WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:13.280 I want you to think for a moment about some of the heaviest weight that any person or family can carry. 00:00:13.280 --> 00:00:23.600 ! Some of the heaviest weight is financial strain and often medical problems and the debt that comes with them. 00:00:23.600 --> 00:00:33.320 We're talking about medical debt. You may not be aware there's a non-profit called Undue Medical Debt, formerly RIP, Rest in Peace Medical Debt. 00:00:33.460 --> 00:00:41.439 What they do is they buy huge portfolios of debt for pennies on the dollar and then they do something different than anybody else. 00:00:41.760 --> 00:00:52.420 They forgive it. They don't call to ask for money. They send a simple envelope and when it comes and you open it, it says two words, debt relieved. 00:00:53.600 --> 00:01:04.159 In that moment, the weight that's been crushing you for however long you've been dealing with this strain often years evaporates. 00:01:04.159 --> 00:01:09.920 It's undeserved, unexpected, and just at the right time. 00:01:10.599 --> 00:01:24.739 That feeling, that explosive exhale of relief, freedom, and overflowing grace results in one thing, joy. 00:01:24.739 --> 00:01:29.259 It results in pure, unadulterated joy. 00:01:29.399 --> 00:01:43.579 Not the thin happiness of circumstances being okay, but in that moment when debt is forgiven, you experience joy from absolute undeserved release and favor. 00:01:43.579 --> 00:01:50.299 This need for unburdening isn't just regarding medical debt. 00:01:50.379 --> 00:01:51.780 It's not individual. 00:01:52.819 --> 00:01:54.159 We all share it. 00:01:54.939 --> 00:01:57.579 Entire nations feel it. 00:01:57.579 --> 00:02:06.500 Back in the late 1990s, a global movement called Jubilee 2000 erupted across the world. 00:02:07.459 --> 00:02:17.400 Faith leaders and activists called for wealthy nations to cancel the entire suffocating debt owed by some of the world's poorest countries. 00:02:18.139 --> 00:02:22.680 Debt that was choking health care, education, development, and it worked. 00:02:22.680 --> 00:02:29.020 And without diving into the politics of all that or debating it, we don't need to spend time on that today. 00:02:29.640 --> 00:02:38.640 But we can see that over $100 billion of the world's debt was erased for dozens of the poorest countries across the globe. 00:02:38.740 --> 00:02:44.159 Imagine the joy of an entire nation able to breathe in that way again. 00:02:45.319 --> 00:02:48.700 And what they did was they used the name Jubilee and they used it for a reason. 00:02:48.699 --> 00:02:57.780 They were drawing from a very powerful old idea that came from God himself revealed in the Old Testament. 00:02:57.939 --> 00:02:59.319 Where did this idea come from? 00:02:59.799 --> 00:03:02.859 Straight out of God's law in Leviticus. 00:03:03.399 --> 00:03:08.780 That book when you're reading the Bible and you skip over it, Leviticus, because it's hard to understand, 00:03:09.539 --> 00:03:12.459 hidden in there is this idea of Jubilee. 00:03:12.460 --> 00:03:19.180 Every 50th year, Israel was commanded to celebrate the year of Jubilee. 00:03:19.400 --> 00:03:21.960 Let's say it, the year of Jubilee. 00:03:22.100 --> 00:03:23.480 Just got to make sure you're all with me here. 00:03:23.939 --> 00:03:30.780 A divine reset, a holy economic restart button, and not just economic but also legal. 00:03:31.840 --> 00:03:34.240 Here's what God built into Jubilee. 00:03:34.719 --> 00:03:36.340 All debts would be canceled. 00:03:36.800 --> 00:03:39.500 All land would be returned to original owners. 00:03:39.500 --> 00:03:45.159 All slaves would be set free, even crimes forgiven. 00:03:45.960 --> 00:03:48.020 How did Jubilee begin? 00:03:48.620 --> 00:03:52.659 It began with the blowing of a shofar, a ram's horn. 00:03:53.520 --> 00:03:55.159 It began with sound. 00:03:55.719 --> 00:03:58.400 With a sound that would shake the nation. 00:03:58.580 --> 00:04:03.680 With a sound that would bring joy to people all across the land of Israel. 00:04:03.680 --> 00:04:12.159 A priest would take the shofar, and at the day of atonement, the 49th year, he would blow it over the land. 00:04:12.700 --> 00:04:15.980 A blast that told every household, your burdens are lifted. 00:04:16.759 --> 00:04:18.460 Your life is restored. 00:04:19.460 --> 00:04:21.240 Freedom has come to your home. 00:04:21.740 --> 00:04:23.379 All in the name of God. 00:04:23.379 --> 00:04:30.540 This was God's way, Jubilee, of preventing generational poverty and generational power. 00:04:31.759 --> 00:04:36.719 It kept society from calcifying or hardening against itself. 00:04:37.420 --> 00:04:39.399 It kept the strong from crushing the weak. 00:04:40.360 --> 00:04:42.339 It was the great unburdening. 00:04:43.379 --> 00:04:44.319 The first picture. 00:04:45.279 --> 00:04:46.399 One of the first pictures. 00:04:46.939 --> 00:04:49.659 Of the joy God intended for his people. 00:04:49.660 --> 00:04:52.520 Would you go with me over to Luke chapter 3? 00:04:59.660 --> 00:05:05.260 We're going to look at one of the most famous Christmas passages, which is called the Magnificat. 00:05:06.140 --> 00:05:09.900 This is Mary's prayer of pure joy. 00:05:10.960 --> 00:05:12.760 Mary's prayer of joy. 00:05:13.820 --> 00:05:14.860 Did I say Luke 3? 00:05:14.980 --> 00:05:15.740 I meant Luke 1. 00:05:15.860 --> 00:05:16.660 I'm sorry for that. 00:05:17.200 --> 00:05:18.240 Luke 1 is where we are. 00:05:18.240 --> 00:05:20.379 If you're in Luke 3, you won't find it. 00:05:20.439 --> 00:05:21.519 So go back two chapters. 00:05:22.079 --> 00:05:22.920 Luke chapter 1. 00:05:23.040 --> 00:05:24.280 We see Mary. 00:05:25.500 --> 00:05:34.060 Just after she has received the word she's been to visit Elizabeth, she has received this news that God has shown favor to her. 00:05:34.460 --> 00:05:36.460 Let's read it in her words. 00:05:37.360 --> 00:05:42.100 She said, Mary said, verse 46 of Luke chapter 1. 00:05:42.100 --> 00:05:45.860 My soul magnifies the Lord. 00:05:45.860 --> 00:05:55.140 My spirit rejoices in God my Savior because he has looked with favor on the humble condition of his servant. 00:05:56.140 --> 00:06:02.720 Surely from now on all generations will call me blessed or blessed. 00:06:02.720 --> 00:06:09.260 Because the mighty one, God himself, has done great things for me and his name is holy. 00:06:10.060 --> 00:06:13.900 His mercy from generation to generation on those who fear him. 00:06:14.040 --> 00:06:17.040 He has done a mighty deed with his arm. 00:06:17.120 --> 00:06:20.040 He has scattered the proud because of the thoughts of their hearts. 00:06:20.040 --> 00:06:24.260 He has toppled the mighty from their thrones and he has exalted the lowly. 00:06:24.259 --> 00:06:30.060 He has satisfied the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty. 00:06:30.279 --> 00:06:38.920 He has helped his servant Israel remembering his mercy to Abraham and his descendants forever just as he spoke to our ancestors. 00:06:38.920 --> 00:06:42.120 Do you understand what she is talking about here? 00:06:42.379 --> 00:06:48.759 She is hearkening back or invoking or bringing us back to this idea, this ancient idea of jubilee. 00:06:48.759 --> 00:06:57.339 God looking down on the oppressed, God looking down on the downtrodden and relieving their debt. 00:06:58.399 --> 00:07:00.639 Forgiving their debt. 00:07:01.139 --> 00:07:04.539 Bringing joy in the place of sorrow. 00:07:05.339 --> 00:07:10.519 This is the theme of Mary's prayer that we love to read at Christmastime. 00:07:10.599 --> 00:07:14.360 We love to think back to and it's all about joy. 00:07:14.939 --> 00:07:16.539 Why is she joyful? 00:07:16.540 --> 00:07:22.640 She sings this prayer because the book of debts has been ripped in half. 00:07:24.200 --> 00:07:25.920 The Magnificat's first half. 00:07:26.360 --> 00:07:27.760 Verses 46 through 50. 00:07:28.080 --> 00:07:28.800 It's all past. 00:07:28.879 --> 00:07:29.800 It's all in the past. 00:07:30.460 --> 00:07:31.580 What has God done before? 00:07:31.680 --> 00:07:32.379 He has looked. 00:07:32.820 --> 00:07:33.700 He has done. 00:07:34.020 --> 00:07:34.759 He has scattered. 00:07:35.100 --> 00:07:36.220 He has brought down. 00:07:36.660 --> 00:07:44.100 Joy begins when we stop trying to pay a bill that God has already marked paid. 00:07:44.100 --> 00:07:52.480 And that's the first idea I want you to take away from this passage this morning is joy is being unburdened from something. 00:07:53.060 --> 00:07:53.900 You know what that is? 00:07:54.080 --> 00:07:55.740 It's released debt. 00:07:55.740 --> 00:07:58.920 That's what joy is unburdening you from. 00:07:59.120 --> 00:08:01.240 The debt that you owe. 00:08:02.120 --> 00:08:03.579 Think about that envelope. 00:08:03.579 --> 00:08:09.819 That the undue medical debt people would send to those whose medical debt is being forgiven. 00:08:10.039 --> 00:08:11.560 They would receive it in the mail. 00:08:12.819 --> 00:08:16.120 Can you hold your hand up and just picture an envelope in that hand? 00:08:16.180 --> 00:08:18.800 You can grab one from the seat back in front of you if you'd like to. 00:08:18.860 --> 00:08:19.399 If that will help you. 00:08:19.620 --> 00:08:21.439 Can you just hold your hand up in the air like this? 00:08:22.019 --> 00:08:24.560 And then hold your hand up in the other like this. 00:08:24.959 --> 00:08:26.279 Everybody's hands up like this. 00:08:26.279 --> 00:08:30.419 This hand has your envelope debt forgiven. 00:08:30.639 --> 00:08:36.039 This hand has a checkbook that you have to write a check to pay your own debt. 00:08:36.120 --> 00:08:36.860 You can put your hands down. 00:08:39.039 --> 00:08:41.639 You can only take one of those. 00:08:42.759 --> 00:08:44.000 In God's kingdom. 00:08:44.600 --> 00:08:45.740 In God's economy. 00:08:46.819 --> 00:08:50.480 Either he pays your debt or you pay it yourself. 00:08:50.480 --> 00:08:52.820 I don't know about you. 00:08:53.519 --> 00:08:57.920 But the price to pay the debt I owe God is too high for me to pay. 00:08:58.379 --> 00:08:59.480 It's too great. 00:08:59.960 --> 00:09:00.960 I can't afford it. 00:09:01.519 --> 00:09:02.620 Do you know what it is? 00:09:03.139 --> 00:09:04.620 It's eternal punishment. 00:09:04.980 --> 00:09:09.860 It's eternal separation from God because of the debt that we owe him. 00:09:10.440 --> 00:09:12.800 We have broken his laws time and time again. 00:09:13.500 --> 00:09:15.399 I love seeing the little kids come up here. 00:09:15.480 --> 00:09:17.259 I love seeing the sheep crawling down the hallway. 00:09:18.019 --> 00:09:19.120 That was amazing. 00:09:19.120 --> 00:09:19.840 The aisle here. 00:09:19.840 --> 00:09:21.019 That was incredible. 00:09:21.399 --> 00:09:22.780 Whichever idea that was. 00:09:22.860 --> 00:09:23.480 That was gold. 00:09:23.740 --> 00:09:24.960 I hope y'all got some good pictures. 00:09:25.080 --> 00:09:26.560 I'm going to steal them if you put them on Facebook. 00:09:26.840 --> 00:09:27.560 Please do that. 00:09:28.240 --> 00:09:29.300 That was wonderful. 00:09:30.139 --> 00:09:31.420 But those little children. 00:09:32.519 --> 00:09:35.200 As pure and innocent as we see them. 00:09:36.420 --> 00:09:37.700 They have sinned. 00:09:38.720 --> 00:09:39.920 Where do you think they got the idea? 00:09:40.420 --> 00:09:41.200 From us. 00:09:42.460 --> 00:09:43.600 From their parents. 00:09:44.120 --> 00:09:45.340 From those all around. 00:09:45.420 --> 00:09:45.920 From within. 00:09:46.060 --> 00:09:46.360 They never. 00:09:46.360 --> 00:09:48.519 Nobody ever taught my kids how to sin. 00:09:48.580 --> 00:09:49.720 They just came by it, man. 00:09:49.840 --> 00:09:52.000 They grew up in a sinful world. 00:09:52.220 --> 00:09:54.000 It was there all along. 00:09:55.220 --> 00:09:56.519 Every one of us. 00:09:56.940 --> 00:09:58.220 Young and old alike. 00:09:58.500 --> 00:10:01.580 Have broken God's commands time and time again. 00:10:01.860 --> 00:10:04.019 We all owe a debt that we cannot pay. 00:10:04.019 --> 00:10:05.019 God's joy. 00:10:05.019 --> 00:10:07.199 God's joy. 00:10:07.199 --> 00:10:09.720 That we sing about at Christmas time. 00:10:10.399 --> 00:10:11.319 By the way, where's joy? 00:10:12.519 --> 00:10:13.779 There she is right back there. 00:10:14.679 --> 00:10:16.519 She's going to kill me for drawing attention to her. 00:10:16.860 --> 00:10:18.779 It's her favorite time of year because her name's joy. 00:10:18.840 --> 00:10:20.120 And we're always talking about joy. 00:10:20.240 --> 00:10:22.480 And this whole sermon, joy, is about you. 00:10:22.980 --> 00:10:23.340 All right. 00:10:23.340 --> 00:10:26.800 I had to do that. 00:10:26.800 --> 00:10:34.860 But the enemy of joy and the enemy of release debt is pride. 00:10:35.639 --> 00:10:36.580 It is pride. 00:10:37.100 --> 00:10:39.060 You say, I'm not going to take a handout. 00:10:39.820 --> 00:10:44.160 I'm not going to take something free that somebody's offering me to help me. 00:10:44.159 --> 00:10:46.259 I'm going to do it myself. 00:10:46.399 --> 00:10:48.419 I'm going to pay my debts myself. 00:10:48.539 --> 00:10:51.379 Anybody ever thought that or said that or heard that? 00:10:51.459 --> 00:10:51.959 I have. 00:10:53.259 --> 00:10:58.600 And we think we're big and strong because we want to pay our debts ourself. 00:10:58.839 --> 00:11:04.319 And listen, across society, that's an honorable thing to do is settle your own debts. 00:11:04.519 --> 00:11:07.319 But in God's economy, you can't pay it. 00:11:07.799 --> 00:11:09.240 You don't have enough. 00:11:09.240 --> 00:11:15.320 You're short because he demands perfection across the board. 00:11:15.580 --> 00:11:16.600 And we can't do that. 00:11:16.799 --> 00:11:18.259 But you think he didn't know that? 00:11:18.519 --> 00:11:19.460 Of course he did. 00:11:19.740 --> 00:11:21.039 That's why he sent Jesus. 00:11:21.600 --> 00:11:26.000 That's why he sent the envelope that said, your debts can be forgiven. 00:11:26.539 --> 00:11:29.480 Just accept what I am offering you. 00:11:30.100 --> 00:11:36.340 This isn't just a happy time of year where we gather around and feel warm inside and have good Christmas memories. 00:11:36.340 --> 00:11:45.180 This is a time when we think back to God's gift to us, to God sending that envelope to say, your debts can be released. 00:11:45.379 --> 00:11:46.639 I'm unburdening you. 00:11:47.080 --> 00:11:49.320 And I'm offering you real joy. 00:11:50.879 --> 00:11:53.160 So, what are we talking about? 00:11:53.560 --> 00:11:57.240 We're talking about debt relieved, joy received. 00:11:57.360 --> 00:11:58.920 Right here from Luke chapter 1. 00:11:59.000 --> 00:12:02.879 We've been talking the last few weeks about Christmas, about the different themes of Advent. 00:12:02.879 --> 00:12:09.759 We talked through peace and hope, and now we're talking about joy, and we're using Mary's Magnificat as an example of that. 00:12:09.860 --> 00:12:12.600 But joy is being unburdened from something. 00:12:13.340 --> 00:12:17.740 Psalm chapter 32 says, oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven. 00:12:18.139 --> 00:12:22.439 What joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared from guilt. 00:12:22.919 --> 00:12:25.059 Anybody had their record cleared by Jesus? 00:12:26.159 --> 00:12:26.639 Testify. 00:12:26.759 --> 00:12:27.460 Just a few of you. 00:12:27.460 --> 00:12:30.200 Anybody had their record cleared by Jesus this morning? 00:12:30.320 --> 00:12:30.920 Praise God. 00:12:31.379 --> 00:12:32.420 Let's testify of that. 00:12:32.620 --> 00:12:35.600 Debt relieved is joy received. 00:12:35.840 --> 00:12:37.100 But that's not all it does. 00:12:38.820 --> 00:12:42.280 Joy is also being unburdened for something. 00:12:43.240 --> 00:12:47.600 Joy is being unburdened for a purpose. 00:12:48.440 --> 00:12:51.420 Isaiah chapter 61 and verse 1. 00:12:52.120 --> 00:12:53.840 Isaiah 61 and verse 1. 00:12:53.840 --> 00:12:56.060 And you don't have to turn there. 00:12:56.120 --> 00:12:57.160 I'm going to read it to you. 00:12:57.600 --> 00:12:59.700 The spirit of the sovereign Lord is upon me. 00:13:00.019 --> 00:13:01.620 This is a prophecy about Jesus. 00:13:01.920 --> 00:13:05.000 But it's referencing the jubilee that we talked about in the Old Testament. 00:13:05.600 --> 00:13:12.620 And Isaiah writes, the spirit of the sovereign Lord is on me because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. 00:13:13.100 --> 00:13:14.100 That's jubilee, isn't it? 00:13:14.360 --> 00:13:21.180 He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives, and release from darkness for the prisoners. 00:13:21.179 --> 00:13:23.019 That is jubilee. 00:13:23.199 --> 00:13:26.120 To proclaim the year of the Lord's favor. 00:13:26.379 --> 00:13:27.819 That is jubilee. 00:13:28.199 --> 00:13:29.659 To comfort all who mourn. 00:13:29.759 --> 00:13:30.439 That's jubilee. 00:13:30.799 --> 00:13:34.519 To bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes. 00:13:34.739 --> 00:13:36.819 The oil of joy instead of mourning. 00:13:37.000 --> 00:13:40.000 And a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. 00:13:40.179 --> 00:13:41.299 That is good news. 00:13:41.620 --> 00:13:43.099 That is jubilee. 00:13:44.779 --> 00:13:47.459 Genesis chapter 12 says this. 00:13:47.459 --> 00:13:50.699 I will bless you and you will be a blessing. 00:13:51.180 --> 00:14:04.900 God gave Isaiah this powerful role hearkening back to that year of jubilee to proclaim the liberty that he would bring in the picture of Jesus, the Lamb of God, to take on the debt of all of us. 00:14:04.899 --> 00:14:14.959 So we have the opportunity now not only to be unburdened, but to unburden someone else. 00:14:15.879 --> 00:14:17.860 I want to share this idea with you. 00:14:18.740 --> 00:14:20.879 Freed people, free people. 00:14:22.039 --> 00:14:24.600 Freed people, free people. 00:14:25.100 --> 00:14:32.039 If you're not in the habit of unburdening someone else, maybe it's because you haven't been unburdened yourself. 00:14:32.039 --> 00:14:34.360 Can we say this together? 00:14:34.559 --> 00:14:34.719 Ready? 00:14:35.399 --> 00:14:37.740 Freed people, free people. 00:14:38.159 --> 00:14:40.039 That's what God does with us. 00:14:40.120 --> 00:14:41.980 That's what he does through us. 00:14:42.199 --> 00:14:44.759 He unburdens us for a purpose. 00:14:45.099 --> 00:14:47.039 And it's to go unburden someone else. 00:14:47.179 --> 00:14:52.519 That can be from the very simple idea of sharing the good news of Jesus with someone else. 00:14:53.519 --> 00:14:57.039 Blake and Julie Blevins did that with their son, Lucas. 00:14:57.039 --> 00:15:05.000 And he took upon himself the next step of going forward before the church and saying, I want to follow Jesus with my life. 00:15:05.299 --> 00:15:06.039 He's been unburdened. 00:15:07.259 --> 00:15:11.939 And now he has the great privilege of going and unburdening someone else. 00:15:12.539 --> 00:15:15.459 Joy is unburdening from God. 00:15:16.019 --> 00:15:22.139 And then that unburdening multiplies as God then uses you to help unburden someone else. 00:15:22.259 --> 00:15:24.179 God's joy begins when he lifts your debt. 00:15:24.179 --> 00:15:30.879 The greatest unburdening of all is the gospel of Jesus Christ. 00:15:31.099 --> 00:15:36.319 Jesus came to this earth to cancel the debt that you and I owe, the debt we could never pay. 00:15:36.799 --> 00:15:39.519 And to forgive what we could never fix. 00:15:39.719 --> 00:15:40.539 To free you. 00:15:41.019 --> 00:15:41.779 To free me. 00:15:42.019 --> 00:15:45.399 To free us from what we could never escape on our own. 00:15:45.399 --> 00:15:47.720 If you've never received that freedom. 00:15:48.240 --> 00:15:52.259 The good news envelope from God to you, to your house. 00:15:52.919 --> 00:15:54.199 Then today is the day. 00:15:54.840 --> 00:15:55.539 Come to Jesus. 00:15:56.179 --> 00:15:58.199 And this is my final challenge to leave you with. 00:15:58.579 --> 00:16:01.319 Receive forgiveness that God is offering you. 00:16:01.459 --> 00:16:04.059 Receive the freedom that God is offering you. 00:16:04.319 --> 00:16:10.879 Receive the jubilee that God has called us into through his son and his payment for our sin debt. 00:16:12.000 --> 00:16:13.199 Receive joy. 00:16:13.200 --> 00:16:14.420 Would you bow with me in prayer? 00:16:15.820 --> 00:16:18.920 God, I thank you so much for this wonderful gift. 00:16:19.259 --> 00:16:20.660 We've been singing about it all morning. 00:16:20.740 --> 00:16:25.160 We're going to continue as we close our service to go out with this thing. 00:16:26.200 --> 00:16:29.060 But God, I ask that you would stay with us. 00:16:29.120 --> 00:16:31.220 That this joy would stay with us. 00:16:31.900 --> 00:16:33.940 Even as circumstances change. 00:16:35.000 --> 00:16:38.400 Or the happiness that comes from getting what we want. 00:16:38.460 --> 00:16:41.520 The happiness that comes from everything being basically okay. 00:16:41.519 --> 00:16:42.600 That's very thin. 00:16:44.039 --> 00:16:45.679 It can evaporate quickly. 00:16:46.559 --> 00:16:48.399 But the joy that takes root. 00:16:49.039 --> 00:16:51.480 From knowing that we are right with God. 00:16:51.559 --> 00:16:52.779 That we stand forgiven. 00:16:53.600 --> 00:16:57.980 We have the freedom of lifting someone else's burdens because of that. 00:16:58.840 --> 00:16:59.919 That joy sticks. 00:17:00.799 --> 00:17:02.179 That joy doesn't go away. 00:17:03.199 --> 00:17:05.139 I pray that you would give us that joy today. 00:17:05.140 --> 00:17:07.360 With your heads bowed and your eyes closed. 00:17:08.600 --> 00:17:11.380 As we move ahead with the conclusion of our Christmas program. 00:17:12.480 --> 00:17:16.220 I want to invite you when your heads are bowed right now in this moment of stillness. 00:17:17.360 --> 00:17:18.600 To receive forgiveness. 00:17:18.800 --> 00:17:19.500 Receive freedom. 00:17:19.680 --> 00:17:20.300 Receive joy. 00:17:20.299 --> 00:17:22.599 And if that's you right now. 00:17:22.659 --> 00:17:23.379 As no one's looking. 00:17:23.519 --> 00:17:25.220 I'd just love for you to slip your hand up. 00:17:25.419 --> 00:17:26.839 And say I want to do that today. 00:17:27.619 --> 00:17:31.259 I want to receive the victory over the darkness that God offers me. 00:17:31.879 --> 00:17:35.379 I want to receive the life instead of death that God offers me. 00:17:36.539 --> 00:17:39.180 Would you slip your hand up right now if that's you? 00:17:39.960 --> 00:17:41.119 And I would love to pray for you. 00:17:41.200 --> 00:17:42.379 I can meet you in the back. 00:17:42.380 --> 00:17:44.260 As we finish the service. 00:17:44.420 --> 00:17:46.620 We can step away and talk and pray quietly. 00:17:47.020 --> 00:17:49.200 Over receiving this gift that God has for you. 00:17:49.280 --> 00:17:50.180 Slip your hand up right now. 00:17:50.540 --> 00:17:50.960 Thank you. 00:17:51.800 --> 00:17:53.380 God I pray over this church. 00:17:53.540 --> 00:17:55.120 I thank you for everyone who's here today. 00:17:55.300 --> 00:17:56.020 Our members. 00:17:56.380 --> 00:17:57.420 Our regular attenders. 00:17:57.520 --> 00:17:58.040 Our guests. 00:17:58.780 --> 00:17:59.380 We thank you. 00:17:59.740 --> 00:18:00.980 That we can gather in your name. 00:18:01.060 --> 00:18:01.820 We can lift you up. 00:18:01.880 --> 00:18:03.520 We thank you for the joy you give us. 00:18:03.520 --> 00:18:04.880 It's in Jesus name we pray. 00:18:05.240 --> 00:18:05.460 Amen.