J. Alfred Smith, Sr. - "From January to December" (January 31, 1993)
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Transcript
Transcripts may contain inaccuracies.
(organ music) | 0:00 | |
- | Good morning, I'd like to welcome you to Duke Chapel. | 1:10 |
Let me call a couple of announcements to your attention. | 1:13 | |
Our guest preacher today is Dr. J. Alfred Smith, | 1:17 | |
who is the Howard C. Wilkinson Distinguished Guest Preacher. | 1:21 | |
Dr. Smith was here in October of last year | 1:25 | |
and was very well received in the area. | 1:29 | |
He is a lecturer and preacher. | 1:31 | |
He serves as the senior pastor | 1:34 | |
to the Allen Temple Baptist Church in Oakland, California. | 1:37 | |
This is a church of more than 4,000 members | 1:41 | |
of which Dr. Smith has been the pastor since 1970. | 1:44 | |
It's a testament to his gifts as a preacher | 1:49 | |
and we are very grateful to have him with us today. | 1:52 | |
He has also brought with him Lewis Sellars, | 1:55 | |
who will be doing a solo for us. | 1:58 | |
Mr. Sellars is the Chairman of the Board at Allen Temple. | 2:01 | |
He is also a member of the choir there | 2:05 | |
and he sings with the Oakland Symphony. | 2:07 | |
We're looking forward to hearing him, as well. | 2:09 | |
This week there are a couple of happenings in the area | 2:13 | |
I'd like to call to your attention. | 2:16 | |
Tonight from 7:00 to 9:00, | 2:18 | |
the congregation will hold an old-time hymn sing | 2:20 | |
and Bible quiz in the chapel basement, | 2:24 | |
and you're all invited for that. | 2:26 | |
Then, on Thursday evening, we have Dr. James Sire, | 2:28 | |
who is the senior editor of InterVarsity Press, | 2:32 | |
who will be doing a presentation | 2:36 | |
on Why Believe Anything At All? | 2:38 | |
It promises to be an interesting lecture | 2:40 | |
and we invite you to come back for that. | 2:43 | |
Please stand now as we begin our worship | 2:45 | |
with the processional hymn In the Cross of Christ. | 2:47 | |
Let us join together in the greeting. | 2:55 | |
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you. | 2:57 | |
Congregation | And also with you. | 3:00 |
- | The splendor of Christ shines upon us. | 3:02 |
Congregation | Praise the Lord. | 3:05 |
(organ music) | 3:07 | |
♪ In the cross of Christ I glory ♪ | 3:38 | |
♪ Towering over the wrecks of time ♪ | 3:46 | |
♪ All the light of sacred story ♪ | 3:53 | |
♪ Gathers round its head sublime ♪ | 4:01 | |
♪ When the woes of life overtake me ♪ | 4:11 | |
♪ Hopes deceive and fears annoy ♪ | 4:18 | |
♪ Never shall the cross forsake me ♪ | 4:26 | |
♪ Lo, it glows with peace and joy ♪ | 4:34 | |
♪ When the sun of bliss is beaming ♪ | 4:44 | |
♪ Light and love upon my way ♪ | 4:51 | |
♪ From the cross the radiance streaming ♪ | 4:59 | |
♪ Adds more luster to the day ♪ | 5:06 | |
♪ Bane and blessing, pain and pleasure ♪ | 5:16 | |
♪ By the cross are sanctified ♪ | 5:24 | |
♪ Peace is there that knows no measure ♪ | 5:32 | |
♪ Joys that through all time abide ♪ | 5:40 | |
(organ music) | 5:48 | |
♪ In the cross of Christ I glory ♪ | 7:13 | |
♪ Towering over the wrecks of time ♪ | 7:21 | |
♪ All the light of sacred story ♪ | 7:28 | |
♪ Gathers round its head sublime ♪ | 7:36 | |
- | Let us pray. | 7:47 |
O God, whose foolishness is wiser than our wisdom, | 7:51 | |
and whose weakness is stronger than our strength, | 7:56 | |
draw us to yourself. | 8:00 | |
We delight in the abundance and prosperity | 8:03 | |
with which you have blessed us. | 8:05 | |
Even more, we delight in the gifts | 8:08 | |
we have received in Christ Jesus. | 8:10 | |
With glad rejoicing, we approach you | 8:13 | |
to find those mountaintops | 8:16 | |
from which to make sense of our lives. | 8:19 | |
Bless us, we pray, in ways we least expect, amen. | 8:22 | |
You may be seated. | 8:29 | |
- | Let us pray together the Prayer for Illumination. | 8:41 |
Open our hearts and minds, O God, | 8:46 | |
by the power of your Holy Spirit, | 8:48 | |
so that as the Word is read and proclaimed, | 8:51 | |
we may hear your Word with joy this day, amen. | 8:55 | |
The first reading | 9:02 | |
is taken from Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians, | 9:03 | |
chapter one, starting with the eighteenth verse. | 9:07 | |
"For the message about the cross is foolishness | 9:11 | |
"to those who are perishing. | 9:14 | |
"But to us who are being saved, it is the power of God. | 9:16 | |
"For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise | 9:22 | |
"and the discernment of the discerning | 9:26 | |
"I will thwart. | 9:28 | |
"Where is the one who is wise? | 9:30 | |
"Where is the scribe? | 9:32 | |
"Where is the debater of this age? | 9:35 | |
"Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? | 9:38 | |
"For since, in the wisdom of God, | 9:41 | |
"the world did not know God through wisdom. | 9:44 | |
"God decided through the foolishness of our proclamation | 9:47 | |
"to save those who believe. | 9:51 | |
"For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom, | 9:54 | |
"but we proclaim Christ crucified, | 9:58 | |
"a stumbling block to Jews | 10:01 | |
"and foolishness to Gentiles. | 10:03 | |
"But to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, | 10:05 | |
"Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. | 10:10 | |
"For God's foolishness is wiser than human wisdom | 10:14 | |
"and God's weakness is stronger than human strength. | 10:18 | |
"Consider your own call, brothers and sisters. | 10:22 | |
"Not many of you were wise by human standards. | 10:26 | |
"Not many were powerful. | 10:30 | |
"Not many were of noble birth. | 10:32 | |
"But God chose what is foolish in the world | 10:35 | |
"to shame the wise. | 10:38 | |
"God chose what is weak in the world | 10:40 | |
"to shame the strong. | 10:42 | |
"God chose what is low and despised in the world, | 10:44 | |
"things that are not, | 10:48 | |
"to reduce to nothing things that are, | 10:50 | |
"so that no one might boast in the presence of God. | 10:53 | |
"He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, | 10:58 | |
"who became for us wisdom from God | 11:01 | |
"and righteousness and sanctification and redemption, | 11:04 | |
"in order that, as it is written, | 11:09 | |
"'Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.'" | 11:11 | |
This is the Word of the Lord. | 11:15 | |
Congregation | Thanks be to God. | 11:17 |
- | Let us sing responsively Psalm 15 on page 747. | 11:24 |
Please stand for the Psalm and Gloria. | 11:31 | |
(organ music) | 11:36 | |
♪ O Lord, who shall abide in your tent ♪ | 11:41 | |
♪ Who shall dwell in your holy hill ♪ | 11:45 | |
♪ The one who walks blamelessly ♪ | 11:50 | |
♪ And does what is right ♪ | 11:53 | |
♪ And speaks truth from the heart ♪ | 11:57 | |
♪ Who does not slander with the tongue ♪ | 12:02 | |
♪ And does no evil to a friend ♪ | 12:06 | |
♪ Nor takes up a reproach against a neighbor ♪ | 12:10 | |
♪ In whose eyes a reproach is despised ♪ | 12:15 | |
♪ But who honors those who fear the Lord ♪ | 12:20 | |
♪ Who does not put out money at interest ♪ | 12:26 | |
♪ And does not take a bribe against the innocent ♪ | 12:30 | |
♪ The one who does these things shall never be moved ♪ | 12:36 | |
♪ All glory be to you, Creator ♪ | 12:43 | |
♪ And to Jesus Christ our Savior ♪ | 12:46 | |
♪ And to the Holy Spirit, blessed Trinity ♪ | 12:51 | |
♪ As it was before time began ♪ | 12:57 | |
♪ Is now and shall be forevermore ♪ | 13:02 | |
(organ music) | 13:20 | |
♪ Remember your servants, Lord ♪ | 13:31 | |
♪ When you come in your kingly power ♪ | 13:37 | |
♪ Blessed are the poor in spirit ♪ | 13:44 | |
♪ For theirs is the kingdom of heaven ♪ | 13:51 | |
♪ Blessed are those who mourn ♪ | 13:58 | |
♪ For they shall be comforted ♪ | 14:03 | |
♪ Blessed are the meek ♪ | 14:10 | |
♪ For they shall inherit the earth ♪ | 14:16 | |
♪ Blessed are those ♪ | 14:23 | |
♪ Who hunger and thirst after righteousness ♪ | 14:26 | |
♪ For they shall be satisfied ♪ | 14:33 | |
♪ Blessed are the merciful ♪ | 14:39 | |
♪ For they shall obtain mercy ♪ | 14:46 | |
♪ Blessed are the pure in heart ♪ | 14:53 | |
♪ For they shall see God ♪ | 15:01 | |
♪ Blessed are the peacemakers ♪ | 15:07 | |
♪ For they shall be called the children of God ♪ | 15:14 | |
♪ Blessed are those who are persecuted ♪ | 15:22 | |
♪ For righteousness sake ♪ | 15:28 | |
♪ For theirs is the kingdom of heaven ♪ | 15:32 | |
♪ Blessed are you ♪ | 15:39 | |
♪ When the world reviles you and persecutes you ♪ | 15:42 | |
♪ And mutters all matter of evil against you falsely ♪ | 15:49 | |
♪ For my sake ♪ | 15:55 | |
♪ Rejoice and be exceeding glad ♪ | 15:58 | |
♪ For great is your reward in heaven ♪ | 16:06 | |
♪ Remember your servants, Lord ♪ | 16:12 | |
♪ When you come in your kingly power ♪ | 16:19 | |
- | This reading is from the fifth chapter | 16:22 |
of the Gospel according to St. Matthew, | 16:23 | |
beginning with the first verse. | 16:23 | |
"When Jesus saw the crowds, | 16:47 | |
"he went up the mountain | 16:49 | |
"and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. | 16:51 | |
"Then he began to speak and taught them, | 16:55 | |
"saying, 'Blessed are the poor in spirit, | 16:58 | |
"'for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. | 17:02 | |
"'Blessed are those who mourn, | 17:05 | |
"'for they will be comforted. | 17:06 | |
"'Blessed are the meek, | 17:09 | |
"'for they will inherit the earth. | 17:10 | |
"'Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, | 17:13 | |
"'for they will be filled. | 17:17 | |
"'Blessed are the merciful, | 17:20 | |
"'for they will receive mercy. | 17:22 | |
"'Blessed are the pure in heart, | 17:25 | |
"'for they will see God. | 17:27 | |
"'Blessed are the peacemakers, | 17:29 | |
"'for they will be called children of God. | 17:32 | |
"'Blessed are those who are persecuted | 17:36 | |
"'for righteousness sake, | 17:37 | |
"'for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. | 17:39 | |
"'Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you | 17:43 | |
"'and utter all kinds of evil against you | 17:47 | |
"'falsely on my account. | 17:50 | |
"'Rejoice and be glad, | 17:52 | |
"'for your reward is great in heaven. | 17:54 | |
"'For in the same way they persecuted the prophets | 17:58 | |
"'who were before you.'" | 18:00 | |
This is the Word of the Lord. | 18:02 | |
Congregation | Thanks be to God. | 18:04 |
(organ music) | 18:07 | |
♪ O Master, let me walk with thee ♪ | 18:32 | |
♪ In lowly paths of service free ♪ | 18:40 | |
♪ Tell me thy secret ♪ | 18:50 | |
♪ Help me bear ♪ | 18:54 | |
♪ The strain of toil ♪ | 18:59 | |
♪ The fret of care ♪ | 19:03 | |
♪ Help me the slow of heart to move ♪ | 19:10 | |
♪ By some clear, winning word of love ♪ | 19:20 | |
♪ Teach me thy wayward feet to stay ♪ | 19:30 | |
♪ And guide them in ♪ | 19:40 | |
♪ The homeward way ♪ | 19:44 | |
♪ Teach me thy patience ♪ | 19:52 | |
♪ Still with thee ♪ | 19:56 | |
♪ In closer, dearer company ♪ | 20:02 | |
♪ In work that keeps faith ♪ | 20:12 | |
♪ Sweet and strong ♪ | 20:16 | |
♪ In trust that triumphs over wrong ♪ | 20:21 | |
♪ In hope that sends ♪ | 20:43 | |
♪ A shining ray ♪ | 20:47 | |
♪ Far down the future's broadening way ♪ | 20:52 | |
♪ In peace that only thou canst give ♪ | 21:02 | |
♪ With thee, O Master ♪ | 21:12 | |
♪ Let me live ♪ | 21:19 | |
- | Let us pray. | 22:00 |
Heavenly Parent, you're light for our darkness, | 22:06 | |
strength for our weakness, | 22:11 | |
a hope for our despair, | 22:14 | |
and out of the fullness of grateful hearts, | 22:18 | |
we come thanking you for your rich mercy | 22:22 | |
and we pray that the words of my mouth | 22:27 | |
and the meditation of my heart | 22:31 | |
would be acceptable in thy sight. | 22:34 | |
O Lord, our strength and our redeemer, amen. | 22:37 | |
I'm very deeply grateful to my friend, Dr. Willimon, | 22:45 | |
for the honor of preaching today | 22:51 | |
here in the Duke Chapel, | 22:56 | |
and I'm especially grateful | 22:59 | |
that I'm not going to get into any difficulty | 23:03 | |
being away from the Allen Temple Baptist Church | 23:07 | |
in Oakland, California, where I serve as senior pastor, | 23:11 | |
because the chairman of the board just sang the solo. | 23:16 | |
(congregation laughs) | 23:22 | |
And I'm especially grateful for the warm hospitality | 23:25 | |
of the Reverend Debra Brazzel. | 23:33 | |
I want to preach today from the topic | 23:36 | |
from January to December. | 23:39 | |
A lot happens between January and December. | 23:44 | |
And some of it is caused by | 23:49 | |
you and by me. | 23:53 | |
And some things happen, both good and bad, | 23:56 | |
because you and I make them happen. | 24:02 | |
And other things may occur, | 24:05 | |
because there are others who affect us, | 24:08 | |
either positively or negatively. | 24:13 | |
But, nature has a way of invading our lives. | 24:18 | |
Without human permission, at any time, | 24:23 | |
nature can release the furious anger | 24:28 | |
of earthquake, tornado, hurricane, | 24:32 | |
fire, or flood | 24:36 | |
to try to destroy or dislocate us. | 24:39 | |
As an unsought visitor, death can sting us | 24:44 | |
as an unwanted enemy. | 24:49 | |
And yes, in the riddle of life's mixture | 24:55 | |
of the bitter and the sweet, | 24:59 | |
a loving and merciful God | 25:02 | |
spares us from the illogical | 25:05 | |
choices of humans | 25:08 | |
and the irrational acts of nature. | 25:11 | |
So with our text, we can affirm | 25:16 | |
that the eyes of the Lord are always upon us | 25:19 | |
and that his eyes are upon us and upon the land | 25:26 | |
from the beginning of the year, | 25:31 | |
even until the end of the year. | 25:34 | |
With discipline, prayer, | 25:39 | |
and daily meditation upon the sacred scripture, | 25:42 | |
and you and I are able to obtain | 25:47 | |
a faith and courage and wisdom | 25:51 | |
for the living of these days, | 25:56 | |
and so that we will not end up being victims | 25:59 | |
instead of victors. | 26:04 | |
Our sermon text throws three lights | 26:08 | |
upon the dark road of the future | 26:11 | |
and let us momentarily discuss them. | 26:16 | |
And I love to call these three lights | 26:21 | |
reality, actuality, and potentiality. | 26:24 | |
And reality is | 26:32 | |
that that many people deny. | 26:37 | |
Without reality, persons exist in an artificial world | 26:42 | |
of the unreal. | 26:47 | |
Without reality, you and I are clowns in the circus of life. | 26:49 | |
And our tales are told by idiots that signify nothing. | 26:56 | |
And our toys are nonsense, | 27:02 | |
our joys are balloons that soon burst. | 27:04 | |
But, life is not life | 27:09 | |
if it is spent in the penny arcade of self-gratification. | 27:12 | |
A life is not real if it is sought | 27:18 | |
in the fairyland of self-delusion, | 27:21 | |
or if it is searched for in an adult Disneyland | 27:25 | |
of capitalistic consumerism. | 27:30 | |
And because the world has often bowed down | 27:34 | |
to the unreal gods of materialism, popularity, | 27:37 | |
and pleasure, | 27:42 | |
and too many persons seeking gold | 27:44 | |
and have ended up | 27:48 | |
not knowing what life is all about. | 27:52 | |
And not experiencing what Jesus meant when he said, | 27:56 | |
"I am come that you might have life | 28:00 | |
"and that you might have it more abundantly." | 28:03 | |
They know more about the things of the world | 28:08 | |
than they know about themselves, and of others, and of God. | 28:12 | |
But, if we are to move into the realm of reality, | 28:18 | |
and somehow we must discover | 28:24 | |
the existence of that which is not seen. | 28:27 | |
And only God truly is real. | 28:32 | |
All else changes | 28:37 | |
and changes and changes. | 28:40 | |
But, there is a certainty about God. | 28:43 | |
There is an everlasting quality about God. | 28:47 | |
And you and I make up a generation and then, we will leave, | 28:52 | |
as other generations have done | 28:58 | |
and as generations will do after us. | 29:01 | |
But, God remains eternal. | 29:06 | |
And no wonder the psalmist said, | 29:10 | |
"Lord, Thou hast been our dwelling place | 29:12 | |
"in all generations. | 29:16 | |
"Before the mountains were brought forth | 29:19 | |
"or ever thou hast formed the earth and world. | 29:22 | |
"Even from everlasting to everlasting, | 29:25 | |
thou art God." | 29:30 | |
And somehow, when people deny | 29:32 | |
the reality of God, | 29:36 | |
they end up | 29:41 | |
shortchanging themselves. | 29:44 | |
And it's easy to deny the reality of God, | 29:50 | |
but it is easier to live with | 29:56 | |
the winds of the Spirit, | 30:00 | |
taking one through life just as | 30:05 | |
the winds propel a sailboat | 30:08 | |
across the sea. | 30:13 | |
But, if there is reality, | 30:17 | |
there is also actuality. | 30:20 | |
But, if one denies reality, | 30:24 | |
it is also easy to reject actuality. | 30:27 | |
Actuality is the making of an honest assessment | 30:32 | |
of the present. | 30:37 | |
Actuality is like the Blue Book | 30:38 | |
that tells you how much your car is really worth | 30:42 | |
or the assessor who informs you | 30:47 | |
how much your property tax is | 30:49 | |
or the doctor who provides you with the news | 30:52 | |
of your physical examination | 30:55 | |
or the professor who hands you your grade | 30:58 | |
or the monthly reading of your bank statement. | 31:04 | |
But, actuality is most effective | 31:08 | |
if we take off our blindness | 31:11 | |
and make the necessary | 31:14 | |
honest, painful assessment of ourselves. | 31:16 | |
And today, and someone | 31:23 | |
might be interested in assessing | 31:26 | |
one's mental health, or one's moral health, | 31:28 | |
or one's economic health, or one's physical health. | 31:32 | |
But oftentimes, the mental, moral, economic, | 31:39 | |
and physical health | 31:43 | |
does not improve | 31:45 | |
until we realize to assess | 31:47 | |
our spiritual health. | 31:53 | |
And that's why Jesus said, | 31:55 | |
"Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, | 31:57 | |
"and all else will be added unto you." | 32:03 | |
And after assessment, | 32:08 | |
what steps must we take in order to make corrections? | 32:11 | |
What steps must we take in order to make improvements? | 32:17 | |
And what must we do | 32:22 | |
between January and December | 32:26 | |
in making an effective assessment of ourselves? | 32:29 | |
Well, we know that | 32:35 | |
we do not wanna deny the reality of God, | 32:37 | |
for the denial of that reality is atheism. | 32:41 | |
The rejection of actuality is falsehood. | 32:46 | |
And the destruction of potentiality is genocide. | 32:50 | |
But, when you and I plan or participate or remain passive in | 32:57 | |
the destruction of our potentiality, | 33:02 | |
this is spiritual suicide. | 33:06 | |
And reality says, "God is," | 33:10 | |
actuality says, "This is who I am," | 33:13 | |
potentiality says, | 33:18 | |
"This is who I am becoming." | 33:20 | |
Potentiality comes into being | 33:25 | |
not like instant tea or instant coffee | 33:28 | |
or the preparing of a frozen food dinner | 33:32 | |
in a microwave oven. | 33:36 | |
Potentiality is like the painful practice of a baby | 33:39 | |
who falls and rises while learning to walk. | 33:43 | |
Potentiality is the growing seed | 33:47 | |
that produces the stalk and finally an ear of corn | 33:50 | |
after weeks of prayer and spiritual discipline. | 33:55 | |
Potentiality withers, weakens, | 34:00 | |
becomes stunted, and less than the best | 34:06 | |
when Christianity becomes a monthly fix | 34:10 | |
at the communion table | 34:15 | |
or a hurried pay God my dues at the early service | 34:18 | |
so I can rush home and worship | 34:23 | |
in the tabernacle of the NFL, | 34:29 | |
a spectator church, | 34:35 | |
or midday communion at the Sunday brunch | 34:37 | |
of our friendly restaurant. | 34:42 | |
We Americans want everything to happen right now. | 34:45 | |
And we Americans are in such a hurry, | 34:51 | |
but true spiritual growth | 34:54 | |
that enables us to reach our potential | 34:57 | |
is a slow growth. | 35:01 | |
Potentiality is slow growth sanctification | 35:03 | |
that turns an ugly duckling into a beautiful swan. | 35:07 | |
It's not easy to learn to love one's enemies. | 35:14 | |
It's very difficult to mature to say, | 35:20 | |
"Holy Parent, forgive them | 35:24 | |
for they know not what they do." | 35:29 | |
But, it takes real maturity to say, | 35:32 | |
"Holy Parent, forgive them when they know | 35:36 | |
"what they're doing." | 35:41 | |
Potentiality is slow growth sanctification, | 35:43 | |
I tell you. | 35:48 | |
It is spiritual new birth | 35:50 | |
that turns a pumpkin into a coach for Cinderella. | 35:52 | |
It is spiritual rebirth | 35:58 | |
that cleans up and dresses up a peasant girl | 36:00 | |
into a princess. | 36:04 | |
It takes a vicious outlaw like a Robin Hood | 36:06 | |
and makes him a knight in the court of King Arthur. | 36:11 | |
It turns a prison inmate like a Charles Colson | 36:16 | |
into becoming Charles Colson, | 36:20 | |
the nation's best known prison evangelist. | 36:23 | |
And when spiritual potentiality | 36:28 | |
is the result of exercising the muscles of the mind | 36:31 | |
in Bible study, | 36:36 | |
the muscles of the soul in prayer, | 36:38 | |
and yes, the muscles of the hand | 36:42 | |
in Christian service, | 36:46 | |
and the muscles of the mouth in praise and worship, | 36:48 | |
then we can depend upon | 36:53 | |
a level of maturity | 36:58 | |
that will bring about reconciled relationships. | 37:01 | |
A little David becomes a giant killer | 37:06 | |
and a Deborah becomes not a Mary Friedan feminist, | 37:10 | |
but an Alice Walker womanist | 37:15 | |
who liberates both women and men. | 37:18 | |
And First John three and two | 37:23 | |
places our vision in proper focus | 37:26 | |
so we can see without distortion. | 37:30 | |
It says, "Dear friends, | 37:34 | |
now we are the children of God. | 37:37 | |
"And what we will be has not yet been made known." | 37:42 | |
From January to December, | 37:48 | |
we shall be working. | 37:53 | |
From January to December, | 37:55 | |
we shall be struggling, stumbling, falling, | 37:58 | |
only to get up again to possess the land, | 38:02 | |
to reach for our potential, | 38:07 | |
to grasp for the fruit on the tree of God's promises. | 38:10 | |
And when weary, we shall rest, | 38:16 | |
when discouraged, we shall not quit, | 38:19 | |
when defeated, we shall never turn back. | 38:22 | |
We shall possess the land, | 38:26 | |
a land of hills and valleys, | 38:29 | |
an uphill journey of struggle, | 38:32 | |
but there is the downhill race to victory. | 38:35 | |
Never too long in the valley. | 38:40 | |
From January to December, there are new hills to climb, | 38:45 | |
new mountains to conquer, | 38:50 | |
and we shall conquer them. | 38:53 | |
We shall not be possessed, we shall be possessors. | 38:56 | |
We shall not be victims, we shall be victors. | 39:02 | |
We shall not be prairie chickens, | 39:07 | |
whose heads are buried in the dirt, | 39:12 | |
pecking for bugs and for worms. | 39:17 | |
And we shall mount up with | 39:22 | |
wings like an eagle, | 39:25 | |
instead of living in the barnyard | 39:29 | |
with the prairie chickens. | 39:33 | |
We will realize that we were made for better things | 39:36 | |
and we shall spread our wings | 39:39 | |
and our faith will help us soar, | 39:44 | |
for they that wait upon the Lord | 39:49 | |
shall renew their strength. | 39:53 | |
They shall mount up with wings as eagles. | 39:56 | |
They shall run and not be weary. | 40:00 | |
We shall do it. | 40:04 | |
We shall do it with faith in God, our reality. | 40:06 | |
We shall do it with love for each other, | 40:12 | |
as we face our actuality. | 40:16 | |
With hope as our potentiality, | 40:20 | |
we shall remember that the land which we seek to possess | 40:24 | |
is a land which the Lord our God careth for. | 40:31 | |
The eyes of the Lord are always upon it, | 40:37 | |
from the beginning of the year, | 40:43 | |
even until the end of the year. | 40:45 | |
And yea, | 40:50 | |
even from January to December. | 40:51 | |
(organ music) | 41:02 | |
♪ God, who stretched the spangled heavens ♪ | 41:47 | |
♪ Infinite in time and place ♪ | 41:52 | |
♪ Flung the suns in burning radiance ♪ | 41:57 | |
♪ Through the silent fields of space ♪ | 42:03 | |
♪ We your children, in your likeness ♪ | 42:09 | |
♪ Share inventive powers with you ♪ | 42:15 | |
♪ Great Creator, still creating ♪ | 42:20 | |
♪ Show us what we yet may do ♪ | 42:27 | |
♪ Proudly we rise our modern cities ♪ | 42:34 | |
♪ Stately buildings, row on row ♪ | 42:40 | |
♪ Yet their windows, blank, unfeeling ♪ | 42:45 | |
♪ Stare on canyoned streets below ♪ | 42:51 | |
♪ Where the lonely drift unnoticed ♪ | 42:57 | |
♪ In the city's ebb and flow ♪ | 43:03 | |
♪ Lost to purpose and to meaning ♪ | 43:09 | |
♪ Scarcely caring where they go ♪ | 43:14 | |
♪ We have ventured worlds undreamed of ♪ | 43:22 | |
♪ Since the childhood of our race ♪ | 43:28 | |
♪ Known the ecstasy of winging ♪ | 43:34 | |
♪ Through untraveled realms of space ♪ | 43:39 | |
♪ Probed the secrets of the atom ♪ | 43:45 | |
♪ Yielding unimagined power ♪ | 43:51 | |
♪ Facing us with life's destruction ♪ | 43:56 | |
♪ Or our most triumphant hour ♪ | 44:02 | |
♪ As each far horizon beckons ♪ | 44:09 | |
♪ May it challenge us anew ♪ | 44:15 | |
♪ Children of creative purpose ♪ | 44:20 | |
♪ Serving others, honoring you ♪ | 44:26 | |
♪ May our dreams prove rich with promise ♪ | 44:32 | |
♪ Each endeavor well begun ♪ | 44:38 | |
♪ Great Creator, give us guidance ♪ | 44:43 | |
♪ Till our goals and yours are one ♪ | 44:49 | |
Debra | The Lord be with you. | 45:00 |
Congregation | And also with you. | 45:02 |
- | Let us pray. | 45:03 |
Loving God, whose care for us | 45:15 | |
lasts from January to December, | 45:18 | |
we give thanks for the many ways you provide for us | 45:22 | |
throughout the hills and valleys of life. | 45:26 | |
Thank you for your abundant gifts | 45:30 | |
we've enjoyed in the good times | 45:31 | |
and for your tender care through the bad times. | 45:34 | |
Teach us Lord, to be as faithful to you | 45:39 | |
as you are to us, | 45:42 | |
that our love for you might also last | 45:45 | |
from January to December, all the days of our lives. | 45:48 | |
Dear God, you have said | 45:54 | |
that when we care for those you love, | 45:56 | |
we reveal our love for you. | 45:59 | |
We pray that our lives may be expressions of love | 46:02 | |
manifested in service to others. | 46:06 | |
We pray especially | 46:10 | |
for those who mourn the loss of loved ones, | 46:11 | |
that they may experience comfort in the midst of grief. | 46:15 | |
For those who are in despair, | 46:20 | |
that they may find the way that you open | 46:23 | |
to those who seek you. | 46:26 | |
For those who are lonely, | 46:29 | |
that they may know the joy of friendship, | 46:32 | |
as well as the fullness of your love. | 46:34 | |
For those who are unemployed, | 46:38 | |
that they may find meaningful work and sustenance. | 46:41 | |
For those who are confused | 46:46 | |
or struggling with an important decision, | 46:48 | |
that they may find guidance and direction. | 46:51 | |
For those who are ill, that they may be healed | 46:55 | |
and that they may know your wholeness | 47:00 | |
in midst of brokenness. | 47:02 | |
For those who are estranged, | 47:05 | |
that they may know reconciliation. | 47:08 | |
For our nation, that our president and its leaders | 47:12 | |
may be guided by your wisdom | 47:17 | |
to create policies that are just | 47:20 | |
and a society that values all of its members. | 47:23 | |
Lord God, all of us have needed you in so many ways. | 47:28 | |
We thank you that you are there for us. | 47:34 | |
May we also be there for one another. | 47:37 | |
Almighty God, help us accept the reality | 47:41 | |
that only you are God, from everlasting to everlasting. | 47:45 | |
Teach us to dwell in you. | 47:51 | |
Help us accept the actuality of life | 47:55 | |
by taking an honest assessment of our present, | 48:01 | |
both our mental and moral and economic and spiritual health, | 48:05 | |
that we may accept ourselves as we are. | 48:10 | |
And yet Lord, don't leave us in the actuality, | 48:14 | |
but help us realize our potentiality, | 48:18 | |
that we may become the people you see us to be. | 48:21 | |
Make us anew in the image of Christ, | 48:25 | |
that we might have the abundant life you would give us | 48:28 | |
from January to December, | 48:32 | |
for it is in the name of Christ that we pray, amen. | 48:35 | |
What offering can we bring to God? | 48:43 | |
Truly all that we have belongs to God. | 48:46 | |
Let us share in the joy of giving. | 48:49 | |
(organ music) | 48:54 | |
("O Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem") | 50:13 | |
(organ music) | 51:58 | |
♪ Praise God, from whom all blessings flow ♪ | 53:15 | |
♪ Praise God, all creatures here below ♪ | 53:21 | |
♪ Alleluia, alleluia ♪ | 53:28 | |
♪ Praise God above, ye heavenly host ♪ | 53:36 | |
♪ Praise God, the Son, and Holy Ghost ♪ | 53:42 | |
♪ Alleluia, alleluia ♪ | 53:48 | |
♪ Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia ♪ | 53:55 | |
Let us pray. | 54:14 | |
We have been blessed, most generous God, | 54:17 | |
beyond our deserving. | 54:20 | |
We've been fed in ways we have not acknowledged. | 54:23 | |
We come to your altar in thanksgiving | 54:27 | |
for all the blessings of life. | 54:29 | |
We bring our offerings with full intent | 54:32 | |
to love our neighbors as ourselves | 54:35 | |
and to return the love you have so lavishly bestowed. | 54:38 | |
Use these gifts, and us, | 54:42 | |
to accomplish the promises of your kingdom. | 54:45 | |
Unite us with one another | 54:49 | |
in your ministry of reconciliation, | 54:51 | |
that we might be your people on earth. | 54:54 | |
And now, teach us to pray together | 54:58 | |
as Jesus taught his disciples. | 55:00 | |
Our Father, who art in heaven, | 55:02 | |
hallowed be thy name. | 55:05 | |
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, | 55:07 | |
on earth as it is in heaven. | 55:11 | |
Give us this day our daily bread | 55:13 | |
and forgive us our trespasses | 55:16 | |
as we forgive those who trespass against us. | 55:18 | |
Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. | 55:21 | |
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, | 55:26 | |
and the glory forever, amen. | 55:29 | |
(organ music) | 55:33 | |
♪ Come, we that love the Lord ♪ | 56:18 | |
♪ And let our joys be known ♪ | 56:23 | |
♪ Join in a song with sweet accord ♪ | 56:27 | |
♪ Join in a song with sweet accord ♪ | 56:32 | |
♪ And thus surround the throne ♪ | 56:36 | |
♪ And thus surround the throne ♪ | 56:41 | |
♪ We're marching to Zion ♪ | 56:46 | |
♪ Beautiful, beautiful Zion ♪ | 56:50 | |
♪ We're marching upward to Zion ♪ | 56:54 | |
♪ The beautiful city of God ♪ | 56:59 | |
♪ Let those refuse to sing ♪ | 57:05 | |
♪ Who never knew our God ♪ | 57:09 | |
♪ But children of the heavenly King ♪ | 57:14 | |
♪ But children of the heavenly King ♪ | 57:18 | |
♪ May speak their joys abroad ♪ | 57:23 | |
♪ May speak their joys abroad ♪ | 57:27 | |
♪ We're marching to Zion ♪ | 57:33 | |
♪ Beautiful, beautiful Zion ♪ | 57:37 | |
♪ We're marching upward to Zion ♪ | 57:42 | |
♪ The beautiful city of God ♪ | 57:47 | |
♪ The hill of Zion yields ♪ | 57:53 | |
♪ A thousand sacred sweets ♪ | 57:58 | |
♪ Before we reach the heavenly fields ♪ | 58:02 | |
♪ Before we reach the heavenly fields ♪ | 58:07 | |
♪ Or walk the golden streets ♪ | 58:11 | |
♪ Or walk the golden streets ♪ | 58:16 | |
♪ We're marching to Zion ♪ | 58:21 | |
♪ Beautiful, beautiful Zion ♪ | 58:26 | |
♪ We're marching upward to Zion ♪ | 58:30 | |
♪ The beautiful city of God ♪ | 58:34 | |
(organ music) | 58:39 | |
♪ Then let our songs abound ♪ | 58:47 | |
♪ And every tear be dry ♪ | 58:51 | |
♪ We're marching through Emmanuel's ground ♪ | 58:56 | |
♪ We're marching through Emmanuel's ground ♪ | 59:00 | |
♪ To fairer worlds on high ♪ | 59:05 | |
♪ To fairer worlds on high ♪ | 59:09 | |
♪ We're marching to Zion ♪ | 59:14 | |
♪ Beautiful, beautiful Zion ♪ | 59:19 | |
♪ We're marching upward to Zion ♪ | 59:23 | |
♪ The beautiful city of God ♪ | 59:28 | |
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, | 59:39 | |
and the love of God, | 59:41 | |
and the communion of the Holy Spirit, | 59:42 | |
be with you and keep you, amen. | 59:44 | |
(choral singing) | 59:51 | |
(organ music) | 1:01:35 |
Item Info
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