Compassion

[0:00] For more information, visit www.fema.org Hello, welcome to Pendleton Center Church.

[0:48] That's Joan Kirkland, sitting where she usually sits for worship. And here she is, sitting in a completely different part of the sanctuary, so she has a chance to meet some new people that sit around her.

[1:00] She would like to invite everyone to do the same thing for the next couple of weeks, to meet some new people, and to really confuse the pastors. For first-time visitors, we hope you'll pick up one of our welcome bags at the connection site at the rear of the sanctuary, or out at the welcome and information desk.

[1:19] We would like everyone to please put your name on a friendship card so we know you are here. And if you would like to receive our newsletter or need to update information, you can fill that out on the front as well.

[1:30] On the back, you can list prayer concerns, blessings, or notes to the staff. Enjoy your service. Good morning.

[1:50] Please join us in our call to worship. This is the day that the Lord has made. This is the day that the Lord has made.

[2:11] Let us rejoice and be glad in it. This is the day that the Lord has made.

[2:25] Let us rejoice and be glad in it. This is the day that the Lord has made.

[2:40] Lord, we pray that your presence will come and dwell among us, that we will experience the power of your Holy Spirit this day. Open up our eyes, ears, and our hearts to receive you.

[2:53] And may this service be a blessing to you. For it's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. I'd like to invite you all to stand, if you're able, as we worship together, singing, Lift Up Your Heads, Ye Mighty Gates.

[3:04] Lift up your hands, ye mighty gates.

[3:26] Behold the King of glory waits. The King of kings is drawing near.

[3:36] The Savior of the world is here. Lift by the four toes of your heart.

[3:47] Make it a temple set apart. From earthly use for heaven's employ. The Lord has made us with you.

[4:27] With you. And also with you. Please be seated. Today is the second week of Advent, and so we're going to light our Advent candles this morning. And as we do so, we're going to hear these words selected from Zechariah's song in Luke.

[4:44] Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who has come to set the chosen people free. The Lord has raised up for us a mighty Savior from the house of David.

[4:54] To set us free from the hands of our enemies, free to worship without fear, holy and righteous in the Lord's sight all the days of our life. In the tender compassion of our God, the dawn from on high shall break upon us to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

[5:17] This is the word of the Lord. Thank you. I wanted to share it with you that in your bulletin you'll find a mission moment envelope.

[5:28] This mission moment is particular to our congregation because it's what we call the Good Samaritan Fund. It's where we help out families within our congregation that are in particular need or give a little extra boost for them at Christmas time or just help with whatever emergencies might rise.

[5:45] It's not a huge fund, but it does help people in many ways that sit in the pews next to you. So if you can help with this fund, I encourage you to offer an extra gift in response to this.

[5:56] Thank you. Are you okay? It's just 66. I don't know. It's got different words.

[6:10] It has different words. It has different words. It has different words. Different words. Two more weeks till He arrives.

[6:25] Two more weeks till He arrives. He who's filled and changed our lives. He who spilled and changed our lives Let the bells ring loud and clear Let the bells ring loud and clear Let the children shout and cheer Let the children shout and cheer Let all kinds of drums be heard Let all kinds of drums be heard Let all people get the word Let all people get the word Let's clap our hands and slap our thighs Raise our voices to the skies Sing and play our songs and drums Till this special baby comes Two more weeks till he arrives

[7:29] Two more weeks till he arrives He who's filled and changed our lives He who's filled and changed our lives Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah I am thankful today for children singing the praises of God. Amen.

[8:19] There's so much to be thankful for Look at all the wonderful gifts everywhere For our angel tree You know we actually have six tags left If anyone is willing and able to take care of those tags They'd have to be back by tomorrow at the latest though So let me know But you know there's so much to be thankful for As the choir comes up You know there's a cantata tonight And there are so many people that have put in Lots of time and effort to put together What I did the rehearsal yesterday Gorgeous Really Seven o'clock tonight Please come out and support them And enjoy a wonderful time of music But I'd love to hear what you all are thankful for this morning What are you thankful for?

[9:00] So 10.15 next week Right So we have seven o'clock tonight for the concert Next week at 10.15 We have all the children that'll be here And they'll be presenting a play It'll be a wonderful time So I invite you to celebrate along with us What else are you thankful for?

[9:30] Judy So a successful business trip A fine speech Which actually glorified Jesus Woohoo Yeah So any of the kids that want to go out for junior church Go on out with Mrs. Hughes Anyone else have anything they're thankful for?

[10:08] Yeah I'm thankful for all the prayers And that Ernie got through with first surgery First surgery down Ernie And we are praising God You are well I remember that Yeah Anyone else?

[10:21] Yeah Jen Thankful for kids Yeah And family Yeah Anyone? Yes Wait was that What?

[10:32] Shep So I was praising him for her granddaughter Yeah Wonderful Anyone else?

[10:46] Yeah There's a lot to be thankful for And this is a time where we really try to focus on the experience of Christ in our life Emmanuel God with us And God is active and moving in our lives And so open up your mind Open up your hearts To see where God really is So we can praise God for many, many things So as we reflect on how good God is Let's return our gifts, tithes, and offerings to the Lord I'm going to preach for you a song from tonight This is a concert We've got many of our students I'm so thrilled that a lot of them have joined us We have a few more that join us this evening A full orchestra that will be sitting right here We'll be doing a lot of browsing Christmas carols Songs that you'll know But also songs that you don't know And here's a new one Called God Speaking And that's the title of the whole new time About how we can learn to listen to what God wants to tell us During the Christmas season So we hope to see you again tonight Have you ever heard a love song

[12:12] And set your spirit free? Have you ever watched the sunrise And felt you could not breathe?

[12:23] What if it's him? What if it's God speaking? Have you ever cried a tear That you could not explain?

[12:46] Have you ever met a stranger Who already knew your name? What if it's him? What if it's God speaking?

[13:02] What if it's God speaking? What if it's God speaking? Who knows how he'll get ahold of us In our attention To prove he is in God He'll do and he'll use Whatever he wants to To tell us I love you Have you ever lost a loved one?

[13:49] You've got to still be here Do you know what it feels like To be tangled up in fear?

[13:59] What if somehow We've been loved When he's leading to it all?

[14:10] You know How is that all the love? With our attention To prove he is in God He'll do and he'll use Whatever he wants to know To tell us I love you His ways are higher His ways are gladder Though sometimes change What could be stranger Than God in all danger?

[15:10] Oh no How do you get ahold of us?

[15:31] Who knows how he'll get ahold of us With our attention To prove he is in God Who knows how he'll get ahold of you With our attention To prove he is in God He'll do and he'll use Whatever he wants to know To tell us I love you God is speaking I love you I love you I love you

[16:32] I love you I love you I love you Thank you.

[17:07] Thank you.

[17:37] Thank you.

[18:07] Beautiful. I just, yeah, I'm a little blown away. God is good, and God does love us, and God is available for us.

[18:19] And so we want to come to the throne of grace and pray. So what do we have to live up to the Lord today in prayer? Does anyone have any concerns you'd like to share? Yeah.

[18:31] Pray for Leslie for acute liver illness. Okay. Anyone else have any prayer concerns?

[18:43] Judy. Judy. Wow.

[19:01] Wonderful. Wow. So people, to be able to walk firmly with the Lord, but people going through addiction and recovery, and for people going through an adoption process and having new people in their lives.

[19:15] Yes. Carol. Right. Tricia. Tricia. Praise God.

[19:43] So Tricia, who they didn't think was going to make it, is being discharged from the hospital today. It started in a nursing home. Praise God.

[19:55] Wow. Yeah, Judy. Your son what? So please pray for Judy's son.

[20:05] What's your son's name? Sean. He's been diagnosed with cancer. Janet. Janet. Pray for Dave Johnson.

[20:17] He's battling complications and is in the hospital. Prayer does work, folks. Really, God is good. And all the time.

[20:29] God is good. Does anyone else have any prayer concerns? Well, let's have a body of Christ lifting up these people in prayer. Let us pray. Almighty God, you are good and you are loving.

[20:43] And we come to you this day trusting in you and placing our concerns at the feet of your throne.

[20:53] That you will be exalted. That we will trust in you to care for these people that we have named today and all the people on our hearts.

[21:05] Lord, we pray for your healing touch to be upon them. For those who are struggling physically. That you will take any of the disease and you will cast it out.

[21:18] That you will send full healing. Be with doctors and nurses and guide them. But Lord, help them to not have to depend on that. Because you are going to come and manifest in their lives and heal their bodies.

[21:30] We pray, Lord, for those who need healing with addictions. Struggling with anxiety and depression.

[21:43] Lord, we pray that the people who are suffering in this way. That they will have a healing of the mind. That you will come in and fill their mind up with your goodness and your love. That they will come to you instead of other things to numb the pain.

[21:57] Because you are the great healer. Lord, we pray for people who are grieving at this time.

[22:09] That they will experience your comfort and your peace. We pray for the families, Lord. That you will have a blanket of protection over us.

[22:20] And that you will fill us with your love. A love so great that we see the love of God in one another. And we pour it out to others.

[22:36] Lord, you are merciful. And we're trusting in you. Calm our spirits. Give us your peace and your presence.

[22:46] To know that you are there and you are good. And you have the best intent for us. And help us to trust that. Surround those who are hurting and fearful.

[22:57] With people who will love on them. And give encouragement and comfort. Help us to be a community of people who will support one another.

[23:09] Lord, we pray for those who don't yet know you. That you will open up their hearts to experience you.

[23:20] And help us to be a witness. That they may see God through us. For it's in Christ's holy name we pray. Amen.

[23:31] Now let's hear from the word of the Lord. Amen. Amen. Today's reading is from Luke chapter 1 verses 39 through 45.

[24:23] At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea. Where she entered Zechariah's home and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting.

[24:35] The baby leapt in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed. Blessed are you among women. And blessed is the child you will bear.

[24:48] But why am I so favored. That the mother of my Lord should come to me. As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears. The baby in my womb leapt for joy.

[25:00] Blessed is she who has believed. That the Lord will fulfill his promises to her. This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. Thank you Judy.

[25:13] What an amazing. Amazing meeting of two women. Going through a similar experience. A special baby from God. God. But I have a feeling that this could have gone in an entirely different way.

[25:28] After all Elizabeth is well beyond the years according to the scripture. To give birth to a child. We don't know what that means. So I won't try to put an age on her. But she was past that point.

[25:39] If you know what I mean. And here she is. Six months pregnant. Even though it's way beyond the time. That you should give birth to a child. So she's starting to feel that experience.

[25:52] And that drain. And this girl shows up in her house. Remember we don't have cell phones. Or any kind of phones for that matter.

[26:03] This would be a completely unanticipated. Unexpected visit. From a young woman. Probably 14 or 15 years old. Who just shows up and says.

[26:14] Hi Liz. What would be your reaction? You're sitting at home. Feeling all the feelings you have.

[26:25] I don't know what this means ladies. I'm just kind of you know. Projecting. Being pregnant with a child. Your husband by the way. Who's a priest.

[26:36] Isn't able to talk. And if you have any idea. Of what would put me out of a job immediately. Is if I couldn't speak right. He's sitting around the house. Just being an annoyance.

[26:49] And in walks. This young girl. Who says I'm pregnant. I don't know what to do. I know what you should do. You turn around. And go back home to your parents. And let them deal with us.

[27:00] Right? The truth is. Is that. We look at the world. Through the eyes. That we choose.

[27:10] We can look at the world. Through the eyes of God. Or we can look at the world. Through the eyes. That we've been taught. By the culture around us. To see. Elizabeth could have seen.

[27:22] A troubled young girl. In need of help. And said. I don't have time for this. But through the eyes of God. She saw something entirely different.

[27:36] You see the truth is. Is that. Love isn't always convenient. It's convenient. Sometimes. We see problems. We see struggles. We see people in need. And we just want to look away.

[27:48] The last few weeks. And I was trying to think about. How many weeks it's been. Just sitting here. The last few weeks. And it's been a couple months. Every single week. I've been getting a phone call. About somebody who's about to die.

[28:02] Oddly enough. Some of them have been friends of mine. That I've known for years and years. Some parishioners. But every week. At Christmas time.

[28:15] It's not convenient. To think about that. Is it? I'll have a blue Christmas. Without you. We do a blue Christmas service.

[28:25] Up in the Niagara Falls Church. Pastor Bill Edmister. Has one over at Royalton. For people who are feeling that loss. This time of year. Where it's difficult. We want to look the other way.

[28:36] And pretend it isn't happening. Because it's too difficult. For us to see that. When we want to sing. If a holly jolly Christmas. It's the best time of the year.

[28:47] But some people aren't. Feeling. That. And the truth is. What's happening to us.

[28:58] We think is the highest priority. In life. For the most part. You know the difference between. Major surgery. And minor surgery. Right? Major surgery happens to me. And minor surgery happens to everybody else.

[29:09] Right? That's the way we look at life. That's the way we look at life. So the other day. I got the phone call.

[29:21] A friend of mine. Who I've known for 30 some years. Who we see probably. Three out of four times. When we go to Silver Lake. Is going into hospice. Can you go down to Roswell.

[29:36] And see her. What do you do. When you're confronted with something. That's terribly inconvenient. Now Mary is on this trip.

[29:48] And she's been told. By the angel Gabriel. That she's going to be pregnant. By God. Which of course in and of itself. Is a little. Out there.

[30:00] And that the proof is. That Elizabeth her relative. This lady who's well past the age. Of having a child. Is pregnant. So. It says she got up immediately.

[30:11] And went on what would be about. A hundred mile journey. Probably on foot. A little. Young woman. By herself. Which I wouldn't recommend today. Happening.

[30:21] Certainly in that day and age. Frightening and disconcerting. All alone. She shows up. To Elizabeth's house. And says. Hi. Can you imagine what she's feeling?

[30:36] Is Elizabeth going to be pregnant? Am I just out of my mind. And delusional? Will Elizabeth reject me. And send me home? And how will they treat me at home?

[30:50] Does anyone care? Did I take this trip? For nothing. And where am I supposed to go afterwards? Anybody know what this is?

[31:03] Not a trick question. Go ahead. Candy cane. Yes. It's a big candy cane. I know. You're afraid to ask. Because you think it's a trick question. Right? Candy canes were created.

[31:14] They tell me somewhere. Oh. Back in the 16 or 1700s. And they were straight at the time. And usually white. They were just a sugary treat. That they sold in a lot of different candy shops.

[31:25] Until somebody in the 1800s decided to put a hook on it. Which made it into what we think of as the candy cane. This way they're easier to hang on the Christmas tree. Or wherever you want to hang them.

[31:35] Right? And besides which, they look like a shepherd's crook. So they remind us of the good shepherd of God. Which was a good selling point. Not to mention that they're in the shape of a four.

[31:50] Of course. And the whiteness of the candy cane. This one isn't very white. But the whiteness of the candy cane was to represent his purity. And the red, his stripes and his blood, that he died for us.

[32:05] What do you see when you look at a candy cane? If somebody were just kind of, you know, give you a candy cane. Heads up. You better be paying attention today. Because you don't know where it's coming now. Stay awake.

[32:17] You might get beaten otherwise, you know. I came prepared. Plenty of ammunition. Would you see a sugary little treat?

[32:31] Or would you see a symbol of God? And I'll tell you right now, a lot of what we see depends on whether or not we have God guiding our hearts and our lives.

[32:45] In this story, it says that Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. And because she was filled with the Holy Spirit, she didn't see a little troubled girl that was going to cause her a lot of headaches.

[32:58] She saw the mother of her Lord. How is it that the mother of my Lord would show up to visit me? Do we look for God?

[33:09] Or do we just look for common things? We go on a mission trip with the young people of our church in the summer. And in the evening, we sit around the campfire and we ask them to come up with God moments.

[33:22] Now, for those who have been there a while, they try to get back in the hang of it the first night or two. But the new ones are like, what? What's that mean? It means that if you look around your life, if you look around what's going on, you will see God.

[33:37] You will see God at work when you're not even looking for it. God will just appear. Unexpectedly. And we need to be aware of it.

[33:50] We need to be looking for it. Hebrews chapter 13, verse 2. We have it on the back wall of our sanctuary. It says, Don't forget to show hospitality to strangers.

[34:02] For by so doing, some people have shown hospitality to angels. Without knowing it. We tend to judge by the world's standards rather than God's standards.

[34:17] We tend to look for what would be the practical, the smart, the wise, the prudent thing to do. What would be the thing that God would ask us to do? The truth is that the world's standards are actually kind of a joke to God.

[34:32] In 1 Corinthians, the first chapter, he says, Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?

[34:43] And yet, we worry about this. We worry about appearances more than love. We worry about knowledge more than wisdom. So I was out to eat the other night at that grand emporium called Olive Garden.

[35:00] And the person I was with had ordered spaghetti. There were four of us at the table. And they didn't like cheese. And you know how it works at the Olive Garden. As soon as the plate arrives on the table, they're like, With that cheese grinder, right?

[35:16] I don't like cheese. No problem, the waitress says. We'll take it back as we all sit in embarrassment. Oh, can't believe they should send the food back. Because it didn't come the way you ordered it.

[35:29] Right? But that's what we do. We don't necessarily say it. We go, okay, three or four minutes. The order comes back. And there are visibly little flecks of cheese.

[35:40] Not a lot, but little flecks. You know what I'm talking about. Like they went in the back and scraped it off and put a little more sauce on. Right? Tried to cheat. Right? And so the person says, there's still cheese here.

[35:51] We're all like, eat it. Just eat it. Come on, man. We're trying to get done with dinner. Don't be such an embarrassment. I can't believe you would. And the waitress, who you'd expect, would go, ah.

[36:04] It's not a problem. We'll take it back. No, just eat it. I'll take it back. No, no. They can eat it. Away it goes.

[36:14] She goes back into the kitchen, comes out with one with no cheese. Thank you. The young woman's name was Sophia. Do you know what Sophia is?

[36:26] It's a Greek word for wisdom, which is the name of God's wisdom. I told her that, by the way. And she was so much closer to representing Jesus than I was.

[36:42] Are we looking for God? Where we can find God? Do we see God moments because God is so alive in us that it overwhelms and takes away all the confusion we have?

[36:55] The experience of God gives us that wisdom. She said, as soon as you arrived, the baby kicked me and I had indigestion.

[37:06] No, she says, the baby leaped for joy. That's not how most of us would see it. It leapt for joy that you showed up. This is so wonderful that you're here, Mary.

[37:20] God is present. Do we see God when we look around us? Do you see crosses in the windows or do you just see crossbars? Do you know that those panel doors in the houses were created by carpenters in the Middle Ages that wanted to put the cross of Jesus Christ on everybody's home?

[37:39] That's why they exist. Do we see that? Or do we just see doors? Do we see a Christmas tree as the example of everlasting life?

[37:53] Or do we see a place to plant gifts? Way in the back. I ricocheted. I missed.

[38:05] There. That one made it. I came armed. See, you just don't know where it's going to go, do you? Somewhere I'm going to get in trouble, I know.

[38:19] But are we expecting it? Are we expecting it when we shouldn't expect it? Are we looking for it to happen? Like Elizabeth was looking for it to happen.

[38:30] And they shared the experience of God together. They shared the experience of giving life together. Do we look for God? Do we listen to the Holy Spirit?

[38:42] If we do, God will give us a gift of discernment through the Holy Spirit as Elizabeth was given the gift of discernment to know where blessing comes from. Blessed is she who believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her.

[38:59] We trust that God will guide us and lead us where we need to go. I visited this woman down at Roswell on Thursday.

[39:13] And she was moved to hospice that day. And that Friday, I said to my wife, I think we need to go. Well, didn't you just see her yesterday?

[39:25] Maybe I should go. I think we need to go. It wasn't convenient. My wife gets up at like 4 o'clock in the morning when real people shouldn't be alive. She doesn't want to go.

[39:39] It's not easy. I don't want to go. I was just seeing her yesterday. We arrived to a family that was trying to struggle through the shock and seeing family friends from decades of living together.

[39:58] Young people that we watched go from birth to adulthood. It seemed to help. God leads us where we need to go.

[40:09] If we listen, do we listen? And I understand love sometimes takes work. It takes an effort. It takes risk. But the result is that we give hope.

[40:22] We bring God. And we bring the real love of God. Mary, it says in verse 56, stayed for three months. Now, if you think about that, you could see that as a terrible inconvenience to this older woman who's pregnant.

[40:40] Or don't you think in her six months, that's about the time she could use a young woman around the house to take care of things, to help her with the laundry, to keep her husband off her back, to help get through life.

[40:57] And what about Mary? Mary. Mary has discovered she's pregnant. By God! She doesn't even know what to do with this. That's why she took off right away. She doesn't want to see anybody.

[41:09] How does she even explain this? She has three months. Three months living in the house of Zachariah, the priest, and his wonderful, faithful wife, Elizabeth, so that she can come to terms with what she's going to say to her husband Joseph when she returns, which is next week, by the way.

[41:28] Love isn't always convenient. Do you remember John 3, 16? What does it say? God so loved the world that he gave. He gave. He gave his son.

[41:40] Whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. But he gave. He gave when it wasn't convenient. It would have been easier for God to just say, just wipe them out and start over.

[41:51] And we're called to love the way God loves the world. And he teaches us that by being in our lives and showing us at every turn.

[42:04] The great commandment, love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself. God loved us when we didn't deserve it.

[42:16] God loved us even though we deserve condemnation. God loved us when it was inconvenient for God. And he calls us to do the same thing. Do you believe?

[42:27] Do you believe that what the Holy Spirit is calling you to do is the power of God? I'm going to talk about inconvenience. You know where I got these candy canes from?

[42:40] Yesterday afternoon, I decided to make a quick stop at Target on Niagara Falls Boulevard. Can you imagine going to Target on Niagara Falls Boulevard yesterday afternoon?

[42:54] Not only did I go to Target, which was insane, people everywhere, crazy people everywhere, I got up to the register and realized I had forgotten my wallet. Seriously?

[43:06] I had to go out to the car and rummage through the car trying to find some change. You know, like I'm 19 years old, trying to find that little bit of change so I could go back in. I could have been miserable.

[43:18] I wanted to be miserable. I walked back into the register and the person behind the register says, you found it? All right!

[43:29] And so, I smiled. Not because it wasn't inconvenient, not because it wasn't difficult, but because it was a God moment.

[43:43] God gives us God moments this time of year. Parties so we can celebrate the birth of Jesus. In fact, it gives us excuses to celebrate the birth of our Lord with people that don't even follow our Lord.

[43:55] I think it's God's little joke on the world. The whole world is celebrating the birth of Jesus even if they don't believe in him. That's what we call Christmas. People say, oh, that's commercialism. I don't care.

[44:06] They're celebrating our Lord. Amen? And we can too. We can too. Can we bring a little joy?

[44:17] Even if it's just, I'm running out of ammunition here. Even if it's just a little piece of candy worth a couple of pennies.

[44:31] I have some cards in the back of the sanctuary. I want you to take the card and if you so choose, even better, tape a candy cane to it.

[44:42] It just tells a story and leave them around. I don't care where you leave them. Leave it at the doctor's office, the dentist's office, especially the dentist's office. That's kind of fun, right? Hand it out to the people when you're going through the line.

[44:55] Brighten somebody's day because you never know when God's going to do something special when you weren't looking for it. God gives us gifts and our gift giving to each other seems a little odd that we're giving birthday gifts to each other on Jesus' birthday, but in doing so, we're showing the love and the grace of God that's given without merit.

[45:21] Looks like this sometimes. Got all your Christmas shopping done? No. No? I haven't started. Yeah, she wants like Lego Friends. I don't know if you've ever heard of those. Oh yeah, yeah. My daughter loves Lego Friends.

[45:32] They're great. Lego what? Friends? Daughter wants Lego Friends? Okay. Got it, got it, got it. We got three. Any other kids or just the one? I got another one. Yeah, I got a son.

[45:42] What does he want? He, well, you know, he's only five. Yeah. So he has all these things that he wants that are unrealistic. Like? I'm not going to be able to get. Like what? Like this electric scooter. Something like this?

[46:04] Oh my God. Yeah. Alrighty, well, you want to open up the back seat of your trunk? Was I really getting pulled over? Yeah, you got pulled over. You got illegal tinted windows.

[46:15] Oh my God, she just put that on her list. And the, uh, We just went through and did the list. And the high school. Oh my God. Pretty awesome. No way. Oh my God, can I hug you?

[46:26] Oh, thank you. You're welcome. So am I getting it? I'm not getting a ticket, right? I can give you one if you want. You open it, right? What? Have you tried those?

[46:38] No. Well, those maybe fit? That's exactly what I was hoping for when I said that. What the heck? This is insane. Can I have it? You can have that. Thank you. And there's some there for you too, sir.

[46:49] Thank you. You are my best friend. Oh my God, you're kidding me. Oh, I want to hug you. That is so great. Thank you. Something your little boy might like.

[46:59] I just turned my bad day into a good one. You just turned my bad day into a good one.

[47:09] And if police officers, you know, can imagine the feeling, right? Oh. Can do this. What should we be doing as the children of God?

[47:20] It says to us in the book of Matthew, if you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in Heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him.

[47:30] So in everything, do to others as you would have them do to you. This sums up the whole law of God. You see, Mary and Elizabeth lifted each other up.

[47:43] And we need to be the people that lift each other up. In the midst of our struggles, we need to feel that we can be a blessing. Just pulling onto Niagara Falls Boulevard yesterday, waiting for eight cars in front of me to get into the traffic.

[48:00] And I got there, and there's somebody blocking the traffic and letting us in. And I'm just like, Merry Christmas, whoever you are. I'd throw you a candy cane, but I don't think I'd go through the car window.

[48:12] No. Rejoice. Rejoice, Elizabeth says, because the mother of my Lord is here.

[48:27] Can we do that? It's interesting because I brought off these lit up candy canes. You may not realize, but there's some over here too. They lit up at the house, but they wouldn't light up over here.

[48:39] You know, Adrian got them to light up this morning, but they stopped again. We can be very aggravated, or Pastor Sherry pointed out, that's a great sermon illustration.

[48:50] Don't we show the love of God at home and in church and with the people we're close to, but do we show it to the world as God would call us to do? You hear this new one? Pay away the layaway.

[49:01] You know, people who shop on layaway are the poorest people basically in our culture, and there are people right now going around, particularly to Kmart stores, and just paying off the layaway. The folks come in to get their gifts and they're paid for.

[49:13] They're paid for. Why? Just because they can. Just because they can. When everything seems to be a struggle in life, when life itself seems to be falling apart, God sends help.

[49:28] I don't want to see people going through the struggle of dying at Christmas. I really don't. But we went Friday night to hospice, and what we didn't know was that was the last time we would see our friend of decades alive.

[49:45] Our last chance to say goodbye, and I gave her a kiss as I left. Even though I don't know if she even knew it. But I knew it. Romans says to us, when you give to the...

[49:59] No, next one. Bless those who persecute you. Bless, don't curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice. Mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.

[50:13] Do not be conceited. Don't repay anyone evil for evil, but be careful to do what's right in the eyes of everyone. And if it's possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

[50:26] Man, couldn't we use some peace? We don't need any more arguing, mean, nasty voices, do we? We don't need any more of them. I've had enough fighting and arguing for the rest of my life.

[50:38] We need some love. So take a few cards, scatter them around wherever. Get some candy canes. Share them with somebody. You might find that you'll brighten up their day or you'll knock their eyes out.

[50:50] I'm not sure which. But be a light as God called you to be. We're going to light these candles Christmas Eve. Remember this? We'll do this. We'll go, Silent night, holy night, all is come.

[51:07] and then we'll put them out. And we'll go home and we'll find out who are the real Christians that bring the light of the world for God.

[51:20] You are the light of the world. Go and live as the light of God. There is a candle in every soul Some bright and burning Some dark and cold There is a spirit who brings the fire He ignites a candle And makes his home Carry your candle Run to the darkness Seek out the homeless The news and joy

[52:24] Hold out your candle For all to see it Take your candle Sailor light.

[52:44] So light YES Say use it blissful See how he turned He tried to light his own candle some other way.

[53:04] See now your sister, she's been robbed and lied to. Still holds a candle without a claim.

[53:17] Carry your candle round to the darkness. Seek out the lonely, the tired and warm.

[53:32] Hold out your candle for all to see it. Take your candle, your light, your world.

[53:46] Take your candle, your light, your world. We are a family whose hearts are blazing.

[54:04] So let's raise our candles and light up the sky. Pray to our Father in the name of Jesus.

[54:20] Make us obedient in darkness. Take your candle, your light, your light, your light.

[54:32] Take your candle, your light, your light. Seek out the helpless, deceived and poor. Hold out your candle for all to see it.

[54:48] Take your candle, your light, your world. Carry your candle, your light. Carry your candle, run to the darkness.

[55:02] Take your candle, your light. Take your candle, your light. Confused and war. Hold out your candle, to the darkness.

[55:15] up now. I will continue to animal. FatherVOva from O Green Father'sictibel.

[55:29] Run to the darkness.

[55:42] Seek out those who are hurting and helpless and lonely. We get so busy. We get so caught up in our own agenda and what we're called to do.

[55:55] And yet there are people all around us, people in this very room. Who are hurting. People out there in masses that are hurting. And we have the light of God in us.

[56:07] And we have the capability and ability and the calling to reach out and run to the darkness. And fill them up with the light of God. I'm convicted.

[56:19] I don't know about you all. But as we prepare for the table of the Lord, let's pray a prayer of confession. Lord, I am a sinner. Lord, I am a sinner.

[56:30] I need your grace. I need your grace. I've not always shown your love. I've not always shown your love. I've thought too much of myself. I've thought too much of myself.

[56:40] My own agenda. My own agenda. I've been too busy for others. I've been too busy for others. And not done your calling. I've not been loving as you've called me to love.

[56:55] Forgive me, Lord. Forgive me, Lord. Give me your eyes to see. Give me your heart to love. That I may bring your light to the people in this world that are hurting, that are lonely, that need you.

[57:19] May I bear your witness. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen. Hear the good news.

[57:29] Christ died for us while we were still sinners. This proves God's love for you and for me. So in the name of Jesus Christ, your sins are forgiven.

[57:41] Glory to God. Amen. And now as a body of Christ, together, preparing for the table of the Lord, the great celebration of God's love, let's share the peace of the Holy Spirit with one another.

[57:58] Amen. Amen. Amen.

[58:41] God rest ye merry gentlemen, let nothing you dismay.

[59:10] For Jesus Christ, our Savior, was born on Christmas Day. To save us all from Satan's power when we were gonna stay.

[59:25] Oh, tidings of comfort and joy. Comfort and joy. Oh, tidings of comfort and joy.

[59:38] Oh, tidings of comfort and joy.

[60:15] Oh, tidings of comfort and joy. Oh, tidings of comfort and joy. It's a great celebration of God's love. It's a great celebration of God's love. And so all are invited, whether this is your first time here or if you've been here all along, if you'd like to receive God's grace and love, you are welcome at the table.

[60:32] The Lord be with you. And also with you. Lift up your hearts. Lift up your hearts. Lift up your hearts. Lift up your hearts. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right to give our thanks to your grace. It is right and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere, to give thanks to you, Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth.

[60:52] You formed us in your image and breathed into us the breath of life. When we turned away and our love failed, your love remained steadfast.

[61:03] You delivered us from captivity, made covenant to be our sovereign God, and spoke to us through the prophets. And so with your people on earth and all the company of heaven, we praise your name and join their unending hymn.

[61:19] Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest.

[61:29] Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest. Holy are you and blessed is your Son, Jesus Christ. Your Spirit anointed him to preach good news to the poor, to proclaim release to the captives, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, and to announce that the time had come when you would save your people.

[61:53] He healed the sick, fed the hungry, and ate with sinners. By the baptism of his suffering, death, and resurrection, you gave birth to your church, delivered us from slavery to sin and death, and made with us a new covenant by water and the Spirit.

[62:14] When the Lord Jesus ascended, he promised to be with us always in the power of your word and Holy Spirit. On the night in which Jesus gave himself up for us, he took the bread, he gave thanks to you, and he said, this is my body, which is given for you.

[62:36] Eat of this often, remembering me. And when the supper was over, he took the cup.

[62:49] He gave thanks to God, and he said, this is my blood, the blood of the new covenant, poured out for you, poured out for many, for the forgiveness of sins.

[63:01] Drink of this often, remembering me. And so, in remembrance of these, your mighty acts in Jesus Christ, we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving as a holy and living sacrifice, in union with Christ's offering for us, as we proclaim the mystery of faith.

[63:29] Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again. Pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered here, and on these gifts of bread and wine.

[63:40] Make them be for us the body and blood of Christ, that we may be for the world the body of Christ, redeemed by his blood. By your Spirit, make us one with Christ, one with each other, and one in ministry to all the world, until Christ comes in final victory, and we feast at his heavenly banquet.

[64:04] Through your Son, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit in your Holy Church, all honor and glory is yours, Almighty Father, now and forever. Amen.

[64:15] And now let us pray the prayer that Jesus taught us, saying, Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

[64:30] Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

[64:45] For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen. Will those who are serving, please come forward. Amen. Amen. Amen.

[65:26] smith Thank you.

[66:20] Thank you.

[66:50] Thank you. I want you to do that as well. I might suggest you go up that side, but that's a deal.

[67:01] We'll be over there for you to hang an ornament. If you haven't made an ornament, by the way, there's some new ones. We'd love to have your family on the tree as well. Come and join us at the table of the Lord. Thank you.

[67:40] Thank you.

[68:10] Thank you.

[68:40] Thank you.

[69:10] Thank you.

[69:40] Thank you.

[70:10] Thank you.

[70:40] Thank you.

[71:10] Thank you.

[71:40] Thank you.

[72:10] Thank you.

[72:40] Thank you.

[73:10] Thank you. Thank you.

[74:10] Thank you. Thank you.

[75:10] May God bless you. May God bless you and go with you. May God give you God moments that you might know where you're meant to be a blessing. Go in Jesus' name. Amen.