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

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

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[Music] [Music] Welcome, Holy Spirit. [Music]

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We are in your presence. [Music] Fill us with your power We will follow thee

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Welcome, Holy Spirit We are in your presence [Music] Fill up with your power within Zion's deep.

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You're the living water, ever-flowing fountain, [Music] ♪ Can our dreams control ♪

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♪ Tell the Holy Spirit ♪ ♪ We are in your presence ♪ ♪ Fill us with your power ♪ ♪ Near the sky of peace ♪

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♪ You're the living water ♪ ♪ Never crying fountain ♪ ♪ Comfort girl and counselor ♪ ♪ Can not be controlled ♪

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♪ Welcome, holy spirit ♪ ♪ We are in your presence ♪ ♪ Fill us with your power ♪ [Church singing]

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which takes place in the life of the Church after Easter. One day, Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer, at three in the afternoon. Now a man crippled from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts.

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When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, "Look at us." So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them.

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Then Peter said, "Silver and gold I do not have, but what I have I give you." in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk." Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man's feet and ankles became strong.

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He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he said he went with them rather into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. When all the people saw him walking and praising God, they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful.

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And they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him." This is the word of the Lord. to the message, "Leap to the Lord." The 8th verse of the 3rd chapter of Acts, and King James translates it, "And he leaping up, stood and walked and entered with them into the

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temple walking, leaping, and praising God. Leap to the Lord. To embrace life requires a me of faith. Human existences fill with riddles. We ask questions and we receive no answers to many of these questions. We are left to travel in the darkness and and take a leap of faith.

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Faith is always a leap. It contains an element of mystery and calculated risk. So this is the way that we must live. We live by faith.

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Man basically is a believer. He must believe in something, he must believe in somebody. We want to believe. Believing is essential to our being.

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A certain man, we are told here in this passage of Scripture, was lame from birth. He was carried daily to the temple gate called Beautiful and laid there. He was stationed there. He was a hereditary, infirm person. He was born, laying from his mother's womb.

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This man's life was adversely affected. He had no chance to live the normal life. He was handicapped in the twilight of his existence. He is not the cause of what has happened to him.

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He was born this way. He had nothing to do with it. He was handicapped from his mother's womb. He was born lame. So the depravity of man is not a popular theological doctrine, but it does help us understand the

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the mystery of human existence. A man born lame comes to the world in a terrible shape. And every person who comes into this world, in a sense, spiritually, is born lame, born that way, born in sin and shaped in iniquity. We are born lame.

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The whole of human existence has been adversely affected by the sin of Adam, born lame, crippled by doubt, paralyzed by fear, a prisoner of violence. Our world is in the condition of this man who was born lame, unable to solve his own problems, born lame.

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He must wait on others for help. He was born lame. And so the whole creation groaneth and travaileth until now in pain, waiting for the manifestation of the Son of God.

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This man had to be carried. He could not make it on his own. He was not only a cripple, he was also a beggar. He had nothing to give life.

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He was a beggar. He depended upon the gifts of others. His chief concern was to get what he could get from other people. He was a beggar, a lame beggar. He was what my mother would call dead weight.

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Dead weight, born lame, had to be carried. And this man, in addition to all of this, is burnt out. He inwardly did. He did not have inside the strength, the creative power that was necessary to accept courageously the challenges of life. He was born lame. He's a beggar.

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So we have conditions today in a world of plenty. We have people dying of hunger, suffering from malnutrition because of the lame conditions of our world. Every day this man was carried and placed outside the temple at the gate called Beautiful. There he watched others walk in, and he expected from them some sign of human compassion

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by dropping something into his cup. This man's condition is all the more aggravating and agonizing because he is just outside the temple, near the gate, beautifully. And how many are carried daily to places where they're just outside

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and they never really fully enter in. Just outside the school. They remain there near the gate, beautiful, but they do not get in and make use of the marvelous opportunities

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that are just inside. How many are carried daily to this beautiful gate and remain outside? Well, how many times this man may have been brought there, we do not know.

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But we know that many people come just outside the church. They pass by it. They hear the singing. Sometimes it goes on in there, but they really do not get it inside of them.

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just outside the temple of Jesus. Born lame, but he fails to experience the reality of worship. Peter and John are on their way to worship. This man puts out his hand, hoping that he would receive a gift, some money. It was a way of saying, "Give me something. Help me." He was looking for something to sustain himself. But faith is the gift

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that really sustains us in all sorts and conditions of our existence. It's a precious treasure to have faith, to commit your way into one that is higher than your faith. This man is brought daily to the temple gate, but he does not have the faith to stand up to life. And the greatest poverty is the poverty of

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the Spirit, and the greatest gift is the gift of the Spirit of God. Peter says to "Look on us! We are ordinary men. We have not the things that you're asking for, but we have what you need. Look on us." and the man looks so often we hear the words we hear the challenges that are made and we do not respond they pass us by challenge to have good health

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challenge to have the best relationships with others with ourselves and certainly with God. You know, sailors do not receive a sense of direction by looking down at the water. They receive a sense of direction by looking up to the stars. And the stars represent that ideal, that certainty, that challenge. The stars are

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still there, stars that were shining during the time of Abraham, they still shine for us, to go out into the darkness. To take that step, to take that leap. Oh how many times this man must have come to the sanctuary and was just left outside the temple gate. And no doubt he measured his success, as so many do right here in our own city.

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He measured his success by how much he collected that day. Some have special corners. Sometimes the beggars fight over what corner they're going to occupy. But here is a place, a place that people can come.

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frustrated, burdened sometimes with gifts, whatever may be the condition, whatever may be the circumstance, they could come to the house of God and find help and hope. So he had two teachers. They don't have the things that this man's teaching.

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But they say to him, "Silver and gold have I mine, but such as I have, here I return." In the name of Jesus, rise up and walk. A leap is necessary, a leap, a leap. You know, if you try to reason everything out, some things you'll never do.

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Some people say, "Well, Reverend, I don't want to walk down the aisle. I don't want to have to get up in front of anybody and say anything, but I'd like to be a member of this church." They stop there. They don't want to do certain things. And so they miss taking that leap.

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The phase is like a child at the window, and the father is outside near the window in the dark, and tells the child to leap. The child hears the voice of the father saying, "Leap."

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and leap into the darkness believing and knowing that he will land in the arms of the Father. That's a leap. And every one of us at some point in our lives takes that leap. Takes that leap when we got married. We didn't know how many of us didn't have anything. We took a lease.

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We don't have much now, but we still took the lease. Took that lease. In the name of Jesus. In other words, committing to it.

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Lord, I don't know how I'm going to come out of this. Since I sent our children to college, taking the lease of faith. I could hear my mother saying,

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mother saying nothing Marvin I don't know how you make it but if you get there the Lord the Lord the Lord the Lord over and over again it's the Lord take your body to the Lord walk with him take the leap that's the faith by which The church lives!

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(Yes) Leap unto the Lord. Take that leap. You don't have to have the money.

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If you're silver and gold, don't have it. No stocks, no bonds, no security! In the sense of what the world expects. (Yes)

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This man came expecting to receive some money, but he received the marvelous gift of the Spirit of God as it came through these two poor people. In the name of Jesus. In other words, the avenue of health and hope, the avenue of redemption and salvation, it's open! Just leave! Somehow God is always there to catch us. So this man came expecting to receive some money, but he received the most precious gift,

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the gift of healing, the thing he needed. In the name of Jesus Christ, and at that moment, instantaneous love, strength came to his uncle, I believe in God's healing mercy. I believe with all my heart that God can do whatever He wants to do.

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And whatever problem I have, I believe that I can take it to Him and feel relieved and satisfied. I don't know how He's going to do it, but I know whatever He does will be good for me. And I believe that with all my heart.

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Strength came into his ankle bones and he'd been crawling around on a pallet, but now he has strength in his ankle bones and he gets up and he's able to stand up. This man who's been crawling is now able to stand. He's able to stand on his own

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And not only is he able to stand he's able to walk And not only is he able to walk he's able to leave And to go into the temple place where these men were going thought he was gonna have to be left outside He thought he was going to have to occupy the role of an outcast as he had done so many times before.

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But now he goes and walks inside and participates in the service. And the people say, "Isn't this the same fellow we knew? Isn't this the same man that had been brought here time and time again?" Yes, what has happened to something new is on the inside of him.

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Something new is raising him up. Something new is causing him to walk step by step and to leap and to find joy. Well, I'm so glad. I'm so glad that I took that leap.

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a leap of faith, a leap of hope, a leap of love, a leap of strength. And as we come now to the hymn of invitation, we extend the privilege of God to come into His kingdom, unite with His Church. By letter, by Christian experience, on a profession of faith, We invite you to come. There is a fountain. It's a fountain. Not just where there's a drop here and a drop there.

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There is a fountain of grace. There is a fountain filled with blood, drawn from Emmanuel's wings. And sinners plunged beneath that blood lose all their guilty state. [Music] Come, by letter of Christian experience, your own profession, please.

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[Music] ♪ The power's been given to us ♪ ♪ From God's Emmanuel place ♪ ♪ And heaven's blood will be shed for us ♪

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♪ To go where you will stay ♪ [Music] [Music] ♪ To those where guilt is laid ♪

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♪ A state of blood ♪ ♪ Redeems and blood ♪ ♪ To those where guilt is laid ♪ ♪ The dying see rejoicing ♪

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♪ For us to sleep ♪ ♪ At last the day is safe ♪ ♪ And there they are ♪ ♪ So proud and deep ♪

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♪ Watched over this the way ♪ ♪ Watch over me always ♪ ♪ Watch over me always ♪ ♪ And care me I through trial and need ♪

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♪ I saw my death away ♪ ♪ Then did I face my soul's upbring ♪ ♪ I saw it move a mile ♪ ♪ Redeeming love has been my sin ♪

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♪ And shall be new my God ♪ ♪ And shall be new my God ♪ ♪ And shall be filled by God ♪ ♪ Redeemer ♪

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♪ And in my need ♪ ♪ And shall be filled by God ♪ [MUSIC] >> Your life for him today.

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He's worthy. He's worthy. >> [APPLAUSE] >> He is faithful.

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He's a keeper. He will not ever leave you, nor forsake you. God bless you. Amen.

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Amen. [APPLAUSE] Let's all say amen. Amen.

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Amen. Amen. Amen. It's a powerful word.

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Yes, it is. Now the question comes, who believes the report? Who's willing to trust God to put your life on the line with him?

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This is the invitation. God gives it to all. We invite you to come now, accepting Jesus Christ as Lord of your life.

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You may come by letter, by Christian experience, or on profession of faith as we sing. (upbeat music) [ Music ]

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In the world that you have known, all is silver and it's gold, and you have to get along with little man. ♪ Just think that's where it is worth ♪ ♪ God increase the hill of faith ♪ ♪ Take your plans to the Lord and leave it there ♪

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♪ Leave it there, leave it there ♪ ♪ Oh leave it there, leave it there ♪ ♪ Take your plans to the Lord and leave it there ♪ ♪ If you trust Him, give Him doubt ♪

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♪ He will surely bring you out ♪ ♪ Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there ♪ ♪ If your body suffers pain ♪ ♪ And your health you can't regain ♪

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♪ And your soul is almost sinking in this land ♪ ♪ In this land ♪ ♪ He does know the pain you feel ♪ ♪ He can save and He can heal ♪

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♪ Take your burden to the Lord and live your life ♪ ♪ Live your life, live your life ♪ ♪ Live your life, live your life ♪ ♪ Take your burden to the Lord ♪

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♪ And leave it there ♪ ♪ If you trust and dare to go ♪ ♪ He will surely bring you out ♪ ♪ Take your burdens to the Lord ♪

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♪ And leave it there ♪ ♪ When your misery's a-sailin' ♪ ♪ And your heart begins to fail ♪ ♪ Don't forget that God in heaven ♪

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♪ Fasts his bread ♪ ♪ He will make a way for you ♪ ♪ And will lead you safely through ♪ ♪ Take your burdens to the Lord ♪

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♪ And leave it there ♪ ♪ Leave it there ♪ ♪ Leave it there ♪ ♪ Take your bread to the Lord and be prepared ♪

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♪ If you trust in your God ♪ ♪ He will surely bring you out ♪ ♪ Take your bread to the Lord and be prepared ♪ ♪ With your youthful days upon ♪

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♪ And old age is still long ♪ ♪ And your body can be healed ♪ ♪ He will never leave you there ♪ ♪ He'll always be with you 'til the end ♪

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♪ Take your prayers to the Lord ♪ ♪ And he will bless you ♪ ♪ He will never leave you there ♪ ♪ Take your burdens to the Lord and be with Him ♪

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♪ If you trust and care about Him ♪ ♪ He will surely bring you out ♪ ♪ Take your burdens to the Lord and be with Him ♪ - Amen.

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What a word. The wonderful thing about this word is the testimony rooted in the life of the person who gave it. Sister Carol

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always approaches people about becoming a member of the church. I really call her the Department of Evangelism here at our church. one of the paid members of the staff,

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single parent with a daughter, and she has been successful in sending through law school. I want us to do something I've never had you to do before, to give an offering for her this morning. She didn't know I was going to do this. So I want the ushers to come forward, bring the offering plates.

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Brother, get something soft out of your pockets and help her along the way. [BLANK_AUDIO]