back to indexBerean Community Church Sunday Service 12.10.23
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and perhaps a lot of things competing for our affections 00:06:59.600 |
But may it be our prayer today as we begin our service 00:07:06.020 |
and undivided heart and devotion to our Lord. 00:10:36.840 |
has a Christmas gathering here today after service. 00:10:42.420 |
after the second service to clear out all the chairs 00:10:45.560 |
and then we're gonna be setting up tables here. 00:10:47.160 |
I think the instructions are gonna be on the screen. 00:10:50.060 |
So at least, even if you're not part of the family ministry, 00:11:00.600 |
that there's so many families who have sick children 00:11:06.320 |
they said it's open for you to sign up today. 00:11:12.740 |
So you can go outside and then there's a table outside. 00:11:17.680 |
and you're more than welcome to join us today. 00:11:31.960 |
as a reminder and an invitation for the Christmas service 00:11:34.780 |
that we're having on Christmas Eve on the 24th. 00:11:38.580 |
This is for you so that you can be intentional 00:11:45.100 |
we try to encourage you guys to use that time wisely. 00:11:48.340 |
There's people who are more willing to come to church 00:11:52.140 |
at Christmas, during Christmas time than any other time. 00:11:56.940 |
highly encourage you not to spend this Christmas 00:11:59.400 |
like any other week or just like the rest of the world, 00:12:02.380 |
just busy collecting gifts and having family gatherings, 00:12:06.460 |
knowing that the secular world is singing Christmas songs, 00:12:10.180 |
singing Christmas songs about Christ and what he's done 00:12:19.380 |
So as you're inviting them to come to church, 00:12:21.740 |
at the least, to have a conversation with them. 00:12:24.500 |
And so why, do you understand what Christmas is 00:12:26.600 |
and why Christians make a big deal about this? 00:12:31.440 |
So if they come, they will be able to present the gospel, 00:12:35.160 |
And if not, at least you're able to share the gospel, 00:12:40.320 |
and spend this Christmas season purposefully. 00:12:43.120 |
So this is there for you, keep it in your Bible 00:12:59.260 |
The college study hall, it's end of the year already. 00:13:02.620 |
And so starting from today, after our Christmas party, 00:13:09.380 |
so we need the cafe and the other side cleared out 00:13:12.840 |
because the children are gonna be watching in that area. 00:13:25.500 |
And the college students are gonna be having, 00:13:27.680 |
it's at 6 p.m., but at three to four o'clock, 00:13:31.640 |
So if you guys wanted to come and stay in there. 00:13:37.200 |
just bring it and then you can drop it off over there. 00:13:40.760 |
you wanna bring some food or snacks or whatever 00:13:43.400 |
to encourage our college students in their study hall, 00:13:47.160 |
and then the students will be able to enjoy that. 00:14:03.960 |
or you can sign up together with other people. 00:14:06.160 |
Your skill level doesn't have to be that great. 00:14:10.880 |
But you're more than welcome to come and play, okay? 00:14:15.680 |
before we have our New Year's Eve service, okay? 00:14:25.000 |
or you've been to church and you want to learn more 00:14:35.720 |
will be going over how to do inductive Bible study, 00:14:41.240 |
So that'll help you in the weekday Bible study, 00:14:43.520 |
whether you're in home group or whether you're 00:14:46.640 |
So that will be taking place on January 21st. 00:14:49.680 |
So this Wednesday, or this week is our last week 00:14:53.000 |
of regular Bible study, and then there's gonna be 00:14:58.480 |
But we do need you to sign up for the next session 00:15:01.440 |
so that we can know and prepare enough small groups, 00:15:11.440 |
and you told your home group or small group leaders, 00:15:16.280 |
so that we can better organize that together, okay? 00:15:22.000 |
Today is the day that you need to turn it in. 00:15:27.660 |
please let them know, 'cause today is the last day 00:15:50.140 |
And so every year, we ask you to be prayerful about that 00:15:53.540 |
If you have offering you wanna give for that, 00:15:58.320 |
that this is for the Lottie Moon Mission Fund, 00:16:08.600 |
we ask that you would be prayerful about that. 00:16:11.920 |
make sure you distinguish that from the regular offering, 00:16:18.100 |
All right, I think that's it for the announcements. 00:16:23.700 |
and he's gonna give his testimony and be baptized. 00:16:26.540 |
For those of you who have a physical offering 00:16:29.100 |
our box is in the back as you're exiting, okay? 00:16:33.960 |
Father, we thank you so much for constant grace, 00:16:57.580 |
but we have a home, Lord, that is waiting for us. 00:17:05.900 |
that we would not be overly focused and concerned 00:17:09.720 |
for temporary things, Lord God, of this world. 00:17:12.780 |
We pray that our service would be a reminder of who you are, 00:17:31.940 |
that it may be multiplied for your use in your kingdom. 00:18:15.820 |
- Let us all rise as we continue our worship. 00:18:25.300 |
But before we do, if we could spend a few moments 00:22:53.600 |
♪ The best of my works pierced your hands and your feet ♪ 00:23:23.600 |
♪ Whenever I lack it's still what I need most ♪ 00:24:18.600 |
♪ Oh come for I cling to in life and in death ♪ 00:26:47.080 |
I'm grateful to have been blessed with two loving parents 00:27:06.520 |
as to whether that church adhered to the word. 00:27:12.720 |
how scripture guided my dad in all his decisions, 00:27:20.760 |
Because of this, I thought genuinely that I was a believer, 00:27:32.520 |
but for what I thought I could gain from him. 00:27:40.360 |
And so because of this, I chased after satisfaction 00:28:06.440 |
but with a depraved mind so focused on exalting myself. 00:28:20.020 |
Only when I could not be satisfied with my performance 00:28:28.200 |
in hopes that he'd be pleased and so bless me 00:28:31.900 |
Despite years of my unfaithfulness, he remained faithful. 00:28:39.620 |
he stripped me of the major sources of pride in my life. 00:28:45.100 |
I saw in that Christ's victory already won for me. 00:28:50.940 |
where his word would have its way in my heart, 00:29:00.300 |
"except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, 00:29:02.900 |
"through which the world has been crucified to me 00:29:10.080 |
"my hope is in Christ who gave his life for me, 00:29:12.840 |
"in whom I have satisfaction and joy eternal." 00:29:23.020 |
- Michael, do you understand when you're going into the water 00:29:43.420 |
you're being united with the resurrected life? 00:30:11.500 |
And thank you for that encouraging testimony. 00:30:16.340 |
to Luke chapter seven, verses one through 10. 00:30:44.140 |
asking him to come and save the life of his slave. 00:30:49.780 |
saying, "He is worthy for you to grant this to him, 00:31:03.280 |
saying to him, "Lord, do not trouble yourself further, 00:31:05.840 |
"for I am not worthy for you to come under my roof. 00:31:09.060 |
"For this reason, I did not even consider myself 00:31:30.660 |
and turned and said to the crowd that was following him, 00:31:37.780 |
When those who had been sent returned to the house, 00:31:48.540 |
for your constant grace and love that you pour upon us. 00:32:13.200 |
May his name, and his name alone be magnified. 00:32:25.200 |
When was the last time you were amazed at something? 00:32:34.680 |
Pastor Peter, don't hype things to Pastor Peter 00:32:45.720 |
So when I, where I see reviews of 4.5 star, five star, 00:32:50.360 |
and say, oh, you gotta try this, blah, blah, blah. 00:32:51.840 |
My first reaction isn't, oh, I wanna go see it. 00:33:05.620 |
it's very difficult, right, to get them excited. 00:33:09.160 |
Because the longer you live, you've seen everything, 00:33:11.720 |
and it's like, wow, you've tasted everything. 00:33:28.440 |
Right, I got a magic trick, look at this, right? 00:33:30.920 |
But the older we get, the harder it is to impress. 00:33:35.300 |
Because we just experience, we've experienced a lot of things, 00:33:40.960 |
I'm saying all of this to introduce the sermon this morning 00:33:44.480 |
'cause something happens in this story that amazes Jesus. 00:33:53.080 |
imagine what was it about this man that amazed Jesus? 00:34:02.380 |
You don't see Jesus like surprised or amazed. 00:34:09.960 |
So he wasn't amazed, oh, it's such a large crowd coming, 00:34:20.440 |
and you want more of it, you don't know who I am. 00:34:28.600 |
Surprised and amazed by the reaction of this centurion. 00:34:33.600 |
So the question that we need to ask ourselves 00:34:42.180 |
what was it about him that caused our Savior to be amazed? 00:34:50.540 |
or I think it's about, yeah, four things about this man. 00:34:55.540 |
And obviously, the conclusion is going to be at the tail end 00:35:00.700 |
in which it'll help us to understand who this man is 00:35:04.080 |
and what was it, and what was it about this encounter 00:35:10.580 |
about the centurion was he was a very accomplished man. 00:35:13.740 |
Even in our military, you hear stories about people 00:35:17.940 |
who became an officer because they went to a certain school 00:35:21.060 |
or they had better education, or after a certain point, 00:35:32.400 |
And then you have some soldiers who come in as privates 00:35:39.620 |
they've been shot at, almost risked their lives, 00:35:47.360 |
of getting their hands dirty and risking their lives. 00:35:54.200 |
Centurion was not a soldier because he was connected, 00:35:57.920 |
and typically, they were very uneducated people 00:36:01.560 |
that came up the ranks because during the midst of battle, 00:36:10.720 |
This is not a guy who was politically connected 00:36:14.480 |
This is a guy that if you were to ask the soldiers, 00:36:19.720 |
So typically, a centurion was a guy who came up the ranks 00:36:28.680 |
So this was not a man who just held onto a title. 00:36:30.920 |
This is a man who was overseeing 100 soldiers, 00:36:34.160 |
and the 100 soldiers really looked up to him, respected him. 00:37:04.240 |
And that's why a centurion was a very wealthy man. 00:37:06.620 |
A typical Roman soldier's pay would be about 225 denarii. 00:37:11.620 |
A typical centurion's salary was 3,750 to 7,500. 00:37:26.180 |
So this was not just a higher-ranking individual. 00:37:29.120 |
This is a very wealthy man because he came up the ranks. 00:37:33.620 |
And as I mentioned, he had 100 soldiers under his care 00:37:37.860 |
and he is very wealthy, so he was a powerful man. 00:37:42.340 |
And that's why he is described as an individual 00:37:44.740 |
who loved Israel and he built their synagogue. 00:37:48.180 |
Just out of his generosity, out of his own pocket, 00:37:59.620 |
is because when, if you were a Jew in the first century 00:38:03.300 |
and if you were to think who is the enemy of Israel, 00:38:14.540 |
is the centurion because he was given the task 00:38:31.900 |
So this is the guy who was given charge to kill people, 00:38:43.300 |
a centurion would have been an enemy of Israel. 00:39:10.740 |
"Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two." 00:39:13.980 |
Now, Jesus was not just pulling this out of nowhere. 00:39:30.260 |
it was required by law that if a soldier tells you 00:39:47.500 |
anytime they see a soldier around the village, 00:39:50.500 |
they can tell them to stop whatever it is they're doing. 00:39:59.020 |
Imagine a field worker in the middle of the heat 00:40:16.340 |
that the Jews had toward these soldiers in particular? 00:40:20.340 |
And the centurion is a captain of these soldiers. 00:40:33.420 |
Now, if the centurion did, like, force them to, 00:40:46.700 |
"When they came to Jesus, they earnestly implored, 00:40:49.820 |
"saying, 'The elders of Israel, of the synagogue, 00:40:59.620 |
It wasn't because he had a knife to the throat 00:41:13.380 |
A centurion, the soldiers that were stationed locally, 00:41:19.260 |
these are not just some figures way out in Rome, 00:41:22.500 |
these are not the Pontius Pilate, this is not Caesar. 00:41:32.060 |
the hundred soldiers that were walking around the villages 00:41:34.300 |
making sure, and they were either either mercenaries, 00:41:52.700 |
by the leaders of Israel begging on his behalf, 00:41:57.420 |
And he's described as somebody who loves Israel, 00:42:00.020 |
and he paid out of his own pocket to build the synagogue. 00:42:07.180 |
a Jew who's reading this in the first century, 00:42:11.060 |
That enemy, that enemy that represents our enemy, 00:42:30.460 |
I mean, again, it's not because of money, right? 00:42:37.780 |
If they didn't behave, he could have whooped him 00:42:40.180 |
and then literally killed him and just got another slave. 00:42:48.380 |
You see, he's described to us as an accomplished man. 00:43:01.700 |
He's in the position of power over his slave. 00:43:04.620 |
He's compassionate, he's gracious, he's loving. 00:43:08.240 |
You know, oftentimes, if you wanna see the character 00:43:11.740 |
of a man, see how he treats somebody who is beneath him. 00:43:14.780 |
You know, people learn how to kiss up to their peers 00:43:23.980 |
But watch how he treats people that are beneath him 00:43:31.740 |
At a restaurant, servants, people that you may not have 00:43:58.860 |
he was a very gentle, loving, and gracious man. 00:44:16.300 |
Centurion is the highest ranking position in that area. 00:44:45.300 |
and that would have been a natural thing for him to do, 00:44:52.340 |
for I am not worthy for you to come under my roof. 00:44:56.060 |
You notice how the Jews, when they presented him to Jesus, 00:45:03.300 |
And the reasoning they give is that he was good to us. 00:45:09.540 |
He was good to Israel and he built a synagogue. 00:45:16.260 |
other people's righteousness by our righteousness? 00:45:36.420 |
who is deep into theology, that's your measuring stick. 00:45:44.140 |
If you happen to be somebody who is compassionate, 00:45:48.980 |
If you happen to be somebody who's disciplined, 00:45:55.460 |
If you serve more, who's serving more than me? 00:45:58.580 |
Our natural tendency is to use our righteousness 00:46:05.180 |
he's a righteous man because he loves what we love. 00:46:23.220 |
He said, for this reason, I did not even consider myself 00:47:03.620 |
It doesn't describe the details of who he is. 00:47:06.860 |
But the Bible does describe other Jews who are God-fearers, 00:47:17.060 |
So they were Gentiles who admired the faith of the Jews, 00:47:35.460 |
In fact, this man did not love Israel because of the Jews. 00:47:41.980 |
In fact, remember what Paul says in Romans 2:24? 00:47:48.860 |
He said, "The name of God is blasphemed among you Gentiles 00:47:52.620 |
The Jews did such a poor job representing God 00:47:57.820 |
to the nations, even though their whole calling 00:48:01.180 |
was to magnify who God is, to represent who he is, 00:48:06.500 |
that the Gentiles actually ended up hating God 00:48:09.700 |
So this man did not become a God-fearer because of them. 00:48:21.340 |
the zealots actually used to carry a knife around? 00:48:23.780 |
And so their whole thing was, if we see our enemy, 00:48:27.660 |
we're willing to die, we're willing to kill them. 00:48:30.980 |
So the top of that list would have been tax collectors, 00:48:34.740 |
and then those who supported the tax collectors, 00:48:40.220 |
So on the Jewish side, it would have been a tax collector, 00:48:46.580 |
So imagine, despite that, despite all of that, 00:48:57.540 |
The centurion by position could have assorted authority, 00:49:05.060 |
he could have bought anything he wanted with his money, 00:49:07.820 |
and yet he came to Jesus and he humbled himself. 00:49:19.780 |
you would miss the whole point of what's going on. 00:49:22.300 |
You would miss the whole point of what's going on. 00:49:25.460 |
Because Jesus was not amazed by his accomplishment. 00:49:28.740 |
If he was, he would have been amazed by Nicodemus. 00:49:31.980 |
He would have been amazed by these rich people. 00:49:37.740 |
He wasn't amazed because of his position or his power. 00:49:42.420 |
He wasn't amazed simply because he was a gracious man. 00:49:45.620 |
There's plenty of gracious people who are not Christians, 00:50:04.020 |
"But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. 00:50:23.340 |
"Now when Jesus heard this, he marveled at him." 00:50:42.660 |
You know, is it really better than the other 100 bobas 00:50:55.580 |
and turned and said to the crowd that was following him, 00:51:06.980 |
there's two other instances where a centurion shows up. 00:51:18.780 |
it was a centurion soldier who looked up at him 00:51:21.860 |
and recognizes this was an innocent man that we crucified. 00:51:31.740 |
out of his mouth comes, "This was injustice." 00:51:47.620 |
"Do not claim what is unclean, or clean, unclean. 00:51:58.140 |
So the first converts that come to Christ is a centurion. 00:52:02.740 |
The enemy of Israel, the one who was oppressing. 00:52:14.980 |
"Bless those who curse you to turn the other cheek." 00:52:20.460 |
the first person that he encounters is the enemy of Israel. 00:52:30.420 |
This enemy of Israel that he just told the nation of Israel. 00:52:33.460 |
He said, "The reason why what I'm telling you 00:52:38.100 |
"is because your leaders are blind, and you are blind, 00:52:45.620 |
And then he goes to the enemy, the centurion, 00:52:49.420 |
the people that they thought were enemies of Israel, 00:52:52.300 |
and he was the one practicing grace and love. 00:53:10.940 |
despite the fact that Israel did such a poor job 00:53:14.300 |
representing who God is, he became a God-fearer. 00:53:18.660 |
And when Jesus showed up, he recognized who he is. 00:53:21.100 |
He said, "Lord, I'm unworthy of you coming even to my house." 00:53:25.300 |
Yet the Israelites, who had centuries after centuries 00:53:32.060 |
they have the word of God, the spirit of God. 00:53:34.860 |
They've seen miracles, they have generations, 00:53:37.260 |
they have festivals implanted in their community, 00:53:41.540 |
generation after generation after generation, 00:53:44.220 |
and yet when the Messiah came, they didn't recognize him. 00:53:49.220 |
This was an indictment against the nation of Israel, 00:53:54.300 |
as much as it is an amazement for this man's faith. 00:54:10.740 |
that has been more privileged with the truth than me and you. 00:54:15.380 |
We have access to the greatest speakers in our generation. 00:54:22.060 |
In fact, my favorite preacher is Martin Lloyd-Jones, 00:54:31.660 |
We have people who've lived 200, 300 years ago, 00:54:36.860 |
We can just push a button and it shows up at my house. 00:54:39.660 |
If I don't like reading, I can get an audible. 00:54:43.540 |
If I don't like opening books, it'll come digitally. 00:54:49.940 |
and I'm like, "Oh, I wonder what he says about this," 00:54:53.620 |
and I can just go online and type it, and it just pops up. 00:55:15.940 |
constant grumbling of how we don't have enough. 00:55:21.780 |
I remember years ago when we were coming out of China, 00:55:29.180 |
we were all praying because we wanna go there, 00:55:32.060 |
we wanna plant a church, we're gonna send missionaries, 00:55:37.460 |
we always had to kind of do it in the background, 00:55:45.900 |
"so that we can come, and people would have more freedom," 00:55:48.780 |
and then we met some of the underground church leaders, 00:55:58.180 |
That was kind of, I knew exactly what they were saying 00:56:09.900 |
They wanted finance because we have finances, 00:56:23.260 |
They said the underground church was much more vibrant, 00:56:27.460 |
much more powerful before the Westerners started coming in. 00:56:32.620 |
We're spending all this money going out to China, 00:56:34.900 |
and they're praying that the doors would open. 00:56:53.620 |
that if the situation just simply isn't perfect, 00:57:14.660 |
You know when the church had everything that they needed 00:57:25.300 |
As soon as Jesus was crucified and was resurrected, 00:57:35.900 |
and yet, 2,000 years later, with all the books, 00:57:43.660 |
all the money that you and I can possibly imagine, 00:57:56.820 |
They are more privileged than anyone in history, 00:58:08.900 |
"And without faith, it is impossible to please him." 00:58:12.540 |
Without faith, it is impossible to please him. 00:58:25.340 |
You can have a fantastic discipleship program, 00:58:32.100 |
For he who comes to God must believe that he is, 00:58:37.060 |
and that he is a rewarder of those who seek him." 00:58:46.860 |
that we think that if we just get more resources, 00:58:57.940 |
Faith is not something that you can muster up. 00:59:14.220 |
Faith is something that requires us to come and receive 00:59:37.740 |
that God calls us to do is to come before him 00:59:48.700 |
It's because you and I have so much resources 00:59:52.780 |
that we think that if we pour more resources, 00:59:58.820 |
It is not something that you and I can do by our own power. 01:00:06.580 |
No, it's because we have the resources, so much resources. 01:00:12.180 |
More than 99.9999% of any Christian who has ever lived, 01:00:33.420 |
Because we think that if we apply ourselves more, 01:00:54.460 |
He wasn't amazed because he had good character. 01:01:19.940 |
A powerful man without faith becomes a tyrant. 01:01:26.340 |
Someone who has the great standing, who is very wealthy, 01:01:32.420 |
becomes a very proud and oppressive person without faith. 01:01:46.740 |
A man who hasn't accomplished much without faith 01:01:52.420 |
A man who had goals and didn't quite reach it 01:01:59.060 |
and doesn't have the kind of money that other people do 01:02:16.700 |
What amazed Jesus was not his accomplishment. 01:02:25.340 |
this is a quote of a quote of J.C. Riles on faith, 01:02:27.700 |
but it's, I want, 'cause I think he articulates it so well. 01:02:36.700 |
a man will go just as far as he believes and no further. 01:02:41.100 |
His life will always be proportioned to his faith. 01:02:45.460 |
His peace, his patience, his course, his zeal, 01:02:47.740 |
his works, all will be according to his faith. 01:02:50.460 |
Riles then catalogs a number of great Christians 01:02:57.900 |
pointing out that it was faith that made them great. 01:03:00.420 |
Some might say that it was prayer that strengthened them, 01:03:11.940 |
Others might account their success to diligence 01:03:16.700 |
What is Christian diligence but faith at work? 01:03:31.460 |
Faith is the root of real Christian character. 01:03:34.620 |
Let your root be right and your fruit will soon abound. 01:03:39.780 |
Let your root be right and your fruit will soon abound. 01:03:53.940 |
on waters of this world, and shall do great works. 01:03:59.020 |
Everything that we do must be because of our faith. 01:04:02.820 |
Without faith, hard work naturally becomes pride. 01:04:08.580 |
Without faith, your success becomes arrogance. 01:04:14.220 |
Without faith, all your achievements, all your fruits 01:04:18.580 |
becomes a source of judgment to other people. 01:04:45.460 |
I want you to pay very close attention to this 01:04:50.740 |
Be on your guard if your brother sins, rebuke him, 01:04:55.900 |
and if he sins against you seven times a day, 01:04:58.700 |
returns to you seven times saying, I repent, forgive him. 01:05:07.420 |
Turn the other cheek, bless those who curse you, 01:05:12.420 |
Jesus says that to his disciples, and look at the response. 01:05:17.300 |
The apostle said to the Lord, increase our faith. 01:05:20.780 |
They didn't ask the question, Lord, how do we do that? 01:05:33.380 |
Who are the people that you have a hard time loving? 01:05:37.780 |
like give five action items to go down the list, 01:05:40.300 |
and then go and make sure you take care of this. 01:05:56.180 |
How do I love them when everything in my heart hates them? 01:06:03.340 |
So the apostles, when they heard this from Jesus, 01:06:06.900 |
they knew what Jesus was asking them was impossible. 01:06:29.100 |
How can you possibly desire the best for them? 01:06:34.380 |
What discipline, what organization, what teaching, 01:06:44.020 |
The only way that a natural man could possibly do this 01:06:52.780 |
is greater than any damage that this man could do, 01:06:55.940 |
that I begin to see the sinner through the lens of Christ, 01:07:07.660 |
And only a man who has faith and seeing things 01:07:16.580 |
can even contemplate, even entertain the thought 01:07:20.180 |
of loving somebody that is difficult to love. 01:07:23.420 |
That's why the apostles, in response to that, 01:07:51.820 |
and the love for each one of you toward one another 01:08:05.860 |
Christianity isn't about being better organized. 01:09:17.060 |
So the greatest thing that any Christian can do, 01:09:25.940 |
but the greatest thing that a Christian can do 01:10:43.340 |
Because we're able to see heaven in our faith. 01:11:13.060 |
Shouldn't that be our greatest prayer request? 01:11:49.100 |
We struggle with the entanglements of this world, 01:11:56.140 |
that we know will pass and will mean nothing, 01:12:15.940 |
that we would become men and women of great faith, 01:18:16.040 |
and the eternal deep, deep love of God the Father, 01:18:20.560 |
rest, restore, encourage, build, and challenge 01:18:32.760 |
I pray Lord God that you would increase our faith, 01:18:39.600 |
to honor you, to obey you, and bear fruit for you 01:20:36.180 |
The Samaritan Purse, those of you who signed up for that, 01:21:06.360 |
♪ Jesus, I sing for all that you've done for me ♪