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[AUDIO OUT] --on the everlasting arms. [MUSIC PLAYING] [ Music ]

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What a fellowship, what a joy divine, leading all everlasting on. What a blessing is, what a peace divine, leading all everlasting on. ♪ I am healed, healed, healed ♪ ♪ Safe and secure from all ♪

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♪ I am healed, healed, healed ♪ ♪ From the evil one that has begun ♪ ♪ How sweet to walk, how sweet to walk ♪ ♪ In this place filled with me ♪

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♪ All the everlasting love ♪ ♪ All the everlasting love ♪ ♪ All the everlasting love ♪ ♪ Be all ye people ♪

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♪ Take time to heal the broken heart ♪ ♪ Be okay, be okay ♪ ♪ I'm bleeding on the everlasting Lord ♪ ♪ What have I to dread ♪

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♪ What have I to dread ♪ ♪ What have I to fear ♪ ♪ What have I to fear ♪ ♪ I'm bleeding on the everlasting Lord ♪

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♪ I have blessing in my soul ♪ ♪ I'm bleeding ♪ ♪ On the everlasting Lord ♪ ♪ I'm bleeding ♪

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♪ I feel so saved ♪ ♪ I'm bleeding ♪ ♪ Oh, I'm bleeding ♪ ♪ Oh, I'm bleeding ♪

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♪ Yes, I'm bleeding ♪ ♪ Oh, I'm bleeding ♪ ♪ Yes, I'm bleeding on my Jesus ♪ ♪ Oh, I'm leaving all ♪

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♪ Everlasting ♪ ♪ Everlasting ♪ - Oh Lord, how grateful we are for you everlasting. (upbeat music)

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(upbeat piano music) ♪ Oh worship the king ♪ ♪ All glorious above ♪ ♪ And gratefully sing ♪

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♪ His wonderful law ♪ ♪ How shield and defendant ♪ ♪ In ancient law placed ♪ ♪ A villain in splendor ♪

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♪ And murder in his place ♪ [ Music ] The mountain o'er her twilight-yonder gleams so bright, ♪ It breathes in the air ♪

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♪ It shines in the night ♪ ♪ It streams from the hills ♪ ♪ It gives peace to the land ♪ ♪ And sweetly his guilty ♪

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♪ Laws do I foray ♪ (upbeat piano music) ♪ Children of choice ♪ ♪ And in our hearts we beseech thee ♪

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♪ If ye who rejoice ♪ ♪ No blind in truth may be led ♪ ♪ By mercies of tender offer to thee ♪ ♪ Amen, Lord, defender, redeemer, and friend ♪

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♪ Oh, worship of thee ♪ ♪ Oh, worship, oh, worship, oh, worship of thee ♪ ♪ Worship, worship, oh, worship, oh, worship of thee ♪ (soft music)

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(upbeat jazz music) [MUSIC PLAYING] ♪ My Lord King Jesus ♪ ♪ No man can a-hinder me ♪

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♪ My Lord King Jesus ♪ ♪ My Lord ♪ ♪ No man can a-hinder me ♪ ♪ No man can a-hinder me ♪

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♪ My Lord King Jesus ♪ ♪ No man canna hinder me ♪ ♪ I don't think Jesus ♪ ♪ I don't know man canna hinder me ♪

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♪ No man canna hinder me ♪ ♪ No man canna hinder me ♪ ♪ In the day ♪ ♪ In the morning ♪

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♪ Where you are ♪ ♪ Where you are ♪ In that break in the morning, very well, very well. In that break in the morning, very well, very well.

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In that break in the morning, very well, very well. I'm going to tell you about the coming of the judgment. ♪ Fare thee well, fare thee well ♪ ♪ I'm gonna tell you what the commoners have judged me ♪

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♪ Fare thee well, fare thee well ♪ ♪ There's a better day a-coming ♪ ♪ Fare thee well, fare thee well ♪ ♪ There's a better day a-coming ♪

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♪ Fare thee well, fare thee well ♪ ♪ Oh Gabriel, you blow the trumpet ♪ ♪ Fanny well, Fanny well ♪ ♪ Oh Gabriel, blow your trumpet ♪

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♪ Fanny well, Fanny well ♪ ♪ Lord, how loud shall I blow it ♪ ♪ Fanny well, Fanny well ♪ ♪ Oh, how loud shall I blow it ♪

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♪ Fare thee well, fare thee well ♪ ♪ Oh, it lies calm and easy ♪ ♪ Fare thee well, fare thee well ♪ ♪ Oh, it lies calm and easy ♪

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♪ Fare thee well, fare thee well ♪ ♪ Oh, in that great day of mourning ♪ ♪ Fare thee well, fare thee well ♪ ♪ In the waking of morning ♪

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♪ Fare thee well, fare thee well ♪ ♪ In the waking of morning ♪ ♪ Fare thee well, fare thee well ♪ ♪ In the waking of morning ♪

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♪ Fare thee well, fare thee well ♪ ♪ Can a syndrome be no bad ♪ ♪ Can a syndrome be no bad ♪ ♪ Can a syndrome be ♪

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(swooshing) Let us vow prayer. Oh God, our help in ages past, come now with your presence of joy and peace,

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that all who are troubled, all who are perplexed, may have hope in thee. As we come this morning, we have our different thoughts, different feelings, even our different opinions, but may all that we do and all

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that we think reach to the heavens in the highest hope of obtaining the mercy, the love, and the joy, and the peace that only you can give. For our hearts that are troubled and for our minds that are going through different kinds of situations right now. For the troubles of the world and the chaos that we face

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each day in our lives, even the rejection by friends and neighbors, may you look upon us and have mercy and grant us that peace within ourselves that we may not be at war with ourselves or each other. We pray for world peace it seems that Man has tried everything except allowing you to be their leader. We've had wars and

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we've had rumors of wars, yet we have no peace. There have been many who have died on the battlefields, but yet we have no lasting peace. We pray that your peace will come, your peace will reign, and we pray that the leaders of nations will look to you, oh God, who is the divine leader who can bring the peace that the

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world needs. We live at a time where our young people have gone astray because parents have failed to teach as they should. We see our young people falling by the wayside each day because they have no hope. They've not been taught.

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We pray that you would bring us together, help us to realize what we need to do in order to make a better world in which to live. We seek your kingdom and its righteousness.

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All other things will be added unto us. Father, as we come today, we ask for forgiveness for our many sins and errors and mistakes that we've made. We ask that you would strengthen us that we might be able to do the things that

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you've asked of us to do. We pray that you'll help us to love one another as you have loved us. We pray for our church that we will continue to grow strong and reach new milestones for the kingdom's sake. We pray Heavenly Father for our leader and for the First Lady, asking that you continue to give them strength and wisdom from on high to be our leader,

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to guide us and direct us in the path of righteousness. Pray that you will continue to give Pastor Griffin your word, your insight, that he might feed us, that we may be able to face another week,

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not knowing what the week may bring, but giving us strength and knowing that we can go through because we have your word and your blessed assurance. We pray that you will continue to bless us as a church,

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Bless us as a community and bless us as a nation. Bring us the things that you see that we need and that each one of us will seek to do your will and not our own.

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Fathers, we come today, we come with thanksgiving in our hearts, realizing that we're not here on our own. We didn't have enough strength,

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but you touched us this morning with your loving touch. You woke us up to a new day that we've never seen before. Let us be glad and rejoice in it, and be thankful.

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In Jesus' name we pray, amen. (soft piano music) (gentle piano music) [MUSIC PLAYING]

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

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(gentle jazz music) (gentle music) (gentle jazz music) (gentle music)

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

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♪ I love the Lord ♪ ♪ Oh Lord, hear my cry ♪ ♪ And give me rest ♪ ♪ Be calm ♪

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♪ The world's I leave ♪ ♪ And troubles rose ♪ ♪ I listened to ♪ ♪ His cry ♪

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♪ I love the Lord ♪ ♪ Lord, he heard my cry ♪ ♪ And pitied every groan ♪ ♪ Long as I live ♪

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♪ When troubles rise ♪ ♪ I'll haste unto ♪ ♪ My God's throne ♪ ♪ All may in grace ♪

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How sweet, how sweet the sound That saved a wretch just like me I once was lost I'm so glad right now I'm found One day I was blind

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But I thank God right now I can see ♪ I love the Lord ♪ ♪ I love the Lord ♪ ♪ Because He heard my cry ♪

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♪ And He heard it every day ♪ ♪ Every little cry ♪ ♪ Long, long as I live ♪ ♪ I don't care what the trouble is ♪

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♪ I'm gonna get in a hurry ♪ ♪ I'm gonna haste ♪ ♪ Yes I am ♪ ♪ I'm gonna run on ♪

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♪ My Lord's throne ♪ ♪ I love, I love the Lord ♪ ♪ He did something else for me ♪ ♪ He bowed his head ♪

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♪ And this is what he did ♪ ♪ And he chased my dream ♪ ♪ Always ♪ ♪ Oh, let my heart ♪

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♪ No more, no more be spent ♪ ♪ While I, while I have breathed ♪ ♪ I held breath ♪ ♪ Well I held breath to pray ♪

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♪ I love him, I love him, I love him, I love him ♪ ♪ But he heard ♪ ♪ Heard my cry ♪ ♪ Can't he pity, can't he pity, can't he pity ♪

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♪ Every, every, every, every, every, every ♪ ♪ Every groan ♪ ♪ And you know what, as long, as long as I live ♪ ♪ I don't care what the trouble is this morning ♪

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♪ Oh, I'm gonna run on, I'm gonna run on and haste ♪ ♪ Yes, I am ♪ ♪ Whoa ♪ ♪ I'm going to my Gostron ♪

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♪ His throne ♪ ♪ Mm-hmm, mm ♪ ♪ I'll haste ♪ ♪ I'll haste, I'll haste ♪

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♪ His throne ♪ ♪ Oh, I'll haste ♪ ♪ I'll haste ♪ ♪ I'll hasten to his throne ♪

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♪ I'll hasten to his throne ♪ ♪ I'll hasten to his throne ♪ ♪ Hasten to ♪ ♪ My God's throne ♪

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- Mmm. ("We Time" By Woody Allen) [ Music ] ♪ The blood that Jesus shed for me ♪

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♪ When I come down for you ♪ ♪ The blood that gives me strength ♪ ♪ From day to day ♪ ♪ He will never lose ♪

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♪ His power ♪ ♪ Yes, He will ♪ ♪ My God, stand tall ♪ ♪ At His feet ♪

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♪ Heaven drives all my tears ♪ ♪ The blood that gives me strength ♪ ♪ From day to day ♪ ♪ It will never, never, never do ♪

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♪ It's power ♪ ♪ Because it reaches ♪ ♪ It reaches to the highest mountains ♪ ♪ And it flows ♪

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♪ It flows to the lowest valleys ♪ ♪ The one that gives me strength from day to day ♪ ♪ In the name of the Lord ♪ ♪ His power ♪

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♪ Oh, it reaches ♪ ♪ It reaches ♪ ♪ To the highest mountain ♪ ♪ And it flows to the lowest valley ♪

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♪ To the lowest valley ♪ ♪ The power that gives me strength ♪ ♪ For day to day ♪ ♪ It will never lose its power ♪

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♪ Oh, it reaches to the highest mountains ♪ ♪ To the highest mountains ♪ ♪ Close to the lowest valley ♪ ♪ And in the blood ♪

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♪ That gives me strength ♪ ♪ Day to day ♪ ♪ We will never lose ♪ ♪ He's come ♪

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♪ He'll never, never, never lose ♪ ♪ He's come ♪ - Our scripture lesson is in the gospel according to Mark. The Gospel According to Mark, the third chapter, beginning with the first verse.

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And Jesus entered again into the synagogue, and there was a man there which had a withered hand. And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the Sabbath day, that they might accuse him.

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And he saith unto the man which hath the withered hand, Stand forth. And he saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath days, or to do evil, to save life, or to kill? But they held their peace.

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And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored, whole as the other. And the Pharisees went forth and straightway took counsel with the Herodians against him,

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how they might destroy him. Would you stand for a moment of silent prayer, please? Amen. Speak to our hearts, O God, in the strong and perfect name of Jesus Christ, our Lord.

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Amen. You may be seated. He saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. The man with the withered hand.

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This miraculous healing of the man with the withered hand occurs on the Sabbath day. Jesus was in Capernaum, in the synagogue, the beginning stage of his Galilean ministry. And as was his custom, he entered the synagogue to worship. Present in the synagogue, engaged in worship, was a man with a withered hand.

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The scribes and Pharisees knew that it was the practice of Jesus to heal the sick and the lame. They knew that he took advantage of every opportunity available to do good. So they watched Jesus closely because this was the Sabbath day.

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And according to the law of Moses and the tradition of the elders, no work of any sort was to be done on the Sabbath except in cases of extreme emergency. The enemies of Jesus watched Him closely in order to discover some defect in His ministry that they might use to

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crowd against him. They thought that if they could get a case against Jesus showing he had violated the spirit and letter of the law, that they would be able to deliver a sledgehammer below to his spreading popularity.

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The Pharisees and scribes were probably prompted by good motives in their effort to preserve the religious heritage of the race. They taught the people that the law should be kept

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with undeviating faithfulness. But they were overtaken by fatal sickness. They came to regard religion as a form instead of a force. They had a sort of nebulous, conventional religion.

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Like many dead things, it retained its form long after the life had gone out of it. Real religion is vital, dynamic, and sacrificial. It's terrific, it's alive,

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it's concerned with meeting human needs. And sin is a powerful force. And it takes a dynamic force to conquer a dynamic force. Hate is a force which cannot be conquered with a pious look.

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It takes love, a superior force, to overcome it. Jesus never lost an opportunity to do good. When he saw a condition that needed to be met, he was concerned with remedying it.

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So the enemies of Jesus had neither sympathy nor pity for the man with the withered hand. They do not appear to be concerned at all about his needs and his inexpressible human misery.

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They watched with impure motives, ready to criticize Jesus if he healed the man. An individual is seriously handicapped when stricken with an infirmity that deprives him or her of the use of either hand.

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No doubt this was a case that was particularly true of this man who has a withered hand. Now, Luke tells us that this man had a hand that was withered, but he adds a little more information. He says it was the right hand. Being a doctor, he gives us a little more detail.

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Our hands are agents through which we do our work in many ways. They're agents of toil. Very often, employers used to speak more of persons in their employment as their hired hands. Hands may be used for good or evil purposes. To deprive a

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of the use of his hands is to make that person unfit to perform a great deal of manual labor. So in ancient times, the conquering armies cut off the hands of those who were taken as prisoners of war.

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Today, one of the first things policemen did, Well, when I was a boy, when a policeman stopped you, particularly in the hood, when you were stopped, the policeman asked to see your hands.

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And if your hands were soft, he'd tell you to get in the car. He'd assume that you were guilty of some crime. So hands have to do with our association of labor,

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of service. And handwriting is a medium through which persons may correspond. And handwriting experts tell us that the individual's

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personality is reflected in his or her handwriting. So one of the best ways to commune with God and our fellow man is by giving heart and hand to God in Christian service.

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Man is able to make his best contribution to society when he joins heart and hand in a noble undertaking, being moved by love and duty. Jesus said, "Inasmuch as you have done it unto one of the least of these, my brethren, you have done it unto me." So

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service to God and humankind, we closed the most important avenue in Christian living. The man with the withered hand was seriously handicapped. His right hand, mind you, was robbed of was robbed of its nourishment. The bones were stiff and dried

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up. The fingers were no longer sensitive. A withered hand is a picture of whatever deprives a person of holy work and renders that person an encumbrance in God's great kingdom. The of the Pharisees rendered them useless in the kingdom of God.

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You see, prejudice has a way of withering up, or withering our energies, and causing us to shrink in many ways. Jealousy paralyzes the usefulness of any man who does does not with earnest faith and prayer wage war against it. The

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fear of man is another of the silent withering influences that restrain usefulness and quench our zeal. And upon entering the synagogue, Jesus instantly discovers this man with the with it had. The Lord quickly finds those things in our lives

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that make for divine incompleteness. They may be hidden from the view of our comrades, but they cannot escape the eyes of Jesus. Jesus was surrounded by a great throne. Zacchaeus was in the sycamore tree, but he did not escape the

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searching eyes of Jesus. So Jesus does not bypass the issue. Instead, he goes directly to the heart of the matter. He does not merely treat the symptoms. He deals with the cause of the disease. Nicodemus, you must be born again. To the rich young

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ruler, he says, "One thing is needful. Go and sell all that you have and give to the poor." If Jesus enters our churches, if he entered our churches today and looked around, how many persons would he discover with a withered hand? Hands that are

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dried up, hands that no longer are sensitive to the spiritual needs that are around, hands that have begun to decay because of inactivity. Some claim to know Christ, but when opportunities of Christian service in the organizational

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life of the church and community are presented to them, they say, "I can't do this. Let George do it." This man not only has a withered hand, in some cases, as we see them, the body is affected in an adverse manner because of the disease they

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possess the case in this particular instance, it was somewhat local it seems, and perhaps this man had come to synagogue on numerous occasions, and he possibly just wanted to slip in

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and take a seat in the back row. And he didn't want to encounter many people. No doubt on his way to the synagogue, he had become an object of special attention.

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Little children would say, "Oh, mama, look, there's a man with a withered hand." And she would say, "Shh, don't, don't do that." He had been embarrassed time and time again

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with this malady, the withered hand. He felt that there was something that he could get by attending synagogue services. And somehow on this particular day, Jesus is there.

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And he sees this man with the withered hand. Jesus sees us as we are. - Amen. - Oh, no doubt, as he looks across the congregation,

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they have eye contact, this man with the wizard hand. And he tries to hide behind the person that may be in front of him, as he looks at the master.

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He does not want to attract any attention. eyes of the synagogue are fixed on this man when Jesus says to him, "Stand up." "Stand up." He had not expected to be recognized in the congregation, and all of a sudden, this word

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from the Lord of lords, "Stand up. Stand forth. Stand forth." forth. And then after saying, "Stand forth," Jesus goes a step further and says to him, "Stretch forth thine hand." The man is nervous. Like most people who suddenly find themselves

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being singled out when they just went to--just to slip into the worship service. But he finds himself singled out by Jesus. the popular figure of the day who comes in and singles him out, tells him to stand, and then gives the word, "Stretch

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forth thine hand." "Me, Master?" "Yes. Stretch forth thine hand." Well, this hand, this hand, this hand is withered. I try to keep it from being revealed to those that I encounter as much as possible.

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It's withered, yes, I hear that, but I say to you, stretch forth thy hand. This hand, Master, has not been used for many years. is. My fingers here are not responsive to the sensitive

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touch any longer because the hand is with it. "Yes, I hear that, but stretch forth thy hand, I say to you." And the man slowly begins to raise the hand. He raises it and the whole congregation is looking as he lifts up his hand. And the master says again possibly in a louder

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out of tomb, stretch forth thy hand. For with that hand, I can help the fallen. With that hand, I can write messages that will convey the gospel truth. With that hand. With that hand, I can lost and paradise regained. Stretch forth thy hand." And

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this man raises the hand, and when he raises that hand in response to the Word of Jesus, he discovers that it is whole, just like the other one. And I think he's speaking to us today us today, saying, "Stretch forth thy hand." Not that we have

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such great skill on our own, but that what we can do in response to the Word of Jesus. For the Word that speaks to us saying, "Stretch forth thy hand," is the Word that has the power to power to change our lives. It has the power to give us the

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strength that we need for every crisis that we face. That Word comes over and over again saying, "Stretch forth thine hand." Well, some point of our lives, we've all heard that stretched forth thine hand." And the response is expressed in a

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familiar hymn. "Father, I stretch my hands to thee. No other help I know. If thou withdraw thyself from me, oh, whither shall I go?" And we found ourselves responding. I boy, nine years of age, when I heard that voice saying, "Stretch

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forth that hand. Open yourself to me. Let me take control of your life. Stretch forth your hand." And in stretching forth his hand, and he is able to make a remarkable discovery that his His hand is healed, and this man is surprised.

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And the people are surprised. You see, God is full of surprises when we do what he tells us to do. He finds a great surprise in his life.

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A surprise that alters not only his view of things, but alters his power to do. able now to give response to the Word of God in a most meaningful way. So thanks be to God that He does change our lives. He changes us in the most remarkable way. So He speaks

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this morning to us all saying, "Stretch forth your hands." Well, it's not pleasant to look it hasn't been used. Don't worry about that. The crowd will criticize me if I expose this withered hand. Don't worry about that. With the hand that you have, if you stretch it

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forth in response to my command, I can do marvelous miracles. Stretch forth your hand. And so God is at work work, restoring, restoring, renewing, changing our lives. And I want to--I want to be like that man with the withered

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hand. I want to respond to his will in my life. So trust me is what he's saying. Trust me. Don't worry about the conditions around you. Don't worry about the eyes fixed upon you in the God, just trust me. Do what I say." And when we do what God

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says in the midst of the changing scenes of this life, we find miracles occurring in our lives. Stretch forth thy hand. As we come now to the hymn of invitation, the Word of God speaks to your heart and to mine, saying, "Stretch forth

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your hand." And what is your response to me during this time of prayerful dedication and openness to Him? Make this our prayer. "Father, source of life, source of being, help of the "Father, I stretch my hands to Thee.

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"No other help I know. "If Thou would draw Thyself from me, "oh, where then shall I go?" It's an open door He sets before us,

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and we invite you to come. Accept Jesus Christ as Lord of your life. Come. By letter, by Christian experience,

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or on profession of faith, come. Stretch forth Thine hand. ♪ Mother, I stretch my hand to thee ♪ ♪ Oh, mother, help my soul ♪

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♪ The help I know ♪ ♪ If I withdraw ♪ ♪ Myself from thee ♪ ♪ Oh, where ♪

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♪ Shall I go ♪ ♪ Until I know ♪ ♪ This star in blue ♪ ♪ Before I do I pray ♪

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♪ For pain, for pain and to sleep ♪ ♪ And lay the crucifixion ♪ ♪ My soul from death ♪ ♪ Has dead ♪

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♪ After all day ♪ ♪ To thee I lift ♪ ♪ My prayer is all ♪ ♪ To thee I rise ♪

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♪ O may I not be seen ♪ ♪ And hear my soul without ♪ ♪ It dies ♪ ♪ O may I not be seen ♪

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We come now to the Lord's table to commune together at this table that is provided for us in the wilderness. He provides for people the strength that is needed for the journey. Every person who knows Jesus Christ and the pardon of your sins,

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every person who has accepted Jesus as Lord of your life is to commune at this table. Before we do so, is Sister Vicki Penny in the audience? Beg pardon? All right.

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Let us go to God in prayer asking his blessings upon this bread, this cup that we partake of and upon us as we rededicate our lives to him. [BLANK_AUDIO] Gracious God our Father, we come to you.

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Source of our hope, ground of our being, and the goal of our striving. We ask your blessings upon us as we gather here to express thanksgiving for your goodness, for your presence, for your power in the journey in which we We ask that you will bless not only the bread and the wine, but bless us all as we rededicate

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ourselves to you in the quietness of these moments, looking forward to that grand and glorious banquet that is prepared for your children in a world that has no end. Amen. Amen.

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Bread, blessed, break it, gave to his disciples. Ministering in his name, I give you this bread, representing the broken body of our Lord. Take and divide it among yourselves.

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Likewise also he took the cup and gave to his disciples. And ministering in his name, I give you this cup, representing his shed blood. Drink ye all of it.

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[ Music ] ♪ Lord, come down, return to me ♪ ♪ Hear the cross, hear the cross ♪ ♪ Hear my call, hear my call ♪

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♪ Be Thou my ♪ ♪ Divine ♪ ♪ Child of soul ♪ ♪ Child of God ♪

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♪ With rest ♪ ♪ Be Thou ♪ ♪ Maria ♪ (music)

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[MUSIC] [MUSIC] [MUSIC] [MUSIC]

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[Music] [BLANK_AUDIO]