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Explorers Family Service · Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

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Welcome, too, to those tuning in online. We know there's many tuning in online as well, as we all pray God's blessing on our time together.
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So we're going to begin our worship by singing to God's praise.
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And our first singing is Psalm 67, and the tune is Selma.
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We're going to sing the whole of this psalm.
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It's a psalm, it's a prayer, and it's a great prayer to have, that the Lord would be with us as we meet together, and on all his people today as they gather to worship.
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Lord, bless and pity us, shine on us with thy face, that the earth thy way and nations all may know thy saving grace.
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We're going to stand to sing to God's praise.
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Amen.
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Let people praise.
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Let people praise.
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Let people praise.
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Let them praise.
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Let them praise.
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Let them praise.
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Let them praise.
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First pour.
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The earth.
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The earth.
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The earth
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Are you shall unit.
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God find your honor.
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God shall bless things send.
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God shall us bless, men shall live near
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until our status end.
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Amen.
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Well, we're going to come to God and pray now,
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so we'll bow our heads in a word of prayer.
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Our gracious Father in heaven,
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we thank you for this, your day.
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We thank you to be able to come in and worship together,
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to sing these words of praise.
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And they are really a prayer that we offer up
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in song to you,
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for they remind us of what we do
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as we come to worship.
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We come to know that you are here with us
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as we meet.
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And we pray, Lord, that you will indeed bless
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and pity us and shine upon us
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with your face anew today,
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that we will know your goodness and your love
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and your mercy towards us,
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that you have been so good to us in so many ways.
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We thank you for the week that we have had
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and the beautiful weather we have enjoyed.
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It's been a reminder to us, Lord,
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of the beauty of your creation
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as we see the sun rise and set in all its glory.
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A reminder to us as well, Lord,
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that you are the one who has made all these things,
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that you are the one who keeps all of these things,
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that every day and every moment of every day
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is a time appointed by you.
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And so we thank you for this time of worship.
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We thank you for our family service together
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as we give thanks for all of your goodness to us
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even over this past year,
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especially thinking of the Explorers and the Sunday School
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and all the work done with our young people.
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We do rejoice, O Lord,
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in coming together here as a people.
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We rejoice, O Lord,
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in seeing so many coming together to worship you.
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And we do thank you for all who helped
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to make these things possible,
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for all the volunteers and helpers
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who have resumed Explorers over this last year
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and who have helped with Sunday School over the past year
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and indeed many years,
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for all who have prayed for the work
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and for all who have helped over the past number of years, Lord,
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for all the work done among your young people.
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We thank you for it all.
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And we pray for those who have helped, Lord,
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that you will encourage them and strengthen them
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as they continue to do so much for our congregation.
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And we above all pray today for all our young people.
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We thank you for every one of them
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and every family and home represented here.
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We do give you thanks, O Lord,
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that together we can come and praise your name
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and give thanks for all that you have done for us,
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especially through your own Son, Jesus Christ.
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We thank you that you sent him into this world,
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that he would be a saviour for it.
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And may we know him as our saviour.
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And as we come to your word today,
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that you would bless it to all of us together,
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here in the church and also in the hall next door as well,
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that you would be with us, Lord,
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as we open up your word and share from it
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and hear of the greatness of your love,
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that God so loved the world
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that he sent his own Son.
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So may that be blessed to us all.
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We do pray for all our families and our friends
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and communities at this time.
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We especially remember those who maybe are unwell just now
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or in hospital or recovering at home.
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We pray, Lord, that you will surround them and help them
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and be near to them day by day.
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We especially give thanks, O Lord,
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for Willie Graham being back in the hospital in Stornway
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after a time away on the mainland.
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And we thank you for the progress he's made.
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And we pray that you will continue to watch over him
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and more again, the family too,
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as we commit them to you.
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May your hand be over them
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and upon all who need you in different ways at this time too.
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Hear all our prayers, Lord,
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and guide us in our worship
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and give us hearts that are filled with thankfulness
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for all of your goodness
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as we ask it all with the forgiveness of our sins.
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In Jesus' name, amen.
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Well, in Explorers, you've been doing a lot over the last year.
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It's been great to see the Explorers group
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starting again over the past year.
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It's great to see so many of you here today as well
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and families sitting downstairs and upstairs as well together.
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And today as we think of that word, Explorers,
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what is it called to mind?
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When you think of the word Explorer or Explorers,
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what comes to your mind?
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Well, as I was thinking about that this week,
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something that came to my mind was
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Explorers are people who go on journeys.
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You often think of Explorers maybe in the past
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who went to far off lands and explored new places
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and sought to find maybe new parts of the world
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or exploring for new resources
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or different things like that.
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You think of them maybe getting all their gear together
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and maybe going on a ship,
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sailing to a far off place
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and searching for new lands.
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Something else that's called to mind
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was maybe people who go exploring,
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looking for treasure.
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Does anybody have a metal detector?
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Anybody ever used a metal detector?
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Sometimes you see people going out on a beach.
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There's some people putting up their hands.
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They go out on a beach
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and they take a metal detector
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to see if they can find something on the beach.
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Maybe long lost treasure,
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it's their hope.
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But usually it's just a rusty bit of metal
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or something like that we find
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when we go out treasure hunting.
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But it's this idea of exploring,
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traveling, traveling, searching,
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looking for something
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or looking for somewhere, some place.
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Exploring, it's exciting,
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it's rewarding
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and it's something that many people love to do.
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And I hope that's something
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that everyone who's been coming
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to the Explorers,
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to Sunday School,
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but also to church week by week.
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That's something that we love doing
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because it's exciting,
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it's rewarding
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and we love to be together
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to worship God above everything else.
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Because above all,
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as we explore
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and as we come to Explorers,
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what we want to be doing
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is hearing and seeing
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and exploring something
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that's really precious,
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really special,
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and that's the love of God.
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And that's what we're going to be thinking
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about today in our service,
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the love of God.
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Like John 3, 16 says to us,
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for God so loved the world
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that he gave his only son
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that whoever believes in him
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should not perish
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but have eternal life.
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That's going to be the theme
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of our service today,
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that verse.
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But what do you think of
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when you think of love?
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What does love mean?
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Many people have different ideas
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of what love means.
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Some people will say,
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I love ice cream.
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I love chocolate.
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I love to play football.
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But is that really love?
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And is that a deep love
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like we want to explore?
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How would you describe love?
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Well, children were once asked,
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children between the age of four and eight,
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a group of them were once asked
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to say and describe,
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what is love?
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And they came up with a number
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of different answers.
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One child said,
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love is when you go out to eat
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and give somebody most of your chips
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without expecting anything in return.
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You ever go out for food
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and you have somebody with you
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and they help yourself too,
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all your food,
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and you just happily give it to them
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and you don't expect anything in return.
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That's a kind of love, isn't it?
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Somebody else said,
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love is when mum gives dad
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the best piece of the meat.
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Maybe mum will take the little scraps
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that are left over,
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but she'll give to dad
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the nice chunky bits of meat.
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One child described love in that way.
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Another person said,
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love is when your puppy licks your face
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even when you've left them alone all day.
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Does anybody have that?
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When maybe you come home from school,
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the first thing that happens
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is the dog will jump into your lap
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and start licking your face.
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Even though you haven't been with them all day,
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there's this idea of love.
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So think about that.
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What is love?
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How would you answer that question yourself?
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Well, if we really want to know what love is,
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the place that we have to explore and look to
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is the Bible, God's word.
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Because God not only tells us what his love is,
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he shows us what his love is.
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And that's what this verse is all about,
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that God tells us about his love,
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but that he also shows us his love.
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There was one other answer I want to share with you
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that the children gave to that question,
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what is love?
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One child said this,
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God could have said magic words
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to make the nails fall off the cross,
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but he didn't.
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And isn't that a good description of what love is?
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God could have saved Jesus on the cross.
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He could have taken him down off the cross,
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but he didn't.
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Because he gave him his own son
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that we might have eternal life.
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And that's a very precious love.
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And that's what we're going to explore here in the church.
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And as you go through to the tweenies in a moment as well,
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we'll be exploring more of what the love of God is.
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And that's our prayer that we will all come
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to know the love of God.
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Well, before we go on,
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we're going to sing in a moment in Psalm 100,
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but before we do,
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we're going to say the Lord's Prayer together.
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So let's say the Lord's Prayer.
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Amen.
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But we're going to sing together again now to God's praise.
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We're going to sing in Psalm 100.
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Psalm 100.
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We'll sing together in that psalm.
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And during this singing,
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the tweenies can go out to the hall then.
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So Psalm 100.
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And the tune is Carlisle.
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Shout to the Lord with joy,
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all who to earth belong.
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Adore the Lord with joyful hearts
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and come to him in song.
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We'll sing the whole of this psalm.
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We stand to sing to God's praise.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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functions everywhere in impossible to respond.
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Amen.
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setzen appry to the Lord with joy,
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all who do e'er beyond.
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Amen.
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And the tune is all you're at,
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and with joyful hearts and grant
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where you are at,
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with joyful hearts and grant
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and grant to him in song.
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For the Lord with joyful heart
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And come to Him in song
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Know that the Lord is God
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He made us as His own
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We are the sheep for whom He cares
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And strength of His sorrow
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And tired His games with grace
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His torches with thankfulness
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Your praises gladly sing to Him
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His name forevermore
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For God the Lord is great
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His love is ever sure
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His constant truth and faithfulness
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Through every age endure
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We're going to read some of God's word together
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John 3 verse 16 to verse 21
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John 3 verse 16 to verse 21
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If you've got the order of service
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It's in the middle of that
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John 3 verse 16 to 21
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For God so loved the world
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That He gave His only Son
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That whoever believes in Him
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Should not perish
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But have eternal life
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For God did not send His Son
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Into the world to condemn the world
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But in order that the world
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Might be saved through Him
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Whoever believes in Him
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Is not condemned
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But whoever does not believe
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Is condemned already
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Because he has not believed
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In the name of the only Son of God
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And this is a judgment
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The light has come into the world
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And the people love the darkness
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Rather than the light
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Because their works were evil
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For everyone who does wicked things
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Hates the light
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And does not come to the light
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Lest his works should be exposed
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But whoever does what is true
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Comes to the light
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So it may clearly be seen
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That his works have been carried out
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In God
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There's a wonderful passage
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Especially John 3 verse 16
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It's a very famous verse
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A verse that so many people
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All over the world know
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But the question often is
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Do we know the love of that verse?
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Do we know the God of that verse
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And the Son that He gave
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To show His love?
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Because when you think about
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How do you show someone
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You love them?
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There can be many ways
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We can perhaps try and show
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Our love to people
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Sometimes it's by doing
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Nice things for them
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So we think about everybody
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Who helps and volunteers
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With explorers and Sunday school
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On a week to week basis
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Why do they do it?
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Well it's because
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First of all they love God
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And then they love other people
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They love you
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Who come to the Sunday school
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And explorers
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And they want to share with you
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That love of God
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So that's a good way
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To show someone
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That you love them
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Sometimes it's by saying
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Nice things
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People enjoy hearing someone
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Saying nice things to them
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But perhaps the most common way
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Of showing that you love someone
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Is by giving them something
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Giving them something special
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And so how do we think about
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God showing His love to us?
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He has spoken to us
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Through His word
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But above all
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He has done something for us
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He has given someone for us
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And that's what this verse tells us
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God loves His people so much
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And He wanted to show His love
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And to show His love
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He sent His Son into this world
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And even if for a moment
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We explore that verse itself
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John 3.16
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It tells us so much
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And there's a few questions
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We could ask of that verse
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Who is this verse about?
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Do we think first of all
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It's about ourselves?
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If we do
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We're maybe starting at the wrong place
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Because this verse
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Is all about God
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For God so loved the world
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It's a verse about God
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What does God do?
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Well it tells us here
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He loves
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God so loved the world
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God loves
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Who does God love?
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He loves the world
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He loves His people
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He loves all His people
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And then it goes on
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And what did God do
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To show His love?
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He gave His only Son
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Can you imagine
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Giving somebody else
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The most important thing
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In your life?
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Maybe a special toy
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Or something that
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You feel is just for yourself
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Can you imagine
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Giving that away
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To somebody else?
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It would be very hard to do
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And yet God showed
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His love for us
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That He gave
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His only Son
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To this world
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What must we do
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Then in return?
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If you get something
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From someone
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Something nice
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From someone
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What do you do in return?
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You should give thanks
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To that person
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Well God wants something
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In return for us
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Because He gave His Son
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That we might believe
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That we might believe
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Believe that Jesus
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Is the Son of God
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And what do we get
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When we believe?
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We get this promise
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Of eternal life
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A wonderful promise
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That God gives
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To all of His people
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No matter what comes
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Our way in this world
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No matter what difficulties
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We might have
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As we journey on
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Through this world
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As we explore all the things
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Of this world
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We have the promise
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That when we believe
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In God's Son
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Jesus
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That He will give us
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Eternal life
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Isn't that a wonderful promise?
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Isn't that a wonderful love
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That God has shown
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To us?
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Now you might think
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To yourself
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Well why did God
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Have to send His Son?
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What was the problem?
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Was there anything wrong?
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Well yes
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Because the verses
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There go on to speak
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About darkness
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And light
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There were those
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Who were in darkness
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They didn't want to know God
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So God sent His Son
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As the light
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Of the world
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Is anyone scared
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Of the dark?
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Dark can be scary
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Can't it?
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When all the lights
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Go off
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When it's a really dark night
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It can be a scary time
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When there's nothing
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But darkness
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And it can also be
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Dangerous
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It's dangerous
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Because maybe you can't see
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Where you're going
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Now I don't know
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If you know
22:37
What I used to do
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Before I became a minister
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But I used to be
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An engineer
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And working on ships
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At sea
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In a way
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Exploring
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Different parts of the world
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Seeing many different
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Parts of the world
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And I used to work
22:51
In the engine room
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And the engine room
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Was huge
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A really huge place
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The engine and the ship
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I mean you think
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Of a car engine
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It's maybe about this big
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Well the engines
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And the ships
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I used to work on
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Were the size
23:06
Probably of the church here
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Almost as wide
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As the middle section
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You're sitting in
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Probably as high
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As up to the ceiling
23:13
Of the church
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They were huge
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And the engine room
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Was massive
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So there was
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Different floors
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To walk around
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The engine room
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And one night
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When I was in the engine room
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I was on duty
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It was late that night
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I was in the engine room
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By myself
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Just going around
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Checking all different things
23:30
And the place
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Was full of light
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The place was bright
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And really noisy
23:36
You had to wear ear defenders
23:37
Because there was
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So much noise
23:39
And then all of a sudden
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The place just went
23:43
Into darkness
23:44
A problem with the engine
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Made it stop
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And because the engine
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Stopped
23:50
Everything else stopped
23:52
There was no light
23:53
There was no power
23:55
The ship couldn't move
23:57
There was nothing
23:58
We could do
23:59
I was lucky
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I had a torch
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Always carried a torch
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Because you never knew
24:04
When this could happen
24:05
So you could find
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Your way around
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But for a moment
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There's panic
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There's fear
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All of a sudden
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You go from a place
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That's full of light
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To complete darkness
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And it can be very scary
24:18
Now we were lucky
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We weren't near land
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It could have been worse
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And we managed
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To get the power back
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But it just reminds us
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How often
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We can think
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Everything's okay
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Everything's fine
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But something comes along
24:32
And that's what
24:33
That scares us
24:34
That leaves us frightened
24:35
But that's what
24:37
This verse reminds us
24:38
That God has shown
24:40
His love
24:41
In that
24:41
Even when there's times
24:42
When there's darkness
24:43
When we're scared
24:44
By trusting in Jesus
24:46
He has given us
24:48
Light
24:49
He has given us
24:51
The way
24:52
To go
24:53
God has shown
24:54
His love
24:55
To us
24:56
In this way
24:58
So it's a wonderful thing
24:59
That God has shown
25:01
His love
25:02
Now we're going to move
25:03
And read
25:03
The second part
25:05
Of the Bible reading
25:06
And that's in
25:07
Ephesians
25:08
Chapter 3
25:10
We've seen how
25:11
God has shown
25:12
His love
25:13
We're now going to see
25:14
The strength
25:16
Of His love
25:17
And again
25:18
In these words
25:19
That we read
25:19
In Ephesians 3
25:20
There's a sense of
25:21
There's a prayer
25:23
Here for us
25:24
What Paul
25:26
Is praying
25:27
For his people
25:28
He says there
25:30
In verse 14
25:31
For this reason
25:32
I bow my knees
25:34
Before the Father
25:35
From whom
25:36
Every family
25:37
In heaven
25:37
And on earth
25:39
Is named
25:39
That according
25:41
To the riches
25:41
Of His glory
25:43
He may grant
25:44
You to be
25:45
Strengthened
25:46
With power
25:46
Through the spirit
25:48
In your inner being
25:49
So that Christ
25:50
May dwell in your hearts
25:52
Through faith
25:53
That you
25:54
Being rooted
25:55
And grounded
25:56
In love
25:57
May have strength
25:59
To comprehend
26:00
With all the saints
26:01
What is the breadth
26:03
And length
26:04
And height
26:05
And depth
26:06
And to know
26:07
The love
26:07
Of Christ
26:08
That surpasses
26:10
Knowledge
26:10
That you may be
26:11
Filled
26:12
With all the fullness
26:13
Of God
26:14
Now to Him
26:16
Who is able
26:17
To do far more
26:18
Abundantly
26:18
Than all that we
26:19
Ask or think
26:20
According to the
26:22
Power at work
26:23
Within us
26:23
To Him
26:24
Be glory
26:25
In the church
26:26
And in Christ
26:27
Jesus
26:27
Throughout all
26:29
Generations
26:30
Forever
26:30
And ever
26:31
Amen
26:32
Well we move
26:35
From exploring
26:36
The verse
26:36
In John 3
26:37
There
26:38
John 3
26:39
Verse 16
26:40
To exploring
26:40
Another part
26:41
Of God's word
26:43
This passage
26:44
In Ephesians
26:45
Again it's full
26:46
Of the love
26:48
Of God
26:49
And this prayer
26:50
That Paul has
26:51
For his people
26:53
That they may
26:54
Being rooted
26:55
And grounded
26:55
In love
26:56
May have the strength
26:57
To comprehend
26:58
With all the saints
26:59
That's everyone
27:00
What is the breadth
27:02
And length
27:03
And height
27:04
And depth
27:05
Of his love
27:07
What kind of things
27:11
Do you measure
27:12
There's different kinds
27:15
Of things
27:16
That we measure
27:17
In our
27:19
Day to day lives
27:20
For example
27:22
Many people
27:23
In this week
27:24
Were preparing
27:25
Baking
27:26
For having next door
27:28
After the service
27:29
I met one girl
27:31
In the co-op
27:32
Yesterday
27:32
He was buying
27:33
Ingredients
27:33
For baking
27:34
When they went
27:35
Home
27:35
And what do you
27:37
Use when you're
27:38
Baking a cake
27:39
You want to
27:40
Follow a recipe
27:41
And you want to
27:42
Make sure that
27:43
Everything's measured
27:44
Right and correct
27:46
So you measure
27:47
Everything out
27:48
Whether it's the
27:49
Flour
27:49
The sugar
27:50
The milk
27:51
Whatever it is
27:52
And you'll use
27:53
Things to measure
27:54
So you might
27:56
Use a spoon
27:57
Or a jug
27:59
Or a cup
28:00
And you'll put
28:01
The right measurements
28:02
Into the baking
28:03
That you're going
28:04
To make
28:04
You measure
28:06
Everything
28:06
So that it's
28:07
Correct
28:07
But I wonder
28:09
If we could
28:10
Measure
28:10
God's love
28:12
Or how
28:14
Would we
28:15
Measure
28:15
God's love
28:17
In that way
28:17
Well we think
28:19
Of measuring
28:20
For baking
28:21
We think of
28:21
Things that we
28:22
Use
28:22
For example
28:23
A cup
28:23
It might say
28:25
Put two cups
28:26
Of flour
28:26
Into the cake
28:28
So you measure
28:28
Two cups
28:29
Can we measure
28:30
God's love
28:31
In that way
28:32
By using
28:33
A cup
28:33
Well we explore
28:35
Another part
28:36
Of the bible
28:37
Psalm 23
28:38
And this psalm
28:39
Speaks about
28:40
God's love
28:41
For us
28:41
When the lord
28:42
Is our shepherd
28:43
And he says
28:44
I shall not want
28:46
And in that psalm
28:47
It says
28:47
My cup
28:48
Runs over
28:50
My cup
28:51
Is full
28:52
Of God's love
28:54
It flows
28:55
Over
28:56
You can't measure
28:57
God's love
28:59
With a cup
29:00
If you think
29:01
About building
29:02
Something
29:03
Maybe you're
29:03
Building a shed
29:04
Or a den
29:05
Or something
29:05
Like that
29:06
And you're
29:07
Working on it
29:08
Whoever's
29:08
Working with you
29:09
They'll want
29:09
To measure
29:10
The bits of wood
29:11
To cut them
29:12
To the right size
29:13
Of the windows
29:14
So that they'll
29:15
Fit in the space
29:16
For the windows
29:17
What do you use
29:18
To measure that
29:19
You'll use
29:21
A measuring tape
29:22
Won't you
29:22
To measure
29:23
The length
29:24
Of all of these
29:25
Things
29:25
But can we
29:27
Measure
29:27
God's love
29:28
Do you think
29:30
We could get
29:30
A measuring tape
29:31
And start measuring
29:32
God's love
29:33
Well we explore
29:35
The bible
29:35
And it tells us
29:36
We can't
29:37
Because in another
29:38
Psalm
29:39
Psalm 108
29:41
It says that
29:42
God's love
29:43
Is higher
29:45
Than the heavens
29:46
You couldn't
29:47
Measure it
29:48
Because it just
29:48
Goes on
29:49
There's no end
29:50
To it
29:51
So you couldn't
29:52
Use a measuring
29:53
Tape to measure
29:54
God's love
29:56
Does anybody
29:58
Like sport
29:59
Does anybody
30:00
Like running
30:00
Do you go
30:01
To athletics
30:02
Well if you're
30:04
Running races
30:05
They'll probably
30:05
Use a stopwatch
30:07
To time you
30:08
To see how long
30:10
You take
30:10
To run the race
30:12
Maybe you're
30:12
Trying to keep
30:13
A track
30:14
Of your PB
30:15
And beat it
30:16
Week by week
30:17
You use
30:18
A stopwatch
30:20
So do you think
30:21
We could measure
30:22
God's love
30:23
By time
30:24
To time
30:25
God's love
30:26
For us
30:27
Use a stopwatch
30:28
To time God's love
30:29
Well again
30:31
We look in the bible
30:32
We explore the bible
30:33
And it tells us
30:34
That God's love
30:35
Is from everlasting
30:37
To everlasting
30:38
It's no beginning
30:39
It's no end
30:40
So there's no end
30:41
To it
30:42
It's not
30:42
He's going to love us
30:43
For an hour
30:44
Or a few days
30:45
Or even a few years
30:47
It's an everlasting love
30:49
So we can't measure it
30:51
With a stopwatch
30:53
When we think of that
30:55
Verse we had at the start
30:56
God so loved the world
30:58
That he gave his only son
31:00
How do you measure
31:02
A love like that
31:04
You can't
31:06
You can't even
31:07
Put it into words
31:09
So often
31:10
It's a love
31:11
That's beyond
31:12
Understanding in many ways
31:14
But what the bible
31:15
Helps us to do
31:16
As we explore the bible
31:18
Is to know
31:19
This love
31:20
Even though
31:22
We can't
31:23
Measure it
31:24
We can know it
31:25
By believing
31:27
In the lord
31:28
Jesus Christ
31:29
And that's
31:30
Paul's prayer
31:31
Here
31:32
In Ephesians
31:33
That's what he's
31:35
Asking them
31:36
To pray for
31:37
That they may
31:38
Comprehend
31:39
That means
31:40
To know
31:41
And experience
31:42
With all of
31:44
God's people
31:45
The breadth
31:46
The length
31:48
The height
31:49
The depth
31:50
Of God's love
31:52
It's
31:52
Enormous
31:53
It's beyond
31:54
Measuring
31:55
It's but just
31:56
That we would
31:57
Know
31:58
This love
31:59
And we know
32:00
This love
32:01
Through
32:02
Knowing
32:03
Jesus
32:04
God's son
32:05
Because
32:07
Through faith
32:08
In him
32:08
This love
32:09
Is ours
32:11
It's for you
32:12
It's for you
32:12
It's for me
32:14
Through faith
32:16
We cannot
32:17
Measure it
32:18
Because it's
32:19
Beyond us
32:20
But we can
32:21
Know it
32:22
Because God
32:23
Has shown it
32:24
To us
32:25
It's a
32:27
Wonderful
32:27
Love
32:29
Well there's
32:30
One other
32:31
Aspect of
32:32
God's love
32:33
That we want
32:34
To think
32:34
About
32:35
And for that
32:35
We're going
32:36
To read
32:36
Another part
32:38
Of the
32:38
Bible
32:38
And it's
32:40
Some verses
32:40
From Romans
32:42
Chapter
32:42
Eight
32:43
Romans
32:51
Chapter
32:51
Eight
32:52
We're going
32:54
To read
32:54
From verse
32:55
Thirty
32:55
One
32:56
Down to
32:57
Verse
32:57
Thirty
32:58
Nine
32:58
Romans
33:02
Eight
33:03
Verse
33:03
Thirty
33:03
One
33:03
To
33:04
Verse
33:04
Thirty
33:05
Nine
33:06
What
33:07
Then
33:08
Shall
33:08
We
33:08
Say
33:08
To
33:09
These
33:09
Things
33:10
If
33:10
God
33:11
Is
33:11
For
33:11
Us
33:12
Who
33:12
Can
33:13
Be
33:13
Against
33:13
He
33:14
Who
33:15
Did
33:15
Not
33:15
Spare
33:16
His
33:16
Own
33:16
Son
33:17
But
33:17
Gave
33:18
Him
33:18
Up
33:18
For
33:18
Us
33:18
All
33:19
How
33:19
Will
33:20
He
33:20
Not
33:20
Also
33:21
With
33:21
Him
33:21
Graciously
33:22
Give
33:22
Us
33:22
All
33:23
Things
33:24
Who
33:25
Shall
33:25
Bring
33:25
Any
33:26
Charge
33:26
Against
33:27
God
33:27
Select
33:28
It
33:28
Is
33:29
God
33:29
Who
33:29
Justifies
33:30
Who
33:31
Is
33:31
To
33:31
Condemn
33:32
Christ
33:33
Jesus
33:33
Is
33:34
The
33:34
One
33:34
Who
33:34
Died
33:35
More
33:35
Than
33:35
That
33:36
Who
33:36
Was
33:36
Raised
33:37
Who
33:37
Is
33:37
At
33:38
The
33:38
Right
33:38
Hand
33:39
Of
33:39
God
33:39
Who
33:40
Indeed
33:40
Is
33:40
Interceding
33:41
For
33:41
Us
33:42
Who
33:43
Shall
33:43
Separate
33:44
Us
33:44
From
33:45
The
33:45
Love
33:45
Of
33:46
Christ
33:46
Shall
33:47
Tribulation
33:48
Or
33:50
Distress
33:50
Or
33:51
Persecution
33:52
Or
33:52
Famine
33:53
Or
33:53
Nakedness
33:54
Or
33:54
Danger
33:55
Or
33:55
Sword
33:55
As
33:56
It
33:56
Is
33:57
Written
33:57
For
33:58
Your
33:58
Sake
33:58
We
33:58
Are
33:59
Being
33:59
Killed
33:59
All
34:00
The
34:00
Day
34:00
Long
34:00
We
34:01
Are
34:01
regarded
34:02
As
34:02
She
34:02
To
34:02
Be
34:02
Slaughtered
34:04
No
34:04
In
34:05
In
34:05
All
34:05
In
34:06
All
34:06
In
34:07
All
34:08
These
34:08
Things
34:09
For
34:09
I
34:10
Am
34:10
Sure
34:10
That
34:10
Neither
34:10
Death
34:11
Nor
34:11
Life
34:12
Nor
34:12
Angels
34:12
Nor
34:13
Rulers
34:13
Nor
34:14
Things
34:14
Present
34:15
Nor
34:15
Things
34:15
To
34:15
Come
34:16
Nor
34:16
Powers
34:16
Nor
34:17
areas
34:18
Nor
34:18
Depth
34:22
In
34:22
moment
34:25
Are
34:26
Freffers
34:28
Now there's some maybe big words in that passage that you can't understand.
34:34
And if you've got any words and you're not sure what they are, there's a space there in one of the questions.
34:39
Words I didn't understand.
34:42
So if there's anything you don't understand in these words, write them down and maybe ask someone after the service.
34:48
But there are many words that we can understand in this passage.
34:52
And especially we see how the love of God is shown to us here.
34:59
It says there in verse 35, who shall separate us from the love of Christ?
35:06
Now when you think of exploring, people going to many different parts of the world, exploring.
35:14
Many of them had to face all kinds of difficulties.
35:17
It might have been wild animals, for example, that were dangerous and they didn't know what they were.
35:24
And they scared them or chased them at different times.
35:27
It may have been jungles, really thick with trees and plants growing up and it was really hard to get through.
35:35
You think of all kinds of places that people went.
35:38
Some went to the North Pole and the South Pole.
35:41
And they faced storms and snowstorms there.
35:44
All kinds of things.
35:46
All kinds of dangers and challenges.
35:50
And in these kinds of situations, maybe you can become separated from people who are with you.
35:56
Maybe you lose people along the way because it's so dangerous.
36:00
Well, this passage is reminding us that as we explore this world, as we go on and journey in this world,
36:08
and as we think about what God has done for us, we know that there's maybe many dangers and troubles that will come our way.
36:16
But it tells us that nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.
36:25
So there's this wonderful reminder for us in these verses.
36:30
And as you have been coming to explore it and also to Sunday school, since they started back in this last year,
36:38
you will have been exploring God's word.
36:42
And as we think about exploring, we often think about coming to a destination.
36:49
And the destination we're coming to here as we conclude our service is to the place where God showed his love for us.
36:57
And it's a place called Calvary.
37:01
It was just outside Jerusalem.
37:04
And it was a place where God gave his son.
37:08
We've just come back from holidays, the Easter holidays.
37:12
You've just started back to school this week after these holidays.
37:15
And Easter holidays is a special time when we remember what God has done for us.
37:21
And so we are here today to think about, well, as we explore God's word, what do we want to see?
37:35
And what do we want to know?
37:37
We want to come and see the love of God in Christ Jesus.
37:43
Because this is the fulfillment of it.
37:47
That God says in verse 32, he did not spare his own son, but gave him up for us all.
37:55
It's very similar to John 3, 16.
37:57
He gave his son.
38:00
He died for our sins.
38:03
And because of that great love, we have this security.
38:09
What does the word security mean to you?
38:11
You're secure.
38:12
Maybe, like we think of explorers.
38:17
Some people climbed great mountains.
38:21
And they would have used a rope as they were climbing up mountains.
38:24
Because that kept them secure, kept them safe.
38:29
You needed to have trust in the rope that you were climbing up.
38:34
You need sometimes to make things secure when gales are coming.
38:39
Otherwise, they're going to blow away.
38:41
So you tie things down.
38:43
You make them secure.
38:45
So let me tell you a little story about the time when we were living in Dumfries.
38:50
Who's got a trampoline?
38:53
Anybody got a trampoline?
38:54
Yeah, quite a few people.
38:56
You've got trampolines.
38:57
Or you've been on a trampoline.
38:58
You bounce around on a trampoline.
39:00
Well, we had a trampoline when we were in Dumfries.
39:04
And we had it out in the back garden.
39:06
We put it up in the summer.
39:09
It's not as windy in Dumfries as it is up here.
39:12
But sometimes the wind will be quite strong.
39:14
And you always were prepared for that.
39:16
So we used metal pins to tie the trampoline down.
39:22
Now, we put it up in the summer.
39:24
And the ground was very dry.
39:26
And when we were hammering the pins in, you thought, oh, that's secure.
39:30
That's firmly fixed.
39:31
And for months, children were playing on the trampoline.
39:35
And it was fine.
39:37
One day, as we were coming into the winter months, though, we were away from the house.
39:41
We were in the town.
39:42
And somebody phoned us, a next-door neighbor.
39:46
And they said, your trampoline's just taken off.
39:50
And we were, oh.
39:51
So we had to rush back home.
39:54
Now, luckily, the trampoline had just flipped over and stuck in a tree.
39:57
So it didn't fly away away.
39:59
We managed to get it back.
40:01
We started thinking, how did that happen?
40:03
I thought it was secure.
40:05
We'd hammered the pins into the ground.
40:08
But what we'd forgotten was, although the ground was hard and dry in the summer when we put it in,
40:13
it rains a lot in Dumfries.
40:15
And the ground had become very soft.
40:18
So the pins were no longer secure.
40:22
The trampoline was able to flip over in the wind.
40:26
I'm keeping an eye on a trampoline in our next-door neighbor's garden,
40:29
just in case that takes off any time soon as well.
40:33
But they can be quite dangerous when they take off because they're big.
40:37
And the wind will just blow them away.
40:40
But we think of things that we need to make secure.
40:44
Well, these verses remind us that with God's love, we have a great security.
40:51
That we are fixed firmly in Jesus.
40:55
So that no matter what troubles or persecutions or famines or dangers or rulers or powers or heights or depths,
41:04
it doesn't matter what comes our way, nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.
41:12
And that's where we want to come to today.
41:17
To realize that as we explore God's Word, as we hear all about God's Word,
41:23
how He has shown His love to us, how it's a love that we cannot measure because it's so huge,
41:30
it's a love that is secure, that nothing can take it from us as we put our trust in the Lord Jesus Christ.
41:39
Nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.
41:45
So as we go on, and as you keep going to explore it, as we all keep coming to church and exploring and hearing of God's Word and God's love for us all,
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that we would come to believe in God's Son.
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That we might experience this love and know the great promise that He gives of eternal life.
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So may God bless His Word to us.
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So let's just again bow our heads in a word of prayer.
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Our Father in heaven, we thank you for your great love to us.
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How it's a love that you have not just told us about, but you have shown it to us by sending your own Son.
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And we pray, Lord, that today and in all the days ahead, we will know and experience your love more and more.
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That we will put our trust in the Lord Jesus Christ.
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Your Word steadfast, immovable, secure.
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Because it is not about us, but about you.
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And you are the one who is able to keep all things secure and safe.
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And so, Lord, may you bless your Word to us all and bless us all together, families and friends and all our church community, near and far.
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May your blessing be on us.
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May we know your goodness and mercy with us day by day.
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And your blessing over all the work that we have thought of, the Sunday school and explorers, all the helpers and children.
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We ask that you will continue to watch over us all together as we commit ourselves into your hands.
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As we ask it in Jesus' name.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Well, we're going to conclude by singing to God's place in Psalm 36.
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Again, it's on the back of the order of service.
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Psalm 36, we're going to sing from verse 1 to verse 5.
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Again, this is a reminder to us of God's love.
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Your steadfast love is great, O Lord.
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It reaches heaven high.
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Your faithfulness is wonderful, extending to the sky.
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Then verse 7.
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How precious is your steadfast love.
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What confidence it brings, both high and low.
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Find shelter in the shadow of your wings.
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The tune is Huddersfield, and we'll stand to sing these three verses to God's praise.
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Amen.
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Your steadfast love is great, O Lord.
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It reaches heaven high.
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Your faithfulness is wonderful.
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All extending to the sky.
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Your righteousness is very paid, like mountains high on steep.
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Your justice is like ocean depths.
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Both man and beast you give.
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Our preciousness is your steadfast love.
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What confidence it brings, both high and low.
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Find shelter in the shadow of your wings.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Again, just a reminder that everybody's very welcome to come next door.
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The children are going to go through, after the final prayer, go through this door, through to the hall.
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And I'll go to the main door and meet folks there.
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So, very welcome to come next door, immediately after this says.
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We'll close with a benediction.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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miniscous net coast.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Thank you.
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Thank you.
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Thank you.
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Thank you.