1 00:00:02,440 --> 00:00:05,000 Crossing family, it is so good to be with you all and welcome 2 00:00:05,000 --> 00:00:07,520 those of you joining at our different locations, those of 3 00:00:07,520 --> 00:00:10,800 you watching online and we want to send a very special welcome 4 00:00:11,080 --> 00:00:12,680 to those of you who are part of the crossing. 5 00:00:12,680 --> 00:00:16,000 Inside we are celebrating all the baptisms that happened this 6 00:00:16,000 --> 00:00:18,640 past month. We believe in you, we are 7 00:00:18,640 --> 00:00:21,320 rooting for you, and I had some great conversations with some 8 00:00:21,320 --> 00:00:24,200 pastors this week about some cool things that we might be 9 00:00:24,200 --> 00:00:26,640 able to partner with those of you on the inside to be able to 10 00:00:26,640 --> 00:00:29,440 accomplish more on that in the future. 11 00:00:29,680 --> 00:00:32,520 I also want to welcome those of you who are new here and have 12 00:00:32,520 --> 00:00:34,040 not stopped by the New Here booth. 13 00:00:34,040 --> 00:00:36,720 I want to tell you before you leave today, I would love it at 14 00:00:36,720 --> 00:00:39,120 all of our different lobbies if you'd go out and meet some of 15 00:00:39,120 --> 00:00:41,640 the incredible people at our New Here booth because we have a 16 00:00:41,720 --> 00:00:44,240 gift for you. Before I get into the message, I 17 00:00:44,240 --> 00:00:46,760 have a special announcement I want to kind of walk you 18 00:00:46,760 --> 00:00:49,000 through. You know, but as a church, our 19 00:00:49,000 --> 00:00:51,520 mission is to help people find an intimate, personal 20 00:00:51,520 --> 00:00:55,280 relationship with Jesus Christ. Our desire is to make this 21 00:00:55,280 --> 00:00:58,280 region where you and I live the hardest place on planet earth to 22 00:00:58,280 --> 00:01:01,440 get to hell from. And if that's your desire, I 23 00:01:01,440 --> 00:01:05,440 wanted you to know how to best leverage the Christmas services 24 00:01:05,440 --> 00:01:07,360 that we are going to be having this year at our church. 25 00:01:07,760 --> 00:01:11,160 Last year was a phenomenal year for us and we had our highest in 26 00:01:11,160 --> 00:01:14,040 person attendance for a Christmas Eve services that 27 00:01:14,040 --> 00:01:16,880 we've ever had before. And then we started to look at 28 00:01:16,880 --> 00:01:21,080 the data from years past and we realized that the last time that 29 00:01:21,080 --> 00:01:26,560 Christmas fell on a Wednesday, there was a nine percent drop in 30 00:01:26,560 --> 00:01:28,200 attendance from the previous year. 31 00:01:28,880 --> 00:01:33,640 And we were going that 9% is a whole bunch of people who didn't 32 00:01:33,640 --> 00:01:35,720 get an opportunity to hear about Jesus. 33 00:01:36,080 --> 00:01:41,120 So this year we are going to make a bold, evangelistic, 34 00:01:41,480 --> 00:01:46,000 outwardly focused strategy and some of you might hate us for 35 00:01:46,000 --> 00:01:48,320 it, but I at least wanted you to hear it from me. 36 00:01:49,200 --> 00:01:52,960 In an effort to maximize our Christmas Eve services and 37 00:01:52,960 --> 00:01:56,280 hopefully not experience a nine percent drop in people hearing 38 00:01:56,280 --> 00:02:02,200 about Jesus, we will not be having normal weekend services 39 00:02:02,480 --> 00:02:07,840 on the 19th and the 22nd. What that means is, is you need 40 00:02:07,840 --> 00:02:10,000 to check with your local campuses and you'll hear more 41 00:02:10,000 --> 00:02:12,800 about this at the end of the service about how best to 42 00:02:12,800 --> 00:02:14,600 leverage it. Because here at the crossing, we 43 00:02:14,600 --> 00:02:17,600 don't just do Christmas Eve services, we do Christmas Eve, 44 00:02:17,600 --> 00:02:21,600 Eve services and we do Christmas Eve, Eve, Eve services. 45 00:02:21,840 --> 00:02:25,680 And in order to do Christmas Eve services and Eve, Eve services 46 00:02:25,680 --> 00:02:30,200 and Eve, Eve, Eve services and pull off three weekend services. 47 00:02:30,520 --> 00:02:32,800 Can you imagine the things that would come out of my mouth? 48 00:02:34,440 --> 00:02:37,600 We don't want to do that. Jesus died to make sure that 49 00:02:37,600 --> 00:02:41,080 people heard a clear gospel, not a Clayton confused gospel. 50 00:02:41,600 --> 00:02:44,880 And what happens is that some of you and not all of you, you 51 00:02:44,880 --> 00:02:47,720 would show up for church on a weekend, but you would then go, 52 00:02:47,720 --> 00:02:51,200 well, I'm not going to show up and bring somebody on Christmas 53 00:02:51,200 --> 00:02:53,480 Eve. And because we want people who 54 00:02:53,480 --> 00:02:57,280 don't know Jesus to find Jesus, we are making this move. 55 00:02:57,760 --> 00:03:03,280 Lifeway Research did a survey and they found that 57% of 56 00:03:03,280 --> 00:03:09,480 people who do not attend church would attend a Christmas Eve 57 00:03:09,480 --> 00:03:16,720 service if somebody that they knew invited them to go with 58 00:03:16,720 --> 00:03:20,120 them. In other words, over the half of 59 00:03:20,120 --> 00:03:23,360 the people that you invite to come with you to one of our 60 00:03:23,360 --> 00:03:27,080 Christmas Eve services will say yes. 61 00:03:27,760 --> 00:03:30,560 So if you are with us and our desire to make this region the 62 00:03:30,560 --> 00:03:33,600 hardest place on planet earth to get the hell from, I want you to 63 00:03:33,600 --> 00:03:38,560 start thinking right now, who are you going to invite? 64 00:03:39,320 --> 00:03:41,400 I'd like all of you, every single one of you. 65 00:03:41,800 --> 00:03:43,240 So if you're going, you're talking about somebody else. 66 00:03:43,240 --> 00:03:47,400 No, you, I would like you to think of two families, two 67 00:03:47,400 --> 00:03:49,680 names. And then you need to know the 68 00:03:49,680 --> 00:03:52,880 service that you're going to so that when you invite them, you 69 00:03:52,880 --> 00:03:55,080 could say, would you like to come with me? 70 00:03:55,080 --> 00:03:57,840 In fact, what we're going to do right now is we're just going to 71 00:03:57,840 --> 00:04:01,120 pray over our Christmas Eve services and hopefully all the 72 00:04:01,120 --> 00:04:04,240 people that will have a chance to hear about Jesus and take 73 00:04:04,240 --> 00:04:05,960 their steps of faith for the very first time. 74 00:04:05,960 --> 00:04:13,320 Heavenly Father, as a church, we just want to make you proud. 75 00:04:14,800 --> 00:04:17,880 We want our heart to be aligned with your heart. 76 00:04:19,320 --> 00:04:22,000 And when you sent your son, he said that he came to seek and 77 00:04:22,000 --> 00:04:27,280 save that which was lost. And so God, right now, we lift 78 00:04:27,280 --> 00:04:29,800 up the two names that's in everybody's head. 79 00:04:31,440 --> 00:04:34,760 And God, we're asking that they would be open to coming to 80 00:04:34,760 --> 00:04:37,960 service with us, that when they show up, they would feel like 81 00:04:37,960 --> 00:04:41,600 they've walked into home. That's something in the worship, 82 00:04:41,600 --> 00:04:45,040 in the message, in the lobby, in the smiles and the volunteers in 83 00:04:45,040 --> 00:04:49,480 the parking lots would make them desire to take their next step 84 00:04:49,480 --> 00:04:52,120 of faith or their very first step of faith. 85 00:04:53,200 --> 00:04:57,280 You know, my pray, Amen. Today we are starting a brand 86 00:04:57,280 --> 00:04:59,560 new series and it is all about Christmas. 87 00:04:59,560 --> 00:05:02,920 And in order to do that, I decided to, you know, get you in 88 00:05:02,920 --> 00:05:05,760 the Christmas spirit and see how smart you are when it comes to 89 00:05:05,760 --> 00:05:07,600 Christmas stuff. And there's nothing like 90 00:05:07,600 --> 00:05:12,320 Christmas music. Now, what would you believe is 91 00:05:12,320 --> 00:05:15,960 the artist who has the number one Christians or not Christian 92 00:05:15,960 --> 00:05:19,240 Christmas album of all time according to Statistica? 93 00:05:19,240 --> 00:05:21,520 I know there's some debates out there, but for according to 94 00:05:21,520 --> 00:05:24,920 Statistica, you got Mariah Carey. 95 00:05:26,000 --> 00:05:29,560 Pretty decent job, not bad. How many of you would say Mariah 96 00:05:29,560 --> 00:05:30,920 Carey? She's she's the winner. 97 00:05:31,200 --> 00:05:34,040 OK, interesting. How many of you guys Kenny G, 98 00:05:34,040 --> 00:05:36,160 how many of you don't even know who Kenny G is? 99 00:05:37,360 --> 00:05:40,120 OK, Kenny G. All right, His Christmas album, 100 00:05:40,120 --> 00:05:42,600 Miracles. Céline Dion. 101 00:05:42,720 --> 00:05:46,040 Oh, God bless Céline Dion. She's probably singing as we go 102 00:05:46,040 --> 00:05:48,680 in the pearly gates. And then you got Josh Groban. 103 00:05:48,960 --> 00:05:50,800 OK, how many of you think it's Josh Groban? 104 00:05:51,640 --> 00:05:52,800 If you raise your hand, you're wrong. 105 00:05:55,120 --> 00:05:57,360 Real quick. How many of you you think it's 106 00:05:57,400 --> 00:05:59,480 Céline Dion? Raise your hand. 107 00:05:59,480 --> 00:06:00,680 God bless you guys. You're wrong. 108 00:06:01,760 --> 00:06:03,640 How many of you guys think it's the Jewish guy who doesn't 109 00:06:03,640 --> 00:06:06,640 celebrate Christmas? Kenny G, you'd be right. 110 00:06:06,720 --> 00:06:08,800 That's right. That's exactly right. 111 00:06:08,800 --> 00:06:11,800 You come at me and hate on the fact that I like Kenny G, but I 112 00:06:11,800 --> 00:06:17,840 wrote this sermon to Miracles, man, it's gold. 113 00:06:18,120 --> 00:06:20,280 Listen, go home, put it on and see if you hate it. 114 00:06:20,400 --> 00:06:22,960 All right, you have to scroll all the way down on Spotify, but 115 00:06:22,960 --> 00:06:27,000 it's the Miracles album in it it goes all right, it's hard. 116 00:06:27,320 --> 00:06:29,800 You can also listen to another album they did with Aaron 117 00:06:29,800 --> 00:06:32,600 Neville been around this world. It's good. 118 00:06:32,800 --> 00:06:34,560 All right, for those of you don't remember Aaron Neville all 119 00:06:34,560 --> 00:06:37,080 right next one, stay on, stay on, stay on. 120 00:06:37,960 --> 00:06:40,160 Been a lot of places. How is anybody remember the 121 00:06:40,160 --> 00:06:42,520 Aaron Neville song? Listen to that one too. 122 00:06:42,840 --> 00:06:47,280 Been a million places. OK, it's it's so good 10,000 123 00:06:47,280 --> 00:06:50,880 times. But when I look into your eye, I 124 00:06:50,880 --> 00:06:54,600 can feel it coming. Hey, Jennifer's here. 125 00:06:54,600 --> 00:06:56,680 First service and I'm fired up. All right. 126 00:06:57,520 --> 00:07:00,520 What was the first song broadcast in space? 127 00:07:00,920 --> 00:07:02,960 Was it Jingle Bells? Was it? 128 00:07:02,960 --> 00:07:06,440 Do you want to build a snowman? Was it baby, it's cold outside? 129 00:07:06,440 --> 00:07:11,880 Before it got cancelled by the crazies, Mary, did you know how 130 00:07:11,880 --> 00:07:13,800 many of you guys think it was? Mary, did you know? 131 00:07:14,440 --> 00:07:17,560 You're wrong, Baby, it's cold outside. 132 00:07:17,840 --> 00:07:20,280 You're wrong. Some of you just keep raising 133 00:07:20,280 --> 00:07:21,480 your hand. I think it's all of them. 134 00:07:22,480 --> 00:07:26,120 I think it was the cantata. OK, Do you want to build a 135 00:07:26,120 --> 00:07:27,880 snowman? You'd be wrong. 136 00:07:27,880 --> 00:07:30,040 We were in space in the 60s, guys. 137 00:07:30,360 --> 00:07:32,160 Jingle Bells. That was the first song. 138 00:07:32,600 --> 00:07:35,120 Now let me give you a little history on another song. 139 00:07:35,440 --> 00:07:40,840 It started off written as a poem penned in France entitled 140 00:07:41,000 --> 00:07:48,520 Cantique de Noel in 1847. Placid Kapadie, Rachmir and I 141 00:07:48,520 --> 00:07:53,240 practiced that in the mirror for this moment were was the author. 142 00:07:54,040 --> 00:07:57,920 The words would eventually captivate a country, bring peace 143 00:07:57,920 --> 00:08:02,200 for a night in the middle of a war, be banned by the church, 144 00:08:02,480 --> 00:08:06,680 and become a rally cry for the North and a favorite Christmas 145 00:08:06,680 --> 00:08:11,040 song sung at Christmas Eve services all across the globe. 146 00:08:12,160 --> 00:08:16,000 About a decade after it was written, it was discovered by a 147 00:08:16,000 --> 00:08:18,920 graduate of Harvard College and Divinity School by the name of 148 00:08:18,920 --> 00:08:23,400 John Sullivan Dwight. He became a pastor in 149 00:08:23,400 --> 00:08:26,800 Massachusetts back when Harvard produced preachers, but for 150 00:08:26,800 --> 00:08:30,720 unknown reasons he would grow physically I'll every time he 151 00:08:30,720 --> 00:08:34,760 ascended the stage and stood behind the pulpit to preach. 152 00:08:35,679 --> 00:08:38,919 This led to severe panic attacks that were completely 153 00:08:38,919 --> 00:08:42,600 unexplained, and it forced himself to lock himself in his 154 00:08:42,600 --> 00:08:48,440 home and never go out in public. Unable to continue in ministry, 155 00:08:48,440 --> 00:08:53,320 he pivoted and looked for other ways to use his talents as an 156 00:08:53,320 --> 00:08:55,400 accomplished musician and writer. 157 00:08:55,560 --> 00:08:59,640 He used his skills to found Dwight's Journal of Music, and 158 00:08:59,640 --> 00:09:03,440 for three decades he quietly edited the publication. 159 00:09:04,200 --> 00:09:07,200 While he could not face the crowds, he inspired some of the 160 00:09:07,200 --> 00:09:11,600 most gifted musicians and music lovers in the Northeast, and as 161 00:09:11,600 --> 00:09:15,920 he was looking for new material to review, he read Cantique de 162 00:09:15,920 --> 00:09:20,920 Noel in French. He was so moved by the song and 163 00:09:20,920 --> 00:09:26,800 especially the third verse that he felt compelled to introduce 164 00:09:26,800 --> 00:09:30,400 this song to America. As a strong abolitionist, a 165 00:09:30,400 --> 00:09:33,480 person who's against slavery from the North, he believed this 166 00:09:33,480 --> 00:09:37,640 song would help in the efforts to do away with slavery in the 167 00:09:37,640 --> 00:09:41,160 South. So he translated the song from 168 00:09:41,400 --> 00:09:45,600 or the poem from French to English, put it to music, and 169 00:09:45,600 --> 00:09:49,240 the song quickly, quickly found favor in America, especially 170 00:09:49,240 --> 00:09:51,360 during the North in the Civil War. 171 00:09:52,080 --> 00:09:57,080 The song Oh Holy Night, the third verse. 172 00:09:57,880 --> 00:10:00,600 Truly He taught us to love one another. 173 00:10:01,080 --> 00:10:05,240 His law is love and His gospel is peace. 174 00:10:06,480 --> 00:10:11,320 Chains shall he break, For the slave is our brother, and in his 175 00:10:11,320 --> 00:10:18,080 name all oppression shall cease. Sweet hymns of joy and grateful 176 00:10:18,080 --> 00:10:21,600 chorus raise. We let all within us praise His 177 00:10:21,600 --> 00:10:28,520 holy name. Christ is the Lord will praise 178 00:10:28,600 --> 00:10:33,840 his name forever. Today we begin a new series 179 00:10:34,120 --> 00:10:40,440 called Thrill of Hope. A weary world rejoices, and our 180 00:10:40,440 --> 00:10:43,920 goal is that by the end of this series, your affection for 181 00:10:44,040 --> 00:10:47,680 Jesus, your appreciation for God, and your commitment to His 182 00:10:47,680 --> 00:10:52,320 mission will soar. There's no easy way to say it. 183 00:10:53,200 --> 00:10:58,440 Our world is weary. We are tired of politics, worn 184 00:10:58,440 --> 00:11:01,960 out from anxiety, exhausted by fear, fatigued by change, 185 00:11:02,160 --> 00:11:05,640 drained by work, emotionally spent, spiritually taxed, and 186 00:11:05,640 --> 00:11:10,920 tired of the unknown. What could make a weary world 187 00:11:11,040 --> 00:11:14,600 rejoice? I'll tell you the hope of God 188 00:11:14,880 --> 00:11:19,360 found in the person of Jesus, AW Tozer said. 189 00:11:20,000 --> 00:11:24,240 What comes to our minds when we think about God is the most 190 00:11:24,240 --> 00:11:27,880 important thing about us. I'm going to say that again, 191 00:11:28,880 --> 00:11:32,400 what comes to your mind when you think about God is the most 192 00:11:32,400 --> 00:11:37,360 important thing about you. Our perception of God shapes our 193 00:11:37,360 --> 00:11:41,360 lives and our actions, and thus it becomes the most critical 194 00:11:41,360 --> 00:11:46,960 aspect of our identity. So crossing family, what comes 195 00:11:46,960 --> 00:11:50,400 to your mind when you think about God? 196 00:11:50,960 --> 00:11:54,440 Because it might be the most important thing about you. 197 00:11:55,280 --> 00:11:58,520 Maybe some of you today you would say that God is a distant 198 00:11:58,520 --> 00:12:01,800 being who is indifferent to our pain and our suffering. 199 00:12:02,760 --> 00:12:05,200 Perhaps some of you would say that he's great, but he's 200 00:12:05,440 --> 00:12:08,360 unapproachable. Others of you might say that God 201 00:12:08,360 --> 00:12:12,320 is a grudge holder, impossible to please, unfair. 202 00:12:13,360 --> 00:12:17,520 Others of you, you have a pretty realistic view of yourself and 203 00:12:17,520 --> 00:12:21,760 what you've done and you've given up on the idea that a God 204 00:12:21,760 --> 00:12:26,760 who knows everything would want anything to do with you. 205 00:12:28,000 --> 00:12:33,160 What comes to your mind when you think about God because it might 206 00:12:33,160 --> 00:12:35,960 be the most important thing about you. 207 00:12:37,280 --> 00:12:40,560 John when he's thinking about God, it tells us an awful lot 208 00:12:40,560 --> 00:12:43,840 what he thinks about because he says in first John chapter one 209 00:12:43,840 --> 00:12:53,800 verse 8, he states clearly that God is love Jesus, God's Son. 210 00:12:53,800 --> 00:12:56,920 When he was sent here to earth and he was speaking on behalf of 211 00:12:56,920 --> 00:13:00,320 God to the people, he was asked what is the greatest commandment 212 00:13:00,640 --> 00:13:04,960 and his response set the tone for anybody who calls themselves 213 00:13:04,960 --> 00:13:09,680 a Jesus follower. Mark chapter 12 verses 30 and 31 214 00:13:09,680 --> 00:13:12,640 says this. Love the Lord your God with all 215 00:13:12,640 --> 00:13:14,640 your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, with all 216 00:13:14,640 --> 00:13:18,240 your strength. The second is this, love your 217 00:13:18,240 --> 00:13:22,600 neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater 218 00:13:22,600 --> 00:13:24,880 than these. You've heard me talk about this 219 00:13:24,880 --> 00:13:28,040 hundreds and hundreds of time. Because if it was the most 220 00:13:28,040 --> 00:13:30,880 important thing for Jesus to tell his followers, and we're 221 00:13:30,880 --> 00:13:33,160 going to be Jesus followers, we should spend an awful lot of 222 00:13:33,160 --> 00:13:35,880 time looking at this. And while we were reading this, 223 00:13:35,880 --> 00:13:41,000 you might be asking yourself, who is my neighbor? 224 00:13:42,120 --> 00:13:48,480 And some of you, you might be going, dear Jesus, please, not 225 00:13:48,480 --> 00:13:53,560 the person in house #2 Jesus, I will love the person next door. 226 00:13:53,560 --> 00:13:56,920 I promise I will. But please, I like the people in 227 00:13:56,920 --> 00:14:00,440 house number one, I like the people in house #3 but dear God, 228 00:14:00,440 --> 00:14:04,560 please, baby Jesus, I don't want it to be the people in house. 229 00:14:04,680 --> 00:14:06,760 Number two, others of you are going. 230 00:14:06,760 --> 00:14:09,680 This is great news because I like all the people I live next 231 00:14:09,680 --> 00:14:11,920 to. We live in the country, OK? 232 00:14:12,600 --> 00:14:15,000 Our Missouri campus is like, I love this sermon already. 233 00:14:15,240 --> 00:14:21,160 This is going to be fantastic. You were frustrated because 234 00:14:21,160 --> 00:14:22,800 you're like, are you? Some of you are happy because 235 00:14:22,800 --> 00:14:25,200 you're going. I don't have no problem loving 236 00:14:25,200 --> 00:14:28,120 my neighbors. I thought Jesus was going to say 237 00:14:28,120 --> 00:14:35,280 my ex-wife, my boss, my hateful Co worker, my difficult 238 00:14:35,280 --> 00:14:40,000 employee. Who is my neighbor? 239 00:14:40,880 --> 00:14:45,240 That's a really good question and Jesus actually answers this 240 00:14:45,240 --> 00:14:47,160 question. Why does he answer it? 241 00:14:47,480 --> 00:14:50,600 Because the people who heard Jesus say this had the same 242 00:14:50,600 --> 00:14:54,080 question that you and I have. They too wanted to know who 243 00:14:54,080 --> 00:14:55,400 their neighbor was. Let me show you, it's in the 244 00:14:55,400 --> 00:15:00,040 Bible, Luke chapter 10. On one occasion, an expert in 245 00:15:00,040 --> 00:15:03,160 the law stood up to test Jesus teacher. 246 00:15:03,160 --> 00:15:05,880 He asked what must I do to inherit eternal life? 247 00:15:06,000 --> 00:15:08,560 What do I got to do to be saved? I want to be on your team when 248 00:15:08,560 --> 00:15:11,400 it all comes down. OK, What was written in the law? 249 00:15:11,480 --> 00:15:13,440 Jesus replied, How do you read it? 250 00:15:13,920 --> 00:15:16,960 The man answered, love the Lord your God with all your heart, 251 00:15:16,960 --> 00:15:18,840 with all your soul, with all your strength and with all your 252 00:15:18,840 --> 00:15:21,000 mind and love your neighbor as yourself. 253 00:15:21,000 --> 00:15:23,760 The guy gets it right. He was paying attention in 254 00:15:23,760 --> 00:15:25,400 class. This guy would be awesome. 255 00:15:25,400 --> 00:15:27,760 Let's keep reading. You've answered correctly. 256 00:15:27,760 --> 00:15:30,200 Jesus replied, do this and you will live. 257 00:15:30,200 --> 00:15:32,280 So when we do this, we're doing the things that Jesus followers 258 00:15:32,280 --> 00:15:34,440 are supposed to do and Jesus followers go to heaven. 259 00:15:34,560 --> 00:15:37,880 This guy's right on track. And then but he wanted to 260 00:15:37,880 --> 00:15:44,600 justify himself. So we asked Jesus, and who is my 261 00:15:44,600 --> 00:15:47,160 neighbor? And Jesus decides to tell a 262 00:15:47,160 --> 00:15:50,640 story to illustrate and to answer this question. 263 00:15:51,640 --> 00:15:56,040 In reply, Jesus said a man was going down from Jerusalem to 264 00:15:56,040 --> 00:15:59,200 Jericho when he was attacked by robbers. 265 00:15:59,800 --> 00:16:04,200 They stripped him of his clothes, beat him, and went 266 00:16:04,200 --> 00:16:09,760 away, leaving him half dead. This guy was walking along. 267 00:16:10,000 --> 00:16:12,720 They come upon him, they rob him, they beat him, they take 268 00:16:12,720 --> 00:16:15,360 his clothes, and they leave him half dead. 269 00:16:15,800 --> 00:16:20,960 This is how Jesus begins to answer the question, Who is my 270 00:16:20,960 --> 00:16:23,120 neighbor? Look what happens next. 271 00:16:23,600 --> 00:16:27,640 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he 272 00:16:27,640 --> 00:16:30,200 saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 273 00:16:30,640 --> 00:16:35,400 The pastor is walking by, just coming back from church, and he 274 00:16:35,400 --> 00:16:38,960 sees the guy beaten, half naked, half dead. 275 00:16:40,320 --> 00:16:43,640 Surely he's going to stop. He preaches the sermons, he 276 00:16:43,640 --> 00:16:45,960 prays a lot. How could he not stop? 277 00:16:45,960 --> 00:16:49,760 He loves God. But the priest, the pastor walks 278 00:16:49,760 --> 00:16:52,400 by on the other side of the road. 279 00:16:54,080 --> 00:16:55,200 Well, maybe it has a better story. 280 00:16:55,200 --> 00:16:59,720 OK, let's keep reading. So to a Levite when he came to 281 00:16:59,720 --> 00:17:04,599 the place and saw him pass by on the other side, the Levi, this 282 00:17:04,599 --> 00:17:06,599 was the difference maker at the crossing church. 283 00:17:06,960 --> 00:17:08,800 Friends with the pastor's. They know all the secret 284 00:17:08,800 --> 00:17:11,839 handshakes that we do. They help out at all the events. 285 00:17:12,000 --> 00:17:13,480 They help lead the Bible studies. 286 00:17:13,480 --> 00:17:16,960 They've even been considering going into full time ministry 287 00:17:17,160 --> 00:17:19,640 and dedicating their life in service to the Lord. 288 00:17:19,880 --> 00:17:22,680 And does he stop and help the person who's on the side of the 289 00:17:22,680 --> 00:17:28,480 road busted up and beaten? No, he walks by on the other 290 00:17:29,160 --> 00:17:32,560 side. OK, this guy's still here. 291 00:17:32,560 --> 00:17:35,760 We got to keep reading. But a Samaritan, full stop. 292 00:17:37,160 --> 00:17:41,360 Jesus is playing dirty. He is taking them to a place 293 00:17:41,360 --> 00:17:43,440 that they never thought that they would go. 294 00:17:44,560 --> 00:17:49,920 You see, the Jews hated the Samaritans, and the Samaritans 295 00:17:50,080 --> 00:17:54,360 hated the Jews. And Jesus, talking to an 296 00:17:54,360 --> 00:18:00,840 audience full of Jews, is about to make the Samaritan the hero 297 00:18:01,320 --> 00:18:03,720 of the story. Watch what happens. 298 00:18:05,080 --> 00:18:08,400 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was. 299 00:18:08,560 --> 00:18:11,960 When he took pity, or when he saw him, he took pity on him. 300 00:18:13,160 --> 00:18:17,720 He went to him, bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. 301 00:18:18,320 --> 00:18:21,600 Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn 302 00:18:21,600 --> 00:18:25,040 and took care of him. The next day he took out two 303 00:18:25,040 --> 00:18:26,800 denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. 304 00:18:27,000 --> 00:18:31,400 Look after him, he said, and when I return I will reimburse 305 00:18:31,400 --> 00:18:34,880 you for any extra expense you may have. 306 00:18:36,120 --> 00:18:39,880 Which this is Jesus talking. Now which of these three do you 307 00:18:39,880 --> 00:18:42,640 think was a neighbor? To the man who fell into the 308 00:18:42,640 --> 00:18:49,000 hands of the robbers, the expert in the law replied, The one who 309 00:18:49,000 --> 00:18:56,560 had mercy on him, Jesus told him go and do likewise. 310 00:18:57,680 --> 00:19:04,600 It is the Samaritan who stops to take care of the person he most 311 00:19:04,600 --> 00:19:10,080 likely would have hated, and most likely would have hated 312 00:19:10,840 --> 00:19:13,480 him. You see, the Samaritans were 313 00:19:13,720 --> 00:19:18,000 outside the circle of the Jews, which means you and I have to 314 00:19:18,000 --> 00:19:22,400 ask a terribly important and uncomfortable question. 315 00:19:23,680 --> 00:19:27,760 Who is outside of the circle that you have drawn? 316 00:19:30,880 --> 00:19:38,920 If you're a Democrat, Jesus makes a Republican the hero of 317 00:19:38,920 --> 00:19:45,920 the story. If you're a Republican, he is 318 00:19:45,920 --> 00:19:49,440 making a Democrat the hero of the story. 319 00:19:50,480 --> 00:19:53,800 If you're a boss, he's using the employee you can't stand. 320 00:19:53,800 --> 00:19:56,360 If you're an employee, he's using the plant manager. 321 00:19:56,360 --> 00:20:00,240 That drives you crazy. It's the school board member, 322 00:20:00,280 --> 00:20:07,600 the ex, the neighbor in house #2 that becomes the hero of the 323 00:20:07,600 --> 00:20:12,560 story. For John Sullivan Dwight, it was 324 00:20:12,560 --> 00:20:17,760 not a Samaritan, but a slave who was the neighbor. 325 00:20:18,640 --> 00:20:22,400 Why are the chains broken? Because the slave is loved by 326 00:20:22,400 --> 00:20:24,880 God. And if the slave is loved by 327 00:20:24,880 --> 00:20:29,280 God, then the slave must be loved by me, and the slave can 328 00:20:29,280 --> 00:20:34,480 no longer be a slave. Why in his name shall all 329 00:20:34,480 --> 00:20:38,480 oppression cease? Because there is a new code, a 330 00:20:38,480 --> 00:20:41,320 new ethic. And if the blood of Jesus was 331 00:20:41,320 --> 00:20:44,800 shed for me, then it was shed for you as well. 332 00:20:44,960 --> 00:20:48,440 And not just for the people in my circle, but His blood was 333 00:20:48,440 --> 00:20:50,960 shed for people outside my circle. 334 00:20:51,680 --> 00:20:55,960 You see, crossing family, every single one of us are unified in 335 00:20:55,960 --> 00:21:01,040 our need for Jesus, and we are unified in the fallenness of our 336 00:21:01,040 --> 00:21:04,480 sin. However, more than that, you and 337 00:21:04,480 --> 00:21:11,200 I are unified in the fact that we can be and we are redeemed 338 00:21:11,280 --> 00:21:14,840 through the power of Jesus. Look what it says in Ephesians 339 00:21:14,840 --> 00:21:20,320 chapter 1, verses 3 through 8. Praise be to the God and Father 340 00:21:20,320 --> 00:21:24,560 of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly 341 00:21:24,560 --> 00:21:29,800 realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 342 00:21:29,800 --> 00:21:33,560 For just a second, let me be your rich uncle who dies and 343 00:21:33,560 --> 00:21:36,840 leaves you an inheritance. And right now you are sitting at 344 00:21:36,840 --> 00:21:39,880 the attorney's office and he is going through the will, and you 345 00:21:39,880 --> 00:21:43,680 are finding out all of the things that you have in Christ 346 00:21:44,840 --> 00:21:48,600 that you and I are all about to inherit or are inheriting what 347 00:21:48,720 --> 00:21:51,440 Jesus has done on our behalf. And He's going to list all of 348 00:21:51,440 --> 00:21:52,200 these. Let's keep going. 349 00:21:52,720 --> 00:21:57,600 For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be 350 00:21:57,600 --> 00:22:02,160 holy and blameless in His sight. In love. 351 00:22:02,400 --> 00:22:08,080 He predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, 352 00:22:08,560 --> 00:22:12,800 in accordance with His pleasure and will to the praise of His 353 00:22:12,800 --> 00:22:17,840 glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the One He 354 00:22:17,920 --> 00:22:23,000 loves. In Him we have redemption 355 00:22:23,200 --> 00:22:28,240 through His blood, the forgiveness of sins in 356 00:22:28,240 --> 00:22:34,080 accordance with the riches of God's grace that He lavished on 357 00:22:34,400 --> 00:22:36,280 us. Crossing family. 358 00:22:36,280 --> 00:22:39,280 What do you think about when you think about God? 359 00:22:39,480 --> 00:22:43,000 Because it might be the most important thing about you, I 360 00:22:43,000 --> 00:22:47,480 want you to think that God has blessed you with every spiritual 361 00:22:47,480 --> 00:22:50,880 blessing in Christ. That He chose you before the 362 00:22:50,880 --> 00:22:55,040 creation of the world to become holy and blameless in His sight. 363 00:22:55,200 --> 00:22:58,080 Before you could ever pray the right prayer, ask for 364 00:22:58,080 --> 00:23:02,080 forgiveness, or even know or utter the name of Jesus, He made 365 00:23:02,080 --> 00:23:04,320 a way for you to become holy in His sight. 366 00:23:04,520 --> 00:23:07,040 How did He do this? Because of the cross. 367 00:23:07,200 --> 00:23:10,800 God does not see our sin. He sees the blood of His Son. 368 00:23:10,920 --> 00:23:13,960 And when you are covered in the blood of His Son, you are holy 369 00:23:13,960 --> 00:23:16,880 and blameless in his sight. How did He accomplish it? 370 00:23:17,040 --> 00:23:20,000 God willed it. God commanded it. 371 00:23:20,160 --> 00:23:23,640 He wrote it down in advance. He called the play for you and 372 00:23:23,640 --> 00:23:28,200 I, rebels and sinners and wretches, to be made into His, 373 00:23:28,200 --> 00:23:34,040 of all things, His children, sons and daughters in His 374 00:23:34,040 --> 00:23:40,040 Kingdom. And hear me, it was His pleasure 375 00:23:40,280 --> 00:23:44,160 to do so. God did not redeem you at 376 00:23:44,160 --> 00:23:48,840 gunpoint where he was forced to do this act even though he 377 00:23:48,840 --> 00:23:52,000 didn't want to do it. God redeemed you because it was 378 00:23:52,000 --> 00:23:55,520 His pleasure to do so. I want you to visualize a father 379 00:23:55,760 --> 00:23:58,480 throwing up a small child in the air and catching him. 380 00:23:58,640 --> 00:24:02,040 It was His pleasure to redeem you through His Son. 381 00:24:02,200 --> 00:24:05,360 I want you to think of a of a mother watching Christmas 382 00:24:05,360 --> 00:24:08,760 presents be opened under the tree and the pleasure that 383 00:24:08,760 --> 00:24:11,520 washes over her. That was the pleasure that God 384 00:24:11,680 --> 00:24:15,400 have when He redeemed you and then He adopted you. 385 00:24:16,360 --> 00:24:19,760 And anytime you adopt, there is always a price. 386 00:24:20,160 --> 00:24:22,120 And we were adopted through Jesus. 387 00:24:22,480 --> 00:24:26,400 Jesus paid the price. It was free to us because the 388 00:24:26,400 --> 00:24:30,360 one that God loved, Jesus, paid a price that you and I could not 389 00:24:30,360 --> 00:24:32,920 pay. And the way was for Him to die 390 00:24:32,920 --> 00:24:36,160 on the cross. That was meant for us to suffer 391 00:24:36,160 --> 00:24:38,040 in the hell that you and I deserve. 392 00:24:39,120 --> 00:24:44,840 But because of what Jesus did, we have been redeemed and our 393 00:24:44,840 --> 00:24:50,360 sins have been forgiven. He has paid the debt that you 394 00:24:50,360 --> 00:24:54,440 and I owed. And how did He give us these 395 00:24:54,440 --> 00:24:57,120 blessings? Was He and Ebenezer Scrooge 396 00:24:57,120 --> 00:24:58,920 barely giving you enough to get by? 397 00:24:58,920 --> 00:25:04,920 No, the Bible uses the word. He lavished it on us abundant, 398 00:25:05,320 --> 00:25:08,440 reckless Christmas level spending. 399 00:25:08,720 --> 00:25:10,800 How many of you try to set a budget for Christmas? 400 00:25:11,680 --> 00:25:13,200 You should. If you didn't raise your hand. 401 00:25:13,560 --> 00:25:15,640 How many of you go? It's pointless because we always 402 00:25:15,640 --> 00:25:19,080 go over anyway. Because you lavish. 403 00:25:19,320 --> 00:25:23,800 When you go to Texas Roadhouse and you get the rolls, do you 404 00:25:23,800 --> 00:25:25,400 put a little bit of butter on the roll? 405 00:25:25,480 --> 00:25:33,880 No, you lavish it. You stack it high and tall, and 406 00:25:33,880 --> 00:25:37,360 when you experience the lavish love of God and every spiritual 407 00:25:37,360 --> 00:25:43,800 blessing in Christ, when this happens in your soul, you don't 408 00:25:43,960 --> 00:25:49,680 want to hoard it. You want everyone to know it and 409 00:25:49,680 --> 00:25:56,840 experience it, even those outside your circle. 410 00:25:59,040 --> 00:26:04,760 On the night of September 6th, 2018, a 26 year old accountant 411 00:26:05,040 --> 00:26:10,000 by the name of Botham Jean was murdered in Dallas by an off 412 00:26:10,000 --> 00:26:13,720 duty Dallas police officer by the name of Amber Geiger. 413 00:26:14,920 --> 00:26:18,760 She had gone home after a long shift and she had gone to her 414 00:26:18,760 --> 00:26:21,960 apartment complex and she had started to go up the stairs but 415 00:26:21,960 --> 00:26:24,920 she lost track of how many flights that she had gone up. 416 00:26:24,920 --> 00:26:29,080 And instead of being at four O 1, she was at three O 1. 417 00:26:29,680 --> 00:26:33,200 And so the door in front of her she thought was her own but 418 00:26:33,200 --> 00:26:36,520 wasn't. She noticed that the door was 419 00:26:36,520 --> 00:26:40,920 ajar and that there was a black man in what she thought was her 420 00:26:40,920 --> 00:26:43,360 house. As she opened the door, the 421 00:26:43,360 --> 00:26:46,200 black man started coming towards her because he was wanting to 422 00:26:46,200 --> 00:26:48,160 know why is someone trying to come into my house? 423 00:26:48,400 --> 00:26:51,280 And she wanted to know why is a black man coming after me out of 424 00:26:51,280 --> 00:26:54,160 my apartment? And she pulled her firearm and 425 00:26:54,160 --> 00:26:56,320 she discharged those bullets and she killed him. 426 00:26:59,240 --> 00:27:03,000 Race relations in our country deteriorated rapidly, The 427 00:27:03,000 --> 00:27:06,320 headlines and social media posts repeated for weeks. 428 00:27:06,520 --> 00:27:10,880 White police officer kills unarmed black man in his 429 00:27:10,880 --> 00:27:14,360 apartment. She was found guilty in a court 430 00:27:14,360 --> 00:27:17,920 of law and sentenced. And at the conclusion of the 431 00:27:17,920 --> 00:27:23,160 trial, like there is at most trials, there is a moment for 432 00:27:23,160 --> 00:27:27,720 victim impact statements. This is a chance for those who 433 00:27:27,720 --> 00:27:32,200 have been affected by the actions of the person who is 434 00:27:32,200 --> 00:27:34,680 being sentenced to speak their peace. 435 00:27:37,000 --> 00:27:40,000 And you can imagine if somebody that you cared about, somebody 436 00:27:40,000 --> 00:27:44,160 that you loved, life had been taken by somebody else and you 437 00:27:44,160 --> 00:27:48,000 got a chance to speak what was on your mind to speak what was 438 00:27:48,000 --> 00:27:50,680 in your heart? What would you say? 439 00:27:52,160 --> 00:27:55,280 I've been in the rooms when these have been read, I've been 440 00:27:55,280 --> 00:27:57,280 in the rooms when these things have been said. 441 00:27:58,200 --> 00:28:03,080 Some of the most vile, hurtful, horrendous things that have ever 442 00:28:03,080 --> 00:28:08,200 been said have been said when a person is reading their victim 443 00:28:08,200 --> 00:28:14,320 impact statement and on some level, how could you blame them? 444 00:28:15,880 --> 00:28:20,200 There's a father going. My daughter would still be alive 445 00:28:20,200 --> 00:28:24,480 if it wasn't for you. She was wonderful and you're 446 00:28:24,480 --> 00:28:28,000 worthless. You should be the one who's 447 00:28:28,000 --> 00:28:29,400 dead, not her. You get it. 448 00:28:35,960 --> 00:28:40,960 Well became the time for the victim impact statement after 449 00:28:40,960 --> 00:28:45,960 Amber had been tried and convicted and Botham's 18 year 450 00:28:45,960 --> 00:28:53,200 old brother Brandt had been consumed with rage and had been 451 00:28:53,200 --> 00:28:56,480 spending time plotting the darkest of revenge. 452 00:28:57,680 --> 00:29:00,400 He had not missed 1 moment of the trial. 453 00:29:00,520 --> 00:29:05,440 He took no bathroom breaks. He sat through every bit of it, 454 00:29:05,680 --> 00:29:11,000 even all of the video footage, as he saw his brother motionless 455 00:29:11,000 --> 00:29:14,640 on the floor and blood leaking all around. 456 00:29:18,360 --> 00:29:24,120 Filled with rage and hate. He closed the distance to the 457 00:29:24,120 --> 00:29:28,640 microphone as he prepared to deliver his victim impact 458 00:29:28,640 --> 00:29:34,880 statement, having no clue what he was about to say, and as he 459 00:29:34,880 --> 00:29:38,800 sat down, scooted himself to the microphone. 460 00:29:40,080 --> 00:29:43,840 This happened. I can speak for myself. 461 00:29:43,880 --> 00:29:53,960 I I forgive you and I know if you go to God and ask him he 462 00:29:53,960 --> 00:30:04,440 will forgive you and I don't think anyone could say it again. 463 00:30:04,440 --> 00:30:08,800 I'm speaking for myself, not even bad for my family, but I 464 00:30:08,800 --> 00:30:17,920 love you just like anyone else. And I'm not going to say I hope 465 00:30:17,920 --> 00:30:21,600 you rot and die just like my brother did. 466 00:30:21,600 --> 00:30:26,640 But I see I, I personally want the best for you. 467 00:30:28,720 --> 00:30:33,560 And I, I wasn't going to ever say this in front of my family 468 00:30:33,560 --> 00:30:39,560 or anyone, but I don't even want you to go to jail. 469 00:30:41,560 --> 00:30:49,280 I want the best for you because I know that's what that's 470 00:30:49,280 --> 00:30:51,240 exactly what both them would want you to do. 471 00:30:52,480 --> 00:30:55,320 And the best would be give your life to Christ. 472 00:30:59,480 --> 00:31:01,160 I'm not going to say anything else. 473 00:31:02,000 --> 00:31:06,240 I think giving your life to Christ would be the best thing 474 00:31:07,240 --> 00:31:08,680 that both them would want you to do. 475 00:31:11,400 --> 00:31:19,960 Again, I love you as a person and I don't wish anything bad. 476 00:31:20,360 --> 00:31:27,640 Are you? I don't know if it's possible 477 00:31:27,640 --> 00:31:33,480 but can can I give her a hug please please. 478 00:31:37,480 --> 00:31:56,750 Yes. On that day, he chose to be a 479 00:31:56,750 --> 00:32:02,910 neighbor to the officer who killed his brother. 480 00:32:04,150 --> 00:32:08,750 And in that moment, you and I and the whole world got a 481 00:32:08,750 --> 00:32:14,390 glimpse of heaven, a taste of glory, and you felt the thrill 482 00:32:14,710 --> 00:32:16,670 of hope. We're moving to a time of 483 00:32:16,670 --> 00:32:24,920 decision. To those of you who are here 484 00:32:24,920 --> 00:32:30,400 right now, you can experience all of those blessings in Christ 485 00:32:30,400 --> 00:32:33,920 the moment you begin an intimate, personal relationship 486 00:32:33,920 --> 00:32:39,040 with Jesus Christ. Hear me, The moment you say yes 487 00:32:39,040 --> 00:32:43,240 to Jesus, you will be made holy and blameless before God. 488 00:32:43,920 --> 00:32:47,240 You will be adopted as His children, you will see the 489 00:32:47,240 --> 00:32:50,840 riches of His grace, you will be redeemed through the blood of 490 00:32:50,960 --> 00:32:54,400 Jesus, you will finally be forgiven of your sins, you will 491 00:32:54,400 --> 00:32:57,560 receive wisdom and insight, and you'll be given the gift of the 492 00:32:57,560 --> 00:32:59,960 Holy Spirit. All of these things are waiting 493 00:32:59,960 --> 00:33:03,480 for you. Why on earth would you put it 494 00:33:03,480 --> 00:33:06,480 off? What I want to challenge you and 495 00:33:06,480 --> 00:33:10,960 encourage you to do in just a few moments, the people around 496 00:33:10,960 --> 00:33:13,000 you are going to stand and sing and some of them are going to 497 00:33:13,000 --> 00:33:15,240 come to the steps and pray. But I what I want to encourage 498 00:33:15,240 --> 00:33:18,560 you to do is either turn and talk to the person that brought 499 00:33:18,560 --> 00:33:23,480 you here today or take a bold, a bold faith filled risk and walk 500 00:33:23,480 --> 00:33:25,960 all the way up here underneath that screen next to the 501 00:33:25,960 --> 00:33:27,600 baptistry. And there'll be somebody there 502 00:33:27,800 --> 00:33:30,160 who would love a chance to talk with you and answer the 503 00:33:30,160 --> 00:33:33,040 questions you have about starting the relationship that 504 00:33:33,040 --> 00:33:37,360 you desperately need with Jesus. Don't put it off. 505 00:33:38,080 --> 00:33:42,720 There's too much waiting for you, too much in store for you. 506 00:33:44,080 --> 00:33:46,960 To the rest of you in the room, those of you who would call 507 00:33:46,960 --> 00:33:52,000 yourselves Christians, followers of Jesus, in light of all of 508 00:33:52,000 --> 00:33:56,080 those spiritual blessings that you and I have in Christ, who is 509 00:33:56,080 --> 00:34:00,080 outside of your circle that needs a neighbor? 510 00:34:03,080 --> 00:34:06,920 We spend so much time wanting the world around us to change 511 00:34:09,080 --> 00:34:12,239 without us having to have any skin in the game. 512 00:34:14,159 --> 00:34:16,800 We want the world to be more loving, and we want the world to 513 00:34:16,800 --> 00:34:20,199 be less hateful. We want to see people all around 514 00:34:20,199 --> 00:34:23,080 us do the right thing, even do the hard thing. 515 00:34:24,800 --> 00:34:29,719 And that's part of our problem. We keep wanting everybody else 516 00:34:31,120 --> 00:34:36,080 to do the things that God calls them to do, so maybe we won't 517 00:34:36,080 --> 00:34:39,800 have to. But if our desire really is for 518 00:34:39,800 --> 00:34:42,920 people to find an intimate, personal relationship with Jesus 519 00:34:42,920 --> 00:34:48,760 Christ, and if deep down inside of your heart there is this 520 00:34:48,760 --> 00:34:52,960 passion to make the place where you live the hardest place on 521 00:34:52,960 --> 00:34:59,320 planet earth for people to get to hell from, change has to 522 00:34:59,320 --> 00:35:03,360 start with us. So here's what I'm going to ask 523 00:35:03,360 --> 00:35:07,840 you to do if you're a Christian, whether you come to the steps or 524 00:35:07,840 --> 00:35:09,800 whether you just kneel where you're at. 525 00:35:09,800 --> 00:35:15,040 Would you spend some time on your knees praying for the 526 00:35:15,040 --> 00:35:21,000 people that have been outside of your circle for far too long so 527 00:35:21,000 --> 00:35:24,320 they can find what you found in him? 528 00:35:25,320 --> 00:35:36,900 Would you stand with me? We want it all. 529 00:35:39,380 --> 00:35:44,880 We want every spiritual blessing in your Son Jesus to be pouring 530 00:35:45,000 --> 00:35:49,160 out on our lives and deposited into our hearts. 531 00:35:49,160 --> 00:35:58,670 We want all of it, Heavenly Father, we want everything you 532 00:35:58,670 --> 00:36:02,190 have to offer so that way we can be everything that you have 533 00:36:02,190 --> 00:36:10,870 created and designed us to be. We want you to have the pen of 534 00:36:10,870 --> 00:36:14,190 our life and we want you to write the rest of the story. 535 00:36:15,040 --> 00:36:24,740 And there are people that we have drawn outside of our circle 536 00:36:26,300 --> 00:36:30,740 because of the hurt and the pain that they've caused us. 537 00:36:31,820 --> 00:36:37,220 And we've failed to see them as a future child of you, a future 538 00:36:37,220 --> 00:36:46,240 brother or sister in Christ. But following your example, we 539 00:36:46,240 --> 00:36:52,920 were outside your circle and you bled and died for us anyway so 540 00:36:52,920 --> 00:36:54,880 that we could be brought inside your circle. 541 00:36:56,760 --> 00:36:59,960 So God, make it clear what you want us to do. 542 00:37:00,560 --> 00:37:02,360 In your name I pray. Amen.