The Harvest

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Let's pray.

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God in heaven, thank you so much for

allowing us to be your people, God.

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Thank you for your love.

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Thank you for your mercy,

your goodness, your kindness.

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Thank you for bringing us

together as your people, Father.

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And we pray, Father, as we gather and

sing to you and worship you, that you will

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fill our hearts with your spirit, God.

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Be with all those visiting us,

whether they are Christians

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and just want to be encouraged.

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or visitors seeking and searching for you.

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God, we pray that they will see you in us

experience you and that the word will help

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them find you God and guide them along.

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Thank you so much God for all

that you do for each of us.

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And as we prepare to take communion

after this sermon, we pray God that

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we will take it in a manner that's

worthy and respectable and honors you.

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We're so grateful for Jesus.

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In his name we pray.

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Amen.

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Amen.

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Okay, we're working on it.

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We're working on it here.

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So, the harvest.

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That's today.

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We're celebrating the harvest.

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This is Harvest Sunday.

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Yeah, go ahead.

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We can cheer for Harvest Sunday.

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That's actually a big deal in the Bible.

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It's a big deal in Scriptures.

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To celebrate harvest.

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God commands it.

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God calls us to do that.

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And when I think of

harvest, I think of harvest.

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I think of Krispy Kreme

doughnuts, Krispy Kreme doughnuts.

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Raise your hand if you've

had a Krispy Kreme doughnut.

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Okay, so you know what I'm talking about.

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There's just, there's nothing

like Krispy Kreme doughnuts.

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They are unique.

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They are special.

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They're extra order.

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They're not like any other doughnut.

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They don't have yeast.

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You know, they're actually the healthiest

donut out there, you know, and now I

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know that's a sliding scale, right?

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That's, that's, but, but, but

they're, they're the better donut.

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If you're going to have a donut, you

want to have a Krispy Kreme donut.

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That's the one.

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Unfortunately, I can't have them

anymore, but you know, you can have them.

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And I remember how good they were.

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They were extraordinary.

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I want to read this to you about

a story about Krispy Kreme donuts.

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Oh, here we go.

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Here we go.

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We got slides.

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We got slides here.

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Let's see.

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Krispy Kreme doughnuts.

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Now you see them and your

mouth is starting to salivate.

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And now listen to my story.

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When you step out of your car in

a Krispy Kreme parking lot, the

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aroma beckons you inside the shop.

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At the big ones actually making doughnuts.

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That is not the small stores that

fake you out with their curbside

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appearance, but only import

doughnuts three or four times a day.

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And when you do step inside the green and

white doors, the fragrance of hot dough

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meets you and sugar envelops you in warmth

and then guides you over to the room

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making the machines making the doughnuts.

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Where you can look through the

length wall length window to watch

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the wonderful crispy doughnuts chain

make making a series of doughnuts, a

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machine busily at work and gradually

watching those doughnuts grow and pop

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up to become full size doughnut rings.

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Then suddenly they dive into

hot oil and their transformation

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from dough to Krispy Kremes.

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takes place like swimmers

in a backyard pool.

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They ease down their lanes of hot

oil, then quickly flip over to the

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Brown, to Brown their undersides.

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They trundle up a

conveyor, trundle mind you.

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They trundle up a conveyor

and finally parade through a

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grand sugar glazing waterfall.

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The taste is beyond compare.

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it.

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A donut so airy and amazingly light that

at a mere finger touch leaves a dent.

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You know what I'm talking about.

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But few fingerprints remain when

a dozen disappear in a blink.

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And no matter how many times a person

has eaten a Krispy Kreme donut, they

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still have that same joyful response.

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Biting into a new hot one.

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Something along the lines of

howdy, or wow, or good god.

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It all translates to the same

wonderful, magical, scrumptious thing.

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The extraordinary Krispy Kreme Donuts.

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You know what I'm talking about, right?

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Did I get you hungry now?

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Why does Krispy Kreme Donuts

remind me of the harvest?

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Because we We are the harvest

of God and because we are an

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extraordinary people to God.

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Not a normal donut, we're

an extraordinary donut.

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We are unique before God.

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The Bible tells us that we are different.

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The Bible tells us, which means the

Holy Spirit wrote this through Peter.

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He says you are a chosen people, a royal

priesthood, a holy nation, a people

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belonging to God that you may declare

the praises of him who called you out

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of darkness into his wonderful light.

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You're not just any people.

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You're not just ordinary people.

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You are extraordinary people.

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You realize that?

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Before God, you are extraordinary.

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You are special.

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You're his chosen people.

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He chose you.

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He chose you.

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He picked you to be here, to know him, to

live your life with him, to be filled with

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his love, to be filled with his spirit.

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He called you.

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You're not here by accident.

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The universe is not an accident.

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The universe has a creator.

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A designer who wanted you here

to know him, to be with him.

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You were chosen and that's always

really special to be chosen, right?

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I mean, all the way back to childhood,

when you were on the playground

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and the kids picked the teams,

the worst thing was to be picked

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last or to not be picked at all.

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And somebody just had

to take somebody, right?

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That was traumatizing.

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We're still working on

getting over that one.

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But yes, not you.

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God picked you.

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He chose you.

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He said, I want you on my team.

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I want you to be one of my people.

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One of those extraordinary people.

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You're a royal priesthood.

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You're not just a priesthood

of what's a priesthood.

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These are the people that

connect that were specially

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chosen to connect people to God.

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You're a royal priesthood.

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You're the priesthood of

Jesus, who is the king.

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You're the one that Jesus picked

to go reach out to everybody.

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To show them how good he is.

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To show the world that God is love.

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You're chosen.

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You're a royal priesthood.

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You are specially commissioned.

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You are specially given

orders to go and do this.

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Because God wants you

to fulfill that role.

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He says a holy nation.

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Not just any people.

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A people that He would form

a group, a nation out of.

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That would be in every nation.

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That would be in every country.

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That would be on every continent.

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And show the world who God is.

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How good He is.

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The truth of God.

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The love of God.

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A people belonging to God.

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Remember those old t shirts?

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People used to wear property of?

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That's us.

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Property of God.

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We belong to Him.

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We're His people.

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And I gladly say I belong to God.

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I belong to Jesus.

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I turned myself in, April 6, 1983.

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I said, I give myself to God.

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You remember that day

that you were baptized?

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And if you haven't had it,

get to it as soon as possible.

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Cause it's a day you will never forget

where you turn yourself in and you said,

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Jesus is Lord, meaning I belong to him.

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Now I'm one of his

people, his holy nation.

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And he, and we're given a job.

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He says to declare the praises of

him who called you out of darkness

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into his wonderful light, he gave us

a very special role in this world.

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To show the world the light.

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To show the world what it

means to love each other.

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In a world that is in darkness, full of

hate and fear, and all these issues, to

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be the people who show people how to love.

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How to overcome differences.

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How to forgive each other.

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How to be a light.

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How to give everyone hope.

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That's our job.

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He said, You, that's who you are.

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You're extraordinary.

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You're extraordinary.

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You're not like any other nation.

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You're not like any other people.

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You're God's people.

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And that is extraordinary.

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Do you feel that this morning?

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Do you see that?

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Do you know that?

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You need to.

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Because it is the truth.

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Before God it's the truth.

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It's how God sees you.

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And I know we have all kinds of

issues with identity, and how we

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see ourselves, and who we think

we are, but this is the truth.

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This is how God sees you.

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And we have to accept

that, because it's good.

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And it's so inspiring, and it's so

encouraging, how much God loves you.

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And how he chose you and

pulled you onto his team.

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This is how God works.

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Since the very beginning, he says,

the Lord did not set his affection

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on you and choose you because you

were more numerous than other people.

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For you were the fewest of all

peoples, but it was because the

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Lord loved you and kept the oath.

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He swore to your forefathers that

he brought you out of a mighty,

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with a mighty hand, redeemed you

from the land of slavery, from the

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power of Pharaoh, king of Egypt.

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Know, therefore, that

the Lord your God is God.

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He is the faithful God, keeping

His covenant of love to a thousand

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generations of those who love

Him and keep His commands.

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And I know this is Old Testament, this

is when God was calling the Jews out

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of Egypt, but it's recorded for us.

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Because we're the thousand

generations afterwards.

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We're the people who still love God.

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Raise your hand if you love God.

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That's us then!

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That's us!

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That he's talking about.

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He chose us.

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Not because you're the most numerous.

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Not because you're the best looking.

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Not because you're the most educated.

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Not because you got the best

dance moves on the floor.

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Not because you got the most money.

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He chose you because he loves you.

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He knows you.

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Better than anybody.

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Better than you do!

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You do.

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He knows me better than I know me.

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And yet, he loves me.

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And chose me.

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We are his harvest.

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We are his harvest.

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We are the fruit of the

labor that has happened.

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We are what has been produced out

of thousands of years of labor.

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to bring about a special

people, a holy nation.

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That is so awesome.

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And we're to celebrate that in Exodus 34.

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God told him said celebrate the festival

of weeks with the first fruits of

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the wheat harvest and festival of in

gathering at the turn of the year.

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God loves to party.

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God loves to celebrate.

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God doesn't want a bunch of

religious people hanging their

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heads, feeling bad about themselves

all the time, guilt ridden.

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That's not how God operates.

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That's not who He is.

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Jesus came to set us free.

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The fruit of the Spirit.

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Love.

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Joy.

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Joy.

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To be happy, to rejoice, to enjoy

this life that God has given us.

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He commanded them to celebrate.

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He said, get out there and party.

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Get out there and rejoice.

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Get out there and have

fun with each other.

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Enjoy these, look at

these people around you.

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I know they're, they're problematic.

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But he wants you to enjoy them.

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Have fun with them.

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Give somebody a high five.

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Go ahead, give somebody a high five.

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Tell them how glad you are they're here.

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You see, sometimes, sometimes we

forget, sometimes we forget how

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special it is to be a Christian.

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Sometimes we forget how special

it is to be God's people.

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We get all caught up in the problems

of the world, or we get all caught

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up in the problems of the church, or

the problems of our family, or the

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problems of our kids, or the problems

of our parents, or the problems of our

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cousin, or the problems of the neighbor.

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We just get all caught up in problems.

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And so he would command them, take a

time to celebrate the fruit of the labor.

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The fruit of all you've done.

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And that's what a harvest is.

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It's where you celebrate the

fruit of all that we have done.

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A lot of us, man, we've been

Christians for, we've been

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Christians longer than God.

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I mean, we've been around forever.

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We've been to church

more times than Jesus.

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I mean, we've just, all those years of

sacrifice and self denial and giving

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admissions and showing up and getting

up early and having quiet times.

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When somebody else is sleeping in and

getting another half hour of sleep.

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All those times of self

denial and saying no to sin.

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There's a harvest that comes from that.

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And he wants us to celebrate that harvest.

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Not everybody gets it.

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He says, Sluggards do not plow in season.

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So at harvest time, they

look and find nothing.

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Nothing.

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Because they didn't do this.

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They didn't give their hearts to God.

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They didn't deny themselves.

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God says in the, one of the many parables

Jesus tells about sowing and harvesting.

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He told a lot of those.

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He also said this is what

the kingdom of God is like.

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A man scatters seed on the ground

night and day whether he sleeps or

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gets up, the seed sprouts and grows.

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Who makes things grow?

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God makes things grow.

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And God is always working and God

is always moving and he's working.

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He's working before you get there.

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He's working while you're there.

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He's working after you leave.

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He's working in ways we don't see him

in ways that we don't even know, but

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God is always working for us night

and day, whether he sleeps or gets

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up, the seed sprouts and grows, though

he does not know how all by itself.

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The soil produces grain, first

the stock and then the head,

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then the full kernel in the head.

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As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the

sickle to it because the harvest has come.

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You are his harvest.

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God has worked so hard to

get us to where we are now.

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To get us so that we would know him.

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To get us so that we would be with him.

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That we would walk with him.

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That we would realize the

extraordinary gift he has given us

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of making us an extraordinary people.

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A people that belong to him.

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Jesus told lots of

parables about harvesting.

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He said, then he told them many

things in parables saying, A

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farmer went out to sow a seed.

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As he was scattering the seed,

some fell along the path and

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birds came and ate it up.

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Some fell on rocky places where

it did not have much soil.

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It's sprang up quickly

because the soil was shallow.

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But when the sun came up, the

plants were scorched and they

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withered because they had no root.

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Other seed fell among thorns which

grew up and choked the plants.

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Still other seeds fell on good soil

where it produced a crop a hundred

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sixty or thirty times what was sown.

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Whoever has ears, let them hear.

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This is actually a parable of the harvest.

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He said there's four hearts.

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It's the last one who has a harvest.

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It's the last one that is

different, that's distinct.

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It's not like anything else.

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In all, in the whole universe, I mean,

everything God sets up, there's sowing,

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there's watering, there's working

it, and then there's harvesting.

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And it's the same thing with Him.

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God is sowing His Word into your hearts.

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He's doing it right now

as we read this scripture.

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That heart is, that's, that Word of

God is either entering us and changing

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us or it's bouncing off, right?

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: 00:17:55

It's, it's doing something and he goes

on, he says, he says, as he explains

349

: 00:18:00

it, he says, because the knowledge of

the secrets of the kingdom of heaven

350

: 00:18:04

has been given to you, but not to them.

351

: 00:18:06

Whoever has will be given more

and they will have an abundance.

352

: 00:18:10

Whoever does not have even what

they have will be taken from them.

353

: 00:18:14

I never understood this scripture.

354

: 00:18:16

I thought that's not fair.

355

: 00:18:18

The guy who's only got a little bit is

going to get it taken away from him.

356

: 00:18:22

That doesn't seem fair, but I realize

that we have as much as we want from God.

357

: 00:18:29

Because it all depends on

us sowing into the Lord.

358

: 00:18:33

It all depends on us

giving him our hearts.

359

: 00:18:37

And God will bless us with so much.

360

: 00:18:40

And he says that the knowledge of the

kingdom, most people just don't get it.

361

: 00:18:45

Most people don't understand it.

362

: 00:18:46

And he goes on to keep that.

363

: 00:18:48

We're still in Matthew 13.

364

: 00:18:49

Jesus!

365

: 00:18:49

Though seeing they do not see, though

hearing they do not hear or understand.

366

: 00:18:53

In them is fulfilled

the prophecy of Isaiah.

367

: 00:18:56

You will be ever hearing

but never understanding.

368

: 00:18:58

You will be ever seeing

but never perceiving.

369

: 00:19:01

For this people's heart

has become callous.

370

: 00:19:03

They hardly hear with their ears

and they have closed their eyes.

371

: 00:19:07

Otherwise they might see with their eyes,

hear with their ears, and understand with

372

: 00:19:13

their hearts, and turn, and I would hear.

373

: 00:19:18

God always knew we need healing.

374

: 00:19:25

We need to be healed.

375

: 00:19:29

We're a broken people.

376

: 00:19:31

We're hurting people.

377

: 00:19:33

We're suffering people.

378

: 00:19:35

How do I know that?

379

: 00:19:37

Because it's true of every

human being on this planet.

380

: 00:19:40

In different ways, but all

of us need to be healed.

381

: 00:19:45

But blessed are your eyes.

382

: 00:19:48

Because they see and your ears because

they hear they hear and they understand

383

: 00:20:00

they get it though seeing they do not

see though hearing they do not hear

384

: 00:20:05

or understand in them is fulfilled the

prophecy of Isaiah you will be ever

385

: 00:20:10

hearing but never understand bottom

line is most people don't get it they

386

: 00:20:14

don't Most people will not get no man.

387

: 00:20:17

You can explain it until you turn blue.

388

: 00:20:19

They're not going to get it because

it takes a level of honesty.

389

: 00:20:26

It takes a level of humility to

recognize where I'm at to see my

390

: 00:20:33

needs, to see my errors, to see my

weakness requires a scary level of

391

: 00:20:40

honesty and most people won't go there.

392

: 00:20:45

And many people can't go there.

393

: 00:20:48

Because they see God as

a judgmental, harsh God.

394

: 00:20:51

They don't want to get open and honest.

395

: 00:20:53

They're afraid He'll just,

He'll just condemn them.

396

: 00:20:56

It's why people need to

know who God really is.

397

: 00:21:00

That He is the God of, He is love.

398

: 00:21:03

He's not very loving.

399

: 00:21:04

The Bible says He is love.

400

: 00:21:08

And this is why it's so important that we

share our faith and I don't mean invite

401

: 00:21:12

people to church That's a good thing.

402

: 00:21:14

But sharing our faith is sharing

what we know about God That he is

403

: 00:21:19

good That he is love that he is mercy

that he is forgiving no matter what

404

: 00:21:26

you've done God will forgive it repent

Change okay, that's you know, repent.

405

: 00:21:33

That's one of those scary words I

used to always think when you say

406

: 00:21:36

repent, you have to say repent.

407

: 00:21:40

You have to say it with a southern

accent, southern preacher accent.

408

: 00:21:44

You can be bro, I think

you just need to repent.

409

: 00:21:49

It's a big scary word.

410

: 00:21:51

All it means, all it means is change.

411

: 00:21:55

It means come back to God, literally.

412

: 00:21:58

You guys all know the Greek word metanoia

means change, but how about the Hebrew

413

: 00:22:02

word from which the Greek word came.

414

: 00:22:05

It just means come back.

415

: 00:22:07

Turn around.

416

: 00:22:09

Turn around.

417

: 00:22:10

That song we, we sang is

such a beautiful song.

418

: 00:22:13

My favorite song.

419

: 00:22:15

The Lord is my shepherd.

420

: 00:22:16

I lack nothing.

421

: 00:22:17

He makes me lie down in green pastures.

422

: 00:22:20

And He leads me in my quiet waters.

423

: 00:22:22

He restores my soul.

424

: 00:22:24

Guess what that word is in Hebrew?

425

: 00:22:27

He turns me around.

426

: 00:22:28

He shoves me.

427

: 00:22:30

He brings me back to Him.

428

: 00:22:32

He This is what people don't get.

429

: 00:22:35

God is so good.

430

: 00:22:37

God is so good.

431

: 00:22:41

And so they see, but do not see.

432

: 00:22:45

They hear, but do not, they

listen, but they do not hear.

433

: 00:22:48

They have shut him out.

434

: 00:22:52

Ever hearing, but never getting it.

435

: 00:22:55

But he said, but blessed are your eyes.

436

: 00:22:58

Blessed are your ears.

437

: 00:23:00

Because you heard, And you responded.

438

: 00:23:05

You listened and you understood.

439

: 00:23:09

And you responded to God.

440

: 00:23:13

Extraordinary.

441

: 00:23:15

Not like everyone else.

442

: 00:23:16

Most people, they don't understand

what the kingdom of God is.

443

: 00:23:20

They don't understand the church.

444

: 00:23:23

They expect to be some perfect

group of people that do

445

: 00:23:26

everything right all the time.

446

: 00:23:27

And nobody can live up to that pressure.

447

: 00:23:30

And it certainly doesn't happen.

448

: 00:23:31

You only have to be here

more than about 15 minutes.

449

: 00:23:33

And you begin to realize

that there are problems.

450

: 00:23:39

Most people don't understand

what it means to be a Christian.

451

: 00:23:43

They think it, it means you belong

to a church or you belong to a group

452

: 00:23:46

or, or, or you celebrate Christmas,

or you don't say happy holidays.

453

: 00:23:50

You say Merry Christmas.

454

: 00:23:51

They think things that, yeah, okay.

455

: 00:23:54

They apply, but so much deeper than that.

456

: 00:23:57

What it means to be a disciple of Jesus.

457

: 00:24:01

The word, the Bible uses that you

make the choice to follow Jesus in

458

: 00:24:06

everything, including mind and heart,

not allowing myself to be like the world,

459

: 00:24:15

but following Jesus eyes fixed on

him heart set on things of above and

460

: 00:24:23

the things that God has said, what

it means to have a spiritual life.

461

: 00:24:28

That you walk with your creator, that

you listen to the Holy Spirit, that

462

: 00:24:34

you are empowered by him to overcome

fear and anger and temptation,

463

: 00:24:42

that you live in the Holy Spirit.

464

: 00:24:45

Most people don't understand

what it means to follow Jesus.

465

: 00:24:48

What does that mean to

fix your eyes on him?

466

: 00:24:51

What does it mean in the

morning when you get up?

467

: 00:24:53

What does it mean in the afternoon

when somebody insults you?

468

: 00:24:56

What does it mean when somebody

hurts your feelings, when somebody

469

: 00:25:01

disappoints you, when somebody

says something that's judgmental

470

: 00:25:05

and mean to you, to follow Jesus.

471

: 00:25:10

What does it mean to

live your life with God?

472

: 00:25:15

Though hearing, they do not understand.

473

: 00:25:19

Though seeing, they do not

perceive what God has done.

474

: 00:25:23

The fourth heart in that parable.

475

: 00:25:26

It's the heart that got it.

476

: 00:25:28

It says, but the seed falling on

the good soil refers to someone who

477

: 00:25:32

hears the word and understands it.

478

: 00:25:35

Understand that understanding

it takes effort, right?

479

: 00:25:39

Remember the first time you opened

your Bible and started reading?

480

: 00:25:41

What in the world?

481

: 00:25:43

And most everybody starts in Revelation.

482

: 00:25:45

Are you kidding me?

483

: 00:25:47

My hardest book in the

Bible to understand.

484

: 00:25:49

That's where everybody wants to start.

485

: 00:25:51

What are the seven beasts, you know?

486

: 00:25:53

Don't worry about that.

487

: 00:25:55

You focus on Jesus

488

: 00:25:59

but here's the incredible thing is You

don't have to have Bible education.

489

: 00:26:05

Yeah, I said that You don't have

to have a degree in theology.

490

: 00:26:10

You don't need to read Greek or Hebrew You

know what love is You know what it means

491

: 00:26:17

to have faith You know, these are basic

concepts that he teaches us And anybody

492

: 00:26:26

can understand it if they put the effort.

493

: 00:26:32

But if they don't, we

won't the fourth heart.

494

: 00:26:35

I'm sure the first heart, you guys know,

it didn't even listen and said, that's

495

: 00:26:40

the one that seeds bounced off and you can

say, well, isn't that the non Christian?

496

: 00:26:45

Cause we always use this for

Bible talks to reach out to

497

: 00:26:47

people who aren't Christians,

but it wasn't written for them.

498

: 00:26:50

It was written for us.

499

: 00:26:51

It wasn't spoken for them.

500

: 00:26:53

It was spoken for you and me.

501

: 00:26:55

To check our hearts To make sure that

when I hear the Word of God, is it

502

: 00:27:00

penetrating or is it bouncing off?

503

: 00:27:04

And people it can bounce off

for a lot of different reasons.

504

: 00:27:07

Maybe somebody had a bad

experience Maybe somebody got hurt.

505

: 00:27:11

Maybe somebody got disillusioned.

506

: 00:27:13

Maybe somebody prayed for something and

it didn't happen The heart can harden

507

: 00:27:18

for many reasons And here's the thing is,

it's probably not the person who refuses

508

: 00:27:23

to come to church or go to a Bible talk.

509

: 00:27:26

Because this person is where

the seed is being scattered.

510

: 00:27:29

This is the person at church who

doesn't let it penetrate anymore.

511

: 00:27:35

And it could be because they

think they know it already.

512

: 00:27:37

Oh come on bro, parable of the sower,

I've done that Bible talk 30 times.

513

: 00:27:43

It could be that they've

been hurt and they're angry.

514

: 00:27:46

It could be.

515

: 00:27:46

It could be that they're in sin

and their heart is hardened.

516

: 00:27:50

They're living a double life.

517

: 00:27:52

There's a lot of reasons, but

it's not the person outside.

518

: 00:27:55

It's the person in the church

that isn't letting the Word of

519

: 00:28:00

God open their heart anymore.

520

: 00:28:02

That isn't being changed by it.

521

: 00:28:03

And the second one, that one

just didn't pay attention.

522

: 00:28:07

That one, it says he

accepted it with glee.

523

: 00:28:10

In the early days, this person

was fired up, using our language.

524

: 00:28:15

This person was excited,

but they dug no roots.

525

: 00:28:19

They got too busy.

526

: 00:28:20

They didn't have time for quiet times.

527

: 00:28:22

They didn't have time to

read Bible study books.

528

: 00:28:24

They didn't have time to get in there.

529

: 00:28:26

They cut short their prayer life.

530

: 00:28:27

They were always on the go, always

wishing they had more time and

531

: 00:28:32

therefore became shallow in their faith.

532

: 00:28:35

And you know what?

533

: 00:28:36

When you're not digging into scripture,

when you're not praying, when you're

534

: 00:28:39

not fighting for your quiet time.

535

: 00:28:43

They slip away and it doesn't, and

it isn't like, I always wish, I

536

: 00:28:47

thought, I wish that there was some

way that spirituality was physical.

537

: 00:28:51

Like we'd all get taller or

green or blue or something.

538

: 00:28:54

You know, . So you could tell

with somebody walking, bro, you

539

: 00:28:57

haven't had quiet time in days.

540

: 00:28:59

Let me help you.

541

: 00:29:02

But they don't look any different.

542

: 00:29:05

However, they do act different.

543

: 00:29:09

When they get hurt, they get mad.

544

: 00:29:12

Well, everybody gets mad, but they

get overcome with their anger.

545

: 00:29:16

They can't overcome it.

546

: 00:29:18

When they get tempted, they

get drug away and re enslaved.

547

: 00:29:23

Not an obvious difference.

548

: 00:29:25

But time reveals it.

549

: 00:29:28

How they act shows it.

550

: 00:29:30

No roots.

551

: 00:29:32

No time.

552

: 00:29:33

Too distracted.

553

: 00:29:34

The third one, of course,

this is the tragic one.

554

: 00:29:37

Cause they were doing great at one time.

555

: 00:29:41

They let the word sink in

and change their lives.

556

: 00:29:44

They were out there serving God.

557

: 00:29:46

They were busy for the Lord.

558

: 00:29:47

They were serving and sacrifice.

559

: 00:29:49

They were doing awesome,

560

: 00:29:54

but their faith got choked out.

561

: 00:29:57

And he says the deceitfulness of wealth.

562

: 00:29:59

In the worries of life.

563

: 00:30:01

This is a tragic one.

564

: 00:30:03

Once upon a time they had great impact.

565

: 00:30:06

Once upon a time they were

rejoicing in the Lord.

566

: 00:30:08

Once upon a time they were having

a great time as Christians.

567

: 00:30:13

But the worries of life, which is what?

568

: 00:30:15

Fear.

569

: 00:30:18

Consumed them.

570

: 00:30:20

And there's a lot of things

to be afraid of in this world.

571

: 00:30:23

In our world right now,

we're in scary times.

572

: 00:30:27

It's scary out there.

573

: 00:30:31

And if you're not rooted in

the word of God, you will get

574

: 00:30:34

chewed up and spit out by fear.

575

: 00:30:38

We get destroyed.

576

: 00:30:38

This one got destroyed.

577

: 00:30:41

Because he didn't have the roots.

578

: 00:30:42

And roots, you know how roots are.

579

: 00:30:44

You got to keep watering them.

580

: 00:30:46

You got to keep feeding

them or the roots die.

581

: 00:30:51

You got to keep expanding or you

become root bound and the plant die.

582

: 00:30:57

You got to keep growing and this is

the one that once upon a time they were

583

: 00:31:02

growing But they don't grow anymore.

584

: 00:31:05

It's the saddest one to me Because

they were so close and then of course

585

: 00:31:09

the last one Unlike this one's unique.

586

: 00:31:12

This one's extraordinary Unlike the first

heart they kept their heart soft Unlike

587

: 00:31:19

the second heart they kept guarding

their quiet times their Bible study

588

: 00:31:23

their prayer their meditation on the

Word of God They kept in there with God

589

: 00:31:28

Unlike the third heart when stuff came

up when the rocks in the and this junk

590

: 00:31:32

came in their heart They got rid of it.

591

: 00:31:33

They confessed their sin.

592

: 00:31:35

They dealt with their sin they were

open and honest so all this junk that

593

: 00:31:40

kills a Christian was removed and

They kept growing And the one thing he

594

: 00:31:47

says is, therefore, they understood.

595

: 00:31:51

They got it.

596

: 00:31:53

They got it.

597

: 00:31:54

Even in hard times, even in difficulties,

even in dangerous times, they were okay.

598

: 00:32:01

Because they had the roots.

599

: 00:32:03

They had the strength.

600

: 00:32:06

They understood.

601

: 00:32:07

Understanding is huge.

602

: 00:32:09

Jesus said to the crowds,

away from me, you evildoers.

603

: 00:32:12

I never knew you.

604

: 00:32:14

Understanding Jesus, understanding

what he's looking for.

605

: 00:32:20

They got it.

606

: 00:32:22

They got it.

607

: 00:32:23

They're special.

608

: 00:32:25

They're unique.

609

: 00:32:27

Their choice.

610

: 00:32:27

They're not for the record, not

more talented, not more educated,

611

: 00:32:32

not prettier, not handsomer.

612

: 00:32:35

I know some of us think

we are, but no, no, no.

613

: 00:32:37

There's always somebody

out there prettier.

614

: 00:32:39

There's always somebody

out there more handsome.

615

: 00:32:41

Somebody out there richer,

somebody out there poorer,

616

: 00:32:43

somebody out there more religious.

617

: 00:32:45

They're not even the

most religious people.

618

: 00:32:47

There's a lot of religious

people that don't get it.

619

: 00:32:51

Don't get it.

620

: 00:32:54

They demand righteousness

in a very unrighteous way.

621

: 00:33:00

With hearts given over

to anger and bitterness.

622

: 00:33:03

Instead of having compassion and mercy.

623

: 00:33:07

The things Jesus was looking for.

624

: 00:33:10

That's extraordinary.

625

: 00:33:13

There aren't a lot of people

in the world like this.

626

: 00:33:15

There aren't a lot of

people who care this much.

627

: 00:33:19

They do fine in the harvest laws.

628

: 00:33:21

You know, harvest has laws.

629

: 00:33:23

There are laws in the harvest.

630

: 00:33:25

2nd Corinthians 9 says,

remember this, whoever sows

631

: 00:33:27

sparingly also reaps sparingly.

632

: 00:33:30

Whoever sows generously

will also reap generously.

633

: 00:33:33

If we put the time into our

relationship with God, we harvest.

634

: 00:33:38

From a great relationship with God.

635

: 00:33:40

If we put the priority to pray and walk

with God, we reap a harvest from God.

636

: 00:33:49

If we give God our hearts

generously, God, I'm all in.

637

: 00:33:56

I'm yours.

638

: 00:33:59

We reap from God and no matter what,

this world dishes out and lemme tell

639

: 00:34:06

you something that you already know.

640

: 00:34:09

The world is harsh.

641

: 00:34:12

The world is ugly and I'm

not a negative downer person.

642

: 00:34:16

I just know what's going on out there.

643

: 00:34:19

I know what's happening.

644

: 00:34:23

It's not good.

645

: 00:34:25

This week is going to be a

scary week for a lot of people.

646

: 00:34:29

There's a lot of bad stuff happening.

647

: 00:34:31

There's a lot of bad stuff being said.

648

: 00:34:35

We are extraordinary.

649

: 00:34:38

We love.

650

: 00:34:40

We give, we serve, we love everybody.

651

: 00:34:46

Amen.

652

: 00:34:48

Law of the harvest, you

get what you put in.

653

: 00:34:52

Do not be deceived.

654

: 00:34:53

God cannot be mocked.

655

: 00:34:54

Nobody's gonna fool God.

656

: 00:34:56

There's no shortcuts.

657

: 00:34:58

God knows what we're putting

into our relationship with him.

658

: 00:35:01

God knows whether we're prior to

somebody can say, Oh baby, I love you.

659

: 00:35:05

But you know if he loves you or not.

660

: 00:35:09

We're not stupid and God isn't

stupid We say Jesus is Lord,

661

: 00:35:13

but he knows if he's Lord or not

662

: 00:35:17

Do not be deceived.

663

: 00:35:18

God cannot be mocked a man reaps what he

sows Whoever sows to please their flesh

664

: 00:35:23

the from the flesh will reap destruction

Whoever sows to please the spirit From

665

: 00:35:30

the spirit will reap eternal life Let

us not become weary in doing good for at

666

: 00:35:35

the proper time We will reap a harvest

if we do not Don't give up, don't quit,

667

: 00:35:44

don't quit, not even a little bit.

668

: 00:35:47

Sometimes we don't, we don't

do the big dramatic quit.

669

: 00:35:49

I'm out of here.

670

: 00:35:51

Sometimes we do the little quit.

671

: 00:35:53

I'm just not saying anything.

672

: 00:35:55

I'm just not giving my heart anymore.

673

: 00:35:57

I'm just not going to love anymore.

674

: 00:36:00

I'm just not going to serve because

I know those people got problems and

675

: 00:36:04

they're probably going to hurt me or

disappoint me or do something stupid.

676

: 00:36:07

And I'm not contributing to stupidity.

677

: 00:36:13

Very much like the world.

678

: 00:36:17

Thank God Jesus didn't have that attitude.

679

: 00:36:20

Jesus was, I know they're evil, but

I'm going to die for them anyways.

680

: 00:36:25

I know they're messed up and

they're weak, but I'm going to go

681

: 00:36:30

to the cross for them to save them.

682

: 00:36:34

Why?

683

: 00:36:34

Because his actions weren't

based on our goodness.

684

: 00:36:40

His actions.

685

: 00:36:41

We're based on God's goodness.

686

: 00:36:44

That's what makes

Christians extraordinary.

687

: 00:36:47

Extraordinary.

688

: 00:36:50

What we sow, we reap.

689

: 00:36:53

We sow hate, we reap hate.

690

: 00:36:55

We sow love, we will reap love.

691

: 00:36:57

We sow anger, we will reap anger.

692

: 00:37:00

We sow mercy, we will reap mercy.

693

: 00:37:03

We sow fear and we will reap fear.

694

: 00:37:05

And the challenging part of this

is it doesn't happen right away.

695

: 00:37:10

Sometimes you sow love

and nobody loves back.

696

: 00:37:15

And you're like, man, what the heck?

697

: 00:37:20

Hang in there.

698

: 00:37:21

Don't quit.

699

: 00:37:23

You're planting seeds.

700

: 00:37:24

Judge each day by not by the fruit

it bears, but by the seeds you plant.

701

: 00:37:30

What am I planting?

702

: 00:37:32

Because that's what I'm going

to harvest down the road.

703

: 00:37:35

The world Sows hate, prejudice,

fear, panic, lies, deceit, anger,

704

: 00:37:42

bitterness, apathy, unbelief.

705

: 00:37:44

You don't believe me?

706

: 00:37:45

You think I'm being negative?

707

: 00:37:46

Turn on the news.

708

: 00:37:48

This is the world.

709

: 00:37:50

You want it?

710

: 00:37:52

You can have it.

711

: 00:37:52

I don't want it.

712

: 00:37:54

I want the kingdom of God.

713

: 00:37:56

And I know we struggle.

714

: 00:37:58

I know all weaknesses.

715

: 00:38:01

I know my own.

716

: 00:38:03

But God is good.

717

: 00:38:06

And if I keep sowing love.

718

: 00:38:10

It's what I'm reaping already.

719

: 00:38:12

The Krispy Kreme people,

720

: 00:38:16

they sow love, they sow kindness,

even, even when they get hurt or

721

: 00:38:23

disappointed or disillusioned or they

get left behind or they get forgotten,

722

: 00:38:27

they keep sowing love and it works.

723

: 00:38:32

Maybe not the first week, maybe not the

first year, but I guarantee you they will.

724

: 00:38:38

God is not a liar.

725

: 00:38:39

God will not be mocked.

726

: 00:38:41

It's so peace in goodness, bro.

727

: 00:38:44

Chill out.

728

: 00:38:44

It's okay.

729

: 00:38:45

We'll get there.

730

: 00:38:46

We'll be all right.

731

: 00:38:49

Sister.

732

: 00:38:49

Don't worry.

733

: 00:38:51

Trust God that people are evil.

734

: 00:38:54

Yeah, they are, but God is good.

735

: 00:38:57

God is good.

736

: 00:38:58

So truth and honesty.

737

: 00:39:02

Yeah, you messed up, but the

truth is I messed up too.

738

: 00:39:07

So I'm nobody to judge you.

739

: 00:39:09

I want you to change, but

I know I need to change.

740

: 00:39:13

So maybe I should deal with the

plank in my own eye before I

741

: 00:39:15

worry about the one in yours.

742

: 00:39:20

They sow truth.

743

: 00:39:21

They sow honesty.

744

: 00:39:22

They sow forgiveness.

745

: 00:39:24

It's easy to forgive when

you know you're a sinner.

746

: 00:39:26

When you know you've messed up, but

when you think you're better than

747

: 00:39:29

other people, it's hard to forgive.

748

: 00:39:33

It's easy to sow faith and

trust when we know God.

749

: 00:39:36

That's what the Krispy Kreme people do.

750

: 00:39:40

They sow joy and goodness.

751

: 00:39:45

This is awesome.

752

: 00:39:47

Say, but Robert, you

don't know my Bible talk.

753

: 00:39:50

There's so many messed up people.

754

: 00:39:51

They're uncommitted, they're

sinful, they're weak.

755

: 00:39:54

Yeah, I know, but it's still awesome.

756

: 00:39:56

Because every one of them

was made in God's image.

757

: 00:39:58

And as long as they're coming and

listening to God's word, there's hope.

758

: 00:40:04

There's hope for me.

759

: 00:40:06

There's hope for you.

760

: 00:40:07

There's hope.

761

: 00:40:08

Whoever sows to please the

spirit, what do they reap?

762

: 00:40:11

Love, joy, peace, patience,

kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

763

: 00:40:17

gentleness, and self control.

764

: 00:40:20

That's a life.

765

: 00:40:21

I want to close out with this story.

766

: 00:40:25

There was a very wealthy man who was

very talented, very smart, had the

767

: 00:40:31

best education, started a business

that just thrived, made lots of money.

768

: 00:40:37

He was doing really

well, loved his business.

769

: 00:40:40

But then he met this young

lady and he fell in love head

770

: 00:40:45

over heels, totally in love.

771

: 00:40:48

And she became his love.

772

: 00:40:52

And they got married.

773

: 00:40:55

They had a home together.

774

: 00:40:57

They were living life, a very

good life together in love.

775

: 00:41:02

She got pregnant.

776

: 00:41:05

She gave birth to a beautiful little boy.

777

: 00:41:08

But unfortunately, she

passed away in the birth.

778

: 00:41:13

And the dad, the father, the

husband, was grief stricken.

779

: 00:41:18

He was broken hearted, but he

poured all his love into his

780

: 00:41:21

son, whom he loved so much.

781

: 00:41:26

But unfortunately, when he was still a

child, his son got sick and also died.

782

: 00:41:34

And the man was left alone, in his

beautiful mansion with all his, he

783

: 00:41:38

was an art collector, he had beautiful

art collections, and cars, and things

784

: 00:41:43

that every man envies and wants.

785

: 00:41:47

And he lived the rest of his life alone.

786

: 00:41:50

And when he passed, because

he had no children, his entire

787

: 00:41:53

estate went up for auction.

788

: 00:41:57

And on the day of the auction, they had a

huge auction, and hundreds of people came.

789

: 00:42:03

They wanted the artworks, the cars,

the furniture, all the stuff he had.

790

: 00:42:08

And the first thing they put on the block

was this painting of the little boy.

791

: 00:42:13

And they said, who would

start the bidding at 500?

792

: 00:42:16

Nobody.

793

: 00:42:17

Put their hand up.

794

: 00:42:19

He said, okay, 400, nobody.

795

: 00:42:22

300, nobody.

796

: 00:42:24

200, nobody.

797

: 00:42:26

It's the painting of his son.

798

: 00:42:29

100, nobody.

799

: 00:42:31

And the little old guy in the

back of the room raised his hand.

800

: 00:42:34

He was the gardener.

801

: 00:42:37

And the gardener loved this little boy.

802

: 00:42:41

He taught him how to plant seeds,

and how to grow plants, and how

803

: 00:42:45

to harvest his little garden.

804

: 00:42:48

He loved the little boy,

and he wanted the painting.

805

: 00:42:50

He couldn't afford it, but he went

ahead and spent a hundred dollars.

806

: 00:42:55

And so the auctioneer asked anybody

else anybody, you know, and they said

807

: 00:43:00

nobody raised a hand He said sold to

the man in the back for 100 And then

808

: 00:43:06

he took the book that had all the

items listed And he closed the book.

809

: 00:43:11

He said that concludes the

auction And everybody's like whoa.

810

: 00:43:15

Whoa.

811

: 00:43:15

Whoa, everybody was upset He said

the man left it clearly stated

812

: 00:43:20

in his will that whoever got

the boy painting got everything

813

: 00:43:26

Let me tell you something.

814

: 00:43:29

If you get it, if you get

Jesus, if you get the kingdom

815

: 00:43:34

of God, you get everything.

816

: 00:43:37

God bless you.

817

: 00:43:48

A prayer for communion.

818

: 00:43:49

Sorry.

819

: 00:43:50

I got excited.

820

: 00:43:57

Father God,

821

: 00:44:00

God, we get it.

822

: 00:44:03

We get how loving you are.

823

: 00:44:05

How wonderful you are.

824

: 00:44:06

Amen.

825

: 00:44:08

How good you are.

826

: 00:44:10

We get the value of your son.

827

: 00:44:13

And by having your son, we get everything.

828

: 00:44:16

Help us, God, in our weakness.

829

: 00:44:19

Help us in our sin.

830

: 00:44:21

Forgive us our sins.

831

: 00:44:24

Help us to love, to serve, to give,

to sacrifice, to be a light first

832

: 00:44:34

in our homes, With our families

and our children and our parents.

833

: 00:44:40

Help us to be a light in the church

and to love and to give and to

834

: 00:44:45

serve and to to be like Jesus.

835

: 00:44:49

Help us to be a light to the whole world.

836

: 00:44:51

God.

837

: 00:44:53

To know who we are to know

that we are a royal priesthood.

838

: 00:44:58

A chosen people a holy nation.

839

: 00:45:02

Help us.

840

: 00:45:03

To shine brightly, especially in our

world right now that is so in trouble.

841

: 00:45:10

Help us to show them the

extraordinary faith we have.

842

: 00:45:16

Help us to be extraordinary.

843

: 00:45:18

We know God that Jesus was

extraordinary for each of us.

844

: 00:45:24

He died that we could live that we

could be set free, that we could

845

: 00:45:30

live this life you've We thank you

for his body as we eat this bread.

846

: 00:45:37

We thank you for his blood

as we drink this cup.

847

: 00:45:41

We thank you for the forgiveness

it represents and the power

848

: 00:45:45

to overcome that it grants us.

849

: 00:45:47

In his name, we pray.

850

: 00:45:48

Amen.