Robert T. Young - "His Kingdom...Shall Not Be Destroyed" (November 25, 1979)
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- | Duke University chapel, | 0:03 |
service of worship, | 0:04 | |
November 25, 1979. | 0:06 | |
(church choir singing) | 0:12 | |
- | Let us pray. | 0:51 |
O God of peace, | 0:57 | |
who has taught us that in returning | 1:00 | |
and rest we shall be saved. | 1:01 | |
In quietness and confidence | 1:05 | |
shall be our strength. | 1:07 | |
By the might of thy spirit, | 1:10 | |
lift us. | 1:11 | |
We pray thee to thy presence | 1:12 | |
where we may be still | 1:16 | |
and know that thou art God | 1:17 | |
through Jesus Christ our Lord. | 1:20 | |
Amen. | 1:23 | |
(orchestral music playing) | 1:24 | |
In confessing our sin before God, | 4:32 | |
let us join in the Union prayer for deliverance. | 4:36 | |
Let us pray, | 4:40 | |
O God, | 4:43 | |
who are ever working in our hearts, | 4:44 | |
by the operation of they Spirit, | 4:47 | |
to make us fellow workers with thy will, | 4:50 | |
save us and help us, | 4:54 | |
we humbly beseech thee, | 4:56 | |
O Lord, | 4:58 | |
from all unwillingness to learn thy will, | 5:00 | |
from clinging to our own plans and desires, | 5:04 | |
from all want of faith in self committal to they guidance, | 5:08 | |
from cowardice in following thy leading | 5:13 | |
from ever suffering our own ambitions | 5:18 | |
to cloud the vision of thy will for us, | 5:21 | |
from trying to serve thee | 5:25 | |
and escape the cost, | 5:27 | |
from shirking the responsibility of our place | 5:30 | |
in the divine order, | 5:32 | |
from fearing new truths, | 5:35 | |
and new ways of thought and life, | 5:37 | |
from seeking to set forward human progress, | 5:41 | |
whether in the church or in the world, | 5:44 | |
by doing our own will, | 5:48 | |
instead of loyally asking to know thine, | 5:50 | |
save and deliver us we pray, | 5:54 | |
Amen. | 5:57 | |
Now, | 5:59 | |
in silence, | 6:00 | |
we make our personal confession unto God. | 6:01 | |
Let us give thanks for God is good, | 6:23 | |
and God's love is everlasting. | 6:27 | |
(congregation chants) | 6:31 | |
On behalf of the university family, | 6:49 | |
we greet you in the name of the Lord | 6:52 | |
and welcome you to the service of worship. | 6:55 | |
We give thanks to God for your coming. | 7:00 | |
Your participation in the hymns and prayers, | 7:04 | |
your sharing in the responses | 7:09 | |
and the offering, | 7:12 | |
your thoughtful attention to the reading of the word | 7:14 | |
and the preaching of the sermon. | 7:18 | |
Indeed, | 7:21 | |
your very physical presence, | 7:22 | |
ministers to the needs of every other person here. | 7:25 | |
And of all of those in hospital and home, | 7:30 | |
who are with us in spirit. | 7:34 | |
This Sunday, | 7:38 | |
the university is in Thanksgiving recess. | 7:39 | |
Our choir and most of our students are away. | 7:44 | |
In their absence, | 7:49 | |
the special music today is provided for | 7:51 | |
by the Northern High School choir in Durham. | 7:54 | |
We are very pleased to have them | 8:00 | |
and their director Mr. Craig McBroom in this service. | 8:02 | |
Our preacher today is the Reverend Robert T. Young, | 8:08 | |
minister to the university. | 8:12 | |
His sermon is entitled His kingdom shall not be destroyed. | 8:15 | |
Let us pray. | 8:22 | |
We thank You, | 8:29 | |
Lord God, | 8:30 | |
for those of olden time, | 8:32 | |
who preserved your word for us, | 8:34 | |
who recorded your law, | 8:38 | |
copied the prophets, | 8:40 | |
remembered the gospel message. | 8:43 | |
May your church never neglect the study of the Scriptures. | 8:46 | |
But with lively and persistent interest, | 8:51 | |
read, | 8:54 | |
recite, | 8:56 | |
interpret and teach the news declared in Jesus Christ, | 8:57 | |
your living Word, | 9:03 | |
and savior of us all. | 9:04 | |
Amen. | 9:07 | |
The Old Testament lesson is taken | 9:12 | |
from the book of Daniel, | 9:15 | |
chapter seven, | 9:17 | |
verses 13 and 14. | 9:18 | |
Here Daniel is speaking of a dream vision | 9:23 | |
he had in the first year of Balthazar, | 9:26 | |
king of Babylon. | 9:30 | |
"I saw in the night visions, | 9:34 | |
"and behold, | 9:37 | |
"with the clouds of heaven, | 9:39 | |
"there came one like the Son of man. | 9:41 | |
"And he came to the Ancient of Days, | 9:45 | |
"and was presented before him. | 9:48 | |
"And to him was given dominion, | 9:51 | |
"and glory | 9:54 | |
"and kingdom, | 9:55 | |
"that all peoples and nations and languages | 9:57 | |
"should serve him. | 10:01 | |
"His dominion is an everlasting dominion, | 10:03 | |
"which shall not pass away, | 10:06 | |
"and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed." | 10:09 | |
The New Testament lesson | 10:17 | |
is taken from Revelation, | 10:20 | |
chapter one, | 10:22 | |
verses four through eight. | 10:24 | |
And here the writer of the book is speaking. | 10:27 | |
"John, | 10:32 | |
to the seven churches that are in Asia, | 10:33 | |
"grace to you | 10:37 | |
"and peace from Him who is and who was, | 10:38 | |
"and who is to come. | 10:43 | |
"And from the seven spirits who are before His throne, | 10:45 | |
"and from Jesus Christ, | 10:49 | |
"the faithful witness, | 10:52 | |
"the first born of the dead, | 10:54 | |
"and the ruler of Kings on Earth. | 10:57 | |
"To him who loves us, | 11:01 | |
"and has freed us from our sins by his blood, | 11:03 | |
"and made us a kingdom, | 11:07 | |
"priest to his God and Father, | 11:10 | |
"to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. | 11:13 | |
"Behold, | 11:19 | |
"He is coming with the clouds, | 11:21 | |
"and every eye will see him, | 11:23 | |
"every one who pierced him, | 11:26 | |
"and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. | 11:29 | |
"Even so, | 11:34 | |
"Amen. | 11:36 | |
"I am the Alpha and the Omega, | 11:38 | |
"says the Lord God, | 11:41 | |
"who is and who was and who is to come. | 11:43 | |
"The almighty." | 11:49 | |
Here ends the reading of the lesson. | 11:51 | |
(church choir singing) | 12:42 | |
Let the congregation rise for the reading of the gospel. | 15:28 | |
In the chancel of the chapel, | 15:44 | |
behind the altar, | 15:48 | |
stands the reredos, | 15:50 | |
lighted lime-wood panels depicting three scenes | 15:53 | |
from the life of Jesus. | 15:58 | |
In the center panel, | 16:01 | |
Jesus at his trial stands before Pontius Pilate. | 16:04 | |
Our scripture lesson from John 18, | 16:11 | |
verses 33 to 37 is one account of that scene. | 16:14 | |
"Pilate entered the Praetorian again, | 16:22 | |
"and called Jesus | 16:26 | |
"and said to him, | 16:28 | |
"Are you the King of the Jews? | 16:30 | |
"Jesus answered, | 16:34 | |
"Do you say this of your own accord? | 16:37 | |
"Or did others say it to you about me? | 16:40 | |
"Pilate answered, | 16:45 | |
"Am I a Jew? | 16:47 | |
"Your own nation, | 16:49 | |
"and chief priests have handed you over to me. | 16:51 | |
"What have you done? | 16:55 | |
"Jesus answered, | 16:58 | |
"My kingship is not of this world. | 17:01 | |
"If my kingship were of this world, | 17:06 | |
"my servants would fight. | 17:10 | |
"but my kingship is not of this world. | 17:13 | |
"Pilate said to him, | 17:19 | |
"So you are a king. | 17:21 | |
"Jesus answered, | 17:25 | |
"You say that I am a king, | 17:27 | |
"for this I was born. | 17:32 | |
"And for this, | 17:34 | |
"I have come into the world, | 17:35 | |
"to bear witness to the truth. | 17:38 | |
"Everyone who is of the truth, | 17:42 | |
"hears my voice." | 17:45 | |
Here ends the reading of the gospel lesson. | 17:50 | |
(orchestral music playing) | 17:54 | |
- | Grace to you | 19:07 |
and peace from the Lord our God who creates us, | 19:08 | |
redeems us and sustains us. | 19:11 | |
Amen. | 19:15 | |
This Sunday in the church here, | 19:17 | |
is the Sunday known as | 19:19 | |
the Sunday of Christ the King. | 19:21 | |
Daniel, | 19:25 | |
Revelation, | 19:26 | |
and the gospel of John all speak | 19:27 | |
in the passages read for our scripture lessons | 19:30 | |
of Christ the King. | 19:32 | |
Christ Jesus, | 19:36 | |
King, | 19:38 | |
ruler, | 19:39 | |
ruler over all. | 19:41 | |
How fitting and appropriate, | 19:43 | |
how timely these passages | 19:46 | |
and this observance of the Sunday of Christ the King. | 19:50 | |
The front cover of Newsweek magazine this week | 19:57 | |
has a picture. | 20:03 | |
A picture of an eagle, | 20:05 | |
symbolic of the United States. | 20:08 | |
A picture of a frantic, | 20:11 | |
frightened, | 20:13 | |
parried eagle it is, | 20:15 | |
with the shield of the United States in front of it. | 20:17 | |
And the caption describing this picture, | 20:21 | |
"Has America | 20:26 | |
lost its clout?" | 20:29 | |
That it seems to me is a most interesting question, | 20:34 | |
perhaps even an appropriate question. | 20:40 | |
It is surely a sobering question. | 20:44 | |
But I'm not sure this morning | 20:49 | |
that it is the question for us. | 20:51 | |
I have an idea that there are other questions more pressing, | 20:57 | |
more real, | 21:01 | |
more important than this one | 21:02 | |
on the front of Newsweek magazine. | 21:05 | |
Such as, | 21:08 | |
has America lost its vision? | 21:10 | |
Has America lost its will? | 21:14 | |
Its commitment? | 21:18 | |
Its courage? | 21:20 | |
Its faith? | 21:22 | |
As nations threaten one another, | 21:26 | |
as talks fly back and forth, | 21:30 | |
as this nation and others are tense, | 21:34 | |
angry and hostile. | 21:37 | |
As accusations are tossed from one party to another, | 21:40 | |
as we as individuals | 21:46 | |
and as one people wait anxious, | 21:48 | |
taut and eager for the freeing of our fellow Americans. | 21:51 | |
The question for us is, | 21:58 | |
is there a word from the Lord for us? | 22:02 | |
Or to put it into words of Daniel, | 22:07 | |
can we know a kingdom? | 22:11 | |
Is there such a kingdom as one that will endure? | 22:13 | |
Is there a kingdom that shall not be destroyed? | 22:18 | |
You and I know this morning | 22:25 | |
that the ground around us is shaking. | 22:26 | |
The earth beneath us trembles. | 22:30 | |
The atmosphere everywhere is tension filled | 22:31 | |
and terrifying. | 22:34 | |
The air is electric charged. | 22:37 | |
The mood, | 22:40 | |
if I sense it in any way at all, | 22:41 | |
it seems to me is grave, | 22:43 | |
serious, | 22:46 | |
somber. | 22:48 | |
The foundations, | 22:51 | |
to use some words from Isaiah, | 22:52 | |
do shake. | 22:54 | |
We today are in the midst of terrible, | 22:56 | |
tumultuous, frightening, disturbing times. | 22:58 | |
The last three weeks for all of us have been shocking. | 23:03 | |
They have been ominously threatening to us all. | 23:09 | |
To the whole fabric of our lives to the very present | 23:15 | |
and future of life for many, | 23:17 | |
if not for all of us. | 23:20 | |
This morning, | 23:23 | |
I have a terrible feeling gnawing at me inside, | 23:25 | |
that all of us in these United States are uneasy, | 23:30 | |
upset, | 23:33 | |
that we feel trapped and frustrated | 23:34 | |
that we are unsure about the future | 23:38 | |
and not at all certain. | 23:40 | |
We're unsure about the present | 23:41 | |
and not at all certain of the future. | 23:44 | |
And is it any wonder? | 23:49 | |
We do have cause for alarm | 23:52 | |
and fear and unease. | 23:54 | |
This is a grave and perilous moment for all of us | 23:56 | |
in the United States. | 23:59 | |
Indeed, for all of us on the face of this earth today. | 24:01 | |
We have not lived in such a volatile, | 24:07 | |
threatening, dangerous moment as this | 24:10 | |
since World War Two ended. | 24:15 | |
Surely, | 24:19 | |
life-threatening forces are swirling around us, | 24:20 | |
threatening to overpower | 24:24 | |
and engulf us in frightening and fearful ways. | 24:25 | |
So we come to this moment of worship today | 24:29 | |
with fresh and disturbing scenes, | 24:31 | |
scenes of the anger of others toward us fresh in our minds. | 24:36 | |
And we come this morning to this moment of worship | 24:40 | |
with a deep heaviness on our hearts. | 24:43 | |
Where then do we turn for assurance, my friends? | 24:48 | |
There's a sixth century prophet known as Habakkuk, | 24:53 | |
who has a word for us. | 24:58 | |
He writes, | 25:00 | |
"Though the fig trees do not blossom, | 25:02 | |
"nor fruit beyond the vines. | 25:06 | |
"Though the produce of the olive oil fail, | 25:10 | |
"and the fields yield no food. | 25:14 | |
"Though the flock be cut off from the fold | 25:18 | |
"and there be no herd in the stalls." | 25:20 | |
In other words, | 25:23 | |
though everything seems to be fruitless and hopeless. | 25:24 | |
"Yet," he says, "I will rejoice in the Lord. | 25:28 | |
I will joy in the God of my salvation. | 25:33 | |
For God the Lord is my strength. | 25:38 | |
And there is a period at that point, | 25:43 | |
saying clearly, | 25:50 | |
that any other strength is secondary | 25:52 | |
to the strength which comes from the Lord. | 25:56 | |
This is a time of unease and uncertainty, | 26:02 | |
fear, tension, | 26:05 | |
a time when many, if not all of us, | 26:06 | |
feel very uncomfortable when the pathway has been lost | 26:09 | |
a time of deep personal and national concern. | 26:14 | |
I feel very much like the man | 26:17 | |
who brought his son to the Christ to be healed | 26:19 | |
and Jesus told the man, | 26:22 | |
"Everything is possible | 26:25 | |
"to one who has faith." | 26:27 | |
And the man replied, | 26:29 | |
"I believe Lord, but help thou my unbelief." | 26:30 | |
I believe this morning in my church in my country | 26:35 | |
in some of the leaders of this world | 26:39 | |
and my fellow human beings. | 26:41 | |
I believe in God, but oh Lord, help thou my unbelief. | 26:43 | |
I have been concerned now for several days | 26:52 | |
and so have you. | 26:55 | |
Concerned all this week, | 26:56 | |
concerned especially on Thanksgiving Day, | 26:57 | |
and concerned still today. | 27:00 | |
The situation in the world to me | 27:03 | |
anyhow does not look a whole lot better today | 27:05 | |
than it did a week ago. | 27:07 | |
Tehran, | 27:09 | |
Islamabad, Mecca, and now Calcutta. | 27:11 | |
This is a time of deep concern for us. | 27:17 | |
Concern, my friends, | 27:21 | |
not just over the burning of our flags, | 27:22 | |
though that has not been without deep resentment. | 27:24 | |
Concern not just over epithets thrown at our president | 27:29 | |
and our country though that has been embarrassing, | 27:33 | |
concern not just over the hatred | 27:36 | |
and venom that have poured out toward us, | 27:38 | |
though that has been disturbing. | 27:41 | |
Concern not just over the loss of 5% of our oil | 27:45 | |
and energy supplies, | 27:48 | |
though, | 27:49 | |
there was a time just a few short days ago | 27:51 | |
when that seemed awfully, awfully important. | 27:53 | |
Concern not just over the violation | 27:58 | |
of international law | 27:59 | |
and the breach of international agreements, | 28:01 | |
though that is threatening perhaps to every nation. | 28:03 | |
Concern not just over the seizure of the buildings | 28:08 | |
and grounds, and records, | 28:11 | |
though that indeed may prove to be revealing | 28:12 | |
and damaging. | 28:15 | |
This is surely a grave | 28:19 | |
and serious moment of concern for all of us. | 28:20 | |
Concern because the very lives | 28:25 | |
and wellbeing of our people have been threatened. | 28:28 | |
Concern surely for the 13 who have returned home safely now. | 28:33 | |
But more importantly, | 28:39 | |
concern for the 49 still held hostage. | 28:40 | |
Concern because many of our fellow human beings | 28:46 | |
have been trapped, | 28:48 | |
have had their freedoms taken away | 28:49 | |
and their lives jeopardized. | 28:51 | |
Concern because many of us feel victimized, | 28:56 | |
insulted and degraded by the impetuous tirades | 28:59 | |
of self-seeking political leaders. | 29:03 | |
Concern because many Americans feel that | 29:08 | |
we as a people have been vilified, | 29:12 | |
castigated, put down, defamed, used, abused, accused, | 29:16 | |
and feel that our patience | 29:21 | |
and goodwill have been taken advantage of. | 29:22 | |
Concern because not only are the lives | 29:28 | |
of our fellow human beings in mortal danger, | 29:30 | |
because who we are as a people, | 29:35 | |
and what we stand for as a nation are being questioned, | 29:38 | |
disgraced, and defamed. | 29:41 | |
This indeed is a somber, | 29:45 | |
grave moment for all of us. | 29:47 | |
And this moment, I feel very much a sense of anger | 29:51 | |
and frustration, despair, | 29:54 | |
even bordering on hopelessness. | 29:56 | |
I do not know what your needs are this morning, | 29:59 | |
but I have some sense of my own needs. | 30:04 | |
And so as the pastor | 30:08 | |
or the minister to this university community, | 30:10 | |
let me tell you what I need this morning. | 30:12 | |
As I say, kingdoms, countries, rulers, kings, | 30:17 | |
and presidents rise and fall. | 30:21 | |
Revolution upon revolution come and go, | 30:24 | |
nations war against one another, | 30:26 | |
and people filled with hatred for one another. | 30:29 | |
I need a word that there is a kingdom | 30:32 | |
which shall not be destroyed. | 30:35 | |
And Daniel and Revelation tell us | 30:41 | |
of that kingdom. | 30:43 | |
I need this morning, more than anything else, | 30:46 | |
a new sense of hope | 30:48 | |
or maybe even more than that, | 30:49 | |
I need a new promise. | 30:51 | |
A new assurance, | 30:54 | |
a new assertion. | 30:56 | |
But at the very least, I need a new sense of hope. | 30:59 | |
Hope grounded in men and women with integrity, | 31:04 | |
with vision, with compassion, and with courage. | 31:06 | |
Hope that is grounded in a sense of community, | 31:11 | |
and community with a global concern with a worldwide vision, | 31:14 | |
a vision that we are a community of one family under God. | 31:19 | |
Hope grounded in commitment on the part of us all. | 31:29 | |
A renewed and a deeper commitment, | 31:34 | |
for I believe that this is no time | 31:36 | |
for the Christian community to retreat | 31:37 | |
or withdraw, or be apathetic, or uninvolved, or unconcerned. | 31:39 | |
Now more than ever before, | 31:43 | |
the voice of Christians concerned about the chaos | 31:45 | |
and confusion about the moral and political order | 31:47 | |
needs to be proclaimed. | 31:51 | |
The voice that says our help cometh from the Lord | 31:53 | |
who made heaven and earth, | 31:57 | |
He will not suffer the foot to be moved, | 31:59 | |
He that keepeth Israel will never slumber. | 32:01 | |
But it was Edmund Burke who once wrote, | 32:08 | |
"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil, | 32:10 | |
"is for good men to do nothing." | 32:16 | |
Hope grounded in the certainty of the presence | 32:21 | |
and the promise of the future. | 32:25 | |
A certainty and promise grounded, | 32:28 | |
not in the power and might of this nation, | 32:30 | |
nor in the wisdom and courage of our leaders, | 32:33 | |
but a hope that is grounded in the Word of God, | 32:36 | |
and in the belief that the presence of God is active | 32:39 | |
and alive in this world. | 32:42 | |
Daniel had this vision my friends, | 32:48 | |
of one like a son of man who came to the ancient of days. | 32:50 | |
And to this son of man was given dominion | 32:57 | |
and glory and kingdom, | 33:00 | |
that all peoples, all nations, | 33:02 | |
and all languages should serve him. | 33:04 | |
His dominion is an everlasting dominion, | 33:09 | |
and his kingdom, one that shall not be destroyed. | 33:12 | |
Do we believe the Word of God then? | 33:16 | |
Or do we not? | 33:18 | |
Daniel was writing at a time | 33:24 | |
when the Jewish people were under severe persecution. | 33:26 | |
And in the midst of Israel's oppression and suffering, | 33:31 | |
confusion and war, | 33:33 | |
Daniel brings a vision of hope. | 33:34 | |
But this hope is based not upon faith | 33:37 | |
in the eventual goodness of the Syrian oppressors. | 33:40 | |
Nor is it founded upon some false confidence | 33:44 | |
that the things are bound to look up | 33:46 | |
and get better for Israel one of these days. | 33:49 | |
And that they will get out of this all okay, | 33:51 | |
but Daniel's vision of hope | 33:53 | |
is based solely upon his undying confidence | 33:55 | |
in the majestic sovereignty of a powerful and gracious God. | 33:58 | |
A God who is working even in the darkest of dark hours | 34:05 | |
to redeem and restore Israel. | 34:11 | |
Their fate and their future are not based | 34:14 | |
on their own mind and strength, | 34:16 | |
but are based upon God. | 34:18 | |
And it is God's rule Daniel says | 34:22 | |
that will be consummated and established forever. | 34:24 | |
These are grave and somber moments. | 34:33 | |
I have never in my 44 years of living, | 34:39 | |
seen a mob as angry and explosive | 34:45 | |
and threatening as a mob | 34:49 | |
which was seen on television screens | 34:51 | |
roaming the streets of Tehran on Wednesday. | 34:53 | |
So these are frightening moments for me. | 34:58 | |
And yet we of the JudeoChristian tradition | 35:02 | |
need to remind ourselves | 35:05 | |
and need to be reminded that it is God who is the ruler | 35:06 | |
Even yet the foundations, as Isaiah put it, do shake, | 35:09 | |
but my salvation under God knows no end. | 35:13 | |
The fig trees may not blossom. | 35:20 | |
The fields may yield no food. | 35:22 | |
Yet God is the Lord of our strength. | 35:25 | |
There's an old spiritual that we all know | 35:29 | |
and sing sometimes that has an appropriate message in it, | 35:31 | |
I believe there is a balm in Gilead | 35:33 | |
to make the wounded whole, | 35:36 | |
there is a balm in Gilead to heal the sin sick souls. | 35:39 | |
Sometimes I feel discouraged. | 35:43 | |
And think my work's in vain. | 35:47 | |
But then the Holy Spirit revives my soul again, | 35:49 | |
if you can't preach like Peter, | 35:52 | |
if you can't pray like Paul, | 35:54 | |
just tell of the love of Jesus | 35:55 | |
and say he died for all. | 35:58 | |
Just tell of the love of God for all God's children. | 36:00 | |
There is a balm we need, | 36:07 | |
and the balm that we need this morning. | 36:09 | |
I believe Revelation tells us | 36:11 | |
that Jesus gives it to everyone who will receive it. | 36:14 | |
He says to all the churches, | 36:19 | |
"Grace to you and peace from Him | 36:24 | |
"who is, who was, and who is to come." | 36:29 | |
Grace and peace. | 36:32 | |
Is that not the balm we need this morning? | 36:36 | |
It was Tertullian, | 36:45 | |
the early church father who once wrote, | 36:46 | |
"It is the Christ who turns our sunsets into sunrises." | 36:49 | |
And so it is our faith affirming | 36:56 | |
that it is not the darkness that follows the dawn, | 36:58 | |
but that it is the dawn which follows the darkness. | 37:02 | |
And as the psalmist puts it, | 37:06 | |
"Weeping may tarry for the night, | 37:08 | |
"but joy comes in the morning." | 37:10 | |
And we all long for that morning. | 37:13 | |
Dag Hammarskjold once wrote, | 37:16 | |
"Will the day ever come when our joy will be great | 37:18 | |
"and our sorrow small?" | 37:22 | |
"Will it ever come? | 37:26 | |
"Will the day ever come, ever come, | 37:27 | |
"when our joy will be great, | 37:33 | |
and our sorrow be small?" | 37:35 | |
I hope and I pray that it will. | 37:39 | |
We come this morning at a terrifying | 37:44 | |
and threatening moment in the life | 37:47 | |
and history of our nation and of our world to bow down, | 37:48 | |
to bow down and give thanks to God | 37:53 | |
in this particular season, | 37:55 | |
to remember and celebrate our heritage of freedom | 37:58 | |
and human dignity that has blessed us all. | 38:01 | |
To express our concern, yes, | 38:04 | |
about what is happening to our people and to us as a nation. | 38:06 | |
And to demonstrate our renewed hope in the Lord our God. | 38:10 | |
We come remembering and we come giving thanks. | 38:14 | |
But we come also pleading that God will deliver | 38:17 | |
all peoples caught up in the frenzied, | 38:19 | |
frightening mad turmoil | 38:22 | |
and pleading that God's spirit of peace and goodwill, | 38:24 | |
and reconciliation may prevail. | 38:28 | |
And prevail soon. | 38:31 | |
The book of Revelation ends | 38:35 | |
with an absolutely overwhelming, | 38:37 | |
beautiful picture, beautiful image, | 38:39 | |
a vision, a vision of a new heaven | 38:43 | |
and a new earth, | 38:46 | |
a new Jerusalem come down to earth, | 38:47 | |
a new community of God's people, | 38:49 | |
transformed and made one. | 38:51 | |
John writes, | 38:53 | |
"The river of the water of life | 38:55 | |
"flowing from the throne of God | 38:58 | |
"and of the Lamb also, | 39:00 | |
"is the tree of life. | 39:03 | |
"And the leaves of the tree were for the healing | 39:05 | |
"of all the nations." | 39:08 | |
John talks here about how all of this may happen | 39:13 | |
and that it may happen soon. | 39:19 | |
Soon. | 39:22 | |
Soon. | 39:24 | |
The healing of all the nations. | 39:25 | |
That's what we all pray for | 39:28 | |
and long for this morning, | 39:30 | |
soon. | 39:32 | |
Sure, | 39:33 | |
perhaps because that healing can happen anytime, | 39:34 | |
anyplace, anywhere with any people. | 39:38 | |
Soon, | 39:42 | |
surely. | 39:43 | |
Soon when we bind ourselves unflinchingly, | 39:45 | |
unreservedly, | 39:49 | |
and unfaltering to the lamb, | 39:50 | |
for here is the one whose kingdom shall not be destroyed, | 39:54 | |
the one who is the Alpha and the Omega, | 39:58 | |
the one who makes all things new. | 40:00 | |
And when and where this happens. | 40:04 | |
This one is indeed King of kings | 40:06 | |
and Lord of lords. | 40:10 | |
And he, | 40:12 | |
the Lord our God shall reign forever | 40:13 | |
and ever and ever. | 40:16 | |
Hallelujah, Hallelujah. | 40:20 | |
The act of praise is number 661. | 40:25 | |
Would you turn and let us with one voice stand | 40:29 | |
and read together these words, | 40:33 | |
entitled the Lord God Almighty, | 40:37 | |
number 661. | 40:40 | |
Let us say together these words from the book of Revelation, | 40:43 | |
Holy, | 41:01 | |
Holy, | 41:02 | |
Holy is the Lord God Almighty. | 41:03 | |
Rather than read this responsively, | 41:06 | |
I'd like for us to say the whole thing with one voice, | 41:09 | |
so will you rather than reading it responsively, | 41:13 | |
as it is indicated here, | 41:16 | |
join with me from the very beginning of this passage, | 41:18 | |
let us say together, | 41:21 | |
Holy, | 41:23 | |
Holy, | 41:23 | |
Holy is the Lord God Almighty, | 41:24 | |
who was and is and is to come. | 41:27 | |
Great and wonderful are thy deeds, | 41:31 | |
oh Lord, | 41:34 | |
God, | 41:35 | |
the Almighty. | 41:36 | |
Just and true are thy ways, | 41:37 | |
O King of the ages. | 41:39 | |
Who shall not fear and glorify thy name, | 41:42 | |
O Lord, | 41:46 | |
for thou alone art holy, | 41:47 | |
worthy art thou our Lord and God, | 41:50 | |
to receive glory | 41:54 | |
and honor | 41:55 | |
and power. | 41:56 | |
For thou didst create all things, | 41:58 | |
and by thy will they existed | 42:00 | |
and were created. | 42:03 | |
Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, | 42:05 | |
to receive power | 42:08 | |
and wealth, | 42:09 | |
and wisdom, | 42:10 | |
and might, | 42:11 | |
and honor | 42:12 | |
and glory | 42:14 | |
and blessing, | 42:15 | |
blessing | 42:17 | |
and glory | 42:17 | |
and wisdom, | 42:18 | |
and thanksgiving | 42:19 | |
and honor | 42:20 | |
and power, | 42:21 | |
and might be to our God forever and ever. | 42:23 | |
To him who sits upon the throne, | 42:27 | |
and to the Lamb, | 42:30 | |
the blessing | 42:32 | |
and honor | 42:33 | |
and glory | 42:33 | |
and might forever and ever. | 42:34 | |
We give thanks to thee Lord God Almighty, | 42:38 | |
who art | 42:42 | |
and who was. | 42:43 | |
That thou has taken that great power | 42:45 | |
and begun to rain. | 42:47 | |
Hallelujah. | 42:50 | |
For the Lord our God, | 42:51 | |
the almighty reigns. | 42:53 | |
Let us rejoice | 42:55 | |
and exalt | 42:57 | |
and give Him the glory. | 42:58 | |
Amen. | 43:00 | |
(orchestral music playing) | 43:03 | |
(church choir singing) | 43:43 | |
In unison, | 46:04 | |
we now affirm the faith. | 46:05 | |
Let us affirm what we believe. | 46:08 | |
We believe in God who has created | 46:12 | |
and is creating, | 46:15 | |
who has come in the truly human Jesus, | 46:17 | |
to reconcile | 46:21 | |
and make new. | 46:22 | |
Who works in us | 46:24 | |
and others by the Spirit. | 46:25 | |
We trust God, | 46:28 | |
who calls us to be the church, | 46:30 | |
to celebrate life, | 46:33 | |
and its fullness, | 46:34 | |
to love and to serve others. | 46:36 | |
To seek justice | 46:39 | |
and resist evil, | 46:40 | |
to proclaim Jesus, | 46:42 | |
crucified and risen. | 46:44 | |
Our judge and our hope, | 46:47 | |
in life, | 46:49 | |
and death. | 46:51 | |
In life beyond death, | 46:52 | |
God is with us. | 46:54 | |
We are not alone. | 46:56 | |
Thanks be to God. | 46:58 | |
Let the congregation be seated. | 47:04 | |
The Lord be with you. | 47:14 | |
Let us pray. | 47:18 | |
All Mighty and most merciful God, | 47:22 | |
from whom comes every good | 47:26 | |
and perfect gift. | 47:28 | |
We give you praise and hearty thanks for all your mercies. | 47:31 | |
For your goodness that has created us, | 47:37 | |
your bounty that has sustained us, | 47:41 | |
your fatherly discipline that has chastened | 47:45 | |
and corrected us. | 47:49 | |
Your patience that has born with us, | 47:52 | |
your love that has redeemed us. | 47:56 | |
Grant onto us with your gifts, | 48:01 | |
our heart to love you | 48:03 | |
and enable us to show our thankfulness | 48:06 | |
for all your benefits. | 48:09 | |
By giving up ourselves to your service | 48:11 | |
and cheerfully submitting in all things | 48:14 | |
to your blessed will. | 48:18 | |
O God who son our Lord preached | 48:22 | |
release to the captives. | 48:27 | |
We lift up before you the concern that weighs upon us. | 48:30 | |
For our sons who are hostages in a distant land. | 48:35 | |
We pray for their safety | 48:41 | |
and deliverance from cruel imprisonment. | 48:44 | |
You are our hope, | 48:49 | |
our help in times of trouble. | 48:51 | |
In Jesus Christ, | 48:55 | |
you have ordered us to live as loving neighbors. | 48:58 | |
But in such a time as now, | 49:02 | |
it is difficult for us to do this. | 49:05 | |
Help us to work out our differences that threaten to undo us | 49:10 | |
and bring upon us the curse of war. | 49:15 | |
Do not let threats multiply | 49:20 | |
or power be used without compassion. | 49:23 | |
May your word rule the words and the emotions of men. | 49:28 | |
So they may agree and settle claims peacefully. | 49:35 | |
Deliver us from wrong acts of violence and terrorism. | 49:41 | |
Hold back impulsive persons, | 49:47 | |
less desire for vengeance, | 49:51 | |
overwhelm our common welfare. | 49:54 | |
Quiet the rage of angry multitudes, | 49:59 | |
here and abroad. | 50:03 | |
Promote the healing of the nations. | 50:06 | |
Grant understanding | 50:09 | |
and respect among Muslims | 50:11 | |
and Christians. | 50:15 | |
Bring peace to our troubled earth now | 50:17 | |
that your kingdom may rule and reign among us. | 50:22 | |
This we ask in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, | 50:26 | |
the Prince of peace. | 50:30 | |
Now as our Savior Christ has taught us, | 50:33 | |
we pray together saying, | 50:36 | |
Our Father who art in heaven, | 50:39 | |
hallowed be thy name. | 50:43 | |
Thy kingdom come, | 50:45 | |
Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. | 50:47 | |
Give us this day our daily bread. | 50:51 | |
And forgive us our trespasses | 50:54 | |
as we forgive those who trespass against us. | 50:57 | |
And lead us not into temptation, | 51:01 | |
but deliver us from evil. | 51:04 | |
For thine is the kingdom, | 51:06 | |
the power and the glory forever. | 51:09 | |
Amen. | 51:12 | |
(orchestral music playing) | 51:15 | |
(church choir singing) | 54:25 | |
O Lord, | 58:49 | |
from whose bounty we have all received, | 58:51 | |
accept this offering of your people. | 58:54 | |
May your blessing rest upon those who have given it | 58:59 | |
and the special purpose for which it is intended. | 59:02 | |
Amen. | 59:06 | |
(orchestral music playing) | 59:08 | |
O Lord, | 1:02:18 | |
support us all the day long of this troublous life | 1:02:21 | |
until the shadows lengthen | 1:02:26 | |
and the evening comes | 1:02:29 | |
and the busy world is hushed | 1:02:31 | |
and the fever of life is over. | 1:02:33 | |
and our work is done. | 1:02:36 | |
Then of thy great mercy, | 1:02:38 | |
grant us a safe lodging | 1:02:42 | |
and a holy rest | 1:02:44 | |
and peace at the last, | 1:02:46 | |
through Jesus Christ our Lord. | 1:02:49 | |
Amen. | 1:02:52 | |
(church choir singing) | 1:02:55 | |
(orchestral music playing) | 1:04:05 |
Item Info
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