] All hail King Jesus.
[00:27:30] All hail King Jesus.
[00:27:31] All hail King Jesus.
[00:27:32] All hail King Jesus.
[00:27:33] All hail King Jesus.
[00:27:34] All hail King Jesus.
[00:27:35] All hail King Jesus.
[00:27:36] All hail King Jesus.
[00:27:37] All hail King Jesus.
[00:27:38] All hail King Jesus.
[00:27:39] All hail King Jesus.
[00:27:40] All hail King Jesus.
[00:27:41] All hail King Jesus.
[00:27:42] All hail King Jesus.
[00:27:43] All hail King Jesus.
[00:27:44] All hail King Jesus.
[00:27:45] All hail King Jesus.
[00:27:46] All hail King Jesus.
[00:27:47] All hail King Jesus.
[00:27:48] All hail King Jesus.
[00:27:49] All hail King Jesus.
[00:27:51] All hail King Jesus.
[00:27:52] All hail King Jesus.
[00:27:53] All hail King Jesus.
[00:27:54] All hail King Jesus.
[00:27:55] All hail King Jesus.
[00:27:56] All hail King Jesus.
[00:27:57] All hail King Jesus.
[00:27:58] All hail King Jesus.
[00:27:59] Confess that he is love, lift up your shout.
[00:28:05] Let us join with all of them in singing, holy at every knee.
[00:28:15] So let every knee come out before the King of kings.
[00:28:22] Let every tongue confess that he is love, lift up your shout.
[00:28:31] Let us join with all of them in singing, holy, you are holy, oh Jesus, you are holy.
[00:28:52] Holy, holy, all hail King Jesus, all hail the Lord of heaven and earth, all hail King Jesus.
[00:29:22] All hail the Savior of the world, all hail King Jesus.
[00:29:32] All hail the Lord of heaven and earth, all hail King Jesus.
[00:29:45] All hail the Savior.
[00:29:52] All hail the Lord of heaven and earth, all hail King Jesus.

[00:30:02] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]:
You can be seated.

[00:30:09] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
Well, as we enter into worship this morning, I just wanted to take a moment here because I do recognize that there is a whole lot going on in the world out there.
[00:30:22] There is a whole lot going on outside of these walls this week.
[00:30:25] This week, the shooting that happened in Minnesota with Renee Good and an ICE agent, it's been all over the news.
[00:30:34] It's been all over, I'm sure, everyone's minds.
[00:30:36] It has been yet another reminder of the brokenness that is in this world.
[00:30:43] And, you know, we were kind of spared from some of these moments for the first little part of my tenure.
[00:30:49] But this is not too different.
[00:30:52] Four months ago, when I came up here and in the wake of Charlie Kirk's shooting, had to bring this up.
[00:31:01] To say, you know, in a moment like this, we are confronted with that very difficult question about how we respond biblically in moments like this.
[00:31:12] Especially when it seems like our world is so divided.
[00:31:16] Not just our world, but our nation, our community, even our family.
[00:31:22] Our families, our friendships.
[00:31:24] And I recognize standing up here, too, I'm just a pastor, right?
[00:31:29] I don't have some profound solution to the immigration issue in our nation.
[00:31:36] And, of course, I don't know any more than you do about the certainty of people's motives or the specifics of the situations as they unfolded.
[00:31:50] But I think...
[00:31:52] There is one biblical response that every Christian should be able to agree upon in times like this.
[00:32:00] And that is, it is an appropriate time for us to lament and grieve.
[00:32:06] We can always grieve the loss of life.
[00:32:10] We can grieve that there's a small child today that has no father or mother.
[00:32:18] We can grieve the state of our world.
[00:32:22] That our political loyalties come first.
[00:32:26] And it clouds our ability to love our neighbors who might disagree with us.
[00:32:32] We can grieve that we live in a world where we have to secure borders.
[00:32:38] I was talking with a pastor this week who was in New Mexico.
[00:32:41] And he was sharing that one of his members patrols the border.
[00:32:46] And they were regularly finding a hundred bodies every month.
[00:32:50] From people who had believed...
[00:32:52] They believed the cartels when they told them they'd take them into the United States.
[00:32:55] They'd pay $50 and be left in the desert without water.
[00:33:01] We can grieve for the very real fear that immigrants in our nation are living with now.
[00:33:08] I spoke with another pastor who told me about a friend who was taken by ICE in the middle of the day while her children were in elementary school.
[00:33:20] And they came home.
[00:33:22] And their mother was gone.
[00:33:24] And they didn't know why.
[00:33:25] And the church had to take them in and care for them.
[00:33:27] And they haven't seen their mother in six months.
[00:33:32] I think the question that came to my mind as I was watching this stuff this week.
[00:33:39] And then all the turmoil that followed it was really the question.
[00:33:43] What does it look like for the kingdom to come?
[00:33:48] What are we called to do and to be as Christians?
[00:33:51] What are we called to do and to be as Christians?
[00:33:51] What are we called to do and to be as Christians?
[00:33:52] What are we called to do and to be as Christians?
[00:33:52] What are we called to do and to be as followers in moments like this?
[00:33:55] And just like we said last time, the answer is one.
[00:33:58] We can't keep amping up these divisions.
[00:34:02] Jesus tells us very clearly we're called to love our neighbors.
[00:34:07] And we are called to love our enemies.
[00:34:09] Whoever you may believe your enemies are in this situation.
[00:34:13] I'm sure even in this church we have disagreements on how we might particularly view these things.
[00:34:19] But we are called to love each other.
[00:34:21] We're called.
[00:34:21] We're called not to be like the world out there.
[00:34:25] And regardless of who we might choose to vote for or what policies we support,
[00:34:30] we need to also recognize that Scripture is very clear that God's heart is to welcome the stranger and alien.
[00:34:41] And we see frequently that it is the poor and the marginalized who he chooses to speak to and through.
[00:34:50] They've often and always been at the center of his plan for the redemption of this world.
[00:34:57] And so I know we're all feeling probably different ways about this.
[00:35:00] But I want to invite us just to take a moment to pray.
[00:35:04] The way our Savior taught us to pray.
[00:35:08] So if you'll join with me and bow your heads.
[00:35:15] Lord, these problems in our world are too big for us.
[00:35:20] And as we look at this one instance that's drawn our attention in Minnesota this week,
[00:35:26] we're also reminded that in Tehran, people are protesting against their government and being slaughtered for it.
[00:35:34] We're reminded that there's all kinds of atrocities happening everywhere that go unnoticed.
[00:35:41] And Lord, we recognize, Lord, that you notice all of them.
[00:35:45] And you're not sitting idly by.
[00:35:50] Lord, you see the problem that we have created through our sin and rebellion.
[00:35:55] And you have chosen to come and redeem it.
[00:35:59] And so we look to you and we ask, God, that your kingdom would come in our nation.
[00:36:08] That we would love the things that you love.
[00:36:11] That we would hate the things that you hate.
[00:36:15] We ask that your kingdom would come in our community here in Lake Norman.
[00:36:20] That it would come in our personal relationships with people who may not share our views.
[00:36:30] God, that you would allow the truth of Jesus to tower over all the rest of this.
[00:36:37] And that you would show us what it means to faithfully live out your gospel in real life.
[00:36:47] The gospel you came to bring has implications for our lives.
[00:36:50] The gospel you came to bring has implications for our lives.
[00:36:50] The gospel you came to bring has implications for today.
[00:36:52] It's not just about what's going to happen someday far off.
[00:36:55] And so we pray, Lord, that you would enable us to be agents of your kingdom here.
[00:37:00] To love one another the way Christ has loved us.
[00:37:05] To seek the peace and the welfare of our city.
[00:37:13] And Lord, we pray these things the way you taught us to pray.
[00:37:17] Saying, our Father, who art in heaven, we pray that you would love us.
[00:37:20] In heaven.
[00:37:21] Our Lord, we pray that you would love us.
[00:37:23] That your kingdom come.
[00:37:25] That thy will be done.
[00:37:27] On earth as it is in heaven.

[00:37:30] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_10]:
Give us this day our daily bread.
[00:37:33] And forgive us our debts.
[00:37:35] As we forgive our debtors.
[00:37:38] And lead us not into temptation.
[00:37:41] But deliver us from evil.
[00:37:44] For thine is the kingdom.
[00:37:45] And the power and the glory forever.
[00:37:49] Amen.

[00:37:50] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
Well, as we continue our worship, we're going to collect our tithes and offerings.
[00:37:56] I want to invite our ushers to come forward at this time.
[00:38:00] And you can also, in this moment, throw your prayer cards into the baskets as they come around.
[00:38:08] At our church, our desire is to be a community that is making room for everyone to experience joyful, life-transforming connection to Jesus.
[00:38:19] And his people.
[00:38:21] That looks a lot of different ways.
[00:38:23] It looks like this, our Sunday worship.
[00:38:26] It looks like the fellowship that we have throughout the week.
[00:38:29] It also looks like how we love and serve our community.
[00:38:32] Right now, my wife is not here with us this morning because she is worshiping and serving at a new church plant in our presbytery.
[00:38:40] It is a church plant called U-City Opportunity House.
[00:38:46] And they have planted a church inside of a homeless shelter.
[00:38:49] And every Sunday morning, they worship with people experiencing homelessness.
[00:38:55] These are the kinds of things that the church is called to do.
[00:39:00] And as we tithe and we support this work, that's one of the many things that this money goes towards.
[00:39:07] Also, as we continue to worship, we're going to sing a song that we learned last week for the first time.
[00:39:15] And it is a song about the blood of Christ.
[00:39:19] And to prepare us.
[00:39:19] To prepare us for this song and the theology behind it, I wanted to ask a couple of questions from the Heidelberg Catechism,
[00:39:26] which is an old teaching tool used by the church for the last few hundred years.
[00:39:31] And it tells us what exactly it means to be washed with the blood of Christ, something we're going to sing about in a moment.
[00:39:38] So I'll read the question, and then together we can read the answer.
[00:39:42] What does it mean to be washed with Christ's blood and spirit?

[00:39:46] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_10]:
To be washed in Christ.
[00:39:49] To be washed with Christ's blood means that God, by grace, has forgiven our sins.
[00:39:56] And because of Christ's blood poured out on us, we can sacrifice on the cross.
[00:40:03] To be washed with Christ's spirit means that the Holy Spirit has renewed and sanctified us.
[00:40:11] To be members of Christ so that more and more we can become His citizens.
[00:40:18] And we can live holy.

[00:40:19] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
Where does Christ's promise that we are washed with His blood and spirit as surely as we are washed with the water of baptism?

[00:40:32] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_10]:
In the institution of baptism, where He says,
[00:40:38] Go therefore and be with the disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
[00:40:49] The one who believes and is baptized will be saved.
[00:40:54] But the one who does not believe will be abandoned.
[00:40:58] This promise is repeated when the scripture calls baptism, the water of the free birth, and the washing away of sins.

[00:41:08] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
As we sing this song, I want to invite you to remember, those of you who know Christ, that you have been cleansed by His blood.
[00:41:17] But also that you have been cleansed by His blood.
[00:41:18] But also that you have been cleansed by His blood.
[00:41:19] Daily, we return to Him for grace and receive His cleansing once again.
[00:41:25] If you'll stand with us as we sing.
[00:41:28] Thank you Lord.

[00:41:33] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]:
Lord of Christ wash over me.
[00:41:50] Wash over me.
[00:41:57] Though sin has stained me
[00:42:02] Blood of Christ comes before me
[00:42:08] My covering is your glory
[00:42:15] We need the blood
[00:42:19] We plead the blood
[00:42:23] We seek the blood
[00:42:26] The blood of Christ
[00:42:30] We need the blood
[00:42:33] We plead the blood
[00:42:37] We seek the blood
[00:42:41] The blood of Christ
[00:42:45] Oh, how we need your blood
[00:42:56] Perfect Lamb

[00:43:02] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
And Highest Priest

[00:43:06] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]:
Pour out yourself
[00:43:08] For all to drink
[00:43:13] The offerer
[00:43:16] And offering
[00:43:19] You took the cup
[00:43:24] And so it will be

[00:43:26] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
Let's pray.
[00:43:26] Let's sing that again.
[00:43:27] Perfect Lamb

[00:43:28] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]:
Perfect Lamb
[00:43:31] And Highest Priest
[00:43:34] Pour out yourself
[00:43:38] For all to drink
[00:43:42] The offerer
[00:43:45] And offering
[00:43:48] You took the cup
[00:43:52] And so it will be
[00:43:56] We need the blood
[00:43:59] We plead the blood
[00:44:03] We seek the blood
[00:44:07] The blood of Christ
[00:44:10] We need the blood
[00:44:14] We plead the blood
[00:44:17] We seek the blood
[00:44:21] The blood of Christ
[00:44:25] Oh, how we need your blood
[00:44:25] Oh, how we need your blood
[00:44:34] Oh, how we need your blood
[00:44:39] What torn the veil
[00:44:43] What empty smell
[00:44:46] What never fails
[00:44:50] What bleak the blood
[00:44:54] What tested faith
[00:44:55] What testifies
[00:44:58] What promised sighs
[00:45:01] Your death is life
[00:45:05] Oh, lead the blood
[00:45:08] What tore the veil
[00:45:11] What promised sight
[00:45:15] Your death is life
[00:45:18] What promised sight
[00:45:19] What never fails
[00:45:20] What testifies
[00:45:21] What promised sight
[00:45:22] Your death is life
[00:45:23] Only the blood
[00:45:24] Only the blood
[00:45:40] Oh, Jesus Christ
[00:45:45] Oh, we need the blood
[00:45:51] Only the blood
[00:45:52] We need the blood, we seek the blood, the blood of Christ.
[00:46:01] We need the blood, we plead the blood, we seek the blood, the blood of Christ.
[00:46:16] What's on the bed? What empties hell? What never fails?
[00:46:27] Only the blood. What testifies? What prophesies?
[00:46:37] Your death is life. Only the blood.
[00:46:45] What's on the bed? What empties hell? What never fails?
[00:46:46] Only the blood. What testifies? What prophesies?
[00:46:46] Your death is life. Only the blood.
[00:47:16] We need the blood, we plead the blood, we seek the blood, the blood of Christ.
[00:47:39] We need the blood, we seek the blood, the blood of Christ.
[00:47:46] We need the blood, we seek the blood, the blood of Christ.

[00:47:54] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
We need the blood, we seek the blood, the blood of Christ.
[00:48:16] We need the blood, we seek the blood, the blood of Christ.
[00:48:46] We need the blood, we seek the blood, the blood of Christ.
[00:49:16] We need the blood, we seek the blood, the blood of Christ.

[00:49:47] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_09]:
We need the blood. We seek the blood, we seek the blood of Christ.
[00:50:15] Only the blood. We seek the blood, we seek the blood of Christ.

[00:50:16] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
We have a special opportunity here this morning.
[00:50:33] We get to hear from the Reverend Dr. Niamu Darku, who is going to be preaching to us today.
[00:50:40] He and his wife, Bertha, you may have noticed, have been in the congregation the last few weeks.
[00:50:48] And I had a chance to sit down with him a few weeks ago just to hear a little bit about his life and ministry.
[00:50:55] And I wanted to share a little bit about some of the things that I've learned.
[00:51:00] About 17 years before he retired, Pastor Nee took over at a church with 400 people.
[00:51:08] And through his time there, the church grew.
[00:51:10] The church grew to 4,000.
[00:51:12] He also has a doctorate.
[00:51:19] He has written 10 books.
[00:51:22] His specialty is the kingdom of God, which is what he's going to be preaching to us today.
[00:51:27] But also during his time as a pastor, he served as a chaplain to the president of Ghana.
[00:51:32] And traveled with the president all across the world.
[00:51:36] Because their president decided each morning that he wanted to wake up.
[00:51:40] And pray and seek the Lord.
[00:51:42] And so he had his personal pastor travel with him for that work.
[00:51:46] And so we are blessed to have him with us today.
[00:51:50] And I'm really looking forward to him bringing the word.
[00:51:53] So, Pastor, if you'd come up.

[00:51:55] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]:
Thank you.

[00:51:56] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
Let's give him a welcome.
[00:51:59] Thank you, sir.

[00:52:00] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]:
Thank you.

[00:52:01] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
Thank you.

[00:52:10] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]:
I would want us to first take two readings.
[00:52:15] One from the Old Testament.
[00:52:17] And then the second reading will be from the book of Luke.
[00:52:23] And then I'll pray with us.
[00:52:24] And then we'll hear what the Lord has for us this morning on the subject of the kingdom of God.
[00:52:33] In 2 Samuel in chapter number 7 and verse 8 following, the Bible says this.
[00:52:40] I should actually have read from verse 1, but it started to be too long.
[00:52:44] Now, therefore, thus you shall say to my servant David, thus says the Lord God of hosts.
[00:52:53] I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, to be ruler over my people Israel.
[00:53:01] I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I've cut off all your enemies from before you.
[00:53:09] And I will make you a great name, like the names of the great men who are on the earth.
[00:53:20] I will also appoint a place for my people Israel, and I'll plant them that they may live in their own place and not be disturbed again.
[00:53:35] But no, well, no.
[00:53:39] We can't afflict them anymore as formerly.
[00:53:44] Even from the day that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel, and I will give you rest from all your enemies.
[00:53:57] The Lord also declares to you that the Lord would make you a house for you.
[00:54:03] When your days are complete, and you lie down.
[00:54:09] With your fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you, who will give, who will come forth from you, and I would establish his kingdom.
[00:54:21] He shall build a house for my name, and I would establish the throne of his kingdom forever.
[00:54:30] I'll be a father to him, and he will be a son to me.
[00:54:33] When he commits iniquity, I will correct him with the rod of men.
[00:54:39] And the strokes of the sons of men.
[00:54:42] But my love and kindness shall not depart from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you.
[00:54:53] Your house and your kingdom shall endure before me forever.
[00:55:01] Your throne shall be established in accordance with all these words.
[00:55:08] And all this vision, so Nathan spoke to David, the word of God.
[00:55:17] We would want to listen into the second reading, which we will take from Luke's gospel, and chapter number one.
[00:55:29] And we will look at verses 26 to 33.
[00:55:37] Luke's gospel, chapter number one.
[00:55:37] Luke's gospel, chapter number one.
[00:55:37] Luke's gospel, chapter number one.
[00:55:37] Luke's gospel, chapter number one.
[00:55:38] Luke's gospel, chapter number one.
[00:55:38] Luke's gospel, chapter number one.
[00:55:38] Luke's gospel, chapter number one.
[00:55:38] Luke's gospel, chapter number one.
[00:55:38] Luke's gospel, chapter number one.
[00:55:38] Luke's gospel, chapter number one.
[00:55:38] Luke's gospel, chapter number one.
[00:55:38] Luke's gospel, chapter number one.
[00:55:38] Luke's gospel, chapter number one.
[00:55:38] 1 and verse 26 to 33, the word of God says this, now in the sixth month of the, now in
[00:55:51] the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called Nazareth
[00:55:59] to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph of the descendant of David and the
[00:56:06] virgin's name was Mary and coming in he said to her, greetings favored one, the Lord is
[00:56:15] with you, but she was very perplexed at this statement and kept pondering what kind of
[00:56:22] salutation this was, the angel said to her, do not be afraid Mary for you have found favor
[00:56:29] with God and behold you would conceive in your womb and bear a son and you would have
[00:56:36] a son and you shall name him Jesus, he will be great and will be called the son of the
[00:56:44] most high and the Lord God would give him the throne of his father David and he would
[00:56:52] reign over the house of Jacob forever and his kingdom will have no end, the word of
[00:57:01] God.
[00:57:03] Well, dearly beloved in the Lord Jesus.
[00:57:06] This is what the word of God that we have read this morning is presenting to us and
[00:57:12] I want to speak on the subject of the kingdom of God this morning and I want to believe
[00:57:18] that the Lord God Almighty is here with us and he will bless us as we take on this read
[00:57:25] the sermon for today which by the grace of God, Pastor Logan has been so gracious to
[00:57:32] give me his platform to stand on and to speak to us.
[00:57:35] And I want to thank him and I want to thank the leadership of the church and I want to
[00:57:40] thank all of you for being here to hear what the Lord has said about his kingdom which
[00:57:45] will be forever.
[00:57:47] His kingdom that he would establish which will be forever and the things that Pastor
[00:57:51] Logan was sharing with us this morning about all the unfortunate things that we have been
[00:57:55] hearing about the shootings and the killings and the evil standards of all these things
[00:58:00] that we hear.
[00:58:01] Not only in America but all over the world.
[00:58:03] Beloved.
[00:58:04] This sermon has only come to an end only if people know God as their savior and are members
[00:58:12] and children of the kingdom of God.
[00:58:14] So I want you to listen attentively to this presentation that I want to deliver to us.
[00:58:20] Beloved the topic for today's sermon is establishment of a universal kingdom, the divine purpose
[00:58:28] of God.
[00:58:29] Now the purpose of God, the divine purpose of God has been to establish the kingdom of
[00:58:33] God.
[00:58:34] It is a kingdom that will be forever where he would bring in all who will be reconciled
[00:58:42] with him through his salvific agenda when he so ruled it out in our savior Jesus Christ.
[00:58:51] In God's scheme of operation here on planet earth he has chosen always to use three basic
[00:58:58] things.
[00:58:59] Three things.
[00:59:00] Man, place, and time.
[00:59:01] He has chosen always to use three basic things.
[00:59:02] Three things.
[00:59:03] Man, place, and time.
[00:59:04] He has chosen always to use three basic things.
[00:59:05] Man, place, and time.
[00:59:06] He has chosen always to use three basic things.
[00:59:07] Man, place, and time.
[00:59:08] He has chosen always to use three basic things.
[00:59:09] Man, place, and time.
[00:59:10] He has chosen always to use three basic things.
[00:59:11] Man, place, and time.
[00:59:12] This is how God has worked all over the world.
[00:59:13] God works in partnership with man.
[00:59:14] Psalm 115 and verse 16 says the heavens are the heavens of the Lord and the earth he has
[00:59:19] given to the sons of men.
[00:59:20] And again in two chronicles in chapter 16 and verse 9a the Bible says that the eye of
[00:59:28] the Lord is moving to and fro looking for someone whose heart is completely his so that he who's
[00:59:33] strongly support.
[00:59:34] In Ezekiel chapter 22 and verse 30 the Bible says God was so displeased with what was happening
[00:59:40] in the nation just as our pastor is telling us about America and the world that we are
[00:59:47] living in.
[00:59:48] And the Bible says God was so displeased and he looked for a man who will stand in the
[00:59:53] gap, who would intercede, who would pray so that he will not pour forth his wrath upon
[00:59:58] the nation but he found no man.
[01:00:00] God will always look for someone to stand in the gap.
[01:00:02] He will not pour forth his wrath upon the nation but he found no man.
[01:00:03] partner with and to work with daily beloved in the lord jesus christ god works also from a
[01:00:09] particular place all the time he would particularly choose a place in 1 chronicles in chapter 14 and
[01:00:16] verse 14 to 16 we are told of a story a beautiful story there that when david was made king over the
[01:00:22] whole of israel now the philistines came against him to attack him and he he he inquired of god and
[01:00:30] god said go after them i'll give them into your hands so he went after them and indeed he destroyed
[01:00:36] them and killed them and called the place bar perism that the god of breakthroughs then again
[01:00:42] the people afterwards came back that's how satan works satan never gives up he's he never sits back
[01:00:49] and says that he's defeated and therefore he's not coming back they came back and david prayed
[01:00:54] again he inquired of god again and listen to this god said do not go after them after
[01:01:00] you did the previous time i want you now to go and settle around them and then as you
[01:01:06] do so i want you to stand by a balsam tree now you hear after a while the ratlings on
[01:01:13] the top of the balsam tree now when you hear the rattling that is when you need to attack them
[01:01:18] for i would have gone ahead of you to give you victory and therefore stand at that particular
[01:01:25] place beloved the lord god always works from a particular place
[01:01:30] and that is and therefore stand at that particular place beloved the lord god always works from a particular place and the
[01:01:30] And that is why when the Magi, the three wise men, came to Jerusalem and went to Herod seeking for the Messiah,
[01:01:38] they asked him, we have seen the star of the king of the Jews, far east, at the far east where we are coming from.
[01:01:46] But where is he?
[01:01:47] And of course, Herod didn't know, so he consulted with the Levites and the scribes,
[01:01:52] and they said that according to the book of Micah and chapter number 5 and verse 2,
[01:01:58] the only place that a savior, the Messiah, would be born would be in Bethlehem.
[01:02:04] Beloved, God chooses a particular place just so that you can identify whatever it is that he's doing there.
[01:02:11] In Genesis 22 and verse 6, we are told that when God told Abraham to offer his only beloved son, Isaac, unto him,
[01:02:20] the Lord also told him at a particular place where he needed to do so.
[01:02:25] And this was at Mount Moriah.
[01:02:28] Mount Moriah traditionally and historically turned out to become Golgotha.
[01:02:33] That is the exact place where our savior was crucified.
[01:02:36] God doesn't just partner people and work for a particular place, but he also works within a definite time.
[01:02:43] Beloved in the Lord Jesus Christ, God works in a definite time.
[01:02:47] And that is why we are told in the book of Ecclesiastes and chapter 3 and verse number 1,
[01:02:55] that there is an appointed time.
[01:02:58] There is an appointed time for everything, and there is a time for every event on that heaven.
[01:03:04] There is a particular time.
[01:03:06] And indeed in verse 11 of Ecclesiastes chapter 3, the Bible says that God works all things beautiful in his own time.
[01:03:13] That is how God does it.
[01:03:15] He does everything beautiful in his own time.
[01:03:18] Dearly beloved in the Lord Jesus Christ, in Galatians chapter 4 and verse 4,
[01:03:21] something that God had predicted in Genesis chapter 3 and verse 15,
[01:03:25] that the son of the woman,
[01:03:28] that the devil had deceived to sin against him,
[01:03:31] would destroy the son of that woman who bruised the head of the devil,
[01:03:36] and the devil would bruise his heel.
[01:03:38] And the Bible says in Galatians chapter 4 and verse 4,
[01:03:41] that it was only in the fullness of the time,
[01:03:43] in the fullness of the time,
[01:03:46] that it happened that Jesus Christ had to come through,
[01:03:49] born by a woman, as we are told in Galatians 4.
[01:03:52] Then in Mark chapter number 1 and verse 15,
[01:03:56] our Lord Jesus,
[01:03:58] who led his ministry,
[01:03:59] said this,
[01:04:01] the fullness of time,
[01:04:03] the time is fulfilled.
[01:04:05] Repent and believe in the gospel.
[01:04:08] Dearly beloved in the Lord Jesus,
[01:04:09] God does things with men,
[01:04:11] God does things from a particular place,
[01:04:13] God always will work within a specific time.
[01:04:17] In the book of Acts chapter number 17,
[01:04:20] we are told in verse 26,
[01:04:22] all of these three things coming together.
[01:04:25] And he made from one man,
[01:04:29] every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth,
[01:04:34] having determined their appointed times
[01:04:37] and the boundaries of their habitation.
[01:04:40] Beloved in the Lord Jesus,
[01:04:41] God had already determined what he wants to do with you,
[01:04:44] what he wants to do with me.
[01:04:46] It is in the will and the mind of God
[01:04:47] that I will be here at a time such as this.
[01:04:51] I never ever, look,
[01:04:52] I studied here in America like Logan told us.
[01:04:55] I went to Columbia International University.
[01:04:57] That's why I did both my master's and my doctorate.
[01:05:01] But then afterwards I decided I was relocating God to Ghana.
[01:05:04] I belong there.
[01:05:05] That is where I was going to live
[01:05:06] and go to serve my people there.
[01:05:08] And just like he told,
[01:05:09] they had even the privilege of serving the president of the land
[01:05:12] as his chaplain.
[01:05:14] And then I was serving Africa.
[01:05:15] I served in various capacities in that place.
[01:05:18] But then in the wisdom of God,
[01:05:20] he sent me here now after, you know,
[01:05:24] all things have been equal.
[01:05:26] God says,
[01:05:27] I want you now to be in America again.
[01:05:30] And I find myself here married to Betta Asante,
[01:05:33] whose husband went to be with the Lord.
[01:05:37] They were both here worshiping with you.
[01:05:40] And some four years ago,
[01:05:42] four years exactly yesterday,
[01:05:44] he went to be with the Lord.
[01:05:46] And my wife had previously,
[01:05:47] my first wife had previously gone to be with the Lord
[01:05:50] some five years ago.
[01:05:52] And therefore God said,
[01:05:54] go to America.
[01:05:55] I want you there to serve.
[01:05:57] That's the course of my kingdom.
[01:05:58] Beloved, from one man,
[01:06:00] God created all of us.
[01:06:01] But then God has determined the boundaries of our habitation.
[01:06:05] You didn't choose to be an American.
[01:06:06] It is God who made you.
[01:06:07] And that is why sometimes I get a bit jittery
[01:06:09] when we are talking about ice and the boundaries
[01:06:13] and building walls and things.
[01:06:15] It is the Lord who determines where people be,
[01:06:18] where people live.
[01:06:19] And then again,
[01:06:20] it is the Lord who determines the times in which we live.
[01:06:23] It is God who determined that we live now
[01:06:25] and not during the times of our,
[01:06:27] of our forefathers,
[01:06:28] not during the time of Abraham,
[01:06:29] not during the times of our great great grandchildren.
[01:06:32] God wants us to live now
[01:06:34] and we have a duty to perform.
[01:06:36] And that is why we are living now.
[01:06:37] And you dare not fail God.
[01:06:39] You do not live without accomplishing the purpose of God.
[01:06:43] Now God already had a purpose
[01:06:45] of what he was going to do
[01:06:47] before the fall of man in the garden of Eden.
[01:06:50] He was going to establish a kingdom
[01:06:52] where all who will be redeemed
[01:06:55] through his redemptive plan,
[01:06:57] would eternally be with him in glory.
[01:07:01] So in Isaiah chapter 46,
[01:07:03] and I want you to listen to this very carefully.
[01:07:06] Isaiah 46 and verse 9 and 10,
[01:07:08] we are told,
[01:07:09] remember the former things long past,
[01:07:11] for I am God,
[01:07:13] and there is no one like me
[01:07:15] declaring the end from the beginning
[01:07:18] and from ancient times,
[01:07:20] things which have not been done,
[01:07:22] saying my purpose would be established.
[01:07:26] And I,
[01:07:27] I will accomplish all my good pleasure.
[01:07:30] God had a purpose.
[01:07:31] God knew before Eve and Adam had the fruit,
[01:07:36] God knew they would do that.
[01:07:38] Just as God knew about you and I,
[01:07:41] and the Bible says,
[01:07:43] even at our appointed times of being saved,
[01:07:45] God had known,
[01:07:46] and he has already planned
[01:07:48] that we will be his children
[01:07:50] before you and I came to know the Lord by his grace.
[01:07:53] God had known everything.
[01:07:55] And therefore,
[01:07:56] he had so planned
[01:07:57] that he was going to establish us in this kingdom
[01:07:59] that he had in mind.
[01:08:02] In accomplishing his ultimate purpose
[01:08:04] of establishing a kingdom,
[01:08:06] God followed after his own scheme of operation.
[01:08:10] He therefore graciously called the man Abraham,
[01:08:13] who at the time was called Abraham
[01:08:17] because he was single,
[01:08:18] didn't have,
[01:08:19] but Abraham means the father of many,
[01:08:21] you know,
[01:08:22] and he was at the time Abraham
[01:08:24] because he had no child at the time.
[01:08:25] From among his people,
[01:08:28] he lived in a place called Ar,
[01:08:31] in the region of Mesopotamia,
[01:08:33] which is today Iraq,
[01:08:35] to his God's own chosen place,
[01:08:38] Canaan.
[01:08:39] He promised to work with him
[01:08:41] so as to bless all the families of the earth.
[01:08:45] Genesis chapter number 12 and verse 1 to 3 states,
[01:08:48] Now the Lord said to Abraham,
[01:08:51] Go forth from your country,
[01:08:54] and from your relatives,
[01:08:56] and from your father's house,
[01:08:58] to the land which I show you.
[01:09:00] I will make you a great nation,
[01:09:03] I will bless you,
[01:09:04] I will make your name great,
[01:09:06] and so you shall be a blessing,
[01:09:09] and I will bless those who bless you,
[01:09:12] and the one who curses you I will curse,
[01:09:16] and in you all the families of the earth
[01:09:19] will be blessed with salvation
[01:09:22] and be brought into the kingdom of God.
[01:09:23] And be brought into a kingdom
[01:09:25] to be with God forever.
[01:09:27] Now God declared his plans
[01:09:29] of what he was going to do with Abraham
[01:09:32] in a covenant that he made
[01:09:34] between himself and Abraham.
[01:09:37] In Genesis chapter number 15 and verse 13 to 15,
[01:09:40] this is why the covenant statement says,
[01:09:43] And God said to Abraham,
[01:09:45] Know for certain that your descendants
[01:09:48] will be strangers in a land that is not theirs,
[01:09:51] where they would be enslaved,
[01:09:53] and oppressed for four hundred years.
[01:09:56] But I would also judge the nation
[01:09:58] whom they will serve,
[01:10:00] and afterwards they would come out
[01:10:02] with many possessions.
[01:10:04] Then in the fourth generation
[01:10:06] they will return here,
[01:10:08] for the iniquity of the Amorite
[01:10:10] is not yet complete.
[01:10:12] On that day God made a covenant with Abraham,
[01:10:15] saying to your descendants,
[01:10:17] I have given this land
[01:10:19] from the river of Egypt
[01:10:21] as far as the great river
[01:10:23] of the Amorites.
[01:10:25] Beloved in the Lord Jesus,
[01:10:26] God did exactly as he said
[01:10:28] he was going to do.
[01:10:30] He unfolded his plans
[01:10:32] working in partnership first with Joseph,
[01:10:35] the descendant of Abraham,
[01:10:37] through a son of Jacob,
[01:10:39] and he sent them into Egypt,
[01:10:41] the land, the foreign land
[01:10:42] that God talked about.
[01:10:44] And then God, through Moses,
[01:10:46] after four hundred years,
[01:10:47] brought them out just as God has said
[01:10:49] in his covenant plan.
[01:10:50] Beloved, God has spoken about you.
[01:10:52] It will come to pass
[01:10:53] when it will have to come to pass.
[01:10:55] Just as God says he would do,
[01:10:57] he did it with these people.
[01:10:59] And then Moses brought them out
[01:11:01] and then God used Joshua
[01:11:04] to establish them on the land.
[01:11:06] It was Joshua who led them.
[01:11:08] And at the point Joshua could command the son
[01:11:10] to stand still
[01:11:12] because he was at the war front
[01:11:14] fighting against the enemies of the land
[01:11:16] and wanting to establish it for God.
[01:11:18] Beloved, any time you are in the business of God
[01:11:20] and in the will of God,
[01:11:21] God will stand by you
[01:11:24] and God will make sure
[01:11:25] that you are a conqueror.
[01:11:27] Even though times will be so difficult,
[01:11:29] things will look so impossible,
[01:11:32] but the Lord,
[01:11:33] who is the God of breakthroughs,
[01:11:35] will give you your breakthroughs.
[01:11:38] Then during the times of David,
[01:11:40] it was David that God promised three things.
[01:11:43] A house, just as we read
[01:11:46] in 2 Samuel chapter 7 and verse 16,
[01:11:49] a house representing
[01:11:50] the nation of Israel,
[01:11:52] a throne representing rulership,
[01:11:55] and a kingdom representing
[01:11:57] an eternal dwelling place.
[01:11:59] All of them were meant to be forever.
[01:12:02] I will give you a house forever.
[01:12:04] Beloved, Israel is forever.
[01:12:06] No nation, no power under the earth
[01:12:08] can conquer Israel
[01:12:10] or annihilate Israel from the planet of the earth.
[01:12:12] Nobody can do it
[01:12:14] because God says Israel is forever.
[01:12:16] And then besides that,
[01:12:18] God says that he was going to give him
[01:12:20] a kingdom that will be forever.
[01:12:22] And that is why God's kingdom is be forever.
[01:12:26] We would be there with him
[01:12:27] and we would see him in glory.
[01:12:29] All of these were meant to be forever.
[01:12:32] 2 Samuel chapter 7 verse 16,
[01:12:34] your house and your kingdom
[01:12:36] shall endure before me
[01:12:38] and your throne shall be established forever.
[01:12:41] Hallelujah.
[01:12:43] This is the kingdom Daniel referred to
[01:12:46] in King Nebuchadnezzar.
[01:12:47] In King Nebuchadnezzar's dream
[01:12:49] in the book of Daniel and chapter number 2.
[01:12:51] I think that you remember that dream
[01:12:53] when King Nebuchadnezzar dreamt
[01:12:55] and forgot about his dream
[01:12:57] and then by all means wanted somebody
[01:12:59] to tell him a dream that he had
[01:13:01] and he had forgotten.
[01:13:02] And to also not just tell him the dream
[01:13:04] but give him the interpretation.
[01:13:06] Who on earth could do this?
[01:13:07] He called on his changelans,
[01:13:08] he called on his wise men,
[01:13:10] he called on all the people that he thought
[01:13:12] should be able to do this
[01:13:13] and nobody could do it.
[01:13:14] But Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego
[01:13:16] went into kokos.
[01:13:17] They went onto their knees
[01:13:18] and prayed to the God of heaven,
[01:13:20] the one who is able to give revelations.
[01:13:22] And God revealed the dream to them
[01:13:24] the night that Daniel slept.
[01:13:27] Beloved, it was a dream where
[01:13:29] King Nebuchadnezzar has dreamt about
[01:13:31] a huge statue,
[01:13:33] a head of gold and then an arm
[01:13:35] and the breast of silver
[01:13:37] and then the tie of bronze
[01:13:39] and the legs of iron
[01:13:42] and the feet of iron and clay.
[01:13:44] And he has seen this.
[01:13:45] And King Nebuchadnezzar was told by Daniel,
[01:13:48] King Nebuchadnezzar,
[01:13:49] you are a gold,
[01:13:50] the head of gold.
[01:13:51] You are very powerful.
[01:13:52] But after you,
[01:13:53] there will be another kingdom
[01:13:54] that will come called Medipersia.
[01:13:56] And after Medipersia,
[01:13:58] the kingdom of Greece would come.
[01:14:00] And after the kingdom of Greece has come,
[01:14:02] then there will come
[01:14:03] another kingdom called Rome.
[01:14:05] And the Roman Empire
[01:14:07] will succeed them at that time.
[01:14:09] And then he said in verse 44 and 45,
[01:14:11] listen to this.
[01:14:12] Daniel wrote,
[01:14:14] in the days of those kings,
[01:14:16] the God of heaven
[01:14:17] will set up a kingdom
[01:14:19] which will never be destroyed.
[01:14:21] And that kingdom
[01:14:22] will not be left for another people.
[01:14:25] It will crash and put an end
[01:14:27] to all these kingdoms.
[01:14:29] But it will itself endure forever.
[01:14:33] Inasmuch as you saw
[01:14:35] that a stone cut out,
[01:14:37] a stone was cut out
[01:14:39] of the mountain without hands
[01:14:41] and that it crushed the iron,
[01:14:43] the bronze,
[01:14:45] the clay,
[01:14:46] the silver,
[01:14:47] and the gold,
[01:14:48] the great God has made known to you,
[01:14:51] the king,
[01:14:52] what will take place in the future.
[01:14:55] So the dream is true
[01:14:57] and its interpretation is trustworthy.
[01:15:00] Hallelujah.
[01:15:01] And that is exactly what happened.
[01:15:03] Jesus was born during the Roman Empire,
[01:15:06] being in power.
[01:15:08] And it was Augustus Caesar
[01:15:10] who asked that they go and be counted.
[01:15:12] And that is how come
[01:15:13] Joseph took Mary to Bethlehem
[01:15:15] in fulfillment of that prophecy as well.
[01:15:18] Prophet Isaiah prophesied about
[01:15:20] a descendant of David
[01:15:22] who will eventually reign
[01:15:24] on the throne of David
[01:15:26] and have dominion over his kingdom.
[01:15:29] Isaiah chapter number nine,
[01:15:30] verse six and seven states,
[01:15:32] for a child will be born to us
[01:15:34] and a son will be given to us
[01:15:35] and the government
[01:15:36] will rest on his shoulders
[01:15:38] and he will be called
[01:15:39] Wonderful Counselor,
[01:15:41] Mighty God,
[01:15:42] Eternal Father,
[01:15:43] Prince of Peace.
[01:15:44] There will be no end
[01:15:45] to the increase of his government
[01:15:47] or of peace
[01:15:48] on the throne of David
[01:15:50] and over his kingdom
[01:15:52] to establish it
[01:15:54] and to uphold it
[01:15:55] with justice and righteousness
[01:15:57] from then on
[01:15:58] and forevermore.
[01:16:00] The zeal of the Lord God Almighty,
[01:16:04] the Lord of hosts
[01:16:05] would accomplish this.
[01:16:07] The promises of Isaiah
[01:16:09] of two Samuel chapters
[01:16:11] chapter seven and verse sixteen
[01:16:13] to David
[01:16:14] and also the prophecy of Isaiah
[01:16:16] and chapter number nine,
[01:16:18] six and seven beloved
[01:16:20] came into fruition
[01:16:22] in the verse that I read to you
[01:16:24] in one Luke chapter number one
[01:16:26] verse twenty six following.
[01:16:28] When the angel Gabriel came
[01:16:29] to announce the birth
[01:16:30] of our Lord Jesus Christ,
[01:16:32] he said to Mary,
[01:16:33] among many other things,
[01:16:35] do not be afraid Mary,
[01:16:36] for you have found favor with God
[01:16:38] and behold,
[01:16:39] you will conceive
[01:16:40] in your womb
[01:16:42] and bear a son
[01:16:43] and you shall name him Jesus.
[01:16:45] He will be great
[01:16:46] and be called the son
[01:16:47] of the most high
[01:16:49] and the Lord God would give him
[01:16:51] the throne of his father David
[01:16:53] and he will reign over
[01:16:54] the house of Jacob forever
[01:16:56] and his kingdom have no end.
[01:16:59] Hallelujah.
[01:17:00] All three coming into place again,
[01:17:02] the house, the throne
[01:17:03] and the kingdom of David
[01:17:05] all be given to Jesus Christ,
[01:17:07] the king of glory.
[01:17:09] From this account,
[01:17:11] our Lord Jesus Christ
[01:17:12] is seen and presented
[01:17:14] as the coming king
[01:17:15] to reign on the throne of David
[01:17:17] and to rule over the kingdom,
[01:17:18] the same kingdom
[01:17:19] that God had in mind
[01:17:21] before the fall of man
[01:17:22] in the garden of Eden
[01:17:23] and reign over the house of Jacob
[01:17:25] as a king of the Jews,
[01:17:27] just as God promised David
[01:17:30] in 2 Samuel chapter number seven
[01:17:32] and verse sixteen.
[01:17:33] So when our Lord Jesus Christ
[01:17:35] began his ministry,
[01:17:36] he preached about a kingdom
[01:17:38] that he had come to establish.
[01:17:41] He said in Mark one,
[01:17:42] verse 14 to 15,
[01:17:43] we read now after John
[01:17:45] had been taken into custody,
[01:17:47] Jesus came into Galilee,
[01:17:49] preaching the gospel of God,
[01:17:50] saying the time is fulfilled
[01:17:53] and the kingdom of God is at hand.
[01:17:55] Repent and believe in the gospel.
[01:17:57] Jesus came to establish,
[01:17:59] listen to this,
[01:18:00] establish a kingdom
[01:18:02] and not a church.
[01:18:05] Jesus came to establish a kingdom
[01:18:07] and not a church.
[01:18:08] He had never built a church
[01:18:10] to serve as an agency
[01:18:12] that would facilitate
[01:18:14] the coming of the kingdom.
[01:18:16] So Matthew chapter 16,
[01:18:19] verse 15 to 19,
[01:18:21] as proof of what I'm saying,
[01:18:23] it says,
[01:18:24] he said to them,
[01:18:26] but who do you say that I am?
[01:18:29] Simon Peter answered,
[01:18:31] you are the Christ,
[01:18:32] the son of the living God.
[01:18:34] And Jesus said to him,
[01:18:36] blessed are you,
[01:18:37] blessed are you,
[01:18:38] blessed are you,
[01:18:40] blessed are you,
[01:18:43] blessed are you,
[01:18:44] blessed are you,
[01:18:46] blessed are you,
[01:18:48] blessed are you,
[01:18:49] I use Simon Bani Joida,
[01:18:52] because some blood did not reveal this to you,
[01:18:55] but my father who is in heaven,
[01:18:57] I said to you,
[01:18:58] Peter,
[01:18:59] and when he said,
[01:19:00] I say to you,
[01:19:01] Peter,
[01:19:02] this is the name that I was mentioning.
[01:19:03] And then he says upon this rock,
[01:19:05] my chest and the gates of Hades will not overpower it I will give you the keys of
[01:19:11] the kingdom of heaven and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven
[01:19:16] and whatever you lose on earth shall be be shall be losing in heaven the
[01:19:22] entrance into the kingdom of God will be based on the confession of Peter who
[01:19:27] anyone who believed that our Lord Jesus is the Christ who came to redeem lost
[01:19:33] humanity from our sins by his shed blood which alone atone sin and by his
[01:19:41] death on Calvary's cross which alone pays for the penalty of our sins the
[01:19:45] wages of sin being death and and and by his barrier which took our sins out of
[01:19:50] the way of God and then by his erection which by the Bible says in Romans
[01:19:55] chapter 4 verse 25 that by his resurrection we are justified so it is
[01:20:00] only by believing in this gospel that a person
[01:20:03] can be saved that is the gospel we are called upon as a church to preach to lost
[01:20:09] humanity it therefore it's therefore important that we take note of what
[01:20:15] Jesus told Nicodemus in John 3 and verse 3 to 6 listen carefully beloved in verse
[01:20:23] 3 our Lord Jesus said to Nicodemus who had come to consult him in the night he
[01:20:27] was a Pharisee a leader and someone who belonged to the Sir Henry truly truly I
[01:20:33] say to you unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God when
[01:20:38] Nicodemus had difficulty understanding that statement our Lord further
[01:20:42] expiates in verse 5 and 6 thus truly truly I say to you unless one is born of
[01:20:48] water and of the spirit he cannot enter the kingdom of God that which is born of
[01:20:53] the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the spirit the spirit meaning
[01:20:57] unless one hears the word of God which the water stands for and is convicted by
[01:21:03] the water stands for and is convicted by the water stands for and is convicted by the
[01:21:03] Holy Spirit from what he had heard to accept our Lord Jesus as Lord and
[01:21:08] Savior and receive the Holy Spirit one will one will remain a sinner as he was
[01:21:16] born by his ugly parents in the flesh the primary business listen carefully
[01:21:22] church the primary business of the church therefore is to preach the gospel
[01:21:26] and to persuade all everywhere to repent of their sins in system to see you see on
[01:21:33] and to persuade all everywhere to repent of their sins in system to see you see on
[01:21:33] unless a person repents unless the people of the world repent what we are
[01:21:37] unless a person repents unless the people of the world repent what we are
[01:21:37] seeing and hearing will continue because it takes only a repentant person a
[01:21:41] seeing and hearing will continue because it takes only a repentant person a
[01:21:41] forgiving person somebody who is born again and has the Spirit of God to do
[01:21:45] forgiving person somebody who is born again and has the Spirit of God to do
[01:21:45] anything otherwise a primary business of the church therefore is to preach the
[01:21:50] anything otherwise a primary business of the church therefore is to preach the
[01:21:50] gospel and persuade everyone everywhere to repent of their sins and to accept
[01:21:56] gospel and persuade everyone everywhere to repent of their sins and to accept
[01:21:56] Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and to inherit the kingdom of God being a child
[01:22:01] Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and to inherit the kingdom of God being a child
[01:22:01] of the kingdom of God is the most important thing to happen to anybody
[01:22:07] here on planet earth. The church is therefore not an end in itself but a
[01:22:12] means to an end. The church has a duty to perform. It is interesting to note that
[01:22:19] one can be a church member and not be a child of the kingdom. You hear that? How?
[01:22:26] How? How is that possible? It is interesting to note that one can be a
[01:22:30] member a member a church member and not be a child of the kingdom if he or she does not
[01:22:36] repent of his or her sins and accept Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. All
[01:22:42] church members must therefore be sure of their salvation. Now let me read a
[01:22:48] scripture to you. 2 Corinthians chapter 13 and verse 5. 2 Corinthians
[01:22:54] chapter 13 and verse 5. It says this test yourselves
[01:22:59] test yourselves.
[01:23:00] Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith.
[01:23:06] Examine yourselves, or do you not recognize this about yourselves,
[01:23:11] that Jesus Christ is in you unless indeed you fail the test.
[01:23:18] Every one of us ought to be sure of his or her salvation.
[01:23:23] The church is built and gifted by people such as Logan
[01:23:27] and other gifted people in this church,
[01:23:31] and some support people like us to come and back you up.
[01:23:35] And we are the office gifts that have been given to the church.
[01:23:38] And that is why in Ephesians chapter 4 and verse 11,
[01:23:43] it talks about apostles, and it talks about prophets,
[01:23:47] and it talks about evangelists, and it talks about pastors,
[01:23:51] and it talks about teachers.
[01:23:53] The apostles govern the church.
[01:23:55] The prophets guide the church.
[01:23:57] They tell us where to go and where not to go.
[01:23:59] And then the evangelists are the ones who now would gather.
[01:24:03] They will lead the church to gather and bring in new souls.
[01:24:06] And then the pastor is the one who makes sure that the church is guarded.
[01:24:12] He guards.
[01:24:13] And that is why sometimes some pastors will come like he does every morning
[01:24:16] to correct some untruths which people have been speculating around.
[01:24:21] So the pastor guards, and then the teachers ground us in the faith.
[01:24:27] Through the teachers that we receive from them.
[01:24:29] God has given the church these gifts, these office gifts so that we should protect them.
[01:24:34] And that is why in the Old Testament, in the New Testament times,
[01:24:37] when there was no, not one person serves as a pastor or as a leader of the church.
[01:24:43] We have all these gifted people put together.
[01:24:45] But then besides the gifts that God has given to us as these office gifts,
[01:24:50] also we are also blessed with spiritual gifts.
[01:24:54] Every individual member of our church here,
[01:24:56] every one of us,
[01:24:57] if indeed we have believed in Jesus Christ,
[01:24:59] besides receiving the Holy Spirit,
[01:25:01] God has gifted you with something special that only you can do.
[01:25:06] These brethren who sit here and play the keyboard and sing and play the guitar and play the drum and whatever,
[01:25:14] these are gifted people.
[01:25:16] Not everybody can do what they are doing.
[01:25:18] And therefore, it's a gift that God has given to them.
[01:25:22] God has given people gifts of administration,
[01:25:25] gifts of prophecy,
[01:25:26] gifts of doing all manner of things.
[01:25:29] What gift have you received?
[01:25:31] Do you know it?
[01:25:32] And if you do not know it, then look for it.
[01:25:35] Because dearly beloved in Christ,
[01:25:37] you are sure, are you sure of your salvation as someone who knows the Lord Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior?
[01:25:45] And as a child of the kingdom of God, are you sure of that?
[01:25:49] And if so, what active role are you performing?
[01:25:53] Are you performing as a spiritually gifted?
[01:25:56] Are you performing as a spiritually gifted child of God in the church that is facilitating the coming of the kingdom of God?
[01:26:05] Let's pray.
[01:26:07] Father God,
[01:26:09] this is your agenda.
[01:26:11] Your agenda
[01:26:14] of
[01:26:15] establishing the kingdom
[01:26:17] where lost humanity would eventually be brought home to be with you
[01:26:23] and all of us shall be with you in glory someday.
[01:26:26] I pray, Papa God, in the mighty name of Messiah Jesus,
[01:26:30] that if there be anyone here who has heard my voice
[01:26:34] and does not know for a fact
[01:26:36] and have no testimony in their own hearts by the Holy Spirit
[01:26:39] that they are children of God,
[01:26:41] may you cause it to happen.
[01:26:43] May you, oh Lord, glorify your holy name
[01:26:46] by convicting such hearts of sin,
[01:26:49] of righteousness, and of judgment.
[01:26:52] May you, oh God, glorify your holy name
[01:26:56] through Christ Jesus our lord.
[01:26:57] We pray with thanksgiving.
[01:26:59] Amen.
[01:27:00] Amen.

[01:27:04] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
Give him the word for us.
[01:27:11] John, will you be sure to make a note on the audio
[01:27:13] just so people aren't confused that that was me preaching
[01:27:15] when they were listening to it?
[01:27:18] Thank you.
[01:27:20] Well, I don't normally get up
[01:27:21] between the preaching and the singing here.
[01:27:24] Um...
[01:27:25] But here I am.
[01:27:28] I wanted to make a quick announcement before we sing our final song.
[01:27:34] Prior to me taking over as the pastor here, one of my big fears, honestly, was that a day would show up that I was in charge and there was nobody else serving on our staff.
[01:27:45] We had gone through some turnovers and transitions, and we'd spent a lot of time praying, especially about our music ministry and asking the Lord to provide.
[01:27:53] And I was so blessed that the Sunday of my installation that evening, the next morning, Monday morning, the Lord had provided.
[01:28:05] And that day we welcomed to our staff Shannon and also Siobhan, who was serving as our interim music person, our interim children's person.
[01:28:15] And since that time over the last almost two years, Shannon has been a huge blessing.
[01:28:23] She's been a huge blessing to me and to our church as we've gone through a big time of transition.
[01:28:32] She's been a huge blessing in my life personally.
[01:28:37] And, of course, just having somebody to go through this process with as we've been seeing new people brought into the church and new people coming on to our staff.
[01:28:49] But also, it hasn't always been easy to sit in her.
[01:28:53] Space as we've gone through that transition.
[01:28:56] And so this past week, Shannon called me and let me know that she was really feeling the Lord's leading, that it was time for her to step down from the role of music director here, which was not my most favorite thing to learn, but also something I understand because she has been so faithful throughout this process.
[01:29:19] And it is something that she hasn't taken lightly.
[01:29:22] And so.
[01:29:23] I wanted us to to one to to thank her for all the work that she has done for us.
[01:29:29] But also, is there anything else that you want to add to this?

[01:29:33] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]:
Yeah, I am just so grateful for this opportunity.
[01:29:36] And it's just it's crazy that it's been two years already.
[01:29:41] Definitely has grown me and challenged me and shaped me and refined me in so many ways.
[01:29:47] So I'm just grateful for all of you and grateful for the relationships that I've built here and those of you who have encouraged me.
[01:29:53] I know many of you who know me closely.
[01:29:56] This has been super hard for me.
[01:29:58] Don't cry, Ruby.
[01:30:00] I love Ruby.
[01:30:02] And Logan, I'm just so, so grateful for you and what an amazing friend and pastor and boss you've been.
[01:30:09] So.

[01:30:09] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
So, yeah, we're this is bittersweet news for sure.
[01:30:12] And we just wanted to let you all know and to know that this isn't about hard feelings.
[01:30:20] It's a we're actually you'll see them around.
[01:30:23] He's going to help us out through the end of the month.
[01:30:26] And and we want to be in prayer for her and for Aaron as well in their young marriage as they continue to discern God's direction in their life.
[01:30:34] And so before we sing this last song, I just want to take a moment to pray for both of them.
[01:30:39] If you join me, Father, as Pastor Nia just reminded us, we have you have given us gifts for your service and we have been so blessed to.
[01:30:53] To see your gifts on display and both Shannon and Aaron, not only their gifts, your gifts for for musical skill, but also the ways that you've created them uniquely as as people to be a blessing to to your body.
[01:31:09] And we want to lift them up to you.
[01:31:11] I thank you that you have provided a spirit of unity even through this difficult transition.
[01:31:20] And we pray, God, that that you would bless.
[01:31:23] Bless them and keep them, that you'd make your face to shine upon them and be gracious to them and whatever is next in their their life.
[01:31:33] And this next season, we pray that you would let it be a time of filling, a time where they experience and receiving from you and so that they can pour out into others.
[01:31:45] Well, we pray this in Christ's name.
[01:31:48] Amen.
[01:31:49] Now, if you'd stand and join.
[01:31:51] Yeah, let's give a round of applause for Bethlehem.
[01:31:53] And since you're already standing, let's stand up and sing our closing song.

[01:32:03] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
Great is thy faithfulness.

[01:32:23] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]:
Oh, God, my father, there is no shadow of turning with thee.
[01:32:37] Thou changed us, but thy compassions, they failed not.
[01:32:45] As thou hast been, thou forever will be.
[01:32:53] Great is thy faithfulness.
[01:32:58] Great is thy faithfulness.
[01:33:01] Morning by morning, new mercies I see.
[01:33:10] All I have needed, I have not provided.
[01:33:18] Great is thy faithfulness.
[01:33:23] Glory to thee.
[01:33:29] Summer and winter, springtime and harvest.
[01:33:38] Sun, moon, and stars in their voices above.
[01:33:47] Joined with all nature in manifold.
[01:33:53] Oh, what a day.
[01:33:53] Oh, what a day.
[01:33:53] Oh, what a day.
[01:33:53] Oh, what a day.
[01:33:53] Oh, what a day.
[01:33:53] Oh, what a day.
[01:33:53] Oh, what a day.
[01:33:53] Oh, what a day.
[01:33:53] Oh, what a day.
[01:33:53] To thy great faithfulness, mercy and love, great is thy faithfulness, great is thy faithfulness.
[01:34:12] Morning by morning, new mercies I see. All I have needed, I have provided. Great is thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me.
[01:34:38] Pardon for sin.
[01:34:42] Great is thy faithfulness, mercy and love, great is thy faithfulness, great is thy faithfulness, great is thy faithfulness.
[01:35:12] Morning by morning, new mercies I see. All I have needed, I have provided.
[01:35:42] Great is thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me.
[01:35:50] Great is thy faithfulness, great is thy faithfulness.
[01:36:00] Morning by morning, new mercies I see.
[01:36:09] All I have needed.
[01:36:12] Morning by morning, new mercies I see. All I have needed, I have provided.
[01:36:18] Great is thy faithfulness, great is thy faithfulness, great is thy faithfulness, great is thy faithfulness.
[01:36:33] Lord, unto me.
[01:36:42] Morning by morning, new mercies I see. All I have needed, I have provided.

[01:36:49] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]:
Morning by morning, new mercies I see. All I have needed, I have provided.
[01:36:50] Morning by morning, new mercies I see. All I have needed, I have provided.
[01:36:51] Morning by morning, new mercies I see. All I have needed, I have provided.
[01:36:52] Morning by morning, new mercies I see. All I have needed, I have provided.
[01:36:53] Morning by morning, new mercies I see. All I have needed, I have provided.
[01:36:54] Morning by morning, new mercies I see. All I have needed, I have provided.
[01:36:55] Morning by morning, new mercies I see. All I have needed, I have provided.
[01:36:56] Morning by morning, new mercies I see. All I have needed, I have provided.
[01:36:57] Morning by morning, new mercies I see. All I have needed, I have provided.
[01:36:58] the dead, the great
[01:37:00] shepherd of the sheep
[01:37:02] through the blood of the
[01:37:04] eternal covenant, even Jesus
[01:37:06] our Lord, equip you
[01:37:08] in every good thing
[01:37:10] to do his will
[01:37:12] working in us
[01:37:14] that which is pleasing
[01:37:17] in his sight
[01:37:18] through Jesus Christ
[01:37:20] to whom be the glory
[01:37:22] forever and ever.
[01:37:24] Amen.

[01:37:28] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
Oh, so I am
[01:37:31] free, and I
[01:37:33] am healed, yes I am

[01:37:35] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]:
to report to the Lord
[01:37:39] that what you said
[01:37:41] and what you've done
[01:37:43] is evident
[01:37:44] there's good to come
[01:37:47] so I am
[01:37:49] free