1 00:00:09,560 --> 00:00:13,480 She was just an ordinary teenage girl. 2 00:00:15,080 --> 00:00:17,000 She didn't have any claim to fame. 3 00:00:18,240 --> 00:00:23,800 By today's standards, not very many people even knew her name. 4 00:00:25,080 --> 00:00:28,760 But God did. Her name was Mary. 5 00:00:30,280 --> 00:00:34,560 Mary's hometown was a small, simple village relatively 6 00:00:34,560 --> 00:00:39,160 unknown by the name of Nazareth. When it did come up in 7 00:00:39,160 --> 00:00:42,840 conversation, there was almost always an underhanded joke with 8 00:00:42,840 --> 00:00:48,280 the question, Could anything good ever come out of Nazareth? 9 00:00:50,240 --> 00:00:56,400 Mary loved God, but in all probability, Mary likely never 10 00:00:56,400 --> 00:01:01,840 thought God could or would use her to actually do anything 11 00:01:01,840 --> 00:01:07,760 great for the Kingdom of God. She was a simple young lady who 12 00:01:07,760 --> 00:01:11,760 probably thought she had nothing special to offer. 13 00:01:13,360 --> 00:01:20,920 But Mary had the one and only thing that God requires of us to 14 00:01:20,920 --> 00:01:25,920 be an instrument of extraordinary use in His hands. 15 00:01:26,600 --> 00:01:34,600 And that one thing is faith. Teenage Mary had faith in God. 16 00:01:35,400 --> 00:01:42,880 Teenage Mary believed God. Teenage Mary loved and trusted 17 00:01:43,360 --> 00:01:45,960 God. Teenage Mary is was looking 18 00:01:45,960 --> 00:01:50,080 forward to one of the greatest days that she could have 19 00:01:50,080 --> 00:01:54,120 anticipated in her life. It would be it would be the 20 00:01:54,120 --> 00:01:59,080 greatest celebration of her life at which she would be the center 21 00:01:59,080 --> 00:02:03,480 her wedding day to a young man by the name of Joseph. 22 00:02:04,600 --> 00:02:08,280 Second only to the birth of a future of any future anticipated 23 00:02:08,280 --> 00:02:10,600 children. This was going to be as good as 24 00:02:10,600 --> 00:02:13,480 it got for Mary. This would be the greatest 25 00:02:13,480 --> 00:02:18,840 celebration of her life. But all of that was about to 26 00:02:18,840 --> 00:02:22,800 change. God had what you might call a 27 00:02:22,800 --> 00:02:28,880 glorious interruption of her life in mine. 28 00:02:29,880 --> 00:02:34,480 The day God sent an Angel by the name, that day God sent an Angel 29 00:02:34,480 --> 00:02:38,440 by the name of Gabriel to visit Mary's life changed forever. 30 00:02:38,440 --> 00:02:42,840 I want you to listen from the word of God how her life changed 31 00:02:42,840 --> 00:02:45,280 forever in a glorious interruption out of Luke chapter 32 00:02:45,280 --> 00:02:48,360 1, beginning in verse 26. This is what the word of God 33 00:02:48,360 --> 00:02:53,120 says. In the sixth month, the Angel 34 00:02:53,120 --> 00:02:57,160 Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth 35 00:02:58,120 --> 00:03:02,480 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph of the 36 00:03:02,480 --> 00:03:05,080 House of David, and the virgin's name was Mary. 37 00:03:05,840 --> 00:03:09,280 And he came to her and said, Greetings, O favored one, the 38 00:03:09,280 --> 00:03:13,360 Lord is with you. But she was greatly troubled at 39 00:03:13,360 --> 00:03:16,720 the saying and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might 40 00:03:16,720 --> 00:03:19,360 be. The Angel said to her, Do not be 41 00:03:19,360 --> 00:03:21,960 afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 42 00:03:22,760 --> 00:03:26,200 And behold, you will conceive in your womb, and bear a son, and 43 00:03:26,200 --> 00:03:29,800 you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great, and will be 44 00:03:29,800 --> 00:03:32,840 called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to 45 00:03:32,840 --> 00:03:36,200 him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over 46 00:03:36,200 --> 00:03:39,640 the House of Jacob Forever, and of his Kingdom there will be no 47 00:03:39,640 --> 00:03:42,120 end. And Mary said to the Angel, How 48 00:03:42,120 --> 00:03:43,920 will this be, since I am a virgin? 49 00:03:44,680 --> 00:03:48,440 The angels answered her, The Holy Spirit will come upon you, 50 00:03:48,440 --> 00:03:51,600 and the power of the Most High will over shadow you. 51 00:03:52,000 --> 00:03:55,320 Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of 52 00:03:55,320 --> 00:03:57,200 God. And behold, your relative 53 00:03:57,200 --> 00:04:01,840 Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this 54 00:04:01,840 --> 00:04:05,400 is the 6th month with her who was called barren. 55 00:04:06,240 --> 00:04:09,840 For nothing will be impossible with God. 56 00:04:09,840 --> 00:04:12,920 Amen. And Mary said, Behold, I am the 57 00:04:12,920 --> 00:04:16,399 servant of the Lord, let it be to me, according to your word. 58 00:04:16,399 --> 00:04:21,880 And the Angel departed from her. Mary and God, thanks to 59 00:04:21,959 --> 00:04:24,760 Gabriel's message, are now on the same page. 60 00:04:25,880 --> 00:04:30,200 Joseph, on the other hand, is a different story in so many ways. 61 00:04:30,200 --> 00:04:34,200 Joseph was also an ordinary young man in the eyes of most, 62 00:04:34,200 --> 00:04:37,880 if not most other men. There was nothing special about 63 00:04:37,880 --> 00:04:40,680 Joseph either. Nobody expected anything 64 00:04:40,680 --> 00:04:43,480 extraordinary out of Joseph's life. 65 00:04:43,480 --> 00:04:49,480 But Joseph again had the one and one and only thing needed for a 66 00:04:49,480 --> 00:04:54,120 man or a woman to be used in an extraordinary way by God. 67 00:04:54,120 --> 00:04:57,640 Joseph had the same thing Mary had, which is faith. 68 00:04:57,640 --> 00:05:03,680 Joseph was shocked and confused at the news that his fiancee 69 00:05:03,680 --> 00:05:06,280 Mary was pregnant. Can you imagine? 70 00:05:06,680 --> 00:05:11,080 Had someone unbeknownst to Joseph come in and swept her off 71 00:05:11,240 --> 00:05:13,080 her feet while he wasn't looking? 72 00:05:13,080 --> 00:05:16,840 Had she been violated? It didn't make sense, but he 73 00:05:16,840 --> 00:05:20,800 didn't want to shame her. He was angry, but Joseph was a 74 00:05:20,840 --> 00:05:22,880 good man and out of love for her. 75 00:05:22,880 --> 00:05:28,840 He can never be cruel to her. Joseph decided to do the only 76 00:05:28,840 --> 00:05:33,320 thing he knew to do, quietly divorce her, Break off the 77 00:05:33,320 --> 00:05:36,320 engagement. But all that was about to 78 00:05:36,320 --> 00:05:40,640 change. God had another glorious 79 00:05:40,960 --> 00:05:44,600 interruption in mind. I want you to listen to Matthew 80 00:05:45,160 --> 00:05:47,320 chapter 1. By the way, the Christmas story 81 00:05:47,320 --> 00:05:50,560 in Matthew is referred to as the Christmas story from Joseph's 82 00:05:50,560 --> 00:05:53,000 perspective. The Christmas story out of Luke 83 00:05:53,000 --> 00:05:56,120 is often referred to as the Christmas story from Mary's 84 00:05:56,120 --> 00:05:59,640 perspective. Matthew chapter 1, beginning in 85 00:05:59,640 --> 00:06:02,960 verse 18. Now the birth of Jesus Christ 86 00:06:03,560 --> 00:06:08,240 took place in this way when his mother Mary had been betrothed 87 00:06:08,240 --> 00:06:11,720 to Joseph. Before they came together, she 88 00:06:11,720 --> 00:06:16,160 was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit, and her husband 89 00:06:16,160 --> 00:06:19,320 Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, 90 00:06:19,320 --> 00:06:23,000 resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he considered these 91 00:06:23,000 --> 00:06:26,080 things, behold, an Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. 92 00:06:26,080 --> 00:06:29,840 Saint Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your 93 00:06:29,840 --> 00:06:32,880 wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the 94 00:06:32,880 --> 00:06:35,280 Holy Spirit. She will bear a son. 95 00:06:35,440 --> 00:06:39,880 You shall call his name Jesus, for He will save his people from 96 00:06:39,880 --> 00:06:42,880 their sins. All of this took place to 97 00:06:42,880 --> 00:06:45,520 fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet. 98 00:06:45,520 --> 00:06:48,160 That's the prophet Isaiah. Behold, the virgin shall 99 00:06:48,160 --> 00:06:51,040 conceive and bear a son. They shall call his name 100 00:06:51,280 --> 00:06:56,080 Emmanuel, which means God with us. 700 / 700 years before 101 00:06:56,080 --> 00:06:59,760 Christ was born. In Isaiah Chapter 7, when Joseph 102 00:06:59,760 --> 00:07:02,840 woke from sleep, he did as the Angel of the Lord commanded him. 103 00:07:03,080 --> 00:07:07,040 He took his wife, but knew her not until she had given birth to 104 00:07:07,040 --> 00:07:10,400 a son and he called his name Jesus. 105 00:07:10,400 --> 00:07:15,000 For the second time Joseph was shocked, but this time he was no 106 00:07:15,000 --> 00:07:19,200 longer confused. It was all very jarring, but 107 00:07:19,360 --> 00:07:22,960 this time was absolutely crystal clear. 108 00:07:23,120 --> 00:07:28,160 Joseph would be the earthly father to the eternal Son of 109 00:07:28,160 --> 00:07:33,320 God, supernaturally conceived by the Holy Spirit in Mary's womb. 110 00:07:34,520 --> 00:07:40,520 By faith, Mary had said yes to God's glorious interruption of 111 00:07:40,520 --> 00:07:44,280 her life. Now by faith, Joseph also he too 112 00:07:44,280 --> 00:07:48,320 says yes by faith to God's glorious interruption of his 113 00:07:48,320 --> 00:07:50,560 life. Nothing is impossible with God. 114 00:07:50,720 --> 00:07:56,200 Why would we ever say no to God? And yet how tempted are we often 115 00:07:56,720 --> 00:08:02,680 to say no to God? Praise God, they said yes to 116 00:08:02,680 --> 00:08:05,400 God's interruption of their lives. 117 00:08:05,400 --> 00:08:09,240 Friends, whenever God calls, can I challenge you to say yes? 118 00:08:09,880 --> 00:08:13,960 Wherever God leads, can I challenge you to say yes when 119 00:08:13,960 --> 00:08:15,680 you feel like God? That's impossible. 120 00:08:15,680 --> 00:08:17,720 Remember, nothing is impossible with God. 121 00:08:17,720 --> 00:08:25,720 So say yes to God's plan and purpose and call however you 122 00:08:25,720 --> 00:08:27,120 know this is true. Here's the deal. 123 00:08:27,120 --> 00:08:30,600 Just because all things are possible with God, and just 124 00:08:30,600 --> 00:08:33,360 because you might choose to say yes to God, doesn't mean 125 00:08:33,360 --> 00:08:35,520 everything automatically gets easy. 126 00:08:37,360 --> 00:08:40,320 In fact, that's also happens to be the point. 127 00:08:40,320 --> 00:08:44,280 Many times when things don't get easier, they get they get 128 00:08:44,280 --> 00:08:48,600 harder. Joseph finally had the nursery 129 00:08:48,600 --> 00:08:51,480 ready. Can you imagine if you were a 130 00:08:51,480 --> 00:08:55,840 Carpenter and you know the Christ is going to be your son? 131 00:08:56,720 --> 00:08:59,840 What kind of crib do you think Joseph had spent months 132 00:08:59,840 --> 00:09:03,960 preparing? I can only imagine a crib for 133 00:09:03,960 --> 00:09:06,240 the Christ. What kind of craftsmanship must 134 00:09:06,240 --> 00:09:09,000 have gone into it? How proud he must have been of 135 00:09:09,000 --> 00:09:11,240 it. Mary had been trying to rest as 136 00:09:11,240 --> 00:09:14,160 much as she could, no doubt. And here's the deal. 137 00:09:14,160 --> 00:09:21,440 The Angel though had only appeared to Mary and Joseph, not 138 00:09:21,440 --> 00:09:27,200 their parents, not their grandparents, not their 139 00:09:27,200 --> 00:09:33,200 siblings, not their friends, not their neighbors, and not their 140 00:09:33,200 --> 00:09:36,840 Co workers. Everyone else thought what 141 00:09:36,840 --> 00:09:42,360 Joseph had thought prior to hearing from the Angel Gabriel. 142 00:09:42,560 --> 00:09:45,040 This birth was not going to be easy. 143 00:09:45,680 --> 00:09:51,760 It was not a family celebration. It was a small town scandal. 144 00:09:54,600 --> 00:09:59,480 Everyone that came by Joseph's shop for carpentry work kept 145 00:09:59,480 --> 00:10:04,360 asking him if he was sure. If he was sure that he wanted to 146 00:10:04,360 --> 00:10:09,680 go through with it. Everyone understood if he had 147 00:10:09,680 --> 00:10:14,640 wanted to divorce her. Joseph, I would imagine, didn't 148 00:10:14,640 --> 00:10:16,480 bring up that he had spoken with an Angel. 149 00:10:16,480 --> 00:10:18,240 I don't think that had been good for business. 150 00:10:20,080 --> 00:10:22,080 Joseph probably kept that to himself. 151 00:10:22,800 --> 00:10:25,080 Perhaps he just smiled and said thank you. 152 00:10:25,080 --> 00:10:30,200 Pray for me as I do what I know God has called me to do. 153 00:10:32,200 --> 00:10:36,440 They frowned at Mary. They felt sorry for Joseph. 154 00:10:37,960 --> 00:10:43,640 What if saying yes to God means doing something no one else will 155 00:10:43,640 --> 00:10:49,440 understand? What if saying yes to God means 156 00:10:49,440 --> 00:10:53,720 doing something no one else in your life will understand? 157 00:10:53,920 --> 00:10:57,600 You see, God had a calling on Mary and Joseph's life. 158 00:10:57,680 --> 00:11:02,200 What if they had been more concerned about public opinion 159 00:11:02,200 --> 00:11:05,520 or parental opinion than they were God's opinion? 160 00:11:07,200 --> 00:11:11,080 What if they would have feared people more than they feared 161 00:11:11,240 --> 00:11:13,160 God? What if they didn't have the 162 00:11:13,160 --> 00:11:17,320 guts to walk by faith in the face of what you know was good 163 00:11:17,320 --> 00:11:24,680 common sense advice from people who love them, but God's call on 164 00:11:24,680 --> 00:11:26,680 their life wasn't common, was it? 165 00:11:28,320 --> 00:11:30,400 So common sense advice didn't fit? 166 00:11:32,320 --> 00:11:34,800 What if they'd have been more concerned about people's opinion 167 00:11:35,320 --> 00:11:37,320 more than God's? Here's the deal, ladies and 168 00:11:37,320 --> 00:11:40,000 gentlemen, boys and girls, mark it down. 169 00:11:40,320 --> 00:11:45,400 Ultimately, every man and every woman has to decide that their 170 00:11:45,400 --> 00:11:50,720 life and living is between them and God alone, and everyone else 171 00:11:50,720 --> 00:11:54,080 can post their comments underneath their life if they 172 00:11:54,080 --> 00:11:56,720 want to. But the only ultimate opinion 173 00:11:56,720 --> 00:12:01,720 that matters to you is God's. Is that the one you're living 174 00:12:01,720 --> 00:12:04,840 for? Is that the only one that really 175 00:12:04,840 --> 00:12:07,560 matters in your life? What God thinks, not what 176 00:12:07,560 --> 00:12:12,120 anybody else thinks Because of God's calling on your life. 177 00:12:12,120 --> 00:12:14,760 Can I ask you, do you know if you're living out God's calling 178 00:12:14,760 --> 00:12:17,760 on your life? Are you saying yes to God? 179 00:12:17,760 --> 00:12:21,320 Are you managing your life based on the opinions and the comments 180 00:12:21,320 --> 00:12:26,680 that keep popping up below? Speaking of things getting 181 00:12:26,680 --> 00:12:29,440 harder before they get any better, Mary is nesting. 182 00:12:29,440 --> 00:12:33,880 I'm imagining Joseph is preparing, and then worst case 183 00:12:33,960 --> 00:12:38,720 scenario happens. The last thing Joseph and Mary 184 00:12:38,720 --> 00:12:42,800 wanted to hear was what came about politically at the moment, 185 00:12:42,800 --> 00:12:45,600 getting close to the time she would give birth. 186 00:12:45,600 --> 00:12:47,800 I want you to turn back to Luke chapter 2. 187 00:12:48,040 --> 00:12:50,840 Listen to verse one through 7. Worst case scenario. 188 00:12:51,160 --> 00:12:55,440 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all 189 00:12:55,440 --> 00:12:59,800 the world should be registered. This was the first registration 190 00:13:00,000 --> 00:13:03,320 when Corinius was governor of Syria, and all went to be 191 00:13:03,320 --> 00:13:05,240 registered, each to his own town. 192 00:13:05,560 --> 00:13:08,960 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of 193 00:13:08,960 --> 00:13:12,040 Nazareth to Judea, to the city of David, which is called 194 00:13:12,040 --> 00:13:15,520 Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to 195 00:13:15,520 --> 00:13:19,280 be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. 196 00:13:19,480 --> 00:13:23,080 While they were there, the time for her came to give birth, and 197 00:13:23,080 --> 00:13:26,720 she gave birth to her first born son, wrapped him in swaddling 198 00:13:26,720 --> 00:13:29,200 clothes, and laid him in a Manger because there was no 199 00:13:29,200 --> 00:13:33,760 place for them. In the end, the timing of this 200 00:13:33,760 --> 00:13:36,760 decree could not have been worse. 201 00:13:37,040 --> 00:13:41,320 Caesar needed a census so we can know how much money should be 202 00:13:41,320 --> 00:13:45,040 coming in daily in his treasury. The most powerful man in the 203 00:13:45,040 --> 00:13:47,840 world had ordered something that was going to affect their lives 204 00:13:47,840 --> 00:13:50,480 and Luke doesn't tell us. The date of this census is 205 00:13:50,480 --> 00:13:57,120 obviously pretty close to Mary's due date. 90 miles over 4 days 206 00:13:57,120 --> 00:13:59,800 on the back of a donkey while nine months pregnant. 207 00:13:59,800 --> 00:14:09,680 Do I have any volunteers? 90 miles by foot for Joseph over 208 00:14:09,680 --> 00:14:13,360 4 days I think. Gave Joseph a lot of time to 209 00:14:13,360 --> 00:14:20,080 think, don't you? Now, Joseph, this is all Kyle 210 00:14:20,080 --> 00:14:23,440 here, not Bible. Joseph may have just been 211 00:14:23,440 --> 00:14:27,840 blessing the Lord and honoring him the whole way he might have 212 00:14:27,840 --> 00:14:31,920 been. But my guess is at some point 213 00:14:31,920 --> 00:14:36,600 along the way, maybe day 2 or maybe the middle of day three, I 214 00:14:36,600 --> 00:14:38,720 think Joseph asked God some questions. 215 00:14:40,600 --> 00:14:46,640 Maybe like this gone. If you sent an Angel to talk to 216 00:14:46,640 --> 00:14:54,280 me and my fiance, if you caused her to conceive supernaturally. 217 00:14:55,520 --> 00:14:59,480 God, were you not paying attention to Caesar's calendar? 218 00:15:01,960 --> 00:15:04,800 God did. Did you not see this coming? 219 00:15:06,640 --> 00:15:10,400 God, do you realize Mary might give birth on the side of the 220 00:15:10,400 --> 00:15:14,320 road? God, could you not have timed 221 00:15:14,320 --> 00:15:17,040 this more perfect? God, if you're really in 222 00:15:17,040 --> 00:15:24,520 control, what is going on? Let me put it like this. 223 00:15:24,520 --> 00:15:28,200 Do you think, do you think this is what popped in my mind? 224 00:15:28,360 --> 00:15:32,400 Do you think Joseph over 4 days leading that donkey with Mary, 225 00:15:32,400 --> 00:15:35,400 almost nine months spread, do you think Joseph was enjoying 226 00:15:35,520 --> 00:15:42,800 the journey? I mean, maybe I don't want to 227 00:15:42,800 --> 00:15:44,560 cast shade on Joseph. I don't need to. 228 00:15:45,640 --> 00:15:47,520 He may have been far more righteous than I realized. 229 00:15:47,800 --> 00:15:51,120 But if he was like me, I'd have been struggling between getting 230 00:15:51,120 --> 00:15:53,880 the donkey moving too fast and making Mary uncomfortable. 231 00:15:54,320 --> 00:15:57,400 Right? To like trying to get there and 232 00:15:57,400 --> 00:15:59,280 avoid trying to be on the side of the road. 233 00:16:00,920 --> 00:16:04,640 I think that I would have not been enjoying the journey 234 00:16:04,920 --> 00:16:07,360 because it had been being spoiled by worry. 235 00:16:10,400 --> 00:16:15,080 Can I ask you the question, Do you think God wanted Joseph to 236 00:16:15,080 --> 00:16:23,200 enjoy the journey? I think so, but I bet he 237 00:16:23,200 --> 00:16:25,040 struggled to. Why? 238 00:16:26,400 --> 00:16:32,240 Because of worry, because of anxiety, wondering all the what 239 00:16:32,240 --> 00:16:36,360 ifs, having already heard nothing's impossible with God, 240 00:16:36,360 --> 00:16:39,280 but now in a situation where it just doesn't look all like 241 00:16:39,280 --> 00:16:43,520 Joseph would have arranged. Now let me ask you a question. 242 00:16:44,920 --> 00:16:55,760 Are you enjoying the journey or is it being spoiled by worry or 243 00:16:55,800 --> 00:16:57,520 is it being spoiled by any anxiety? 244 00:16:59,040 --> 00:17:04,720 Maybe you know God's in control, you know God's got a plan, but 245 00:17:04,720 --> 00:17:07,240 it just doesn't all make sense right now. 246 00:17:09,200 --> 00:17:11,480 But do you think God wants you to enjoy the journey? 247 00:17:14,240 --> 00:17:15,960 I think we know the answer to that question, right? 248 00:17:18,640 --> 00:17:22,400 And we can, if we remember and trust him by faith. 249 00:17:24,240 --> 00:17:27,240 Joseph may have been putting all this together, but I think he 250 00:17:27,240 --> 00:17:30,400 probably was struggling. But I can just imagine the whole 251 00:17:30,400 --> 00:17:32,160 time, God the Father was smiling. 252 00:17:32,160 --> 00:17:34,600 Why? Because where did the Old 253 00:17:34,600 --> 00:17:37,360 Testament prophecy that Jesus would be born? 254 00:17:39,640 --> 00:17:42,880 Right where Mary and Joseph were headed? 255 00:17:43,640 --> 00:17:49,040 Micah 5 verse 2 But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too 256 00:17:49,040 --> 00:17:53,160 little to be among the clans of Judum, from you shall come forth 257 00:17:53,160 --> 00:17:56,360 for me, one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is 258 00:17:56,360 --> 00:18:00,440 from of old from ancient days. You see, God is committed to His 259 00:18:00,440 --> 00:18:04,920 plans and His purposes. He invites us in by faith to 260 00:18:04,960 --> 00:18:08,240 participate. God never promises it will be 261 00:18:08,240 --> 00:18:11,760 easy or that we will always understand. 262 00:18:12,760 --> 00:18:20,120 Joseph is on a journey just like God may have you on in ways 263 00:18:20,120 --> 00:18:24,280 wanting you to trust him by faith and it not be spoiled by 264 00:18:24,720 --> 00:18:29,440 worry. They make it, but things don't 265 00:18:29,440 --> 00:18:32,840 get any better, they get worse. You've been there before, 266 00:18:33,960 --> 00:18:35,840 surely, Joseph, like, oh, God, if you got me going, you're 267 00:18:35,840 --> 00:18:39,600 going to have a spot for us. What was the message when they 268 00:18:39,600 --> 00:18:42,840 got there? You know, we don't know the 269 00:18:42,840 --> 00:18:46,800 exact situation, but what we do know is there was not a proper 270 00:18:46,800 --> 00:18:52,080 room for a woman nine months pregnant to give birth in, not 271 00:18:52,080 --> 00:18:56,120 the one she would have chosen. We don't know exactly where it 272 00:18:56,120 --> 00:19:00,040 was, but it was obviously closely associated enough with 273 00:19:00,040 --> 00:19:06,880 animals for Jesus to be laid in a feeding through as a crib 274 00:19:07,000 --> 00:19:10,040 because Joseph couldn't U-Haul the one he had worked so hard on 275 00:19:10,240 --> 00:19:15,320 in Nazareth. Mary and Joseph were again in 276 00:19:15,320 --> 00:19:17,360 shock. This is not what they expected. 277 00:19:17,920 --> 00:19:20,440 God had a glorious interruption in mind, though from an earthly 278 00:19:20,440 --> 00:19:23,480 perspective. The scene of Jesus's birth from 279 00:19:23,480 --> 00:19:26,080 an earthly perspective could have looked disastrous. 280 00:19:26,080 --> 00:19:27,720 But God the Father smiling? Why? 281 00:19:27,960 --> 00:19:29,160 Just think about the meaning of it all. 282 00:19:29,160 --> 00:19:33,080 Bethlehem, which means House of bread, was the place He promised 283 00:19:33,080 --> 00:19:36,560 His Son would be born in the flesh, and His Son, the bread of 284 00:19:36,560 --> 00:19:40,560 life, born in the House of bread, was placed in an object 285 00:19:40,560 --> 00:19:44,680 used for food. Where an actual lamb might have 286 00:19:44,680 --> 00:19:47,600 been born. The Lamb of God was born to take 287 00:19:47,600 --> 00:19:53,760 away the sins of the world. Mary and Joseph still can't 288 00:19:53,760 --> 00:19:57,840 believe it, but God the Father smiling at the meaning of it 289 00:19:57,840 --> 00:20:00,760 all. Jesus would come as the Savior 290 00:20:00,760 --> 00:20:04,280 of the world, and He would also come as the great Shepherd of 291 00:20:04,280 --> 00:20:06,280 the sheep. So guess who gets the first 292 00:20:06,280 --> 00:20:09,560 announcement? The shepherds do. 293 00:20:11,240 --> 00:20:16,840 Listen to Luke chapter 2 verse 8 through 14 and in the same 294 00:20:16,840 --> 00:20:19,520 region. There were shepherds out in the 295 00:20:19,520 --> 00:20:23,480 field keeping watch over their flock by night, and an Angel of 296 00:20:23,480 --> 00:20:26,200 the Lord appeared to them in the glory of the Lord shown around 297 00:20:26,200 --> 00:20:27,960 them, and they were filled with great fear. 298 00:20:28,560 --> 00:20:31,400 The Angel said to them, Fear not, for behold I bring you good 299 00:20:31,400 --> 00:20:34,080 news of great joy that will be for all the people. 300 00:20:34,480 --> 00:20:39,640 For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior who 301 00:20:39,640 --> 00:20:43,160 is Christ the Lord, and this will be a sign for you. 302 00:20:43,160 --> 00:20:46,680 You will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a 303 00:20:46,680 --> 00:20:48,280 Manger. And suddenly there was with the 304 00:20:48,280 --> 00:20:51,600 Angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and 305 00:20:51,600 --> 00:20:55,240 saying glory to God in the highest and on earth, peace 306 00:20:55,240 --> 00:20:57,920 among those with whom he is pleased. 307 00:20:57,920 --> 00:21:02,840 Don't be afraid, the Angel said. Fear is often what spoils the 308 00:21:02,840 --> 00:21:05,920 journey for us. Don't be afraid. 309 00:21:06,560 --> 00:21:08,280 Remember, nothing's impossible with God. 310 00:21:08,280 --> 00:21:14,840 I bring you good news of great joy for all people, for unto you 311 00:21:14,840 --> 00:21:17,240 is born this day, a Savior who is Christ the Lord. 312 00:21:17,440 --> 00:21:23,040 Glory to God and peace to man. God is giving man a way of 313 00:21:23,040 --> 00:21:25,480 salvation. It would all start with the 314 00:21:25,480 --> 00:21:27,880 birth of His Son, but this would be the beginning. 315 00:21:27,880 --> 00:21:31,440 For this would lead to the living of a sinless life by our 316 00:21:31,440 --> 00:21:35,200 Savior in our place. He was born to live that sinless 317 00:21:35,200 --> 00:21:37,400 life because we have not lived that sinless life. 318 00:21:37,640 --> 00:21:40,280 And living that sinless life, He would go to the cross as a 319 00:21:40,280 --> 00:21:45,480 substitute sacrifice in our place to pay for your sin and to 320 00:21:45,480 --> 00:21:48,160 pay for my sin. I read the other day in my quiet 321 00:21:48,160 --> 00:21:52,400 time, something to do just quietly in meditation is just to 322 00:21:52,400 --> 00:21:56,240 think about the cross and think about it for about 5 minutes, 323 00:21:56,440 --> 00:21:59,840 long enough to let it sink in of what Christ did for you. 324 00:21:59,960 --> 00:22:02,360 Think about what would have gone into that moment, what he'd have 325 00:22:02,360 --> 00:22:04,440 been thinking, what he would have been feeling and 326 00:22:04,440 --> 00:22:06,760 experiencing. Christ was born to live a 327 00:22:06,760 --> 00:22:10,200 sinless life for you to die for your sin on the cross, and then 328 00:22:10,200 --> 00:22:15,920 to go to the grave having tasted death, to defeat the greatest 329 00:22:15,920 --> 00:22:20,880 enemy itself, death itself, to walk out alive, to live forever 330 00:22:20,880 --> 00:22:25,200 more, to offer you eternal life and forgiveness of sin. 331 00:22:25,760 --> 00:22:28,280 If, as the Bible says, you would call on Him to be saved by 332 00:22:28,280 --> 00:22:30,480 confessing Him as Lord and believing in your heart, God 333 00:22:30,480 --> 00:22:33,360 raised Him from the dead. This good news, ladies and 334 00:22:33,360 --> 00:22:35,480 gentlemen, it's for you and it's for me. 335 00:22:35,480 --> 00:22:45,120 It's for every single person. In our final few minutes, I want 336 00:22:45,120 --> 00:22:50,440 to just zoom out of the story we've just recounted and remind 337 00:22:50,440 --> 00:22:54,760 you of the bigger story. Because it's hard to sometimes 338 00:22:54,760 --> 00:22:57,520 make sense of the Christmas story without understanding the 339 00:22:57,680 --> 00:23:00,320 the bigger story. And this is what's in your notes 340 00:23:00,320 --> 00:23:03,360 if you want to follow along about the bigger story of the 341 00:23:03,360 --> 00:23:05,720 good news of Christmas. And it's simply this, I want to 342 00:23:05,720 --> 00:23:09,960 remind you that the good news of Christmas wasn't out of the 343 00:23:09,960 --> 00:23:11,880 blue. It was promised. 344 00:23:12,520 --> 00:23:16,800 It was promised by God. How far back was it promised? 345 00:23:16,840 --> 00:23:20,040 All the way back to Genesis 315. You don't have to turn there, 346 00:23:20,320 --> 00:23:22,600 but I just want to walk you through some of the places God 347 00:23:22,600 --> 00:23:26,160 promised. God promised the story of 348 00:23:26,160 --> 00:23:28,360 Christmas in Genesis 315. It says this. 349 00:23:28,640 --> 00:23:32,720 I will put enmity between you. That's hostility between you and 350 00:23:32,720 --> 00:23:34,280 the woman. He's speaking to the serpent. 351 00:23:34,280 --> 00:23:37,800 He's speaking to Satan and the woman and between your offspring 352 00:23:37,800 --> 00:23:40,680 and her offspring. He that's the offspring of the 353 00:23:40,680 --> 00:23:43,840 woman will bruise your head. That's the head of the serpent 354 00:23:44,040 --> 00:23:47,000 and you serpent, the enemy, Satan shall bruise his. 355 00:23:47,200 --> 00:23:49,440 That's the offspring of the woman's heal. 356 00:23:49,560 --> 00:23:52,640 You see what here is being promised is God promised the 357 00:23:52,640 --> 00:23:57,840 good news that one day one would be born of woman who would crush 358 00:23:58,000 --> 00:24:02,800 the head of Satan. The good news goes all the way 359 00:24:02,800 --> 00:24:05,400 back to the beginning from the moment sin entered the world 360 00:24:05,400 --> 00:24:09,680 that God would send born of woman and offspring. 361 00:24:09,680 --> 00:24:12,640 As I read an article this week by New Testament scholar that we 362 00:24:12,640 --> 00:24:19,400 have a skull crushing Savior crushing the head of the very 363 00:24:19,400 --> 00:24:25,280 enemy who tempted and caused us to sin and turn our backs on 364 00:24:25,280 --> 00:24:26,680 God. God would send one. 365 00:24:27,480 --> 00:24:30,440 The good news was promised. God would send one to do 366 00:24:30,440 --> 00:24:33,960 something about it. Not one that he'd be born of was 367 00:24:33,960 --> 00:24:35,760 Mary. And the bruiser of the serpent's 368 00:24:35,760 --> 00:24:37,920 head is Jesus. You see, the good news of 369 00:24:37,920 --> 00:24:41,120 Christmas was the news we'd all been waiting for ever since the 370 00:24:41,120 --> 00:24:42,720 bad news of sin entering the world. 371 00:24:43,000 --> 00:24:44,720 And then if you move forward, let me show you one more. 372 00:24:44,720 --> 00:24:48,880 In Genesis 12, verse 3, the Bible says this to Abraham. 373 00:24:49,560 --> 00:24:53,320 God says I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors 374 00:24:53,320 --> 00:24:57,440 you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall 375 00:24:57,440 --> 00:25:00,400 be blessed. God promised through Abraham to 376 00:25:00,400 --> 00:25:02,800 bless all the families of the earth. 377 00:25:02,800 --> 00:25:05,960 How would that happen? By sending the Savior of the 378 00:25:05,960 --> 00:25:10,080 world in the line that is to be the offspring of Abraham. 379 00:25:10,240 --> 00:25:13,520 Jesus would take on flesh and bear the sins of the world as a 380 00:25:13,520 --> 00:25:15,960 son of Abraham. You see, the good news of 381 00:25:15,960 --> 00:25:19,480 Christmas was the news we'd all been waiting forever since God 382 00:25:19,480 --> 00:25:22,840 began with one man to make one nation through whom He would 383 00:25:22,840 --> 00:25:25,880 send the God man for every nation. 384 00:25:27,120 --> 00:25:29,840 God promised He was going to do this. 385 00:25:29,840 --> 00:25:32,200 This wasn't random. This wasn't out of the blue. 386 00:25:33,160 --> 00:25:39,400 God promised He would do this for you and for me #2 the good 387 00:25:39,400 --> 00:25:42,000 news of Christmas was at random. It was prophesied. 388 00:25:43,000 --> 00:25:46,080 God didn't just promise it, but he used and called prophets to 389 00:25:46,080 --> 00:25:48,880 speak it in advance. Let me show you a couple places, 390 00:25:48,880 --> 00:25:52,560 Deuteronomy verse chapter 18, verses 18 and 19. 391 00:25:52,560 --> 00:25:54,680 This goes all the way back to the prophet Moses. 392 00:25:54,680 --> 00:25:58,880 And God says this. I will raise up for them a 393 00:25:58,920 --> 00:26:02,040 prophet like you, Moses from among their brothers, and I'll 394 00:26:02,040 --> 00:26:05,800 put my words into his mouth. He shall speak to them all that 395 00:26:05,800 --> 00:26:08,400 I command him. And whoever will not listen to 396 00:26:08,400 --> 00:26:10,400 my words that he shall speak in my name. 397 00:26:10,400 --> 00:26:15,400 I myself will require it of you see, from the moment of Moses 398 00:26:15,400 --> 00:26:18,920 who led the nation of Israel to physical freedom, God promised 399 00:26:18,920 --> 00:26:22,680 to send another prophet greater than Moses to lead us to 400 00:26:22,800 --> 00:26:26,520 spiritual freedom. This was not random, this was 401 00:26:26,520 --> 00:26:28,960 prophesied. This was the unfolding of the 402 00:26:28,960 --> 00:26:31,000 plan of God in the fullness of time. 403 00:26:31,200 --> 00:26:33,840 And then as we heard earlier, quoted in the Gospels, the 404 00:26:33,840 --> 00:26:36,160 prophet Isaiah Chapter 7, verse 14. 405 00:26:36,840 --> 00:26:39,280 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. 406 00:26:39,440 --> 00:26:42,280 Behold, the Virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and 407 00:26:42,280 --> 00:26:46,240 shall call His name Emmanuel. That means God with us. 408 00:26:47,120 --> 00:26:50,960 Isaiah expands upon that in Chapter 9, verses 2 and verses 6 409 00:26:50,960 --> 00:26:52,160 and seven. You know these well. 410 00:26:52,160 --> 00:26:54,840 The people who walked in darkness have seen a great 411 00:26:54,840 --> 00:26:57,920 light, Those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness. 412 00:26:58,120 --> 00:27:01,360 On them a light has shown. Verse six and seven. 413 00:27:01,360 --> 00:27:04,080 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the 414 00:27:04,080 --> 00:27:07,040 government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be 415 00:27:07,040 --> 00:27:09,640 called. Wonderful counselor, mighty God, 416 00:27:09,840 --> 00:27:12,800 everlasting Father, Prince of Peace, of the increase of his 417 00:27:12,800 --> 00:27:14,920 government and of peace there will be no end. 418 00:27:15,160 --> 00:27:18,040 And on the throne of David and over his Kingdom to establish it 419 00:27:18,040 --> 00:27:21,080 and uphold it with justice and with righteousness. 420 00:27:21,240 --> 00:27:24,480 From this time forth and forevermore the zeal of the Lord 421 00:27:24,480 --> 00:27:27,880 of hosts will accomplish this. God spoke to Moses about Jesus 422 00:27:27,880 --> 00:27:30,720 coming 1400 years before Jesus was born. 423 00:27:30,920 --> 00:27:33,960 God spoke to Isaiah and prophesied to him over 700 years 424 00:27:33,960 --> 00:27:36,240 before Jesus was born. Ladies and gentlemen, this is 425 00:27:36,240 --> 00:27:39,120 not Once Upon a time. This is not a quaint little 426 00:27:39,120 --> 00:27:41,480 story. This is the facts of history 427 00:27:41,560 --> 00:27:43,720 that God promised and prophesied. 428 00:27:43,720 --> 00:27:49,800 What happened? Has this news changed your life? 429 00:27:51,640 --> 00:27:53,160 Can I put it like we put it earlier? 430 00:27:53,160 --> 00:27:57,600 Has the good news of Christmas gloriously interrupted your 431 00:27:57,600 --> 00:28:02,720 life? Do you believe God couldn't 432 00:28:02,720 --> 00:28:06,320 forgive you or save you because you won't believe that all 433 00:28:06,320 --> 00:28:10,040 things are possible with God when the Bible clearly says all 434 00:28:10,040 --> 00:28:14,400 things are possible? Thirdly, finally, the good news 435 00:28:14,400 --> 00:28:16,960 of Christmas wasn't a secret. It was public. 436 00:28:17,760 --> 00:28:19,960 Wasn't a secret. It was public. 437 00:28:19,960 --> 00:28:22,680 Let me just point out three, three ways. 438 00:28:22,680 --> 00:28:26,600 It was public in the Gospels. It was #1 it was public in the 439 00:28:26,600 --> 00:28:30,880 fields again to the shepherds, Luke 217 and 18. 440 00:28:31,040 --> 00:28:34,480 And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been 441 00:28:34,480 --> 00:28:39,040 told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at 442 00:28:39,040 --> 00:28:42,000 what the shepherds told them. The shepherds didn't go back, 443 00:28:42,000 --> 00:28:47,080 and they weren't quiet about it. They kept talking about it and 444 00:28:47,080 --> 00:28:50,160 announcing what they had seen. It was public in the fields and 445 00:28:50,160 --> 00:28:52,400 then it was public in the temple. 446 00:28:52,800 --> 00:28:55,760 So you remember in the story as it advances, and we'll see this 447 00:28:55,760 --> 00:28:58,400 next week, Mary and Joseph eventually take Jesus to the 448 00:28:58,400 --> 00:29:02,680 temple where they run into two people, Simeon and Anna. 449 00:29:03,360 --> 00:29:05,480 And Anna specifically, it speaks like this. 450 00:29:05,640 --> 00:29:09,520 And coming up at that very hour, she, Anna, began to give thanks 451 00:29:09,520 --> 00:29:13,560 to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the 452 00:29:13,560 --> 00:29:17,080 redemption of Jerusalem. Anna's making this thing go 453 00:29:17,080 --> 00:29:19,720 viral. It was public in the fields. 454 00:29:19,720 --> 00:29:23,000 It was public in the temple. Thirdly, it was public in the 455 00:29:23,000 --> 00:29:25,720 government office. It was public with the king and 456 00:29:25,720 --> 00:29:28,600 the capital city. Matthew 2 verse one through 3. 457 00:29:28,800 --> 00:29:32,320 Now after this Jesus, after Jesus rather, was born in 458 00:29:32,320 --> 00:29:35,880 Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise 459 00:29:35,880 --> 00:29:38,640 men from the east came to Jerusalem saying, where is he 460 00:29:38,640 --> 00:29:40,120 who's been born king of the Jews? 461 00:29:40,120 --> 00:29:43,280 For we saw his star when it rose, and we've come to worship 462 00:29:43,280 --> 00:29:45,760 him. When Herod the King heard this, 463 00:29:46,000 --> 00:29:48,040 he was troubled. And guess how many others? 464 00:29:48,960 --> 00:29:54,440 And all Jerusalem with him? It was public in the fields, it 465 00:29:54,440 --> 00:29:58,160 was public at the church, it was public in the capital city, in 466 00:29:58,160 --> 00:30:02,760 the King's office. It was promised, it was 467 00:30:02,760 --> 00:30:06,080 prophesied, and it was public. What's the good news of 468 00:30:06,080 --> 00:30:09,400 Christmas for you? A Savior has been born. 469 00:30:10,000 --> 00:30:15,280 Who is Christ the Lord for you and for me, a Savior has been 470 00:30:15,280 --> 00:30:17,280 born. He was Christ the Lord. 471 00:30:18,280 --> 00:30:23,040 I want to finish like this. This announcement, this good 472 00:30:23,040 --> 00:30:29,080 news of Christmas that I pray has been a glorious interruption 473 00:30:29,080 --> 00:30:32,040 in your life. If it's been a glorious 474 00:30:32,040 --> 00:30:35,720 interruption in your life, then you have a time in your life 475 00:30:36,320 --> 00:30:40,600 when the news of Christmas that Christ came, that He was born 476 00:30:40,600 --> 00:30:43,880 and lived a sinless life and died for your sin and was raised 477 00:30:43,880 --> 00:30:47,560 from the dead has changed your life because nothing is 478 00:30:47,560 --> 00:30:50,440 impossible with God. Just like it changed Mary and 479 00:30:50,440 --> 00:30:53,520 Joseph's life where you 2 had to choose. 480 00:30:53,520 --> 00:30:56,360 Am I going to live based on what I know is true and what God 481 00:30:56,360 --> 00:30:57,640 says? Or am I going to live based on 482 00:30:57,640 --> 00:30:59,600 what everybody else says in man's opinion? 483 00:30:59,680 --> 00:31:01,400 Or am I going to live for God's opinion? 484 00:31:02,320 --> 00:31:04,400 Has the good news of Christmas gloriously interrupted your 485 00:31:04,400 --> 00:31:05,440 life? But here's what I want to finish 486 00:31:05,880 --> 00:31:09,160 with this News of Christmas is not advice. 487 00:31:09,320 --> 00:31:12,720 It is news. You know what advice is? 488 00:31:14,240 --> 00:31:18,240 Advice is some counsel on the way you should change the way 489 00:31:18,240 --> 00:31:22,640 you're living, on some modifications to your behavior, 490 00:31:23,800 --> 00:31:28,400 on some common sense ways you ought to make some adjustments 491 00:31:28,400 --> 00:31:32,520 to your life. But news urges you to recognize 492 00:31:32,680 --> 00:31:35,760 something that has already happened and that you must 493 00:31:35,760 --> 00:31:39,360 respond to. News says someone else has 494 00:31:39,360 --> 00:31:41,680 acted. Advice tells you it's up to you 495 00:31:41,680 --> 00:31:46,000 to act, but news is that someone else has acted on your behalf. 496 00:31:46,000 --> 00:31:49,280 You see, the deal is essentially one argument you can make that 497 00:31:49,280 --> 00:31:52,720 just makes things clear is that every other religion and every 498 00:31:52,720 --> 00:31:57,040 spiritual leader is trying to give good advice on the way you 499 00:31:57,040 --> 00:32:05,240 should take. Jesus came and said what I am, 500 00:32:06,440 --> 00:32:12,480 the way, the truth and the life, and no one comes to the Father 501 00:32:13,080 --> 00:32:18,400 except through me. Jesus says you could have never 502 00:32:18,400 --> 00:32:21,800 come to me, therefore I've come down to you. 503 00:32:21,800 --> 00:32:29,640 That's not advice, that's news. Has that news changed your life? 504 00:32:30,520 --> 00:32:35,320 Yes, obviously the gospel has massive implications for how we 505 00:32:35,320 --> 00:32:38,480 live. But first, the message of the 506 00:32:38,480 --> 00:32:41,320 gospel and of Christmas is a message of the good news that 507 00:32:41,320 --> 00:32:44,440 salvation has been provided for you. 508 00:32:44,680 --> 00:32:51,560 Have you received that gift? Has it changed your life? 509 00:32:51,840 --> 00:32:55,040 The Bible doesn't say Once Upon a time. 510 00:32:55,840 --> 00:33:01,120 It says for you unto you this day. 511 00:33:02,960 --> 00:33:05,960 It was a day that Jesus was born in history. 512 00:33:07,320 --> 00:33:09,320 He was born in Bethlehem. Why don't you think about it 513 00:33:09,320 --> 00:33:11,960 like this? Jesus was born in Bethlehem, in 514 00:33:11,960 --> 00:33:19,120 history, born in the flesh so he could be born in your heart by 515 00:33:19,120 --> 00:33:25,640 faith, so that you could be born again and made alive, changed, 516 00:33:26,360 --> 00:33:30,160 given the hope of heaven. And even though you walk through 517 00:33:30,160 --> 00:33:34,840 the valley of the shadow of death, you can fear no evil, for 518 00:33:34,840 --> 00:33:38,840 he's with you and you can walk with joy, just like we saw an 519 00:33:38,840 --> 00:33:42,200 example of. And Miss Nancy, from the moment 520 00:33:42,200 --> 00:33:44,440 you take your last breath and see him face to face. 521 00:33:45,480 --> 00:33:47,640 Has the good news of Christmas changed your life? 522 00:33:47,640 --> 00:33:48,760 I'm going to ask you to bow with me. 523 00:33:49,800 --> 00:33:51,280 John and praise team are going to come. 524 00:33:53,720 --> 00:33:58,960 If you're here this morning and the good news of Christmas has 525 00:33:58,960 --> 00:34:03,480 not gloriously interrupted your life, today is the day that it 526 00:34:03,480 --> 00:34:07,560 can. It's not up to you to do 527 00:34:07,560 --> 00:34:09,480 something. Jesus has done what needs to be 528 00:34:09,480 --> 00:34:13,400 done, but it is up to you to simply believe and receive that 529 00:34:13,400 --> 00:34:17,639 news by faith. The Bible clearly says if we'll 530 00:34:17,639 --> 00:34:22,120 call on the name of the Lord and we'll be saved, If we'll confess 531 00:34:22,120 --> 00:34:24,199 him as Lord and believe in our heart, God raised him from the 532 00:34:24,199 --> 00:34:26,920 dead, you will be saved. I'm going to stand down here at 533 00:34:26,920 --> 00:34:30,000 the front if you need to step out from where you are and say 534 00:34:30,000 --> 00:34:34,320 pastor calm, I need to receive the good news of Christmas 535 00:34:34,320 --> 00:34:38,400 today. I believe all things are 536 00:34:38,400 --> 00:34:41,719 possible with God, and that includes the fact my sin can be 537 00:34:41,719 --> 00:34:43,840 forgiven and Jesus can give me the hope of heaven. 538 00:34:44,679 --> 00:34:46,320 Would you come talk to me? We'd love to pray with you. 539 00:34:46,320 --> 00:34:52,040 We'll have encouragers close. If the gospel has gloriously 540 00:34:52,040 --> 00:34:56,840 interrupted your life, maybe you just need to remember, like 541 00:34:56,840 --> 00:35:01,520 Joseph did, maybe on the road to Bethlehem, that God not only 542 00:35:01,520 --> 00:35:04,160 wants to interrupt your life, he wants you to enjoy the journey, 543 00:35:05,920 --> 00:35:10,520 no matter how hard, no matter what the difficulties are, for 544 00:35:10,520 --> 00:35:12,280 you to remember that all things are possible. 545 00:35:13,320 --> 00:35:15,800 You'd remember that living for His opinion and his alone is the 546 00:35:15,800 --> 00:35:19,080 only thing that matters. And maybe today's the day just 547 00:35:19,080 --> 00:35:25,400 to hit reset this Christmas and say, God, I feel like something 548 00:35:25,400 --> 00:35:26,960 could happen right here on the side of the road. 549 00:35:26,960 --> 00:35:30,280 And I don't know why I am where I am or why I'm facing what I'm 550 00:35:30,280 --> 00:35:34,160 facing, but I know you didn't. This didn't catch you by 551 00:35:34,160 --> 00:35:37,400 surprise. And I'm going to choose joy and 552 00:35:37,400 --> 00:35:41,680 faith, not fear and worry. God, I know you got a plan. 553 00:35:42,640 --> 00:35:44,560 I'm trusting you. I'm invite you to make that 554 00:35:44,560 --> 00:35:47,960 decision, to just trust Jesus. Today I'm going to pray that 555 00:35:47,960 --> 00:35:50,400 we're going to sing. Heavenly Father, help us respond 556 00:35:50,400 --> 00:35:53,360 to you in faith today. To say yes to you for nothing is 557 00:35:53,360 --> 00:35:56,080 impossible. With you, in Jesus name, Amen. 558 00:35:56,080 --> 00:35:58,000 Would you stand with me? Let's worship you. 559 00:35:58,000 --> 00:36:00,520 Respond as the Lord leads you. This morning you come.