00:00:00.000 - 00:00:32.200

[Silence] Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, who only doeth wondrous things. [Audience mumbling] Gracious God our Father bless us in this time of worship grant that we may be

00:00:32.200 - 00:00:55.700

within the circle of your will that we may have renewed strength and that we may go forth to do your will hastening the day when your kingdom will come in its fullness we ask this in Jesus name Amen [MUSIC PLAYING]

00:00:55.700 - 00:01:30.180

[ Music ] [MUSIC PLAYING] [MUSIC PLAYING] [MUSIC PLAYING]

00:01:30.180 - 00:02:17.180

[ Music ] ♪ Jesus knows all that I must know ♪ ♪ He will provide for me and my soul ♪ ♪ And by the grace of my Lord Jesus ♪

00:02:21.180 - 00:02:40.820

[music] ♪ Lord have mercy ♪ ♪ Let not the faith ♪ ♪ Like the Lord Jesus ♪

00:02:40.820 - 00:02:58.800

♪ Lord have mercy ♪ ♪ Lord have mercy ♪ ♪ Not less could He ♪ ♪ For the story ♪

00:02:58.800 - 00:03:17.320

♪ None have I ♪ ♪ None have I ♪ ♪ Jesus, Lord God of life ♪ ♪ How nice ♪

00:03:17.320 - 00:03:34.520

♪ He will shine ♪ ♪ Ever given ♪ ♪ Let God on earth ♪ ♪ Like the Lord Jesus ♪

00:03:34.520 - 00:03:52.780

♪ Come and find me ♪ ♪ Come and I'll find you ♪ ♪ No, he hasn't left me ♪ ♪ It's so high and so free ♪

00:03:52.780 - 00:04:11.060

♪ Dona nobis ♪ ♪ Dona nobis ♪ ♪ And yet the breath ♪ ♪ Is so weak and so free ♪

00:04:11.060 - 00:04:30.300

♪ Dona nobis ♪ ♪ Oh, come, come, come ♪ ♪ Jesus, Lord, Lord of love ♪ ♪ I come ♪

00:04:30.300 - 00:04:51.740

♪ Even I cannot wait to die ♪ ♪ Yet, come away, my Lord Jesus ♪ ♪ Oh, Jesus ♪ ♪ No, not one ♪

00:04:51.740 - 00:05:05.120

♪ No, not one ♪ ♪ Jesus ♪ ♪ Lost ♪ ♪ Out of his ♪

00:05:05.120 - 00:05:22.580

♪ Health and ♪ ♪ Health and ♪ ♪ Oh, my God, you're a miracle ♪ ♪ Like the glory of Jesus ♪

00:05:22.580 - 00:05:37.120

♪ Oh, my God, you're a miracle ♪ - Now, my dear, I was just looking. You are not singing, but would you sing that last chorus with us, please?

00:05:37.120 - 00:05:48.520

Let's all stand and sing together, and get into the service. Come on, darlings, let's get up. Let's get up and stand up and sing to the Lord this morning. Open your mouths and let's sing out.

00:05:48.520 - 00:06:00.040

The Lord sings us prayer, prayer, prayer. Let's go. (gentle music) ♪ Jesus knows all about us ♪

00:06:00.040 - 00:06:18.080

♪ Brother ♪ ♪ He will come ♪ ♪ Till the day is done ♪ ♪ There's not a place like the Lord, Jesus ♪

00:06:18.080 - 00:06:43.020

♪ No, not one ♪ ♪ No, not two ♪ ♪ Jesus knows all about the truth ♪ [music]

00:06:43.020 - 00:07:35.340

[Music] Our scripture lesson, the book of Genesis, the ninth chapter, verses 8 through 16. Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him, "Behold, I establish my covenant with you and your descendants after you.

00:07:35.340 - 00:08:07.500

with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the cattle, and every beast of the earth with you, as many as came out of the ark, I establish my covenant with you that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of a flood and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth. And God said this is the sign of the covenant which I make

00:08:07.500 - 00:08:40.380

between me and you and every living creature that is with you for all future generations. I set my bow in the cloud and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, I will remember my covenant which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh,

00:08:40.380 - 00:09:20.020

and all the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. When the bow is in the clouds I will look upon it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth. God said to Noah this is the sign of the covenant which I have established between me and all flesh that is upon the earth.

00:09:20.020 - 00:09:39.520

This is the time of our prayer together. And those of us who feel led to do so, we ask that you may come forward now as we gather around the altar to commune with our Heavenly Father in the blessed fellowship of prayer. [MUSIC PLAYING]

00:09:39.520 - 00:10:28.600

[ Music ] Here we bow our heads. Gracious God, our Father, as we come together around this altar as your family,

00:10:28.600 - 00:10:53.480

we would pause to say good morning, God. thank you for having permitted us to see the dawn of a new day. You kept us through another week. You permitted us to make a new beginning, a fresh start.

00:10:53.480 - 00:11:23.740

And so we say thank you. And help us all to recognize that it is a good morning, no matter what may be our condition or our circumstance. You spared us. You've permitted us to see your goodness in the land of the living. So we are thankful. And we come here with many concerns. You know every

00:11:23.740 - 00:11:42.920

one of us. You know the anxieties that we face. You know the frustrations that trouble you know the burdens that we carry. And so Lord, we come to you as the source of our help

00:11:42.920 - 00:11:58.920

and our hope, the healing health of every person. Lord, have mercy upon us. We pray that you would come and take hold, that you

00:11:58.920 - 00:12:13.500

that you would manifest your control not only in our lives, but in every situation that we confront. Have mercy upon us. Bless each family that is represented here.

00:12:13.500 - 00:12:25.920

And then, oh God, we remember those who are away from us. Some of them are at home, suffering from the infirmities of the flesh. Some of them are in hospitals,

00:12:25.920 - 00:12:56.160

in hospitals away from our city, yet they belong to us. Some are in hospitals right here. But O God, thou who art a physician who has never lost a case, we ask that you would visit each one of them and if it be your will, touch them with thy finger of healing. Have mercy, O God. Upon us as a people here

00:12:56.160 - 00:13:24.320

at Ebenezer, we need you. We need you every moment of our existence and we pray that you would not only direct us through this worship service but that you would be with us this day and this week and always. We would ask in the name of Jesus that strong and perfect name. Amen.

00:13:24.320 - 00:14:14.520

[Music] [MUSIC PLAYING] [Music] [Music]

00:14:14.520 - 00:15:05.040

[Music] (dramatic music) (dramatic music) [instrumental]

00:15:05.040 - 00:15:16.540

♪ Oh, rock my soul ♪ ♪ With the blues of my favorite ♪ ♪ Rock my soul ♪ ♪ With the blues of my favorite ♪

00:15:16.540 - 00:15:29.040

♪ Rock my soul ♪ ♪ With the blues of my favorite ♪ ♪ Oh, rock my soul ♪ ♪ Oh, rock my soul ♪

00:15:29.040 - 00:15:44.740

♪ With the blues of my favorite ♪ ♪ Rock my soul ♪ ♪ And the voice of God said, "Behold, the rock of my soul" ♪ ♪ And the voice of God said, "Behold, the rock of my soul" ♪

00:15:44.740 - 00:16:07.820

♪ I was a young man, he was a sinner ♪ ♪ I came to the Jesus Christ ♪ ♪ I prayed to my Lord, my God, please ♪ ♪ And I know what it means to be a girl ♪

00:16:07.820 - 00:16:18.120

♪ Oh, rock of my soul ♪ ♪ If the moon above ain't green ♪ ♪ And the rock of my soul ♪ ♪ If the moon above ain't green ♪

00:16:18.120 - 00:16:33.420

♪ And the rock of my soul ♪ ♪ If the moon above ain't green ♪ ♪ Oh, rock of my soul ♪ ♪ I will not be a hunter, I will not be a hunter ♪

00:16:33.420 - 00:16:51.420

♪ I'll tell you the reason why ♪ ♪ I'm afraid of the hordes that call me ♪ ♪ And I won't be carried down ♪ ♪ I won't watch myself ♪

00:16:51.420 - 00:17:09.420

♪ 'Cause the girls in the bay, they're getting wild ♪ ♪ Rock my soul with the books of my favorite ♪ ♪ Rock my soul with the books of my favorite ♪ ♪ Oh, rock my soul ♪

00:17:09.420 - 00:17:25.600

♪ Rock my soul with the books of my favorite ♪ ♪ Rock my soul with the books of my favorite ♪ ♪ And the bones of my baby ♪ ♪ Oh, rock of my soul ♪

00:17:25.600 - 00:17:58.880

- Good morning. I have a very special announcement coming from Brother M.J. Anderson. [Pause]

00:17:58.880 - 00:18:13.880

On this Sunday morning, we're all very grateful to be members not only of Ebenezer Baptist Church, but to have as pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church

00:18:13.880 - 00:18:44.780

Reverend Marvin C. Griffin, Dr. Griffin. Now we are having this afternoon a special appreciation ceremony for our pastor and it says in the bulletin here a ceremony of gratitude and as we look at the word gratitude I think of the G meaning great, Dr. Griffin. I think of the R in gratitude as righteousness that

00:18:44.780 - 00:19:10.460

you perfect and that you also send forth. I think of the A as ability. I think of the T in gratitude for total commitment that you've made. I think of the I as being a person of interest, interested in us, interested in Ebenezer, interested in the community. I think of the T in gratitude as being timely, Dr. Griffin. I

00:19:10.460 - 00:19:35.700

think of the U as being useful. You've been useful these ten years, not only administering to this church again, but throughout this state and throughout this city. And then the D in gratitude being a dynamo. You really move. You haven't even slowed down much in these years that you've been here. And then I

00:19:35.700 - 00:19:58.940

think of the eve in gratitude as everlasting. So let's be out this afternoon and let's give and show our appreciation. At this time we're going to pass out the envelopes for those who have not received them already. But be here and let's show our appreciation. Thank you.

00:19:58.940 - 00:20:27.460

Thank you, Brother Anderson. We do hope that everyone will heed that announcement. There is an announcement on our bulletin I'd like to call our attention to. The St. John Regular Baptist Association, the Fellowship Calendar, 112th Annual Session,

00:20:27.460 - 00:20:51.500

theme the Holy Spirit in the life of the church. This will be Monday July the 16th 1979 at 730 p.m. 7501 Blessing Avenue and Sister Ruth Davis is the director of the choir. We do hope that all will participate. Please consult your bulletin for other announcements. Do we have any visitors this morning? If so would you

00:20:51.500 - 00:21:19.180

kindly stand. Thank you. Our Vacation Bible School is in session and Sister Britton has provided me with some statistics regarding the school. At the Salina Activity Center, the Mission Vacation Bible School has

00:21:19.180 - 00:21:47.880

enrolled 57 persons and at the church 132 persons enrolled with three visitors and the attendance has exceeded 100 each day so this surely is a surely is a good report for our vacation Bible school this year with the faculty and the student body we're having a wonderful time and we invite you to continue to

00:21:47.880 - 00:22:16.860

support our vacation Bible school. Sister Rowena Jackson who underwent surgery at Bracken Ridge Hospital is at home now. She was at the hospital when I saw her yesterday. She called in this morning stating that she is at home. Our deepest sympathy is extended to the Bowles family, Brother Bowles, Brother

00:22:16.860 - 00:22:53.640

Robert Bowes lost his brother in Chicago and the funeral will be held tomorrow at I believe it's at three o'clock yes three o'clock tomorrow at King Tears. The pastor will deliver the message and those of us who possibly can share with this family you're asked to do so. There's ever a time when we need

00:22:53.640 - 00:23:19.660

encouragement and support and sympathy and prayers it's a time when death has invaded our ranks so let's remember the Biles family in prayers. We'd appreciate it if you would follow the other announcements. So last Sunday I worshiped with the Macedonia Baptist Church in Denver. As you know I was there attending a meeting of the

00:23:19.660 - 00:23:50.340

American Association of School Administrators and I met relatives of Brother Curley and Sister Reese as well as Sister Gertrude and Rhian Harris and we had a wonderful worship experience there. The The church is pastored by one of my seminary class mates. Well, we were schoolmates in seminary, weren't in the same class.

00:23:50.340 - 00:24:18.100

He was a year or so ahead of me, the Reverend Dr. John Morris. We had a quartet when we were in Oberlin, Ohio, back in the '40s. And I sang bass and he sang baritone, and we hadn't seen each other in some time. those persons that I mentioned did ask that we bring greetings to you from them.

00:24:18.100 - 00:24:49.160

So let us follow the other announcements that you have here on your bulletin. We worship the Lord now in our giving the dedication of our tithes and our offerings. As they come, you notice the congregational hymn that we are going to sing after our offering is number 268, "Oh love that will not let me go." So we want

00:24:49.160 - 00:25:17.260

you to be prepared to sing that. It's not the hymn that we sing often but it's a beautiful hymn of the church and we want all of us to open our mouths and join heartily in the singing of this great hymn, "Oh love that will not let me go." May we bow our heads. Lord, everything we have is yours, it's not really ours, it's just a loan

00:25:17.260 - 00:25:39.980

that we have from you, that which you have permitted us to use for a short time and then we are to leave it. Help us to use it in such a way that it enriches our lives and glorifies your name. Bless us as your people now as we worship you in the sharing of gifts through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

00:25:39.980 - 00:25:59.480

[MUSIC - "POMP AND CIRCUMSTANCE"] [ Music ] [MUSIC PLAYING] [MUSIC PLAYING]

00:25:59.480 - 00:26:13.040

[MUSIC PLAYING] [MUSIC PLAYING] [MUSIC PLAYING] (gentle piano music)

00:26:13.040 - 00:26:25.780

(gentle piano music) [MUSIC PLAYING] (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music)

00:26:25.780 - 00:26:45.820

[MUSIC PLAYING] [MUSIC PLAYING] (gentle piano music) ♪♪

00:26:45.820 - 00:27:18.900

♪♪ [music] Better stand. [music]

00:27:18.900 - 00:27:37.580

Oh love that will not let me go. [music] ♪ Oh love, I cannot let thee go ♪ ♪ I rest my weary soul in thee ♪

00:27:37.580 - 00:28:08.900

♪ I give thee back the love I hold ♪ ♪ I am thy ocean, and ever shall be ♪ ♪ A rich and full of peace ♪ ♪ For I, that far and strong I've been ♪

00:28:08.900 - 00:28:41.240

♪ I yield my family to thee ♪ ♪ And all the songs of praise ♪ ♪ I hear as I stand before thee ♪ ♪ And I will not be ♪

00:28:46.700 - 00:29:16.020

♪ Oh joy that fills my heart ♪ ♪ I am the one I long to be ♪ ♪ I sing the praises of the King ♪ ♪ I am the one I long to be ♪

00:29:16.020 - 00:29:40.600

♪ I am not lost ♪ ♪ In the world ♪ ♪ When the gifts of my hands ♪ ♪ I tell ♪

00:29:40.600 - 00:30:10.720

♪ Not lost on my feet ♪ ♪ I believe in just one more day ♪ ♪ I'll grow, I'll grow a little red ♪ ♪ I'm not sure if I'll ever be ♪

00:30:10.720 - 00:30:59.480

[singing] And God said, "This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you, and every living creature that is within you for perpetual generations. I do set my bow in the cloud and it shall be a token of a covenant between me and the earth. Genesis chapter 9

00:30:59.480 - 00:31:54.680

verses 12 and 13. The subject of the message a rainbow in the sky a rainbow in the sky. God gave Noah the rainbow sign no more water the fire next time. The rainbow is identified with rain and storm clouds. In the Bible rain is a sign of trouble. Into each life some rain must fall. This is according to the

00:31:54.680 - 00:32:36.920

arrangement of human existence. That's the way life is, sunshine and rain. Arabs have a proverb, "All sunshine and no rain makes a desert." Into each life, some rain must fall. Since that's the way life is, it is important that we learn to live abundantly, that we learn to live courageously, that we learn to live

00:32:36.920 - 00:33:28.080

dangerously and triumphantly by preparing for rain. Before the storm clouds gather we need to prepare for rain. Our raincoats, our umbrellas, and our dwellings offer us ways to protect ourselves from the rain. God told Noah to prepare for rain. The sun was shining. There was not a rain cloud to be seen

00:33:28.080 - 00:34:02.600

anywhere in the sky and yet God told Noah to prepare for rain. Noah was a righteous person in his generation. He was what we may call a dynamic model. He walked in the precepts of the Almighty. He was a solitary individual who endeavored to live the good life although he was surrounded by injustice, corruption, and wickedness.

00:34:02.600 - 00:34:46.080

People in Noah's time, like that of our own, suffered from spiritual blindness. They could not see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Crime was rampant, family life degenerated, immorality prevailed, divine judgment was imminent. God told Noah to prepare for rain. Now the rains will come, make no mistake about it. There will be

00:34:46.080 - 00:35:25.640

days when the sun shines brightly but the rains will come. There are days when there does not appear to be a cloud in the sky but the rains will surely come. God told Noah to prepare for rain. He told Noah to build an ark, build an ark for himself and for his family. An ark, yes, an ark. A ship, a shelter from the rain, from the

00:35:25.640 - 00:36:08.280

floods and from the storms. Noah, make thee an ark, this is the command. Yes, make it of gopher wood, the best material, construct it well, use the finest workmanship, make sure that it will not leak. God told Noah to prepare for rain. God told Noah to build an ark. Now rain is trouble. It is that which keeps us from having the kind of day

00:36:08.280 - 00:36:43.800

that we'd like to have. It's that that really keeps our lives from running as smoothly as we would like for our lives to run. That which goes against our wishes. Rain, rain. Rain is the disappointing circumstances that visit us. Rain is the adverse situation that we confront. Circumstances that we really

00:36:43.800 - 00:37:11.440

don't arrange. We'd really like to be without them. Circumstances yet over which we have no control. We don't really control the rain, it just falls on us. Whether we want it or not, it's there, it comes. Circumstances over which we have no control. God told Noah, "Noah, prepare for the rain, build yourself an ark."

00:37:11.440 - 00:37:45.880

That's a word that is true for all of us, prepare for the rain. Life is not all success. It's sprinkled with failures. Prepare for rain. Life is not having everything your way. Life is not having all things go your way. It has some disappointments. Prepare for rain. Life is not all compliments. Some criticism

00:37:45.880 - 00:38:26.800

there some stinging, scorching criticism. Prepare for it. Prepare for rain. Life isn't all harmony going in a given direction. There's conflict. Prepare for rain. Life is not all agreement, having things that we'd like it, no no, there is controversy. There are the discontinuities of life. Yes there are the continuities, but there are also the

00:38:26.800 - 00:38:57.620

discontinuities in life, and we must accept both the continuities as well as the discontinuities prepare for rain build an arc well Noah obeyed by building an arc according to God's specifications he followed the divine design he obeyed the holy orders he built a ship on dry land well that's a

00:38:57.620 - 00:39:29.540

rather strange thing to do. We usually think of a ship being built somewhere near the river by the ocean or the sea but here's a man far inland on dry land with no water around and he begins to build a ship. No lake, no river, no ocean nearby, not even a sign of a rain cloud in the sky, but no bays. That's really

00:39:29.540 - 00:39:56.520

what faith is. It's believing God, it's believing the impossible, it's tackling overwhelming obstacles and yet somehow knowing that it's going to come out all right. Faith is committing our way into the Lord. It's doing what God says even when it doesn't make sense. Oh we can we can understand certain things as well

00:39:56.520 - 00:40:26.640

when we can reason it out when we can sort of see where we at a step every step of the way when the light shines right there but sometimes when it's dark and we've got a leap in that darkness. That's what faith is. Faith goes beyond reason. Faith belongs to the realm of revelation. It outruns reason. Revelation.

00:40:26.640 - 00:41:08.260

It's the divine revelation that Noah follows when he prepares for rain and when he builds an ark. So the way life is, true to life, the rain falls, the flood comes. It rains 40 days and 40 nights without stopping. There were others, but they were drowned by the rains and the floods. But what about Noah? Noah is in his ark. Noah is able to

00:41:08.260 - 00:41:34.520

float on the waters of destruction. Able to float on the waters of destruction, to have faith, to have the strength that somehow the things that are designed to destroy, that somehow in the midst of all of that, those things that would discourage you, those things that would cause you to throw up your arms in despair that

00:41:34.520 - 00:41:56.080

somehow you have something in your life that enables you to float on the waters of destruction. That's really what Noah has. He has what I'd call a survival kit. That's what you need.

00:41:56.080 - 00:42:21.560

That's what I need. us need. How are we going to survive? How are we going to survive in the midst of all of the barriers and the back-dragging forces and the destructive powers that are in the world? How are we going to survive? And that's what Noah has, a survival kit, and it's something

00:42:21.720 - 00:43:07.520

he had inside him. Well, the rain finally stopped. It was just 40 days. There's a limit. As the song says, "I'm so glad that trouble doesn't last always." There's a limit. The rain falls the flood comes but troubles don't last always so the rain stops the waters are abated and Noah comes out on the deck of his ship and he looks around

00:43:07.520 - 00:43:25.640

And he looks up and what does he see? A rainbow in the sky. A rainbow. God gave Noah the rainbow sign.

00:43:25.640 - 00:43:35.480

A rainbow in the sky. There's no doubt about who put it there. Noah didn't. God put it there.

00:43:35.480 - 00:44:12.440

gave Noah a rainbow sign. Nobody could take it away. God had put it there. It was a sign, a rainbow high above all of the destruction, above all of the criticism, above all of the conflict, above all of the discontinuities of life. God put a rainbow in the sky. Rainbow. can take it away. It's there. It's etched into nature. It's there, Noah. It's there

00:44:12.440 - 00:44:41.540

not only for Noah, it's there for every one of us, a rainbow sign. No matter what may happen, no matter how the rain falls, no matter how the storm clouds gather, no matter how the floods beat against you and the floods of affliction do beat against us but God in his bountiful mercy God God God puts a rainbow in the

00:44:41.540 - 00:45:20.080

sky sign of hope a sign that God is present in the situation no no you are deserted you may feel that you all alone but I'm here there's a rainbow in in the sky. God gave Noah a rainbow sign, and that rainbow is a sign of his covenant. It's a sign of his special favor. A rainbow in the clouds. I don't have to belabor what

00:45:20.080 - 00:45:57.520

it means to have clouds in your life. What I really want us to see is that there's a rainbow there. He has put a rainbow in the clouds, a rainbow in the sky so that the rainbow appears after the storm and sometimes in the midst of the storm as a as a fitting and beautiful symbol of God's tender mercy toward his people.

00:45:57.520 - 00:46:35.900

Oh, God has his judgment, his judgment, yes. But here, while his judgment is declared, God lays aside his wrath. He puts aside his weapon of destruction, and he puts a rainbow in the sky. token of divine mercy, God gives Noah a rainbow sign, sign of his presence.

00:46:35.900 - 00:46:56.960

Oh, how comforting it is to Noah. How comforting it is, it is to each one of us, it's so comforting to know that there is a rainbow in the sky. comforting that in the midst of all of the vicissitudes of life that God is

00:46:56.960 - 00:47:34.280

present and that he gives us hope and he gives us strength he gives us the rainbow sign of his covenant I'm with you be not dismayed do not fear though the clouds gather I'm here. There's a rainbow in the sky, an everlasting covenant not with us just for a moment but he is with us always. Rains come,

00:47:34.280 - 00:48:17.040

Floods beat against us, but our security is in the ship of faith, faith in the eternal God, that the God in whom we are to place our trust is the one who gives us the rainbow. Henry Wordsworth expresses it in beautiful lines of poetry, the idea that we're talking about when he says, "My heart leaps up when I

00:48:17.040 - 00:48:47.280

behold a rainbow in the sky. So was it when my life began, so is it now. I am a a man so be it when I shall grow old or let me die. A rainbow in the sky, a rainbow at the beginning of our existence before we really know it's there God put it there no one has to come out and look and find it God's already put it there

00:48:47.280 - 00:49:09.960

so as we begin our lives no matter what may be the circumstances against the God's put a rainbow there from the earliest of our existence and then when we reach maturity that rainbow is still there and as words were said well if it if that's not so let me die in other words I can dry up there's no hope

00:49:09.960 - 00:49:38.400

there's nothing worth living for if there's not a rainbow in the sky but thanks be to God there is a rainbow that God puts in the sky. Always hope. There's always a sign that tells us that there is a better day. Yeah the rains will come. Sometimes people look and they see it raining from somewhere else and they

00:49:38.400 - 00:49:59.120

think it's not gonna rain where they are. Yes yesterday I went home and my wife's said well did it rain over there where you are? No it didn't rain. But it really rained over here. Well that's the way it is sometimes we may be in certain experiences in our lives where it's just raining on us and somebody else may not

00:49:59.120 - 00:50:21.240

have the rain but just wait a while it's gonna rain where you are. It'll rain right there. Sometimes you can see it coming as you ride along and if you ride along enough you ride on out of the rain. It's not raining everywhere at the same time but the rains come. It's just a universal happening according to nature. The main thing is that

00:50:21.240 - 00:50:52.360

be in a ship, be prepared for the rain, and then to know that there is a rainbow when the storm is over. There is a rainbow in the sky. Well, that's what Matheson is really saying in that song, "Oh, Love, That Will Not Let Me Go." Oh, he'd had all kinds of trouble. Rain had really come in his life. Oh the rains came. Forty days, forty nights without

00:50:52.360 - 00:51:13.940

stopping looked like everything went against him. He's a young man and he loses his eyesight. Doctor tells him that you know you aren't gonna have your sight much longer do everything you want to do as far as seeing everything you want to see before you lose it you don't have many days because the darkness gonna settle. Rains came. Then a young lady to whom he was to be engaged

00:51:13.940 - 00:51:34.460

he thought he would tell her that probably she would express her love even more strongly knowing that he was losing his sight so he offered to break off the engagement hoping that she wouldn't accept it but to his surprise she did. The rains came, floods beat against him.

00:51:34.460 - 00:51:48.060

And then he almost came to the point of despairing, of giving up. And he went into his room, stayed in, set himself in for a number of days.

00:51:48.060 - 00:51:59.680

But when he came out, he came out with a song in his heart because he had seen a rainbow in the sky. When he saw that rainbow, he said, old love that will not let me go."

00:51:59.680 - 00:52:18.760

And he goes on to say, "I chase, I chase, I chase the rainbow through the rain." That's what we all have to do. That somehow life is chasing a rainbow. Always probably seems to elude us, but keep chasing that rainbow because God has put it

00:52:18.760 - 00:52:38.000

there to inspire us and to keep us hoping our eternal hope. Chase that rainbow through the rain. Chasing a rainbow. Always, Browning says, that a man's reach ought to exceed his grasp for what's a heaven

00:52:38.000 - 00:53:06.040

for. There's a rainbow there for us, a sign of God's universal presence and his everlasting favor chase that rainbow. When I was a child we used to say that there is a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, a pot of gold, a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow and

00:53:06.040 - 00:53:38.320

there is a treasure, there's a treasure too great for us to estimate the value of it, treasure at the end of that rainbow for every child of faith if you hold on to God as a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow there there's joy yes unspeakable joy at the end of that rainbow for everyone who will be faithful to God's

00:53:38.320 - 00:54:22.620

commands. We come now to our time of dedication. We come now to to express commitment to extend the invitation to somehow show forth that faith in the midst of all of the circumstances that may surround you, wherever you are, whatever may be your condition or your circumstance, to look up, to come out in

00:54:22.620 - 00:54:45.540

the midst of the storms of life and to look upward and to recognize that there's a rainbow in the sky. And that's a blessed assurance, blessed yes in the midst of the storm, in the midst of the rain, to be in a ship of faith that floats on the waters and they have the blessed assurance of knowing that God

00:54:45.540 - 00:55:15.740

has given that precious gift of a rainbow in the sky, a sign of hope, a sign of his presence, a sign of his everlasting joy. Blessed assurance, hymn number 27, Jesus is mine. Oh what a foretaste of glory divine, air of salvation, purchase of God, bond of His Spirit, washed in His blood. We invite you to come now while we sing.

00:55:15.740 - 00:55:32.800

(piano music) ♪ Blessed are the children ♪ ♪ Jesus is mine ♪ ♪ Oh what a joy ♪

00:55:32.800 - 00:55:49.060

♪ The glory divine ♪ ♪ Bearer of salvation ♪ ♪ Merchant of life ♪ ♪ God of His spirit ♪

00:55:49.060 - 00:56:05.320

♪ Wash me this blood ♪ ♪ Oh, this is my story ♪ ♪ This is my song ♪ ♪ Raising my spirit ♪

00:56:05.320 - 00:56:21.660

♪ All the way up ♪ ♪ This is my story ♪ ♪ This is my soul ♪ ♪ Praising my Savior ♪

00:56:21.660 - 00:56:37.660

♪ All day long ♪ ♪ I face a vision ♪ ♪ I'm thinking right ♪ ♪ Vision of virtue ♪

00:56:37.660 - 00:56:53.840

♪ I place on my side ♪ ♪ Angels who sing ♪ ♪ Great from above ♪ ♪ Sing for the Lord my King ♪

00:56:53.840 - 00:57:09.820

♪ Christ the Lord my God ♪ ♪ This is my story ♪ ♪ This is my song ♪ ♪ Praise him I sing ♪

00:57:09.820 - 00:57:27.160

♪ All the day long ♪ ♪ This is my story ♪ ♪ This is my song ♪ ♪ Praising my Savior ♪

00:57:27.160 - 00:57:55.320

♪ All the days long ♪ - Let us pray. Gracious God, our Heavenly Father, the rains come. They're unavoidable.

00:57:55.320 - 00:58:24.920

They're part of the scheme of things. We know that. help us to prepare for rain. Help us, O God, to build an ark of faith in our lives. Strong and sure support in the midst of the storms that would destroy us. Help us,

00:58:24.920 - 00:58:58.720

us, oh God, not only to build an ark, but help us to look up, to look in the sky, and to see the glorious gift that you have placed there of a rainbow in the sky, sign of your presence, sign of your power, sign of your everlasting mercy. you, O God, that you put that rainbow in the sky. Not only did you put it there

00:58:58.720 - 00:59:48.620

for Noah, but you put it there for all of us. Your covenant for everlasting generations. Grace, mercy, and peace be with you from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. [Music]

00:59:48.620 - 00:59:58.620

[BLANK_AUDIO]