The text of the morning is 1st John chapter 3 and the specific verses are 1 to 3.

See how great a love the Father has bestowed upon us that we should be called children of God,

and such we are.

For this reason the world does not know us because it did not know him.

Beloved, now we are the children of God,

and it has not yet appeared as yet what we shall be.

We know that when he appears we shall be like him because we shall see him just as he is and everyone who has this hope fixed on him pur himself, just as he is pure.

I went to see the high school boys basketball team of Bethlehem a few weeks ago played the final game with Central Baptist and before the game there was this

whole drama of life that happened with children out on the edge of the court and I

saw something happen that probably has happened to every one of you

in your childhood that leaves one of those marks on you that you never forget. It's almost a universal experience. They're playing

out there a little three, four year old children and they all know each other and they're scuffling around and one by one they peel off to their

parents on the side as it gets near time for ballgame and finally without his knowing it there's just one left and it suddenly dawns on

him in this strange basketball court up in the northern suburbs I I forget which church it was at, he sees nobody

that he recognizes. Remember that feeling? And I watch, I'm just about 12 feet away here, I'm watching

this face and knowing exactly what's going to happen and

getting ready to move and I wait long enough and I see his face turn from happiness and

carefree playing with his friend to one of absolute panic and the little

tears start to form and the two words come out, daddy, daddy!

And I run down and I put my arm says,

then he's right there, he's right there,

he's pointing him right in, and there he's off.

...