Note: This is un-edited captioning. It has NOT been proofed or corrected.

 

 WELCOME TO FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH,

 SUNDAY, JANUARY 14, 2007.

 (CHURCH BELLS RINGING.)

 

 >> GOOD MORNING.

 

 >> GOOD MORNING.

 

 >> WELCOME TO EACH OF YOU.

 IF YOU'RE VISITING WITH US, WE

 ESPECIALLY WANT YOU TO FEEL WELCOME.

 WILL EVERYONE NOW PLEASE SIGN YOUR

 NAME IN THE RED BOOK THAT IS IN THE

 PEW IN FRONT OF YOU AND RETURN THE

 BOOK TO THE OUTSIDE AISLE.

 LET US PREPARE OUR HEARTS AND MINDS

 TO WORSHIP GOD.

 

 >>> GOOD MORNING, I'D LIKE TO

 WELCOME YOU TO FIRST CHRISTIAN

 CHURCH, INVITE YOU TO STAND AND SING

 HYMN NUMBER 176.

 (FOLLOW ALONG IN YOUR HYMNAL.)

 

 >>> WILL THE CHILDREN COME FORWARD

 FOR WIGGLE TIME?

 

 >> HOW ARE YOU GUYS TODAY?

 GOOD.

 WELL, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE OF WEEKS

 AGO, I WENT HOME AND I SAW MY

 BROTHER, AND I HADN'T SEEN HIM FOR A

 WHILE.

 AND WE WERE ALL EATING AROUND THE

 

 

 TABLE, AND YOU KNOW SOMETHING I

 FORGOT ABOUT HIM?

 HE USES SALT ON EVERYTHING.

 YOU KNOW, SOME PEOPLE JUST PUT SALT

 ON FRIES, BUT HE PUTS IT ON

 EVERYTHING.

 WE GOT A PIZZA AND HE POURED SALT

 ALL OVER IT, AND I ATE IT AND IT

 TASTED LIKE CRACKERS, AWFUL.

 I ASKED HIM, WHY DO YOU LIKE SALT SO

 MUCH?

 I SAID, IT TASTES SO BAD.

 YOU KNOW WHAT HE TOLD ME?

 HE TOLD ME THAT YOU DON'T PUT SALT

 ON THE PIZZA BECAUSE YOU LIKE THE

 TASTE OF SALT.

 YOU LIKE IT BECAUSE IT BRINGS OUT

 THE TASTE OF THE PIZZA.

 AND I WAS READING MY BIBLE WHERE

 JESUS TELLS HIS FOLLOWERS THAT THEY

 ARE THE SALT OF THE EARTH, SO I

 SAID, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

 JESUS WANTS THE EARTH TO TASTE LIKE

 CRACKERS?

 NO, THAT MEANS THAT HE WANTS TO

 BRING OUT THE GOODNESS AND THE

 FLAVOR.

 WE'RE HIS FOLLOWERS AND WE'RE THE

 

 

 SALT OF THE EARTH.

 THAT MEANS WE HELP BRING OUT THE

 GOODNESS IN OTHERS.

 SO WHAT ARE SOME OF THE WAYS WE CAN

 DO THAT?

 MAYBE THE KID IN SCHOOL THAT ALWAYS

 GETS IN TROUBLE AND EVERYBODY TELLS

 HIM HOW BAD HE IS, MAYBE IF WE SEE

 HIM DOING SOMETHING GOOD, WE CAN

 BRING THAT OUT AND TELL HIM HE'S

 DOING A GOOD JOB, THAT WE LIKE TO

 PLAY WITH HIM AND (INAUDIBLE).

 SOMETIMES PEOPLE JUST LIKE TO BRING

 PEOPLE DOWN AND HELP THEM TO MAKE

 THEM FEEL BAD ABOUT THEMSELVES,

 WHERE AS FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST, WE

 NEED TO HELP PEOPLE FEEL GOOD ABOUT

 THEMSELVES AND BUILD THEM UP.

 ARE THERE ANY OTHER WAYS WE CAN DO

 THAT, HELP PEOPLE SEE THE GOOD IN

 THEMSELVES?

 

 >> YEAH.

 

 >> WHAT?

 (INAUDIBLE)

 

 >> YEAH.

 (INAUDIBLE)

 

 >> IN CASE YOU'RE WONDERING, IT'S A

 NEW TRANSLATION WHERE, INSTEAD OF

 

 

 SALT, JESUS MAKES CATSUP WITH HER.

 WILL YOU GUYS PRAY WITH ME?

 DEAR GOD, WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR LOVE

 AND WE PRAY THAT YOU WOULD HELP US

 TO BRING OUT THE GOOD IN OTHERS AND

 THE WORLD.

 AMEN.

 

 >>> TODAY'S OLD TESTAMENT SCRIPTURE

 COMES FROM THE BOOK OF ISAIAH,

 CHAPTER 61, VERSES 1 THROUGH 4 AND

 VERSES 8 THROUGH 11.

 YOU MAY FOLLOW ALONG IN THE PEW

 BIBLE ON PAGE 641.

 "THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD GOD IS UPON

 ME BECAUSE THE LORD HAS ANOINTED ME.

 "HE HAS SENT ME TO BRING GOOD NEWS

 TO THE OPPRESSED, TO BIND UP THE

 BROKENHEARTED, TO PROCLAIM LIBERTY

 TO THE CAPTIVES, AND RELEASE TO THE

 PRISONERS, TO PROCLAIM THE YEAR OF

 THE LORD'S FAVOR AND THE DAY OF

 VENGEANCE OF OUR GOD, TO COMFORT ALL

 WHO MOURN, TO PROVIDE FOR THOSE WHO

 MOURN IN ZION, TO GIVE THEM A

 GARLAND INSTEAD OF ASHES, THE OIL OF

 GLADNESS INSTEAD OF MOURNING, THE

 MANTLE OF PRAISE INSTEAD OF A FAINT

 SPIRIT.

 

 

 "THEY WILL BE CALLED OAKS OF

 RIGHTEOUSNESS, THE PLANTING OF THE

 LORD TO DISPLAY HIS GLORY.

 "THEY SHALL BUILD UP THE ANCIENT

 RUINS, THEY SHALL RAISE UP THE

 FORMER DEVASTATIONS.

 "THEY SHALL REPAIR THE RUINED

 CITIES, THE DEVASTATIONS OF MANY

 GENERATIONS.

 "FOR I, THE LORD, LOVE JUSTICE.

 "I HATE ROBBERY AND WRONGDOING.

 "I WILL FAITHFULLY GIVE THEM THEIR

 RECOMPENSE AND I WILL MAKE AN

 EVER-LASTING COVENANT WITH THEM.

 "THEIR DESCENDANTS SHALL BE KNOWN

 AMONG THE NATIONS AND THEIR

 OFFSPRING AMONG THE PEOPLES.

 "ALL WHO SEE THEM SHALL ACKNOWLEDGE

 THAT THEY ARE A PEOPLE WHOM THE LORD

 HAS BLESSED.

 "I WILL GREATLY REJOICE IN THE LORD.

 "MY WHOLE BEING SHALL EXULT IN MY

 GOD, FOR HE HAS CLOTHED ME WITH THE

 GARMENTS OF SALVATION.

 "HE HAS COVERED ME WITH THE ROBE OF

 RIGHTEOUSNESS AS A BRIDEGROOM DECKS

 HIMSELF WITH A GARLAND AND AS A

 BRIDE ADORNS HERSELF WITH HER

 

 

 JEWELS.

 "FOR AS THE EARTH BRINGS FORTH ITS

 SHOOTS, AND AS A GARDEN CAUSES WHAT

 IS SOWN IN IT TO SPRING UP, SO THE

 LORD GOD WILL CAUSE RIGHTEOUSNESS

 AND PRAISE TO SPRING UP BEFORE ALL

 THE NATIONS."

 THE NEW TESTAMENT SCRIPTURE COMES

 

 FROM THE BOOK OF JOHN 1, VERSES 6

 THROUGH 8 AND 19 THROUGH 29.

 YOU MAY READ ALONG IN THE PEW BIBLE

 ON PAGE 922.

 "THERE WAS A MAN SENT FROM GOD WHOSE

 NAME WAS JOHN.

 "HE CAME AS A WITNESS TO TESTIFY TO

 THE LIGHT, SO THAT ALL MIGHT BELIEVE

 THROUGH HIM.

 "HE HIMSELF WAS NOT THE LIGHT, BUT

 HE CAME TO TESTIFY TO THE LIGHT.

 "THIS IS THE TESTIMONY GIVEN BY JOHN

 WHEN THE JEWS SENT PRIESTS AND

 LEVITES FROM JERUSALEM TO ASK HIM,

 WHO ARE YOU?

 "HE CONFESSED AND DID NOT DENY IT,

 BUT CONFESSED, I AM NOT THE MESSIAH.

 "AND THEY ASKED HIM, WHAT THEN?

 "ARE YOU ELIJAH?

 "HE SAID, I AM NOT.

 

 

 "ARE YOU THE PROPHET?

 "HE ANSWERED NO.

 "THEN THEY SAID TO HIM, WHO ARE YOU?

 "LET US HAVE AN ANSWER FOR THOSE WHO

 SENT US.

 "WHAT DO YOU SAY ABOUT YOURSELF?

 "HE SAID, I AM THE VOICE OF ONE

 CRYING OUT IN THE WILDERNESS, MAKE

 STRAIGHT THE WAY OF THE LORD, AS THE

 PROPHET ISAIAH SAID.

 "NOW THEY HAD BEEN SENT FROM THE

 PHARISEES.

 "THEY ASKED HIM, WHY THEN ARE YOU

 BAPTIZING IF YOU ARE NEITHER THE

 MESSIAH NOR ELIJAH, NOR THE PROPHET?

 "JOHN ANSWERED THEM, I BAPTIZE WITH

 WATER.

 "AMONG YOU STANDS ONE WHOM YOU DO

 NOT KNOW, THE ONE WHO IS COMING

 AFTER ME.

 "I AM NOT WORTHY TO UNTIE THE THONG

 OF HIS SANDAL.

 "THIS TOOK PLACE IN BETHANY ACROSS

 THE JORDAN WHERE JOHN WAS BAPTIZING.

 "THE NEXT DAY, HE SAW JESUS COMING

 TOWARD HIM AND DECLARED, HERE IS THE

 LAMB OF GOD WHO TAKES AWAY THE SIN

 OF THE WORLD."

 

 

 HERE ENDS THE SCRIPTURE FOR TODAY.

 THIS IS THE GOOD NEWS.

 

 >> THANKS BE TO GOD.

 (HYMN NUMBER 646, PLEASE FOLLOW

 ALONG IN YOUR HYMNAL.)

 

 >>> YOU WILL HAVE FIGURED OUT NOW,

 IF YOU DIDN'T ALREADY KNOW IT, PAUL

 IS OUT OF TOWN.

 HE'S IN SCHOOL AND SOME OF THE

 OTHERS OF US ARE PINCH-HITTING THIS

 WEEK.

 HE WILL BE BACK NEXT WEEKEND.

 WHAT ANNOUNCEMENTS ARE THERE?

 

 >> I JUST WANTED TO REMIND ALL OF

 YOU WHO ARE ANGELS TO THE CHILDREN

 AT BROWN THAT SCHOOL HAS REGUN

 AGAIN, I'M SURE YOU ARE AWARE OF

 THAT, SO GO AHEAD AND GET IN TOUCH

 WITH VICKY AND RESUME WHATEVER

 ACTIVITIES YOU'RE DOING FOR THESE

 CHILDREN.

 I SAW LEANN BURTON AND I WAS THERE

 ON FRIDAY, AND SHE CONTINUES TO

 EXPRESS INCREDIBLE GRATITUDE AND JOY

 AT WHAT THIS CONGREGATION IS DOING

 FOR THE CHILDREN AT BROWN, AND I

 CONTINUE TO EXPRESS INCREDIBLE

 GRATITUDE TO BROWN FOR GIVING US

 

 

 THIS MISSION AND PURPOSE.

 

 >> I'VE BEEN PUSHING -- CAN Y'ALL

 HEAR ME?

 I'VE BEEN PUSHING "LIVING THE

 QUESTION" TO Y'ALL AND I HAVE TOLD

 YOU THAT NEXT -- THIS WEDNESDAY IT'S

 GOING TO START, BUT I HAVE HAD A

 CHANGE OF PLANS.

 JEAN BLACKBURN REMINDED ME THAT

 DEPARTMENT MEETINGS MAY BE BEING

 HELD THAT WEDNESDAY.

 IF DEPARTMENT CHAIRS FIND IT

 CONVENIENT, YOU HAVE THAT OPTION TO

 HOLD YOUR DEPARTMENT MEETING THAT

 NIGHT.

 FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE NOT GOING

 TO PARTICIPATE IN DEPARTMENT

 MEETINGS, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A

 VERY INTERESTING AND SHORT VIDEO AND

 A DISCUSSION AFTERWARDS.

 SO THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE INTERESTED

 IN "LIVING THE QUESTION," I WILL BE

 BOMBARDING YOU WITH MORE INFORMATION

 LATER.

 THAT'S COMING IN FEBRUARY.

 

 >> ARE THERE OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS?

 WHAT JOYS ARE THERE IN THE

 CONGREGATION THAT WE NEED TO SHARE

 

 

 WITH EACH OTHER?

 

 >> MY JOY IS MY MOM GOT OUT OF THE

 HOSPITAL ON TUESDAY AND AVOIDED

 MAJOR SURGERY ONCE AGAIN, AND SHE'S

 DOING VERY WELL, AND I'LL GO AHEAD

 AND SHARE MY CONCERNS WHILE I'M UP.

 ONE, PAUL TRAVELING TODAY, HE SHOULD

 BE HALFWAY TO PITTSBURGH BY NOW, SO

 IF YOU WILL PRAY FOR HIM DURING THE

 BAD WEATHER THAT HE WILL ENCOUNTER.

 THEY HAVE BEAUTIFUL SNOW UP THERE.

 AND (INAUDIBLE) HAS  CALLED.

 HIS MOTHER-IN-LAW, AMY'S MOTHER,

 PASSED AWAY LAST SUNDAY AT A VERY

 YOUNG AGE AND SHE DIED OF LIVER

 CANCER.

 IF YOU WILL PRAY FOR BRIAN AND AMY

 AND ESPECIALLY THE THREE YOUNG

 

 CHILDREN AS THEY LOST THEIR

 GRANDMOTHER.

 I APPRECIATE THAT.

 THANK YOU.

 

 >> OTHER JOYS OR CONCERNS?

 

 >> THIS IS AN ANNOUNCEMENT.

 IF YOU PLAN TO COME TO WEDNESDAY

 NIGHT, PLEASE BE SURE YOU LET US

 KNOW BECAUSE I THINK LAST WEEK, WE

 ALMOST RAN OUT OF FOOD, SO LET THE

 

 

 OFFICE KNOW YOU'RE COMING.

 

 >> ALICE WATCHEN, WHO IS WELL KNOWN

 TO THIS CONGREGATION, HAD MAJOR

 SURGERY ON FRIDAY AND SHE HAS ASKED

 FOR PRAYERS OF FIRST CHRISTIAN

 CHURCH.

 OTHER CONCERNS?

 LET'S GO TO THE LORD IN PRAYER WITH

 A FEW MOMENTS OF SILENCE.

 GRACIOUS GOD IN THESE QUIET MOMENTS,

 WE LIFT OUR HEARTS TO YOU.

 YOU HAVE BEEN OUR GOD IN AGES PAST,

 YOU ARE OUR HOPE FOR WHATEVER DAYS

 AND YEARS MAY BE OURS TO COME.

 WE BRING YOU PRAISE AND THANKSGIVING

 FOR THE GIFTS AND ALL THE GOOD

 THINGS YOU HAVE PROVIDED US.

 WE BRING TO YOU THIS MORNING OUR

 HOPES, OUR ASPIRATIONS, OUR PLANS.

 WE ALSO BRING TO YOU OUR SINS, OUR

 GRIEFS, OUR ANXIETIES, OUR FEARS AND

 OUR FAILURES, AND WE LIFT ALL OF

 THESE UP BEFORE YOU.

 YOU KNOW US, LORD.

 AND YOU KNOW WHAT WE NEED.

 WE PRAY FOR FORGIVENESS.

 WE PRAY FOR STRENGTH.

 WE LIFT UP TO YOU THOSE WHO ARE DEAR

 

 

 TO US, THOSE WHO MAY BE SEPARATED

 FROM US BY DISTANCE.

 WE LIFT UP TO YOU ALL WHO NEED YOUR

 PRESENCE IN SPECIAL WAYS.

 WE PRAY FOR ALL WHO LIVE IN FEAR OR

 TERROR FOR WHATEVER REASON, FOR

 THOSE WHO LIVE IN PLACES OF WAR OR

 VIOLENCE, THOSE WITHOUT ENOUGH TO

 EAT, THOSE WITHOUT A PLACE TO STAY.

 WE PRAY FOR ALL WHO GRIEVE, FOR ALL

 WHO HAVE LOST THEIR WAY IN LIFE.

 GRANT US A VISION AND WISDOM AND

 COURAGE THAT WE MAY TRULY BE YOUR

 PEOPLE IN THIS TIME AND PLACE, WITH

 THE LOVE AND A CONCERN THAT REACHES

 OUT TO OTHERS.

 WE LIFT ALL THESE THINGS IN THE NAME

 OF JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD WHO TAUGHT

 US TO PRAY, OUR FATHER WHO ART IN

 HEAVEN, HALLOWED BE THY NAME, THY

 KINGDOM COME, THY WILL BE DONE ON

 EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN.

 GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD AND

 FORGIVE US OUR TRESPASSES, AS WE

 FORGIVE THOSE WHO TRESPASS AGAINST

 US AND LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION,

 BUT DELIVER US FROM EVIL, FOR THINE

 IS THE KINGDOM AND THE POWER AND THE

 

 

 GLORY FOREVER.

 AMEN.

 AS WE PREPARE TO GIVE OF OUR TITHES

 AND OFFERINGS, WE REMEMBER THAT THE

 APOSTLE PAUL SAID TO THE CHURCH IN

 CORINTH, YOU WILL BE ENRICHED IN

 EVERY WAY FOR GREAT GENEROSITY,

 WHICH WILL PRODUCE THANKSGIVING TO

 GOD.

 (OFFERING MUSIC.)

 PRAISE GOD FROM WHOM ALL BLESSINGS

 FLOW, PRAISE HIM ALL CREATURES HERE

 BELOW, PRAISE HIM ABOVE YE HEAVENLY

 HOST, PRAISE FATHER, SON AND HOLY

 GHOST.

 AMEN.

 (CHOIR ANTHEM.)

 

 >>> LET US PRAY.

 MAY THE WORDS OF MY MOUTH AND THE

 MEDITATIONS OF OUR HEARTS BE

 ACCEPTABLE IN YOUR SIGHT, O LORD,

 OUR STRENGTH AND OUR SALVATION.

 AMEN.

 A FEW MONTHS AGO, WE MADE A SMALL

 CHANGE IN OUR WORSHIP SERVICE.

 WE ASKED THE PERSON READING THE

 SCRIPTURE TO PAUSE AT THE CONCLUSION

 OF THE READING AND SAY, "THIS IS THE

 

 

 GOOD NEWS," AND THE CONGREGATION WAS

 ASKED TO RESPOND WITH THE WORDS,

 "THANKS BE TO GOD."

 AND THAT'S A FAMILIAR LITURGICAL

 ITEM.

 MANY CHURCHES USE IT REGULARLY, BUT

 IT'S MUCH MORE THAN A PIECE OF

 LITURGY THROWN IN AT THE END OF THE

 TEXT.

 IT'S OUR WAY OF AFFIRMING THAT THE

 WORDS OF THE BIBLE PRESENT US WITH

 PERSPECTIVE ON LIFE AND AN

 ALTERNATIVE VIEW OF REALITY THAT IS

 ALTOGETHER DIFFERENT FROM WHAT WE

 SEE ON T.V. OR READ IN THE

 NEWSPAPERS AND THE MAGAZINES OR HEAR

 IN THE CONVERSATIONS AROUND US.

 THE PROPHETS AND OTHERS WE CALL

 HEROES OF THE FAITH TOOK ISSUE WITH

 WHAT HAD BECOME ACCEPTED TRUTH IN

 THE WORLD.

 WHEN PHARAOH OR NEBEKENEZAR OR

 CAESAR TOLD THEM THIS IS WHO YOU

 ARE, THIS IS THE WAY THE WORLD IS

 AND THIS IS WHAT YOU WILL DO, THEY

 SAID, NO, THAT'S NOT SO.

 THAT, OF COURSE, OFTEN COST THEM,

 BUT THE WAY THEY SAID NO TO PHARAOH,

 

 

 NEBEKENEZAR, AND CAESAR TRIGGERS OUR

 IMAGINATION.

 WE READ OR HEAR THEIR DECLARATIONS

 OF THE KIND OF WORLD GOD WANTS FOR

 HIS PEOPLE AND WE, TOO, BEGIN TO

 ENVISION A VERY DIFFERENT SORT OF

 WORLD, ONE IN WHICH PEOPLE WHO HAVE

 WALKED IN DARKNESS REALLY DO SEE

 LIGHT; THE POOR HAVE A PLACE TO STAY

 AND PLENTY TO EAT; WIDOWS, ORPHANS,

 AND EVEN STRANGERS ARE VALUED

 MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY; AND NO ONE

 IS GETTING HURT OR BEING DESTROYED.

 TO SPEAK OF A WORLD THAT PRESENTLY

 DOESN'T EXIST AS IF IT DID EXIST

 CAUSES US TO WONDER, WHAT WOULD IT

 BE LIKE IF?

 NOW, TAUGHT THIS WAY IS POETRY AND

 THE OLD TESTAMENT PROPHETS LIKE

 ISAIAH, FOR EXAMPLE, ARE POETS, SO

 LIKE ALL GOOD ARTISTS, THEY PRESENT

 THE WORLD IN WAYS WE HAVEN'T THOUGHT

 OF IT OR SEEN OR HEARD OF IT BEFORE,

 AND BY THEIR RHETORIC, THE PROPHETS

 ARE ICE PICKS THAT BREAK OPEN OUR

 FROZEN IMAGINATIONS.

 A PROPHET IMAGINES AND DESCRIBES THE

 WORLD IN WHICH THE WOLF LIVES WITH

 

 

 THE LAMB, COWS AND BEARS GRAZE

 TOGETHER, CHILDREN PLAY NEAR SNAKE

 PITS WITH NO DANGER AT ALL.

 THE PROPHET SPEAKS OF THE WORLD IN

 WHICH OPPRESSED PEOPLE GET GOOD

 NEWS, THE BROKENHEARTED AND THOSE

 WHO MOURN ARE COMFORTED, THE SOCIETY

 IS BUILT THAT HAS THE FAVOR OF THE

 GOD WHO CREATED HEAVEN AND EARTH.

 AND THE FIRST CHAPTER OF JOHN'S

 GOSPEL,  IN A SIMILAR POETIC WAY,

 DESCRIBES A LIGHT COMING INTO A DARK

 WORLD, AN UNQUENCHABLE LIGHT, A

 POWERFUL LIGHT AND THE DARKNESS CAN

 NEVER EXTINGUISH IT.

 NOW, TO GET PEOPLE PREPARED FOR THIS

 LIGHT, A MESSENGER NAMED JOHN GOES

 OUT INTO THE BOONDOCKS AND STARTS

 PREACHING AND QUOTES ISAIAH, AND

 MANY PEOPLE GO OUT TO HEAR WHAT HE

 HAS TO SAY.

 AND WHEN JESUS COMES TO THE RIVER

 SIDE WHERE JOHN IS SPEAKING AND

 BAPTIZING, JOHN SAYS, BEHOLD THE

 LAMB OF GOD WHO TAKES AWAY THE SIN

 OF THE WORLD.

 NOW, THAT'S POETRY.

 THAT IS TRUTH IN AN IMAGE, BUT WHAT

 

 

 DO THESE STORIES AND THESE POETS

 HAVE TO DO WITH US?

 WELL, AS THOSE PEOPLE DID, WE LIVE

 IN A MESSED-UP WORLD.

 BAD NEWS IS OUR DAILY REALITY.

 EVERY DAY ALL AROUND US, PEOPLE

 MISUSE AND MISTREAT OTHER PEOPLE,

 AND WE'RE NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT

 OTHER PEOPLE.

 WE PARTICIPATE IN THAT, TOO.

 HUMAN BEINGS CHEAT, THREATEN, ABUSE,

 STEAL, FROM OTHER HUMAN BEINGS AND

 INFLICT INJURY, EVEN DEATH, IN ALL

 KINDS OF WAYS.

 AND WHAT HAPPENS ON AN INDIVIDUAL

 LEVEL CERTAINLY ALSO HAPPENS BETWEEN

 GROUPS OF PEOPLE WORLDWIDE, AND, YOU

 KNOW, EVERYONE HAS SOME KIND OF

 RATIONALE FOR DOING WHAT THEY DO

 THAT MAKES SENSE TO THEM EVEN IF IT

 DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO ANYBODY ELSE.

 BAD NEWS CREATES FEAR AND FEAR IS

 PART OF THE LIFE WE LIVE.

 YET, AT TIMES WE WONDER HOW CAN

 THINGS BE DIFFERENT?

 WHAT WOULD NEED TO HAPPEN TO CHANGE

 THINGS FOR THE BETTER?

 BUT THERE'S ALSO AN INTERESTING

 

 

 IRONY HERE.

 WE SEEM TO BE HOOKED ON THE

 STIMULATION THAT FEAR PROVIDES, AS

 LONG AS BAD NEWS IS HAPPENING OUT

 THERE, TO SOMEBODY ELSE, AT SOME

 DISTANCE, I CAN LIVE WITH IT.

 I CAN EVEN ENJOY HEARING ABOUT IT,

 READING ABOUT IT IN A MAGAZINE OR

 WATCHING ANY OF SEVERAL T.V.

 PROGRAMS, AS LONG AS IT DOESN'T

 BOTHER ME.

 A STORY FROM MY CHILDHOOD

 ILLUSTRATES THAT.

 MY OLDER SISTER TAUGHT ME TO READ

 BEFORE I WENT TO SCHOOL.

 THAT'S NOT ALL THAT UNUSUAL, I'VE

 MET A NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO LEARNED

 TO READ BEFORE THEY EVER DARKENED

 THE DOOR OF A SCHOOLHOUSE, BUT I

 GUESS I WAS KIND OF A NOVELTY IN

 THAT RESPECT.

 ONE DAY A VISITOR CAME BY OUR HOUSE,

 I WAS 5 OR 6 YEARS OLD, AND I WAS

 READING THE NEWSPAPER.

 AND THIS PERSON ASKED ME, DO YOU

 READ THE ENTIRE PAPER EVERY DAY?

 NOW, I DON'T REMEMBER ANY OF THIS,

 BUT IT'S A STORY MY MOTHER USED TO

 

 

 LOVE TO TELL.

 AND MY RESPONSE, ACCORDING TO MY

 MOTHER, WAS, NO, I ONLY READ THE

 STORIES ABOUT JAIL BREAKS, BANK

 ROBBERIES, AND TRAIN WRECKS.

 (LAUGHTER.)

 JAIL BREAKS, BANK ROBBERIES, AND

 TRAIN WRECKS TO A 5-YEAR-OLD BOY ARE

 EXCITING THINGS THAT HAPPEN OUT

 THERE TO OTHER PEOPLE.

 THEY'RE FAR ENOUGH OFF TO BE NO

 PERSONAL THREAT, BUT WHEN THE BAD

 NEWS COMES CLOSE, THAT'S DIFFERENT,

 ISN'T IT?

 IT NO LONGER IS EXCITING OR

 ALLURING.

 NOBODY, I DON'T THINK, WANTS TO

 INFORM A MAN THAT HIS WIFE HAS JUST

 DIED IN A CAR WRECK.

 NOBODY ENJOYS TELLING A FAMILY THAT

 THEIR FATHER HAS DIED IN A FATAL

 HEART ATTACK AND WATCHING THEIR

 WORLD CRUMBLE INTO DUST IN AN

 INSTANT.

 WILLIAM SAROYAN WROTE A BOOK, A

 NOVEL CALLED "THE HUMAN COMEDY."

 THE SETTING IS A SMALL TOWN IN

 CALIFORNIA IN WORLD WAR II, AND

 

 

 THERE'S A POWERFUL SCENE IN THIS

 STORY.

 HOMER MACAULEY IS A 14-YEAR-OLD BOY

 WHO WORKS PART-TIME AS A TELEGRAPH

 MESSENGER.

 HE DELIVERS TELEGRAMS ON HIS

 BICYCLE.

 ONE DAY, HE RIDES HIS BIKE TO A HOME

 TO DELIVER A MESSAGE.

 A WOMAN ANSWERS THE DOOR.

 HOMER HANDS HER THE TELEGRAM AND SHE

 SAYS, I ONLY READ SPANISH, YOU MUST

 READ IT FOR ME.

 AND SHE INVITES HOMER INTO HER HOME.

 SHE MUST HAVE SOME SENSE OF WHAT'S

 COMING.

 SHE OFFERS HIM SOME CANDY, SAYS YOUR

 A GOOD BOY.

 AND THEN HOMER HAS TO READ TO HER,

 "THE DEPARTMENT OF WAR REGRETS TO

 INFORM YOU THAT YOUR SON, JUAN

 DOMINGO, HAS BEEN KILLED IN ACTION.

 THAT RECOGNITION OF HUMAN SUFFERING

 WAS A POWERFUL, PAINFUL MOMENT IN

 THE LIFE OF A 14-YEAR-OLD BOY WHO

 WAS LEARNING ABOUT THE WORLD IN

 WHICH HE LIVED.

 WE MAY BE HOOKED ON GOSSIP, BUT WHEN

 

 

 THE BAD NEWS CROWDS IN ON US, WE

 NEED GOOD NEWS.

 SO WHEN WE GATHER IN THIS SANCTUARY

 AND REMIND OURSELVES WEEK AFTER WEEK

 THAT THIS IS THE GOOD NEWS, WE ARE

 AFFIRMING NOT ONLY OUR NEED FOR IT,

 BUT OUR HOPE IN THE WORLD OF WHICH

 THE BIBLE SPEAKS.

 THERE REALLY IS SOME GOOD NEWS FOR

 US.

 AFTER JOHN BAPTIZED HIM, JESUS GOES

 OFF INTO THE DESERT BY HIMSELF FOR A

 PERIOD OF THINKING, SORTING OUT

 TEMPTATION, AND WHEN THAT IS DONE,

 HE RETURNS TO HIS HOMETOWN,

 ACCORDING TO LUKE'S GOSPEL, AND FOR

 HIS VERY FIRST SERMON, HE CHOOSES

 THE TEXT THAT BEA READ FROM ISAIAH

 CHAPTER 61.

 "THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME,

 HE SENDS ME TO BRING GOOD NEWS TO

 THE OPPRESSED, TO BIND UP THE

 BROKENHEARTED, TO BRING LIBERTY TO

 THE CAPTIVES, TO COMFORT ALL WHO

 MOURN."

 SO JESUS BEGINS HIS MINISTRY BY

 SAYING, THIS IS WHAT I NEED TO BE

 ABOUT, LIBERATION, COMFORT, BINDING

 

 

 UP, HEALING, ENCOURAGING, PROMOTING

 A JUST SOCIETY THAT HAS GOD'S FAVOR.

 LIBERATION IS A STRONG WORD.

 THERE ARE THOSE AMONG US, THOUGH,

 WHO KNOW WHAT THAT WORD MEANS.

 AN UNCLE OF MINE SPENT SEVERAL

 MONTHS AS A PRISONER OF WAR IN

 GERMANY.

 ONE DAY IN 1945, HE WAS LIBERATED.

 A COUSIN SPENT THE LAST TWO YEARS OF

 WORLD WAR II HIDING OUT IN THE

 JUNGLES OF THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS.

 ONE DAY FROM ONE OF HIS HIDING

 PLACES, HE LOOKED OUT AND SAW A BOAT

 FLYING A FAMILIAR FLAG JUST

 OFFSHORE.

 HE WAS LIBERATED.

 LIBERATION, OF COURSE, CAN TAKE

 OTHER FORMS.

 WE CAN BE LIBERATED FROM ALCOHOL OR

 DRUGS, FROM OVEREATING, FROM LIVING

 OVERSCHEDULED LIVES.

 WE CAN BE LIBERATED FROM

 INDEBTEDNESS, FROM ABUSIVE

 RELATIONSHIPS, ALL SORTS OF THINGS,

 AND LORD KNOWS WE NEED LIBERATION.

 WE ALSO NEED COMFORT.

 THIS PAST YEAR HAS BEEN A VERY

 

 

 DIFFICULT ONE FOR MANY MEMBERS OF

 THIS CONGREGATION.

 UNLESS YOU ARE A VISITOR OR A VERY

 NEW MEMBER HERE, YOU KNOW THAT.

 I CAN STAND HERE AND LOOK OUT AT THE

 CONGREGATION AND I CAN REMEMBER

 PEOPLE WHO WERE HERE AMONG US A YEAR

 AGO, PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN IMPORTANT

 MEMBERS OF THIS COMMUNITY FOR YEARS,

 AND THEY'RE NO LONGER WITH US.

 OTHERS OF US HAVE ENCOUNTERED

 DEBILITATING DISEASES OR MEDICAL

 PROBLEMS AND HAVE HAD TO GO THROUGH

 MAJOR CHANGES OF LIFE AS A RESULT.

 SOME HAVE HAD TO DEAL WITH

 RELATIONSHIPS THAT HAVE DISAPPOINTED

 OR GONE SOUR.

 OTHERS HAVE ENDURED FINANCIAL

 DIFFICULTIES THAT CAUSED A GREAT

 DEAL OF PAIN.

 IT IS IN TIMES LIKE THIS THAT GOOD

 NEWS TRULY IS WHAT WE REALLY NEED.

 IN THE ISAIAH TEXT, VERSE 4, CHAPTER

 61, SPEAKS OF A REBUILDING PROCESS

 THAT WILL OCCUR AND THE SPEAKER

 SEEMS TO KNOW WHERE HE CAN FIND THE

 WORKERS WHO ARE GOING TO DO THE

 REBUILDING.

 

 

 HE KNOWS WHERE TO FIND THE

 EXPERTISE, THE ENERGY, AND THE

 PASSION THAT THE REBUILDING PROCESS

 IS GOING TO TAKE.

 THESE WORKERS WHO ARE GOING TO DO

 THE REBUILDING, THEY ARE THE

 OPPRESSED ONES, THE BROKENHEARTED,

 THE CAPTIVES, THOSE WHO MOURN.

 AND HOW IS THIS GOING TO HAPPEN?

 ISAIAH SAYS THE SPIRIT OF GOD IS

 GOING TO COME TO THESE GRIEVING,

 MARGINAL PEOPLE AND IS GOING TO

 BRING THEM BACK TO POWER, BACK TO

 CONSTRUCTIVE ACTION.

 JESUS SAYS THAT, TOO, BUT HOW?

 MOST LIKELY IN THE WAY THAT LIGHT

 COMES INTO DARKNESS IN JANUARY.

 PROBABLY NOT LIKE TURNING ON A

 FLOODLIGHT, MORE LIKE LIGHTING A

 CANDLE, MORE LIKE DAWNING.

 THE DARK SKY TURNS GRAY, THEN IT

 GETS A LITTLE LIGHTER.  THEN A

 LITTLE MORE LIGHT COMES, AND WITH IT

 COMES A GROWING OF CONFIDENCE AND

 STRENGTH THAT GIVES US HOPE.

 I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE COME HERE TO

 FIND WEEK AFTER WEEK.

 FRED PRATT ONCE SAID YOU MAY BE ABLE

 

 

 TO GET BY ON ONE CALORIE OF HOPE A

 DAY, BUT YOU CAN'T DO WITHOUT, SO WE

 KEEP RETURNING TO THIS PLACE AND WE

 CONTINUE TO READ THESE TEXTS, AND ON

 SOME LEVEL, WE BELIEVE WHAT THEY ARE

 TELLING US IS TRUE.

 DURING ADVENT A FEW WEEKS AGO, WE

 REMINDED EACH OTHER, GOD IS COMING.

 WE QUOTED THE PROPHETS, THE EYES OF

 THE BLIND WILL BE OPENED, THE EARS

 OF THE DEAF UNSTOPPED, THE LAME WILL

 LEAD, THE MUTE WILL SING FOR JOY,

 AND THE LORD WILL RETURN, AND AT

 CHRISTMASTIME, WE CELEBRATED THE

 COMING OF THE UNQUENCHABLE LIGHT

 INTO THE DARK WORLD.

 AND  IN JANUARY, SOMETIMES ON DARK

 DAYS, WE ASSEMBLE, WE LIFT UP TO GOD

 OUR PRAISES AND OUR COMPLAINTS, SING

 THE HYMNS, READ THE SCRIPTURES, AND

 SAY, DESPITE OUR LOSSES AND OUR

 DIFFICULTIES, EMANUEL, GOD IS WITH

 US.

 THE LIGHT SHINES IN THE DARKNESS AND

 THE DARKNESS DID NOT OVERCOME IT,

 NOR, WE SAY BY FAITH, WILL IT.

 THIS IS THE GOOD NEWS.

 THANKS BE TO GOD.

 

 

 OUR HYMN OF REFLECTION, ALSO A HYMN

 OF INVITATION, IF YOU HAVE MADE THE

 DECISION TO BE A FOLLOWER OF JESUS

 CHRIST AND WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THAT

 KNOWN OR IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO JOIN

 THIS FELLOWSHIP AS A MEMBER OF FIRST

 CHRISTIAN CHURCH, YOU MAY MAKE THAT

 KNOWN AT THIS TIME BY COMING DOWN TO

 THE FRONT AS WE SING, WHERE HE LEADS

 ME, I WILL FOLLOW.

 HYMN 346.

 LET US STAND AND SING.

 (FOLLOW ALONG IN YOUR HYMNAL.)

 

 >>> THE LORD'S TABLE AT WHICH WE NOW

 GATHER IS OPEN TO ALL FOLLOWERS OF

 JESUS.

 LIFT UP YOUR MINDS AND HEARTS, HE

 WILL GIVE US GRACE AND GLORY.

 AS WE PREPARE THE TASTE OF THE BREAD

 AND THE FRUIT OF THE VINE, LET THESE

 ELEMENTS BE TO US SIGNS OF THE GRACE

 OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, THE LOVE

 OF GOD, AND THE COMMUNION OF THE

 HOLY SPIRIT.

 LET US IN SILENCE EACH CONFESS OUR

 SINS AND PREPARE OURSELVES FOR

 COMMUNION.

 THE LORD IS MERCIFUL AND GRACIOUS,

 

 

 SLOW TO ANGER AND ABOUNDING IN

 STEADFAST LOVE.

 AS FAR AS THE EAST IS FROM THE WEST,

 SO FAR DOES HE REMOVE OUR

 TRANSGRESSIONS FROM US, FOR HE KNOWS

 OUR FRAME, HE REMEMBERS THAT WE ARE

 DUST.

 WITH THANKSGIVING, LET US

 PARTICIPATE IN COMMUNION WITH HIM

 AND WITH EACH OTHER, WE ARE

 FORGIVEN.

 LET US REMAIN SEATED AS WE SING OUR

 COMMUNION HYMN NUMBER 424.

 (FOLLOW ALONG IN YOUR HYMNAL.)

 

 >>> AS THE APOSTLE PAUL SAID, FOR I

 RECEIVE FROM THE LORD WHAT I ALSO

 HANDED ON TO YOU, THAT THE LORD

 JESUS, ON THE NIGHT WHEN HE WAS

 BETRAYED, TOOK A LOAF OF BREAD AND

 WHEN HE HAD GIVEN THANKS, HE BROKE

 IT AND SAID, THIS IS MY BODY THAT IS

 GIVEN FOR YOU.

 DO THIS IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME.

 IN THE SAME WAY, HE TOOK THE CUP

 AFTER SUPPER, SAYING, THIS CUP IS

 THE NEW COVENANT IN MY BLOOD.

 DO THIS AS OFTEN AS YOU DRINK IT IN

 REMEMBRANCE OF ME, FOR AS OFTEN AS

 

 

 YOU EAT THIS BREAD AND DRINK THIS

 CUP, YOU PROCLAIM THE LORD'S DEATH

 UNTIL HE COMES.

 

 >> LORD, AS WE LEAD OUR HECTIC

 LIVES, WE NEED A PLACE TO STEP BACK

 AND CONTEMPLATE THE GRACE THAT WE

 RECEIVE FROM YOU.

 HELP US REMEMBER THIS COMMUNION

 TABLE, THE SACRIFICE THE BREAD

 REPRESENTS AND HOW IT CAN EASE OUR

 DESPERATE EXISTENCE.

 IN CHRIST'S NAME, AMEN.

 

 >> LORD, WE COME AROUND THIS TABLE

 TO CELEBRATE YOUR LIFE AND DEATH AND

 RESURRECTION, AND THE HEALING BLOOD

 THAT YOU SPILL FOR US ON OUR BEHALF.

 HEAL OUR BROKENNESS, MAKE US

 MISSIONARIES OF THE WORD FROM YOU.

 IN CHRIST'S NAME, AMEN.

 (COMMUNION MUSIC.)

 

 >>> LET US PRAY TOGETHER OUR PRAYER

 OF THANKSGIVING.

 GRACIOUS GOD, WE HAVE BEEN FED AND

 REFRESHED AT THIS TABLE, AND WE

 THANK YOU.

 MAKE US MEMBERS OF ONE ANOTHER AND

 UNITE US IN COMMUNION WITH ALL WHO

 SEEK YOU AND DESIRE TO FOLLOW OUR

 

 

 LORD JESUS CHRIST.

 SUPPLY YOUR PEOPLE WITH THE POWER OF

 THE HOLY SPIRIT, THAT WE MAY BE

 INSTRUMENTS OF YOUR PEACE.

 BLESS THE LONELY WITH YOUR NEARNESS

 AND THE WOUNDED OF HEART WITH YOUR

 HEALING.

 HELP US NOW WITH THANKFUL HEARTS TO

 TAKE UP OUR PILGRIMAGE AGAIN,

 RENEWED BY THE BREAD OF LIFE.

 AMEN.

 

 >>> MAY THE GOD OF HOPE FILL YOU

 WITH ALL JOY AND PEACE IN BELIEVING

 SO THAT BY THE POWER OF THE HOLY

 SPIRIT, YOU MAY ABOUND IN HOPE, AND

 THIS WEEK, WHEREVER YOU GO, TAKE THE

 NAME OF JESUS WITH YOU.

 LET US STAND AND SING OUR FINAL

 HYMN, NUMBER 625.

 (FOLLOW ALONG IN YOUR HYMNAL.)