I am fired up guys because we finish year 11.

Today is day one of year 12.

And we are in the scriptures walking through the book of Hebrews like we have been for almost nine months now or eight months now.

And we are turning the page from Hebrews chapter 11 into Hebrews chapter 12.

So I got a question.

Did you bring your sword to church this morning?

Can I get the first sword check of year 12? Beautiful. Every location, hold it up high, hold it up high.

Turn with me to Hebrews chapter 12, Hebrews chapter 12 beginning in verse 1. And I had planned all year

to preach Hebrews 12 1 through 3 today and today

what do you know you get on the Bible app what is the verse of the day today Hebrews 12 1 guys you

can't make this stuff up we don't own like the Bible app they just picked that randomly okay

and that's what showed up today we're going to do a scripture reading before we hear the sermon.

And I invited Olivia Wilbanks, who's been a part of our church from that picture that you saw up until now.

Olivia was actually a fifth grader when that picture was taken.

And now she's a senior in college, which I think it's so cool because she's really the first

ACC kid who became ACC youth, who became ACC college. You did our LDP

program last year and now you're here ready to read the scriptures. But one of the

things that I wanted to share with you as she reads this because this passage is

going to describe a cloud of witnesses that has joined together to watch us run our race.

And Olivia's father, Chad, was a part of our church from the very beginning,

and just in this past year has joined that cloud of witnesses

that is cheering us on and looking down on a moment like this right now.

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