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[ Silence ] >> I will remember the works of the Lord. Surely I will remember thy wonders of old. [INAUDIBLE]

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Eternal God, our gracious Heavenly Father, we give you thanks for the privilege that is ours to gather in this holy place. We pause to express the gratitude of our hearts

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for having been brought to this hour. You have been with us all along the way. And as we remember the marvelous works of your hands, we ask for the presence of your spirit to guide us,

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to strengthen us, to help us in all we say and do. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen. [ Music ] (piano music)

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(piano music) [ Music ] Let's just praise the Lord. Praise the Lord.

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Let's just lift our hands together and praise the Lord. Let's just praise the Lord. Praise the Lord. ♪ Let's just lift our heads to heaven ♪

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♪ And praise the Lord ♪ ♪ We thank you for your kindness ♪ ♪ We thank you for your love ♪ ♪ We've been in heavenly places ♪

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♪ Filled with blessings from above ♪ ♪ We can share in all the good things ♪ ♪ That our family can afford ♪ ♪ Let's just turn our praise to heaven ♪

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♪ And praise the Lord ♪ ♪ Let's just praise the Lord ♪ ♪ Praise the Lord ♪ ♪ Let's just lift our hands to heaven ♪

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♪ And praise the Lord ♪ ♪ Let's just praise the Lord ♪ ♪ Praise the Lord ♪ ♪ Let's just lift our hands to heaven ♪

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♪ And praise the Lord ♪ ♪ Just the precious name of Jesus ♪ ♪ His word the other faiths ♪ ♪ Let us follow our needs before him ♪

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♪ Our paths to heaven raise ♪ ♪ And he comes, the house of our belief ♪ ♪ And he'll turn our way ♪ ♪ Let us hear him, our house of voices ♪

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♪ And praise his name ♪ ♪ Let's just raise a load, raise a load ♪ ♪ Let's just lift our hands to heaven and raise a load ♪ ♪ Let's just raise a load, raise a load ♪

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♪ Let's just lift our hands toward heaven ♪ ♪ And praise the Lord ♪ - When the time had fully come, God sent forth his son, born of woman,

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under the law to redeem those who were under the law so that we might receive adoption as sons and because you are sons God has sent the spirit of his son into our hearts crying Abba Father so through God you are no longer a slave but a son and if a son then an heir. In the beginning was the Word and the Word

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was with God and the Word was God. All things were made through him and without Without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

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There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came for testimony to bear witness to the light that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness to the light. The true light that enlightens every man was coming into the world.

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He was in the world and the world was made through him, yet the world knew him not. He came to his own home, and his own people received him not. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born not

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of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth.

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We have beheld his glory, glory as of the only son from the father. John bore witness to him and cried, this was he of whom I said, he who comes after me ranks

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before me, for he was before me. And from his fullness have we all received grace upon grace. And the law was given through Moses. Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

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No one has ever seen God, the only Son, who is the bosom of the Father. He has made him known. in our time of prayer together.

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Let each one of us come forward now who desires to do so as we unite our hearts in the fellowship of prayer around the altar. God has marvelously blessed us.

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He brought us together again. It is through his grace, through his love, through his eternal compassion that we are privileged to come to this hour. Everyone ought to pray.

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Let us bow our heads now as we pray together. Oh God, our help in ages past, our hope for years to come, our shelter from the stormy blast, and our eternal home. We, your children, pause to say thank you

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for the pilgrimage of another year. We have come now to this the last Sunday in this year, a time when we are privileged to glance over the experiences that have occurred and to acknowledge that in the midst of it all,

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you've been good. You've been kind. You've been gracious. We see the successes, the moments of joy

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that we have experienced. And we also recognize the times of defeat, despondency, in grief. You've raised us up, you've strengthened us, and you've left us here in the land of the living. Grant, oh God, that we may recognize the purpose which you have for our lives and

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seek to fulfill it. We would give you thanks for family, for the privilege of being together as members of a family unit. We thank you not only for those who are with us, but for those who have gone on before us, who constitute that great cloud of witnesses who look upon us at this time.

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We thank you, O God, for the witness that is ours as your people placed here at Ebenezer. We would remember the world in its condition of strife, turmoil, rumors of war. Pray for the international situation which faces us even now. We pray for the manifestation of your spirit in those who seek to negotiate that peace

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may prevail. to bless your name, for the marvelous opportunity to be workers together with you in the here and now. Help each one of us to run with patience

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that race that you've set before us. And remember those who are even now on beds of affliction who are in hospitals, suffering from diverse diseases, Those who are shut in in homes, all who constitute a part of your family, be merciful unto us

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and bless us. In Jesus' name we pray, amen. Amen. [MUSIC PLAYING]

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(gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music) (gentle piano music)

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[ Music ] [MUSIC] ♪ I'm here, I am safe ♪ ♪ And I live, my life will be again ♪

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♪ I'm a ship, a glass wave ♪ ♪ The God, He is my Savior ♪ ♪ I strive along His way ♪ ♪ In water, He is my air ♪

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♪ Through faith, He my strength ♪ [ Music ] ♪ Worship, love, or slay ♪ ♪ As souls anchored in Jesus ♪

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♪ Whose comfort and healings they know ♪ ♪ Slay us, all ye that live in death ♪ ♪ I've been a rich man's ♪ ♪ Thoughts were kept in ♪

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♪ All of my soul ♪ ♪ And I know ♪ ♪ I couldn't love him ♪ [MUSIC]

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♪ What good's here without a spare? ♪ ♪ Without a love I could not feel ♪ ♪ Without Him I would fail ♪ ♪ Without Him I would be a miser ♪

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♪ Come in like a shield ♪ ♪ Down on the stream ♪ - We worship the Lord now in our giving. [Pause]

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Let every one of us give according to how the Lord has prospered you. Giving that is Christian is proportionate, it's systematic, it's voluntary. Let no one appear before the Lord empty. We are to bring gifts to him for gifts express our dedication, our devotion,

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our love, our loyalty. So in that spirit let us give today. Let us pray. Bless us, O Lord, in this time of giving. We may give freely, not grudgingly, but lovingly and sacrificially. In the name of Jesus Christ, the greatest gift the world has received.

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Amen. (clears throat) (ominous music) [MUSIC PLAYING]

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Announcements, please. Good morning, and this is your announcement period. There's a car, license number A-H-E-3-10, has a busted water hose leaking and a freeze.

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I shall now call the names of the visitors for whom I have cards. As I call your name, would you please stand and remain standing until words of welcome have been extended to you. Mrs. Cecil Alexander, a member of Greater Mount Zion, visiting here with Mrs. Annie

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May Cain, Diane Koenig, a member of St. Paul's Eskimo, visiting here with Mr. and Mrs. Noel Bailey. If there are any other visitors in the audience who did not receive visitors cards, would you please stand and give your name and church home. On behalf of Ebenezer, I would like to welcome you and please remember that if you don't have a church home, our

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doors are always open. Would a member sitting close by please stand and give these members, these visitors a handshake of welcome? My daughter and husband and my granddaughter are all here, so I want them to stand for

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a moment. Mrs. Gay, Miss Gaynell and Mr. Benjamin Jones and Athena. All right. So we're happy to have them from Monroe, Louisiana.

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And I see others that did not stand. But for all of you who are here, we want to extend to you a very warm welcome. We are delighted to have you to share with us in the services. Now I'd like for everyone to stand.

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Would everyone stand, please? Now let's greet one another. Turn around and let's greet one another this morning. We want to wake up this morning. That's good. Now that's much better.

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We certainly want to remind every choir member we'd like to have you here at seven o'clock on Tuesday night and then remember the watch night service which starts at eight o'clock and I want to express thanks to the church for all the remembrances our family has received during this particular season. Would you

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You turn now to hymn number 132, Amazing Grace. [ Music ] Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now I'm found.

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Of mine, of hell, I sing. ♪ 'Twas grace that brought my hope to me ♪ ♪ And grace my fears relieved ♪ ♪ How precious did that grace appear ♪

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♪ There is a real ♪ ♪ Beyond the ground beneath ♪ - Take me seated. ♪ Oh, many regions ♪

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♪ All are my ancestors ♪ ♪ I'm a person of faith ♪ ♪ In you ♪ ♪ 'Tis grace that brought ♪

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♪ The angels home ♪ ♪ I'm a grace to save the world ♪ Hear this word which is recorded in the book of the prophet Isaiah, the 63rd chapter, 7th through the 9th verses.

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me sing the praises of God's goodness and of his marvelous deeds in return for all that he has done for us and for the great kindness he has shown us in his mercy and in his boundless goodness. He said, "Truly they are my people, sons and no rogues." He proved himself their Savior in all their troubles. It was neither

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messenger nor angel, but his presence that saved them. In his love and pity, he redeemed them himself. He lifted them up, carried them throughout the days of old. The subject of the message, "Looking in the rearview mirror."

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"Looking in the rearview mirror." Police stopped a motorist who seemed not to be watching the road. They discovered

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that he had eight rearview mirrors on his car. And he admitted that he used them all. Some of us are like that man, but we have a tendency to overemphasize looking back, while others are so future-oriented that we completely disregard the rearview mirror.

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A good motorist keeps his eye on the road and at the same time makes use of the rearview mirror. A mirror is important. A mirror reveals life as it is.

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A mirror tells it like it is. The story of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the witch asked the mirror, the words, "Mirror, mirror on the wall,

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who's the fairest of them all? And the mirror answers Snow White. The mirror tells it as it is. The Prophet Isaiah is looking through the rearview mirror as he recounts the days of old. He is viewing the national experiences that the people have lived through and as he looks back he utters a prayer which becomes a hymn of praise in tribute to tradition and in remembrance of

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God's faithfulness. It is a good thing to look back at this juncture in our history the last Sunday in the year as we prepare to embark upon the last mile of the way. And as we glance in the rearview mirror, we have a better perspective of the distance we have traveled, the journey over which we have come. Looking in the rearview

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mirror doesn't mean living in the past. To become a prisoner of the past is to become stale, stagnant, and petrified, as was the case of Lot's wife, who turned to a pillar of salt because she was unwilling to let go of the past. I am not suggesting that we turn back the clock and try to live in the past. While it

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would be cheaper to live in the past, that's not reason enough to recommend it. It is important for us to remember the past for the past is our rearview mirror. A motorist is not well equipped for the journey without a good rear view mirror. The rearview mirror is not unnecessary baggage, it is standard equipment.

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There is value in remembering the past, in taking note of how we have arrived at where we are. Strength of family, strength of faith are drawn from a sense of history. First let us consider here a tribute to tradition. The Prophet Isaiah leads the Jewish people to glance in the rearview mirror and give a tribute to

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tradition. And we do well today to follow this example and give thanks to God for the journey. The road over which we have traveled has not been easy, but we were not told that the way would be easy. There have been level places where the journey has been smooth. There have been rough places, bumps in the road, dips,

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sharp curbs. There have been steep hills and deep valleys. Tradition. Tradition is the past. Tradition is the road we have left behind. Tradition is what has happened. A tribute to tradition is part of good record-keeping. Emerald Brunner says modern man forgets about his past and by so doing he loses

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a whole dimension of his existence. To use a term from bookkeeping we have to carry our past we have to carry it over into the present. That's the most human act of your life recognizing our past as a reality in our present. Oh there's so much brought forward on our books, so much we carry with us into this present

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moment, so much that is a tribute to tradition. If we pause to reflect on our journey, we would give here today a significant tribute to tradition. If we consider what has happened to us. Let us praise God for his goodness, for his marvelous deeds in return for all that he has done for us, for the great

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kindness he has shown us in his mercy and in his boundless goodness. Israel could never forget from whence she came. She could not forget and so here is an occasion in which the Prophet reminds the nation to take a look in the rear view mirror. For what has happened to Israel in her deliverance from Egypt,

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What has happened to her in the wilderness wanderings? What has happened to her as she has entered into the land of Canaan? What has happened to her as she has engaged in conflict and conquest? What has happened to her as she has been taken into exile and as she has struggled in a strange land? All of this

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is a part of the tradition and here the Prophet admonishes the nation to pause and give a tribute to tradition. In the Broadway musical Fiddler on the Roof, Devi, the leading character, gives a glowing tribute to tradition. He says because of our traditions we've kept our balance. We've kept our balance for many

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many years here in Anantikva. We have traditions for everything, how to eat, how to sleep, how to wear clothes. For instance we always keep our heads covered and always wear a little prayer shawl and this shows our constant devotion to God. Without our traditions our lives would be as shaky as a fiddler

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on a roof. So as we consider today our tribute to tradition let us reflect on the months, the weeks, the days, the moments of this year. And in our tribute to tradition, let us recount the many experiences that we have had manifested in our lives that are

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crystal-clear examples of divine presence, power, and deliverance. We know that we have not come this far just on our own. On this the last Sunday in the year, we ought to consider a testimony concerning the last things as we come to the last Sunday to consider that which has to do with the last things and Isaiah

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is looking at the end of history. He is looking not only at the end but he is considering all of the things that are happening in between and as we consider The exodus, the wilderness wanderings, our experiences of Canaan, as fleeting as they may be, we recognize that as a people we are still engaged in conflict and we still face challenges

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and we still are engaged in a struggle, a struggle for freedom, a struggle to be ourselves, A struggle to fulfill God's divine design for every one of us. A tribute, yes it is, to tradition. But more than that, it is also a recognition of the faithfulness of God.

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That which is most remarkable and praiseworthy as we look through the rear view mirror is the faithfulness of God. There is that which remains. As we consider our past, our present, our future, there is that which is constant in

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the midst of all of the changes. It is the faithfulness of God. It is the one who says of us, "These are my people. They are my children.

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They are not rogues. They are not thieves. belong to me. And as we glance in the rearview mirror, that which is most prominent, that which our attention is focused upon, is the faithfulness of God.

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Great is thy faithfulness, O God my Father. There is no shadow of turning with thee. Thou changest not thy compassions, they fail not. As thou hast been, thou forever will be. Great is thy faithfulness, great is thy faithfulness. Morning by morning new mercies I see. All I have needed thy hand hath provided, great is thy faithfulness,

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Lord unto me." We have wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way, but God has demonstrated his faithfulness. God has been present all along the way. He has been present as we have faced the Red Sea with Pharaoh behind us in the raging waters before us. God has been present there. He's been with us as we have wandered in

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the wilderness when we have been bitten by poisonous serpents. The Lord has been there to heal our wounds, to raise us up when we have been ill. He has somehow been our doctor who has rushed in and snatched some of us from the very jaws of death. He has been present all along the way. Great is his faithfulness. Not only ought Ought we consider a tribute to tradition

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and recognize the faithfulness of God as we pause in this present moment? But we ought also to relate the past to the future.

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That's very important. Sure, it's good to have a good rear view mirror. It's good to use it. But you also, in using that rearview mirror, be sure that you have your eye ahead of where

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you're going, looking at the road. Some time ago I got in the car in the garage, turned on the ignition, started to back out. If I had looked in the rearview mirror I would have noticed that I hadn't raised up the garage door. But there was unnecessary damage because I didn't take time to look in the rearview mirror. A

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A lot of damage occurs, a lot of unnecessary accidents and injuries occur because we just don't take time to look in the rear view mirror. Not only is that important, but somehow we need in looking at that rear view mirror, we need to also look at the road ahead.

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Sometimes when you look at the rear view mirror, you'll decide that you're not going to change lanes you'll see who is driving close behind and you'll see really how to have a better perspective on where you're trying to go because you've looked at the rearview mirror. So as we travel from this moment we really need to consider

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our roots because our roots constitute the rearview mirror in our lives, our roots. And it's so easy to forget your roots, to forget your past, cut ourselves off from that. That's really what D. Elton Trueblood is talking about when he says that our civilization is a cut flower civilization.

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So often we try to live without any recognition of the past. We want to forget history and the person who doesn't learn from history is condemned to repeat it, our roots. Alex Haley has reminded us all of the significance of our roots in his book Roots.

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It's made the entire nation in the world more mindful of the significance of roots. He tells a story in that book which Kutikinte is taking his master to a big plantation ball. He is in the buggy and as he arrives there and the master goes into the bowl, he's prepared for the long wait while his master is there at the dance.

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And while he's out there with the buggy, he listens to the white folks' music. But after he's there for a short time, he hears music that's coming from the cabins. It's a different kind of music. And his feet rush him toward those cabins, and he goes into the cabin from which he hears

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that music. And he finds in that cabin one who was playing African music, one from his own tribe. And so they talk and he's quite excited as he hears this music and talks with this brother from his homeland.

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And then he goes home that night, and as he goes home that night, he weeps. He weeps because he had almost forgotten the music of his ancestors, and he weeps again for joy because he remembers. He weeps.

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And somehow as we consider our roots, there may be joy and there may be sadness as we consider, but let it be joy because we remember, because we remember that in our past there is music from one who has been with us all along the way. It's been the music of love.

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It's been the music of compassion. There's been the music of forgiveness. there's been the music of God's providence all along the way and we can rejoice today. That's what Isaiah is saying to us.

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Let us praise God. Let us give thanks to him as we make our journey and come to the end of a year. We're a little closer to our end. At the end of the journey for every one of us, we are a little closer toward that day.

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And there is the comfort in knowing that the one who is behind us, the one who is beside us, is also the one who goes before us to lead us toward fulfillment. And he's the one who understands. And our relationship to him is the most important thing.

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For he, in the end, is the one to whom we must answer. We must give an account of our lives. And we must somehow report to him concerning our stewardship, not only for this year, but for every year.

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May it be of each one of us that we can truthfully say that he understands and that he'll say, "Well done." This is now the privilege that is extended, the privilege of Christian discipleship, of commitment to the one who is our creator, our judge, and our redeemer thanks be to

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God that he understands. The doors of the church are open. We invite you to come to accept Jesus Christ as Lord of your life, to accept the one who is the Lord of history knowing that he understands that he walks with us all along the way that he binds up our hearts and strengthens us for the journey for he understands.

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If when you give the best of your service, Telling the world that the Savior is come. Be not dismayed if men don't believe you. He understands.

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He'll say, well done. ♪ Oh, when I come to the end of my journey ♪ ♪ Weary of life and the battle to come ♪ of life, and the battle is won.

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♪ Carrying the staff ♪ ♪ And cross of redemption ♪ ♪ He'll understand ♪ ♪ And say ♪

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♪ Well done ♪ ♪ Misunderstood ♪ ♪ O Savior of sinners ♪ ♪ Savior of sinners ♪

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♪ Hung on the cross ♪ ♪ He was God's only Son ♪ ♪ Oh, hear Him call ♪ ♪ Calling his Father in heaven ♪

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♪ Not my will ♪ ♪ But thine be done ♪ ♪ I'm the dove ♪ ♪ Oh, when I come ♪

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♪ To the end of my journey ♪ ♪ Weary of life ♪ and the battle is won. Carrying the staff

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and pulse of redemption, ♪ He'll understand and say, "Well done." ♪ This is sort of a look in the rear view mirror. But if you try and fail in your trying, hands sore and scarred

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From the work you've begun, take up your cross. Run quickly to meet him. ♪ He understands ♪ ♪ He'll say well done ♪

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Let's all sing that chorus, "Oh, when I come." ♪ Oh, when I come ♪ ♪ To the end of my journey ♪ ♪ Christ can heal the weary heart ♪

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- And the battle is won. ♪ And the battle is won ♪ - Carrying the staff. ♪ Carrying the staff ♪

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- And cross of redemption. ♪ And cross of redemption ♪ [ Music ] We have Sister Yolanda Brown from Saguin, Texas.

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She formerly-- aren't your people here? Yeah. All right, Sister Yolanda Brown. This is one of the members of the Brown family

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that grew up here. Sister Brown comes to unite with our church on the basis of her Christian experience. Is that right?

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Or would you stand? All who are in favor of accepting Sister Brown into fellowship of our church on the basis of her Christian experience, would you say aye?

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- Aye. - Opposed, no. It's carried. And we are happy to have you back home again, Yolanda.

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God bless you. And we give you the right hand of fellowship, giving you all the rights and privileges as a full member of this church.

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God bless you and keep you. Let's all say amen. - Amen. - Now, there are some college students here.

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I see the marshals here. All the college students, would you stand? All right, Jeffrey is here. He is alone.

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Most of the time, Jeffrey is here when the others aren't. He always has a good record. Jeffrey, I want to ask you and all of the visitors to join me in the rear there at the foyer.

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Would you do that right now? the college student Jeffrey, for any others, and the visitors. If you will stand right back there at the foyer with between those two ushers, our visitors.

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And if everyone will remain seated until I have joined them following the benediction. All of our visitors, please. May we bow our heads. Eternal God our Father, we thank you that you have provided for us a good rear view

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mirror in which we can see your presence and your power demonstrated over all the miles that we travel. We give you thanks for the privilege to look back and for the opportunity to go forth into the future recognizing the debt we have to the past. Grant that we may provide a tribute to tradition in the lives we

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live day by day and that we may take note of your faithfulness and that we may be able to relate the past to the present and the future. Now unto him who is able to keep you from falling and present you faultless before his glorious presence with exceeding joy. Do the only wise God our Father be glory

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and majesty, dominion and power now and forevermore. Amen. I [BLANK_AUDIO]