The One is Shining Forth

[0:00] Thank you.

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[2:59] Thank you. Thank you.

[3:59] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

[4:35] Thank you. during Holy Week. We also, as we talk about Lent, that usually puts us in a particular place around here, does it not? Most of you know what I'm getting at. So Louis is going to come up here and talk a little bit about where we are.

[4:57] Hooked up? All right, good morning. So you can tell that we're getting close to a fish fry because I've got more detail. You know, when you're a month or two away, everything is really fuzzy. I've got clipboards again that are going around and I just have a few things I want to mention where we're at. If you don't sign up on a clipboard, we don't know what's going on. So you have two chances. Either sign up on the clipboard or you can call the office and let them know where you want to help out. We also need help in specific areas. Right now, especially for the first fish fry, we need some cooks, some servers in the kitchen, hall servers that actually serve the people, our guests, and meal runners. And we also are a little bit short on pies, too. So if anybody wants to sign up for that. Now, again, call the office or sign up on the clipboards. And the last thing I want to mention is some of you, if you don't know, you get a dollar off your meal if you help out or you get one free pie ticket. So that's kind of a cool thing. But I'm going to pass the clipboards.

[6:04] That's where we're at. And we hope to see you all this week. It's going to be a ball. Thanks. So whenever Adrian is panicking, that's usually a good sign. I was hoping that was a praise moment, but I usually figured it wasn't. So that being said, if we're going to trust you to read the other announcements in the bulletin, and of course we do have a lot going on. And so make sure that you keep yourself informed, not only about what's happening online, but also what you can read for yourself. Now, we are in the final week of a sermon series called God is Holding Your Life. We have spent considerable energy over the past few weeks helping people understand how God keeps you safely and securely in his focus and in his grip. And this week we are coming to the final conversation about that. And we are talking about how the light shines forth. The light shines forth.

[7:11] So let's open our hearts to God's movement and presence as we enter into this space. The psalm that comes at the end of our sermon series speaks... They switched the slide on me. Sorry.

[7:27] The psalm that comes at the end of our series speaks of an act of God whose light shines for all times and at all places. God is not silent. God calls the people to remember that they too act on God's behalf, holding all suffering people in hands of prayer and care as we transform the world and we shine bright into the future. May it be so. Let's pray together.

[7:53] Amen. Holy One, Light of the world, you help us to see and find our way in this time. Open us this day to a vision of the world made all right, so that we might alight our lives to show forth your reign on earth as it is in heaven.

[8:14] We praise you for your steadfast presence, holding our lives together in love. Amen. Amen. Good morning, everybody.

[8:26] Good morning. And good morning to everyone online. I'm going to invite you to stand for our opening songs of praise, Love Divine, All Love's Excelling, and Forever Reign. Love Divine, All Love's Excelling, Joy of Love, and to Earth come down.

[8:53] Fixed in us by humble dwelling, all thy faithful mercies crown. Jesus, thou art all compassion, here unbounded love the Lord.

[9:11] Visit us with thy salvation, enter every trembling heart. God, finished and thy new creation.

[9:25] Clear and spotless let us be. Let us see thy great salvation, perfectly restored in thee.

[9:38] Change from glory, till in heaven we take our place. Till we cast our crowns before thee, lost in wonder, love and praise.

[9:57] Amazing. Even intention of şeh SIKE già divorciaii, lo is Robyn. Good morning. With my burdens, my steaming. Thank you. Terrific. That's it.

[10:07] There's good frosting. Thanks. Way toزnt our conventional lime, and uh focused on me. Muir. I should be atenatif now. Xenياsy. That's it. Oh, great. But our next statue, it happened under him, didn't it say that we're retaining a regular place.

[10:18] You are good, you are good When there's nothing good in me You are love, you are love On display for all to see You are light, you are light When the darkness closes in You are hope, you are hope You have covered all my sin You are peace, you are peace When my fear is crippling You are true, you are true Even in my wandering You are joy, you are joy

[11:21] You're the reason that I sing You are light, you are light In your death has lost its sting I'm running to your arms The riches of your love will always eat up Nothing compares to your embrace Light of the world forever reigns You are more, you are more Than my words will ever say You are Lord, you are Lord All creation will proclaim You are here, you are here In your presence I'm made whole You are God, you are God

[12:24] Of all else I'm letting go And though I'm running to your arms I'm running to your arms The riches of your love will always be enough Nothing compares to your embrace Light of the world forever reigns My heart will sing My heart will sing No other name Jesus Jesus My heart will sing No other name Jesus Jesus Jesus My heart will sing

[13:24] No other name Jesus Jesus Jesus My heart will sing No other name Jesus Jesus Jesus Jesus Jesus Jesus I'm running to your arms I'm running to your arms I'm running to your arms The riches of your love Will always be enough Nothing compares to your embrace Light of the world forever reigns I'm running to your arms I'm running to your arms The riches of your love will always be love

[14:25] Nothing compares to your embrace Light of the world forever reigns You may be seated.

[14:49] Friends, we come now to our time of sharing. Time where God moves in our lives and compels us to share some of what God has freely given. We know that what we put into our pooled resources is a blessing to others.

[15:04] God moves in this and God is able to help so many other people because of the ways we come together. Let your light shine through in what you share today. Amen.

[15:49] Spirit of the living God, fall fresh on me.

[16:02] Spirit of the living God, fall fresh on me.

[16:15] Help me, hold me, help me, use me.

[16:28] Spirit of the living God, fall fresh on me.

[16:45] Spirit of the living God, fall fresh on me. Breathe on me, breath of God, love and life that makes me free.

[17:02] Breathe on me, breath of God, and the flame within me.

[17:15] Teach my heart, heal my soul. Speak of minds that in Christ we know.

[17:28] Take me to your sanctuary. Breathe on me. Speak to me.

[17:44] Voice of God. Voice of God. Soft and still inside my heart. Speak to me.

[17:57] Voice of God. Comfort, heal, restore with love. Teach my heart, heal my soul.

[18:12] Speak of minds that in Christ we know. Take me to your sanctuary.

[18:25] Breathe on me. Beautiful Lord, wonderful Savior, I know for sure.

[18:41] All of my days are held in your hand. I'm captured by your holy calling.

[19:02] Set me apart. I know you're drawing me to yourself. I know you're drawing me to yourself. Give me, Lord, I pray.

[19:15] Take me. I pray. Take me. Hold me.

[19:29] Use me. Fill me. I give my life. To the water's hand.

[19:46] Call me. Guide me. Lead me.

[19:57] Walk beside me. I give my life. To the water's hand.

[20:12] Take me. Hold me. Use me. Fill me.

[20:25] I give my life. To the water's hand. Call me.

[20:36] Guide me. Lead me. Walk beside me. I give my life. Lead me. Lead me.

[20:47] Walk beside me. I give my life. To the water's hand. To the water's hand.

[20:58] To the water's hand. To the water's hand. To the water's hand. To the water's hand.

[21:08] To the water's hand. To the water's hand. Ta have greasy and raises. Try love Johann Martin.

[21:26] To the water's hand.群лект har akunji. Thank you.

[21:59] Thank you.

[22:29] Take your seats. Thank you.

[23:02] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Okay. So your cousin's six-week-old grandson died this week.

[23:16] And so we want to make sure we keep that entire family covered in prayer as they go through the journey of grief. What else can we lift up today? Okay.

[23:26] Okay. So another family who has lost a young one, a family in Fairport, New York.

[23:44] And the girl's name was Madison and lost a battle with a disease. So we want to keep them covered as well. Okay. Okay. Okay.

[23:55] So John wants to bring forward a family who also lost someone in an accident on the throughway. And so we want to make sure they are covered also. Becky. Several young people involved in the families as well as some of the older adults are all fighting a form of illness.

[24:11] And they're in the family and they're in the family. And they're in the family. And they're in the family. And they're in the family who also lost someone in an accident on the throughway. And so we want to make sure they are covered also. Becky. Several young people involved in the families as well as some of the older adults are all fighting a form of illness.

[24:32] And they're in the family and they're in the family and they're in the family and they're in the family. And they're in the family and they're in the family. Okay. So as happens during this time of year, some folks have fallen ill and it seems to have hit one of our ministry groups pretty extensively.

[24:48] So folks in angel wings are asking for prayers. They are battling through whatever is sort of waylaid most of the group. Anything else today?

[24:59] Pastor Mike. Pastor Mike. There's a revival. The entry column is going on for 10 days nonstop. It's starting to spread throughout the nation a little bit.

[25:12] So let's pray that that will continue. It's got to have to wait. All right. So Pastor Mike is pointing to an event that started more than a week ago at one of our United Methodist seminaries.

[25:24] Regular chapel service in the morning at Asbury Theological Seminary. Turned into what is being called a revival. And that has been a worship service that's extended for going on 10 days now.

[25:35] And people have traveled across the country to be a part of it. It's also moved to other spots. And so whatever God is doing in this moment, we want to hold up and lift up and celebrate.

[25:48] And so that is what Pastor Mike wants to bring before us is that we all might experience what is happening and support what is happening with those young people. So on the other hand, Carol.

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[27:58] . . . . is a real joy and a celebration as well. Okay? Let's unite our hearts as we go to God together this morning.

[28:13] Almighty and gracious creator, light of the world, the one who spoke light into existence, the one who provides all the light that allows us to see, the one who shines light on things that gives us understanding.

[28:30] Gracious God, we pray your light continues to go forth in new ways. We know that it has touched our hearts that allows us to be here. We know that your power, your grace, is what makes all things possible in our lives.

[28:48] And we come celebrating that grace today. We also need the light of our Redeemer to shine forth. Lord Jesus, we know that it is you who have saved us, not we ourselves.

[29:03] That your amazing way of shining into our lives, giving us hope when we are overwhelmed, giving us strength when it feels like too much, teaching us the truth when the world gives us so much else to think about.

[29:22] Lord God, we know that you shine forth in the presence of our Lord and Savior, the one who offers us so much, who offers us himself, the one who says, come to me when you are overwhelmed, come to me when you are weary, come to me as you feel broken, and I will give you rest.

[29:47] Let the Spirit also shine forth in us today. As we have heard so much this morning about loss, as we have heard tale of families who are grieving, not only are we hearing tales of loss, but these losses hit harder because they are younger folks for the most part.

[30:10] Lord God, we know that we need what only the Spirit provides, wisdom, to be able to know the truth in the face of such overwhelming news, the ability to move forward and be a vessel of comfort for those who are hurting in times such as these.

[30:32] Lord God, only you can go to the broken heart and piece it back together. Only you can wrap yourself around the one who is hurting to this degree. Lord, in all of the places we know there are broken hearts, in all of the places where we know people are shedding tears, be who only you can be.

[30:56] But Lord, work in each of us. Let your light go forth in ways we can offer those words, those gestures, those acts of kindness, that companionship that helps those who are hurting know they are not alone and that there is healing, healing that comes from you and from you alone.

[31:21] Lord God, there is so much, so much that would hold us down, so much that would weigh on us to the point of breaking us. But in the midst of it all, we are reminded that your light still goes forth.

[31:35] There is joy to be had when we walk in the light. There is peace to be known when we walk in the light. There is strength to be found when we walk in the light.

[31:49] So Lord, let us keep our eyes trained for that light. Let us make sure that we stay near it, close to it, seek it out in a world that overwhelms us sometimes because we know that your presence is where we find those answers.

[32:06] Your presence is where we find our comfort. Lord God, we know that you are with us now, here, offering that same comfort, offering that same peace, and giving that same joy.

[32:22] Let us rest in that, trust in that, and praise you for it because it gives what the world cannot give. Lord God, hear our prayer this morning as we offer ourselves, our hearts, and our souls on behalf of those we love.

[32:42] In Jesus' most holy name we pray. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.

[32:52] Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.

[33:11] Good morning. Good morning. Good morning. Today's scripture reading is taken from a couple different books. The first one, Psalm, and the second one, John.

[33:23] Psalm, chapter 50, verses 1 through 6 and 14 to 15. The mighty one God, the Lord, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to where it sets. From Zion, perfect in beauty, God shines forth.

[33:41] Our God comes and will not be silent. A fire devours before him, and around him a tempest rages. He summons the heavens above and the earth that he may judge his people. Gather to me this consecrated people who made a covenant with me by sacrifice, and the heavens proclaim his righteousness for he is a God of justice. Sacrifice thank offerings to God, fulfill your vows to the Most High, and call on me in the day of trouble. I will deliver you, and you will honor me.

[34:16] And from the book of John, chapter 1, verses 1 through 14. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made. Without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. He himself was not the light. He came only as a witness to the light. The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.

[35:15] Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. Children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision, or a husband's will, but born of God. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. This is the word of our Lord.

[35:41] Thanks be to God. Thanks be to God. Thanks be to God. Friends, would you join me for a word of prayer? Almighty and gracious God, we give you thanks for this moment in this time. As we come before you now, Lord, we have opened ourselves in so many ways, and we know that you are moving among us.

[36:15] So, Lord, as you move among us, please, plant that seed in us now. Give us what you know we need, that we might go into the world and bear fruit that honors and glorifies your name. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord, we pray. Amen.

[36:28] So, we've been on this journey, as you heard me say during greeting time, called God is holding your life. God is holding your life. And we come to the final week of this time together. And we talk about this idea of the one shines forth. The one shines forth.

[36:47] To help us enter into this conversation today, I want to take you someplace that I hope you enjoy. Anyway, do you have a favorite spot? A place where you just simply love to be and a place you love to go?

[37:05] Now, you could be thinking about a particular place. I have a couple of favorite spots on the planet that I like to spend time, but I want you to be even closer to home.

[37:18] Where is that place you go to almost every day? Maybe it's a chair in the living room. Maybe it's your kitchen table.

[37:30] But there's this spot you go to where you kind of are your most true self. That place where you go, and maybe it's where you watch the game. Maybe it's where you read.

[37:42] But it's that spot. And if you have that spot, I want you to imagine yourself there right now. Maybe not too much before we get too much snoring going on in here.

[37:56] But I want you to imagine yourself in that place. I want you to imagine what happens to you in that place. Like, you've had a long day. You've been out there. You've been fighting the big, bad world.

[38:07] And you've come to that spot. And when you get to that spot, what happens to you? Maybe the shoes come off. And then you kind of lean back into it.

[38:20] And then those things that we seek so often start to happen, right? You feel that knot in your back start to let go a little bit. You feel your neck sort of in your shoulders drop.

[38:35] You get that thing. We hit that magic moment, right? Where you take that long, slow exhale. We chase that feeling a lot, right?

[38:50] That's where we start to say yes. Yes, this is where I want to be. We appreciate it so much. And we appreciate it so much because so much of our lives does not feel like that spot.

[39:04] Right? I want you in that spot right now because here's where we need to wrap this series up.

[39:16] Because when you think of what it means to lean back into that place, when you think about that exhale that you take, we've described this place of God holding our lives, of being in God's tender embrace, of God focused on you, not in such a way that God doesn't care about anybody else, but focused on you.

[39:50] And when you hear this idea that God is holding your life, does it do for you those things?

[40:04] Because that's where we should land, right? This idea that the almighty, sovereign creator of the universe is tenderly holding your life should help you go to that spot where you feel like that, where you can lean back and have that exhale and realize it's okay.

[40:33] But that's not where most of us spend our time, spiritually. That's what we want to talk about.

[40:46] Why do we have this disconnect? Because I know that most of us get it. Most of us say it.

[40:57] And most of us intellectually process it. God is holding our lives. And people will say things like, I know God has got this. Yet, we don't live in that place.

[41:16] Right? Now, how is it we are that out of balance? How is it we don't actually seem to be in a place where our bodies, where our faith, where our hearts seem to look like we actually believe that God has us right here?

[41:40] Because if you know that feeling in the chair, then why don't you know that feeling in your soul? That's what we've been chasing.

[41:52] that's what we've been trying to get to sink in over these past few weeks. And if it hasn't sunk in, I want to help you get a little bit why.

[42:09] I want you to look at your bulletin again. Look at that cover and I want you to see something. Right? When we chose this series, that image is pretty powerful.

[42:19] God is holding your life and we have God holding symbolically the planet. But I want you to pay attention not to the image. I want you to pay attention to the subtitle.

[42:33] A journey of assurance for the new year. A journey of assurance for the new year. Now, that was intentional on our part.

[42:43] We really felt the spirit saying, folks need this. And it's not really a mystery why. Because let's be frank, January 1st feels like 10 years ago right now, doesn't it?

[42:58] I mean, can we even remember what new year's was like? Because we were so off, especially in our part of the world. Because we'd come through the Christmas blizzard.

[43:11] And we were still dealing with cleaning all that up. Things had started to melt, but where was real damage that needed to be cleaned up? People had died. And for us in our particular house of faith, we didn't feel like we really had Christmas.

[43:29] And so we kind of moved Christmas back a little bit and tried to catch up. And then we were still dealing with other things because we know how hard 2022 was.

[43:42] and so 2023 came and didn't feel exactly like the new year we were expecting because we were still looking over our shoulder looking for Christmas. And then new stuff started to happen.

[43:59] And this is all on the large scale. I mean, we dealt with Tyree Nichols. We're still dealing with the earthquake in Turkey and Syria.

[44:14] We just this week had a shooting in Michigan State. I mean, this is a lot to carry. I mean, when you add the realities of these facts, it's still mind-blowing to consider that there have actually been more killings like the one at Michigan State in our nation.

[44:34] There have been more of those in 2023 than there have been days of 2023. That's really hard to sink in.

[44:47] But we live in this world. And because we live in this world, that's why we don't lean back into God's embrace.

[45:03] And that's why we feel so disconnected. And it's why we need assurance. That's why we need to remember from time to time that this is not how this is supposed to work.

[45:18] This is not how disciples of Jesus are supposed to feel day in and day out. So where's the disconnect? Well, let's start with a truth that you heard Amy read for us today.

[45:32] Now, we read out of John 1. Most of us are familiar with this passage if you studied the Bible for a little while because you hear it every so often during Christmas. Now, we tend to focus on Luke 2 and the birth narrative during Christmas, but John gives us this bigger intro to who Jesus is.

[45:50] And I want us to pay attention to a couple of things because this is big in John's writing. Because this idea of Jesus as the light of the world is critical for us.

[46:06] Because we've just told so many stories and we're plugged in to so much noise from the world that reminds us how heavy and how crazy and how, I'm just going to use the term dark, the world can feel at times.

[46:25] And John gives us this dramatic contrast between the darkness of the world and the light of Christ.

[46:36] And you hear it regularly throughout the passage, but I want to highlight three of the parts, right? So in verse 4, where John tells us, in him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.

[46:49] The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. In verse 9, the true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.

[47:01] He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, he gave the right to become children of God.

[47:18] Children not born of natural descent, nor of human decision, or a person's will, but born of God. And lastly, verse 14, the word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.

[47:32] We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only son who came from the father, full of grace and truth. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only son.

[47:49] How many of you have a story of an encounter, of an experience, in which God has moved into your life in some way?

[48:03] There seemed to be some hesitance out there. But see, that's exactly my point. Because I know it's more than the hands that went up. I know that to be true. And maybe folks didn't know how to respond.

[48:16] I didn't ask folks to stand up or clap or something like that. But it's interesting to me that we still have that thing. Right? Last week we talked about whole heart hallelujahs and not holding back with our stories.

[48:29] I asked a really basic question in a really safe space about Jesus in your life. And everybody was like, I don't know. that's that disconnect.

[48:44] That's exactly what I'm talking about. If we aren't afraid to tap into who we knew Jesus is here, here on Sunday morning, we can't get that Jesus matters in our lives and are a little hesitant to bring that out, how in the world do we function in that world on Thursday afternoon?

[49:14] That's what we're talking about. How do we move from that reality into what we know to be true? Because here's where we need to go.

[49:30] This idea of the light of the world I want us to stay close to that for a second. Right? Because most of us have probably had a time or two where we were in a place that wasn't well lit.

[49:43] Right? And you know what happens when you're in a place that's not well lit. You trip over stuff. You bang your head. You bang your toe on the table and things of this type.

[49:55] And we say those not church friendly words. Right? We've all been there. We know that that's like. But the thing is is if you know that the light is somewhere and you're walking through the dark and you don't turn the lights on you kind of feel like you deserve what you get.

[50:14] Right? My wife tells me that all the time. It's like if you can't see turn the light on. But do we? if there's a light that's over here and you spend your time close to it so you can function and you don't bring it with you and you don't turn it on, why are you surprised that you are living in the dark?

[50:44] Let me put that differently. If on Sunday we can come in here and say the words, sing the songs, and still be hesitant to say, yeah, Jesus is important to me.

[50:57] And then it's Thursday and we've already gone through a Monday, a Tuesday, a Wednesday and now it's Thursday morning and we've listened to all the stuff in the world, all the stuff on the news and it's been coming at us, not to mention all the ways in which human beings that we interact with, even the ones we love the most, will get on our very last nerve.

[51:22] and yet you wonder why the idea that you are told tenderly by God feels like such a foreign concept.

[51:40] It's because you chose not to bring the light with you. You chose to move pretty far away from it and now you're stumbling through the dark.

[51:56] In other words, is who you are at 10 o'clock on Sunday morning, because it's 9 o'clock right now, and we're kind of at that high point.

[52:11] We've sung the songs, we've heard the word, and we're getting ready to enjoy the sacrament. so we kind of filled ourselves up, and we're ready to go, and we're kind of at our Jesus peak.

[52:24] But then we will leave this space. and the question is, how far away will you get?

[52:41] Not just physically, but emotionally and spiritually. How far away from this space, this moment, this time, will you be?

[52:55] by 7 o'clock today, by lunchtime tomorrow, not to mention Thursday morning.

[53:09] Friends, are you carrying the light with you intentionally? Are you trying to stay plugged in? You know, if you only ate on Sunday morning, and then tried to get through the rest of the week, you probably wouldn't be at your best on Thursday.

[53:30] And we know that. Now, if you only feed your spirit on Sunday morning, are you surprised that you're not at your best on Wednesday afternoon?

[53:51] How are you letting the light into your life all the time? Because the issue here is not a God problem.

[54:05] It's an us problem. God shines forth. Jesus is the light of the world whether we carry him forward or not.

[54:16] That doesn't change. It's us who are unplugged. So if those things start to weigh heavy on your soul, like mass shootings, as well they should, they're supposed to break your heart.

[54:35] They're not normal. They're not what God wants for the world. You're not supposed to be okay with them. But you heard me say this last week. that's not supposed to break your hope.

[54:48] That's not supposed to break your spirit. In other words, the light still shines in the darkness, but the darkness doesn't overcome it.

[55:00] The darkness doesn't overcome the light of Christ, but the darkness might overcome you if you don't stay in the light of Christ.

[55:12] that's the difference. Because if we live in this world and want the light to shine forth, if we would be those people that we aspire to be, then we can't unplug and live outside of that light.

[55:33] But if we only touch it when it's convenient, if we only carry it so far, then it's not going to do what we expect it to do for us.

[55:44] In other words, we're not going to get to that place where we really do in fact understand that God is holding my life. And I can rest in it.

[55:56] I can trust it completely. And even though the world comes at me, I am not going to be overcome come by that. I can't come by that.

[56:07] I can't come by that. That's where we want to be. And let me remind you of a truth that we often forget. Not only does Jesus continue to shine forth into the world, Jesus has chosen to use us to do it.

[56:24] One of the ways in which you keep the light close is you let yourself be a part of the ongoing work of the body of Christ in the world. When you start to feel that this is so far away from you, but if you are doing the work, if you are a part of it, if you are looking for, listening for, and in fact engaging God throughout your day, then you are walking in the light.

[56:54] You see, when we talk about the light going forth, you heard me mention the earthquake, we often forget that we are part of one of the best relief organizations in the world.

[57:07] Quite literally, the United Methodist Committee on Relief does work that other agencies envy, and that group works on our behalf. Some people who are a part of this do this work, that are physically the hands that clean up disasters, both here and abroad, and the money we give to UMCOR, the time we give to UMCOR, makes a difference for those who are suffering throughout the world.

[57:35] UMCOR has not left disasters that were three and four or five years ago, because that's our commitment. We go, we work, we stay until it's done. That is us as the United Methodist Church.

[57:49] church. Our very own annual conference, you heard me talk about the Christmas blizzard, churches that were damaged in very real ways, pipes burst.

[58:00] There are churches that are looking at six figures worth of damage to their buildings. But our annual conference, that is us as a group of collective people, has worked intentionally to make sure that people have what they need in order to rebuild and start fresh.

[58:15] the light shines forth in and through us in very real ways. Not to mention the individual things we do.

[58:29] Community groups that are anti-violence and doing variable work to make sure that those who are hurting, those who are broken, do not feel isolated and do not hit those points of rage that turn them into shooters.

[58:41] That those who are victims of violence have what they need in order to recover. This is us as a people, as a body of Christ on the move in real ways. The things we gave to making sure people eat last week for the food pantry.

[58:56] That's real stuff. The light still shines forth through you. And that says nothing about all the individual acts.

[59:12] All those phone calls. All those conversations. All those moments where we sit with one another. Where we help one another.

[59:24] Where we take a meal. Where we buy a cup of coffee. That's who we are. The thing is, we've let our eyes and our brains win the argument.

[59:39] when our hearts know better. But that's how we keep the light with us in very real ways.

[59:52] Keep it constant. Keep it close. Remember what Jesus says. We know that Jesus is the light of the world. But Jesus also says, you are the light of the world.

[60:07] a city on a hill can't be hidden. He shines through each of us. We must be that light for this broken and hurting place.

[60:25] When you forget that you are deeply and tenderly held, remember how God has already shown you light in your life.

[60:39] Remember how the body of Christ has shown up for you. Remember how God himself has shown up for you. And now I want you to do that thing that we were talking about.

[60:51] I want you to remember it and experience it. But I want you to physically actually trust God enough to lean back into his promise and his presence.

[61:06] To know that God does in fact hold your life. And God can be trusted.

[61:18] Know that. Live like it. And shine because of it. Amen. and amen.

[61:31] Loving and gracious God, your light does continue to shine forth. It shines forth in our lives even when the world tells us that there is so much darkness around us.

[61:44] We know that you are true. We know that you are present and we know that you are real. Lord, let us show that light. Let us be that love for those who are hurting.

[61:56] Let us build a world of justice. Let us build a world of truth. Let us build the true beloved community so that no one feels left out. So that all understand that you are real and present even though their hearts, their minds can't grasp it.

[62:14] We who know the truth can rest in your promise that we are held tenderly, lovingly, and safely by you.

[62:25] Amen. Amen. One of the ways in which we know and rest in God's love is we partake in the gift that God has given.

[62:41] As we ready ourselves to come to the table, let us open our hearts afresh as we come to this time of praying together. together. We know that all are invited to this table of grace, and the world would often have us feel apart from God, yet we know that we are still held by him.

[63:05] As a response to God's invitation, let us ready ourselves by taking a few moments in silence to confess ways we know that we have separated ourselves from God and God's plans for us.

[63:29] Hear this good news. God's word tells us that nothing separates us from the love of God. And Christ died for us while we were yet sinners, and that proves God's love for us.

[63:44] In the name of Jesus Christ, know that you are forgiven. Glory to God. Amen. The Lord be with you.

[63:57] Lift up your hearts. Let us give thanks to the Lord, our God. It is right and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Almighty God, source of true light, bringer of light into our lives, and the one who makes all things possible.

[64:21] And so with your people on earth, and all the company of heaven, we praise their name and join their unending hymn. Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory.

[64:37] 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.

[64:49] 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.

[65:00] And on the night in which Jesus gave himself up for us, he took bread, he gave thanks to you, he broke the bread, and he gave it to his disciples, and he said, take and eat.

[65:12] This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me. And the supper was over, he took the cup, and he gave thanks to you, and he gave it to his disciples, and he said, drink from this, all of you.

[65:30] This is my blood, sign of the new covenant. It's poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sin. Every time that you drink it, do this in remembrance of me.

[65:44] 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.

[65:59] Christ has died, Christ has risen, Christ will come again. Pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered here and on these gifts of bread and cup. 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.

[66:17] 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.

[66:28] Through your Son, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit and in your Holy Church, all honor and glory is yours, Almighty God, now and forever.

[66:39] Amen. And now, as confident, redeemed children of God, let us pray together the prayer that Jesus taught us to pray. Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.

[66:53] 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 and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

[67:12] For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. Those who are serving this morning, please join us. Join us. Thank you.

[67:29] Thank you.

[67:59] Thank you.

[68:29] Thank you.

[68:59] Thank you.

[69:29] Thank you.

[69:59] Thank you.

[70:29] Thank you. Thank you.

[71:29] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

[71:41] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

[71:53] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

[72:05] Thank you. you're going through But you keep standing at a distance In the shadows of your shame There's a light of hope that's shining Won't you come and take your place And bring it all to the table There's nothing He ain't seen before For all your sin All your sorrow And your sadness There's a Savior And He calls

[73:07] Bring it all to the table He can see the weight you carry The fears that hold your heart Through the cross you've been forgiven You're forgiven You're accepted as you are So bring it all to the table Bring it all to the table There's nothing He ain't seen before Through all your trials All your worries And your burdens There's a Savior There's a Savior There's a Savior And He calls

[74:08] Bring it all to the table Bring it all Bring it all Take it all You can bring it all You can bring it all Come on in Come on in Take your place There's no one Who's turned away Come on in Take your place There's no one Who's turned away All you sinners All you slaves Come right in And find your grace Come on in Take your place There's no one There's no one Who's turned away All you sinners All you saints Come right in And find your grace

[75:10] Bring it all To the table It's nothing He ain't seen before For all your sins Take your place There's no one Who's turned away All you sinners After all your sins All your sorrow And your sadness There's a Savior And He calls Bring it all To the table So we sing songs To lift up praises To the God of glory But singing also Helps us connect Our head and our heart And we're gonna finish today With a song called He Reigns And we have a really special treat For you after we finish singing He Reigns

[76:11] The kids are gonna come up And lead us in He's got the whole world In His hands And you will see the light shine I think it'll help your light shine But I'm gonna invite you to stand For He Reigns To stand for He Reigns He's the song of the redeemed Rising from the African flame He's the song of the redeemed Rising from the African flame He's the song of the redeemed Rising from the African flame He's the song of the forgiven Rising from the African flame He's the song of the forgiven He's the song of the forgiven Hooray He's the song of the feelings He's the song of the brokenestion Rising from the African flame Rising by the African Fire It's the song of the forgiven Drouting up the heavens nothing The song of an ancient Believer The awesome told Believers filled with God's holy fire.

[77:18] Every tribe, every tongue, every nation. The love's far born of a grateful one. It's all God's children singing glory, glory.

[77:34] Hallelujah. He reigns, he reigns. It's all God's children singing glory, glory. Hallelujah.

[77:46] He reigns, he reigns. Let it rise above the voice. Caught up in the heavenly sound.

[77:59] Let us know from the towers of the people. The faithful gatherer running around. The holy songs sung from the dawn of creation.

[78:15] It's all for men to persist. The holy pills run from a thousand stables. God reigns truer than theirs.

[78:29] It's all God's children singing glory, glory. Hallelujah. He reigns, he reigns.

[78:41] It's all God's children singing glory, glory. Hallelujah. He reigns, he reigns. All the power of darkness.

[78:56] All the power of darkness. Tremble in what they just heard. It's all God's children singing glory, glory. He reigns, he reigns. It's all God's children singing glory, glory.

[79:07] All the power of darkness. It's all God's children singing glory, glory. Hallelujah. He reigns, he reigns. He reigns. He reigns. One more time.

[79:18] He reigns. He reigns. He reigns. It's all God's children singing glory, glory. Hallelujah. He reigns.

[79:29] He reigns. One more time. It's all God's children singing glory, glory. Hallelujah. He reigns. He reigns. He reigns.

[79:41] He reigns. It's all God's children singing glory, glory. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. He reigns. He reigns. He reigns.

[80:08] So they've been working really hard the last couple of weeks to beat us in this song.

[80:27] So they've got some hand motions and some voices were nice and loud and strong. Feel free to join in and hand motions and turn it into a post. So the last two lines, right?

[81:08] Thank you. Thank you.

[81:22] Thank you. Thank you.

[81:36] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

[81:52] Thank you. It is energy that you and me, sister.

[82:20] It is energy that you and me, brother. In his days, we got the whole world in his hands. For the whole world in his hands, and he's got everybody here.

[82:39] In his days, we got everybody in his hands. It is true, it's got the whole world It is true, it's got the whole world It is true, it's got the whole world It's really not that hard, is it?

[83:33] It's not a hard truth to embrace, right? So I want us to do what some of us were a little hesitant to do while they were singing I really want you to put your hands together just like this I want you to remember that you are in fact held in God's hands Just like this I also want you to take your hands and just extend them to everybody around you Because the light shines through us to all God's children The light shines through us to all God's children We are indeed held Not only as individuals, but as all God's children We are held here It's a sign of how much God loves each and every one of us So as we come together today Knowing that truth Let us shine forth And let God shine forth through you 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

[84:34] Our Comforter and our Sustainer May God bless us as we leave to love and serve God And all God's children Amen Amen Embassy Thanks Thank you Most of the time We run Christian People Am I Even Thank you.

[85:27] Thank you.

[85:57] Thank you.