00:00:00.000 - 00:00:37.120

And the king said unto him turn aside and stand here and he turned aside and stood still and behold Cushi came and Cushi said tidings my lord the king for the Lord hath avenged thee this day of all them that rose up against thee and the king said unto Cushi is the young man Absalom safe and And Cushi answered, "The enemies of my Lord the King and all that rise against

00:00:37.120 - 00:01:12.440

thee to do thee hurt, be as that young man is." And the king was much moved and went up to the chamber over the gate and wept. And as he went thus he said, "Oh my son Absalom, my son Absalom. Would God I had died for thee. Oh Absalom my son, my son. The Lord bless to us the reading and hearing of his holy word. We come now to our time of

00:01:12.440 - 00:01:35.020

prayer together. We invite you to assemble around the altar as the people of God. We have the blessed privilege of communing together in the fellowship of prayer. [MUSIC PLAYING] (soft music)

00:01:35.020 - 00:02:15.680

[Music] [Music] May we bow our heads and close our eyes as we pray together. Oh Lord God, our gracious Heavenly Father,

00:02:15.680 - 00:02:26.740

- Lord help us Lord. - In whom we live, move and have being, by thy grace we come to this hour. And so we bow reverently in your presence

00:02:26.740 - 00:02:42.540

to give you humble thanks for every manifestation of your power in our lives. We thank you for the working of your spirit in the world around us, but most of all we thank you

00:02:42.540 - 00:02:58.540

for the working of your spirit in the church and in our lives in a special way. Have mercy upon us and bless us, we pray. Forgive us of our sins.

00:02:58.540 - 00:03:24.380

As we approach you during this Advent season when we celebrate the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ to this earth. We celebrate also his coming into our lives and we pray also for his coming anew in fullness and grant that as we prepare for the celebration of that great event

00:03:24.380 - 00:03:42.760

that we will make special preparation so that you may come not only in the church and in our lives in a personal way, but that you may come in the world, that your kingdom may come in its fullness, we pray.

00:03:42.760 - 00:03:56.260

Oh, have mercy upon us. Rid our hearts and our lives of that which is not pleasing in your sight. And we pray not only for ourselves,

00:03:56.260 - 00:04:13.240

we pray for the conditions of our world. We pray for the sick and for the shut in, those that are in hospitals and in homes. We pray for those who serve on distant fields

00:04:13.240 - 00:04:24.040

as missionaries and as ministers. We pray for those who do not know you, who are not rightly related to you in the pardon of their sins.

00:04:24.040 - 00:04:35.320

Oh, have mercy upon us, we pray. And grant that we may have a greater vision of the work that you have set before us. We need you, Lord.

00:04:35.320 - 00:04:46.760

We face perplexing situations. We need you every moment of our lives. We need you in every arena, every dimension of human existence.

00:04:46.760 - 00:05:04.260

Oh, bless us and make us instruments in your service. We ask it all in the strong and precious name of Jesus Christ, our savior and our Lord. Amen.

00:05:04.260 - 00:05:21.720

[ORGAN MUSIC PLAYING] [BELL RINGING] [bell] [BELL RINGING]

00:05:21.720 - 00:06:11.720

[meditation bell] [silence] [ Background Sounds ] [ Music ]

00:06:11.720 - 00:06:43.720

Oh, tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere. Oh, tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ was born. Oh, tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere. Go tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ was born.

00:06:43.720 - 00:07:05.720

While shepherds lay there watching, the rod was up and high. He opened up the heavens and shone the moon bright. Go tell it on the mountain,

00:07:05.720 - 00:07:20.720

Above the hills and everywhere. Go tell it on the mountain, That Jesus Christ was born. The shepherds feared and trembled

00:07:20.720 - 00:07:38.720

When lo, above the earth, Rang out the angel chorus That held our Saviour's birth. Oh, tell it on the mountain,

00:07:38.720 - 00:07:53.720

Over the hills and everywhere. Oh, tell it on the mountain, That Jesus Christ was born. Down in the lonely manger,

00:07:53.720 - 00:08:22.120

The humble Christ was born. And God sent us salvation that blessed Christmas morn. Go tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere. Go tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ was born.

00:08:22.120 - 00:08:44.120

Go tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere. Go tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ was born. Amen. We worship the Lord now in our giving.

00:08:44.120 - 00:09:06.460

Let every one of us give according to how the Lord has prospered you as our ushers and officers come forward now to receive our tithes and our offerings. This church is supported through tithes and offerings. Let every one of you upon the first day of the week lay by him in store, saith the

00:09:06.460 - 00:09:34.700

scripture, bring ye all the tithes to the Lord's storehouse that there may be meet in mine house saith the Lord of hosts and prove me now herewith if I will not open the windows of heaven so much so that I that there shall not be room enough to receive it." Our sound system isn't working today so we'll have

00:09:34.700 - 00:10:06.220

to do like we did when we didn't have a system. I'll have to talk louder and you'll have to strain a little more to hear. Let us bow our heads. Gracious God, thou who art the giver of every good and perfect gift, bless us now as we share the gifts which thou hast entrusted to our keeping in Jesus name

00:10:06.220 - 00:10:33.620

amen let us listen now to the announcements also during this period we have one announcement that is not found on your bulletin and that is you are cordially invited to a missionary outreach reception given by the mission societies of East 19th Street Baptist Church on Sunday December 5th 1982 at

00:10:33.620 - 00:10:52.700

the 19th Street Baptist Church 1500 East Martin Luther King Boulevard from 4 to 6 p.m. Sister Jolene Hall of the David Chapel Baptist Church will be the guest speaker and Sister Doris Cleveland of the Union Hill Baptist Church will be the guest soloist. Reverend MC Walker is the pastor. Please read your bulletin for

00:10:52.700 - 00:11:16.980

announcements of events that will be in and that will be taking place this week and throughout the month. I have one visitors card and I'll call your name and if you stand for a word of welcome. Wilma Evans of Cavell Drive here in Austin, Texas. Have we any other visitors who didn't sign cards? Sister Evans on behalf of the

00:11:16.980 - 00:11:40.800

pastor and members of Ebenezer Baptist Church we're indeed happy to have you worship with us this morning feel free to come back at any time oh and one visitor in the choir would you give us your name Paul point can we surmise that you're the brother of our director here

00:11:40.800 - 00:12:18.160

we're delighted indeed to have all of our guests to share with us in the services today. Brothers and sisters on December the 11th we will have the school board election. We have to go back to the polls and vote on December the 2011

00:12:18.160 - 00:12:38.360

We have our own sister Bernie's heart in that race. She is one of us. She's a member of our family and We ought to respond Like she's one of the family by not only going to the polls ourselves and voting

00:12:38.360 - 00:12:58.060

but we ought to see to it that we Carry someone else to the polls Now some of you that's on a Saturday some of you may be able to give some time She needs helpers. She needs some money for radio and TV time

00:12:58.060 - 00:13:08.280

She's going to be on our Show so to speak she's going to be on our telecast tonight Channel 6 30 minutes

00:13:08.280 - 00:13:24.540

That's some free time. She is getting I Had heard that she had been invited at the last minute to appear on Bottom line, which is Tony Watts show. He had the other candidate was all

00:13:24.540 - 00:13:45.180

Prepared and had been preparing for several weeks and she was asked just a few minutes so to speak before the last Mop before the time so she declined and I had her on my show so you'll have 30 minutes to Get a glimpse of her, but we don't need that. We know already

00:13:45.180 - 00:14:03.880

what we need to do is to get people out to the polls and We need to be enthusiastic about that because we have a chance of having someone right here in our community that we know and have Known for a long time who's been identified with our

00:14:03.880 - 00:14:22.840

schools and who knows the work and Can really represent us. We don't need anybody across town. We don't need any other representatives telling us how to vote That's our job. We're intelligent enough to do that ourselves And we need to be enthusiastic about it

00:14:22.840 - 00:14:46.380

How many of you can give some time in working and making calls and getting taking some people to the polls? Let me see your hands. You're willing to do that for that time. What I want you to do brother Yancey I want you to get the names of these people you and sister Lewis and the ushers would you all just get a pencil or something there and get the names of these people

00:14:46.380 - 00:15:06.000

So that we can Work with that now. I know I asked you for a contribution a few weeks ago and some of you gave But you know, it's this time is high It's very costly to run for any office and then this office doesn't pay much

00:15:06.000 - 00:15:24.840

It doesn't pay a thing, not one copper cent. And yet it is a vital position that we are all in. So I'm going to ask that you make another contribution. She needs some TV time.

00:15:24.840 - 00:15:39.700

Just raise your hands up, those who had your hands up there, until he has the hands, and you'll give him a nod. You got your pen there writing or you gonna give him something to--and be sure and get Those brother Yancey, I want to see those don't you all take them off like you do sometimes and I don't know what you got

00:15:39.700 - 00:15:55.480

I want to see it at the close of this service So we don't know how many we have and then we're gonna do that for the next service and We want to take some time also for an offering

00:15:55.480 - 00:16:10.160

for Her campaign that she will need now you can make those Checks out to the Bernice Hart campaign You can make them out to Ebenezer and we'll give them to however you want to make it out

00:16:10.160 - 00:16:23.960

You can make it out to the Bernice Hart campaign and that will be given to her for that purpose, so If you'll come back brother

00:16:23.960 - 00:16:47.860

Usher's for the offering here and see what we can all of you didn't give in the last offering and if you did We want you to give again. That we ought at least be able to to take up a few spots just from Ebenezer. We don't need a machine controlling our

00:16:47.860 - 00:17:00.460

political offices here in this community. We can do that ourselves and to do that ourselves we need to give some money. So if you'll do that

00:17:01.500 - 00:17:23.220

We would be very very grateful I'm glad to see brother Deadman brother Deadman over here to the right. He's visited him Monday. He was in the hospital I didn't know he was gonna be here today. He's had surgery twice and he is up and out and We want to see that you keep coming out brother Deadman. I've been missing you from church

00:17:23.220 - 00:17:36.020

I want to keep up with you from now on we're glad to have you and we want to keep seeing you you look good back there and We want you to keep it up Glad that the Lord has blessed you and strengthened you to come out again

00:17:36.020 - 00:17:59.380

now the church council the church council is made up of the of the director of the WMU the director of the Sunday School the training union and We want the church clerk the director of music Those heads of those groups in the Brotherhood. We want you to meet here at the church at five o'clock the members of the Budget Committee

00:17:59.380 - 00:18:24.620

committee we want you to meet Thursday at 7 o'clock. The Deakins and trustees will meet Monday at 7 o'clock and you will notice the other announcement here sister Archie we'd like for you to meet if you can at 5 o'clock - and what we want in the future and I've said this before but we're going to be

00:18:24.620 - 00:18:44.300

implementing this and that is that I have asked us to ask you to work with us on the church calendar and We will see that everything that's given from Ebenezer Baptist Church is going to come through the church calendar is going to be approved Through the church calendar and in various groups will not be getting off in some huddle

00:18:44.300 - 00:19:04.940

planning something and then giving it and then letting us know what they're doing that is not the way to operate and Whatever it is, whether it's a circle or whatever group or committee that that will be scheduled through the church calendar And everyone will know That this is on the calendar and we will not have

00:19:04.940 - 00:19:27.920

conflicting services that we are this one is conflicting with that and that's what's happening that everything will be Coordinated and that's one of the purposes of the church council and we are going to be Following this in a more rigid way in the future than we ever have in the past [Pause]

00:19:27.920 - 00:20:50.060

[ Pause ] [Music] [Music] ♪ When we all get to the place ♪

00:20:50.060 - 00:21:16.400

♪ That we'll be ♪ ♪ When we all see Jesus ♪ ♪ We will sing and shout the victory ♪ ♪ Oh, get to heaven ♪

00:21:16.400 - 00:21:52.800

♪ What a day of riches in the world will be ♪ ♪ In the arms of dear Jesus ♪ ♪ We will sing and shout the victory ♪ ♪ Sing the wondrous love of Jesus ♪

00:21:52.800 - 00:22:13.960

♪ Sing His heaven and earth ♪ ♪ Sing in His praise ♪ ♪ In the magic ♪ ♪ Bright and lovely ♪

00:22:13.960 - 00:22:27.740

♪ He'll bring us ♪ ♪ For us a play ♪ ♪ While we walk ♪ ♪ Through the fields ♪

00:22:27.740 - 00:22:43.880

♪ He'll run and play ♪ ♪ The trill hovers ♪ ♪ Spread the skies ♪ ♪ Floats with trusty ♪

00:22:43.880 - 00:22:59.900

♪ Days are over ♪ ♪ Not a shot ♪ ♪ Not a shot ♪ ♪ In the air ♪

00:22:59.900 - 00:23:29.900

♪ What a day of rejoicing there will be ♪ ♪ When we all see Jesus ♪ ♪ We will sing and shout the victory ♪ ♪ Victory ♪

00:23:29.900 - 00:23:48.320

♪ From highway ♪ ♪ Up to heaven ♪ ♪ No can walk up there free ♪ ♪ From the puny high ♪

00:23:48.320 - 00:24:06.160

♪ Oh, that's not my way ♪ ♪ To heaven ♪ ♪ I can walk up there ♪ ♪ Off the view and all ♪

00:24:06.160 - 00:24:21.380

♪ Oh, I am lucky ♪ ♪ Oh, lucky ♪ ♪ I'm ready ♪ ♪ I'm ready ♪

00:24:21.380 - 00:24:40.380

♪ It's a highway ♪ ♪ It's a highway ♪ ♪ To heaven ♪ ♪ I can walk up there ♪

00:24:40.380 - 00:24:59.380

♪ With a view of the sea ♪ ♪ Oh, it's a highway ♪ ♪ I can't walk up there ♪ ♪ But you're killing all my heart ♪

00:24:59.380 - 00:25:19.380

♪ I'm walking ♪ ♪ On the key ♪ ♪ I'm wading my way ♪ ♪ My way ♪

00:25:19.380 - 00:25:37.380

♪ My way ♪ - Amen. Sister Toni Heren for that number, or those numbers. I invite your prayerful attention for the scripture

00:25:37.380 - 00:26:01.960

recorded in 2 Samuel, the 19th chapter, the 20th and 21st verses, Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok, let me now run and bear the king tidings how that the Lord hath avenged him of his enemies. And Joab said unto him, thou

00:26:01.960 - 00:26:35.180

shalt not bear tidings because the king's son is dead. Then said Joab to Cushi, "Go tell the king what thou has seen." And Cushi bowed himself unto Joab and ran. The subject of the message, News from the battlefield, news from the battlefield.

00:26:35.180 - 00:27:12.980

Several comedians some time ago opened their routine by saying, "I have good news for you and I have bad news for you." One imaginary dialogue went like this, a man meets a friend and says, "I want a thousand dollars in a contest." And the friend replies, "That's good." He says, "No, I spent it on a skiing trip to

00:27:12.980 - 00:27:40.260

Switzerland and broke a leg. Well that's bad. Said no while in the hospital I fell in love with an attractive nurse and married her. That's good. No it turned out that she didn't like the United States and insisted that we live in Europe. That's bad. No we set up a home in Paris and I got a job with an export firm. Well

00:27:40.260 - 00:28:11.000

that's good. No, the firm went bankrupt and we were reduced to poverty, that's bad. No, under the threatening or the straightening circumstances I examined my goal and desires and discovered I was living for the wrong reasons, that's good. No, my wife didn't share those views with me and we grew further and further apart.

00:28:11.000 - 00:28:44.920

That's bad. No, in our marital trouble we turned to an able counselor who led us to discover the power and love of God. That's good. And on and on it goes. That's good, that's bad, that's good, that's bad. That's the way life is. It is a mixture of both the good and the bad. They grow side by side. So it was in the experience

00:28:44.920 - 00:29:21.040

of David. There was good news from the battlefield and there was bad news. The The good news is that King David's forces gained the victory over the rebel forces. And the bad news is that Absalom, the king's son, the leader of the revolt, is dead. Someone must carry the news.

00:29:21.040 - 00:30:06.680

as Joab to let him do it. He wants to bear the tidings concerning the battle, but Joab refuses his offer on the grounds that he has no message to deliver from the battlefield that would bring the King's favor our reward. So Ahimeh has continues to plead with Joab saying let me run. Joab decides to send

00:30:06.680 - 00:30:37.380

Kushai. Maybe it is that Joab did not want Ahimehaz to bear the tidings because he was a friend of the king and as a friend of the king he was only expected to bring good news. There are some relationships like that we only want to hear good things from our friends. So Joab sends Cushai, an Ethiopian

00:30:37.380 - 00:31:17.640

slave. Ahimehas nevertheless continues to insist on running. He says, let me run anyway. Joab reluctantly agrees so Ahimehaz takes a shortcut and outruns Cushi. He arrives at the city first. David is anxiously waiting at the gates. He wants to receive news from the battlefield. Ahimaaz arrives, he greets

00:31:17.640 - 00:31:54.200

the king, he announces the victory. David asked the question, "Is the young man Absalom safe." Ahimehaz replies, "I saw there a great uproar when Joab dispatched your servant but I don't know what it was. I really don't know what happened." King says to him, "Step aside and wait here." You see Ahimehaz

00:31:54.200 - 00:32:21.440

runs without full knowledge of what has happened. The Christian life is a race and each of us is a runner. Every disciple is to be a bearer of tidings from the battlefield. There are those who are waiting to receive a word from someone who knows, someone who really knows life from experience, who can

00:32:21.440 - 00:32:42.440

and report on firsthand knowledge what has been seen and heard. Who knows because of being a participant in the struggle. There are those who wait at the gate

00:32:42.440 - 00:33:00.720

to receive tidings from the messenger. We run, but what kind of tidings do we bear? Are we prepared to deliver a message based on personal experience?

00:33:00.720 - 00:33:22.760

According to one view, in this particular event, Ahimaaz is a runner who really does not know what to say. He runs without a message. There are those in the race of life who run,

00:33:22.760 - 00:33:37.440

but who have no knowledge of really what is happening. They do not know what living is all about. They have not been in the heat of the struggle. They have not been close up participants.

00:33:37.440 - 00:34:02.040

They can only report second hand knowledge. They can only listen to what others say. Ahimehaz runs but he has no message. He has nothing to say when David inquires about Absalom. And we who are runners need to be aware of what God is doing on

00:34:02.040 - 00:34:29.460

the battlefield. Ahimehaz says, "I saw a great uproar but I don't know what it was. He was a runner without a message and what the king desired was a runner with a complete message, a runner able to interpret fully and accurately what occurred on the battlefield. To some extent it appears that a human has is

00:34:29.460 - 00:34:55.480

just running to be running and so often we find ourselves just running to be running with not any real purpose in life, without any real commitment to the eternal realities, just running to be running. And life is far more than just running to be running. It's more than just eating and sleeping and going to

00:34:55.480 - 00:35:23.980

work. Life has purpose, life has meaning, and one misses it when he or she is just running to be running. It's not enough to be swift on our feet. It's not enough to be able to outrun another. Now Ahimaaz got there first. He was the first one to arrive at the scene, but when he got there he didn't really have anything

00:35:23.980 - 00:35:52.460

that he could report. It's not enough to be swift on our feet. It's not enough to be able to outrun another. The important thing is what do we have to report when we get where we're going. The race is not given to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, but to him who endures, to the person who is prepared to go all the

00:35:52.460 - 00:36:20.500

way. Ahimehaz was only prepared to go a certain distance, he could only go just a certain distance he could get there and he only had a partial message he only knew in part he didn't know the whole story. But what we need is not only runners but we need interpreters of the way. So the King says to Ahimehaz,

00:36:20.500 - 00:36:55.240

"Move aside, stand over here, there is another runner who has a message possibly that I need to hear. So Ahimehaz stands aside and they wait for Cushi who arrives and when he comes he says I have good news for my lord the king God has vindicated your cause by ridding you of all who rebelled against

00:36:55.240 - 00:37:31.400

you then the king asked the question is all well with a young man Absalom and Kushai replies may the enemies of the king and all who rebelled against you share the lot of that young man you see Kushai knew the full story he was prepared to bring a full account of events on the battlefield. He had a story

00:37:31.400 - 00:38:09.700

to tell. He was prepared to tell it. He was prepared from experience. He was a witness. His message was not secondhand. He had first-hand knowledge. He was running with a message for the King. And there are those among us who run like Ahima has, who run without a message, without any news to report, and there are

00:38:09.700 - 00:38:39.920

those who run like Cushi. There are those who run, they may not get there first, But when they arrive, they have a testimony of experience. They have a testimony based on being a participant in the struggle. This is the kind of example that is set before us by Jesus Christ our Savior and our Lord. He goes

00:38:39.920 - 00:39:15.640

all of the way. He experiences life at its very depth. We see him as he goes about doing good. We see him in the dark garden of Gethsemane. We see him as he experiences the depths of grief. We see him as he experiences the excruciating pain on Calvary. We hear him as he cries out, "My God, my God, why has thou forsaken

00:39:15.640 - 00:39:45.620

me and we hear him as he cries out it is finished in the end he goes all the way and he gains the victory and on occasions such as this when I was a boy on the first Sunday we would have testimony and when we administered the Lord's Supper, a celebrated Holy Communion, and there would be those who

00:39:45.620 - 00:40:17.320

would stand up and who would say "Well I've been on this race so many years." Some would sing "Lord I want you to hold my hand while I run this race. Jesus I want you to hold my hand." And then some would say "I'm willing to run all the way That's the kind of commitment, that's the kind of celebration of Jesus who

00:40:17.320 - 00:40:42.160

comes into our lives as we celebrate his coming during this season. It's a celebration of one who goes all the way with us in this life. It's the celebration of our commitment to him that we too will run well the race that is set before us. The Apostle Paul says, "Let us lay aside every weight and the sin that

00:40:42.160 - 00:41:14.800

thus so easily beset us and run with patience the race that is set before us." What story do we have to tell? Those of us who've been on the battlefield can report, "Yes, I have seen the lightning flashing, I've heard the thunders roar, but I have heard the voice of my Savior telling me still to fight on. I have news

00:41:14.800 - 00:41:39.080

from the battlefield." There are those who can report, "Yes, I have news from the battlefield because I have scars, I have battle scars, I've been in the thick of the battle there are those who can report that God is with us in our struggles because he has been with me in the midst of the most difficult

00:41:39.080 - 00:42:00.680

conflicts and the most difficult battles that I have faced so we have a story to tell and there are those who are waiting to hear that story there are those who are concerned about how God has giving given us overwhelming victories is against great odds.

00:42:00.680 - 00:42:17.120

We have a story to tell. We have a race to run. Praise God for this blessed assurance. We come now to the hymn of invitation.

00:42:17.120 - 00:42:44.120

[music] I invite you to come to commit your life to Jesus Christ. [music] [music]

00:42:44.120 - 00:43:27.120

[ Music ] ♪ The Jesus man ♪ ♪ Was not alone ♪ ♪ And on the world ♪

00:43:27.120 - 00:43:49.080

♪ Was free ♪ ♪ No place on earth ♪ ♪ To God every power ♪ ♪ And yet God loves for me ♪

00:43:49.080 - 00:44:25.000

♪ For God's sake ♪ ♪ He knows the man who sinned ♪ ♪ And to death shall set me free ♪ ♪ And in the world ♪

00:44:25.000 - 00:44:40.000

♪ I come ♪ - Yes, you've got to win. ♪ And for me ♪ ♪ The land of the free ♪

00:44:40.000 - 00:45:05.160

♪ O'er the ramparts we watched ♪ ♪ Were so gallantly streaming ♪ ♪ And the rocket's red glare ♪ ♪ Away ♪

00:45:05.160 - 00:45:24.940

♪ The angels cry ♪ ♪ The stars come down ♪ ♪ And lift my soul ♪ ♪ Away ♪

00:45:24.940 - 00:45:43.020

♪ Away ♪ - Oh, gracious God, our Father, we thank you that you have come to be with us through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

00:45:43.020 - 00:46:00.340

If you come that we might have life and have it abundantly, bless us now as we are simple around the table that you have prepared, a table prepared for us even in the midst of our enemies.

00:46:00.340 - 00:46:17.860

Grant that we shall commune at this table in the spirit of truth. Rid our hearts of malice and ill will. Grant that these may be moments of holy communion with you

00:46:17.860 - 00:46:32.820

and with our brothers and sisters. Amen. Jesus took the bread, blessed it, breaking it, gave it to his disciples.

00:46:32.820 - 00:46:40.840

Ministry to his name I give you this bread and everything that's appropriate. [ Silence ]