0:00:00.259,0:00:19.574
♪ theme music ♪

0:00:19.574,0:00:21.440
(Derek) Welcome to Hope Sabbath School,

0:00:21.440,0:00:23.082
an in-depth, interactive study

0:00:23.082,0:00:24.347
of the Word of God.

0:00:24.347,0:00:25.315
We are in the middle

0:00:25.315,0:00:26.672
of a series of studies

0:00:26.672,0:00:28.658
on <i>Ezra and Nehemiah,</i>

0:00:28.658,0:00:31.910
an ancient priest, an ancient courtier,

0:00:31.910,0:00:34.913
that God used by His Spirit[br]to give messages,

0:00:34.913,0:00:36.875
not only for their generation

0:00:36.875,0:00:38.454
but also for us today.

0:00:38.454,0:00:41.164
Today we're going to glimpse at worship

0:00:41.164,0:00:42.687
in Ezra and Nehemiah's time,

0:00:42.687,0:00:44.424
<i>Worshiping the Lord,</i>

0:00:44.424,0:00:46.858
and it will inspire us as we think

0:00:46.858,0:00:49.096
about out own worship of the Lord today.

0:00:49.096,0:00:50.841
So welcome to Hope Sabbath School.

0:00:50.841,0:00:52.364
What's the most important lesson

0:00:52.364,0:00:53.471
we've learned from <i>Ezra</i>

0:00:53.471,0:00:54.773
<i>and Nehemiah</i> so far?

0:00:54.773,0:00:55.892
What do you think?

0:00:55.892,0:00:57.145
(Jason) God is in control.

0:00:57.145,0:00:58.548
(Derek) God is in control,

0:00:58.548,0:01:00.836
and God uses people, doesn't He?

0:01:00.836,0:01:02.406
People like Ezra and Nehemiah,

0:01:02.406,0:01:03.671
and, of course, you've got

0:01:03.671,0:01:05.010
a contemporary with Esther,

0:01:05.010,0:01:06.847
men and women of God who are, like,

0:01:06.847,0:01:09.627
"God, I'm available to be used by You."

0:01:09.627,0:01:12.071
And we're just so glad that you are part

0:01:12.071,0:01:13.487
of that global team

0:01:13.487,0:01:15.543
because it's not just a few of us here

0:01:15.543,0:01:17.203
but Hope Sabbath School members

0:01:17.203,0:01:19.743
in 150 countries around the world

0:01:19.743,0:01:21.795
that are part of God's team, sharing

0:01:21.795,0:01:23.871
the good news of a God who loves us

0:01:23.871,0:01:26.562
with an immeasurable and unfailing love.

0:01:26.562,0:01:30.893
Here is Jimilai in Fiji who says, "Bula!"

0:01:30.893,0:01:32.180
(Team) Bula!

0:01:32.180,0:01:33.434
(Derek) That's a greeting.

0:01:33.434,0:01:34.492
"I want to praise God

0:01:34.492,0:01:36.579
for the marvelous work the Holy Spirit

0:01:36.579,0:01:38.795
is doing through Hope Sabbath School.

0:01:38.795,0:01:40.910
I never miss any of your series.

0:01:40.910,0:01:45.638
I always download all of the topics[br]on my phone

0:01:45.638,0:01:48.223
and share them with my friends."

0:01:48.223,0:01:49.322
(Team) Amen.

0:01:49.322,0:01:50.792
(Derek) "It helps me,

0:01:50.792,0:01:52.456
taking the Sabbath School class

0:01:52.456,0:01:54.656
in my ministry at the park

0:01:54.656,0:01:57.047
where I teach and share with those

0:01:57.047,0:01:58.821
who sleep on the streets."

0:01:58.821,0:02:00.607
(Team) Wow.

0:02:00.607,0:02:02.885
(Derek) "We meet in the park[br]every Sabbath.

0:02:02.885,0:02:05.032
We also have Sabbath School in the park.

0:02:05.032,0:02:07.058
We share lunch together.

0:02:07.058,0:02:08.733
Sometimes there is not enough food,

0:02:08.733,0:02:11.091
but God's love is more than what we need."

0:02:11.091,0:02:12.172
(Team) Amen.

0:02:12.172,0:02:14.194
(Derek) "After lunch, we go[br]to the hospital

0:02:14.194,0:02:15.918
and orphanages for visits."

0:02:15.918,0:02:18.310
I tell you, Jimilai sounds, like,

0:02:18.310,0:02:20.500
on fire for Jesus, wouldn't you say?

0:02:20.500,0:02:22.346
"I thank God that He brought me

0:02:22.346,0:02:24.421
to Hope ministry to encourage me

0:02:24.421,0:02:27.072
in every way and enlighten me[br]and my family

0:02:27.072,0:02:30.023
to press forward until eternity,

0:02:30.023,0:02:31.739
knowing the end is near,

0:02:31.739,0:02:33.905
and we should be ready to go home."

0:02:33.905,0:02:34.867
(Team) Amen!

0:02:34.867,0:02:36.639
(Derek) I want to thank you, Jimilai,

0:02:36.639,0:02:37.995
for writing to us from Fiji.

0:02:37.995,0:02:40.065
And he says, "We really need

0:02:40.065,0:02:41.968
your prayers for our lives,

0:02:41.968,0:02:43.575
those who are on the streets,

0:02:43.575,0:02:46.933
that we can hang in there, no matter

0:02:46.933,0:02:49.221
what may come until Jesus comes."

0:02:49.221,0:02:50.140
(Team) Amen.

0:02:50.140,0:02:51.456
(Derek) Did you know we had

0:02:51.456,0:02:53.183
a Hope Sabbath School member in Fiji

0:02:53.183,0:02:58.139
teaching homeless people in a park? Amen?

0:02:58.139,0:02:59.676
(Team) Amen.

0:02:59.676,0:03:01.673
(Derek) Solomon writes to us from Nigeria.

0:03:01.673,0:03:03.132
Solomon, thanks for being part

0:03:03.132,0:03:05.113
of our Hope Sabbath School family.

0:03:05.113,0:03:07.381
"I'm very happy with the work of God

0:03:07.381,0:03:09.261
that you are doing," he says.

0:03:09.261,0:03:11.942
"I was born into a Christian family,

0:03:11.942,0:03:14.970
and up til now I'm still following Jesus."

0:03:14.970,0:03:16.460
(Team) Amen.

0:03:16.460,0:03:18.412
(Derek) "I watch your program every week,

0:03:18.412,0:03:20.207
and it makes me happy,

0:03:20.207,0:03:21.843
and I'm filled with the Spirit.

0:03:21.843,0:03:23.701
Even if I have problems,

0:03:23.701,0:03:26.229
I turn and I watch the program,

0:03:26.229,0:03:28.384
and my problems go away."

0:03:28.384,0:03:29.615
Well, that's interesting.

0:03:29.615,0:03:31.293
Maybe the problems are still there,

0:03:31.293,0:03:33.567
but I'm not focusing on them anymore.

0:03:33.567,0:03:36.272
"Happiness in the Holy Spirit takes over.

0:03:36.272,0:03:38.208
Glory be to God Almighty."

0:03:38.208,0:03:39.203
(Team) Amen.

0:03:39.203,0:03:40.318
(Derek) Solomon, thanks

0:03:40.318,0:03:42.562
for your testimony; you cheered us up.

0:03:42.562,0:03:43.878
And it's true, when we turn

0:03:43.878,0:03:46.725
our eyes towards Jesus, as the song goes,

0:03:46.725,0:03:48.101
the things of Earth, what?

0:03:48.101,0:03:49.492
(Team) Grow strangely dim.

0:03:49.492,0:03:51.886
(Derek) They may still be problems[br]and challenges,

0:03:51.886,0:03:53.685
but they grow strangely dim.

0:03:53.685,0:03:56.984
Roatan, Honduras, Leonardo writes

0:03:56.984,0:04:00.388
and says, "I just want to say,

0:04:00.388,0:04:02.597
'Keep up the good work.'

0:04:02.597,0:04:05.321
It's a blessing to learn God's Word

0:04:05.321,0:04:08.511
and to understand God's Word with you.

0:04:08.511,0:04:12.599
I'm from Bay Island, Roatan, Honduras."

0:04:12.599,0:04:14.549
Well, Leonardo, thanks for the short note

0:04:14.549,0:04:15.887
to Hope Sabbath School.

0:04:15.887,0:04:17.700
We're glad you're part of our family.

0:04:17.700,0:04:18.758
Here's a short note

0:04:18.758,0:04:20.949
from a donor in Pennsylvania,

0:04:20.949,0:04:22.850
and I just want to thank each one of you

0:04:22.850,0:04:25.055
that prays and supports.

0:04:25.055,0:04:26.975
We're a donor-supported ministry.

0:04:26.975,0:04:29.121
"Thanks once again for all you do

0:04:29.121,0:04:31.452
to help people understand the Bible."

0:04:31.452,0:04:32.469
Do you hear the theme

0:04:32.469,0:04:34.368
coming through over and over again?

0:04:34.368,0:04:37.081
My life would be lost without it."

0:04:37.081,0:04:39.050
(Stephanie) Wow.

0:04:39.050,0:04:40.984
(Derek) As always, keep up the good work

0:04:40.984,0:04:42.760
of spreading God's Word."

0:04:42.760,0:04:43.926
Well, thanks for writing

0:04:43.926,0:04:45.300
to us from Pennsylvania.

0:04:45.300,0:04:46.601
We're glad that you're part

0:04:46.601,0:04:48.221
of our Hope Sabbath School family.

0:04:48.221,0:04:50.465
And thank you for your support[br]and your prayers.

0:04:50.465,0:04:53.394
One last note, from Gaetano in Malta,

0:04:53.394,0:04:56.410
the island of Malta; Malta is where?

0:04:56.410,0:04:57.685
(Kenneth) Near Greece.

0:04:57.685,0:05:00.401
(Derek) Right, in the Mediterranean Sea,

0:05:00.401,0:05:02.745
not far from Greece.

0:05:02.745,0:05:04.715
"I am from Malta,

0:05:04.715,0:05:06.809
a Seventh-day Adventist Christian.

0:05:06.809,0:05:08.639
I watch Hope Sabbath School

0:05:08.639,0:05:10.395
when I'm at home.

0:05:10.395,0:05:13.738
I sometimes lead a class at my church.

0:05:13.738,0:05:15.140
Thanks for what you're doing.

0:05:15.140,0:05:16.697
May the Lord bless you.

0:05:16.697,0:05:18.398
May we all find ourselves

0:05:18.398,0:05:19.760
in the city of God."

0:05:19.760,0:05:20.775
(Team) Amen.

0:05:20.775,0:05:23.088
(Derek) That's the prayer, right?

0:05:23.088,0:05:27.199
"I pray for you; please pray for me.

0:05:27.199,0:05:28.948
I have still got some things

0:05:28.948,0:05:30.806
to get rid of in my life

0:05:30.806,0:05:33.495
to be more like Jesus."

0:05:33.495,0:05:34.737
Well, you know, it's true,

0:05:34.737,0:05:36.836
the closer we come to Jesus,

0:05:36.836,0:05:39.925
the more we see our own deficiencies.

0:05:39.925,0:05:41.790
But we're not focusing on those things;

0:05:41.790,0:05:43.670
otherwise; what happens to us?

0:05:43.670,0:05:45.555
We get depressed, right?

0:05:45.555,0:05:48.310
We want to turn our eyes on Jesus.

0:05:48.310,0:05:50.218
And then he concludes,

0:05:50.218,0:05:51.781
"I am thankful for all of you.

0:05:51.781,0:05:53.388
God bless you, your brother

0:05:53.388,0:05:55.494
in Christ in Malta."

0:05:55.494,0:05:57.829
Well, Gaetano, thanks for writing to us

0:05:57.829,0:05:59.125
from that beautiful island.

0:05:59.125,0:06:00.521
And thanks to each one of you

0:06:00.521,0:06:02.398
for writing to Hope Sabbath School.

0:06:02.398,0:06:05.466
You can write to sshope@hopetv.org.

0:06:05.466,0:06:06.572
We send it to the team,

0:06:06.572,0:06:09.106
and it really gives us encouragement

0:06:09.106,0:06:11.840
to see how God is changing lives[br]around the world.

0:06:11.840,0:06:13.099
Right now we want to sing

0:06:13.099,0:06:16.675
our theme song, 3,000 years old.

0:06:16.675,0:06:19.657
The words, Psalm 25,

0:06:19.657,0:06:23.128
the tune is one that my wife composed,

0:06:23.128,0:06:24.681
and it's a cheerful little song.

0:06:24.681,0:06:26.407
I feel like jumping when I sing it.

0:06:26.407,0:06:28.325
Why don't you sing it with us?

0:06:28.325,0:06:31.448
♪ music ♪

0:07:50.073,0:07:51.391
(Derek) You know, the theme

0:07:51.391,0:07:52.296
for our study today

0:07:52.296,0:07:53.818
is <i>Worshiping the Lord,</i>

0:07:53.818,0:07:55.879
and we were just doing that, weren't we?

0:07:55.879,0:07:57.355
You might say, "I can't believe

0:07:57.355,0:07:59.890
I've just sung on global television,"

0:07:59.890,0:08:02.948
and the answer is, "It's not about us,"

0:08:02.948,0:08:05.410
because someone in Roatan,

0:08:05.410,0:08:07.279
someone in (What were some

0:08:07.279,0:08:09.158
of the other places we read?)

0:08:09.158,0:08:10.978
Fiji and Malta, they're going

0:08:10.978,0:08:12.618
to be singing along with us

0:08:12.618,0:08:13.672
and praising the Lord,

0:08:13.672,0:08:15.715
every nation, kindred, tongue and people.

0:08:15.715,0:08:17.208
And on that day we gather

0:08:17.208,0:08:18.601
by the sea of glass,

0:08:18.601,0:08:20.660
I don't know what language[br]we'll be singing,

0:08:20.660,0:08:22.675
whether it will be the language of Heaven,

0:08:22.675,0:08:23.746
or whether somehow God

0:08:23.746,0:08:25.326
will merge all of those languages

0:08:25.326,0:08:27.997
into one symphony of praise,

0:08:27.997,0:08:30.785
"To You, O Lord, I lift up my soul."

0:08:30.785,0:08:33.023
Maybe it will be a different tune,[br]I don't know.

0:08:33.023,0:08:34.469
But we're going to focus today

0:08:34.469,0:08:35.813
on <i>Worshiping the Lord,</i>

0:08:35.813,0:08:38.920
and we are going to learn some lessons

0:08:38.920,0:08:42.447
from the fifth century B.C.,

0:08:42.447,0:08:45.834
from Ezra and Nehemiah who led the exiles

0:08:45.834,0:08:47.925
in that second and third wave,

0:08:47.925,0:08:49.814
trying to get back to where God

0:08:49.814,0:08:51.667
had originally called them to be.

0:08:51.667,0:08:52.856
We'll learn some lessons.

0:08:52.856,0:08:54.121
Let's pray the Holy Spirit

0:08:54.121,0:08:56.094
will be our Teacher today.

0:08:56.094,0:08:57.727
Our Father in Heaven, we thank You

0:08:57.727,0:09:00.680
for Hope Sabbath School members[br]around the world.

0:09:00.680,0:09:02.129
We represent every nation,

0:09:02.129,0:09:03.936
kindred, tongue and people.

0:09:03.936,0:09:05.769
You're calling Your people to prepare

0:09:05.769,0:09:07.546
for the soon coming of Jesus.

0:09:07.546,0:09:11.256
And, God, we believe that worshiping You

0:09:11.256,0:09:12.947
in spirit and truth

0:09:12.947,0:09:14.205
is a crucial part

0:09:14.205,0:09:16.127
of our spiritual journey.

0:09:16.127,0:09:18.069
And so, as we study

0:09:18.069,0:09:21.091
lessons from ancient inspired texts

0:09:21.091,0:09:23.006
of Ezra and Nehemiah,

0:09:23.006,0:09:25.363
may your Holy Spirit speak to us

0:09:25.363,0:09:27.719
in a fresh way today.

0:09:27.719,0:09:30.318
We pray it in the name of Jesus. Amen.

0:09:30.318,0:09:31.426
(Team) Amen.

0:09:31.426,0:09:32.785
(Derek) <i>Worshiping the Lord,</i>

0:09:32.785,0:09:34.399
singing the songs of the Lord,

0:09:34.399,0:09:37.782
let's start in Ezra, chapter 3,

0:09:37.782,0:09:39.429
and, Stephanie, if you could begin

0:09:39.429,0:09:41.041
our study today in Ezra,

0:09:41.041,0:09:43.769
chapter 3, verses 10 and 11.

0:09:43.769,0:09:45.558
Let's see how the people

0:09:45.558,0:09:47.966
in the time of Ezra responded

0:09:47.966,0:09:50.680
when the foundations were laid

0:09:50.680,0:09:53.141
for the new temple.

0:09:53.141,0:09:54.635
(Stephanie) And I'll be reading

0:09:54.635,0:09:56.031
from the King James Version:

0:10:32.525,0:10:34.476
(Derek) Isn't that amazing, and I thought

0:10:34.476,0:10:35.719
we were having a good time

0:10:35.719,0:10:36.866
with our Scripture song,

0:10:36.866,0:10:39.161
but we didn't have trumpets and cymbals.

0:10:39.161,0:10:43.537
So how would you describe

0:10:43.537,0:10:44.846
what's going on here

0:10:44.846,0:10:46.626
as the temple's foundation

0:10:46.626,0:10:48.726
is being laid? Jonathan?

0:10:48.726,0:10:50.084
(Jonathan) They're rejoicing

0:10:50.084,0:10:52.827
that their years of separation

0:10:52.827,0:10:56.229
from their connection with God[br]is finally over,

0:10:56.229,0:10:57.356
and now they're back

0:10:57.356,0:11:00.638
to where God dwells amongst them,

0:11:00.638,0:11:03.751
and they have this special relationship[br]with God.

0:11:03.751,0:11:05.955
(Derek) How would you describe[br]their rejoicing?

0:11:05.955,0:11:07.976
(Team) Celebration. Jubilee.

0:11:07.976,0:11:09.667
(Derek) You know, some of us, like,

0:11:09.667,0:11:10.726
I was born in Britain;

0:11:10.726,0:11:12.809
we kind of rejoice like this.

0:11:12.809,0:11:14.721
That's about it, you know.

0:11:14.721,0:11:17.958
It seems pretty uninhibited, doesn't it,

0:11:17.958,0:11:23.235
shouts of joy and cymbals and trumpets.

0:11:23.235,0:11:24.847
We want to hold onto that

0:11:24.847,0:11:25.912
as we go to Nehemiah,

0:11:25.912,0:11:27.576
but we ask our question,

0:11:27.576,0:11:28.595
what are some things

0:11:28.595,0:11:31.460
that might hold us back

0:11:31.460,0:11:33.437
from worshiping God in spirit and truth?

0:11:33.437,0:11:36.199
Now, someone told me this some years ago;

0:11:36.199,0:11:37.352
I'll never forget it.

0:11:37.352,0:11:39.604
They said if in your worship you're trying

0:11:39.604,0:11:42.015
to draw attention to yourself,

0:11:42.015,0:11:46.342
that's called exhibitionism, right?

0:11:46.342,0:11:48.870
But if in your worship

0:11:48.870,0:11:53.739
you're wanting to bring glory to God,

0:11:53.739,0:11:57.226
you know the little child that jumps up

0:11:57.226,0:12:00.812
and, you know, is that exhibitionism?

0:12:00.812,0:12:02.917
Or my wife's grandma from China

0:12:02.917,0:12:06.466
who would kowtow and blow kisses to Jesus,

0:12:06.466,0:12:10.496
is that exhibitionism or is that freedom

0:12:10.496,0:12:12.314
to worship in spirit and truth

0:12:12.314,0:12:14.218
in their culture, right?

0:12:14.218,0:12:15.474
Now, if she was doing it,

0:12:15.474,0:12:16.500
or someone's doing it

0:12:16.500,0:12:18.376
just to draw attention to themselves...

0:12:18.376,0:12:19.776
But let's think about this.

0:12:19.776,0:12:21.451
I think you're right;

0:12:21.451,0:12:23.990
I mean, they were really...

0:12:23.990,0:12:27.228
Is there such a thing as really rejoicing?

0:12:27.228,0:12:33.949
They were rejoicing in spirit and truth.

0:12:33.949,0:12:36.451
Remember that picture Ezra described,

0:12:36.451,0:12:37.470
and let's take a look

0:12:37.470,0:12:39.250
in Nehemiah, chapter 12.

0:12:39.250,0:12:41.987
Jason, if you could read chapter 12,

0:12:41.987,0:12:47.700
look at verse 27, 31, 42 and 43.

0:12:47.700,0:12:49.070
We'll catch a little glimpse

0:12:49.070,0:12:50.364
of what's happening.

0:12:50.364,0:12:52.501
Here, you've got the temple,

0:12:52.501,0:12:54.517
in the time of Ezra, the foundations.

0:12:54.517,0:12:56.000
Now they're celebrating

0:12:56.000,0:12:58.093
that the walls have been rebuilt.

0:12:58.093,0:13:01.449
Let's see how they worship the Lord.

0:13:01.449,0:13:02.551
(Jason) I'll be reading

0:13:02.551,0:13:04.075
from the New King James Version,

0:13:04.075,0:13:06.127
Nehemiah, chapter 12,

0:13:06.127,0:13:09.988
verse 27, 31, and 42 and 43:

0:13:30.592,0:13:32.472
Then we have verse 31:

0:13:45.806,0:13:47.072
42 and 43:

0:14:19.820,0:14:21.109
(Derek) What do you think?!

0:14:21.109,0:14:22.984
How would you compare that to the time

0:14:22.984,0:14:26.313
of the laying of the stones[br]in Ezra's time?

0:14:26.313,0:14:29.452
Similar, right? There were[br]a few additions.

0:14:29.452,0:14:31.748
What did you see in terms of additions?

0:14:31.748,0:14:33.254
(Gladys) They have choirs.

0:14:33.254,0:14:34.313
(Derek) They had these

0:14:34.313,0:14:36.551
kind of antiphonal choirs, right?

0:14:36.551,0:14:37.853
I think that was alluded to

0:14:37.853,0:14:38.870
in the time of Ezra.

0:14:38.870,0:14:41.748
But these were large choirs. What else?

0:14:41.748,0:14:42.786
(Nicole) Instruments.

0:14:42.786,0:14:44.813
(Derek) They had stringed[br]instruments, too,

0:14:44.813,0:14:46.260
and harps, right?

0:14:46.260,0:14:50.822
And how far was the celebration heard?

0:14:50.822,0:14:52.718
(Team) A distance. Far away.

0:14:52.718,0:14:54.331
(Derek) Yeah. So there's

0:14:54.331,0:15:01.850
this tremendous sense of singing songs[br]to the Lord,

0:15:01.850,0:15:03.257
and, of course, probably many

0:15:03.257,0:15:05.580
of those songs were songs of Scripture,

0:15:05.580,0:15:08.225
like the one we sang for our theme song.

0:15:08.225,0:15:10.667
Let's go back to the time of David,

0:15:10.667,0:15:14.220
in 1 Chronicles 25:6-7,

0:15:14.220,0:15:18.204
where David appoints singers.

0:15:18.204,0:15:20.933
We're looking here at worshiping the Lord,

0:15:20.933,0:15:22.429
and certainly one way

0:15:22.429,0:15:24.675
is worshiping Him in song.

0:15:24.675,0:15:27.529
Somebody have 1 Chronicles 25?

0:15:27.529,0:15:31.963
Travis, verses 6 and 7, what does it say?

0:15:31.963,0:15:33.197
(Travis) I'll be reading

0:15:33.197,0:15:35.234
from the New King James Version:

0:16:01.636,0:16:03.541
(Derek) So, I have a question for you.

0:16:03.541,0:16:08.367
That's a lot of singers - 288 -

0:16:08.367,0:16:10.756
and what does it say about them?

0:16:10.756,0:16:12.720
(Nicole) They were all accomplished.

0:16:12.720,0:16:14.822
(Derek) Yeah, they were skillful, right?

0:16:14.822,0:16:17.133
I mean, some of us, there are leaders,

0:16:17.133,0:16:18.288
some of you are leaders,

0:16:18.288,0:16:19.590
and some of us are leaners.

0:16:19.590,0:16:22.283
That means we're not the soloists, right?

0:16:22.283,0:16:24.407
But these were all skillful.

0:16:24.407,0:16:25.592
Evelyn, why do you think

0:16:25.592,0:16:28.680
David appointed so many to be singers

0:16:28.680,0:16:31.782
in the house of the Lord, 288?

0:16:31.782,0:16:33.605
(Evelyn) I believe David recognized

0:16:33.605,0:16:35.538
the importance to give God

0:16:35.538,0:16:38.203
your 100 percent in worship.

0:16:38.203,0:16:39.378
To him it was important.

0:16:39.378,0:16:40.624
He said, "This is our God.

0:16:40.624,0:16:42.009
We have to give Him the best.

0:16:42.009,0:16:43.396
We need our skilled musicians

0:16:43.396,0:16:46.377
to praise God as joyfully as they can."

0:16:46.377,0:16:47.518
(Derek) And he certainly

0:16:47.518,0:16:49.009
did that personally, didn't he?

0:16:49.009,0:16:50.697
He wrote many Scripture songs,

0:16:50.697,0:16:53.483
and probably he sang many of them

0:16:53.483,0:16:57.195
to an audience of One - who was that?

0:16:57.195,0:16:59.150
To the Lord, right?

0:16:59.150,0:17:01.531
Yeah, he sang, "To You, O Lord..."

0:17:01.531,0:17:03.415
I don't know what the tune was, right,

0:17:03.415,0:17:05.406
but just to an audience of One.

0:17:05.406,0:17:06.751
But I think Evelyn's right.

0:17:06.751,0:17:11.276
He sensed the value of worship, excuse me,

0:17:11.276,0:17:13.297
of music as part of worship,

0:17:13.297,0:17:15.006
and so he just wants lots

0:17:15.006,0:17:16.960
of skilled musicians

0:17:16.960,0:17:18.485
to help lead. Kenneth?

0:17:18.485,0:17:19.831
(Kenneth) One important note

0:17:19.831,0:17:24.632
is the directors in directing these people

0:17:24.632,0:17:26.507
because even though you have the skill,

0:17:26.507,0:17:28.964
if you are not directed[br]in the right way...

0:17:28.964,0:17:30.882
(Derek) Has anyone been part of a choir

0:17:30.882,0:17:32.246
where there was no director?

0:17:32.246,0:17:33.414
I mean, I suppose

0:17:33.414,0:17:35.270
a very well-trained choir

0:17:35.270,0:17:36.804
because it's kind of ingrained;

0:17:36.804,0:17:40.127
otherwise, it could be[br]fairly chaotic, right?

0:17:40.127,0:17:42.877
So, you noticed there was someone

0:17:42.877,0:17:45.256
who actually directed them

0:17:45.256,0:17:46.947
so that things actually came

0:17:46.947,0:17:49.029
at the same time; good point. Gladys.

0:17:49.029,0:17:50.142
(Gladys) I was thinking

0:17:50.142,0:17:51.498
that maybe to avoid burnout,

0:17:51.498,0:17:53.351
you know, when you have so many people,

0:17:53.351,0:17:54.816
you can take turns

0:17:54.816,0:17:56.925
instead of having just the same person

0:17:56.925,0:17:59.356
doing everything at the same[br]all the time.

0:17:59.356,0:18:01.323
(Derek) Yeah, you've got

0:18:01.323,0:18:04.861
almost one per day here, right, 288.

0:18:04.861,0:18:06.109
So, instead of going,

0:18:06.109,0:18:08.141
"Oh, I've got to sing again today,"

0:18:08.141,0:18:10.542
it's like, "It's my day coming.

0:18:10.542,0:18:11.893
I'm going to be able to sing

0:18:11.893,0:18:13.168
in the house of the Lord."

0:18:13.168,0:18:14.727
I'm sure they did it in groups,

0:18:14.727,0:18:16.402
but, yeah, there were many reasons,

0:18:16.402,0:18:18.858
but that's a fairly significant group

0:18:18.858,0:18:20.564
to lead in songs of the Lord.

0:18:20.564,0:18:22.166
(Jason) Also, I was going to add,

0:18:22.166,0:18:24.301
also the more the merrier.

0:18:24.301,0:18:25.930
Like we read the verse before,

0:18:25.930,0:18:27.026
it was heard afar off.

0:18:27.026,0:18:28.364
So the more people you have,

0:18:28.364,0:18:29.603
the more it could be heard

0:18:29.603,0:18:31.603
because I think that was[br]one of the reasons

0:18:31.603,0:18:32.839
why they had large choirs,

0:18:32.839,0:18:34.367
so that other nations could hear

0:18:34.367,0:18:36.127
and say, "Oh, what's all that about?"

0:18:36.127,0:18:37.367
Intriguing them, you know,

0:18:37.367,0:18:39.419
about the beautiful music[br]that's being sung.

0:18:39.419,0:18:40.983
(Derek) Sure. So there is

0:18:40.983,0:18:43.118
a certain strength in numbers

0:18:43.118,0:18:44.564
when you have a large choir,

0:18:44.564,0:18:47.863
or there they had choirs antiphonal,

0:18:47.863,0:18:49.274
choirs singing back and forth

0:18:49.274,0:18:51.631
to each other, quite impressive.

0:18:51.631,0:18:53.313
I want to hyperspace forward

0:18:53.313,0:18:54.766
to something Jesus said,

0:18:54.766,0:18:55.701
and then I have

0:18:55.701,0:18:57.427
an application question for us.

0:18:57.427,0:19:01.436
Jesus said that the Father seeks people

0:19:01.436,0:19:06.871
who worship Him in spirit and in truth.

0:19:06.871,0:19:10.389
That's a principle, Jonathan, right?

0:19:10.389,0:19:15.046
It's not like a specific description.

0:19:15.046,0:19:16.986
What does that mean to you?

0:19:16.986,0:19:18.410
(Jonathan) I think the spirit

0:19:18.410,0:19:20.324
can look different for different people.

0:19:20.324,0:19:22.572
To me, it's examining our hearts.

0:19:22.572,0:19:25.000
Like, I think "spirit" certainly applies

0:19:25.000,0:19:26.290
that you just want someone

0:19:26.290,0:19:27.761
that's filled with the Spirit.

0:19:27.761,0:19:29.019
It is coming out of them;

0:19:29.019,0:19:31.211
it is not just something exterior.

0:19:31.211,0:19:33.346
God has changed their heart,[br]and it's flowing

0:19:33.346,0:19:34.883
out of this relationship,

0:19:34.883,0:19:36.440
but sometimes you can

0:19:36.440,0:19:38.349
get really excited about things, maybe,

0:19:38.349,0:19:40.568
and not all that excitement

0:19:40.568,0:19:42.592
is grounded in truth.

0:19:42.592,0:19:43.792
And so it seems like

0:19:43.792,0:19:45.630
it's capturing, like, yes,

0:19:45.630,0:19:47.103
it needs to be emotional,

0:19:47.103,0:19:49.429
it needs to be wholehearted,

0:19:49.429,0:19:51.339
but it also needs to be based on truth.

0:19:51.339,0:19:55.063
And so God wants all of us,

0:19:55.063,0:19:57.104
every part of our body and brain,

0:19:57.104,0:20:00.509
to be intelligently appreciating[br]who He is

0:20:00.509,0:20:02.974
and wholeheartedly in love with,

0:20:02.974,0:20:04.853
and expressing that love to Him.

0:20:04.853,0:20:06.214
(Derek) I remember someone,

0:20:06.214,0:20:07.363
while you were sharing,

0:20:07.363,0:20:08.715
saying, "I don't mind making

0:20:08.715,0:20:10.854
a fool of myself in front of God."

0:20:10.854,0:20:12.253
Well, my question would be,

0:20:12.253,0:20:13.667
is God asking you to make

0:20:13.667,0:20:16.622
a fool of yourself in front of Him?

0:20:16.622,0:20:19.769
I like what Jonathan said.

0:20:19.769,0:20:22.128
My worship, we're talking here

0:20:22.128,0:20:23.718
about music, specifically,

0:20:23.718,0:20:25.407
should be uninhibited.

0:20:25.407,0:20:26.587
Like, "Oh, I don't know.

0:20:26.587,0:20:27.982
I'm not the greatest singer.

0:20:27.982,0:20:29.035
Maybe I can't just be

0:20:29.035,0:20:30.192
really singing like this

0:20:30.192,0:20:31.416
because Johnny can sing

0:20:31.416,0:20:33.214
a lot better than I can,"

0:20:33.214,0:20:35.127
or, "Susan is much more..."

0:20:35.127,0:20:37.580
So I'm not, like, inhibited

0:20:37.580,0:20:40.346
by what others might think,

0:20:40.346,0:20:44.151
but my brain is still in gear, right?

0:20:44.151,0:20:46.764
So the principles I've learned[br]from Scripture,

0:20:46.764,0:20:49.460
you know, if angels cover their faces

0:20:49.460,0:20:51.209
and cry, "Holy, holy, holy,"

0:20:51.209,0:20:53.013
I don't think God's asking us

0:20:53.013,0:20:54.328
to make a fool of ourselves

0:20:54.328,0:20:56.094
in front of Him, whatever that means.

0:20:56.094,0:20:57.238
Does that make sense?

0:20:57.238,0:20:59.735
Anybody else? "Spirit and Truth," Jason?

0:20:59.735,0:21:01.852
(Jason) Building off the idea[br]of truth there,

0:21:01.852,0:21:05.999
Jonathan referenced grounding it[br]in the truth,

0:21:05.999,0:21:07.192
and I think in this case

0:21:07.192,0:21:08.395
it's in the Word of God

0:21:08.395,0:21:10.373
and making sure that what you're singing,

0:21:10.373,0:21:11.512
what you're worshiping,

0:21:11.512,0:21:13.375
the music you're saying, is consistent

0:21:13.375,0:21:15.215
with what God has told us in His Word.

0:21:15.215,0:21:17.430
The principles, the beliefs, the values.

0:21:17.430,0:21:18.866
(Derek) Okay, anyone want

0:21:18.866,0:21:20.268
to add to that before I want

0:21:20.268,0:21:21.670
to apply it a little further?

0:21:21.670,0:21:22.764
Nicole and then Gladys.

0:21:22.764,0:21:24.151
(Nicole) I would add to that,

0:21:24.151,0:21:27.112
that it should be a worship that draws[br]you closer to Christ.

0:21:27.112,0:21:29.319
(Derek) So, what is the result[br]of that worship?

0:21:29.319,0:21:31.092
(Nicole) Right, and it should reflect

0:21:31.092,0:21:32.499
the Person you're worshiping.

0:21:32.499,0:21:34.434
(Derek) Oh, and the character of...Okay.

0:21:34.434,0:21:35.418
So if I just go back

0:21:35.418,0:21:37.794
with a lot of adrenaline[br]and emotional hype,

0:21:37.794,0:21:40.102
and then I just kind of crash,

0:21:40.102,0:21:41.468
rather than walking away

0:21:41.468,0:21:44.002
saying "God is awesome,"

0:21:44.002,0:21:47.718
"Jesus is my marvelous Savior," right,

0:21:47.718,0:21:49.959
what's the focus, okay?

0:21:49.959,0:21:55.357
Now, we've heard...Gladys, I'm sorry;[br]I forgot you.

0:21:55.357,0:21:56.563
(Gladys) Nicole just told

0:21:56.563,0:21:58.328
what I was going to say basically.

0:21:58.328,0:21:59.774
Sometimes we just get consumed

0:21:59.774,0:22:02.039
in the activity itself

0:22:02.039,0:22:04.369
instead of Who we're worshiping.

0:22:04.369,0:22:06.480
So, that should be the focus,

0:22:06.480,0:22:07.863
and, like you said,

0:22:07.863,0:22:09.838
after the worship is over,

0:22:09.838,0:22:12.582
that has to be like a renewal[br]of our spirit

0:22:12.582,0:22:14.506
instead of a draining activity

0:22:14.506,0:22:17.394
because we were just working out,[br]you know...

0:22:17.394,0:22:22.841
(Derek) Let's get very practical[br]then, okay?

0:22:22.841,0:22:24.914
Do we allow our worship

0:22:24.914,0:22:26.723
to really express to God

0:22:26.723,0:22:30.760
how we genuinely feel?

0:22:30.760,0:22:37.068
You know, I hear, "Holy, holy,[br]holy" [sad voice],

0:22:37.068,0:22:38.196
and you look at them,

0:22:38.196,0:22:43.367
and you go, "That's scary."

0:22:43.367,0:22:45.802
What are some things that hold us back?

0:22:45.802,0:22:47.228
Again, we're not talking

0:22:47.228,0:22:51.733
about showmanship or exhibitionism,

0:22:51.733,0:22:54.660
but, you know, that the angels

0:22:54.660,0:22:57.590
would look down and say, "Those people

0:22:57.590,0:22:59.547
really love our heavenly Father.

0:22:59.547,0:23:00.946
Look at them; look at the way

0:23:00.946,0:23:04.374
they're singing the songs of the Lord."

0:23:04.374,0:23:06.430
What might hold us back from that,

0:23:06.430,0:23:07.560
do you think? Nicole?

0:23:07.560,0:23:10.508
(Nicole) I think sometimes we get consumed[br]by our circumstance,

0:23:10.508,0:23:12.883
and we also get so down

0:23:12.883,0:23:14.291
by what's going on around us

0:23:14.291,0:23:15.636
that when we come to church,

0:23:15.636,0:23:17.384
we can't even put that aside to say,

0:23:17.384,0:23:19.681
"Thank You, Lord, for what You[br]<i>have</i> done for us."

0:23:19.681,0:23:20.772
We get so bogged down,

0:23:20.772,0:23:21.972
and, "Oh, this happened,"

0:23:21.972,0:23:23.773
and you're in church, "Holy, holy..."

0:23:23.773,0:23:26.514
It's our circumstances; we let those[br]take over our ability

0:23:26.514,0:23:28.519
to really be able to worship the Person...

0:23:28.519,0:23:29.767
(Derek) So, one thing then

0:23:29.767,0:23:31.673
that may hold us back, Nicole is saying,

0:23:31.673,0:23:33.363
is we bring a lot of stuff with us,

0:23:33.363,0:23:34.760
which is part of our lives,

0:23:34.760,0:23:36.117
but it could distract us.

0:23:36.117,0:23:39.186
What else might hold us back? Kenneth?

0:23:39.186,0:23:40.758
(Kenneth) Sometimes it's because

0:23:40.758,0:23:42.280
of those...like, we are afraid

0:23:42.280,0:23:44.451
of how people are going to criticize us,

0:23:44.451,0:23:46.535
so we are looking at how people

0:23:46.535,0:23:49.120
are going to interpret what we are doing.

0:23:49.120,0:23:50.424
And then, because of that,

0:23:50.424,0:23:53.433
we hold back from actually rendering

0:23:53.433,0:23:56.530
a very heartfelt worshiping to God.

0:23:56.530,0:23:57.977
(Derek) And part of the reason

0:23:57.977,0:23:59.017
we might be concerned

0:23:59.017,0:24:00.198
by what people think

0:24:00.198,0:24:01.318
is because we don't see

0:24:01.318,0:24:04.336
many other people uninhibited

0:24:04.336,0:24:06.436
in their expression of singing

0:24:06.436,0:24:07.569
the songs of the Lord.

0:24:07.569,0:24:10.641
If we saw some of them, and we see

0:24:10.641,0:24:14.320
they're not showmanship or exhibitionism,

0:24:14.320,0:24:17.840
they're just genuinely worshiping[br]the Lord,

0:24:17.840,0:24:21.434
that might give us a sense of what?

0:24:21.434,0:24:24.418
Freedom to be able to do so as well.

0:24:24.418,0:24:26.192
We've got lots of hands raised here.

0:24:26.192,0:24:27.866
Is this an important topic?

0:24:27.866,0:24:29.607
(Team) Yes.

0:24:29.607,0:24:31.035
(Derek) We have much to learn

0:24:31.035,0:24:33.792
from Ezra and Nehemiah.

0:24:33.792,0:24:36.043
Have you been to a worship service[br]recently

0:24:36.043,0:24:37.779
that looked like what we read

0:24:37.779,0:24:39.338
in Ezra and Nehemiah

0:24:39.338,0:24:42.683
where just, it was heard afar off?

0:24:42.683,0:24:46.534
There were choirs and singing.

0:24:46.534,0:24:49.837
(Team) No. It's been awhile.

0:24:49.837,0:24:51.350
(Derek) Jonathan, share a time

0:24:51.350,0:24:52.696
with me, if you would,

0:24:52.696,0:24:57.300
when you experienced worship with music.

0:24:57.300,0:24:59.116
You were talking to me about a time

0:24:59.116,0:25:00.918
that just really lifted you

0:25:00.918,0:25:02.788
to the throne room of God.

0:25:02.788,0:25:04.055
(Jonathan) Yeah, there was

0:25:04.055,0:25:05.776
a Christian concert that was

0:25:05.776,0:25:10.476
specifically focused on worship[br]that was amazing.

0:25:10.476,0:25:12.237
I went to it; I wasn't sure,

0:25:12.237,0:25:14.239
but after a little while, it was...

0:25:14.239,0:25:16.558
Yeah, I kind of lost the sense of time.

0:25:16.558,0:25:17.880
I was just forgetting

0:25:17.880,0:25:19.136
about the people around me

0:25:19.136,0:25:20.816
and just worshiping God...

0:25:20.816,0:25:22.436
(Derek) And what was your takeaway

0:25:22.436,0:25:24.343
when you left that concert?

0:25:24.343,0:25:25.454
(Jonathan) It felt like

0:25:25.454,0:25:26.716
kind of a taste of Heaven,

0:25:26.716,0:25:29.090
just the joy that it will be

0:25:29.090,0:25:33.491
to truly be able with your whole heart

0:25:33.491,0:25:36.767
to express and be singing beautiful songs.

0:25:36.767,0:25:38.810
Just, yeah, you enter another world,

0:25:38.810,0:25:41.446
and you don't have to worry[br]about the people around you.

0:25:41.446,0:25:43.976
It's loud enough that no one else[br]can really hear you,

0:25:43.976,0:25:45.984
and you're worshiping with all your heart.

0:25:45.984,0:25:46.993
(Derek) Anybody have

0:25:46.993,0:25:48.538
an experience like that? Evelyn?

0:25:48.538,0:25:50.587
(Evelyn) I think a time that I sensed that

0:25:50.587,0:25:52.506
was when you came to preach at Southern.

0:25:52.506,0:25:54.787
It was fairly recently.

0:25:54.787,0:25:56.951
We were singing, "Wonderful,[br]Merciful Savior,"

0:25:56.951,0:25:58.667
and I remember you kept directing

0:25:58.667,0:26:00.310
the students to sing the line

0:26:00.310,0:26:01.321
over and over again.

0:26:01.321,0:26:03.248
And I remember being so choked up

0:26:03.248,0:26:04.513
I could barely sing

0:26:04.513,0:26:05.832
because I felt like crying.

0:26:05.832,0:26:07.372
I was like, "God, You are

0:26:07.372,0:26:09.105
the One that we praise."

0:26:09.105,0:26:10.491
And I just remember thinking,

0:26:10.491,0:26:12.305
"I wish the service could be like this

0:26:12.305,0:26:14.001
every time we have vespers."

0:26:14.001,0:26:17.047
I mean, the music was[br]absolutely beautiful.

0:26:17.047,0:26:18.193
(Derek) I happened to be

0:26:18.193,0:26:20.706
at that same meeting,

0:26:20.706,0:26:26.670
and the presence of God was so palpable,

0:26:26.670,0:26:29.173
we didn't want to leave.

0:26:29.173,0:26:36.494
So, we know God wants to be with us[br]always like that.

0:26:36.494,0:26:39.133
So, again, maybe the stuff that we bring?

0:26:39.133,0:26:41.104
Now, to give a little context

0:26:41.104,0:26:43.478
to that beautiful music and worship,

0:26:43.478,0:26:47.124
the leaders of music had really prepared.

0:26:47.124,0:26:48.804
They were singing in key.

0:26:48.804,0:26:50.538
They had some beautiful instruments.

0:26:50.538,0:26:54.485
It wasn't loud and kind of overwhelming.

0:26:54.485,0:26:56.628
It was sweet and beautiful.

0:26:56.628,0:26:58.956
But also the people who had gathered;

0:26:58.956,0:27:00.429
many of them were going to go,

0:27:00.429,0:27:02.268
either as student missionaries...

0:27:02.268,0:27:03.921
Travis, you were there that night.

0:27:03.921,0:27:04.691
(Travis) I was.

0:27:04.691,0:27:06.687
(Derek) Many of them were going to go

0:27:06.687,0:27:09.945
for a year of volunteer mission service.

0:27:09.945,0:27:11.404
Many of them were going to go

0:27:11.404,0:27:12.992
and share the gospel message

0:27:12.992,0:27:14.978
in short meetings during the summer.

0:27:14.978,0:27:16.484
So the kind of people who came,

0:27:16.484,0:27:17.848
does that make a difference?

0:27:17.848,0:27:18.588
(Team) Yes.

0:27:18.588,0:27:21.076
(Derek) If people come with an open heart?[br]Stephanie?

0:27:21.076,0:27:22.339
(Stephanie) I was thinking

0:27:22.339,0:27:24.215
somewhat along the same line as Nicole.

0:27:24.215,0:27:27.098
The distraction that could be

0:27:27.098,0:27:29.817
is that we have lost our taste

0:27:29.817,0:27:32.494
and our desire for the things of God.

0:27:32.494,0:27:37.843
And so it no longer is beautiful to us.

0:27:37.843,0:27:39.652
(Derek) Ah, wow. Either it's

0:27:39.652,0:27:40.828
no longer beautiful,

0:27:40.828,0:27:42.077
or we just don't even know

0:27:42.077,0:27:44.103
what it looks like or what it sounds like.

0:27:44.103,0:27:46.444
I'm going to take one more comment[br]from Jonathan,

0:27:46.444,0:27:47.648
and then we need to go on

0:27:47.648,0:27:49.996
because singing is just one part

0:27:49.996,0:27:51.303
of worshiping the Lord.

0:27:51.303,0:27:52.237
But could we agree

0:27:52.237,0:27:55.030
from the 288 that David named

0:27:55.030,0:27:56.817
that it is an important part?

0:27:56.817,0:27:57.573
(Team) Yes.

0:27:57.573,0:27:58.718
(Derek) Yes, Jonathan.

0:27:58.718,0:28:00.612
(Jonathan) I just want to add something

0:28:00.612,0:28:03.195
to what was just previously said.

0:28:03.195,0:28:07.909
In our focus, where we[br]have our attention,

0:28:07.909,0:28:10.200
also affects the way we worship

0:28:10.200,0:28:12.647
and the way we sing.

0:28:12.647,0:28:15.495
So here we see that they were focused

0:28:15.495,0:28:18.390
on what God was doing for them,

0:28:18.390,0:28:21.175
so they could properly worship Him.

0:28:21.175,0:28:22.653
Sometimes we come to a church

0:28:22.653,0:28:24.277
thinking of other things,

0:28:24.277,0:28:26.104
and then the way we worship

0:28:26.104,0:28:27.449
is affected by that.

0:28:27.449,0:28:28.588
(Derek) Absolutely.

0:28:28.588,0:28:32.403
(Jonathan) If our taste,

0:28:32.403,0:28:36.595
as she was saying, for music, for worship

0:28:36.595,0:28:39.019
is destroyed or damaged

0:28:39.019,0:28:40.730
by what we observe,

0:28:40.730,0:28:42.220
if we want to restore it,

0:28:42.220,0:28:43.327
we have to observe

0:28:43.327,0:28:45.742
the proper thing, which is God.

0:28:45.742,0:28:47.472
(Derek) So, we come focusing on Him.

0:28:47.472,0:28:49.123
And I think, back to Evelyn,

0:28:49.123,0:28:50.279
your experience there,

0:28:50.279,0:28:52.119
people came who had surrendered

0:28:52.119,0:28:53.080
their lives to God,

0:28:53.080,0:28:55.928
and the worship leaders came prepared

0:28:55.928,0:28:57.211
to bring attention to God

0:28:57.211,0:28:58.881
and not to themselves,

0:28:58.881,0:29:02.557
and God showed up in a powerful way.

0:29:02.557,0:29:05.400
Another aspect of worshiping the Lord

0:29:05.400,0:29:07.555
is experiencing cleansing.

0:29:07.555,0:29:10.951
Let's look in Nehemiah, chapter 12.

0:29:10.951,0:29:13.092
Jason, if you could read that for us,

0:29:13.092,0:29:14.997
chapter 12 and verse 30?

0:29:14.997,0:29:16.863
(Jason) All right, and I'll be reading

0:29:16.863,0:29:18.402
from the New King James Version,

0:29:18.402,0:29:19.468
and the Bible says:

0:29:27.401,0:29:29.496
(Derek) Another word for purified is...?

0:29:29.496,0:29:31.140
(Derek, Team) Cleansed.

0:29:31.140,0:29:32.300
(Derek) So let's talk

0:29:32.300,0:29:38.029
about cleansing and worship.

0:29:38.029,0:29:44.803
Question: Should I be cleansed

0:29:44.803,0:29:47.654
before I come to worship - is that

0:29:47.654,0:29:50.155
an essential preparation for coming -

0:29:50.155,0:29:55.054
or can I experience cleansing[br]<i>in</i> the worship?

0:29:55.054,0:29:56.209
(Team) Both.

0:29:56.209,0:29:57.348
(Derek) Oh, both.

0:29:57.348,0:29:59.074
(Nicole) What is "cleansing"?

0:29:59.074,0:30:00.050
(Derek) Okay, that's

0:30:00.050,0:30:01.202
a good question, Nicole.

0:30:01.202,0:30:02.305
What is "cleansing"?

0:30:02.305,0:30:03.884
Well, "Create in me

0:30:03.884,0:30:06.050
a clean heart, O God..."

0:30:06.050,0:30:08.482
(Derek, Team) "Renew a right spirit[br]within me."

0:30:08.482,0:30:12.186
(Derek) Or...? Acts, chapter 2,

0:30:12.186,0:30:15.185
"Be baptized...for the washing away[br]of your sins."

0:30:15.185,0:30:17.566
So cleansing is forgiveness

0:30:17.566,0:30:20.943
and a restoration of purity,

0:30:20.943,0:30:23.732
and that's a gift of God.

0:30:23.732,0:30:26.021
Would that be a good preparation[br]for worship?

0:30:26.021,0:30:27.376
(Team) Yes. Sure.

0:30:27.376,0:30:28.417
(Derek) Can I come

0:30:28.417,0:30:30.104
if I've not experienced that?

0:30:30.104,0:30:31.118
(Team) Yes.

0:30:31.118,0:30:32.042
(Derek) Jonathan?

0:30:32.042,0:30:33.425
(Jonathan) I just want to say

0:30:33.425,0:30:34.996
that we cannot cleanse ourselves,

0:30:34.996,0:30:36.123
so we cannot pretend

0:30:36.123,0:30:39.412
to go in, cleaned, to worship.

0:30:39.412,0:30:42.881
So we have to have a "please" position,

0:30:42.881,0:30:44.789
a willingness to be cleansed,

0:30:44.789,0:30:46.715
and go in before His presence,

0:30:46.715,0:30:47.958
as we behold His presence,

0:30:47.958,0:30:49.291
as we worship Him,

0:30:49.291,0:30:54.174
as we are in contact with God,[br]we are cleansed.

0:30:54.174,0:30:55.744
(Derek) I remember someone said,

0:30:55.744,0:30:57.306
"I can't go and celebrate

0:30:57.306,0:30:58.921
the Lord's Supper," or Communion,

0:30:58.921,0:31:00.356
"because I don't feel worthy."

0:31:00.356,0:31:05.414
And I'm thinking, "Then no one could go."

0:31:05.414,0:31:08.153
That's why we go, because we're[br]not worthy - Who's worthy?

0:31:08.153,0:31:09.041
(Team) Jesus.

0:31:09.041,0:31:10.250
(Derek) Jesus is worthy.

0:31:10.250,0:31:11.265
Now, that's different

0:31:11.265,0:31:12.508
from 1 Corinthians 11,

0:31:12.508,0:31:13.774
talking about doing it

0:31:13.774,0:31:16.293
in an unworthy manner.

0:31:16.293,0:31:21.990
That's talking about carelessness,[br]lack of reverence.

0:31:21.990,0:31:25.042
but Jonathan makes a good point.

0:31:25.042,0:31:26.797
If I say, "Well, I don't think

0:31:26.797,0:31:28.061
I'm clean enough to come

0:31:28.061,0:31:29.297
and worship the Lord,"

0:31:29.297,0:31:31.285
it's in coming and worshiping Him

0:31:31.285,0:31:33.946
that I can experience that restoration

0:31:33.946,0:31:35.712
then transformation. Kenneth?

0:31:35.712,0:31:37.339
(Kenneth) Recently my wife took me

0:31:37.339,0:31:39.175
to enjoy one of the Christian

0:31:39.175,0:31:41.706
contemporary music festivals,

0:31:41.706,0:31:44.519
and at first I was hesitant.

0:31:44.519,0:31:46.230
But when we got there, what I saw

0:31:46.230,0:31:48.603
and what the musicians there said,

0:31:48.603,0:31:50.034
"You know, sometimes you guys

0:31:50.034,0:31:52.679
just think that the music[br]just comes naturally,

0:31:52.679,0:31:53.719
but let me tell you,

0:31:53.719,0:31:56.277
before I come to sing,

0:31:56.277,0:31:58.471
I spend some time with God.

0:31:58.471,0:32:00.360
Not a day," he said, "I dedicate

0:32:00.360,0:32:02.667
a week praying and preparing myself

0:32:02.667,0:32:05.756
so that the music that I'm going to sing[br]or minister,

0:32:05.756,0:32:07.828
is going to impact the lives of people."

0:32:07.828,0:32:10.044
So this is how I see this

0:32:10.044,0:32:12.473
about cleansing and preparation

0:32:12.473,0:32:14.369
that we can do, so that when we

0:32:14.369,0:32:16.422
come together with fellow believers,

0:32:16.422,0:32:19.106
the music will make a joyful noise to God

0:32:19.106,0:32:21.719
and impact the people who come there.

0:32:21.719,0:32:23.027
(Derek) That's interesting.

0:32:23.027,0:32:24.632
Kenneth's saying the preparation

0:32:24.632,0:32:27.739
is not only by the worshiper who comes

0:32:27.739,0:32:29.516
but the one who's leading in worship.

0:32:29.516,0:32:30.674
We're going to come back

0:32:30.674,0:32:31.921
to that a little later,

0:32:31.921,0:32:33.112
but that's so important.

0:32:33.112,0:32:35.418
Let's focus again on the need

0:32:35.418,0:32:37.364
for cleansing as part of worship.

0:32:37.364,0:32:40.187
First John 1, verse 9,

0:32:40.187,0:32:44.215
is fairly well known by many Christians

0:32:44.215,0:32:46.142
about, "If we confess our sins,"

0:32:46.142,0:32:50.021
but I would like to start in verse 7.

0:32:50.021,0:32:53.081
First John 1, Adison,

0:32:53.081,0:32:54.916
if you could start with verse 7.

0:32:54.916,0:32:56.916
Listen carefully, the Apostle John

0:32:56.916,0:32:58.819
speaking under inspiration of God,

0:32:58.819,0:33:00.556
verses 7 through 9.

0:33:00.556,0:33:01.933
(Adison) And I'll be reading

0:33:01.933,0:33:03.313
from the King James Version:

0:33:32.565,0:33:34.372
(Derek) How many of us need cleansing?

0:33:34.372,0:33:35.097
(Team) All.

0:33:35.097,0:33:37.049
(Derek) In fact, if we think we don't...?

0:33:37.049,0:33:38.383
(Team) We deceive ourselves.

0:33:38.383,0:33:41.295
(Derek) We deceive ourselves, right?

0:33:41.295,0:33:45.222
We all need cleansing, and, ideally,

0:33:45.222,0:33:46.942
before I even come to worship

0:33:46.942,0:33:48.434
I prepare, and I say, "Lord,

0:33:48.434,0:33:51.293
make me clean like the new-fallen snow."

0:33:51.293,0:33:54.401
But I may come just as I am and say,

0:33:54.401,0:33:56.448
"God, have mercy on me, a sinner."

0:33:56.448,0:33:58.570
Remember that man who beat on his...?

0:33:58.570,0:34:00.949
If he had waited to come...

0:34:00.949,0:34:03.121
No, he came just as he was,

0:34:03.121,0:34:04.677
and he experienced the cleansing

0:34:04.677,0:34:06.908
that he so desperately needed.

0:34:06.908,0:34:08.897
So this cleansing experience,

0:34:08.897,0:34:11.164
I'd like someone to share

0:34:11.164,0:34:13.345
a time when you experienced

0:34:13.345,0:34:18.617
that cleansing of God as you lifted

0:34:18.617,0:34:21.368
your heart in praise and worship to Him.

0:34:21.368,0:34:22.679
Anyone have a story

0:34:22.679,0:34:24.584
that comes to mind? Gladys.

0:34:24.584,0:34:26.755
(Gladys) Actually I was not in church.

0:34:26.755,0:34:28.293
I was in my classroom,

0:34:28.293,0:34:30.423
and my heart was very burdened

0:34:30.423,0:34:32.138
with situations that I had before.

0:34:32.138,0:34:34.183
But I had to teach Bible,

0:34:34.183,0:34:35.588
so I was like, "Lord,

0:34:35.588,0:34:36.878
I don't know how to do this

0:34:36.878,0:34:38.908
because my heart is not in it."

0:34:38.908,0:34:40.487
And it was Creation, so I said,

0:34:40.487,0:34:42.157
"Oh, I don't have to...I really...

0:34:42.157,0:34:44.428
I can do this with my eyes closed

0:34:44.428,0:34:46.412
because it's about Creation.

0:34:46.412,0:34:47.831
And for the first time,

0:34:47.831,0:34:50.823
God, with the singing the kids were doing,

0:34:50.823,0:34:52.580
and the reading of the Word of God,

0:34:52.580,0:34:55.009
God just blessed my heart.

0:34:55.009,0:34:56.825
When I read that Scripture,

0:34:56.825,0:34:58.830
"In the beginning, God

0:34:58.830,0:35:01.028
created the heavens and the earth,"

0:35:01.028,0:35:04.038
it struck me like for the first time.

0:35:04.038,0:35:05.408
I just started weeping

0:35:05.408,0:35:06.942
because I just could not believe

0:35:06.942,0:35:08.179
that in the beginning

0:35:08.179,0:35:09.974
the world was in chaos,

0:35:09.974,0:35:12.039
and I felt like God was talking to me,

0:35:12.039,0:35:13.785
"Your world is in chaos,

0:35:13.785,0:35:17.235
and I am here to bring light."

0:35:17.235,0:35:18.352
And it was just like

0:35:18.352,0:35:21.272
a wonderful worship experience for me,

0:35:21.272,0:35:23.382
and I was just not even ready for that.

0:35:23.382,0:35:25.841
And the kids were singing and singing,

0:35:25.841,0:35:27.352
you know, "Let There Be Light,"

0:35:27.352,0:35:28.695
"This Little Light of Mine."

0:35:28.695,0:35:30.417
I don't know how they just connected

0:35:30.417,0:35:31.614
all these songs together.

0:35:31.614,0:35:33.191
And it was just such a blessing,

0:35:33.191,0:35:34.581
and it was not even a church.

0:35:34.581,0:35:36.774
(Derek) It was a church, actually,

0:35:36.774,0:35:38.171
and the angels were saying

0:35:38.171,0:35:42.407
to the children, "Keep singing,[br]keep singing."

0:35:42.407,0:35:44.768
We can experience the cleansing of God

0:35:44.768,0:35:47.595
sometimes in unexpected places.

0:35:47.595,0:35:50.092
Anybody else have a story? Adison.

0:35:50.092,0:35:51.943
(Adison) Well, lately, I've been doing

0:35:51.943,0:35:55.319
a lot of road-tripping.

0:35:55.319,0:35:56.719
(Derek) For those who may be,

0:35:56.719,0:35:58.541
because we've got 150 countries,

0:35:58.541,0:36:00.388
"road-tripping" would mean...?

0:36:00.388,0:36:01.710
(Adison) Well, sometimes

0:36:01.710,0:36:02.944
it means going to Canada.

0:36:02.944,0:36:05.013
(Derek) Okay, so, long drives in a car?

0:36:05.013,0:36:08.215
(Adison) Long drives, sometimes[br]45, 48 hours.

0:36:08.215,0:36:10.163
(Derek) That is long.

0:36:10.163,0:36:12.956
(Adison) I try to space it out[br]a little bit

0:36:12.956,0:36:14.444
but sometimes knock it all out.

0:36:14.444,0:36:16.614
Anyway, there is a lot of time

0:36:16.614,0:36:19.338
to think as you're driving.

0:36:19.338,0:36:23.556
And I also enjoy listening to music.

0:36:23.556,0:36:25.635
And so, I was listening as I was driving

0:36:25.635,0:36:27.268
and thinking about Heaven

0:36:27.268,0:36:28.412
and thinking about Jesus

0:36:28.412,0:36:29.518
and all the good things

0:36:29.518,0:36:31.427
He's done for me personally.

0:36:31.427,0:36:33.302
This song began to play, and it was

0:36:33.302,0:36:35.890
called, "Lord, Have Mercy on Me,"

0:36:35.890,0:36:37.325
and I just began to...

0:36:37.325,0:36:38.858
It even brought tears to my eyes

0:36:38.858,0:36:40.764
because I began to rethink

0:36:40.764,0:36:43.745
just how imperfect I am

0:36:43.745,0:36:45.260
and the times I let people down

0:36:45.260,0:36:48.401
and the times when I just fall short.

0:36:48.401,0:36:50.555
And it really was a moving experience

0:36:50.555,0:36:52.266
at an unexpected time.

0:36:52.266,0:36:53.650
(Derek) And you were driving?

0:36:53.650,0:36:54.786
(Adison) I was driving.

0:36:54.786,0:36:57.417
(Derek) And you had windshield wipers[br]to wipe the tears?

0:36:57.417,0:36:59.426
(Adison) I suppose, yeah.

0:36:59.426,0:37:02.432
(Derek) God can catch us if we don't

0:37:02.432,0:37:05.334
keep putting up barriers, right?

0:37:05.334,0:37:07.437
Maybe at a Christian concert

0:37:07.437,0:37:10.577
or maybe one-on-one listening

0:37:10.577,0:37:12.862
while I'm on a long road trip,

0:37:12.862,0:37:15.223
God can catch our attention.

0:37:15.223,0:37:19.082
Songs of praise, important,

0:37:19.082,0:37:23.210
cleansing, important as part of worship.

0:37:23.210,0:37:24.823
But also the Bible speaks

0:37:24.823,0:37:27.918
about offering sacrifices.

0:37:27.918,0:37:30.793
Now we know in the Old Testament time,

0:37:30.793,0:37:33.833
the ceremonial system, those sacrifices

0:37:33.833,0:37:37.099
were animals, right, birds and animals

0:37:37.099,0:37:41.080
and grain offerings, and different parts,

0:37:41.080,0:37:42.814
all pointing forward to...?

0:37:42.814,0:37:44.014
(Team) Jesus.

0:37:44.014,0:37:46.444
(Derek) Jesus, our all-sufficient Savior.

0:37:46.444,0:37:49.247
Look at Nehemiah, chapter 12, verse 43.

0:37:49.247,0:37:50.503
Again, we're focusing here

0:37:50.503,0:37:52.755
on how they were worshiping

0:37:52.755,0:37:55.347
the Lord at that time.

0:37:55.347,0:37:57.557
Nehemiah, 12, Travis,

0:37:57.557,0:37:59.649
if you'd read verse 43.

0:37:59.649,0:38:00.815
Notice what it says.

0:38:00.815,0:38:01.985
(Travis) I'll be reading

0:38:01.985,0:38:03.786
from the New King James Version:

0:38:19.243,0:38:20.866
(Derek) What do you think it means

0:38:20.866,0:38:25.190
when it says they offered[br]"great sacrifices"?

0:38:25.190,0:38:27.267
First of all, do you think it's talking

0:38:27.267,0:38:30.139
about animal sacrifices there?

0:38:30.139,0:38:32.041
(Kenneth) Maybe even more than animals.

0:38:32.041,0:38:33.309
(Derek) Maybe more, but it

0:38:33.309,0:38:35.141
could include that, right? Jonathan.

0:38:35.141,0:38:36.472
(Jonathan) I was thinking it

0:38:36.472,0:38:38.327
could be alluding back to when Solomon

0:38:38.327,0:38:39.335
dedicated the temple.

0:38:39.335,0:38:41.270
And I was trying to think of the number,

0:38:41.270,0:38:44.242
but it was like thousands upon thousands,[br]all these sacrifices.

0:38:44.242,0:38:46.966
(Derek) So, would you say then...

0:38:46.966,0:38:48.566
But Kenneth's thinking it was

0:38:48.566,0:38:52.788
more than just maybe animal sacrifices[br]or sacrifice.

0:38:52.788,0:38:55.231
What other kinds of sacrifices

0:38:55.231,0:38:58.698
might they have offered that day?

0:38:58.698,0:39:01.097
(Gladys) Their time.

0:39:01.097,0:39:04.500
(Derek) Their time? Grain? Okay.

0:39:04.500,0:39:05.889
First fruits.

0:39:05.889,0:39:07.114
(Team Member) Themselves.

0:39:07.119,0:39:08.858
(Derek) Themselves, right?

0:39:08.858,0:39:10.738
(Team Member) For God's service.

0:39:10.738,0:39:13.138
(Derek) What's the "great," Travis?

0:39:13.138,0:39:15.480
(Travis) It says, the verse after that,

0:39:15.480,0:39:17.099
"At the same time," they appointed

0:39:17.099,0:39:18.208
rooms for a storehouse,

0:39:18.208,0:39:20.231
so that means if there were rooms

0:39:20.231,0:39:23.373
being appointed to store the offerings[br]and the things,

0:39:23.373,0:39:25.472
I'm thinking that they were bringing

0:39:25.472,0:39:28.306
gifts to the Lord, you know,

0:39:28.306,0:39:29.608
presenting things to Him.

0:39:29.608,0:39:32.153
(Derek) Some might have been animals[br]that were killed.

0:39:32.153,0:39:36.278
Some might have been free-will offerings,

0:39:36.278,0:39:38.218
sacrificial offerings that would help

0:39:38.218,0:39:39.681
the support of the temple,

0:39:39.681,0:39:44.511
the priests, the Levites,[br]the singers, right?

0:39:44.511,0:39:46.870
So, "great," would you say "great"

0:39:46.870,0:39:53.963
in terms of quantity or significance...?

0:39:53.963,0:39:58.053
(Team) Both.

0:39:58.053,0:40:02.844
(Derek) You say quality and quantity;[br]it was both.

0:40:02.844,0:40:05.871
You would say they weren't saying,

0:40:05.871,0:40:09.091
"What's the least I have to bring?"

0:40:09.091,0:40:11.093
You remember when Moses called

0:40:11.093,0:40:12.749
for the building of the sanctuary,

0:40:12.749,0:40:19.123
that the response was so overwhelming,

0:40:19.123,0:40:23.523
Moses had to say, "We have enough."

0:40:23.523,0:40:28.000
That's a heartfelt response, isn't it?[br]Yes, Nicole?

0:40:28.000,0:40:30.571
(Nicole) I was just thinking[br]it would be so nice today

0:40:30.571,0:40:33.278
if our churches could tell people[br]to stop bringing

0:40:33.278,0:40:34.551
because we have enough

0:40:34.551,0:40:36.066
to support the needy, the folks

0:40:36.066,0:40:37.493
who are in need in our church.

0:40:37.493,0:40:39.031
And it's just an example for us

0:40:39.031,0:40:40.516
that we have a ways to go

0:40:40.516,0:40:42.531
when it comes to doing what Christ wants,

0:40:42.531,0:40:44.070
which is helping those around us

0:40:44.070,0:40:46.010
that are in such need.

0:40:46.010,0:40:48.815
(Derek) So, let's talk about today.

0:40:48.815,0:40:52.167
We don't sacrifice animals.

0:40:52.167,0:40:54.577
Why don't we sacrifice lambs anymore?

0:40:54.577,0:40:55.774
(Team) Jesus came.

0:40:55.774,0:40:57.409
(Derek) Jesus <i>is</i> the Lamb of God.

0:40:57.409,0:41:00.101
He died once for all, right?

0:41:00.101,0:41:01.473
And so, instead of focusing

0:41:01.473,0:41:06.255
on a little, helpless lamb, beast,

0:41:06.255,0:41:08.948
we focus on Jesus, right?

0:41:08.948,0:41:12.057
So, what sacrifices can we bring

0:41:12.057,0:41:16.321
as part of worship in spirit and truth?

0:41:16.321,0:41:17.936
What do you think?

0:41:17.936,0:41:19.266
(Kenneth) I think somewhere

0:41:19.266,0:41:20.671
in the book of Romans it says

0:41:20.671,0:41:21.961
we should present ourselves

0:41:21.961,0:41:23.200
as a living sacrifice.

0:41:23.200,0:41:24.256
(Derek) That's right,

0:41:24.256,0:41:26.176
in Romans, chapter 12, doesn't it?

0:41:26.176,0:41:28.679
It says, "Present your bodies..."?

0:41:28.679,0:41:29.921
(Team) A living sacrifice.

0:41:29.921,0:41:31.606
(Derek) A living sacrifice,

0:41:31.606,0:41:35.055
holy, acceptable to God," my translation

0:41:35.055,0:41:38.291
says, "which is your reasonable service."

0:41:38.291,0:41:39.556
And it goes on to say,

0:41:39.556,0:41:42.221
"Don't be conformed to..."?

0:41:42.221,0:41:43.243
(Team) This world.

0:41:43.243,0:41:45.062
(Derek) "...to this world, but be..."?

0:41:45.062,0:41:47.391
(Team) "Transformed by the renewing[br]of your mind."

0:41:47.391,0:41:48.462
(Derek) So, maybe part

0:41:48.462,0:41:49.652
of the sacrifice we bring

0:41:49.652,0:41:52.283
is a willingness to...?

0:41:52.283,0:41:53.343
Finish the sentence.

0:41:53.343,0:41:54.628
(Gladys) To be transformed.

0:41:54.628,0:41:57.313
(Derek) To be transformed, that's right.

0:41:57.313,0:41:59.639
It's not, as Jonathan mentioned earlier,

0:41:59.649,0:42:01.924
that we come because we look so good.

0:42:01.924,0:42:03.369
But we are willing for God

0:42:03.369,0:42:04.845
to do whatever He wants to do.

0:42:04.845,0:42:06.325
Is that an act of worship?

0:42:06.325,0:42:07.625
(Team) Amen. Yes.

0:42:07.625,0:42:09.638
(Jonathan) It makes me think of the verse,

0:42:09.638,0:42:10.956
"The sacrifices of the Lord

0:42:10.956,0:42:12.667
are a broken and contrite spirit."

0:42:12.667,0:42:13.934
And I think that captures

0:42:13.934,0:42:16.011
a lot of what it's about

0:42:16.011,0:42:17.360
and what Christ went through

0:42:17.360,0:42:19.507
and His example for us.

0:42:19.507,0:42:22.619
Willing to be humble and come down

0:42:22.619,0:42:24.884
and be beaten by all these people

0:42:24.884,0:42:27.244
and to live a life without...

0:42:27.244,0:42:28.929
All the things that we look for,

0:42:28.929,0:42:31.185
He gave up and said, "Okay,

0:42:31.185,0:42:33.966
I give this up," and He lived

0:42:33.966,0:42:36.675
that Romans 12, "Let your bodies

0:42:36.675,0:42:38.228
be a living sacrifice."

0:42:38.228,0:42:39.317
(Derek) And I think

0:42:39.317,0:42:41.602
Jonathan's making an important point here

0:42:41.602,0:42:43.705
that, when we come to true worship

0:42:43.705,0:42:44.952
in spirit and truth,

0:42:44.952,0:42:49.087
our focus is not on whatever sacrifices[br]we are making.

0:42:49.087,0:42:50.406
We will make them,

0:42:50.406,0:42:51.956
as a loving response,

0:42:51.956,0:42:54.477
but our focus should be[br]on the sacrifice...?

0:42:54.477,0:42:56.266
(Team) That Jesus made.

0:42:56.266,0:42:58.538
(Derek) That He has made, right?

0:42:58.538,0:43:00.361
"God forbid," Paul says,

0:43:00.361,0:43:02.528
"that I should boast," or glory,

0:43:02.528,0:43:03.599
"except in the cross

0:43:03.599,0:43:05.828
of our Lord Jesus Christ."

0:43:05.828,0:43:11.430
That's where my focus should be,[br]in true worship.

0:43:11.430,0:43:16.003
So, how are we doing with that?

0:43:16.003,0:43:21.885
Is Christ always the focal point?

0:43:21.885,0:43:22.949
Is that not our prayer

0:43:22.949,0:43:24.507
in Hope Sabbath School?

0:43:24.507,0:43:26.716
Whatever we're studying about,

0:43:26.716,0:43:28.759
that people would catch a clearer

0:43:28.759,0:43:31.079
and yet clearer revelation of what?

0:43:31.079,0:43:32.028
(Team) Jesus.

0:43:32.028,0:43:34.278
(Derek) The immeasurable, unfailing[br]love of God,

0:43:34.278,0:43:35.919
and that Jesus would be...?

0:43:35.919,0:43:36.848
(Team) Lifted up.

0:43:36.848,0:43:38.207
(Derek) Would be lifted up.

0:43:38.207,0:43:41.701
So, the sacrifices we bring -

0:43:41.701,0:43:44.405
we're singing songs to the Lord,

0:43:44.405,0:43:46.957
we are experiencing cleansing,

0:43:46.957,0:43:50.179
and the sacrifice is...?

0:43:50.179,0:43:53.848
Ourselves in worship

0:43:53.848,0:43:56.539
and thankfulness to...?

0:43:56.539,0:43:57.551
The One who loved us

0:43:57.551,0:43:59.811
and gave Himself for us, right? Travis?

0:43:59.811,0:44:01.108
(Travis) And our sacrifices

0:44:01.108,0:44:03.067
also can be with our tithes and offerings

0:44:03.067,0:44:04.431
as they did back then

0:44:04.431,0:44:06.655
because the work can go forward,

0:44:06.655,0:44:09.536
you know, when we contribute.

0:44:09.536,0:44:11.846
Hope Sabbath School is donor-based.

0:44:11.846,0:44:15.836
Without offerings to the Hope Channel,

0:44:15.836,0:44:17.845
we wouldn't be here.

0:44:17.845,0:44:20.646
(Derek) Right, and some of you

0:44:20.646,0:44:22.377
pay to drive all the way here

0:44:22.377,0:44:25.684
or to fly all the way here, right?

0:44:25.684,0:44:28.721
Why do you do that?

0:44:28.721,0:44:30.420
Some might say, "They just want

0:44:30.420,0:44:31.452
to be on television."

0:44:31.452,0:44:33.466
Let me tell you, it's not worth it.

0:44:33.466,0:44:34.817
It has to be because you see

0:44:34.817,0:44:36.344
lives are being changed, right?

0:44:36.344,0:44:37.340
(Team) Amen. Yes.

0:44:37.340,0:44:40.119
(Derek) So your coming here[br]is an act of...?

0:44:40.119,0:44:41.304
(Team) Worship.

0:44:41.304,0:44:43.143
(Derek) It's an act of worship. Jason?

0:44:43.143,0:44:45.164
(Jason) And the utilizing[br]of our time, too.

0:44:45.164,0:44:46.865
(Derek) Which is an act of worship.

0:44:46.865,0:44:47.645
(Jason) Yes.

0:44:47.645,0:44:48.856
(Derek) Sure. Well, good.

0:44:48.856,0:44:50.619
We've got three important lessons

0:44:50.619,0:44:52.775
we've learned so far.

0:44:52.775,0:44:55.713
We've learned singing songs to the Lord

0:44:55.713,0:44:58.342
was a really important part[br]of worship then.

0:44:58.342,0:45:02.804
And we mustn't lose sight of that, right,

0:45:02.804,0:45:04.399
even if we're singing

0:45:04.399,0:45:07.894
a 200-, 300-, 500-year-old song,

0:45:07.894,0:45:10.466
a 3,000-year-old Scripture song.

0:45:10.466,0:45:12.563
If we're singing Martin Luther's

0:45:12.563,0:45:16.297
<i>A Mighty Fortress Is Our God,</i> you know?

0:45:16.297,0:45:18.662
"And though this world,[br]with devils filled,

0:45:18.662,0:45:23.503
should threaten to undo us,[br]we will not fear."

0:45:23.503,0:45:25.684
I mean, let's sing it like we meant it!

0:45:25.684,0:45:27.011
What do you think?

0:45:27.011,0:45:27.856
(Team) Yes. Amen.

0:45:27.856,0:45:30.110
(Derek) So that is an important part[br]of worship.

0:45:30.110,0:45:34.230
The cleansing is an important part[br]of worship.

0:45:34.230,0:45:40.488
And then thirdly, offering sacrifice,

0:45:40.488,0:45:45.836
not animals, but heart and gifts

0:45:45.836,0:45:47.516
in gratitude for what God has done,

0:45:47.516,0:45:50.745
not to pay or to earn His favor, right?

0:45:50.745,0:45:53.169
But a fourth lesson we learn,

0:45:53.169,0:45:56.694
look in Nehemiah 12, verse 44.

0:45:56.694,0:45:59.357
You could almost miss it.

0:45:59.357,0:46:02.851
It's actually just at at the end[br]of that verse,

0:46:02.851,0:46:06.886
and it talks about giving thanks

0:46:06.886,0:46:10.417
for those who lead in worship.

0:46:10.417,0:46:12.340
Would someone like to read that for us?

0:46:12.340,0:46:15.765
Gladys? Nehemiah 12, verse 44.

0:46:15.765,0:46:17.232
(Gladys) Yes, I'll be reading

0:46:17.232,0:46:18.916
from the New International Version:

0:46:41.243,0:46:42.578
(Derek) "Judah was pleased."

0:46:42.578,0:46:44.698
My Bible says they "rejoiced."

0:46:44.698,0:46:48.823
In other words, they appreciated

0:46:48.823,0:46:51.271
the spiritual leadership

0:46:51.271,0:46:54.621
that was being provided.

0:46:54.621,0:46:55.802
Who did they represent,

0:46:55.802,0:46:59.756
these priests and Levites?

0:46:59.756,0:47:02.965
Who do they represent?

0:47:02.965,0:47:04.870
The solemn thought

0:47:04.870,0:47:06.959
is that they actually represent

0:47:06.959,0:47:08.858
the character of God.

0:47:08.858,0:47:12.619
And that's why Jesus gets so upset

0:47:12.619,0:47:14.558
when He comes and they've turned

0:47:14.558,0:47:16.195
His Father's house into...?

0:47:16.195,0:47:17.725
(Derek, Team) A den of thieves.

0:47:17.725,0:47:20.171
(Derek) A marketplace, "How <i>dare</i> you

0:47:20.171,0:47:21.874
do that?" He says.

0:47:21.874,0:47:24.058
"It shall be called a house[br]of prayer for..."?

0:47:24.058,0:47:26.025
(Derek, Team) All people.

0:47:26.025,0:47:27.713
(Derek) So the responsibility

0:47:27.713,0:47:29.855
of those leading in worship

0:47:29.855,0:47:34.318
is to reflect the character of God, right?

0:47:34.318,0:47:37.235
So, let's talk about a time

0:47:37.235,0:47:39.325
when God blessed you...

0:47:39.325,0:47:40.492
We talked about music,

0:47:40.492,0:47:42.443
but I'm now going to broaden it out

0:47:42.443,0:47:44.250
to worship in general,

0:47:44.250,0:47:50.107
when God used someone,

0:47:50.107,0:47:52.103
in a sense representing the truth

0:47:52.103,0:47:55.353
about who He was,

0:47:55.353,0:47:58.053
to bless your life in worship.

0:47:58.053,0:47:59.399
Can you think of a time?

0:47:59.399,0:48:00.861
It may have been in a church,

0:48:00.861,0:48:02.561
or it may have been somewhere else.

0:48:02.561,0:48:04.268
It may have been at a camp,

0:48:04.268,0:48:07.290
or it may have been at a training program.

0:48:07.290,0:48:09.390
Travis, a time that God used someone

0:48:09.390,0:48:14.016
to bless your life in worship.

0:48:14.016,0:48:16.039
(Travis) I did the school of evangelism

0:48:16.039,0:48:18.201
in Australia, an ARISE program,

0:48:18.201,0:48:20.458
and I remember the last day,

0:48:20.458,0:48:24.258
It was a Thursday, and the presenter[br]was James Rafferty.

0:48:24.258,0:48:26.610
And he was presenting Revelation in a way

0:48:26.610,0:48:29.109
I had never seen it presented before.

0:48:29.109,0:48:32.106
And I remember it was an hour long,

0:48:32.106,0:48:33.300
and I remember weeping

0:48:33.300,0:48:35.007
almost the entire time,

0:48:35.007,0:48:36.491
the way he presented Jesus

0:48:36.491,0:48:38.719
in the light of love in Revelation.

0:48:38.719,0:48:40.319
It was just an amazing thing.

0:48:40.319,0:48:42.254
I taped it on my phone,

0:48:42.254,0:48:44.222
and I still have it and will listen to it

0:48:44.222,0:48:45.837
sometimes, from time to time.

0:48:45.837,0:48:47.638
And it still brings tears to my eyes.

0:48:47.638,0:48:49.856
So God used him in a powerful way.

0:48:49.856,0:48:55.525
(Derek) So God used a man named James

0:48:55.525,0:49:00.312
to reflect the beauty of God's character

0:49:00.312,0:49:02.061
in the message that he shared.

0:49:02.061,0:49:05.162
And praise God that that messenger

0:49:05.162,0:49:08.099
didn't get in the way, right?

0:49:08.099,0:49:10.365
It could happen. Stephanie, a time?

0:49:10.365,0:49:11.954
(Stephanie) Yeah, I was thinking

0:49:11.954,0:49:14.705
of a church that I attended in Tennessee,

0:49:14.705,0:49:16.065
and the leader who was

0:49:16.065,0:49:17.972
leading out in the songs,

0:49:17.972,0:49:20.969
she sang with such joy.

0:49:20.969,0:49:22.941
And I told her later, I said,

0:49:22.941,0:49:24.870
"You sing as if you believed

0:49:24.870,0:49:26.184
what you were singing."

0:49:26.184,0:49:28.179
And she said, "I do."

0:49:28.179,0:49:29.880
And it was just so inspiring

0:49:29.880,0:49:32.445
to see her smiling face.

0:49:32.445,0:49:34.342
And really, we're marching

0:49:34.342,0:49:36.120
to Zion, you know?

0:49:36.120,0:49:38.102
Whatever the songs were,

0:49:38.102,0:49:41.104
she was very engaged, and you could tell

0:49:41.104,0:49:44.568
she believed the message she was singing.

0:49:44.568,0:49:47.028
And that inspired me because I thought

0:49:47.028,0:49:48.980
that's an awesome example.

0:49:48.980,0:49:50.489
(Derek) That was part

0:49:50.489,0:49:53.462
of the sermon, right?

0:49:53.462,0:49:55.057
That God can use a person,

0:49:55.057,0:49:56.082
we ought to thank God

0:49:56.082,0:49:59.280
for those people. Adison?

0:49:59.280,0:50:01.966
(Adison) A pastor back home came to mind.

0:50:01.966,0:50:03.595
He's an old family friend of ours.

0:50:03.595,0:50:06.929
He baptized my dad back in 1994,

0:50:06.929,0:50:11.444
and in 2011 he baptized my brother and me,

0:50:11.444,0:50:13.909
my twin brother, both on the same day,

0:50:13.909,0:50:15.635
so it was a really special moment.

0:50:15.635,0:50:16.687
But what led to that

0:50:16.687,0:50:19.676
was his involvement in our church.

0:50:19.676,0:50:21.045
He would come to our church,

0:50:21.045,0:50:21.978
and he would preach

0:50:21.978,0:50:23.486
and lead out in worship.

0:50:23.486,0:50:26.694
And I remember growing up as a child

0:50:26.694,0:50:28.629
and moving into my early teens,

0:50:28.629,0:50:31.284
just the impact of his messages,

0:50:31.284,0:50:37.184
and the sincerity that he possessed.

0:50:37.184,0:50:38.549
He was truly vindicating

0:50:38.549,0:50:39.950
the character of Christ,

0:50:39.950,0:50:42.026
and it had a huge impression on my life.

0:50:42.026,0:50:44.586
And so his ability to lead in worship

0:50:44.586,0:50:49.469
ultimately led to my cleansing,[br]experiencing baptism

0:50:49.469,0:50:51.084
and truly a blessing.

0:50:51.084,0:50:52.385
(Derek) Is he still living?

0:50:52.385,0:50:53.731
(Adison) He is still living.

0:50:53.731,0:50:55.015
(Derek) I hope he watches.

0:50:55.015,0:50:56.169
(Adison) I hope so, too.

0:50:56.169,0:50:58.031
(Derek) And he will see that testimony,

0:50:58.031,0:50:59.388
and you know what he'll say?

0:50:59.388,0:51:00.554
(Team) Praise God.

0:51:00.554,0:51:02.254
(Derek) Probably with tears running

0:51:02.254,0:51:04.321
down his cheeks, right,

0:51:04.321,0:51:06.991
he'll say, "Praise God," or he may

0:51:06.991,0:51:09.095
even use my favorite Hebrew word.

0:51:09.095,0:51:11.345
(Team) Hallelujah.

0:51:11.345,0:51:14.073
(Derek) Maybe a little less inhibited.

0:51:14.073,0:51:17.874
Hallelujah! That God could use

0:51:17.874,0:51:21.623
a woman, a man like us, you know,

0:51:21.623,0:51:25.633
to do something supernatural

0:51:25.633,0:51:27.995
like change a person's life?

0:51:27.995,0:51:32.666
Praise God. Someone else. Yes, Jason?

0:51:32.666,0:51:34.414
(Jason) I was invited to church

0:51:34.414,0:51:37.037
a while back in Norfolk, Virginia.

0:51:37.037,0:51:38.664
And I forget his name,

0:51:38.664,0:51:40.725
but he asked me to come, and I did.

0:51:40.725,0:51:42.755
He was an older gentleman, kind of stocky,

0:51:42.755,0:51:43.627
but he had a voice

0:51:43.627,0:51:45.844
that was very, very bass-like,

0:51:45.844,0:51:47.203
and they had a song

0:51:47.203,0:51:48.964
that they were singing at the church.

0:51:48.964,0:51:50.522
He was sitting right next to me,

0:51:50.522,0:51:52.297
and he was drowning me out.

0:51:52.297,0:51:55.638
And it allowed me to be uninhibited,[br]for me to express,

0:51:55.638,0:51:58.267
and I could just sing and sing and sing.

0:51:58.267,0:51:59.713
And, you know, it might not

0:51:59.713,0:52:00.762
seem like a blessing,

0:52:00.762,0:52:02.138
but at the same time, it was

0:52:02.138,0:52:03.997
because I could just be myself and sing

0:52:03.997,0:52:05.263
because, of course, no one

0:52:05.263,0:52:06.231
could really hear me

0:52:06.231,0:52:07.520
because he was next to me,

0:52:07.520,0:52:08.839
just barely, and from afar,

0:52:08.839,0:52:10.477
everybody could hear him.

0:52:10.477,0:52:12.487
As I looked back, it really was a blessing

0:52:12.487,0:52:14.011
because at that point,

0:52:14.011,0:52:15.176
I was a babe in Christ.

0:52:15.176,0:52:17.059
I was kind of scared to sing, you know,

0:52:17.059,0:52:18.449
because I really can't sing.

0:52:18.449,0:52:19.731
But I made a joyful noise,

0:52:19.731,0:52:21.094
however that sounded to him,

0:52:21.094,0:52:22.492
but it really was a blessing.

0:52:22.492,0:52:23.420
It really helped me

0:52:23.420,0:52:24.911
to come out of my comfort zone.

0:52:24.911,0:52:25.887
(Derek) Like singing

0:52:25.887,0:52:26.975
with the angel choirs;

0:52:26.975,0:52:29.745
like, sing up; it's going to sound okay.

0:52:29.745,0:52:32.231
It's going to sound okay.

0:52:32.231,0:52:33.627
We certainly can thank God

0:52:33.627,0:52:35.585
for people who lead in worship,

0:52:35.585,0:52:38.056
who God's used to bless our lives.

0:52:38.056,0:52:40.730
I'd like to close by asking...[br]We're talking here

0:52:40.730,0:52:42.287
about <i>Worshiping the Lord.</i>

0:52:42.287,0:52:44.036
The Bible also says, "When you give,

0:52:44.036,0:52:45.837
it's given back to you."

0:52:45.837,0:52:47.210
Can you think of a time

0:52:47.210,0:52:49.437
when God gave <i>you</i> the opportunity

0:52:49.437,0:52:50.909
to help lead a worship,

0:52:50.909,0:52:56.009
and you were blessed in that experience?

0:52:56.009,0:52:57.796
Anybody? That <i>you</i> were given

0:52:57.796,0:52:58.884
an opportunity to lead

0:52:58.884,0:53:00.102
in worship. Kenneth?

0:53:00.102,0:53:01.595
(Kenneth) I recently was at one

0:53:01.595,0:53:03.949
of our Friday worships that we have,

0:53:03.949,0:53:05.952
young couples, we meet.

0:53:05.952,0:53:08.560
And everyone, not knowing

0:53:08.560,0:53:11.752
that everyone has had a very rough week,

0:53:11.752,0:53:13.827
so when we came, they said I should lead.

0:53:13.827,0:53:16.832
And after we read a Scripture,

0:53:16.832,0:53:19.387
I asked how is the message...

0:53:19.387,0:53:20.391
You know, how is God

0:53:20.391,0:53:21.741
speaking to them personally.

0:53:21.741,0:53:23.509
And then each individual shared

0:53:23.509,0:53:25.264
their experience throughout the week

0:53:25.264,0:53:26.519
and how the hymns and then

0:53:26.519,0:53:28.899
the Scripture was very appropriate,[br]speaking to us.

0:53:28.899,0:53:31.336
So, that, yeah, testimony

0:53:31.336,0:53:32.794
that they shared on that day

0:53:32.794,0:53:34.702
really blessed me and lifted me up.

0:53:34.702,0:53:36.045
(Derek) And this was a group

0:53:36.045,0:53:37.177
of how many couples?

0:53:37.177,0:53:38.429
(Kenneth) About eight.

0:53:38.429,0:53:39.799
(Derek) About eight couples,

0:53:39.799,0:53:41.933
you and your wife were helping[br]to lead that.

0:53:41.933,0:53:44.171
And as God gave you a Scripture,

0:53:44.171,0:53:45.330
and as they responded

0:53:45.330,0:53:47.578
to how that impacted them,

0:53:47.578,0:53:48.936
you were blessed in return?

0:53:48.936,0:53:50.321
(Kenneth) More than blessed.

0:53:50.321,0:53:51.596
(Derek) More than blessed,

0:53:51.596,0:53:53.184
more than blessed. Yes, Gladys.

0:53:53.184,0:53:56.377
(Gladys) Every month I do prison ministry

0:53:56.377,0:53:58.749
at a prison here in Maryland.

0:53:58.749,0:54:00.684
And it's just amazing how...

0:54:00.684,0:54:03.228
We don't have any contact with them

0:54:03.228,0:54:05.356
prior to going to visit,

0:54:05.356,0:54:07.559
and I preach there regularly.

0:54:07.559,0:54:09.239
And it amazes me always

0:54:09.239,0:54:11.226
the message that God

0:54:11.226,0:54:13.736
impresses me to present,

0:54:13.736,0:54:16.236
how the songs that they prepare,

0:54:16.236,0:54:18.050
the prayers that they prepare,

0:54:18.050,0:54:19.573
everything that they share,

0:54:19.573,0:54:22.669
it just goes together.

0:54:22.669,0:54:25.153
It amazes me every single time

0:54:25.153,0:54:27.771
because we never talk with them

0:54:27.771,0:54:29.468
to say, "Hey, read this Scripture,"

0:54:29.468,0:54:30.749
or, "Sing this song,"

0:54:30.749,0:54:31.930
or, "Prepare this hymn."

0:54:31.930,0:54:32.961
We just come prepared

0:54:32.961,0:54:34.147
to bring the message,

0:54:34.147,0:54:37.246
and everything in the worship[br]just comes together,

0:54:37.246,0:54:39.348
and it blesses me every single time.

0:54:39.348,0:54:40.739
And I always say that that's

0:54:40.739,0:54:43.212
my favorite Sabbath of the month.

0:54:43.212,0:54:45.122
(Derek) As you come to worship together.

0:54:45.122,0:54:46.069
(Gladys) Yes.

0:54:46.069,0:54:49.755
(Derek) God may give you the opportunity,

0:54:49.755,0:54:53.042
not only to go and worship,

0:54:53.042,0:54:55.711
sing with all your heart,

0:54:55.711,0:55:03.095
experience cleansing, offer sacrifices,

0:55:03.095,0:55:06.432
affirm those who are leading in worship,

0:55:06.432,0:55:07.705
but God may also give you

0:55:07.705,0:55:09.743
an opportunity to lead.

0:55:09.743,0:55:10.970
He may, in response

0:55:10.970,0:55:12.708
to what we've studied here,

0:55:12.708,0:55:13.920
or maybe you're watching,

0:55:13.920,0:55:16.485
God may give you a chance to lead.

0:55:16.485,0:55:20.988
So, we've talked about the importance[br]of preparation.

0:55:20.988,0:55:22.844
From what you've learned

0:55:22.844,0:55:25.794
about worshiping in spirit and truth,

0:55:25.794,0:55:26.732
what would you say

0:55:26.732,0:55:29.056
is the most important preparation,

0:55:29.056,0:55:31.933
either in <i>coming</i> to worship

0:55:31.933,0:55:34.108
or in coming to <i>lead</i> worship?

0:55:34.108,0:55:36.069
Maybe it's the same for both.

0:55:36.069,0:55:38.062
The most important preparation,

0:55:38.062,0:55:39.945
what would you say, Travis?

0:55:39.945,0:55:41.950
(Travis) Courage and humility.

0:55:41.950,0:55:45.397
(Derek) Okay, courage to not be inhibited,

0:55:45.397,0:55:46.952
but humility to say

0:55:46.952,0:55:49.482
it's all about Him and not about me.

0:55:49.482,0:55:52.012
All right; you want to add[br]to that, Jonathan?

0:55:52.012,0:55:54.304
(Jonathan) Recognition of our dependence[br]upon Him

0:55:54.304,0:55:56.195
and just throwing ourselves upon Him...

0:55:56.195,0:55:58.184
(Derek) Even when we come to worship,

0:55:58.184,0:56:00.562
not just coming to lead worship.

0:56:00.562,0:56:02.404
(Jonathan) Yeah, in multiple ways.

0:56:02.404,0:56:05.113
(Derek) Right? "God, even [br]coming to worship,

0:56:05.113,0:56:10.399
I really can't worship You[br]like You deserve,"

0:56:10.399,0:56:11.658
for a variety of reasons,

0:56:11.658,0:56:13.479
bringing a lot of stuff with me,

0:56:13.479,0:56:14.898
or, "I've never seen people

0:56:14.898,0:56:17.477
really worshiping in spirit and truth,

0:56:17.477,0:56:21.458
but here I am, and I come[br]in my great need.

0:56:21.458,0:56:23.923
You do what You need to do." Evelyn?

0:56:23.923,0:56:25.137
(Evelyn) I've been a part

0:56:25.137,0:56:27.295
of some worship teams here and there,

0:56:27.295,0:56:29.131
and sometimes the team is very focused

0:56:29.131,0:56:31.031
on, "We need to get the harmony right,"

0:56:31.031,0:56:32.294
and, "We need to make sure

0:56:32.294,0:56:34.075
we hit every note exactly."

0:56:34.075,0:56:35.509
And we don't exactly focus

0:56:35.509,0:56:38.040
on, "Okay, is this music[br]really uplifting God?"

0:56:38.040,0:56:40.041
Or, "Are the people who are going to hear

0:56:40.041,0:56:41.075
going to be blessed?"

0:56:41.075,0:56:42.703
And I realize that those worships

0:56:42.703,0:56:44.879
are the ones where I'm most nervous in.

0:56:44.879,0:56:46.823
It's the worships that we are

0:56:46.823,0:56:50.205
anxious to go and sing.

0:56:50.205,0:56:52.288
However, I've contrasted that

0:56:52.288,0:56:54.241
with worships where we're really praying.

0:56:54.241,0:56:55.452
We're saying, "God, I ask

0:56:55.452,0:56:57.430
that this music bless those who hear it."

0:56:57.430,0:56:59.474
Those are the best worships[br]that we've had.

0:56:59.474,0:57:00.546
(Derek) The very best.

0:57:00.546,0:57:01.822
When God is lifted up,

0:57:01.822,0:57:05.075
when my heart is aligned with His heart,

0:57:05.075,0:57:06.166
when I'm saying, "God,

0:57:06.166,0:57:07.848
this is all about You," whether I'm

0:57:07.848,0:57:09.820
worshiping or leading in worship,

0:57:09.820,0:57:14.460
whether I'm singing, whether I'm asking[br]for cleansing,

0:57:14.460,0:57:17.259
whether I'm offering a sacrifice

0:57:17.259,0:57:20.868
or giving thanks for those[br]who are worshiping,

0:57:20.868,0:57:23.098
"Let my heart beat with Your heart,

0:57:23.098,0:57:26.617
and let my worship, by Your grace,

0:57:26.617,0:57:27.841
bring joy to Your heart."

0:57:27.841,0:57:29.093
Is that your prayer today?

0:57:29.093,0:57:29.962
(Team) Amen.

0:57:29.962,0:57:31.659
(Derek) Let's pray that will happen

0:57:31.659,0:57:32.644
even in the worships

0:57:32.644,0:57:33.914
that are just ahead of us.

0:57:33.914,0:57:35.142
Father in Heaven, You are

0:57:35.142,0:57:36.954
worthy of all worship.

0:57:36.954,0:57:38.542
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,

0:57:38.542,0:57:41.245
for all You have done for our salvation,

0:57:41.245,0:57:43.968
we praise You and worship You even today.

0:57:43.968,0:57:45.639
And we pray, from the principles

0:57:45.639,0:57:47.467
we've learned from Ezra and Nehemiah,

0:57:47.467,0:57:49.925
that we would go on to worship You

0:57:49.925,0:57:52.395
in spirit and truth, just as Jesus

0:57:52.395,0:57:54.422
longed for us to do.

0:57:54.422,0:57:56.706
We pray it in Jesus' name. Amen.

0:57:56.706,0:57:57.934
(Team) Amen.

0:57:57.934,0:57:59.344
(Derek) Thanks for joining us

0:57:59.344,0:58:00.490
for Hope Sabbath School!

0:58:00.490,0:58:02.247
Go out and be a blessing

0:58:02.247,0:58:03.497
to those around you.

0:58:03.497,0:58:29.428
♪ theme music ♪