[0:00] Thank you.
[0:30] Thank you.
[1:00] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
[1:12] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
[1:24] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
[2:04] back. This is the day that the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it. This is the day, this is the day, that the Lord has made, that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice, let us rejoice, and be glad in it, and be glad in it. This is the day, this is the day, that the Lord has made.
[2:55] Lord, we welcome you into our presence. We pray that you'll come and dwell among us, fill us with your presence and your power, help us to experience your greatness and your wonder. We pray that your blessing will be upon the service of worship, that you will be exalted and praised, for it's in your name we pray. Amen. I'd like to invite you all to stand, if you're able, as we sing together, Lord, whose love through humble service.
[3:25] Lord, whose love through humble service bore the weight of human need, who upon the cross are shaken, offered mercy's perfect deed. We are servants with the worship, not a voice among my heart.
[4:00] Concerning to your purpose, every gift that you impart. Still your children wander homeless, still the hungry cry for bread. Still the captive love for freedom. Still in grief we mourn our dead.
[4:27] As the Lord your deep compassion, heal the sick and free the soul. Is the love your spirit kindles, still to save and make us whole.
[4:46] As we worship, grant us vision, till your love's revealing light. In its height and depth and greatness dawns upon our quicken sight.
[5:04] Making our long-term burdens, your compassion is a spare. Stirring us to tireless striving, your abundant life to share.
[5:22] Call my worship to your service. Call my worship to your service. Forth in your dear name we go. To the child, the youth, the aged, love in living deeds to show.
[5:41] Hope and health, goodwill and comfort, counsel, aid and peace we give. Let your servants, Lord in freedom, may your mercy know and live.
[6:02] And the Girl Scouts will be coming in with the flags. iaa b thatấm h And as the Girl Scouts gather here, they would like to say the Girl Scout promise.
[6:44] And any of you who are also Girl Scouts, please join along with. Or have been Girl Scouts. Or have been Girl Scouts, yeah. You know what I mean. It's morning. Go ahead, girls.
[6:54] On my honor, I will try to serve God and my country to help people at all times and to live by the Girl Scout law.
[7:05] And the Girl Scouts would also like to invite you to join them in singing one verse of America the Beautiful. Oh, beautiful for spacious skies, or amber waves of rain.
[7:30] For purple mountain majesties above the perfect day.
[7:40] America, America, God shed his grace on thee.
[7:51] And crowned my good with brotherhood from sea to shining sea. The Lord be with you.
[8:05] And also with you. Please be seated. This morning in your bulletin you'll find a mission moment. This is actually for our mission trip that the young people take somewhere in the summertime.
[8:16] We're going to be going back to Michigan this year. And what we do is we do construction work and things to help people to fix up their houses and such. It's really an opportunity to change the young people themselves.
[8:29] It affects their hearts, their relationship with God. It affects the people whose houses we go to as well. When we went to Michigan last time, I have to tell you that we worked on a house and it seemed like the people were hardly ever home.
[8:42] So we didn't feel like we really got to know them or we wondered if we even made any difference at all. And then about a year ago I got this email saying I've been looking for you people online for two years.
[8:54] I just wanted to tell you that you coming to help us on our house changed our lives. So just wanted to share that with your church and with the young people that came to help us out. Thank you so much.
[9:05] You know, what we do as a church to help these young people go on a trip like this is important. So if you want to give an extra gift, I would appreciate if you want to take an effort and do that for our mission moment this morning.
[9:18] Thank you. So I'm thankful for the giving hearts of our youth and for the entire congregation. I'm thankful for everyone who served with the fish fry. The fish fry, we did 540 fish fries this past week.
[9:31] And yeah, thank you. What? 590, even better. Woohoo. So I'm wondering what else anyone is thankful for this morning. Because we are gathered in God's house.
[9:43] Pastor Lisa. Amen to that, right?
[10:09] Wonderful. Wonderful. What else are we thankful for this morning? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
[10:22] Star Point's musical. Saw it last night. Absolutely excellent. Yeah. Very thankful to have experienced that. What else are we thankful for? Yeah, Judy.
[10:34] This is a big one. And I'm going to stand up. My girlfriend, six weeks ago, found out that she was going to owe $20,000 to the IRS. And she said, I'm giving this to Jesus.
[10:45] This is impossible. My eyes are focused on Him. She talked to all of the prayer warriors and said, I need prayers. I need help. She found a woman and said, I will help you. You need to give me paperwork anytime I ask you to hear knife.
[10:58] Last night, and then she said, whenever she got bad news, she would write in her account to Jesus. This is what I'm thankful for. There's 10 reasons to be thankful for you. She brought in a dollar bill to me yesterday and said, Jesus is my provision.
[11:12] I'm not looking at my situation. This was at 1230 yesterday. 9 o'clock she called me. The woman that helped her out and worked with the IRS, that you're getting a refund. Wow.
[11:24] Wow. Wow. Yeah. That's wonderful. Wow. What else are we thankful for? I'm thankful that we have the Girl Scouts here this morning.
[11:35] We have Girl Scouts that I want to share, and they put together a little video for us. I'm Lauren, and I'm part of Girl Scout Troop 70176. I've been a Girl Scout for seven years now.
[11:46] To me, Girl Scouts means being a sister and doing community service to help others. We do volunteer work at animal places, and we collect donations for animals.
[11:58] We donated cookies to veterans, and we gave cards to veterans and shut-ins. We made scarves and blankets for people that needed them, and we had a food drive for the local food pantry.
[12:11] We've done a shoe drive for people that need shoes. You can learn a lot of things like science and history and survival tips. We've went rock climbing into culinary school at TOPS for fun activities.
[12:24] We've done some forensic science with fingerprinting. We've experimented with sound before. We went roller skating. We went camping. We throw parties every year for the local Girl Scout troops to have fun, including a disco, a sock hop, and an 80s party.
[12:45] In all of these activities, we bond as sisters. It's been great to do all these things. It's very fun and educational at the same time. And you should definitely stick with Girl Scouts because you can do a lot of stuff that other people can't get to do ever, and you can help your community out.
[13:04] So we are thankful for the Girl Scouts this morning. I also wanted to let everyone know that Deanna Clapsaddle had her baby, little baby Jackson. So we're going to lift them up, and we're very thankful for that.
[13:15] You know, there's so much to be thankful for. And as we come to God in worship, we offer ourselves in thanksgiving. And so as we reflect on God's goodness, let's return our gifts, tithes, and offerings to the Lord.
[13:47] Thank you. Thank you.
[14:17] Amen. Amen.
[15:17] Amen. Amen.
[16:17] Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.
[16:29] Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.
[16:41] Amen. Lord, we thank you for your goodness. We thank you for your blessings. We give back to you a portion, a reflection of our gratitude and love.
[16:53] We pray that you'll bless these gifts to be an impact in the world, that they may be transformed in your image and in your grace. Thank you, Lord, for your goodness, and bless these gifts in your name.
[17:05] Amen. Please be seated. A couple of prayer concerns I wanted to bring to your attention. Anna K. Anderson is at DeGraff Hospital with bronchitis.
[17:19] Matt Thompson, which is Pastor Gene's ex-son-in-law, is in the hospital after a heart attack, and he's not doing well. Sandy Garrig was taken to Roswell yesterday with a fever, so please pray for her.
[17:35] And Sandy Lever will be having surgery this week as well. Do we have any other prayer concerns you'd like to have lifted up today? Yeah. So pray for Lynn's father for peace.
[17:49] He's in the hospital. Judy. It feels very波 uncontrolled. We have limited anxiety in ourノ arid manger. Popeye. Robertine Johnston, Did savvy- We need to 1860 hours of prayer.
[18:12] Thank you. Welcome. 15 years old. What's his name? Caleb, please pray for Caleb, 15-years-old. So please pray for Mike.
[18:30] The school over at Niagara Wheatfield, there was a youth suicide this past week. So please pray for families and all the students. So please pray. He's having chest pains and they don't know why.
[18:51] Wow. There's a lot going on, a lot of burdens on our heart. So let's come to the Lord. I pray, Lord, with love and humility, knowing that you are in charge of us all, loving us all, and want only good for us.
[19:15] And we pray that your healing touch will be upon those lifted up today, we pray for those who are struggling with their bodies, Lord, that they will be completely healed.
[19:28] Your hand be upon them, that pain, disease, anything that's going wrong, Lord, that it will be healed. We pray, Lord, for doctors and nurses.
[19:39] Give them your discernment. Give them your wisdom. Give them your skill. Be with the people who are in the position of caregiver and help us as a community of people to lift up others, to pray for others more, and to surround people who are struggling with your love and support.
[19:58] Lord, we pray, Lord, for our families, that you'll protect us and guide us, that we will be witnesses of your community, Lord, as we fill our families with your love.
[20:15] We pray, Lord, for those who are in mourning, those with heavy hearts, those who are carrying burdens. Lord, lift the burdens, lift the pain, and fill us with your peace and your presence.
[20:32] Give comfort. Help people to experience your goodness and your love in the midst of struggle, and to know that you are there, and help us to be a witness to that.
[20:47] Lord, we pray that you'll continue to be active in our lives and be powerful in your goodness, that we may experience it and see it and know where to move and open up our ears and hearts to move when you call.
[21:04] We pray that you'll continue, continue to be with us, and we pray that your hand will continue to be upon those that we love, who don't know you.
[21:16] We're offering them up to you, Lord, as well. May their hearts be softened, and may they be drawn closer to you. We thank you for the healing that you're doing in people's bodies.
[21:27] We thank you for the healing you're doing in people's minds. We thank you for the healing you're doing in people's hearts. We thank you for the healing you're doing in our families. We thank you, Lord, and we praise you forever and ever.
[21:41] Amen. Now let's hear from the word of the Lord. I'm sorry to have you hate. Hello? I'm sorry.
[21:56] No! No!eala police No! No! When the Son of Man comes in his glory and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne.
[22:24] All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as shepherds separate the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and goats on his left.
[22:36] The king will say to those on his right, Come you who are blessed by my Father. Take your inheritance and the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.
[22:49] For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat. I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger and you invited me in. I needed clothes and you clothed me. I was sick and you looked after me.
[23:01] I was in prison and you came to visit me. Then the righteous will answer him, Lord, when do we see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink?
[23:12] When do we see you a stranger and invite you in? Or needing clothing and you clothe you? When do we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?
[23:23] The king will reply, Truly I tell you, Whatever you did for one of these least, But these brothers and sisters of mine, You did for me. Then he will say to those on his left, Depart from me.
[23:36] You who are cursed into the eternal fire Are prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat. I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink.
[23:47] I was a stranger and you did not invite me in. I needed clothes and you did not clothe me. I was sick and in prison, But you did not look after me. Then he also will answer, Lord, when do we see you hungry or thirsty, Or a stranger and needing clothing, Or sick or in prison, And did not help you?
[24:07] Here I reply, Truly I tell you, Whatever you do for one of the least of these, You did not do for me. Then they will go away to eternal punishment, But the righteous to eternal life.
[24:22] This is the word of the Lord. Thank you, God. Very good. We gave you a long one today, didn't we? Thank you. We're talking about different things That the church is supposed to be.
[24:35] And in the process, Things that we're supposed to be, As Christians as well. What are some of the key aspects Of what makes a church a church? A church is supposed to help people.
[24:48] We're going to talk about that this morning. I don't know if you're aware of it, But churches are tax exempt, Not because of their religious nature, But because they help people. The reason why the government decided That we should have a tax exemption Is because we feed people, We care for people, We counsel people, We do good in the community, So the government doesn't have to pay for that.
[25:08] So a church that doesn't help people Shouldn't even be tax exempt. That's actually the rules. They should have to pay taxes. April 15th is coming.
[25:19] You ready? Yeah. What is April 15th? Tax day. Yes, tax. I know it might be the 16th or the 17th. They have weird rules in the north here.
[25:29] But April 15th. Once a year, We have to pay those taxes. And it doesn't matter if you want to. And it doesn't matter if you're prepared to. And it doesn't matter if you've done everything you should.
[25:43] April 15th still comes. And the taxes are due. Could you imagine if once a year we had judgment day? You know, maybe God just selected out a certain group of people.
[25:54] You never knew who it was going to be. Once a year, about 10% would go to glory. Or go the other way. Would we be ready? This passage tells us Jesus is coming.
[26:07] The Son of Man will come in his glory. And all the angels with him. He'll sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him. And he will separate the people one from another.
[26:18] As a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. I like to believe that that's individuals. And I think it really is according to this. But it did say that, you know, he's judging the nations.
[26:29] So he could be judging us on the basis of what our nation does. Which might impact how you vote, wouldn't it? That's a little kind of an interesting thought. He will judge.
[26:41] The righteous, it says, will go on to their eternal reward and glory. Whereas the cursed will go into an eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons.
[26:53] Counted among the demons. So, how many of you want to go to eternal glory? The rest of you are just the winter is getting you down. You want to be warmed up a little bit maybe. I don't know.
[27:04] I'm just, you know. Of course we want to go to glory. Of course we want to go to eternal life. Of course we want the rewards of God. Of course we want to be counted amongst the righteous.
[27:15] Amen? How many of you think you're perfect? You're righteous. You've got everything together. You've done nothing wrong ever. Uh-oh. There's a problem there, isn't there? Because we aren't righteous.
[27:27] None of us, the Bible says. And we know that in our hearts. Even if we're better than most of the people in the world, we're still not perfect. I went to see Mary Poppins last night at the school and she said that she was perfect.
[27:43] Absolutely, completely perfect. Well, that's only true in a make-believe play. For the rest of us, we're imperfect. There's something missing, something wrong.
[27:53] So how do we become righteous enough to claim glory? And the answer is in Acts chapter 16 where it says, Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, you and your household.
[28:05] Believe in the Lord Jesus. In other words, be living as God wants you to live. With your heart and your soul aligned with God.
[28:16] It's not just an intellectual thing. It's a changed life. A changed world. In Revelation chapter 20, there's a little verse that says that John saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne and books were opened.
[28:35] Another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged according to what they had done. As written in the books. Yes. We're studying Revelation on Wednesday night.
[28:47] We're going to get to this passage. But just a little understanding. That we're going to have a day when we're going to stand in front of God. But also in front of Grandma and Grandpa and Mom and Dad and our brothers and sisters and our kids.
[28:59] And everybody we know and love. Our spouses. And they're going to open up books. And they're going to read everything we've ever done in front of everybody. That should give you a pause.
[29:11] Not in front of Grandma. Come on. In front of everybody. Now I like to believe that it says in that passage that if people's names are written in the book of life, that they'll go on to glory.
[29:26] I like to believe that Jesus is actually going to stop God and say, Wait a minute, Dad. They're written in my book. Only read the good parts. I'm hoping on that. Alright? I'm not sure of it.
[29:37] I'm hoping on that. What have we done? How does our life reflect that we really have a changed life?
[29:48] I like to take full advantage of the tax laws. Now I encourage you to do the same. If you can legally somehow take something out of your tax bill and reduce your tax bill, I think that's great.
[30:01] It's not your fault if they made a tax law. That's foolish. That's not your fault. If they gave you some deduction you happen to be able to take, good for you. But I also happen to believe that when you get to the end and there's a bill, which there always has been for me, that you pay it because we're Americans.
[30:22] Because we live in a country that provides for us all sorts of things for our safety, our comfort, our ability to get around our health, all sorts of things.
[30:32] And the least we can do is to pay what they think is our share. I believe that because I'm an American. I belong to the United States of America.
[30:45] That's who I am. Who are you in the kingdom of God? Are you someone who belongs to God? And I think we can tell by what we're willing to do or not to do by the nature of how we act.
[31:02] Do we act in this world with compassion? As God has given us compassion and put compassion and love and hope and those kinds of feelings into our heart.
[31:15] Or do we live as self-centered, narcissistic people? Does anybody know what the most self-focused human beings are?
[31:35] They don't even tell you what they want. They just make noise and annoy you until you do something to make them happy. It doesn't matter what you do.
[31:46] Until they are happy, they will make you miserable. Self-focused, miserable little creatures called babies. It's true.
[31:58] It's part of the nature of humanity. Because these little babies are born helpless. They can't do anything. They can't care for themselves. They depend on everyone else. And truly and honestly, in many ways, they're very afraid.
[32:11] Because they have no idea where any of the things they need will even come from. So they're selfish. You're born selfish.
[32:23] I understand that. But for some people, they grow into something different. For others, they remain there. The goats in this passage are the selfish ones.
[32:34] They tell me that goats are very independent. That no matter what you want them to do, they'll do whatever they want it to. That they don't pay any attention to the people that are trying to take care of them.
[32:45] That they're stubborn. They'll eat anything, even if it's not good for them. Sounds like Americans. They don't grow wool that they give away. They grow hair that they keep to themselves.
[32:57] And they have horns that stick out to stab people. And some people are like the goats. All they're concerned about is themselves.
[33:10] And they have no desire to help anyone else. So the goats said to the king, when do we see you having these problems? What do we do wrong?
[33:23] Sometimes inaction is just as bad as action. Sins of commission as compared to sins of omission. When we don't do what we should do, the goats are surprised.
[33:38] They're on the wrong side of judgment. I wouldn't be surprised if some of them are even religious people. That think that somehow they have figured out a way to buy their way into heaven by what they think they've done.
[33:49] And religion can be a wonderful thing. It's the manger that holds the Christ child. But without God, without his love, without his mercy, without the Holy Spirit, it can be a very dangerous and hurtful thing.
[34:08] A church without a concern for people. A church that does nothing to help anyone around them. I don't think that's a church at all. In the book of Titus, they talk about it.
[34:21] They said they claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for anything, for doing anything good.
[34:33] I don't want you to misunderstand. I think this is a great church. This church does all sorts of things to help people. We feed people in Niagara Falls and Buffalo.
[34:44] We help people in Nicaragua. We go on mission trips. We work with youth ministries in various different areas around this area. We try wherever we can, wherever we can, to give something away.
[34:59] Last year, we probably gave away $150,000, $200,000 as a church, as people together. It's an amazing thing. I'm proud of the fact that you reach out and care.
[35:10] But somewhere along the line, there's always something else we could do. We care for people.
[35:21] But even in the caring, even in the action of doing good things, we don't necessarily do what brings about salvation. Because, you see, doing the good things in and of themselves is not what brings us into a saving relationship with God.
[35:38] 1 Corinthians chapter 13 says to us, If I give all I possess to the poor, and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
[35:53] Nothing. Matthew tells us that you will know a person's heart by their fruits, by their actions, by how they live and what they are. A changed heart changes our destiny, but it also changes the world here today.
[36:06] And we want to change hearts and change our destiny and change our world. James says, Come near to God, and He will come near to you.
[36:19] Come near to God, and God will come near to you. Wash away the brokenness, and God will change you. The righteous people are right because it's in their nature.
[36:30] Not because they think they're going to gain something. They have received grace. They have understood mercy. They have felt how God has loved them. Not because they deserved it. And so they love.
[36:42] Naturally. In the hundred acre woods, those little creatures sometimes did some things that were dubious and mistakes and confusing.
[36:53] One of the things about them is they just had a heart of compassion. You can see it in even what they do and what they think. I was just thinking, Pooh.
[37:05] Oh, were you thinking of a way to keep warm? Actually, I was thinking about how you have a house, and I have a house, and Rabin and Owl and Christopher Robin all have houses.
[37:19] But poor Eeyore has nothing. Well, that's certainly something we could think about. Hmm. Think, think, think. Think, think, think.
[37:30] I've got it. Oh. Oh. Got what? We're building Eeyore a house of his own.
[37:42] Oh, that's a wonderful idea, Pooh. But where shall we build it? Right here. Look. No somersaults.
[37:54] Oh. Oh. Oh. Oh. Oh. Oh. Bother. So, what you doing? We're going to build Eeyore a house. Terrific. Come on.
[38:04] Let's get bouncing. And so the friends began their work building Eeyore's house. They worked and worked, and then they worked some more. Finally, together, they proudly admired what they had done.
[38:17] When Eeyore climbed into his new home, he said something no one had ever heard him say before. Nice. Nice. Nice. Eeyore always complains.
[38:30] Eeyore's always miserable. But when somebody sees his need, he says nice. They didn't just think about it. They didn't just say, oh, that's terrible.
[38:41] They did something about it. The sheep in this passage, they didn't even realize they were doing good. When did we do this? I remember helping out you, God.
[38:51] Well, when you saw God in the faces and the lives of other people, you did it for me. You know, people say to me that they'd like to see God. Would you all like to see God? Look around.
[39:03] Look around, and you'll see the face of God. The Bible says we're created in God's image. You want to know what God looks like? Just look around. That's kind of frightening, isn't it? Yeah. God looks like you.
[39:15] God looks like me. God looks like all of us together. That's the face of God. The sheep just did what they felt in their heart was right to do without thinking about it.
[39:26] Because sheep are that way. Sheep tend to be committed to each other and look out for each other. They follow the leader and follow the rules and do what they're supposed to.
[39:38] They're not hard to take care of. They give away their wool, and amazingly, they get more back again. And the sheep sometimes have horns, too. But they curve in instead of sticking out.
[39:52] I just want to be a sheep, ba-ba-ba-ba. I just want to be a sheep, ba-ba-ba-ba. I pray the Lord my soul to keep. I just want to be a sheep. The rest of you are wondering, what the heck?
[40:06] What? You got to go to vacation Bible school once in a while. You know, the kids learn what we need to know in their songs. It's so obvious. I don't want to be a goat.
[40:19] Nope. I don't want to be a goat. Nope. Because there's no hope for a goat. See, the righteous are already blessed.
[40:33] Eternal life begins the moment we receive God in our heart. It's not something in the future. It's something that begins right here, right now. Verse 34 says to us, Then the king will say to those on his right, Come, you who are blessed.
[40:50] Not you who will be blessed. Not you who have got a hope of being blessed. You who are blessed right now. Take your inheritance. See, God intended eternal life right from the very beginning.
[41:11] And it's not because of even what we've done. It's not because we're good enough. It's because we know whose we are.
[41:23] Has anybody here ever inherited anything? Some of you? A few of you? Not many of you. I have. I inherited from my mother and my father and my in-laws.
[41:37] And do you know why we inherited things from them? Do you think it was because I was such a great son? Do you think it was because somehow I had done something to earn it? Why didn't you get stuff from my folks?
[41:51] Why didn't other people get stuff? Some of those people were nicer to my folks than I was. Because I belong to them. Simple as that.
[42:03] I'm part of their family. And we tend to take care of our family, our own. See, we don't earn eternal life. We don't gain eternal life.
[42:15] Eternal life is an inheritance. If you see that in your Bibles, it says so. In verse 34, it's an inheritance. It's something that we get by right of relationship.
[42:31] Romans chapter 8 says to us, We're in his glory.
[43:05] Because we are the children of God. And because we have that relationship, we take on the nature of our parents. I once had somebody watch my father walking across the parking lot, and he said, He walks a lot like you.
[43:23] No. The other way around. As we get older, we start to see our parents in us. Amen? Sometimes we like it. Sometimes we don't. But we see our parents developing in us.
[43:37] Because we reflect who they are. And it's the same thing with God. If we have God in our lives, if we have the Holy Spirit working in us, if we have the wonder and the amazing compassion of God, and we understand what God has forgiven in us, we will have that same compassion, that changed heart.
[44:00] And we will want to change the world around us. When the Girl Scouts were saying their promise, it sounded like love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-good.
[44:11] Didn't it? Didn't it? And I love their slogan. A Girl Scout slogan is to do a good turn daily.
[44:23] Nice. Nice. That's good, isn't it? What a wonderful thing. Could you imagine if everybody got up and the first agenda item was to make sure before the sun goes down on your head that you've done one thing good for somebody else.
[44:43] That'd be amazing. Because there's real people who are hurting. People who are really hungry in a place where we throw food away all the time.
[44:55] People who don't have clothes, where we've got them stuffed away in closets and drawers, clothes that we will never wear again. That we just simply keep to ourselves, even though there are people that don't have clothes.
[45:08] There's people who are in need of a visit. Some are sick. Some are in prison. I don't know if you've ever visited someone in prison.
[45:21] That's not an easy thing to do. And so the people there receive very few visitors. Or maybe somebody's in a nursing home. I went to visit somebody the other day in a nursing home.
[45:34] They didn't even know who I was anymore. But we visited. We had a lovely visit together. And when I said the Lord's Prayer, they remembered those words. What we bring is we bring God.
[45:47] And it's not because we're going to gain something. It's because of who we're supposed to be as children of God. And I know we're afraid.
[45:59] We're afraid because we might get taken advantage of. I was preaching this sermon last night and there was a guy in our congregation, this is the truth, who came in.
[46:09] He's not from around here. He said he's traveling here from New York City and he needed gas to get back to New York City. I knew what he wanted. He needed some money. He said, no, I don't want money.
[46:19] I just need gas. I almost went out to the shed and got him gas, you know. But instead I gave him some money. Some people would say, you got taken. You got taken.
[46:30] And you know what? I bet I get taken four out of five times. But it's okay if I help one person who needed it.
[46:41] It's not going to hurt me. I'm giving from my abundance. And here's one of the amazing things. We forget that we serve a God who can make something out of nothing.
[46:54] And so we need to trust in that and not be afraid. We're not babies. We're not babies that we should be selfish and so worried about ourselves.
[47:07] In fact, the fears that we're developing as a people. I don't know if you're noticing, but even democracy is fading and we're getting more and more dictators because people are afraid.
[47:18] That's not a good thing. The goats are taking over. Do unto others before they do unto you. It's becoming the motto of our world.
[47:33] In 1 John chapter 4, it says, there is no fear in love. You've heard this passage before. But perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment.
[47:46] The one who fears is not made perfect in love. I'm not afraid. I know where I'm going. And that means that I can trust in the God that's taking me there.
[47:57] Amen? Because God can take care of your needs. We're like sheep. Give away your wool and God will give it back to you.
[48:08] I know you say, oh, that couldn't possibly be. He says it in Matthew. He says, you know, consider the birds. They don't sow or reap. They have no storeroom or barn or little shed along the side of the road.
[48:20] How much more valuable are you than birds? God feeds and takes care of them. Love God. Trust in a God that makes something out of nothing.
[48:36] And God will make you into something amazing. You see, God intended the new creation from the beginning, as it says in verse 34.
[48:48] Right from the beginning, he intended us to live in a place of eternal joy. No more pain or sorrow or suffering or hurting. Those things, according to revelations, will pass away.
[49:01] And that can begin now. We can live a life as people who see the joy, see the hope, see the possibility, see the dreams. And when we see the hurt, we try to help it.
[49:14] One of the interesting things about this passage is they're mirror images. Did you notice that? So the goats and the sheep had the exact same situation.
[49:28] They both saw people were hungry and thirsty and in need of visits and needing somebody to take care of them. They both didn't even know that they had done right or wrong.
[49:39] But it really came down to their nature as to what they did. When we take God into our heart, we take God into our heart.
[49:53] And we need to let that live through us. Because it'll change the whole thing. There's an old story. It's not true.
[50:04] It's not from the Bible. But I love the image. About eternal glory and about eternal damnation. And the people that are struggling and feeling cursed and in an awful place have this huge banquet table of food in front of them.
[50:21] But their arms are straight and made like a fork. So they can get the food, but they can't get it in their mouth. So it's just for eternity having all that you need in front of you, but you can't get it to your mouth.
[50:40] Now here's the interesting part. The image of glory is exactly the same. Tables set with all kinds of food to people with arms that are straight like a fork. And they're feeding each other. They're feeding each other.
[50:53] Today, today, if you don't have God working in your heart so that you have compassion, even where it doesn't make sense, if you don't have God in your heart so that it makes love spring up, even where others might say, it's foolish, if you don't have the love that God had for you where he was willing to take you even though you're you, it's time for you to renew your relationship with God.
[51:27] We all, we all have, have the ability to flame the fire of God or to put it out. And if we do it right, then the church will be the church.
[51:40] And the world will come pouring here because we'll bring that flame to the world. Everybody will say, nice.
[51:52] Nice. There is a candle in every soul Some bright evening Some dark and cold There is a spirit who brings a fire Ignites a candle that makes his own And makes his own Scary your candle Unto the darkness Seek out the homeless Confused and torn
[52:54] Hold out your candle For all to see it Take your candle Go light your world Take your candle Go light your world Frustrated brother See how he's trying to Light his own candle Come on away See now your sister Spick rock and light too Still holds a candle Without a flame Scurry your candle Run to the darkness
[53:54] Take out the holy Holy The time and war Hold out your candle For all to see it Take your candle And go light your world Take your candle Oh, light your world Oh, light your world We are a family Whose hearts are blazing Let's raise our candles Light up the sky Pray to our Father In the name of Jesus Make us a beacon In darkness Scurry your candle
[54:57] Run to the darkness Seek out the helpless Seek out the helpless Deceived and torn Hold out your candle For all to see it Take your candle Take your candle Go light your world Carry your candle Carry your candle Run to the darkness Carry your candle Run to the darkness Seek out the hopeless Confused and torn Confused and torn Hold out your candle For all to see it Take your candle Take your candle Go light your world Take your candle Take your candle Take your candle Go light your world
[55:58] In the streets of every village Every city soaring town Empty people live in darkness Every minute Every hour Hear the cry of desperation From a billion broken hearts Will it be so great When we even start Let it start with me Open up my eyes Fill my heart with your compassion Free my mind from all distress
[57:01] Use my hand Set the captive free Move my feet to follow after you Oh, change the world And let it start with me You have given us the orders There's a place for everyone I don't want to miss my mission In the plans that you've begun You have promised to go with me To the edges of it all To change everything That keeps me from your call Let it start with me Open up my eyes Fill my heart with your compassion
[58:02] Free my mind from all distress Use my hands Use my hands Use my hands And you set the captive free Move my feet to follow after you Oh, change the world Let it start with me Take my life All that I have called my own Everything I am Everything I am is yours alone Let it start with me Open up my eyes Fill my heart with your compassion Free my mind from all distress Use my hands Set the captive free Move my heart with your compassion To change everything Who I am
[59:03] To change everything Who I am To change everything Let it start with me Open up my eyes Fill my heart with your compassion Free my mind from all distress Use my hands Set the captive free Move my heart with your compassion Go after you Oh, change the world And let it start with me Oh, change the world Oh, change the world Oh, change the world Oh, change the world Oh, change the world The goat said, if I'd known You know, if I'd seen you Certainly, I would have done something And, you know, I have to believe That if you've got Christ in your heart Obviously, if you know, You'll do something But there's a big part in each and every one of us that is sinful, and we don't always see.
[60:06] We don't have the awareness, and a lot of that is because we have a hyper-awareness on ourselves. We're focused on what we want and what we're doing, and we're busy, busy, busy, and everything is all about us.
[60:19] And we don't have the broader vision to see who's in front of us, what's going on, who God is bringing to us to minister to.
[60:30] And it's in every one of us. So as we prepare for the table of grace, the table of love, the table of compassion, I invite you to a prayer of confession. Lord, I am a sinner.
[60:43] I need your grace. Fill me with your compassion. Fill me with your compassion. Give me your awareness. Open my heart. Move my feet.
[60:57] That I may minister to others. That I may bring love and healing to the world in your name.
[61:09] Forgive me my selfishness. Open me up to experience you more. In your name we pray.
[61:21] In your name we pray. Amen. Amen. Hear the good news. Christ died for us while we were sinners. This proves God's love for you and for me. In the name of Jesus Christ, your sins are forgiven.
[61:35] In the name of Jesus Christ, your sins are forgiven. Glory to God. Amen. Amen. And now as a forgiven body of Christ, let's greet one another with the peace of the Holy Spirit.
[61:46] Lord, I'm not doing fill my cup at all.
[62:01] Hey, peace. Well, let's get ads on the bell. Thank you. Let's get it. Amen. Amen. You can sign it. I'm like, you can notice it.
[62:12] Mmm. lots of free. Yes.
[62:22] Yes. Yes. Yes. What are you doing? Ah, mywel. Ah. Hoo. Ah. May God, bless you again. Oh. �. Ah. Maybe God, not. Word word. Ah. Yes. Oh. Ah. Yes. Yes. People. bright Some. For you. Take our bread, we ask you, take our hearts, we love you, take our lives.
[62:41] Oh, Father, we are yours, we are yours. Yours as we stand at the table you set, yours as we comprehend our hearts and forget.
[63:02] We are the sign of your life with us yet, we are yours, we are yours.
[63:14] Take our bread, we ask you, take our hearts, we love you, take our lives. Oh, Father, we are yours, we are yours.
[63:32] Amen. Amen. As Jesus offered up his life for us, we offer our lives for his service.
[63:43] To do those things in the world that God has called us to do, that many would come to salvation in Christ. But we need God to do that. We can't do it out of our own strength, we can't do it out of our own power.
[63:56] However, we need the power of God. And when we come to the table, we come and receive what God has for us. We come and receive the presence of God in a unique and amazing way that makes us able, more able than we could possibly be.
[64:17] So you are welcome. God invites you to the table because God wants to give you these things. God wants to pour it out into your lives. When you come to the table, you receive from God in a way you can receive nothing else.
[64:38] It's an amazing thing God will do when you come to the table and meet Jesus here. Everyone is welcome. If you love God, repent of your sin and seek to live in peace as a disciple of Jesus Christ, you are welcome at the table.
[64:54] You are welcome to come and to receive. You are welcome to share in the love of God. So come to the table this morning. Come expecting to receive.
[65:07] The Lord be with you. Lift up your hearts. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right. It is right. It is right.
[65:17] It is right. And a good and joyful thing always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth. In love you made us for yourself.
[65:30] And when we had fallen into sin and become subject to evil and death, your love remained steadfast. You bid your faithful people cleanse their hearts and prepare with joy for the Easter feast.
[65:44] That renewed by your word and sacraments and fervent in prayer and works of justice and mercy, we may come to the fullness of grace that you have prepared for those who love you.
[65:58] And so with your people on earth and all the company of heaven, we praise your name and join their unending hymn. Holy, holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory.
[66:14] Hosanna in the highest. 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, whom you sent in the fullness of time to redeem the world.
[66:29] He emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in our likeness. He humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross.
[66:42] He took upon himself our sin and death and offered himself a perfect sacrifice for the sin of the whole world.
[66:53] 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.
[67:05] On the night in which he gave himself up for us, he took bread and he gave thanks to you. He broke the bread and gave it to his disciples, saying, Take and eat. This is my body which is given for you.
[67:24] Do this in remembrance of me. And when the supper was over, he took the cup. He gave thanks to you and gave it to his disciples, saying, Drink from this, all of you. This is the cup of my blood.
[67:39] The blood of the new covenant poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sin. Do this as often as you drink it.
[67:50] In remembrance of 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.
[68:10] 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, 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.
[68:30] 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.
[68:42] 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. Amen. Shall we pray the prayer Jesus taught us?
[68:55] Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
[69:07] 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.
[69:21] 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.
[69:59] Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.
[70:12] Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Thank you.
[70:49] Thank you.
[71:19] Thank you. Jesus invites everyone to the table.
[71:31] This is family supper. And your heavenly daddy is calling you home. Come and join us at the table. Whoever you are, wherever you come from, you're welcome. Come and receive the table of God.
[71:43] Come to the rail for prayers for healing and anointing, to light a candle. Come and join us with the Lord. Amen.
[72:47] Amen. Amen. Amen. 온 God. Amen. Thank you.
[73:26] Thank you.
[73:56] Thank you.
[74:26] Thank you.
[74:56] Thank you.
[75:26] Thank you.
[75:56] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
[76:32] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
[76:44] Thank you.
[77:16] Thank you.
[77:48] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
[78:00] Thank you. Thank you.
[78:28] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
[79:26] Thank you. Thank you.
[79:58] Are you ready? I just want to be a sheep, ba-ba-ba-ba. I just want to be a sheep, ba-ba-ba-ba.
[80:08] I pray the Lord my soul to keep. I just want to be a sheep, ba-ba-ba-ba. Now go and be sheep. Nice. Nice. Rai galt.
[80:30] Yes. Nice. Yeah. Thank you.