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[3:02] Transcription by CastingWords And for whoever today may be difficult, for whatever reasons it may challenge you, know that we see you and your church and your God are with you as well.
[3:17] Now, let's all take a moment and look around and just share the peace of Christ with each other by giving a gentle wave to everyone. Know that the love of God is with us all. So, how are you feeling today?
[3:37] It's a question we hear a lot, right? How are you feeling today? For some folks, the answer is pretty easy to see. They wear their hearts on their sleeves. They offer a bright smile or their brow could be furrowed with worry.
[3:54] Their eyes might even be watery with tears for everybody to see. For others, it's a little harder to know how they're feeling. And that's not just because of the masks we have to wear.
[4:05] Some folks just manage their feelings differently. They just don't show their feelings as much or their smile might hide a deep pain or some turmoil.
[4:18] Friends, know that there is one who is with you no matter how you are feeling. We serve a God of grace and of power who loves us beyond measure.
[4:33] So, no matter how you are feeling today, whether it's good or it's bad, whether it's right on your face or whether it's deep in your heart, know that the risen Christ is with you and worthy to be praised.
[4:48] So, let's pray together. God works in ways besides the ones that we can see. God moves in more ways than we can count.
[4:59] We will not let our minds be overcome by our problems, fears, and frustrations. They are real, but so is our God.
[5:10] So is our joy. God helps us through our challenges, gives us what we need, loves us despite our failures, and surprises us with many blessings.
[5:24] We will not hold back our joy at who God is or what God has done. Let us dare to dance again. Let us praise God together.
[5:37] Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.
[6:05] Amen. Amen. Amen. Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation.
[6:23] Oh, my soul, praise, for He is thy help and salvation. All ye who hear, now to His temple draw near.
[6:40] Join me in glad adoration. Praise to the Lord, who doth prosper thy work and defend thee.
[6:56] Surely His goodness and mercy hear you daily attend thee.
[7:07] Hunder anew what the Almighty can do. Who with His love doth be friendly.
[7:19] Praise to the Lord, who doth nourish thy life and restore thee. Bidding thee well for the tasks that are ever before thee.
[7:39] Bend to the feet, God as a mother doth speak. Spreading the wings of grace for thee.
[7:56] Praise to the Lord, all that is in me adore thee. All that hath life and grand come now in praises before thee.
[8:16] Let thee, our man, shout all his people again. Let thee forever adore thee.
[8:33] Amen. Please be seated. Amen. Please. So be it. So be it. And I love the words in this that says, God as a mother doth speed.
[8:47] God with that mothering compassion and love that reaches out to all of us. As we go into this time of offering, a lot of times they'll say, we're going to take up an offering.
[8:58] But I just want us all to reflect at this time that we don't take an offering. An offering, a time of offering is actually a time of giving. It's a time when we as a church body give of ourselves together.
[9:12] We give of all of ourselves. We have a time when we reflect on how good God is. How much God has richly blessed us. How God has been with us in every moment.
[9:25] Loving us. Caring for us. Bringing us through. And so in this time we give back. And you can give financially in any of these ways. But in this time of giving, let us reflect on who God is and who we are in Christ.
[9:42] Let's give together. Let's give together.
[10:42] Let's give together.
[11:12] Let's give together.
[11:42] Let's give together. Let's give together. Let's give together. Let's give together.
[11:54] Let's give together. Let's give together. Let's give together.
[12:28] Holy God, we give back to you. We give to you back from our many blessings that you have showered down upon us, Lord.
[12:39] We give back to you a commitment. We give back to you a giving of our love. We pray that you will bless these gifts. Bless them to go out and share your love with others, that more will come to you, more will know you, more will become transformed through you, that they may experience you the way we do and love you and praise you in Jesus' name.
[13:03] Amen. Please be seated. We gather today to praise God and also know that God is with us and God hears us.
[13:15] The things that we carry on our heart, we know that as a community of faith, we know that God is carrying us through. And so we can lift up our prayers to God.
[13:26] I ask that you continue to pray for my father. He is still in ICU on a ventilator. His name is Jim. I ask you to continue praying for him.
[13:38] And I know that there are many, many other concerns on people's hearts, things that they're carrying. And so as a body together, let's come to the Lord in prayer. Holy God, we are so grateful for who you are, for loving us no matter what, for being with us no matter what, for hearing us when we call, for giving us strength, for giving us compassion, for giving us your power, Lord, to endure.
[14:11] Lord, we pray that you will have an outpouring of your Holy Spirit upon us in this time. That we will experience you and know you more. That you will speak into our lives and into our minds, Lord, and give us your discernment and your wisdom.
[14:28] That you will give us your understanding. Lord, we know that you are healer. You are creator. You are the one who desires that all be restored, all be redeemed.
[14:41] And we pray that you will give us hearts on fire for others. Hearts on fire that will spread your good news, that will spread your love. Help us to be agents of grace in this world.
[14:54] Reaching out to others with your healing mercy, with your compassionate love. That others may come to know you through us, Lord. Help us to be healers.
[15:06] Help us to be filled with your joy in spite of whatever is going on in the world, Lord. Fill us with your joy because of who you are.
[15:17] Lord, we pray for the things that we've been carrying and we're going to give them over to you now. We're going to give over all of the burdens we've been carrying, Lord, knowing that we can trust in you.
[15:29] Lord, we offer up to you those who are in need physically. That there is a healing touch needed, Lord, and you know the needs. We pray for people to be healed within their bodies. That pain is gone now in the name of Jesus.
[15:41] That disease is broken off at its root in the name of Jesus and cast out. We pray for a release of the lungs that air will flow freely. That blood will flow freely.
[15:52] That there will be a healing anointing upon the people who are suffering in their physical body. And you will have your healing touch upon them and they will experience you. Lord, we pray for those who are mourning in all sorts of ways.
[16:06] that you will have your arms around them and hold them close. Bring your comfort. Bring your peace. Surround them by your witnesses. Through us, Lord, help us to be those witnesses that will lift up our brothers and sisters and be your witness in this world that they will hold them up.
[16:27] Lord, whenever we're feeling weak, Lord, help us to be strong. We call upon you, Lord, for healing in all areas. For those who are struggling in their finances that you will bring abundance.
[16:41] You will bring opportunity. Open eyes and open ears to see the opportunities and the calling that you have upon your people. and give us your boldness to walk forth and go wherever you call us to go.
[16:55] Do whatever you call us to do. Lord, we pray for healing in all of our areas of relationships. For all of the brokenness, Lord. The anger and the strife and the unforgiveness, Lord.
[17:07] We pray for your healing to come upon families, upon places of work, upon communities, upon churches, upon this nation, Lord. that there will be a healing anointing around the people that we will have healed relationships in and through you.
[17:27] Give us a heart of forgiveness. Give us a heart of compassion. Help us to be more like you. Sanctify us and bring us closer to you.
[17:42] May our relationships be healed as our relationship is continually healed through you. Oh, Lord, we pray. Thanks to you for you are glorious.
[17:55] You are mighty. You are our redeemer. You have healed us and you have rescued us and you have set us free. Continue to reveal yourself to us.
[18:09] Fill us with your power that we can go out in this world and be your witness. Be your love. Be your joy. Be your grace.
[18:22] Sanctified, free, redeemed, restored. In Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.
[18:36] Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.
[18:46] Good morning, church, and good morning to those of you who are worshiping online.
[19:14] This morning's scriptures are from Psalm 98 and from Acts 10, verses 34 to 48. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
[19:48] Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Burst into jubilant song with music. Make music to the Lord with the harp, with the harp and the sound of singing, with trumpets and the blast of the ram's horn.
[20:03] Shout for joy before the Lord, the King. Let the sea resound and everything in it, the world and all who live in it. Let the rivers clap their hands.
[20:13] Let the mountains sing together for joy. Let them sing before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples with equity.
[20:25] And then Acts. Then Peter began to speak. I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism, but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right.
[20:41] You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, announcing the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. You know what has happened throughout the province of Judea, beginning in Galilee, after the baptism that John preached, how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil because God was with him.
[21:11] We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a cross, but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen.
[21:24] He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen, by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.
[21:36] He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.
[21:54] While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard his message. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles, for they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God.
[22:13] Then Peter said, Surely no one can stand in the way of their being baptized with water. They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have. So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.
[22:27] Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days. This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. Friends, would you join me in a word of prayer?
[22:51] Father, gracious and loving God, we are so awestruck by your movement among us this day. Amen. We are coming today.
[23:03] Coming after having prayed. Coming after having sung your praises. Coming with our hearts wide open. And praying that you would plant a seed in us that will grow and bear fruit for the honor and glory of your name.
[23:20] Through Jesus Christ, our Lord, we pray. Amen. So we are in this series, as you have heard over these past few weeks, called Daring to Dance Again.
[23:33] Daring to Dance Again. And it's been my experience that no matter how holy you may feel you are, pretty much every person who has gone to church has a story like this.
[23:47] Now mine goes back to when I was about 14 years old. I had a good friend. He was my best friend all through junior high and high school.
[23:58] His name was Mike. And not only did we get to go to school together, we went to the same church. And so we did a lot of things together in church, like we were ushers together.
[24:09] We were in the same Sunday school class, all those sorts of things. And so one day we are in church and we're going to be honest. We're among friends. Let's just say that as a 14 year old, I wasn't paying full attention to what was going on.
[24:25] So, and neither was he. So I don't know what we were doing, where our minds had wandered off to, but it's the middle of service.
[24:36] Suddenly from the end of the pew, we hear this. Now Mike had a younger brother named Sean, and that's who there was.
[24:51] And so both he and I kind of look at each other and we start giggling.
[25:01] As people are wont to do when that sort of thing happens in church. And so his thing was, Mike used to, he would always kind of put his head down, right?
[25:12] But his head is kind of between his knees and he's trying to hold it all in because we are in church after all. So, and my thing is this, I kind of wrap up like this.
[25:24] I got my hand over my mouth and I'm like, don't let this out. Don't let this out. But just as we're there, trying to hold all this in, again.
[25:42] So now of course it's worse. I look over at him and his shoulders are doing this sort of thing. I'm doing this and I'm squeezing myself as hard as I can to try and hold it all in.
[25:55] And of course our mothers are there. They too are more driven by the fact that, please God don't let anybody else have heard that.
[26:07] And then they're worried about the two of us. But then, again, from the end of the pew, not only do we hear the snore, but then there's one of those ones that has a snort at the end of it.
[26:23] So you can imagine where this goes. Right? And so pretty soon, not only are we laughing, but pretty much everybody in the pews around us is laughing too.
[26:36] But that's the point of the story. That's the point of the story. I want us to think about those times when you have tried to hold it in.
[26:49] Whatever it is, you have tried to hold it in. And all that energy, all that time, and you have tried to hold it in. And the question was, why were you holding it in?
[27:03] Because we were worried about we were going to get in trouble. Okay? Turns out everybody got it. Right? And so everybody was able to share in the laugh.
[27:15] But we had put all this time and energy trying to hold it all in. Trying to squash it down. And that's what I want us to think about today.
[27:27] Because it takes us into the story that we heard, especially the Acts moment. And it begs the question, especially about all that we have been through in this past year, all that we grow through on a regular basis.
[27:39] The question of how is it we have gotten to this place where we think it's better, that it makes more sense to try and hold in what God is doing, as opposed to simply letting it out into the world.
[27:59] So to put that into context, let's go back into the Acts story, like we said. So to understand where we came into this conversation, you've got to understand chapter 10. We came in in verse 34.
[28:13] But a lot has gone on in chapter 10 in Acts. So the chapter opens up. It introduces us to Cornelius. Cornelius is a centurion, meaning he's a commander in the Italian army.
[28:25] And so he has a visit from a heavenly visitor. And what we also know about Cornelius because of this is he was faithful.
[28:37] Now, he did not believe in Jesus, per se, but it does tell us that he was a faithful man. He prayed regularly, and he was a regular giver to help people.
[28:49] So he had a faith, and he was living on that faith. And so the heavenly visitor tells him, there's this guy named Peter over in town named Joppa, and you are to go get him and bring him to your house.
[29:04] Peter over in the house. Okay? That's part one. Part two takes us to Peter. Peter is in the middle of his afternoon prayers. And this is the time when Peter gets that revelation where the sheep descends from heaven and on it are these various animals.
[29:21] And God tells him that you should get up, kill, and eat. Now, Peter, being a devout Jew, was raised in this idea that he couldn't eat certain things. And so, but God is saying, and this is a quote from the scripture, what I have made clean you will not call unclean.
[29:43] And God has to work on Peter until he finally gets this. Okay? So these two stories come together. These two stories come together.
[29:55] Because then the visitors arrive, and they take Peter over to Cornelius' house. And then they have this interchange, and Peter realizes that even though this is a Roman I'm talking to, he's a real believer.
[30:11] He gets it. And that's where we enter the story. That's where we enter the story. Because you heard in the reading, it says, Then Peter began to speak.
[30:24] I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism, but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right.
[30:36] See, that's where we came into the story today. And so we needed all that context to fully appreciate that. But as we go further, what it says is, as Peter is talking, he lays out the story.
[30:49] He starts talking about what Jesus has done. He says, this is who Jesus is, and this is why I'm here, and this is what I'm about. And while all that's going on, what we see is the profound movement of the Holy Spirit in Cornelius and the members of his house.
[31:05] And what Peter sees happen, as well as the disciples who are with him, is that there's real faith happening here.
[31:16] That God is moving among these people. And that's a powerful and amazing thing. And when we get to the end of this particular interaction, or if you have your Bible and want to come along with us.
[31:32] So we're in verse 44. And what it tells us there is, while Peter was still speaking these words, because he's preaching now. He says, while Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message.
[31:47] The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles. For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God.
[31:59] Then Peter said, surely no one can stand in the way of their being baptized with water. They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.
[32:12] Surely no one can stand in the way. I want you all to hold on to that sentence for a minute. Surely no one can stand in the way. So, my question for you to think about is in your own walk.
[32:29] And in your own living of your daily faith. What stands in the way of the way that the Holy Spirit is moving in your world?
[32:41] Because you're not going to stand in the way of the Spirit himself. You can't do that. The Spirit will do whatever the Spirit feels like doing. God, after all. The question for you is, do you get in your own way of releasing what the Spirit is doing inside you?
[33:00] That's where we run into some problems. Right? Because the Spirit does this amazing thing. And so, like the believers who came with Peter, they were like, wait a minute.
[33:13] These guys get it. They're doing the sort of stuff we do. We could see that God is actually at work in the lives of these people. And that's an amazing thing. And so, Peter is looking around the room at these kind of people who were hesitant, who didn't get it, who didn't believe it, who thought, well, they certainly aren't the people who are supposed to believe in Jesus the way we believe this.
[33:36] You know, this is primarily for the children of Israel. And Peter had just been preaching. Wait a minute. I see now that God doesn't show favoritism, but they weren't all on board yet. But now they can see it.
[33:49] It's indisputable that God is moving in the lives of these people. And that's what you hear that sentence. Surely no one's going to stand in the way. And again, my question for you is, once the Spirit has been at work in you, once the Spirit is at work in your world around you and it's undisputable, and you know that, surely you're not going to get in your own way.
[34:16] That the joy that is bubbling up from down here, you're just going to let it get stuck about right here. Right? You're going to do one of these. Why?
[34:33] Why? See, let it out. That's my point. Let it out. But see, that's the thing I want to ask us about, right? Because when you think about the road we have been on in life, especially this year, because this year is so tangible for us in a way that none of us have been through before.
[34:54] All of us got our stories about what's happening in the world. And the world will tell you, you can't do that right now. You shouldn't do that right now.
[35:05] Now is not the moment. Now is not the time. Now is not the context. You should not let that joy all the way out. The world tells you that constantly.
[35:18] Now, don't get me wrong. We get that there's context. You know, there's moments that it's really not appropriate to just rip, roar, and laugh. We get it. But that being said, it's more about the state of mind that says when God does something exceptional in you, through you, around you, for you, do you just decide, you know what, I'm just going to hold that down like here.
[35:46] And then you wonder. See, this is the piece that most people don't make the connection. But then we make that choice to constantly squash what the Holy Spirit is trying to do in our hearts and spirits.
[35:59] And yet we wonder why we walk around sad and frustrated and depressed all the time. You let yourself say, hey, Joy, y'all stay there.
[36:12] I'm going to be over here with my problem. And you wonder, how come I don't have any joy in my life? Maybe it's because you spent your time holding your joy in.
[36:31] Instead of just fully experiencing it. That you wonder if you keep your joy about right here in your heart. You wonder why there's no joy in your day.
[36:46] The thing is, it's not that God isn't with you. It's not that God isn't doing great things. It's just you've let the world tell you that you're not supposed to see it or feel it.
[37:01] And here today, friends, what we want to encourage you to do is to get out of your own way. Get out of your own way.
[37:11] Just as Peter was telling these folks, surely no one's going to get in the way of what the Spirit is doing right now. That message is for all of us.
[37:25] Don't get in your own way. Because after all we have carried, all we are still carrying, real things, hard things.
[37:38] And again, this is not one of those fake it messages. I ain't that guy. I'm not going to tell you that you should just plaster a little fake smile on your face and everything going to be okay.
[37:48] I ain't that dude. That's not what's in here. What you do want to hear is that even when you are going through it, while you are in your storm, God's message to you is not fake it till you make it.
[38:04] That is not what God says. What God says is remember who I am in spite of this. That is a very different message. Not that this is fake.
[38:17] Not that this isn't true. Not that this doesn't suck. Because it does. But remember who I am. Because who I am is the person who healed the leper.
[38:33] Who I am is the person who fed the 5,000. Who I am is the person who raised Lazarus. That's who I am. So whatever you are looking at.
[38:45] Whatever you are going through. Whatever it feels like. Remember who I am. And you can see me at work in all of it.
[38:58] And when you see me at work. Are you going to just let that stay here? Or are you going to let the world push that back down here?
[39:09] Because that's where we get caught. If we wonder why we need to dare to dance again. Is we need to ask ourselves.
[39:20] What made you stop dancing in the first place? Because you let the world tell you that it wasn't time to dance.
[39:30] Maybe what we got to remember. Is who God is. And what God has done for us. Because when we do that.
[39:42] We can feel like dancing all the time. See here's the thing. When your mountain starts to feel too steep. When your mountain starts to feel too rocky.
[39:54] When the world starts speaking that stuff in your head. Says now is not the time. We remember the example of Jesus. Because when the devil came at Jesus.
[40:05] Remember what Jesus did. He spoke right back to him. And that's what you got to remember to do for yourself. When all that stuff starts hitting at you. Speak back to it.
[40:15] Remember I am a child of the most high God. I have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ. My Lord and Savior has conquered sin and death.
[40:26] And you will not conquer me. And you wonder. Why the world wins.
[40:37] Instead of your joy. Simply coming out. Remember who he is. And what he has done in you.
[40:49] For you. And through you. See we have talked about Psalm 98. And I'm wanting to bet. Just like every one of us had a story.
[41:00] About getting caught giggling in church. I'm betting every one of us has a story. Like the psalm writer. Here. Because each of us has a testimony.
[41:11] Each of us has a story. That says. I can sing to the Lord a new song. For he has done marvelous things. His right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him.
[41:24] The Lord has made his salvation known. And revealed his righteousness to the nations. He has remembered his love. And his faithfulness to Israel.
[41:35] All the ends of the earth. Have seen the salvation. Of our God. I know that story. I have stories like that.
[41:46] In my life. And I know. That most of you sitting here. And most of you watching out there. Do too. And because that is your story. Don't let it get stuck right here.
[42:01] Because we have a world that is confused. We have a world that is broken. We have a world that is hurting. And we have a world that needs to hear. That there is a difference making God at work among us.
[42:15] Because he has made a difference for me. He has made a difference for you. And he can make a difference for those who do not yet understand. So let us not let the world choke our joy.
[42:33] Let us dare to dance again. Amen. And amen. Almighty and gracious God.
[42:43] We thank you that you are who you are. That you have done what you have done in our lives. The power of your transforming love. The power of your amazing grace.
[42:55] And the power to do all things. Yes Lord our eyes get diverted. Our eyes get put onto things that take us away from your truth.
[43:09] But Lord by your grace you continue to work in us. You continue to remind us that your spirit is with us. You continue to remind us that you continue to show joy and beauty.
[43:22] In so many different ways throughout our lives. All day every day. And even when circumstances are hard. You are with us and at work.
[43:34] So Lord let us never stop the joy from flowing. Let us never hold back in ways that keep us depressed and shackled and down.
[43:45] Let us remember that our joy is true and is real. And we are free. And we can dance again.
[43:59] Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.
[44:12] Amen. The table is when we celebrate. I mean all of worship we celebrate. But at the table we take the time to celebrate who God is.
[44:24] What God has done. What God is continuing to do. What God will be doing in our lives. and who we are because of it. Dearly beloved children of God, redeemed by Jesus Christ.
[44:40] And so I invite you to the table. Will you open yourselves to the grace of Jesus Christ that is always and already available here at this table?
[44:52] And if so, say, open us to your grace, Lord. Open us to your grace, Lord. Will you open yourselves once again to the call of Jesus Christ?
[45:04] If so, say, open us to your call, Lord. Open us to your call, Lord. Will you open yourselves to the possibility of transformation through Jesus Christ?
[45:16] If so, say, transform us, O Lord. Transform us, O Lord. As we prepare to attend the heavenly feast, we especially pray for those who have no earthly tables or no place at a table and so little daily bread.
[45:35] We confess this day that we have been slow to join the dance that brings life to all, brings love to all, brings sustenance to all.
[45:45] So in silence now, let us lift up our prayers of confession. Amen. Hear this good news.
[46:11] God has loved you from the very beginning. The invitation of Christ is never ending because resurrection can happen at any moment.
[46:23] The Holy Spirit is transforming you even now. In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven. In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven.
[46:35] Glory to God. Amen. The risen Lord be with you. And also with you. So lift up your hearts and voices. In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven.
[46:46] Let us give great thanks to the Lord our God. To the Lord our God. Holy living one, you transformed a whole lot of nothing into this amazing creation.
[47:01] You breathed life all around and called it good. You invited us to the wonder of it all. And when we could not face you, you turned us around.
[47:14] You keep bringing us around and around, time and again, offering the chance to join the freedom dance. And so we join with the glorious chorus of saints, past and present, singing a never-ending hymn of praise.
[47:33] Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest.
[47:44] Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest. Indeed, you are holy. And blessed is your son Jesus, anointed one, liberator, dance partner, sibling, friend.
[48:02] Jesus sat at tables with those who had no place and offered fulfilling food for bodies and souls. And on the night when he would give all love for us, he sat at the table with extended family, just as he hosts this table, here and now, with this extended family.
[48:26] He offered the usual prayers of thanks to you, God, over bread and over cup, and then disrupted the gathering with uncustomary words.
[48:38] He said, take and eat. Eat this bread. It is my body given for you. Whenever you gather around the table together, remember me.
[48:50] And take this cup and drink from it, each and every one of you. It is the sign of a new covenant. The darkness has given way to light, and the resurrection dance goes on.
[49:05] This love is poured out for all people. Whenever you gather around the table together, remember me. And so, my friends, we remember, and we believe, Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again.
[49:27] Pour out your spirit on us now. Pour out your transforming presence on the gifts of this body, and the gifts of this bread, and fruit of the vine.
[49:37] May they be for us the life and love, uniting us as one body, Christ's body, for the sake of loving the world. And now let us pray the prayer that Jesus taught us, saying, Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.
[49:56] 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.
[50:12] 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.
[50:24] Amen. And now I invite everyone to take off your masks, if you'd like. And we begin with the bread on the bottom of the chalice. The body of our Lord, broken for you.
[50:41] Take and eat. The blood of our Lord, shed for you.
[50:53] Take and drink. Glory to God. Amen. I'd like to invite you all to stand if you're able, as we celebrate together.
[51:11] Stand if you're able, as we celebrate together, singing a hallelujah song, for all that God has done. entertainment, sound, and the fire in town, for all that God has done, for all that God has done.
[51:28] Amen. You have a joy, for all that God has done by and do us all to do with you. It's the blood that leads me to act on the path on the plate, your love, and for all that we're just doing. And i feel like the love that is talking about today, the love that is happening with you. And there will beet of God, you have one of the angels to have!... and love that is healing. And I'll stay and therefore let's all that Norwegians say on the next, Amen.
[51:41] You have a year commander. While loving that is life, the love that is you Your love is amazing, steady and unchanging. Your love is a mountain, firm beneath my feet.
[51:56] Your love is a mystery, how you gently lift me. When I am surrounded, your love marries me.
[52:07] Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah. Your love makes me sing.
[52:19] Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah. Your love makes me sing.
[52:31] Your love is surprising, how you really rising. All the joy that's growing deep inside of me. Every time I see you, all your goodness shines through.
[52:48] I can feel this God's song rising early. Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah.
[53:00] Your love makes me sing. Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah.
[53:12] Your love makes me sing. Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah. Your love makes me sing.
[53:26] Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah. Your love makes me sing.
[53:38] Hallelujah, hallelujah. So there's this saying, it's been made into a meme about a thousand times, that says, if you got the joy of God down in your heart, maybe you ought to tell your face.
[54:13] And that's true for some of us, yes. I'm kind of a stoic guy, so I don't always have that on my face either. But you don't want your joy stuck here.
[54:26] Remember you are a worshiper. Worship is a verb, not just a noun. Remember that. Worship is a verb. Worship is something you do, not just something you attend.
[54:39] And when you have a God worth worshiping, that joy just can't stay here. That's the definition of worship. So go into the world and let your life be an act of worship for the one who truly deserves it.
[54:55] Now in the name of God, our creator and king. In the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and our savior. And in the name of the Holy Spirit, our counselor and our advocate.
[55:07] May God bless us now as we leave to love and serve God and all God's children. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.
[55:18] Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.
[55:31] Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.
[55:42] Thank you.
[56:12] Thank you.