1 00:00:24,300 --> 00:00:27,300 I know. 2 00:00:44,900 --> 00:00:47,900 It's. 3 00:00:49,866 --> 00:00:50,100 You know, 4 00:00:50,100 --> 00:00:53,100 gratitude is one of those things that's easy to do. 5 00:00:53,666 --> 00:00:56,033 When things are going well. 6 00:00:56,033 --> 00:00:59,033 It's a little more difficult to muster when they're not. 7 00:01:00,200 --> 00:01:02,833 But it's vital regardless. 8 00:01:02,833 --> 00:01:05,700 And just by way of pastoring this church, 9 00:01:05,700 --> 00:01:10,066 I need to let you know that some of you are aware that Lisa Davidson, 10 00:01:10,800 --> 00:01:14,333 is celebrating this Sunday in heaven with her Heavenly Father. 11 00:01:15,400 --> 00:01:17,466 It is a praise. There's it. 12 00:01:17,466 --> 00:01:22,100 If you're familiar, if you're blessed enough to know Lisa, 13 00:01:22,500 --> 00:01:26,266 you will know that she has battled cancer for years. 14 00:01:27,266 --> 00:01:30,100 With a steadfastness of faith 15 00:01:30,100 --> 00:01:33,100 that has been unwavering. 16 00:01:33,133 --> 00:01:36,533 And her family has loved her through the whole thing. 17 00:01:36,533 --> 00:01:40,333 With a steadfast faith that has been unwavering. 18 00:01:41,100 --> 00:01:44,100 She was ready to go be with Jesus a while ago, 19 00:01:44,766 --> 00:01:48,300 and God finally granted her that request. 20 00:01:49,133 --> 00:01:50,533 They were all together 21 00:01:51,600 --> 00:01:53,333 with her. 22 00:01:53,333 --> 00:01:55,700 And, as I got to be with her, 23 00:01:55,700 --> 00:01:58,700 and we shared communion a few times together. 24 00:01:58,966 --> 00:02:02,066 Her heart was always walking 25 00:02:02,066 --> 00:02:05,833 closely with her Lord, and now she's walking face to face. 26 00:02:07,000 --> 00:02:10,166 And I told Kurt this secret. 27 00:02:10,233 --> 00:02:12,300 I've known three men 28 00:02:12,300 --> 00:02:16,266 who have walked with their wives through years of what you've done. 29 00:02:16,933 --> 00:02:19,733 I have only known three that have done it well. 30 00:02:19,733 --> 00:02:20,733 He was one of them. 31 00:02:20,733 --> 00:02:22,533 And I told Kurt and Lisa both. 32 00:02:22,533 --> 00:02:27,000 I said, Kurt, you you are a picture for me 33 00:02:28,366 --> 00:02:33,000 of, of God's 34 00:02:33,000 --> 00:02:36,000 faithfulness to his people. 35 00:02:37,433 --> 00:02:40,933 You're a picture of me to Jesus because the Scripture says, husbands, 36 00:02:40,933 --> 00:02:44,666 love your wives as Christ loved the church and give up yourself for her. 37 00:02:44,666 --> 00:02:47,466 And he did for years. 38 00:02:47,466 --> 00:02:50,066 And Lisa, for me, was a picture of the church, 39 00:02:51,333 --> 00:02:53,800 because she loved her Lord 40 00:02:53,800 --> 00:02:58,100 and submitted to his authority, even when it wasn't easy. 41 00:02:59,066 --> 00:03:01,366 And together they're this beautiful picture. 42 00:03:01,366 --> 00:03:03,900 Even in her passing 43 00:03:03,900 --> 00:03:06,900 of Christ in His church. 44 00:03:06,900 --> 00:03:09,900 And so we rejoice with the Davidsons 45 00:03:10,200 --> 00:03:14,400 because they are aware of their wife, 46 00:03:14,733 --> 00:03:19,400 mom, grandmas fullness and freedom. 47 00:03:20,700 --> 00:03:23,100 They were all in church as a family in mass. 48 00:03:23,100 --> 00:03:24,933 Verse six, 49 00:03:24,933 --> 00:03:27,933 giving thanks and gratitude 50 00:03:27,966 --> 00:03:30,300 when it wasn't easy. 51 00:03:30,300 --> 00:03:32,266 Father. Thank you. 52 00:03:32,266 --> 00:03:33,666 You are a good God. 53 00:03:33,666 --> 00:03:35,100 Good. Just. 54 00:03:35,100 --> 00:03:36,933 And you deserve our thanks and gratitude. 55 00:03:36,933 --> 00:03:39,933 Thank you for your faithfulness. 56 00:03:40,700 --> 00:03:43,700 Thank you for your mercies are new every morning. 57 00:03:44,266 --> 00:03:46,633 Thank you for Lisa's faith, for the Davidsons faith. 58 00:03:46,633 --> 00:03:48,166 Thank you for your faithfulness to them. 59 00:03:48,166 --> 00:03:50,300 That was even greater. 60 00:03:50,300 --> 00:03:53,800 I thank you that Lisa was able to hear those words that we all deserve to hear. 61 00:03:53,833 --> 00:03:56,400 Well done, my good and faithful servant. 62 00:03:56,400 --> 00:03:57,900 Come enjoy your master's happiness. 63 00:03:58,933 --> 00:03:59,633 Amen. 64 00:03:59,633 --> 00:04:02,633 Thank you, father, for our hope of salvation 65 00:04:02,900 --> 00:04:05,900 and for the blessed hope of being together with you. 66 00:04:06,000 --> 00:04:10,400 Thank you for the reality and the security that is heaven. 67 00:04:10,400 --> 00:04:12,333 Draw our hearts. There. 68 00:04:12,333 --> 00:04:13,666 We love you. 69 00:04:13,666 --> 00:04:15,733 We thank you. 70 00:04:15,733 --> 00:04:16,400 In your name we pray. 71 00:04:16,400 --> 00:04:18,566 Amen. 72 00:04:18,566 --> 00:04:22,100 I want to jump into a passage of Scripture 73 00:04:22,433 --> 00:04:25,600 in the Book of Psalms, chapter 100. 74 00:04:26,366 --> 00:04:29,366 So if you have a Bible and brought one with you, I'd invite you 75 00:04:29,433 --> 00:04:32,433 to turn there. 76 00:04:34,000 --> 00:04:35,400 The art of giving 77 00:04:35,400 --> 00:04:38,400 thanks is truly that an art? 78 00:04:38,800 --> 00:04:42,466 Problem is, it's a lost art, and in its place 79 00:04:42,466 --> 00:04:45,466 is the art of offense and complaint. 80 00:04:48,033 --> 00:04:51,033 Tozer says this 81 00:04:51,200 --> 00:04:53,400 when it comes to life, 82 00:04:53,400 --> 00:04:57,733 the critical thing is this isn't the record. 83 00:04:57,733 --> 00:05:00,233 This is someone else. And I shared it last week. 84 00:05:00,233 --> 00:05:04,900 But the critical thing is, is, is whether in life 85 00:05:05,400 --> 00:05:08,200 is whether we take things for granted or take them with gratitude. 86 00:05:08,200 --> 00:05:09,400 We talked about that last week 87 00:05:10,366 --> 00:05:13,366 in further expression of that. 88 00:05:13,933 --> 00:05:16,966 Tozer said, this gratitude is an offering 89 00:05:16,966 --> 00:05:19,966 that is precious in the sight of God. 90 00:05:20,000 --> 00:05:23,000 He desires his people to be people of gratitude 91 00:05:23,000 --> 00:05:26,666 and to show and express gratitude primarily to him. 92 00:05:28,433 --> 00:05:32,266 William Ward says this to feel gratitude and express 93 00:05:32,266 --> 00:05:35,266 it is like wrapping a gift and not giving it 94 00:05:36,233 --> 00:05:37,366 like it doesn't do anybody any good. 95 00:05:37,366 --> 00:05:39,900 If you don't give it, we can feel it all we want, 96 00:05:39,900 --> 00:05:42,900 but until it's given, it doesn't do anybody any good. 97 00:05:43,200 --> 00:05:45,100 I like to say it like this. 98 00:05:45,100 --> 00:05:46,966 The more you practice gratitude, 99 00:05:46,966 --> 00:05:49,966 the more you will see how much you have to be grateful for. 100 00:05:50,700 --> 00:05:53,033 Does that make sense? 101 00:05:53,033 --> 00:05:56,066 All through Scripture, we're commanded to give thanks 102 00:05:57,066 --> 00:05:59,366 and to express gratitude. 103 00:05:59,366 --> 00:06:02,366 If you've ever wondered about God's will for your life, 104 00:06:03,000 --> 00:06:05,700 the Bible's very clear, and it's pretty simple. 105 00:06:05,700 --> 00:06:08,433 First Thessalonians 518. 106 00:06:08,433 --> 00:06:12,200 Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will. 107 00:06:13,433 --> 00:06:14,166 It does say, 108 00:06:14,166 --> 00:06:17,166 give thanks for all circumstances, because we all know 109 00:06:17,266 --> 00:06:20,466 there are some circumstances that aren't good. 110 00:06:21,666 --> 00:06:26,133 But in those circumstances, while you're in them, give thanks 111 00:06:26,133 --> 00:06:31,533 not for the circumstances, but for who God is in the circumstances. 112 00:06:31,533 --> 00:06:32,866 Does that make sense? 113 00:06:32,866 --> 00:06:36,200 So God's will is that we give thanks 114 00:06:37,600 --> 00:06:39,233 every morning. 115 00:06:39,233 --> 00:06:41,266 I've made it a practice. 116 00:06:41,266 --> 00:06:42,666 Before I say anything else. 117 00:06:42,666 --> 00:06:45,800 I've taken a Jewish prayer and kind of adapted it for me. 118 00:06:47,133 --> 00:06:49,666 And every morning this is my my 119 00:06:49,666 --> 00:06:53,966 how I start my day and how I start my list of prayers. 120 00:06:54,600 --> 00:06:57,466 I give you thanks, O Lord, 121 00:06:57,466 --> 00:07:00,466 that in mercy you have restored our souls within us. 122 00:07:00,700 --> 00:07:03,066 In this is your compassion greatest, your faithfulness. 123 00:07:03,066 --> 00:07:05,633 Thank you for the rest. You've given us the night 124 00:07:05,633 --> 00:07:08,100 and for the breath that renews our body and spirit. 125 00:07:08,100 --> 00:07:11,100 May we renew our soul with faith in you, source of all healing. 126 00:07:11,166 --> 00:07:12,433 That's how I start my day. 127 00:07:13,600 --> 00:07:16,300 And that leads me into my prayers. 128 00:07:16,300 --> 00:07:19,300 And it's a simple statement of gratitude 129 00:07:19,500 --> 00:07:22,500 for who God is and what God's done. 130 00:07:22,866 --> 00:07:24,333 Psalms 100. 131 00:07:24,333 --> 00:07:27,333 It's it's known in some some 132 00:07:28,100 --> 00:07:31,100 church circles as the old 100th. 133 00:07:32,100 --> 00:07:33,766 It is 134 00:07:33,766 --> 00:07:38,733 the greatest scripture we have in a statement and a teaching on 135 00:07:39,400 --> 00:07:42,066 on what God desires in worship 136 00:07:42,066 --> 00:07:45,066 and how to do it. 137 00:07:45,333 --> 00:07:48,333 And so Psalm 100 138 00:07:49,400 --> 00:07:52,400 make a joyful noise to the Lord all the earth. 139 00:07:52,600 --> 00:07:54,666 Serve the Lord with gladness. 140 00:07:54,666 --> 00:07:57,000 Come into his presence with singing. 141 00:07:57,000 --> 00:08:00,000 Know that the Lord he is God. 142 00:08:00,033 --> 00:08:03,033 It is he who made us, and we are his. 143 00:08:03,166 --> 00:08:06,000 We are his people, the sheep of his pasture. 144 00:08:06,000 --> 00:08:09,000 Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise. 145 00:08:09,200 --> 00:08:10,433 Give thanks to him. 146 00:08:10,433 --> 00:08:13,233 Bless his name. For the Lord is good. 147 00:08:13,233 --> 00:08:17,900 His steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations. 148 00:08:18,000 --> 00:08:22,533 When the people of God in Jerusalem would gather before the temple to go into 149 00:08:22,566 --> 00:08:27,300 to to worship in mass, they would start by chanting this Psalm. 150 00:08:27,866 --> 00:08:28,566 This song. 151 00:08:31,300 --> 00:08:33,866 And it starts 152 00:08:33,866 --> 00:08:36,733 with a command. 153 00:08:36,733 --> 00:08:37,966 And God has said, 154 00:08:37,966 --> 00:08:41,366 I want you to understand who I am 155 00:08:41,466 --> 00:08:44,466 and how I want to be approached. 156 00:08:45,266 --> 00:08:47,600 It's called worship, 157 00:08:47,600 --> 00:08:50,600 and God starts it off with this. 158 00:08:51,166 --> 00:08:53,566 Make a joyful noise unto the Lord. 159 00:08:53,566 --> 00:08:55,466 All the earth. 160 00:08:55,466 --> 00:08:57,300 Serve the Lord with gladness. 161 00:08:57,300 --> 00:09:00,300 Come into his presence with singing. 162 00:09:01,200 --> 00:09:02,800 That's how he starts. 163 00:09:02,800 --> 00:09:07,300 There's a command here, and the command is to worship God. 164 00:09:08,566 --> 00:09:10,366 To worship. 165 00:09:10,366 --> 00:09:13,533 He says there's three things involved in this. 166 00:09:13,833 --> 00:09:16,800 Shout with joy and exuberance. 167 00:09:16,800 --> 00:09:19,566 That's how worship begins. 168 00:09:19,566 --> 00:09:22,566 To shout with joy and exuberance. 169 00:09:24,233 --> 00:09:27,233 It leads to serving God with gladness, 170 00:09:28,266 --> 00:09:31,400 and it puts us in a position to always give thanks. 171 00:09:32,633 --> 00:09:35,266 This is from God's own heart 172 00:09:35,266 --> 00:09:37,966 to the inspiration of the spirit through the writer of the Psalm. 173 00:09:37,966 --> 00:09:41,100 So this is how I am to be approached. 174 00:09:41,100 --> 00:09:43,433 This is what worship means. 175 00:09:43,433 --> 00:09:46,200 God dictates it. God sets it. 176 00:09:46,200 --> 00:09:47,800 God determines it. 177 00:09:47,800 --> 00:09:51,000 It's our job to look at what God has said 178 00:09:51,566 --> 00:09:55,500 and to bring our lives in line with what God has said. 179 00:09:57,100 --> 00:10:00,100 Worship is giving thanks to God. 180 00:10:00,900 --> 00:10:04,833 In other words, it's expressing gratitude for who God is. 181 00:10:05,000 --> 00:10:07,400 That's why the writer is Paul. 182 00:10:07,400 --> 00:10:10,466 In Thessalonians you say, give thanks in all circumstance 183 00:10:11,400 --> 00:10:16,200 because you're giving gratitude for who God is in the circumstance. 184 00:10:16,200 --> 00:10:19,800 That makes sense. That's why the Davidsons 185 00:10:19,866 --> 00:10:23,633 could be at church and worship and give gratitude to God. 186 00:10:24,600 --> 00:10:28,200 In the circumstance of Lisa's homegoing. 187 00:10:30,000 --> 00:10:32,266 Because it's about who God is 188 00:10:32,266 --> 00:10:35,566 and expressing gratitude for who God is. 189 00:10:38,333 --> 00:10:40,633 God desires worship 190 00:10:40,633 --> 00:10:44,433 according to his word to begin with an outburst of joy. 191 00:10:44,633 --> 00:10:46,866 Yeah, 192 00:10:46,866 --> 00:10:50,133 an outburst of joy means, Larry, a loud response 193 00:10:50,133 --> 00:10:53,466 in light of God's greatness and in light of God's works. 194 00:10:55,233 --> 00:11:00,233 God desires this is not an issue of church tradition. 195 00:11:00,933 --> 00:11:03,900 It's not an issue of your comfortability. 196 00:11:03,900 --> 00:11:08,100 It's an issue of obedience to what God has said and how we approach him. 197 00:11:08,166 --> 00:11:11,300 It's an outburst of joy and a love response 198 00:11:11,400 --> 00:11:14,666 in light of his greatness and the light of his activity. 199 00:11:15,066 --> 00:11:17,200 Yeah. It's what God says. 200 00:11:20,166 --> 00:11:22,133 And so worship 201 00:11:22,133 --> 00:11:24,766 begins with, as Psalm 101 says, 202 00:11:24,766 --> 00:11:27,766 shout for joy 203 00:11:28,066 --> 00:11:31,066 to the Lord. 204 00:11:31,333 --> 00:11:32,433 And the other translations 205 00:11:32,433 --> 00:11:35,433 say, make a joyful noise. 206 00:11:35,433 --> 00:11:37,933 Literally an exuberant 207 00:11:37,933 --> 00:11:40,933 whole heart and praise. 208 00:11:43,933 --> 00:11:46,933 You all look completely unimpressed. 209 00:11:48,566 --> 00:11:50,566 Praise the Lord. Ha! 210 00:11:50,566 --> 00:11:52,200 Thank you Jeff. 211 00:11:52,200 --> 00:11:54,266 If that. 212 00:11:54,266 --> 00:11:56,866 And I realize I'm not sitting in God's position. 213 00:11:56,866 --> 00:11:59,866 But if you looked at God like you're looking at me. 214 00:12:06,500 --> 00:12:07,333 Holy. 215 00:12:07,333 --> 00:12:10,333 Nike's. 216 00:12:13,800 --> 00:12:16,466 An exuberant, 217 00:12:16,466 --> 00:12:19,466 wholehearted praise. 218 00:12:24,133 --> 00:12:26,000 That word exuberant. 219 00:12:26,000 --> 00:12:29,933 If I were to put words to that word, it would be a visible 220 00:12:29,933 --> 00:12:32,933 and vocal engagement. 221 00:12:34,266 --> 00:12:37,333 A vocal and visible engagement. 222 00:12:38,333 --> 00:12:41,333 I am fully here. 223 00:12:42,800 --> 00:12:45,400 When the kids were little. 224 00:12:45,400 --> 00:12:46,033 You parents. 225 00:12:46,033 --> 00:12:47,700 Hopefully you understand that you have good kids. 226 00:12:47,700 --> 00:12:50,200 You understand it. 227 00:12:50,200 --> 00:12:52,766 When the kids are little and mom or dad would come home. 228 00:12:54,100 --> 00:12:54,733 If you 229 00:12:54,733 --> 00:12:57,733 got good kids, what do they do when they hear the door open? 230 00:12:57,833 --> 00:13:00,833 You say, man, 231 00:13:00,866 --> 00:13:05,600 I remember Calvin Wyatt being little and I come through the garage door 232 00:13:05,600 --> 00:13:08,600 and they would run down the hallway 233 00:13:09,600 --> 00:13:12,600 and I would get down on my knees 234 00:13:13,566 --> 00:13:16,566 and they would hit me and almost sometimes knock me over. 235 00:13:17,466 --> 00:13:20,633 And I so look forward to going home. Why? 236 00:13:21,333 --> 00:13:25,333 Because there was going to be this visible and vocal engagement 237 00:13:25,566 --> 00:13:28,566 of little ones who loved me. 238 00:13:31,066 --> 00:13:32,833 Yeah. 239 00:13:32,833 --> 00:13:33,500 Amen. 240 00:13:33,500 --> 00:13:36,500 If I came home and my kids were like this. 241 00:13:39,100 --> 00:13:41,800 You say, well, go find another home. 242 00:13:41,800 --> 00:13:44,800 I'm gonna go get me some good kids. 243 00:13:46,700 --> 00:13:49,300 Okay. 244 00:13:49,300 --> 00:13:52,833 Now, my kids are old and grown, and they're out of the house. 245 00:13:52,833 --> 00:13:55,300 I don't have that anymore. But what I do have are my bulldogs. 246 00:13:57,500 --> 00:13:59,800 This is the best thing. 247 00:13:59,800 --> 00:14:02,566 Other than kids are dogs. 248 00:14:02,566 --> 00:14:04,866 Because when I come home, 249 00:14:04,866 --> 00:14:08,533 diesel and Daisy are waiting at the door and leave. 250 00:14:08,566 --> 00:14:10,633 Wiggle like this. 251 00:14:10,633 --> 00:14:13,133 They're so excited. 252 00:14:13,133 --> 00:14:16,533 Before I even say hello to Shelley, I get down on the floor 253 00:14:16,533 --> 00:14:20,500 and we all wiggle together and I love it. 254 00:14:26,000 --> 00:14:28,733 Make a joyful noise. 255 00:14:28,733 --> 00:14:30,833 Exuberant. 256 00:14:30,833 --> 00:14:32,500 It's got to be visible and vocal. 257 00:14:32,500 --> 00:14:35,500 We're coming at the presence of God. 258 00:14:39,766 --> 00:14:41,966 I realize 259 00:14:41,966 --> 00:14:44,966 that for some of you, this is difficult 260 00:14:45,533 --> 00:14:47,200 because you would say, well, 261 00:14:47,200 --> 00:14:50,200 I'm just more reserved in nature. 262 00:14:53,100 --> 00:14:55,366 We gotta realize something. 263 00:14:55,366 --> 00:14:58,200 Worship is not about you, 264 00:14:58,200 --> 00:15:00,900 and it's not about us. 265 00:15:00,900 --> 00:15:02,966 Worship is not about your temperament. 266 00:15:02,966 --> 00:15:05,400 Worship is not about your personality. 267 00:15:05,400 --> 00:15:07,866 Worship is not about your church tradition. 268 00:15:07,866 --> 00:15:10,866 Worship is not about your regular practice. 269 00:15:11,066 --> 00:15:13,633 It's not about what style you like or don't like. 270 00:15:15,366 --> 00:15:15,800 We gotta 271 00:15:15,800 --> 00:15:18,833 realize worship is wholly and solely about God, 272 00:15:19,666 --> 00:15:24,000 and how he has asked his kids to enter into his presence, 273 00:15:24,500 --> 00:15:27,600 and God wants it to be exuberantly expressed. 274 00:15:31,933 --> 00:15:33,866 You think 275 00:15:33,866 --> 00:15:36,533 when you get to heaven 276 00:15:36,533 --> 00:15:40,033 and you're around all the people, that of the multitudes and the angels, 277 00:15:40,733 --> 00:15:43,733 and they're praising God with exuberance, 278 00:15:44,266 --> 00:15:47,266 that you're going to sit there with a scowl on your face. 279 00:15:50,100 --> 00:15:53,100 Kind of putting in your time 280 00:15:53,100 --> 00:15:56,666 until the music and stuff is done, and we get on to the real reason 281 00:15:56,666 --> 00:15:59,666 why we're there. 282 00:16:01,733 --> 00:16:04,133 Now. And I get it, man. 283 00:16:04,133 --> 00:16:07,133 When I was young, I had a drug problem. 284 00:16:07,500 --> 00:16:10,500 I was drug to church every day. 285 00:16:10,500 --> 00:16:12,333 It's just 286 00:16:12,333 --> 00:16:14,266 it's an easy church joke. 287 00:16:14,266 --> 00:16:16,233 You've probably heard that, but you probably told that 288 00:16:16,233 --> 00:16:17,966 in your old Sunday school class. Bob, it. 289 00:16:20,233 --> 00:16:21,100 We were there all the time, 290 00:16:21,100 --> 00:16:24,900 but it was in one of those really old traditional Baptist churches, 291 00:16:25,766 --> 00:16:28,133 and you just you didn't make a noise when you went to church. 292 00:16:28,133 --> 00:16:28,700 You didn't. 293 00:16:28,700 --> 00:16:30,166 You do nothing. 294 00:16:30,166 --> 00:16:33,166 You sat there like a good little person. 295 00:16:33,300 --> 00:16:36,400 And like the only time you would raise your hand in that church 296 00:16:36,400 --> 00:16:37,433 is if you had to scratch your head. 297 00:16:37,433 --> 00:16:39,366 You'd think twice because you didn't want people 298 00:16:39,366 --> 00:16:40,566 to think you were getting too crazy. 299 00:16:40,566 --> 00:16:43,133 You know what I'm saying? 300 00:16:43,133 --> 00:16:46,100 So I get it. 301 00:16:46,100 --> 00:16:47,733 It's just not how God has said. 302 00:16:47,733 --> 00:16:50,733 This is how you approach me. 303 00:16:54,133 --> 00:16:56,600 So I understand when people say, you know what? 304 00:16:56,600 --> 00:16:59,566 I just that's that's just it's just not me. 305 00:16:59,566 --> 00:17:04,100 Well, understand we're worshiping a God who was totally other than you. 306 00:17:04,433 --> 00:17:07,733 And so we can do it in a way that is totally different than you. 307 00:17:09,566 --> 00:17:13,800 Because that's what he's asked. Us? 308 00:17:17,600 --> 00:17:20,433 I loved being it when we were little. 309 00:17:20,433 --> 00:17:22,100 We, me and my brother, my sister. 310 00:17:22,100 --> 00:17:24,533 We were always in church with my parents. 311 00:17:24,533 --> 00:17:27,533 We all sat right next to each other, all five of us. 312 00:17:28,466 --> 00:17:30,300 And I love that 313 00:17:30,300 --> 00:17:35,100 because I learned so much from my parents sitting with them in church. 314 00:17:35,400 --> 00:17:38,400 And my dad sang loud. 315 00:17:39,166 --> 00:17:42,433 The problem is, my dad can't carry a tune in a bucket. 316 00:17:43,866 --> 00:17:47,500 And when I was young, it was a little bit cringing and I was like, oh, 317 00:17:48,900 --> 00:17:51,733 dad, can you just. 318 00:17:51,733 --> 00:17:54,266 My dad told me you said, Carl, 319 00:17:54,266 --> 00:17:56,933 the Bible says make a joyful noise. 320 00:17:56,933 --> 00:17:59,200 And that's what I'm doing. 321 00:17:59,200 --> 00:18:02,066 And it was a noise. 322 00:18:02,066 --> 00:18:05,066 What I loved about my father 323 00:18:05,066 --> 00:18:09,100 is a sergeant in the Marine Corps that served his country in Vietnam. 324 00:18:10,066 --> 00:18:12,833 And when he came back to the world, 325 00:18:12,833 --> 00:18:16,266 he said, every day, daddy, I love you for this. 326 00:18:16,733 --> 00:18:17,933 You taught me this. 327 00:18:17,933 --> 00:18:21,300 He said, every day is gravy. Yes. 328 00:18:22,200 --> 00:18:26,433 And my father was unintimidated by anybody. 329 00:18:27,566 --> 00:18:30,466 He didn't care about the opinion of the sheep around him 330 00:18:30,466 --> 00:18:35,366 when he was worshiping his God, that he'd give him another day as gravy. 331 00:18:36,766 --> 00:18:39,300 My dad was not a great singer, 332 00:18:39,300 --> 00:18:42,300 but he is a great example. 333 00:18:48,333 --> 00:18:51,100 It's second Samuel six. 334 00:18:51,100 --> 00:18:51,933 You know your Bibles. 335 00:18:51,933 --> 00:18:53,333 You know. Second Samuel six. 336 00:18:53,333 --> 00:18:56,366 The Ark of the covenant had been outside of Jerusalem. 337 00:18:56,366 --> 00:18:58,333 What was supposed to be. 338 00:18:58,333 --> 00:19:02,533 And David, the second king of Israel, had defeated the Philistines 339 00:19:02,533 --> 00:19:06,100 and was bringing the ark of the covenant, which is it's a weird 340 00:19:06,166 --> 00:19:08,633 kind of word called the ship, kind of glorious, 341 00:19:08,633 --> 00:19:12,200 like where God's presence rested over the Ark of the covenant, 342 00:19:12,200 --> 00:19:17,333 the cover of mercy, at in the Ark of the covenant. 343 00:19:17,333 --> 00:19:19,666 And it was bringing the covenant, the Ark of the covenant, back 344 00:19:19,666 --> 00:19:20,600 into Jerusalem. 345 00:19:20,600 --> 00:19:22,600 And the Bible says, you would take like seven steps, 346 00:19:22,600 --> 00:19:23,833 and they would stop and they would worship. 347 00:19:25,033 --> 00:19:28,033 And David, in his exuberance, 348 00:19:28,733 --> 00:19:31,666 to be able to be in the presence of God again 349 00:19:31,666 --> 00:19:36,233 and have the ark back in Jerusalem, everyone would stop and they would worship 350 00:19:36,233 --> 00:19:39,666 and have this huge worship setting, exuberant, visible and vocal. 351 00:19:39,800 --> 00:19:43,200 And he he's like, took off most of his culture. 352 00:19:43,200 --> 00:19:45,166 So giving him freedom and worship and worship. 353 00:19:45,166 --> 00:19:48,066 And his wife Michelle was watching him from the window 354 00:19:48,066 --> 00:19:51,266 and she says of him, David, calm down. 355 00:19:51,700 --> 00:19:52,933 You're the king. 356 00:19:52,933 --> 00:19:55,966 You need to have some reverence and some dignity of your life. 357 00:19:56,100 --> 00:19:59,700 And he looked at her and said, woman, I will become even more undignified 358 00:19:59,700 --> 00:20:03,000 in the eyes of man, because God has chosen me. 359 00:20:04,200 --> 00:20:06,266 And from that day on, that woman, 360 00:20:06,266 --> 00:20:09,266 the Bible says, was bitter and barren and. 361 00:20:11,766 --> 00:20:14,433 Don't have a bitter, barren heart 362 00:20:14,433 --> 00:20:18,000 when it comes to worshiping God and being in his presence. 363 00:20:18,000 --> 00:20:19,900 Exuberant, 364 00:20:19,900 --> 00:20:21,966 expressive, 365 00:20:21,966 --> 00:20:24,966 visibly and vocally. 366 00:20:25,100 --> 00:20:26,600 I get it that sometimes 367 00:20:26,600 --> 00:20:29,700 the weight of life is so overwhelming and it's heavy. 368 00:20:30,833 --> 00:20:34,200 I'm. Psalm 100 reminds us not to minimize that weight, 369 00:20:34,200 --> 00:20:37,200 not to minimize. 370 00:20:38,400 --> 00:20:41,366 It's not a minimization of what we're going through. 371 00:20:41,366 --> 00:20:43,300 It's just setting that aside for a moment. 372 00:20:43,300 --> 00:20:44,300 You'll come back to it. 373 00:20:44,300 --> 00:20:46,700 Don't worry. It'll still be there. 374 00:20:46,700 --> 00:20:49,700 But for a moment, set that aside. 375 00:20:50,866 --> 00:20:53,100 And worship 376 00:20:53,100 --> 00:20:57,066 expressing gratitude to God for who he is, 377 00:20:58,600 --> 00:21:01,700 not about your earthly circumstance. 378 00:21:04,166 --> 00:21:06,366 It's this joyful, exuberant worship 379 00:21:06,366 --> 00:21:09,433 that lifts us from earth to heaven. 380 00:21:10,233 --> 00:21:13,000 It's it's the it's the real way of, 381 00:21:13,000 --> 00:21:16,000 of of living out. 382 00:21:16,566 --> 00:21:19,300 Colossians three, verses one and two. 383 00:21:19,300 --> 00:21:22,300 Since then, you have been raised with Christ. 384 00:21:22,300 --> 00:21:25,300 Set your hearts on things above, 385 00:21:25,300 --> 00:21:28,133 where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 386 00:21:28,133 --> 00:21:31,633 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 387 00:21:32,166 --> 00:21:35,633 This worship is intended to draw our hearts and minds. 388 00:21:35,666 --> 00:21:37,800 They're not here. 389 00:21:37,800 --> 00:21:40,266 And so set it aside for a moment. 390 00:21:40,266 --> 00:21:41,900 It'll be there when you get done. 391 00:21:41,900 --> 00:21:46,733 But for a moment, all attention, all thankfulness, all gratitude. 392 00:21:46,800 --> 00:21:49,800 Is there for it. Yes. 393 00:21:50,300 --> 00:21:52,066 Charles Spurgeon, one of the greatest preachers 394 00:21:52,066 --> 00:21:56,800 ever on this planet, says our happy God should be worshiped by a happy people. 395 00:21:56,833 --> 00:21:59,766 A cheerful spirit is in keeping with his nature. 396 00:21:59,766 --> 00:22:02,400 It's not because the things in our life are all happy. 397 00:22:02,400 --> 00:22:04,933 It's because God is God. 398 00:22:04,933 --> 00:22:06,266 Yeah. Yeah. 399 00:22:06,266 --> 00:22:09,200 Who creates joy in the heart of the worshiper, 400 00:22:09,200 --> 00:22:11,700 even in the most difficult of circumstances? 401 00:22:13,500 --> 00:22:15,966 The Bible says in worship. 402 00:22:15,966 --> 00:22:18,133 Shout to the Lord all the earth. 403 00:22:18,133 --> 00:22:21,300 And then it says, serve the Lord with gladness. 404 00:22:22,200 --> 00:22:24,100 Get me on this. Hear me. 405 00:22:24,100 --> 00:22:27,100 Proper worship leads us to service. 406 00:22:27,766 --> 00:22:28,900 Proper worship. 407 00:22:28,900 --> 00:22:32,666 We don't walk out of worshiping God and think, I feel good. 408 00:22:32,666 --> 00:22:35,666 Now if that's the feeling you've got a wrong 409 00:22:36,366 --> 00:22:38,766 because it's not about you. 410 00:22:38,766 --> 00:22:40,766 It's about God. 411 00:22:40,766 --> 00:22:43,766 And when I come into the presence of Almighty God 412 00:22:44,266 --> 00:22:47,166 with exuberant God, I just want to be in your presence. 413 00:22:47,166 --> 00:22:51,400 You are so good, and you're so gracious and you're so merciful, 414 00:22:51,433 --> 00:22:53,533 and every good thing I have comes from you. 415 00:22:53,533 --> 00:22:57,866 My attitude ought to be, God, how do I employ myself 416 00:22:58,066 --> 00:22:59,666 for you and your kingdom? 417 00:22:59,666 --> 00:23:02,800 Amen. Amen. Praise that worship. 418 00:23:03,000 --> 00:23:07,433 The word serve in the Hebrew means an utterly active labor. 419 00:23:08,200 --> 00:23:12,333 Worship brings us into God's presence with an exuberance over 420 00:23:12,333 --> 00:23:16,466 who he is and an engagement with the world around us. 421 00:23:16,533 --> 00:23:16,766 Yeah. 422 00:23:19,133 --> 00:23:20,633 If our worship doesn't lead us 423 00:23:20,633 --> 00:23:23,900 to the desire of serving God, 424 00:23:24,500 --> 00:23:27,500 we're not worshiping as God desires to be worshiped 425 00:23:29,933 --> 00:23:30,966 in verses one and two. 426 00:23:30,966 --> 00:23:33,966 We have one command expressed in two ways. 427 00:23:34,200 --> 00:23:36,400 The command is to worship God. 428 00:23:36,400 --> 00:23:41,166 The two ways are with gladness, exuberance, and expression. 429 00:23:41,633 --> 00:23:43,833 The second way is to serve with gladness. 430 00:23:43,833 --> 00:23:48,700 And if those are the commands of Scripture about what worship is to worship God, 431 00:23:48,700 --> 00:23:52,200 visible and vocal engagement with exuberance, and to serve, 432 00:23:52,200 --> 00:23:55,200 if those are the two commands. 433 00:23:56,033 --> 00:23:59,033 How obedient are you? 434 00:24:04,866 --> 00:24:07,800 If God has said 435 00:24:07,800 --> 00:24:09,800 you worship with exuberance of visible 436 00:24:09,800 --> 00:24:12,800 and vocal engagement. 437 00:24:13,433 --> 00:24:17,000 And you serve my people with gladness, 438 00:24:18,766 --> 00:24:19,800 it's beginning to worship. 439 00:24:19,800 --> 00:24:22,800 How obedient. 440 00:24:25,200 --> 00:24:25,833 She's got to be 441 00:24:25,833 --> 00:24:28,833 more than putting in her time. 442 00:24:28,933 --> 00:24:31,133 And that's just how we feel walking out the door. 443 00:24:35,200 --> 00:24:37,400 True worship is rooted in who God is. 444 00:24:37,400 --> 00:24:41,600 And so verse three of Psalm 100 says, know that the Lord is good. 445 00:24:41,966 --> 00:24:44,766 It is he who made us, and we are his. 446 00:24:44,766 --> 00:24:47,033 We are his people, the sheep of his pasture. 447 00:24:47,033 --> 00:24:50,833 Worship is rooted in the knowledge of who God is. 448 00:24:52,966 --> 00:24:56,300 To rightly worship means I have to understand God's 449 00:24:56,300 --> 00:24:58,333 heart and God's character. 450 00:24:58,333 --> 00:25:02,200 And when I understand his heart in his character, I will be drawn into this. 451 00:25:03,800 --> 00:25:06,600 What is his heart in his character? 452 00:25:06,600 --> 00:25:09,000 It is he who made me. 453 00:25:09,000 --> 00:25:12,000 That's who God is. God 454 00:25:12,633 --> 00:25:15,633 chose to make me. 455 00:25:15,900 --> 00:25:18,900 I'm not an accident. 456 00:25:19,533 --> 00:25:22,200 Even when pregnancies are unplanned, 457 00:25:22,200 --> 00:25:25,200 they're not illegitimate. Yes. 458 00:25:25,566 --> 00:25:27,966 What I know 459 00:25:27,966 --> 00:25:31,766 is Psalm 139 that says, I have been fearfully 460 00:25:31,766 --> 00:25:36,866 and wonderfully made, knit together in my mother's womb. 461 00:25:37,533 --> 00:25:39,166 It is he who made me. 462 00:25:39,166 --> 00:25:41,666 Yeah, and it is he who made you. 463 00:25:42,966 --> 00:25:45,566 He put you together exactly like. 464 00:25:45,566 --> 00:25:50,100 And to question how he made you is to hold God in contempt. 465 00:25:51,433 --> 00:25:52,866 He made you. 466 00:25:52,866 --> 00:25:54,233 Amen. 467 00:25:54,233 --> 00:25:56,300 What do we know about God? 468 00:25:56,300 --> 00:25:58,300 That I am his. 469 00:25:58,300 --> 00:26:01,333 For me, that means I'm the son of a king. Yes. 470 00:26:01,800 --> 00:26:04,000 You are the son or the daughter of a king. 471 00:26:04,000 --> 00:26:07,000 You have a relationship with the father through the son. 472 00:26:07,500 --> 00:26:12,033 And because I am a son of the king, I have a place and I belong. 473 00:26:12,200 --> 00:26:15,400 And there's been a lot of times in my life when I didn't have a place 474 00:26:15,566 --> 00:26:16,800 and I didn't belong. 475 00:26:16,800 --> 00:26:20,166 But because of who God is and I am his, 476 00:26:20,166 --> 00:26:23,200 I always have a place and I always belong in his family. 477 00:26:24,000 --> 00:26:25,800 Yeah, he's a good God. 478 00:26:25,800 --> 00:26:28,800 Good God. Good. What do we know about God? 479 00:26:30,166 --> 00:26:31,233 He is my shepherd. 480 00:26:31,233 --> 00:26:34,233 We are the sheep of his pasture. 481 00:26:34,900 --> 00:26:35,866 He is my shepherd. 482 00:26:35,866 --> 00:26:38,400 I shall not want. 483 00:26:38,400 --> 00:26:40,800 So I will. He is my protector. 484 00:26:40,800 --> 00:26:42,533 He is my provider. 485 00:26:42,533 --> 00:26:43,666 He is my leader. 486 00:26:43,666 --> 00:26:46,666 So I'm never lost. Yes. 487 00:26:48,733 --> 00:26:50,000 He's a good God. 488 00:26:50,000 --> 00:26:51,966 Good God. 489 00:26:51,966 --> 00:26:54,966 And he deserves to be worshiped greatly. Yes. 490 00:26:55,333 --> 00:26:57,500 I was thinking of praying over this this week. 491 00:26:57,500 --> 00:26:59,833 And this is what I came up with a team. 492 00:26:59,833 --> 00:27:01,933 God will be worshiped, intimidating. 493 00:27:01,933 --> 00:27:05,366 A great God must be worshiped with grandeur and exuberance. 494 00:27:05,733 --> 00:27:08,733 My very well. 495 00:27:09,700 --> 00:27:11,833 And I just wonder 496 00:27:11,833 --> 00:27:14,833 how many times God church 497 00:27:14,866 --> 00:27:17,866 worship him as a team. God. 498 00:27:25,666 --> 00:27:29,133 Which God do you worship? You? 499 00:27:29,866 --> 00:27:32,000 A God of timidity 500 00:27:32,000 --> 00:27:35,000 or a God of greatness and grandeur? 501 00:27:38,466 --> 00:27:39,266 And so God says, 502 00:27:39,266 --> 00:27:42,266 listen, if you're going to worship me, this is how. 503 00:27:44,700 --> 00:27:45,600 And the 504 00:27:45,600 --> 00:27:48,733 writer of Psalm 100 includes this in verse four. 505 00:27:48,866 --> 00:27:51,600 And this is significant here. 506 00:27:51,600 --> 00:27:54,566 Enter his gates with thanksgiving in his courts with praise. 507 00:27:54,566 --> 00:27:57,566 Give thanks to him and praise his name. 508 00:27:58,200 --> 00:28:00,433 Says, when you worship, this is your attitude. 509 00:28:00,433 --> 00:28:03,433 But this is how you approach God in worship. 510 00:28:03,633 --> 00:28:06,400 Says you enter his gates with thanksgiving, in his courts with praise. 511 00:28:06,400 --> 00:28:11,700 When his people gather at the temple and recite verse chapter 100, 512 00:28:11,966 --> 00:28:14,800 the old 100th, they would often 513 00:28:14,800 --> 00:28:17,800 start with what we see in verse four, 514 00:28:18,200 --> 00:28:20,900 and they would call out, enter his gates 515 00:28:20,900 --> 00:28:24,266 with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise. 516 00:28:25,633 --> 00:28:28,500 Give thanks to him, and praise his name. 517 00:28:28,500 --> 00:28:31,933 And then the community would recite Psalm 100, 518 00:28:32,000 --> 00:28:33,900 because they knew that it was important. 519 00:28:33,900 --> 00:28:39,000 The attitude and the energy and the engagement with which they brought to worship. 520 00:28:43,366 --> 00:28:45,000 Psalm 120 21I 521 00:28:45,000 --> 00:28:48,466 rejoiced with those who said to me, let's go to church. 522 00:28:48,900 --> 00:28:50,700 Yeah, 523 00:28:50,700 --> 00:28:52,900 I was glad, another translation said 524 00:28:52,900 --> 00:28:55,900 when they said to me, let's go to the house of the Lord. 525 00:28:56,933 --> 00:28:59,000 Why? Because there's excitement 526 00:28:59,000 --> 00:29:02,000 involved in the approach of worship. 527 00:29:02,566 --> 00:29:05,033 There's an anticipation. 528 00:29:05,033 --> 00:29:06,800 There's an electricity. 529 00:29:06,800 --> 00:29:09,266 There's I I'm so glad it's Sunday. 530 00:29:09,266 --> 00:29:12,266 Yeah. I'm so glad 531 00:29:12,833 --> 00:29:15,466 we get to go to church today. 532 00:29:15,466 --> 00:29:17,633 I can worship God on my own, and I do. 533 00:29:17,633 --> 00:29:20,400 But now we get to do it together. 534 00:29:20,400 --> 00:29:23,666 And there's nothing like the community of God's 535 00:29:23,933 --> 00:29:26,933 doing it to go, hey, and what we're going to do in heaven? 536 00:29:27,533 --> 00:29:30,533 Yeah. 537 00:29:30,633 --> 00:29:33,766 God wants people to be excited when they come to worship to get her early. 538 00:29:34,000 --> 00:29:35,400 Not so they can save their seat. 539 00:29:42,100 --> 00:29:43,433 That's right. 540 00:29:43,433 --> 00:29:46,433 Because there's an anxiousness, a readiness. 541 00:29:46,800 --> 00:29:49,800 And I can't wait. 542 00:29:51,700 --> 00:29:54,700 I wonder sometimes 543 00:29:55,333 --> 00:29:58,333 about our attitude. 544 00:29:58,633 --> 00:30:00,233 As we drive here. 545 00:30:00,233 --> 00:30:03,233 Oh, we park, get out, walk up, 546 00:30:05,100 --> 00:30:08,100 sit down. 547 00:30:09,133 --> 00:30:12,133 I've been realizing what's going on. 548 00:30:13,033 --> 00:30:15,633 So engaged 549 00:30:15,633 --> 00:30:18,633 rather than aware. 550 00:30:22,266 --> 00:30:23,933 Again, 551 00:30:23,933 --> 00:30:26,100 our worship is not based on our circumstances. 552 00:30:26,100 --> 00:30:29,033 Is based on who God is. 553 00:30:29,033 --> 00:30:32,033 And as a result of that, verse five, worship, 554 00:30:32,600 --> 00:30:34,866 worship because of who God is. 555 00:30:34,866 --> 00:30:39,200 Look what the Bible says, for the Lord is good and his love endures forever. 556 00:30:39,633 --> 00:30:42,166 His faithfulness continues through all generations. 557 00:30:42,166 --> 00:30:45,166 This is where the psalmist started in verse one. 558 00:30:45,433 --> 00:30:48,433 Shout to the Lord, for he is good. 559 00:30:48,533 --> 00:30:50,900 Worship him with gladness. 560 00:30:50,900 --> 00:30:53,666 And then he talks about what that looks like and how to approach. 561 00:30:53,666 --> 00:30:55,300 The melody ends where he started. 562 00:30:56,366 --> 00:30:59,166 Why do you worship God with exuberance and expression? 563 00:30:59,166 --> 00:31:01,266 Why do you come with anticipation? Energy? 564 00:31:01,266 --> 00:31:03,900 Why? Because what's the Bible say? 565 00:31:03,900 --> 00:31:06,533 Because why? 566 00:31:06,533 --> 00:31:07,533 Read it with your mouths open. 567 00:31:07,533 --> 00:31:09,433 Like you know how to do this. Why? 568 00:31:09,433 --> 00:31:11,100 Because. Why? 569 00:31:11,100 --> 00:31:13,233 Because the Lord is good. 570 00:31:13,233 --> 00:31:16,233 That's why. 571 00:31:17,600 --> 00:31:19,200 But what if your circumstances are 572 00:31:19,200 --> 00:31:22,200 that God is still good? 573 00:31:22,533 --> 00:31:23,833 But what if this isn't how I'm. 574 00:31:23,833 --> 00:31:24,800 Where you come from? 575 00:31:24,800 --> 00:31:27,800 God is still good. 576 00:31:28,800 --> 00:31:31,833 And he's so good that his love endures forever. 577 00:31:32,600 --> 00:31:33,966 Ever. 578 00:31:33,966 --> 00:31:36,966 You're not going to walk yourself out of God's love, 579 00:31:37,700 --> 00:31:40,700 and you're not going to walk yourself into it. 580 00:31:41,333 --> 00:31:43,066 Not by what you do or don't do. 581 00:31:43,066 --> 00:31:46,066 His love endures 582 00:31:46,200 --> 00:31:48,466 because he's faithful, 583 00:31:48,466 --> 00:31:51,466 faithful to each generation. 584 00:31:52,800 --> 00:31:54,400 We worship God for who he is. 585 00:31:54,400 --> 00:31:55,500 All through the Bible. 586 00:31:55,500 --> 00:31:58,500 The Bible says the same things over and over and over again. 587 00:31:58,500 --> 00:31:59,933 Worship the Lord this way. Why? 588 00:31:59,933 --> 00:32:00,766 Because he is good. 589 00:32:00,766 --> 00:32:02,066 First Chronicles 16. 590 00:32:02,066 --> 00:32:04,000 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is. 591 00:32:04,000 --> 00:32:06,066 What is good is love. 592 00:32:06,066 --> 00:32:08,700 What are all through the Bible. 593 00:32:08,700 --> 00:32:11,566 For his love is never ending. 594 00:32:11,566 --> 00:32:14,566 Psalm 156 give thanks to the Lord of heaven. Why? 595 00:32:14,633 --> 00:32:16,166 Because his what? 596 00:32:16,166 --> 00:32:18,266 His love endures forever. 597 00:32:20,100 --> 00:32:21,800 He is always faithful. 598 00:32:21,800 --> 00:32:22,966 Lamentations. 599 00:32:22,966 --> 00:32:26,066 This is one of the saddest books in the entire Bible. 600 00:32:26,633 --> 00:32:29,066 If any of you were here with us through the judges 601 00:32:29,066 --> 00:32:32,066 study judges ended kind of on a low note. 602 00:32:32,766 --> 00:32:34,500 That's a tough book. 603 00:32:34,500 --> 00:32:37,500 Lamentations is even sadder. 604 00:32:37,500 --> 00:32:41,700 Lamentations is a lament over the destruction 605 00:32:41,700 --> 00:32:45,000 of Jerusalem, the destruction of God's people. 606 00:32:45,733 --> 00:32:47,333 It's a 607 00:32:47,333 --> 00:32:50,333 brutal accounting of what's going on. 608 00:32:50,833 --> 00:32:52,600 When I started Flip Side, 609 00:32:52,600 --> 00:32:57,100 I was going through my flip journal on all the daily readings of the day. 610 00:32:57,100 --> 00:33:02,700 I started flip side it publicly open it up for September 11th, 2005. 611 00:33:03,566 --> 00:33:06,900 Lamb I was it took me to Lamentations and I thought, Lord, 612 00:33:08,066 --> 00:33:10,600 I was hoping for a little something more inspirational 613 00:33:10,600 --> 00:33:14,000 the future you would lead me to on the day we opened the church. 614 00:33:14,000 --> 00:33:17,000 Lamentations. That's a terrible book. 615 00:33:17,533 --> 00:33:18,433 Like what? 616 00:33:18,433 --> 00:33:20,733 What are you saying over our church? 617 00:33:20,733 --> 00:33:22,800 Like you lament that we're starting to like. 618 00:33:22,800 --> 00:33:24,633 I was reading all this stuff in a. 619 00:33:24,633 --> 00:33:27,333 And then I came to verses 22 and 23. 620 00:33:30,200 --> 00:33:33,200 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases. 621 00:33:33,366 --> 00:33:35,066 His mercies never come to an end. 622 00:33:35,066 --> 00:33:37,000 They're new every morning. 623 00:33:37,000 --> 00:33:39,266 Greatest is faithfulness 624 00:33:39,266 --> 00:33:42,400 in the middle of the lament over the destruction 625 00:33:42,400 --> 00:33:45,400 of God's land and God's people in it. 626 00:33:46,100 --> 00:33:49,200 The writer of Lamentations says, no, no, no, let's not forget 627 00:33:50,100 --> 00:33:53,100 the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases. 628 00:33:54,600 --> 00:33:56,700 It's brutal right now, 629 00:33:56,700 --> 00:33:58,733 but his mercies never come to an end. 630 00:33:58,733 --> 00:34:01,733 His mercies are new every morning. 631 00:34:03,033 --> 00:34:06,033 Father, great is your faithfulness. 632 00:34:08,500 --> 00:34:10,933 That verse 633 00:34:10,933 --> 00:34:13,500 means more to me now 634 00:34:13,500 --> 00:34:16,500 than I ever dreamed it could. 635 00:34:17,233 --> 00:34:19,166 As I have seen this time 636 00:34:19,166 --> 00:34:22,166 and time and time again, 637 00:34:22,233 --> 00:34:25,233 I have seen God's mercies 638 00:34:26,100 --> 00:34:28,833 unending and new every morning 639 00:34:28,833 --> 00:34:31,833 for me and for you. 640 00:34:31,833 --> 00:34:34,900 I realize God's faithfulness even when we are not. 641 00:34:35,366 --> 00:34:38,133 Though we are faithless, he remains faithful. 642 00:34:39,933 --> 00:34:42,933 It means more to me now than it ever has, 643 00:34:43,300 --> 00:34:45,233 and I am forever grateful to my God. 644 00:34:45,233 --> 00:34:48,433 You and I will be even more 645 00:34:48,433 --> 00:34:51,433 undignified in the eyes of man 646 00:34:51,600 --> 00:34:54,300 so that I can worship my God 647 00:34:54,300 --> 00:34:57,300 the way he's asked me to. 648 00:34:58,900 --> 00:35:03,066 One of the best ways that we can do this, and actually, really, 649 00:35:03,066 --> 00:35:06,100 the only way Jesus asked us to remember him is through communion. 650 00:35:07,533 --> 00:35:11,566 And so what I want to do, I want to transition us to remembering Jesus 651 00:35:12,800 --> 00:35:14,000 and take communion together. 652 00:35:14,000 --> 00:35:16,033 I'm going to lead you in that, Tim, with you. 653 00:35:16,033 --> 00:35:17,433 I got a communion cup over there. 654 00:35:17,433 --> 00:35:18,366 You get that for me, please? 655 00:35:18,366 --> 00:35:21,233 I didn't bring that up. 656 00:35:21,233 --> 00:35:21,600 Thank you. 657 00:35:21,600 --> 00:35:24,600 Tim, I appreciate it. 658 00:35:25,433 --> 00:35:27,433 As a family, 659 00:35:27,433 --> 00:35:30,100 you all want us to remember Jesus 660 00:35:31,266 --> 00:35:32,133 and to express our 661 00:35:32,133 --> 00:35:35,400 gratitude for the father has done. 662 00:35:36,633 --> 00:35:39,633 Let me just preface with this. 663 00:35:43,600 --> 00:35:44,700 This is simple. 664 00:35:44,700 --> 00:35:45,533 Juice and a wafer. 665 00:35:45,533 --> 00:35:48,300 There's nothing special about the elements. 666 00:35:48,300 --> 00:35:50,766 What's special is the knowledge 667 00:35:50,766 --> 00:35:53,766 and the faith we attach to them. 668 00:35:53,866 --> 00:35:57,200 But to do that, one has to have a relationship with Jesus. 669 00:35:58,166 --> 00:36:01,500 So these are reserved for those who have already 670 00:36:02,666 --> 00:36:05,666 come before the father and admitted their sin. 671 00:36:05,833 --> 00:36:08,933 And that's Jesus accepting what Jesus did on the cross 672 00:36:09,700 --> 00:36:10,800 and accept him as their Savior. 673 00:36:10,800 --> 00:36:13,800 So if you've not done that yet, 674 00:36:14,500 --> 00:36:17,500 I don't want you to worry about this. 675 00:36:18,033 --> 00:36:21,033 I would encourage you in this moment 676 00:36:22,033 --> 00:36:25,033 to come before God and by faith 677 00:36:25,866 --> 00:36:28,866 and in this moment right now, right 678 00:36:29,900 --> 00:36:32,466 to say, God, I am sorry. 679 00:36:32,466 --> 00:36:35,466 I agree with you that I am a sinner. 680 00:36:36,100 --> 00:36:38,500 I've broken your law. 681 00:36:41,400 --> 00:36:44,400 I accept what Jesus did on the cross 682 00:36:45,500 --> 00:36:48,500 so that I can be forgiven. 683 00:36:48,866 --> 00:36:51,866 And I ask your forgiveness. 684 00:36:54,000 --> 00:36:57,000 Come into my life. 685 00:36:57,900 --> 00:36:59,466 Make me a new person. 686 00:36:59,466 --> 00:37:03,100 I accept you, Jesus, as my leader 687 00:37:03,100 --> 00:37:06,100 and my Savior. 688 00:37:06,900 --> 00:37:09,800 If you've done that, 689 00:37:09,800 --> 00:37:10,666 this is for you. 690 00:37:10,666 --> 00:37:13,666 And it's for me. 691 00:37:13,666 --> 00:37:16,666 And I want us to remember with gratitude 692 00:37:16,800 --> 00:37:20,866 the way to salvation that has been made available to us. 693 00:37:21,966 --> 00:37:24,966 It was through the body and the blood of Jesus. 694 00:37:26,566 --> 00:37:27,333 Jesus gave 695 00:37:27,333 --> 00:37:30,733 us these symbols, and on the night that he was betrayed 696 00:37:30,733 --> 00:37:34,900 into the hands of the men who would beat him and crucify him, 697 00:37:36,000 --> 00:37:39,000 he set that aside, 698 00:37:39,000 --> 00:37:42,000 and he stepped into a moment of worship. 699 00:37:42,400 --> 00:37:45,100 He knew what was coming, 700 00:37:45,100 --> 00:37:48,166 but he drew his attention to the will of the father. 701 00:37:50,066 --> 00:37:51,033 I'm asking us. 702 00:37:51,033 --> 00:37:54,033 Set it aside for a moment 703 00:37:54,500 --> 00:37:57,500 and just come into this presence. 704 00:37:58,933 --> 00:38:01,933 Of the will and the way of the father. 705 00:38:02,233 --> 00:38:05,066 And remember Jesus, 706 00:38:05,066 --> 00:38:06,000 it's Jesus. 707 00:38:06,000 --> 00:38:08,366 The Scripture tells us 708 00:38:08,366 --> 00:38:11,766 that took the bread and he lifted it up to heaven, 709 00:38:11,766 --> 00:38:14,766 and he gave thanks. 710 00:38:16,400 --> 00:38:18,100 And then he broke it. 711 00:38:18,100 --> 00:38:21,033 He said, this is my body which I'm giving for you. 712 00:38:21,033 --> 00:38:24,100 Do this and remember me as you do it. 713 00:38:31,466 --> 00:38:31,933 Jesus. 714 00:38:31,933 --> 00:38:33,533 Thank you 715 00:38:33,533 --> 00:38:36,533 that we sit here 716 00:38:36,866 --> 00:38:39,633 as people, as the 717 00:38:39,633 --> 00:38:42,633 as your flock, in gratitude, 718 00:38:43,500 --> 00:38:45,700 we just tell you. Thank you. 719 00:38:45,700 --> 00:38:47,700 We're grateful for what you endured. 720 00:38:47,700 --> 00:38:49,333 We're grateful for your obedience. 721 00:38:49,333 --> 00:38:51,500 We're grateful for your humility. 722 00:38:51,500 --> 00:38:55,933 We're grateful that you endured the pain and the shame of the cross. 723 00:38:55,933 --> 00:38:58,133 We're grateful that you laid your life down, 724 00:38:59,433 --> 00:38:59,733 and we're 725 00:38:59,733 --> 00:39:02,733 grateful that you picked it back up. 726 00:39:03,166 --> 00:39:06,166 And we remember you. 727 00:39:06,866 --> 00:39:09,333 Thank you. 728 00:39:09,333 --> 00:39:12,600 The Bible tells us that during that meal 729 00:39:14,500 --> 00:39:16,933 that they also shared a cup. 730 00:39:16,933 --> 00:39:19,633 And Jesus said, when he held that cup, 731 00:39:19,633 --> 00:39:22,633 he said, this cup. 732 00:39:23,233 --> 00:39:26,866 Is the sign of the new covenant of my blood 733 00:39:27,600 --> 00:39:30,600 that I'm shedding for you, so your sin can be forgiven. 734 00:39:32,833 --> 00:39:35,833 He says, do this 735 00:39:36,133 --> 00:39:38,700 and remember what I've done for you. 736 00:39:38,700 --> 00:39:43,566 Take the cup. For. 737 00:39:51,166 --> 00:39:51,733 Jesus. 738 00:39:51,733 --> 00:39:53,266 Thank you, 739 00:39:53,266 --> 00:39:56,266 thank. 740 00:39:57,566 --> 00:40:00,566 It's in gratitude that we come before you. 741 00:40:04,800 --> 00:40:07,800 Thank you that you laid your life down. 742 00:40:08,133 --> 00:40:11,133 Thank you that you took it back up 743 00:40:11,900 --> 00:40:14,033 so that we can have a relationship 744 00:40:14,033 --> 00:40:17,033 through you with the father, 745 00:40:17,533 --> 00:40:20,100 and the certainty and the promise 746 00:40:20,100 --> 00:40:24,100 that our lives will be laid down one day, only to be picked up again. 747 00:40:25,566 --> 00:40:28,566 And resurrection. 748 00:40:29,400 --> 00:40:32,400 We're grateful for what you've done. 749 00:40:33,033 --> 00:40:36,566 We sit in gratitude for who you are 750 00:40:36,566 --> 00:40:39,800 and what you've secured through your death and your resurrection. 751 00:40:42,766 --> 00:40:45,466 You're a good God, 752 00:40:45,466 --> 00:40:48,466 and we remember your goodness today. 753 00:40:49,266 --> 00:40:52,566 In all the circumstances that surround our lives. 754 00:40:52,566 --> 00:40:55,566 We will choose to give thanks 755 00:40:55,800 --> 00:40:58,800 because that's your will for us. 756 00:40:59,100 --> 00:41:01,233 You're a good God 757 00:41:01,233 --> 00:41:03,933 and we're grateful 758 00:41:03,933 --> 00:41:05,566 that your love endures forever. 759 00:41:05,566 --> 00:41:08,800 We're grateful that your mercies are new every morning. 760 00:41:08,833 --> 00:41:12,533 We're grateful that your faithfulness never ends. 761 00:41:14,100 --> 00:41:17,100 We're grateful that you are our Shepherd, 762 00:41:17,800 --> 00:41:22,033 that you are a provider, our protector, our director, our leader. 763 00:41:22,033 --> 00:41:25,433 We're grateful you didn't have to do any of. 764 00:41:28,433 --> 00:41:30,766 But you did. 765 00:41:30,766 --> 00:41:33,733 And we're grateful. 766 00:41:33,733 --> 00:41:35,366 And so we this morning 767 00:41:35,366 --> 00:41:38,366 will choose to be obedient. 768 00:41:38,400 --> 00:41:41,766 And we will choose to honor you for who you are. 769 00:41:42,933 --> 00:41:45,933 And as you have requested of us, 770 00:41:46,500 --> 00:41:49,200 we will, with our whole heart, visibly 771 00:41:49,200 --> 00:41:52,433 and vocally engage in expressing gratitude to you. 772 00:41:54,466 --> 00:41:56,433 Oh, father, 773 00:41:56,433 --> 00:42:01,033 be pleased in our expressions of gratitude. 774 00:42:03,033 --> 00:42:05,166 Because we say thank you, 775 00:42:05,166 --> 00:42:08,100 we got nothing else to give you 776 00:42:08,100 --> 00:42:10,966 but a heart of thanks and gratitude. 777 00:42:10,966 --> 00:42:13,966 We got nothing else that we can bring to our King, 778 00:42:14,366 --> 00:42:16,200 but an attitude that says thank you. 779 00:42:16,200 --> 00:42:19,200 A heart of gratitude. 780 00:42:19,666 --> 00:42:22,433 And so we bring it 781 00:42:22,433 --> 00:42:25,033 with all that we are. 782 00:42:25,033 --> 00:42:26,033 And your name I pray. Amen.