It is a great delight to be in the house of the Lord. There is something thrilling in hearing the gospel sung by redeemed saints. There's nothing like it in this world other than the preaching of the gospel, which is even better. But it prepares your heart for it. And I thought as I was engaged in singing and listening to you sing, it came to mind what Mary said as she came into the presence of Elizabeth. My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit doth rejoice in God my Savior. What a great blessing it is to not only be able to sing, but to understand who I'm singing about. to have the blessing of knowing this Christ who ascended to the world. There's nothing like it. In New York Harbor, on a small island, there's a great beacon that represents to many hope and freedom. In one arm, they say she holds the book, the Bible. In the other arm is a torch. We call her the Statue of Liberty or Lady Liberty. There were many men and women who were struggling under oppressive tyrants, struggling under persecution and oppression, who longed to experience the freedoms and liberties that you and I in this great nation experience. And they fought. to our shores. And every time that they came into New York Harbor, this symbol of freedom holding her light, they looked and gazed at with such great promise. On the pedestal, there's written these words. Give me your tired, your poor. Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free. The homeless refuge of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, the tempest tossed to me. What glorious words of welcome, encouragement, and hope that is given to people who are oppressed. It is words that we, as free people, should never be ashamed of expressing. And we who love freedom should not only love freedom for ourselves, but we should love freedom for all who are truly oppressed. We should welcome them. But I want to remind you, there is a greater hope and a greater freedom than even what the Statue of Liberty represents. For after all, brethren, it only represents the hope of a free people and a free government. When that is extinguished, those same free people begin to live under tyranny. It is temporary. Because the hope is based upon a worldly system, and worldly systems come and go, no matter how great the civilization, no matter how noble the men who created it. Brethren, freedom is only good when godly people are at the forefront, because it's righteousness that exalts the nation. It is wickedness that leads people into bondage. But I want to present to you, because these people came believing that America is the last great hope of the world. And there's a lot of people who believe that. I don't. I don't believe that America or the government of America was intended to be the last great hope of the world. I believe that Jesus Christ is the only hope of the world and he's the only light that can banish darkness. He's the only light that can liberate a darkened soul. He's the only light that can truly deliver us from true oppression, which is by Satan and sin. Our problem is not governments. Our problem is the government and rule of sin in our lives that oppresses us and destroys our lives. And it's that freedom that we need to look to. We have a greater light that is held for us, a welcoming light. One who says, come unto me, all ye that are weary and heavy laden, and I'll give you rest. Brethren, let me tell you, Jesus Christ offers more to us than any government, no matter how free, no matter how noble, no matter what their history is, Jesus Christ holds to us permanent liberty. John would write of him when he comes, and I want to point you to him. The scripture says, is the light of the world. That's what we find. And 1 John, this great declaration, this great magnificent assertion by John the Apostle of who Jesus Christ is. And let me tell you, brethren, unless you see Him as He is, you never will experience the freedom from the tyranny of Satan and sin. Jesus is more than mere man. He is more than a great prophet. He is more than what Nicodemus understood. He is more than a man sent by God to teach. Jesus Christ Himself And this is why he's such great light is because he is God manifest in the flesh. He is not a man sent from God to teach. He is God come to teach man. He comes as the light of the world. Oh brethren, that's our hope. That's why our souls rejoice today, because in our gospel, I love God bless America. I love, oh, beautiful for spacious skies. I get a thrill hearing the Star Spangled Banner. But brethren, it does not last like the Psalms of Zion. Boy, when I feel guilt. over sin, you don't hear me calling out to the Constitution. You don't hear me calling my senator and saying, hey, senator, I've got a problem. Can you help with me? Can you help me with my sin problem? No. I've got one who stands as a light. And let me tell you, while I'm at it, Do you know that's what you are? You are his light in the present world. That's what he taught. In Matthew 5, when he was given the characteristics of the regenerated people, he says, you are the light. Do you know why you're light? because you bear the light of him who is the light. See, what this great light has done is come through the Holy Spirit into the darkness and imprisonment and in bondage of your very hard, stony, wicked, lustful, deceitful heart, and manifested His presence. If you'll read further in that Galatians 4, it tells us about God sending His Spirit, crying, Abba, Father, This light illuminates your souls. You want to know who the best hope of America is? It is not the Congress of the United States. It is not the president, whether it's a Republican or whether it's a Democrat. That is not our hope. You want to know who can make a difference in the country that we live in and the countries in all the other places of the world? It is people. who have been set free by the light of the world and who understands that within them is living the living presence of God and they manifest that by magnifying the Lord as Mary did and rejoicing in God our Savior. And that you're walking in the light as He is in the light. What is your beacon? What is your hope resting in? Brethren, for you and me, there's no other hope outside of Jesus Christ. There's nothing that can tarnish him. Do you know the Statue of Liberty has constantly been cleaned? It has constantly been restored? It is constantly bearing the elements, and you see that, but not so King Jesus. Brethren, he sits enthroned in heaven. That's where our hope is. My hope is not in myself. Our hope is not in the government, but our hope is in him who is the light of the world. And 1 John tells us that in him was life, and the life was the light of men. Oh, brethren, I'm glad to be able to stand before you and tell you, let that beacon draw you. I'm glad that I can tell you and encourage you, no matter how oppressed you feel, no matter how depressed you've gotten because life stinks at times, no matter how many disappointments or discouragements that you have, No matter how weak the body, no matter how you may suffer losses, no matter how that your house and your dreams and all that you wanted have come crushing down and you are sitting in the dust feeling that you're ruined and lost and have nothing. Let me tell you, turn your eyes upon Jesus Christ. Brethren, He is able to raise us up out of the dust. He is able to restore all shattered dreams. He is able to give us of His eternal goodness and mercy. And brethren, His love for us is everlasting that nothing that befalls us will ever separate us from His love. Turn to Him. You feel weak, turn to this light who gives you strength. You feel sad, turn to him. Let me tell you, there's been many occasions in my life where my heart has been shattered and broken. I have many good friends who tried to comfort me saying such words who are upholding me in prayer. They in themselves could not assuage the deep rivers and waters of grief and despair. In the midst of darkness. Black as night. In a time when I thought I would be losing my mind. When I felt totally alone, helpless. There was a light. that shone in the midst of the darkness, whose name was Jesus. He says, come to me. Brethren, I fled to this rock of ages, and I was comforted and found strength to press on. You, as the church, Just as your Master says, come unto me. What is the message of the church? The Spirit and the Bride say come. That's the glorious message of the Gospel to everyone who feels the oppression and tyranny of their sins. To everyone who is struggling under attacks of Satan. to everyone that has been brought to the dust and sees that they are nothing in themselves. I say to you, come, come to the light. Come. He will banish the darkness. He will set you free from Satan. He will deliver you from your sins. He will raise you from your sorrows. He will deliver you from your oppression. He will give you hope that, brethren, is eternal and in the heavens. He is the anchor for the soul, sure and steadfast. And when we are coming to this light and placing our light and we're manifesting the light to others, brethren, the church is a powerful force because the light of the presence of God Himself dwells in us. And when we manifest that, then we whose love his name become the best hope of a lost world.