A Crossing family. I missed you.
I love you. This church loves you.
God loves you. I'm so glad you're here.
I don't know what kind of weak you have, but you couldn't have
picked a better place to spend a little bit of time this weekend.
I want to welcome those of you joining from all across this
region at our different campuses.
Those of you watching online and inside, before I jump into the
sermon, I want to be able to share a special moment with you
guys. I'm going to go ahead and have
Craig. And Christy Phillips, come up on
stage. If you'd give them a big round
of applause, I would greatly appreciate it.
There they are. Yeah, they're coming together.
Coming up here. They've been serving.
All right, come on in here. This is Craig.
And Christy Phillips. And they have two kids, Kai and
Alex. And in our world today there are
over 7,000 languages but only about 10% of those languages
have a complete Bible so that thing that you have that,
sometimes you don't read as often as you should.
There is an awful lot of people who don't even have the ability
to ignore because they don't have one.
There are over 2,000 languages that presently don't have a
single verse of scripture and the burden on the Philips heart.
For the last 20 years, is to do something about it.
This has led them to do some incredible work in Crimea.
Ukraine, it is led to them devoting themselves to extensive
educational Pursuits. For Christy, it was Applied
Linguistics and biblical exegesis to prepare for a career
and a job. And a calling with Pioneer,
Bible translators and then becoming an administrator for
adult education. Action and literacy programs.
For Craig gets been focusing on perfecting a teaching English
recently they believed or believe that God is calling them
to pursue on the mission field. A deeper level the translation
of the Bible into different languages and specifically they
feel called to the Caucasus region of Eurasia.
There are 21 languages in this mountain region with no access
to Scripture. And they hope that by August of
next year to be firmly planted as an entire family overseas,
which is incredible. During their time here at the
Crossing they have been deeply involved in Ministry.
For those of you here at 48th Street, Craig is regularly on
stage helping with the leading of worship.
Christie has done an awful lot for those of you watching online
behind the scenes with online and then I don't even want to
know how many thousands of cups of coffee.
She has served through one Mission Cafe, you probably know
this, but if you don't, let me just remind you at all of our
locations that one miss Ian Cafe that dollar you put in for, you
know, a cheapo coffee or whatever you pay for your super
cool, special, whatever it is, all that money goes to actually
support. In addition to our missionaries,
what we get put in our budget. It's a way for to just for us to
keep an extra blessing on all of our missionaries and she has
been serving those cups of coffee so that way we could
bless our other missionaries. But now it is our opportunity
and privilege as a church to serve you guys and to bless you
this. Our elders, along with our
mission board, made a commitment that when people from inside of
our ranks decide to pursue the call of God overseas.
And they meet our qualifications that we want to be the very
first people in their corner and that we want to make a
commitment to them for up to five years right out of the gate
and there's lots of ways you can measure a church, you can
measure it by its attendance by its baptisms, by the number of
people serving number of people in life groups.
The number of people giving there's All kinds of ways, but
one of the most special ways is to measure.
You can measure churches by the people.
It's raises up and sends out to advance the kingdom of God.
And so Phillips family, I need you to know this.
This church loves you. We are incredibly thankful for
you and we are proud of you, and we are going to be rooting for
you as you get ready to start this journey.
I know I got in this pocket. Make sure I don't mess this up.
In addition to what we've already given you this year, in
addition to the five years of support.
We wanted to give you this check, which we've given you a
check every service your yes, good to be a missionary this
weekend. Yes.
So yeah, you guys. That's awesome.
We're this brings our total commitment to you guys to forty
two thousand five hundred dollars.
We could not be more excited for you.
What you guys pray for them. Yeah, awesome.
You guys are clapping scrape. Look at that.
Standing ovation. Why do you have to preach now?
Yeah we just in his single worship song to go home.
I would you extend your hands towards them.
Heavenly father, thank you so much for the Phillips.
Thank you so much for the burden that you've placed on their
heart and their willingness to respond to it.
God, I want to pray specifically for them as they get ready to go
overseas. I pray that the adjustment for
their kids will be smooth. I know the stress of kids
changing schools, just here in the states.
I know the Sir parents can feel when they're just moving from
one town to another God, I can't imagine moving from one country
to another, and I just pray that you would just make the entire
process smooth for their kids. I pray for Greg and Kristy that
they would have deep and meaningful relationships.
That will be formed quick. When they move over that, they
have great life-giving Community.
Gotta pray that they would have eyes to see ears to hear and a
brain to process all of the ministry opportunities and is
They get to be a part of some of the language projects.
I pray that you bring Clarity to the message and God that they
would be able to see how their work is making a difference.
We love you so much God in your name.
I pray. Amen.
Love you guys were rooting for you.
Well, this week, we're starting a brand new sermon series called
the gift I need. And we set up some question it
questions among you and you answer them.
And I got to be honest with you, while I said, I love you.
I'm not proud of you. I'm a little worried to be
honest, as you'll see because there are some Savages in our
midst. One of the questions we asked is
Christmas tree up before or after Thanksgiving.
Yeah, you think that but I'm ashamed to say that. 39 percent
of you put the tree up before you've tasted the turkey.
And that is wrong. That is wrong.
One holiday at a time. Sheesh second one gets worse.
How many of you have re-gifted a present?
Seventy-seven percent of you said, yes, your Killers.
I'm not buying you anything. Good grief.
At least just take the gift. You don't like and then donate
it to the thrift store. But I mean don't take a gift.
You don't like him but yeah, I didn't want it.
You can have it too. That ain't, if you are.
All right, here's another one. When I Here's one of the
questions be honest. Is it really the thought that
counts? Twenty percent of you said no.
Like, I don't know if it ain't good.
It ain't right. Okay.
You just like I don't care how much time you put into this and
I don't care. The thought your gift stinks.
I've got so much more, but I can only deal with so much sin in
one sermon. Here's a real question right
now. If you came with a spouse or a
boyfriend or whatever, you, whatever you brought with you,
Look at them. Pick who's the best Gift Giver
in your house and let the best Gift Giver.
Raise their hand. Okay.
That's fine. There's nothing wrong.
God, put you together that way for a reason.
I'm a lot. Like my dad.
I don't know what 75% of the gifts are going to be right.
Like I'm as excited as they are. My goodness.
We got you that too. That's awesome bud.
But I do know which gift they're going to remember.
Because that'll be the gift that I picked out, right?
How many of you your budget people?
You've got a budget for Christmas.
We better stick to it. Okay.
So I actually think the problem with America's nobody knows how
to budget because for three services have been like, you
know, 10 people like yeah, we gotta pay tens the rest of your
like let's just see what happens.
Let's just see if smoke comes off this credit card or not.
Anyhow, I'm a pretty strict budget guy for Christmas until I
catch a vision for something spectacular.
And then I'm like, all right, we'll figure it out.
We just got to make this thing happen.
You guys have been there too. Did you know that?
Good Gift Giver now, I can like a theoretical sense but the
Bible goes out of its way to talk about his ability to give a
good gift. Matthew 7:11.
It starts out rough. If you then though, you are
evil. He's talking about.
You guys remember Christmas tree up before Thanksgiving
re-gifting evil people know how to give good gifts to your
children. So even though we're jacked up,
people we still know how to put together a good gift.
How much more will your father in heaven?
Give good gifts to those who ask him and one of the signs of a
good Gift Giver is their ability to give you what you really need
more than their ability to give you what you want.
One time, my dad gave me a gift for Christmas.
He got me an Iowa, Hawkeye sweatshirt and a pair of work
gloves. He's a pretty good gift giver
and turns out that was exactly the gift I needed.
Because as soon as the wrapping paper was all put away, we went
outside to work outside and I was super thankful for these
gloves that I didn't like it at first because when the wind kept
blowing and the snow kept falling that gift, that my dad
had given me in my past. Became incredibly valuable in my
present. Well, the prophet Isaiah 800
years before the Christmas narrative.
Takes pen to parchment and he begins to write about this gift
that God is giving you to the world.
Just like parents as they browse through pages on Amazon or
walking through the aisles at a store examining each present.
Carefully examining the potential gifts picturing the
Elation and Joy on their child's faces.
They peel back the wrapping paper and take in the present as
it's finally revealed he is writing to us going, check this
out. And see as we're reading through
it, if you can see the joy and the Elation that he in the
anticipation, Isaiah chapter 9. Nevertheless, there will be no
more Gloom for those who are in distress in the past, he humbled
the land of zebulun and the land of naphtali lime.
But in the future, he will honor Galilee of the nation's by way
of the sea beyond the Jordan. The people walking in darkness
have seen a great light on those living.
In the land of deep Darkness, a light has dawned you have
enlarged, the nation and increase their Boy, they
rejoiced before you as people Rejoice at the Harvest as
Warriors rejoice, when dividing the plunder for as, in the Day
of midians Defeat, you have shattered the Yoke that burdens
them, the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their
oppressor every Warriors boot used in battle and every garment
rolled in blood will be destined for burning will be fuel for the
fire for to us. A child, is born to us.
A son is given and the government will be on his
shoulders and he will be called And wonderful counselor, Mighty
God. Everlasting father Prince of
Peace of the greatness of his government and peace.
There will be no end. He will reign on David's throne
and over his kingdom establishing and upholding it
with Justice and righteousness from that time on and forever
judging by the lack of Standing, Ovation and Applause and shouts
of Joy. Perhaps something has been lost
in the 2800 years since this was written.
So, Can I do something instead of like preaching this thing
hard for the next 20 minutes? Would you just allow me to walk
you through the text a little bit, teach you a little bit and
see if something doesn't change in your heart, just a little bit
because I think there's an awful lot.
We're missing when we read it. Let's examine these qualities.
About this gift, a little bit more carefully.
Isaiah chapter 9, verse 1. Nevertheless, there will be no
more Gloom for those who are in distress.
Us and the past, he humbled the land of zebulun and the land of
naphtali. But in the future, he will honor
Galilee of the nation's, by the way, of the sea beyond the
Jordan, you know, how it is in some of our surrounding towns.
Small ones as you're pulling in, will be a green sign that says,
home of For those of us living in Illinois, where the Land of
Lincoln? Yeah, this jacked up, plot of
land, gets a little bit of favor because, you know, Lincoln's
from here. This is what he's saying is
going to happen for the area of Galilee that someone of such
prominence is going to come out of their midst.
That nobody will, nobody will ever be able to mention this
chunk of land without thinking about this gift.
Keep going in the text, the people walking in darkness have
seen a great light on those living.
In the land of deep Darkness, a light has dawned you have
enlarged, the nation and increase their Joy.
They Rejoice before you as people Rejoice at the Harvest as
Warriors rejoice, when the dividing the plunder.
Here's what he's saying, imagine a life plagued by stumbling and
suffering in darkness. Think about all the things we
take for granted because of our ability to see he's saying think
about all the Doom and Gloom and despair but when this gift shows
up Despair and Gloom will be removed, Darkness will cease
because those living in darkness have seen a great light.
A light has dawned in it traverses its way and all of a
sudden, the light and the warmth, envelop, you and think
about all the things that would change.
And then he goes, pay attention to the joy of people at Harvest.
Now, this gets a little lost on us because we're not as agrarian
as his audience, but imagine being an entire Community,
completely dependent on the farmers.
And you. go out and you sow your seed and you till up the soil
and you weed it and then you pray for rain and you pray for a
harvest and all the while you're waiting for the Harvest, you
have what was left over from last year's Harvest.
And it's dwindling. It's getting smaller and smaller
as everybody eats and you're starting to wonder.
Will the new Harvest come before the old Harvest Runs Out?
Will the new Harvest? Give me everything I need to
take care of my friends and my family and have enough set aside
to so for the next Harvest. Will there be enough there?
That we don't go hungry between when the following Harvest will
arrive. And every day, it doesn't rain.
And every day, it's not as sunny as you would like.
And you see what you've stored up?
Shrinking wondering if what is to come will be enough.
Imagine the joy of when you go outside and the Harvest is
finally ready, then they start to bring in the sheaves and it's
more than enough. It's more than enough for your
family and your loved ones and your friends.
And it's more than enough to set aside to.
So for next year's crop and it's more than enough for you to put
aside to make sure that everybody is well fed, your
family will be okay, / vision is here, Isaiah is saying this gift
that's coming is going to give you that kind of Joy.
The joy of Provision. And then he says of the joy of
Warriors rejoicing over the plunder to understand this one.
You have to kind of go back in time.
Let's go back a couple months. When a man looks at his wife and
he kisses her goodbye and he grabs his daughter, his face in
his hands and he says, I want you to know how you're beautiful
and I love you, listen to your mother.
And then he goes to his son and says, while I'm gone, you're the
man of the house, you keep them safe.
You treat your mother, and you treat your sister with respect.
And then you join your other neighbors as you head off to
March to the battlefield. Neighbors, who used to just
spend time laughing or now becoming a Band of Brothers in
battle? As you're walking one day, you
start to see the smoke from the enemy's Camp fires rising to the
sky. It feels like it is blocking the
Sun and so you find yourself Marching In the Shadows.
You finally get close enough to the enemy that, you know, that
this is your last night before the battle.
You're looking across it. Your fellow comrades wondering,
who will survive? You're wondering, will you see
your wife again? Will you see your son?
Again, will you be able to walk your daughter down the aisle?
You're you're sitting there knowing that you need to go to
sleep so that way you're rested for the battle but you can't
keep ask. You can't keep wondering you
can't your mind keeps asking question after question.
All you want to go to sleep. So you're rested.
But you can't fall asleep because you're scared.
The sun rises and you go and stand next to your fellow
comrades. And you know that in the next
couple of hours, all of those questions will be answered.
Will you live or will you die? Will you win or will you lose?
Will you be injured? Will you be taking captive?
And Isaiah says, like Warriors rejoicing over the plunder.
Now, you find yourself on the other side of the battle?
Not only are you alive, but you won and not only, did you win?
You're not going home empty-handed.
You're going back to your wife, back to your daughter, back to
your son and you're not going back empty-handed.
You have gone from the precipice of death to Victorious and
blessed Isaiah saying, when this gift shows up, that's how how
it'll be not only will you be provided for but you will be
Victorious and blessed. This is what Isaiah is trying to
get across Verses 4 through 54. As in the day of minions defeat
you have shattered, the Yoke that burdens them, the bar
across the shoulders, the rod of their oppressor every Warriors
boot used in battle and every garment rolled in blood will be
destined for burning will be fuel for the fire.
I'm gonna hit verse 5 next week, but let's go back to verse 4.
You've heard me say this before, when you read the Old Testament,
you are reading world history through Israelite eyes.
It is similar to you and I reading stories about the
battles that have been fought here and for America their fight
against the, many nights would be similar to our Revolutionary
War and the Bible goes out of its way to set up an interesting
contrast with the story of the midianites.
You see, it's these many nights Through the Bible says our their
army is too numerous to count. I'm not a math person but that's
a lot and God goes to Gideon. Hey, I want you to lead an Army
against these this Army. That's too many to count.
And so they send out a call and 32,000 men show up to fight an
army. That is again, too.
Numerous to count. And then God looks at getting
ghost. There's too many guys and
getting goes. Say what?
I don't know if you do math but there's only 32 thousand of us
in your word, says, your words not mine.
The Army were facing, it's too numerous to countin guys.
Like, listen man, send all the Cubs fans home.
That's actually sorry, that's not what it says.
It just says, it says, send all of those who are afraid home.
They just happen to be Cubs fans.
And listen 22,000 people dudes were like, yeah, I'm actually,
we're going to be honest, this is a time of sharing.
I am afraid and so you have 10,000 people versus an army
that is too numerous to count. And then God goes, guys, this is
way too many people and getting it's like really okay.
And God says, take them down to the water.
And for the guys, that just reach down and grab some with
their hand and pull it up to their mouth and laugh, like a
dog. Those are the separate.
Those guys, from the guys who get down on all fours.
And so, they get over there and 300 dudes, reach down with their
hand and pull it up to their mouth and 9700 of them get down
on all fours and gettings, like, alright, this is going to be
okay, I'm only losing 300. It'll be 9700 against an army,
too. Numerous to count.
And guy goes actually, I've been thinking it through and I think
we're going to go with the 300 and getting those, you're okay.
All right, so it's 300 vs. Too numerous to count.
He's like, yeah, that'll be great.
And then, so getting in now. His army of 300.
And then God's. Like, all right, now, here's
what you're going to need for the battle.
Now, tell me if this makes sense to you, he goes you're going to
want some trumpets. Some pottery.
I'm going to let some of you guys have torches.
Now, if you were there you're one of the 300 like guys time to
get your weapons standing in line you and Frank and Todd just
you get up, excuse me, I got a, I got a pot. if I feel like I'm
in the wrong Line, This is the cafeteria Oh no, you do and a
trumpet. I don't play the trumpet and How
hard do you hit someone with the trumpet?
Hey, do we have any swords? Excuse me.
Jesus, can I have a shield? God.
I don't know if you know about this, but they've made Spears.
They're awesome. And God goes none of them know.
I wanted to look like you guys beat up a marching band and then
showed up for battle. Because I'll tell you what a
group of people that beat up a marching band.
People are afraid of them, right.
So here you are getting ready for battle.
You got your picture? Your trumpet and your
flashlight, right, let's go give these guys what they got coming.
We'll look and check this out with a 300 people.
Armed with lanterns and trumpets and pottery, defeat an army that
is too numerous to count. What Isaiah is saying, is the
oppression that you have been feeling will be broken in an
unexplainable and majestical way.
Well, who can do something like that?
Who can make that kind of stuff happen.
Well, it keeps going for 69. For unto us.
A child is born to us. A son is given and the
government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called, wonderful, counselor, Mighty
God. Everlasting father, Prince of
Peace of the greatness of his government and peace.
There will be no end. He will reign on David's throne
and over his kingdom establishing and upholding it
with Justice and righteousness from that time on and forever.
How is this possible? How will there be so much light?
So, It's victory so much freedom.
Well, to us a child is born. To us a son is given, what kind
of baby is this? What's the kind of baby?
That has a government on his shoulders?
Hold on a second here. Let that sink in.
The entire government is going to rest on.
His shoulders. Now the American government is
broken into three branches but it's just mostly broken, right?
You have the three branches? For those of you who slept
through, whatever class taught you that I don't want you to
think I'm smart. I just Googled it.
We have the legislative branch, the executive branch, and the
judicial branch. Yeah, I could have done that
part from memory, the legislative branch, they make
the laws, Okay, this is where you have the upper and lower
house, you have the House of Representatives and you have the
Senate. The problem is for some of us
I'm not saying me or you but for some people the problem with the
House of Representatives is that they're only an office for two
years, so they never stop running and they never really
get around to governing. And potentially some of you may
be frustrated with the Senate because you have the exact
opposite problem when you feel like you can't ever get those
guys out of the office. And then you have the
legislative branch where you have the legislative branch and
then you have the executive branch there in charge of
executing the laws. Making sure that it happens.
It is here that the Office of the President resides and
depending on where you are on the political Spectrum, some
presidents for years is way too long.
And for others. Eight years is not enough,
right? Depending on where you are.
And then then, Give the judicial branch.
This is where the laws are evaluated and at the Pinnacle of
this group, you have the Supreme Court, Justices and based on how
we interpret the words, good behavior, they basically get
lifetime appointments. Which means if you get a bad
one. The good news is you have them
for life. And as they get older and their
mental abilities fade, they still get to weigh in.
Now, I think this is one of the best systems on planet Earth,
but it's a little broken. And think about what happens
every two to four years. The Uproar, the Panic, the fear,
the frustration families, divided, friendships lost,
ideologies. Mocked Common Sense.
Reduced hurtful rhetoric spewed. But this boy is the government.
It is here. Where it rests on his shoulders?
No election, no end to his Reign.
No skeletons in his closet. No reduction in his power or
abilities. The full weight of the
government will be majestically and purely carried out.
Well what kind of ruler will this baby be?
Well this is where we get to my sermon.
There's a bunch of qualities. They use, I'm only going to
mention two of them. The first one is that he will be
a wonderful counselor. The second one is he will be a
mighty God. Now something interesting here.
For those of you are big in the English language.
The word wonderful here is not an adjective, it's not an
adverb. It is this abstract explanation.
He's what Isaiah is trying to say is this is too magnificent
for you and I to understand we'd have a better chance.
A chance of taking a communion cup and filling the entire
draining the entire Mississippi into it.
He's trying to get you to go. The only possible explanation is
that God was in it. Here's what I mean by wonderful,
when God pulled water out of a rock.
And it took care and quench The Thirst of all the Israelites and
all of their animals. How do you describe that?
Oh, that's a Wonder. And the only way that makes
sense is if God's in it. How do you make sense of a small
boy going up against a giant with only five, smooth stones,
and a sling, and bringing a giant to his knees.
Well, that's a Wonder of it. The only way that that makes
sense is God. See when we read, wonderful, you
think Thanksgiving? Oh, Becky came by, and we just
had a wonderful conversation. This is the exact opposite.
This is something just took place, that's unexplainable.
The only way you could even begin to make sense of what you
saw is that God made it make sense to Israelites.
Walking through the Red Sea with a wall of water, on the right
and a wall of water on your left.
How do you explain that all? That is a Wonder.
That only makes sense. If God's in the picture, he's
going to be that. And a counselor.
Let me know what counselors do. They deal with us.
They diagnose us, they deliver us.
Some of you, you've been through the pain of going to multiple
counselors because the counselor you got wasn't good, some of you
had to deal with different medications because the
prescription you got was bad. But when you show up to this
God, with whatever problem you face, whatever challenge you're
in whatever Darkness you're navigating.
When you show up to this counselor, you get three
guarantees this how Alistair beg says, it one, he will deal with
you personally. This gift.
This child, this son. This Wonder counselor is going
to deal with you. Personally, he knows you better
than anybody knows you. Even you, he will deal with you
personally, you're not just he's just going to keep running
through the people. He's got a 9:00 and 9:30 and
10:00. And he's only got 25 minutes to
figure it out and he's gonna run the some same play on you that
he's ran on five other people. No, he's going to deal with you
personally. He's going to diagnose you
properly because he has access to Infinite Wisdom in since he
knows you better than anybody else does, he can diagnose you
properly which means he can deliver you powerfully.
But he's not just a wonderful counselor.
He's a mighty God. What this Baby's God.
Yeah, look at how John describes him in the beginning was the
word and the Word was with God. And the Word was God, he was
with God in the beginning through him.
All things were made without him.
Nothing was made that has been made in him was life and that
life was the light of all mankind.
So if you as you're studying, having a hard time, reading your
Bible from time to time, when you get into a text like this,
just start asking, Asking a bunch of question.
Who's the word? Well, if you keep reading, we
know that the word is a dude. It's a guy.
Well who's a pretty famous guy in the Bible?
Who all things were made through him.
Look at your neighbor regardless of how ugly they are.
Guess who made them. God didn't.
But so did this baby? Jesus was apart of your
creation. He was a part of bringing you
into existence when you and I look at people we are looking at
somebody. Who's got the thumbprint Of a
master Potter. That's who this baby is.
He is mighty God. If he can make everything that
you, and I have ever seen, how much Mike does he have?
How Mighty is this baby? Well, he's Mighty enough, that
he delivered the Israelites out of the hand of the Egyptians.
That's how Mighty he is. He's Mighty enough that when he
hits a rock, water comes out and feeds them in all our, it takes
care of gives quenches The Thirst of them and all their
animals Mighty enough that when they're walking through the The
Red Sea and there's a wall of water on the right and a wall of
water on the left. And the only way you could
describe it as God, did that? That's how Mighty he is.
He's the kind of Mighty God that gives them a pillar of Fire by
day and a pillar of our, a pillar of Fire by night in a
pillar of cloud by day. That's how Mighty he is, how
Mighty you asked? Marty enough that he let them
bring down Jericho with just a shout Mighty enough that when he
touched the leper they were immediately healed.
Grab the hand of a crippled person in their hand was made
right spoke and the lame could walk how Mighty you, ask my teen
up that. He just so happened to mention
the name Lazarus and Lazarus came back from the dead.
How Mighty you ask Mighty enough that when he spoke to Demons
people were delivered how Mighty you asked he was in.
He was laying down asleep in a boat with his head on a pillow
and a storm came up and all of his disciples were terrified and
they went to Jesus and they said, Jesus, wake up, don't you
care if we all drown? And Jesus woke up like this live
off his beard. Peace.
Be still and the waves stopped waving and the wind stopped
blowing. You can go home and check this
out, Mark chapter 4, see if I'm lying.
Look what happens after that. The disciples say who is this?
That's Wonder. What just happened?
Only makes sense if God's in the picture. even the wind and waves
obey him, that's might Who is this?
That even the wind and the waves obey him inside of here?
You see Wonder And you see my night, he is a wonderful
counselor because he devised a plan to make you and I not just
right with God. But right with one another and
right with ourselves, and he is mighty enough to carry it out.
In fact, he is mighty enough to save all who will place their
trust in him. This is what Isaiah was trying
to put into your heart and in my heart, when he wrote it.
So, can I read it to you one more time now that you know
what? He's trying to say,
Nevertheless, there will be no more Gloom for those who are in
distress. In the past, he humbled the land
of zebulun and the land of naphtali.
But in the future, he will honor Galilee of the nation's by way
of the sea beyond the Jordan. The people walking in darkness
have seen a great light on those living.
In the land of deep Darkness, a light has dawned.
You have enlarged, the nation and increased their Joy.
They Rejoice before you as people Rejoice at the Harvest as
Warriors rejoice, when dividing the plunder for as in the day of
millions defeat, you have shattered, the Yoke that burdens
them, the bar across the shoulders, the rod of their
oppressor. Every Warriors boot used in
battle and every garment rolled and blood will be destined for
burning will be fuel for the fire for to us.
A child, is born to us. A son is given and the
government will be on his shoulders.
Shoulders. And he will be called,
wonderful, counselor, Mighty God.
Everlasting father, Prince of Peace of the greatness of his
government and peace. There will be no end.
He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom
establishing and upholding it with Justice and righteousness
from that time on and forever. And I think you will discover
that this is the gift. We desperately need And I'm
willing to wager that deep down inside.
It's the gift. Your soul has always wanted on
to us. A child is born to us.
A son is given and he will be wonderful, counselor, Mighty God
removed the time of decision. The incredible news is that this
gift is for everyone. No matter who you are, no matter
what you've done, no matter what you're in the middle of right
now. This gift is available to you.
But I got to be honest with you. This life with Jesus isn't easy.
Oh, it's good. It's better.
But I don't know, I mean, I know there's a lot of stuff on Tick,
Tock, and Instagram, and YouTube.
That's telling you that, like, you know, life with Jesus is
just up and to the right all the time, I just need you to hear
from me not true. Life with Jesus is hard.
Loving your neighbors. That's hard.
Not being greedy, that's hard, not being selfish.
That's hard, not being a gossip that's hard, not being lustful.
That's hard. Jesus calls you to incredibly
hard things. Now, I'll tell you, it's the
best life, it's a good life, but it's a hard one.
Jesus says, when he's describing the Christian Life, he says,
pick up your cross and follow me that I don't know where you're
from, but that doesn't sound See, that sounds hard.
In fact the Christian life is so hard that you have to have the
power of the holy spirit inside of you to actually live it out.
The good news, is he gives that to you.
He gives you the gift and he gives you the power to live it
out. Now listen things that are good
and are hard aren't new to you. How many of you are?
Just? Just look at me.
Don't raise your hand. I want you to get in trouble.
I'll just get in trouble for all of us.
You're married. Is it ever hard just blink if
it's hard? Okay.
Yeah, this is some of you. You've been there.
Is it good? Yeah.
Is a heart. Yeah, it's yeah.
It's really stinking hard. Jesus.
Okay, she's so perfect. And I'm so flawed.
So she tells me right? It is it is it is it good?
Yeah. Is it hard?
Yeah. Parents raising a kid is a good
having kids all. Oh yeah.
Is it hard? Some of you suckers you're in
here with your first kid, you still got it in the cute little
basket and every time someone asks you like, how are you
doing? I'm just so tired.
It's just a big adjustment, it's a lot, it's a lot Clayton, just
having this precious life and all the things that come with
it. I just needed you to hear it
here first. What you're experiencing right
now is as good as it gets, okay? You will beg to be tired the
okay because right now you're just physically tired.
But those of us who've been parents for a while, we're
emotionally tired. We're spiritually tired for
fragile. Someone It died today.
Okay, you're rude because right now you know what that kid does
it sleeps all the stinking time it wakes up and cries for a
little bit, you eat it. You burp, it, you change it and
you put it back to bed. That's it.
It doesn't go anywhere. You don't want it to go.
It doesn't have any friends that you don't want it to have.
It has no crushes. It has no attitude and never
dirties. It's room.
It doesn't try on five outfits and leave them on the floor.
It just burps and pees and poops.
And those of us who've had teenagers are going Take that
all day every day. That's why your parents like
your grandbabies. So when you come up to us like
yeah, it's just been tough. We're like yeah.
Just you wait. Okay.
Parents parents, come here, parents, come here, I'm your
pastor, it's parenting good, is it hard?
I'm just telling you some of the very best things in my life.
Are both good and hard. And what I'm telling you is
following Jesus is good, it's good, but it's hard.
But you will not regret it. And if you've never started an
intimate personal relationship with Jesus Christ, Don't put
that off. Just a few moments as me
somebody over by the bastard who love an opportunity to talk with
you and pray with, you about it to the rest of you in the room.
My fear is that, if you've been a Christian, a long time,
sometimes sometimes and maybe it's not you, but our eyes can
get some scales on in our hearts can become hardened.
And we are no longer rejoicing over what we have in him.
And I pray that just one part of this sermon, was able to stir
your affections for Jesus, so that we would live for him and
be a light for him. To a lost and dying world.
And if maybe you're in a spot where you just need to kind of
repent of where you've been or try and get some things right,
and maybe beg God to start a new fire in your heart.
The steps are going to be open for you to do that.
Would you stand with me? God, do a mighty work, a work.
That only you can do, you know exactly what every person in
this room and every person online needs. and so God, I'm
asking for you to show up and deliver that Dual work that only
you can do. God, bring a unique gift to
every person. And your name.
I pray. Amen.
And your name. I pray.
Amen.