[0:00] Good morning everybody. Happy New Year. This is the day that the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad to.
[0:14] This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
[0:41] This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it. This is the day. This is the day that the Lord has made.
[1:01] Shall we pray together? Dear God in heaven, pour your Holy Spirit into this place that in all that we do, all that we are, we might experience you and your presence with us today as we come to worship you.
[1:13] For it's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. I'd like to invite you if you're able to stand as we're going to sing together the first Noel. The first Noel the angel did say What's to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay, in fields where they lay keeping their sheep, on a cold winter's night that was so deep.
[2:02] Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel, Born is the King of Israel.
[2:17] They looked at all and saw a star shining in the east beyond and far.
[2:33] And to the end it gave great light, and to the end it gave great light, and so it continued both daily and night.
[2:48] Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel, Born is the King of Israel.
[3:02] This star drew high to the North West, or bent the hand, it took its rest.
[3:19] And there it did, for stop and stay, ride over the place, Where Jesus lay And entered in Those wise men three All reverently A company And offered them In his presence Their gold and earth And frankincense Noel, Noel Noel, Noel Born is the King Of Israel
[4:28] The Lord be with you And also with you Please be seated I made the mistake In case you're wondering That's what happened This morning we do ask That if you want Offering envelopes For next year That you see the table Out in the front entrance Of the church And in your bulletin There is an offering envelope For community missions In Niagara Falls And here's some information About that Community missions Began in 1923 And since that time We've provided services For the people That are most in need Throughout western New York We have everything From a soup kitchen To a food pantry We have a clothes closet And we have emergency housing Those are just a few things That we do on a daily basis here In all we have 19 different programs That serve Niagara County Across 14 different locations And if there's one thing That we've learned Over the past 92 years Is that we absolutely Cannot do it alone Last year alone We served over 100,000 meals And provided 11,000 nights Of shelter And had over 7,000 visits
[5:30] To our clothes closet My grandfather and I Used to deliver food here And I took care of him The last four years Of his life He passed away And now I have to come here I've been in Niagara Falls Now for seven years I was homeless As a 50 year old woman I found myself Out of the loop Kind of work wise I hadn't worked In a very long time I put a lot of job applications in I just didn't get any requests For my services If Community Missions Wasn't here I would maybe still Be on the streets Doing more drugs And not doing good for myself The Community Missions Involvement in my life Has been in Niagara If it wasn't for The Community Missions I really don't know Where I would be Probably sleeping outside somewhere It helped me get closer To my family And closer to my kids I live three blocks away If I don't have anything to eat I can come here for lunch
[6:32] And it's a fabulous lunch Coming to the clothes closet Is like going to the mall For some people It just relieves the stress It makes us feel better And everybody Everybody works together Everybody's like You know If they know something About somebody hiring Or anything like that Come down to the city missions They will You know They'll help you out God gave A lot of things to people And People should give things To people too If they need help So we thank you For your support That you've given us In the past And thank you For the support You're giving us now And look forward To having a partnership With Pendleton United Methodist Church Far into the future Good morning Good morning And regarding Ooh There we go Regarding Praise God for the sun Amen Amen We just got to stay out Of the direct sun beam Right In your Bulletin You'll find more information About community missions And an envelope If the Lord is putting it On your heart To contribute
[7:33] To that very Very worthy mission Please make your checks Payable To Pendleton Center United Methodist And we make sure That we get all those funds To the community missions Just make sure That you designate it Specifically for community missions And But make the check Payable To PCUMC Alright We also have A New Year's announcement Just a reminder For families with children If you like We have nursery care available And we also have Junior church For children From ages three Up until third grade Pastor Tom's in the back If anyone is wanting To go to Either of those sites You're welcome To go back And meet with Pastor Tom And he'll take you over Where you're going We have a wonderful Wonderful joy To share this morning Eleanor Ruth Was born on Friday To Bridget and Kevin Weller So Yvonne and Phil Bova Our grandpa and grandma again And Nancy Rexinger The whole Rexinger Bova Weller family
[8:33] Is just so excited About that And we're always blessed To welcome new children Into our midst Amen Amen What other joys Do you have to share I know I know it's tough To top that one But I know You've probably got some New friendships That is a joy Thank you Mary Others Yep Linda And we are blessed To have you back In the sanctuary Worshipping with us Linda Barzakowski's home Amen Other joys To share this morning Yep Oh amen Visiting How many of you know Think about this Over the holidays That have happened Have you had a chance To visit with family Whether they're far away Or nearby And you just don't get To see them that often Isn't it a blessing To gather together With family I know the Lord Fills us to overflowing With joys And he blesses us
[9:34] Abundantly In all ways In this life So let's return Some of our Blessing Back to the Lord In our gifts And our tithes And our offerings Bye� Thank you.
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[22:14] name that they would be drawn near to you by your grace and we pray that they would see you that they would recognize Lord just as as Moses recognized that the bush wasn't burning but there was a flame there and that fire was you let them recognize the fires in in their lives let them recognize you revealing yourself to them let them be able to see that it's you be with us as we worship this morning Lord God wash over us and transform us that we may be more like Jesus as we sing and pray and praise you as we hear your word be with Pastor Thomas he brings the message you've given him for us today let it be a blessing to him and a blessing to us make all of our worship to be a blessing to you Lord for that is why we came in Jesus name we pray shall we hear from the word of the Lord good morning today's scripture reading is from Matthew chapter 2 verses 1 through 15 after Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea during the time of King Herod magi from the east came to
[24:17] Jerusalem and asked where is the one who has been born King of the Jews we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him when King Herod heard this he was disturbed and all Jerusalem with him when he had called together all the people's chief priests and teachers of the law he asked them where the Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem in Judea they replied for this is what the prophet has written but you Bethlehem in the land of Judah are by no means least among the rulers of Judah for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel then Herod called the magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared he sent them to Bethlehem and said go and search carefully for the child as soon as you find him report to me so that I too may go and worship him after they had heard the king they went on their way and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was when they saw the star they were overjoyed on coming to the house they saw the child with his mother Mary and they bowed down and worshiped him then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold frankincense and myrrh and having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod they returned to their country by another route when they had gone an angel of the lord appeared to Joseph in a dream get up he said take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt stay there until I tell you for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him so he got up took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt where he stayed until the death of Herod and so was fulfilled what the lord had said through the prophet out of Egypt I called my son this is the word of the lord thanks be to god thank you Jeff a long time ago when I was young I learned a little song in church some of you might remember it why should I be discouraged why should the shadows come why should my heart be lonely and long for heaven and home when Jesus is my partner my constant friend is he his eyes on the sparrow and I know he's watching me some of you remember that old song it's a very nice little song it comes from a passage in the book of Matthew that says I tell you don't worry about your life what you'll eat or drink or about your body what you'll wear is not life more than food and the body more than clothes look at the birds of the air they don't sow or reap or store away in barns and yet your heavenly father feeds them are you not much more valuable than a bird really a wonderful thought to think that God is taking care of us and God is providing for us and God is watching over our every decision this story about the kings I preached on probably 20 times or more over the years and traditionally this time of the year we talk about how God is calling us to a new new mission a new vision a new goal in life we need to follow the star that God has put into our lives he will send angels to show us the way that we should go and he will send his protection just as he did with Jesus sending the kings to come from the east to bring precious gifts of gold frankincense and myrrh which helped the baby Jesus escape to Egypt where he was saved
[28:20] from the wrath of Herod and all is well and it's a wonderful story and all of that is true except Mary and Joseph end up being homeless people living in Egypt all of Jerusalem it says is upset and if you read verses 16 and 18 you find out that in Bethlehem little babies died so how can a loving God make a plan that leads to babies dying in some ways we look at this story and we see an epic failure if the wise men never took the trip if Herod remains clueless Joseph and Mary don't need the gifts and Jesus wouldn't have to go to Egypt if only have you ever said that about your life somewhere if only i had taken that job if only i didn't meet up with so and so if only i had studied for that test if only i wouldn't have had that one more drink and gotten in the car if only i had you can hear the if only and you've got them too don't you wouldn't want to go around the room and ask everybody to tell it because you see please don't do that but deep in our heart we all have the if only the regrets and i would suggest you that this passage is much deeper than god is just watching over us as we go through life it's about how god can break the chains of regrets that bind us to a broken past because what regrets do is they hold us in the brokenness that happened in our lives and we're held back there by chains that seep into our minds in our lives and won't let us go god placed us in a perfect garden the bible tells us and we wrecked it god gave each of us the opportunity for a life that could have been exactly what god had designed and we chose to do something else that sound familiar to anybody that's the story of our lives so often isn't it the wise men mess up they should have just gone to nazareth they had no reason to go to jerusalem they shouldn't have talked to herod and herod made a choice to be an evil king he didn't have to do that he didn't have to feel threatened by a little baby that didn't matter and god didn't make them do this god didn't design a plan where they would make mistakes that would lead to tragedy and hurt god simply allowed it see the problem is in life we want to say that god's got a plan for everything and it's all designed and it's all laid out and that means that we don't have to take the blame anymore we'll just blame god god god must have wanted it this way god must have decided this god must have made the decision god must have it's god's fault that everything happened we just don't understand why then we don't have to accept responsibility right pastor lisa mentioned that our united methodist church has been in the news lately which it has i've seen some of the news and they've said we've made all these changes we haven't made any changes we don't make changes until april when we have our general conference which we hold every four years and they make decisions now the truth is for all the years i've been a pastor they've been
[32:24] saying around this time of year that we're going to do all kinds of things and the church is going to blow apart and all kinds of stuff are going to happen and april comes and that hasn't occurred now it may because people will make decisions hopefully they'll make decisions based on what they believe god is leading them to do and hopefully they'll make decisions that neither they nor we will regret but they will make decisions much like our country made a decision our president made the decision to launch missiles to kill a general of another country maybe these decisions will lead to regrets or maybe these decisions will be looked upon in history as as the the absolute perfect and right decision i don't think that the people who make these kinds of decisions intend to do wrong oftentimes they're trying to do the right thing and so did the kings they were trying to follow god and they made some wrong decisions it's very hard so this passage ends with this statement out of egypt i have called my son out of egypt i have called my son and so because of that we think that it was essential that jesus go to egypt there's a lot of things in the old testament about the messiah that we haven't seen yet we say it's coming in the second coming they could have chosen this passage or this passage or that passage but they chose this line and because of that we think that somehow providence means that we are predetermined we are destined if you will to follow a certain course in life now that's not a methodist theology by the way but it is a theology of many christians that god has laid out a plan that we cannot really vary from even if we want to or as we say we make choices we make choices and decisions and and providence is not predestination prophecy is not a prediction of a future that must be fulfilled it's simply a statement of what god already knows one of the hard parts about studying god is that god is so far beyond our minds okay and we're trying in our own little human understanding of life to comprehend god and one of the things we don't understand is god does not live within time god is not captured by our time he says i am the alpha and the omega now he was and he will be he is he's the whole thing outside of time he knows what's going to happen anybody here ever see a movie yeah a few of you have okay good god just make sure we got the same reference point anybody here ever see a movie more than once you know what you know what's going to happen in that movie don't you but the people in the movie don't don't open the door right because we know what's going to happen because we don't live in the movie god doesn't live in our movie but because of that it doesn't mean everything must happen see we are stuck in our own little small logical minds thinking everything has to work the way we think god has given us the ability to make decisions that can literally change the course of history it could change the course of history for good
[36:28] or it could change the course of history in such a way that it breaks god's heart if the kings never followed the star then a lot of this wouldn't have happened or if they would have followed the star where it was going to nazareth instead of to jerusalem where it didn't go if they wouldn't have talked to herod and if he didn't see jesus a baby as a threat to his throne what would have happened if joseph didn't listen to the kings see the truth is we make decisions and sometimes we make the right ones and sometimes we make the wrong ones according to geico that's what happens in every horror film let's hide in the attic no in the basement why can't we just get in the running car are you crazy let's hide behind the chainsaws smart yeah okay if you're in a horror movie you make poor decisions that's what you do this is what i do shh i'm being quiet breathing on me what are you crazy don't get in the running car it's so easy to see what somebody should have done years later isn't it it's so obvious to see how somebody made a mistake and i'm sure if we explained what we've done wrong in our life the things we regret the most it would be so easy for somebody to say what were you thinking all right it's so hard when you're in the midst of it but when when matthew chose that line out of egypt i will call my son he wasn't trying to give you a geographical reference because it really didn't make a lot of difference geographically where jesus came from he was trying to tell you to read hosea chapter 11 have you ever read hosea chapter 11 it is probably one of the most powerful chapters in the entire bible and especially in the old testament we're going to actually walk through a very small bible study here all right this is what it begins with when i israel was a child i loved him and out of egypt i called my son oftentimes when they quote one line of a passage you're just saying go read this chapter but the more they were called the more they went away from me they sacrificed the bowels they burned incense to images and even though i had rescued them they chased after false gods and were unfaithful it was i who taught ephraim to walk taking them by the arms but they didn't realize it was i who healed them i lied them with cords of human kindness with ties of love to them i was like one who lifts a little child to the cheek i bent down to feed them god cares about us the way a mother or father loves their children nurtures them cares for them looks after them loves them lives their lives for them will they not return to egypt will they will not assyria rule over them because they refused to repent egypt was not a good place in the bible they've been so bad that they're going to have trouble i'm not a sword will flash in their cities it'll devour their false prophets and put an end to their plans my people are determined to turn from me
[40:30] they even though they call me god most high i will by no means exalt them i am going to destroy them because they betrayed me they've hurt me so deeply you ever been hurt like that by someone have you ever hurt someone that way and felt that regret and then this this most wonderful part of hosea how can i give you up ephraim how can i hand you over israel how can i treat you like you're nothing how can i make you like someone i don't know my heart is changed within me all my compassion is aroused i will not carry out my fierce anger nor will i devastate ephraim again for i am god not a man the holy one among you see that's what matthew wants us to understand not that jesus came from egypt that would be like saying we want jesus to come from las vegas or something i'm sure there's good people in las vegas but what would that mean to us egypt wasn't a place where holy people came from why would god be concerned about that matthew wanted us to understand god calls us out of sinfulness god calls us out of our humanity god calls us back to his love the fulfillment of hosea 11 isn't some geographical thing that god still loves us in spite of us we want to see god as as some kind of special forces unit that rescues us from problems that could have been prevented kind of like this here comes god that's what we want to believe god does right we create a mess we create a problem we create a destructive situation and god will sweep in and rescue us just like the marines and god does provide but we created the situation you see the triumph of god is not preventing herod from killing jesus do you in any way believe that the son of god could be killed by a human king do you believe in some strange way that the baby jesus would not have been protected by the entire heavenly army and herod could not have lifted a finger against this little baby seriously god's son is going to be killed by a crummy little king i don't think so i don't think so the triumph is that god is giving us grace instead of what we deserve and let's remember the kings were good they were good guys they weren't bad they were trying to do the right thing they were following the star that god set up for them just
[44:32] like we're to follow the angels that god sends to us to give us the message of the path that we're supposed to take they brought precious gifts to honor the child they were looking to worship the son of god but they messed up we have a fascinating thing as religious people that we have this tendency to believe that when we read this line in matthew which says be perfect therefore as your heavenly father is perfect it means that we're supposed to do nothing wrong and and it is good to do nothing wrong i don't want you to misunderstand god is not pleased when we do bad things we should try to do our best we should try to live as holy and as righteous a life as we can but really have you read this book this is a book about dysfunctional people adam and eve abraham jacob there's a character david and besheba samson and delilah peter and paul and all the other totally dysfunctional people of the bible one of the reasons i love reading this book is because i don't feel so bad about me when i read it these people are truly messed up and yet god takes some perfect people like us and gives way back to the perfection of eden isn't that amazing there's an old saying that people use you've probably heard it you might have even said it when god closes the door he opens a window that's kind of goofy really he thinks god's down here slamming doors on us you know god gives you the door or the window your choice doesn't matter you'll have to figure out what that decision will do but here's the truth when we burn down the door god opens a window do you hear when we when we lead our lives in a destructive pathway god gives us an opportunity for a way out first corinthians tells us this no temptation is overtaking you except what is common to people and god is faithful he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear but when you are tempted he will also provide a way out so you can endure it whenever you're tempted to do something that's truly wrong truly evil that's bad that will be the wrong course of life for you if you look around then you'll see the window you can still go through the door but there will be a way for you to continue to follow god the kings messed up they messed up but god made a way anyways god made it work in spite of what they did and god still loves us and provides for our redemption so that we can break the chains of sin in our past and be free to live a life of redemption in the future god is a powerful god god and what he wants us to do is to be perfect the way he was perfect listen to what he says in that chapter from matthew there you go you have heard it said love your neighbor and hate your enemy but i tell you love your enemies love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you that you may be children of your father in heaven he causes the sun to rise on the evil and the god
[48:33] he sends rain to take care of the righteous and the unrighteous if you love those who love you what reward would you get not even the tax collectors they do that if if you greet only your own people what are you doing more than others do not even pagans do that in this way be perfect as your heavenly father is perfect perfect perfect perfect in that the gift you give the offering you give is love that god has loved you and he gives us a way he gives us a way that we can break through the brokenness of yesterday that we can release ourselves from the chains that bind us from the regrets of our past life you want to guess what it is we do it every week we pray to god that he'll take those away and i invite you to do that today dear god in heaven i have sinned i have sinned i have sinned i have sinned forgive me lord change me help me to repent help me to live towards your grace your redemption and your love in jesus name we pray amen you know we say that every week and that is a powerful thing the first time you ever really absorbed the idea that jesus forgives everything you've ever done wrong but somehow people still are chained to these regrets wesley wrote a hymn we have it in our hymnal it says that he breaks the power of canceled sin he sets the prisoner free so what that means is you need to really accept the gift that god is giving you right now that your sin in the past is removed that god loves you not because of how good you are or not because you made all the right decisions or not because you even chose to follow his star but he loves you because he loves you just like a parent loves a child even when they mess up in the name of jesus christ your sins are forgiven glory to god amen let go break loose don't let the chains of what you did in the past hold you you can learn from them but regrets are for yesterday the star is for tomorrow time for new beginnings not just a new year a new life to live as people who are free so
[51:57] You've been walking the same old road for miles and miles You've been hearing the same old voice and the same old lines If you're trying to fill the same old voice inside There's a better life, there's a better life If you've got pain, he's a pain-taker If you feel lost, he's a pain-taker If you give freedom to save him If you're prison-chained, he's a savior
[52:58] If you've got pain, he's a pain-breaker If you're prison-chained, he's a pain-taker If you're prison-chained, he's a pain-taker If you've got pain, he's a pain-taker We've all found ourselves in the world And the same old life If you're a writer, you're a writer If you've got pain, he's a pain-taker If you feel lost, he's a pain-taker If you feel lost, he's a way-maker If you feel lost, he's a way-breaker.
[53:45] If you need freedom, save him. He's a prison-shaking savior. If you've got chains, he's a chain-breaker.
[54:01] If you believe it, if you receive it, if you can feel it, somebody testify.
[54:14] If you believe it, if you receive it, if you can feel it, somebody testify.
[54:26] If you believe it, you receive it, if you can feel it, somebody testify.
[54:37] You've got pain, he's a pain taker You feel lost, he's a way taker You need freedom, he's a prison shaming savior You've got chains, he's a chain breaker You need freedom, he's a prison shaming savior You've got chains, he's a chain breaker Over the skies, O Bethlehem, I'll hear the star
[55:38] While angels sang to lowly shepherds Free wise men sing his truth, travel from afar Hoping to find the child of heaven Falling on their knees They bowed before the humble prince of peace I bring and I'll bring a worship to my king No one on earth deserves the praises that I sing Jesus, may you receive the honor that you're due Oh Lord, I bring and I'll bring to you The sun cannot compare to the glory of your love
[56:49] There is no shadow in your presence No mortal man would dare to stand before your throne Before the Holy One of heaven And it's only by your blood And it's only through your mercy Lord, I bring and I'll bring to you I bring and I'll bring to you I bring and I'll bring to you I bring and I'll worship to my king No one on earth deserves the praises that I sing Jesus, may you receive the honor that you're due Oh Lord, I bring and I'll bring to you Oh Lord, I bring and I'll bring to you
[57:56] Now as forgiven children of God, let's greet our neighbors with the peace of the Holy Spirit When do we play this?
[58:20] I think we do Are we done?
[58:43] Are we done? Love came down at Christmas, love of divine.
[59:17] Love came down at Christmas, and I know, I know that love is mine.
[59:27] How was it a manger in a cattle store?
[59:42] And while angels covered, I was born to be the King of all.
[59:53] The shepherds of the works of angels, the wise and saw distant light.
[60:08] They found the wonder they were searching for, and worshipped in that holy night.
[60:20] Love came down at Christmas, love of love divine.
[60:33] Love came down at Christmas, and I know, I know that love is mine.
[60:45] And I know, I know that love is mine. Amen.
[60:57] Amen. Amen. Amen. The Word of God tells us that God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever would believe in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
[61:13] And that's what we celebrate at the table. That God came in love, that God came to birth love into our hearts, that God came to leave us in a state of just love for one another, for God, for those who love us and for those who don't love us.
[61:34] But we are to love one another. He invites us to the table so that we can receive once again more of that love in a way that's unique and special.
[61:48] Everyone is welcome to come to the table. If you love God, repent of your sin and seek to live in peace as a disciple of Jesus Christ. Come to the table and receive the bread.
[62:01] Receive the juice. The body and blood of Christ. God wants to bless you here. Doesn't matter if you're a member of this church or of any church. If you know that God has birthed love in your heart today and you want to receive more of God, come to the table.
[62:21] He welcomes you. The Lord be with you. Lift up your hearts. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right.
[62:32] It is right. And a good and joyful thing always and everywhere. To give thanks to you, Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
[62:42] Before the mountains were brought forth or you had formed the earth from everlasting to everlasting, you alone are God. You created light out of darkness and brought forth life on earth.
[62:55] 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.
[63:06] You delivered us from captivity, made covenant to be our sovereign God and spoke to us through your prophets. And so with your people on earth and all the company of heaven, we praise your name and join their unending hymn.
[63:20] Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might. Heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest.
[63:32] Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest. Hosanna in the highest.
[64:08] Hosanna in the highest. Hosanna in the highest. by water and the Spirit. On the night in which he gave himself up for us, he took bread, and he gave thanks to you.
[64:24] He broke the bread and gave it to his disciples. He said, take and eat. This is my body, which is given for you.
[64:44] Do this in remembrance of me. And when the supper was over, he took the cup. Again, he gave you thanks and praise and gave it to his disciples.
[64:56] He said, drink from this, all of you. This is the cup of my blood, the blood of the new covenant, poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sin.
[65:07] Do this as often as you drink it 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.
[65:29] In union with Christ's offering for us as we proclaim the mystery of faith, Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again.
[65:40] 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.
[65:55] 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.
[66:09] Through your Son, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit in your holy church, all honor and glory is yours, almighty God, now and forever. Amen.
[66:21] Shall we pray with the confidence of dearly beloved children of God? The prayer Jesus taught us. Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.
[66:34] Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.
[66:50] And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever and ever.
[67:02] Amen. Will those who are serving this morning please come forward. Good night.
[67:27] Amen. Amen.
[68:27] Amen. Amen.
[69:27] If you're able, I'd like to invite you to stand as we sing We Three Kings. We Three Kings. We Three Kings of Ori and all.
[69:51] Bearing gifts which travels afar. New and mountain moor and mountain-fought in yonder star.
[70:04] Oh, star of wonder, star of night, star with royal beauty bright.
[70:16] Westward leading, still proceeding, guide us to thy perfect light. For the king of Bethlehem's claim, gold I bring to crown him again.
[70:35] Give forever, ceasing ever over a song to reign. Big secondo tiếngled paring. By the King of Thorn, a half, and אזer-sout here, Praising voices, raising, worshipping God on high.
[71:03] Oh, star of wonder, star of night, star with royal beauty bright.
[71:16] World stood leading, still proceeding, guide us to my perfect light.
[71:26] Thunder is mine, it's dead and the view, breathes the light of gathering blue. Souring, sighing, bleeding, dying, still in the sorrow too.
[71:44] Glory to God, behold him arise, King and God and sacrifice.
[71:55] Hallelujah, hallelujah, sound to the earth and sky. Oh, star of wonder, star of night, star with royal beauty bright.
[72:16] Westward leading, still proceeding, guide us to my perfect light. If you want a poinsettia, please take one.
[72:30] Because otherwise we're getting rid of them, okay? You know, I'm not trying to destroy your image of the wise men. They were great people of great faith. Trying to do the right thing.
[72:44] In some ways they did wonderful things. In some ways they made mistakes. Like you and me. I talk to parents a lot about their parenting.
[72:55] And parents seem to have more regrets than anybody in the whole world. I don't know why, but they do. And what I usually tell them is this. Did you do your best? Did you do your best?
[73:06] If you tried to do your best and something messed up, you did the best you could. You did good. God doesn't want you to be chained to the regrets of yesterday. He wants you to live into the promise of tomorrow.
[73:19] We can learn from our mistakes, but we don't want to live there. We want to live in the promise and follow the dreams that God has designed for your life. Break free and live as people of grace.
[73:32] Go in God's peace. Amen. Amen. Amen.
[74:00] Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Thank you.
[74:34] Thank you.