WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:12.780 I've had a situation where you just want clarity to the questions that you're asking. 00:00:12.780 --> 00:00:18.960 A woman was walking in the mountains one day and she noticed that there out in the middle 00:00:18.960 --> 00:00:23.760 ! seemingly nowhere there was just loads and loads of sheep all over the mountains. 00:00:23.760 --> 00:00:30.140 She was thinking how on earth did they get there and she saw a shepherd so she had this 00:00:30.140 --> 00:00:36.880 curiosity about her so she went over to the shepherd and said these sheep she said can 00:00:36.880 --> 00:00:37.880 I just ask you something? 00:00:37.880 --> 00:00:39.040 He said sure go ahead. 00:00:39.260 --> 00:00:42.640 He said what how many sheep are here? 00:00:42.719 --> 00:00:44.240 There seems to be absolutely loads and loads. 00:00:45.079 --> 00:00:50.060 He said well do you mean the white sheep or the black sheep? 00:00:50.719 --> 00:00:53.359 He said I don't know how many white sheep then for example? 00:00:53.759 --> 00:00:57.039 He said well there's about 400 of them. 00:00:58.140 --> 00:01:00.619 She said 400 that's a lot of sheep up here. 00:01:01.280 --> 00:01:02.939 And what about the black sheep? 00:01:03.619 --> 00:01:07.259 He said there's about 400 black sheep as well. 00:01:07.879 --> 00:01:09.439 She said that's a lot of sheep. 00:01:10.340 --> 00:01:11.859 He said well there's always room for more. 00:01:13.780 --> 00:01:15.539 She said can I ask you another question? 00:01:15.700 --> 00:01:16.479 He said what is it? 00:01:16.479 --> 00:01:22.859 She said well what do these sheep eat because it's quite a remote place and I can see there's 00:01:22.859 --> 00:01:24.719 bits of grass but how do you feed them all? 00:01:24.799 --> 00:01:28.680 He said well are you referring to the white sheep or do you mean the black sheep? 00:01:28.980 --> 00:01:30.319 She said all right the white sheep. 00:01:31.079 --> 00:01:36.560 He said well they tend to graze mostly on the grass here but when that goes a bit thin I 00:01:36.560 --> 00:01:40.680 just move them on a little bit and then when I bring them into the farm I give them the 00:01:40.680 --> 00:01:41.340 finest hay. 00:01:42.140 --> 00:01:43.840 She said well what about the black sheep? 00:01:43.840 --> 00:01:48.859 He said well they eat the grass here and when it gets a bit thin I move them on a little 00:01:48.859 --> 00:01:52.320 bit and then when we get back to the farm I give them the finest hay. 00:01:54.460 --> 00:01:56.060 She said sorry can I ask you another question? 00:01:56.159 --> 00:01:56.820 He said what is it? 00:01:56.920 --> 00:02:01.180 He said well how much wool do all these sheep produce every year? 00:02:01.359 --> 00:02:04.700 He said well do you mean the white sheep or do you mean the black sheep? 00:02:06.420 --> 00:02:07.780 He said all right the white sheep. 00:02:07.780 --> 00:02:12.259 He said well they produce about 12 pounds in weight per sheep every year. 00:02:13.219 --> 00:02:14.539 He said well what about the black sheep? 00:02:14.759 --> 00:02:18.060 They produce about 12 pounds in weight every year. 00:02:19.780 --> 00:02:25.580 He said sorry I don't want to sound rude but every time I ask you something you come back 00:02:25.580 --> 00:02:29.580 to me with the question well you know do you mean the white sheep or the black sheep and 00:02:29.580 --> 00:02:33.479 yet then when you give me the answer it's exactly the same for each one. 00:02:33.479 --> 00:02:38.919 And he said oh sorry he said the thing is is that you know the white sheep they're mine. 00:02:39.639 --> 00:02:42.199 She said sorry I hadn't actually thought of that. 00:02:42.899 --> 00:02:46.379 She's walking away she turns around she said so who does the black sheep belong to then? 00:02:47.339 --> 00:02:48.379 He said they're mine as well. 00:02:52.759 --> 00:03:01.259 Have you ever been in that situation where you just want clarity over a question or a set 00:03:01.259 --> 00:03:06.479 of questions and the deeper you get into that set of questions the more you want the clarity 00:03:06.479 --> 00:03:08.319 and you just can't let it go. 00:03:09.579 --> 00:03:15.319 There's this restlessness over you just want to know the curiosity that just won't go away. 00:03:17.620 --> 00:03:23.919 It shouldn't surprise you if you ever do feel like that because as human beings it's the way 00:03:23.919 --> 00:03:24.919 we are wired. 00:03:24.919 --> 00:03:28.599 We are question asking beings. 00:03:29.699 --> 00:03:38.359 You know every minute of every day there are no less than six million Google questions asked. 00:03:38.699 --> 00:03:42.679 Every minute six million questions go into Google. 00:03:44.839 --> 00:03:47.919 We're curious species. 00:03:47.919 --> 00:03:48.639 Species. 00:03:49.619 --> 00:03:52.799 That curiosity is part of what it is to be a human. 00:03:53.259 --> 00:03:56.019 Jesus knew this when he taught in parables. 00:03:56.500 --> 00:04:02.739 He didn't just hand people truth on the plate but he told stories without explaining their meaning. 00:04:03.060 --> 00:04:03.219 Why? 00:04:03.339 --> 00:04:07.939 Because he knew it was so much more helpful for people to get the point if they were presented 00:04:07.939 --> 00:04:12.739 with a story and the gap in which to actually make their own way to the truth. 00:04:15.359 --> 00:04:17.039 We're curious beings. 00:04:17.920 --> 00:04:24.780 And it's important that we understand that that's not a bad thing about us. 00:04:24.879 --> 00:04:30.040 And the reason I say that is sometimes people seem to think that if you've got a lot of questions 00:04:30.040 --> 00:04:31.180 it's a bad thing. 00:04:32.200 --> 00:04:36.439 If you're asking questions about faith, about God, about Jesus, particularly if you've been 00:04:36.439 --> 00:04:39.759 a Christian for some time, that you know, so how do I fit into this? 00:04:39.819 --> 00:04:43.000 Should I really be calling myself a Christian if I've got all these questions? 00:04:43.000 --> 00:04:45.900 Is that not a sign of doubt or something like that? 00:04:46.960 --> 00:04:47.740 No, it's not. 00:04:48.860 --> 00:04:50.240 So we're going to come to that in a moment. 00:04:50.400 --> 00:04:59.540 But that's why we're looking today at Nathaniel because he embodies this theme of curiosity 00:04:59.540 --> 00:05:03.520 as a question-asking, searching person. 00:05:03.519 --> 00:05:16.299 Incidentally, Nathaniel, when you join the dots up, it seems that he's probably the same person that is named elsewhere in the Gospels as Bartholomew. 00:05:16.300 --> 00:05:20.680 We won't go into all the details, but the reason being is they don't appear in the same list at the same time. 00:05:22.240 --> 00:05:29.360 Also, the other thing is Bartholomew, the way they're grouped together in different stories, it just seems that it is likely, we don't know this, 00:05:29.360 --> 00:05:32.639 but it is likely that it's the same person going with different names. 00:05:32.639 --> 00:05:41.920 It's Bartholomew, literally son of somebody called Talmai, which suggests it's almost like a surname. 00:05:42.420 --> 00:05:44.560 In its own right, it wouldn't just be there. 00:05:44.560 --> 00:05:47.379 It would be expected to go alongside son of so-and-so. 00:05:47.459 --> 00:05:49.199 You would put their actual name with it. 00:05:49.620 --> 00:05:55.040 And therefore, Bartholomew is probably the kind of surname, if you like, of Nathaniel. 00:05:55.699 --> 00:05:57.459 Well, we don't really know much about Nathaniel. 00:05:57.720 --> 00:06:00.100 He doesn't come up other than here. 00:06:00.100 --> 00:06:08.600 And when, you know, in terms of comparison with the other apostles, that we hear more about them in action, not so with Nathaniel. 00:06:08.920 --> 00:06:14.900 However, what we do know about Nathaniel is his journey to Jesus in the first instance. 00:06:15.540 --> 00:06:20.460 And there's actually more said about him in that regard than any of the others. 00:06:20.860 --> 00:06:25.300 And that, as far as what we're looking at today is concerned, is what's really important. 00:06:25.300 --> 00:06:33.840 Because as we hear this story unfold of how he first comes to Jesus, what we see is somebody who won't let go of those questions. 00:06:34.819 --> 00:06:36.100 He's asking questions. 00:06:37.639 --> 00:06:41.160 And what we see here is that it's actually a really helpful thing. 00:06:41.340 --> 00:06:45.240 Now, there can be scepticism that is quite cynical. 00:06:46.080 --> 00:06:50.540 So a cynical type of scepticism closes things down. 00:06:50.540 --> 00:06:56.420 So, for example, might be, Jesus, well, why on earth would anybody believe in Jesus? 00:06:57.500 --> 00:07:01.240 Put like that, you know, it's closing it down. 00:07:01.560 --> 00:07:05.100 On the other hand, there's the kind of open scepticism that's quite healthy. 00:07:05.560 --> 00:07:08.580 Jesus, why would you believe in Jesus? 00:07:08.740 --> 00:07:09.160 Tell me. 00:07:09.500 --> 00:07:10.259 I want to know more. 00:07:11.540 --> 00:07:14.939 So there's a good type of questioning, sceptical questioning. 00:07:14.939 --> 00:07:18.220 And then there's the other type that is more cynical and closes things down. 00:07:18.220 --> 00:07:32.780 But when we look at Nathaniel, what we see is somebody who actually, whilst at the beginning might seem like he's a bit almost grumpy and cynical, in fact isn't. 00:07:33.340 --> 00:07:36.620 Because his response initially is, he says, Nazareth. 00:07:36.980 --> 00:07:38.940 Can anything good come out of Nazareth? 00:07:39.800 --> 00:07:44.260 That might seem at face value to be quite a cynical sort of response. 00:07:45.140 --> 00:07:45.960 But it's not. 00:07:45.959 --> 00:07:57.359 Firstly, it's not an unreasonable point that he makes there about Nazareth, because Nazareth doesn't occur, it's not mentioned in any Old Testament prophecies. 00:07:58.379 --> 00:08:03.579 The other thing that could be going on is that there's a bit of small village rivalry. 00:08:04.519 --> 00:08:05.179 We don't know. 00:08:05.259 --> 00:08:09.839 But either way, it's clearly not scepticism that closes things down. 00:08:09.839 --> 00:08:15.239 And we know that because it doesn't take very long for Nathaniel to open up. 00:08:15.839 --> 00:08:17.979 Because when Philip says to him, well, come and see. 00:08:18.379 --> 00:08:19.319 We found Jesus. 00:08:19.419 --> 00:08:20.099 Come and see. 00:08:22.159 --> 00:08:23.099 And he does. 00:08:24.079 --> 00:08:25.379 He goes to see. 00:08:26.120 --> 00:08:26.959 He follows it through. 00:08:27.019 --> 00:08:34.740 And it's not actually that long before he then responds to Jesus and follows him and declares him the Messiah. 00:08:34.740 --> 00:08:38.879 Jesus says, there is no deceit in this man. 00:08:39.620 --> 00:08:40.539 There's an integrity. 00:08:41.200 --> 00:08:43.720 There's a sense of truth about him, about his character. 00:08:44.740 --> 00:08:54.019 So in other words, what we see in the question asking, the scepticism, or what might seem initial scepticism in this man, is actually a very healthy thing. 00:08:54.019 --> 00:09:05.120 So if ever you find yourself in the position where you're asking deep questions about who is Jesus, why do people believe in Jesus, don't stop asking them. 00:09:06.000 --> 00:09:07.600 It's not a sign of doubt. 00:09:08.679 --> 00:09:16.480 If you find yourself saying, well, I wish I was a Christian, or I'm not sure if I am a Christian, but, you know, because I don't understand this bit of the Bible. 00:09:17.059 --> 00:09:17.799 That's okay. 00:09:18.019 --> 00:09:19.100 Stay with the questions. 00:09:19.100 --> 00:09:29.040 If you're thinking, I don't understand why the church would teach this about that particular issue, or I don't understand why, you know, you've got to believe that if you're a Christian. 00:09:29.620 --> 00:09:30.980 Stay with the question. 00:09:32.720 --> 00:09:33.420 Keep it open. 00:09:33.560 --> 00:09:34.300 Keep it live. 00:09:36.100 --> 00:09:38.740 Or as Philip said to Nathaniel, come and see. 00:09:39.500 --> 00:09:40.360 Come and see. 00:09:41.159 --> 00:09:41.899 Come and see. 00:09:44.519 --> 00:09:47.740 Notice that he's sitting, Nathaniel, sitting underneath the fig tree. 00:09:47.740 --> 00:10:00.659 The fig tree was often associated in their day as a place where people, often rabbis, but not just rabbis, would sit underneath the fig tree in the shade and they would study and they would pray. 00:10:02.060 --> 00:10:08.680 It's associated as being that space where you would do your searching after truth. 00:10:09.080 --> 00:10:10.620 You're searching after God. 00:10:12.519 --> 00:10:14.700 Place of study, reflection and prayer. 00:10:14.700 --> 00:10:16.480 A place for your quiet time. 00:10:16.480 --> 00:10:20.460 So what's your fig tree? 00:10:21.220 --> 00:10:26.539 Maybe you have literally got a fig tree in your garden and you go there and you ponder the deep mysteries of life. 00:10:27.440 --> 00:10:29.980 Probably not a fig tree, but it's probably something else. 00:10:31.399 --> 00:10:32.460 What's your fig tree? 00:10:34.639 --> 00:10:38.159 Because wherever it is, let me tell you, it's a good place to be. 00:10:38.159 --> 00:10:44.879 And if in the midst of your asking those questions, you begin to think, oh, well, should I be asking these questions? 00:10:45.100 --> 00:10:46.659 Is this a sign of a lack of faith? 00:10:46.719 --> 00:10:47.419 No, it's not. 00:10:48.919 --> 00:10:53.679 As long as it is that sense of, I don't understand this, but I want to understand it. 00:10:53.679 --> 00:11:00.539 As long as it's a sense of questioning that opens things up to the Spirit of God. 00:11:02.359 --> 00:11:08.679 Because, you know, when you're in that place and you're searching and you can acknowledge that there openly with yourself, 00:11:08.739 --> 00:11:13.599 that there are things that you don't understand, but nevertheless you want to and that you want to know more about Jesus 00:11:13.600 --> 00:11:18.019 and you want him in your life, even though there are things inside you that say, but I don't understand this. 00:11:18.580 --> 00:11:19.980 It's a good place to be. 00:11:26.340 --> 00:11:31.100 Because when you're in that place of expectancy and searching and reaching out to God, 00:11:32.700 --> 00:11:39.379 God always hears your prayers and he never forgets your prayers. 00:11:39.379 --> 00:11:46.320 Let me say that again because that can sound so simplistic, but it's such a profound thing that we all need to remember. 00:11:47.080 --> 00:11:49.379 God hears every single prayer. 00:11:51.659 --> 00:11:59.159 And he never forgets any prayer that you have ever prayed to him in your entire life. 00:11:59.159 --> 00:12:06.539 You might have been five years old, going to school on your first day, nervous of what's going to happen, 00:12:06.639 --> 00:12:12.039 and then it's the way a child, a five-year-old, would reach out, God, help me, I'm scared. 00:12:14.139 --> 00:12:19.319 It might have been as a teenager and you were involved in something that actually deep down inside you know you shouldn't have been, 00:12:19.379 --> 00:12:24.639 but you were, but somehow in the midst of the chaos and the madness you cried out some sort of faint prayer to God, 00:12:24.639 --> 00:12:26.939 if you're there, God, and then you forgot all about it. 00:12:26.940 --> 00:12:28.940 You might have forgotten it, but he didn't. 00:12:30.760 --> 00:12:36.580 It might have been a prayer that you prayed just a passing glance of God, help me in this situation, 00:12:36.900 --> 00:12:39.480 ten years ago, you've long forgotten about it, he didn't. 00:12:41.540 --> 00:12:46.340 God never, ever forgets a single prayer. 00:12:47.580 --> 00:12:52.480 This is what, you know, we read in Scripture about the Spirit, the Holy Spirit of God who groans for creation, 00:12:52.480 --> 00:13:00.019 that when you are a follower of Jesus, that we are connected in with that whole spiritual movement, that dynamic, 00:13:00.200 --> 00:13:09.019 that it's not just something you're doing with your mind, but you are connected spiritually with the creator of the world. 00:13:09.019 --> 00:13:14.019 He hears every prayer and he never forgets a single prayer. 00:13:17.019 --> 00:13:24.759 So when you're asking the questions, when you're searching, when, like Nathaniel, you're under that fig tree, 00:13:24.879 --> 00:13:26.759 whatever that means metaphorically for you, 00:13:27.759 --> 00:13:30.620 it's a good place to be. 00:13:30.620 --> 00:13:37.320 It might not feel like it, but keep on asking those questions because it's a good place to be. 00:13:38.259 --> 00:13:38.940 Come and see. 00:13:39.779 --> 00:13:40.460 Come and see. 00:13:41.419 --> 00:13:42.019 Come and see. 00:13:42.299 --> 00:13:45.399 See, clearly Nathaniel wants it all to be real. 00:13:46.039 --> 00:13:49.539 Because notice how he lights up when he does eventually meet with Jesus. 00:13:50.659 --> 00:13:52.080 It's like he comes to life. 00:13:52.080 --> 00:13:56.960 That's important. 00:13:58.240 --> 00:13:59.960 Because if you're asking questions, 00:14:00.960 --> 00:14:04.139 and you feel this sense of, yeah, but I want to believe this, but I'm not sure, 00:14:04.620 --> 00:14:06.639 and I am in, but I'm not sure about this, 00:14:07.300 --> 00:14:10.860 just keep asking the questions, keep on searching, keep on searching, 00:14:10.980 --> 00:14:11.320 and know 00:14:11.320 --> 00:14:14.940 you will be found. 00:14:18.580 --> 00:14:21.180 Because let's face it, we want Jesus to come to us. 00:14:23.040 --> 00:14:27.080 Even though sometimes there are things in us that puts up those barriers. 00:14:28.340 --> 00:14:31.500 Even though in the midst of those questions we might get confused, 00:14:31.639 --> 00:14:32.700 in the midst of our searching, 00:14:33.900 --> 00:14:38.139 deep down inside we all want to be found by Jesus. 00:14:39.080 --> 00:14:41.660 I'm going to finish with one more story, 00:14:42.259 --> 00:14:43.000 and then we're going to pray. 00:14:44.160 --> 00:14:47.480 There's a story that comes from a preacher, an American preacher. 00:14:47.840 --> 00:14:49.540 He died about 10 years ago now. 00:14:49.539 --> 00:14:51.120 You may have heard of him. 00:14:51.159 --> 00:14:52.639 His name is Fred Craddock. 00:14:54.240 --> 00:14:56.939 In a sermon that he preached years ago, 00:14:57.879 --> 00:14:59.279 he told a story 00:14:59.279 --> 00:15:02.500 about how when he was growing up in America, 00:15:02.819 --> 00:15:05.039 he and his sister would play hide and seek. 00:15:06.539 --> 00:15:07.439 You know, you go off, 00:15:07.539 --> 00:15:10.240 and the other counts to 100. 00:15:11.579 --> 00:15:12.519 99, 100. 00:15:12.719 --> 00:15:13.620 Coming, ready or not. 00:15:13.620 --> 00:15:17.060 And our sister would always cheat. 00:15:18.980 --> 00:15:23.940 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 47, 48, 49, 78, 79, 99, 100. 00:15:24.039 --> 00:15:24.860 Coming, ready or not. 00:15:25.120 --> 00:15:26.620 He was about 6 years old, 00:15:26.779 --> 00:15:27.919 and they were playing this game, 00:15:28.460 --> 00:15:31.720 and he found the perfect hiding space, 00:15:31.779 --> 00:15:34.519 and he knew that he didn't actually have 100 seconds. 00:15:35.019 --> 00:15:36.320 So he had quick finds. 00:15:36.539 --> 00:15:38.100 Because he was only small, 00:15:38.799 --> 00:15:39.620 he was able not only to... 00:15:39.620 --> 00:15:43.419 Imagine those wooden American houses with a porch outside. 00:15:43.659 --> 00:15:44.919 He said he could actually fit, 00:15:45.159 --> 00:15:46.600 not only underneath the porch, 00:15:46.700 --> 00:15:49.139 but underneath the steps leading up to the porch. 00:15:49.659 --> 00:15:51.799 And he managed to huddle himself in there, 00:15:52.200 --> 00:15:55.120 and he could hear her in the background getting to 100. 00:15:55.659 --> 00:15:56.519 99, 100. 00:15:56.700 --> 00:15:57.379 And he thought to himself, 00:15:57.539 --> 00:15:58.860 this is the perfect spot. 00:15:59.639 --> 00:16:00.200 And he said, 00:16:00.259 --> 00:16:00.960 he was saying to himself, 00:16:01.019 --> 00:16:01.679 as a 6-year-old, 00:16:02.419 --> 00:16:03.580 she'll never find me here. 00:16:04.000 --> 00:16:05.419 She'll never find me here. 00:16:05.639 --> 00:16:07.279 She will never find me here. 00:16:07.279 --> 00:16:09.240 She will never find me here. 00:16:09.720 --> 00:16:10.919 And then he said, 00:16:10.980 --> 00:16:11.860 it occurred to me, 00:16:12.799 --> 00:16:15.159 she'll never find me here. 00:16:20.919 --> 00:16:24.439 He could hear her engaged with the game outside. 00:16:27.860 --> 00:16:29.179 And he wasn't going to give in. 00:16:30.779 --> 00:16:33.159 So instead he stayed exactly where he was. 00:16:33.159 --> 00:16:37.519 Well, he just poked a toe out. 00:16:38.259 --> 00:16:39.059 And waited. 00:16:39.879 --> 00:16:41.579 And it didn't take very long. 00:16:42.399 --> 00:16:43.559 She saw his foot there. 00:16:43.639 --> 00:16:44.600 She grabbed hold of it. 00:16:44.819 --> 00:16:46.019 He found her hand on the foot. 00:16:46.259 --> 00:16:46.600 And she said, 00:16:46.639 --> 00:16:47.379 I found you, 00:16:47.419 --> 00:16:48.219 I've got you. 00:16:56.000 --> 00:16:58.819 When Fred Pratt told that story, 00:16:58.820 --> 00:17:02.379 he finished up by saying this. 00:17:03.960 --> 00:17:05.160 When I was lying, 00:17:06.460 --> 00:17:07.140 hunched up, 00:17:08.180 --> 00:17:10.200 trying to hide from my sister. 00:17:12.240 --> 00:17:13.779 In that hiding place, 00:17:13.880 --> 00:17:15.180 underneath the steps. 00:17:16.539 --> 00:17:18.320 With that toe just poked out. 00:17:20.799 --> 00:17:21.940 What did I want? 00:17:24.100 --> 00:17:27.160 What did I really want? 00:17:28.819 --> 00:17:33.539 I wanted, 00:17:35.240 --> 00:17:35.720 he said, 00:17:36.960 --> 00:17:40.259 the very same thing 00:17:40.259 --> 00:17:42.399 that you want. 00:17:47.399 --> 00:17:48.200 Let's pray. 00:17:48.200 --> 00:17:48.240 Let's pray. 00:17:48.240 --> 00:17:48.240 00:17:48.240 --> 00:17:48.240 00:17:58.819 --> 00:18:01.279 Thank you, 00:18:01.379 --> 00:18:01.500 Lord, 00:18:01.559 --> 00:18:02.899 that we can't hide from you. 00:18:07.799 --> 00:18:08.779 Thank you that, 00:18:09.139 --> 00:18:10.379 like Nathaniel, 00:18:10.559 --> 00:18:12.159 you know everything about us. 00:18:12.539 --> 00:18:13.159 Every thought, 00:18:13.279 --> 00:18:13.879 every prayer, 00:18:14.519 --> 00:18:15.019 every hope, 00:18:15.099 --> 00:18:15.659 every dream, 00:18:16.319 --> 00:18:17.659 every dashed dream, 00:18:18.639 --> 00:18:19.720 every expectation, 00:18:19.980 --> 00:18:20.819 every question. 00:18:20.819 --> 00:18:28.379 Lord, 00:18:28.439 --> 00:18:29.720 in the midst of our searching 00:18:29.720 --> 00:18:30.799 and our curiosity, 00:18:32.799 --> 00:18:36.539 may we meet with you. 00:18:40.099 --> 00:18:41.919 May we grow in you. 00:18:41.920 --> 00:18:44.500 may we meet with you. 00:18:44.500 --> 00:18:44.500 00:18:44.500 --> 00:18:44.500 00:18:44.500 --> 00:18:44.500 00:18:44.500 --> 00:18:44.500 00:18:44.500 --> 00:18:44.500 00:18:44.500 --> 00:18:44.500 00:18:44.500 --> 00:18:44.500 00:18:44.500 --> 00:18:44.500 00:18:44.500 --> 00:18:44.500 00:18:44.500 --> 00:18:44.500 00:18:44.500 --> 00:18:44.500 00:18:44.500 --> 00:18:44.500 00:18:44.500 --> 00:18:44.500 00:18:44.500 --> 00:18:44.500 00:18:44.500 --> 00:18:44.500 00:18:44.500 --> 00:18:44.500 00:18:44.500 --> 00:18:44.500 00:18:44.500 --> 00:18:44.500 00:18:44.500 --> 00:18:44.500 00:18:44.500 --> 00:18:44.500 00:18:44.500 --> 00:18:44.500 00:18:44.500 --> 00:18:44.500 00:18:44.500 --> 00:18:44.500 00:18:44.500 --> 00:18:44.500 00:18:44.500 --> 00:18:44.500 00:18:44.500 --> 00:18:44.500 00:18:44.500 --> 00:18:44.500 00:18:44.500 --> 00:18:44.500 00:18:44.500 --> 00:18:44.500 00:18:44.500 --> 00:18:44.500 00:18:44.500 --> 00:18:44.500 00:18:44.500 --> 00:18:44.500 00:18:44.500 --> 00:18:44.500 00:18:44.500 --> 00:18:48.460 Would your Holy Spirit meet with us and among us? 00:18:49.400 --> 00:18:53.420 As we come to share communion shortly, may we meet with you. 00:18:57.359 --> 00:19:05.099 As we go into whatever lies ahead this week, may we meet with you. 00:19:05.099 --> 00:19:15.719 In our prayer times, in our searching after you, may we meet with you. 00:19:17.099 --> 00:19:23.519 In our certainty, in our hopes and in our fears, may we meet with you. 00:19:27.480 --> 00:19:33.240 Holy Spirit, come upon us and move among us now and in the time to come. 00:19:35.099 --> 00:19:38.599 In Jesus' name. Amen.