1 00:00:02,300 --> 00:00:03,700 Well, good morning Crossing Church. 2 00:00:03,700 --> 00:00:07,900 How are you doing today? I really, I mean, is it? 3 00:00:07,900 --> 00:00:13,900 Like, are you surviving like all the crazy nutty stuff that is 4 00:00:13,900 --> 00:00:15,500 going on? I tell you what, you go to the 5 00:00:15,500 --> 00:00:17,800 grocery store. It. 6 00:00:18,600 --> 00:00:20,700 Yeah. It's survival, isn't it? 7 00:00:20,700 --> 00:00:23,600 It's just nuts and it's just going to get none of your 8 00:00:23,600 --> 00:00:28,800 nuttier until next weekend hits and I hope that you're surviving 9 00:00:28,800 --> 00:00:32,400 and this is like a moment of sanity and a Moment of clarity 10 00:00:32,400 --> 00:00:36,000 and what is the rest of your holiday season? 11 00:00:36,000 --> 00:00:39,000 I want to Welcome, all of our locations joining from all over 12 00:00:39,000 --> 00:00:41,400 this region. So thankful for each and 13 00:00:41,400 --> 00:00:44,900 everyone of you and if you're inside her online we're thankful 14 00:00:45,300 --> 00:00:50,600 for you as well. And how many of you are not done 15 00:00:50,700 --> 00:00:54,400 shopping yet? Raise your hands just be honest 16 00:00:55,300 --> 00:00:59,600 how many of you are all done? Well, you're a little better 17 00:00:59,600 --> 00:01:02,300 than first service. You're actually, you're actually 18 00:01:02,300 --> 00:01:05,200 doing a little bit better. Well, if you haven't gotten 19 00:01:05,200 --> 00:01:08,200 everything that you need to get, I'll give you a couple of great 20 00:01:08,200 --> 00:01:10,600 ideas. One is, I don't know a better 21 00:01:10,600 --> 00:01:13,400 gift that you could give your spouse. 22 00:01:13,600 --> 00:01:16,900 Then inviting them to come with you to a marriage Retreat. 23 00:01:17,100 --> 00:01:21,000 We've had four of those, you've had about 120, people go through 24 00:01:21,000 --> 00:01:23,200 them. It's been a great experience for 25 00:01:23,200 --> 00:01:27,700 them and we have three scheduled for the spring and you can get 26 00:01:27,700 --> 00:01:30,300 on that. QR code and go down through the 27 00:01:30,300 --> 00:01:33,600 tree and see when those are. I think there's one the end of 28 00:01:33,600 --> 00:01:37,400 February couple in March and that would be a great gift to 29 00:01:37,400 --> 00:01:40,300 give each other because there's nothing better to invest in than 30 00:01:40,300 --> 00:01:43,000 your marriage. So once you to consider that 31 00:01:43,000 --> 00:01:50,000 coming up in the spring and in the winter of 2023 actually 32 00:01:50,000 --> 00:01:55,600 Begins the day after Christmas, The Crossing is taking a group 33 00:01:55,600 --> 00:01:58,400 to the Holy Land. Now, that's a little bit. 34 00:01:58,400 --> 00:02:02,100 That's an expensive gift that you could give in there about, 35 00:02:02,100 --> 00:02:03,800 we're about half filled up already. 36 00:02:04,100 --> 00:02:08,900 So if you're considering that you can get more information, 37 00:02:08,900 --> 00:02:12,900 you can do the same thing on the QR code and see what's up with 38 00:02:12,900 --> 00:02:15,400 that because that is a singular experience. 39 00:02:15,400 --> 00:02:20,200 So it's a life-changing experience and hope every one of 40 00:02:20,200 --> 00:02:23,500 you gets to do that sometime in your life. 41 00:02:23,600 --> 00:02:27,200 Well, we're in the series called the gift I need. 42 00:02:27,300 --> 00:02:32,200 Read. And last time, to tackle this 43 00:02:32,200 --> 00:02:37,000 before, all of the what, over 40 Christmas, Eve type services 44 00:02:37,000 --> 00:02:39,500 that were having all across the region. 45 00:02:40,200 --> 00:02:43,400 And we've been looking particularly at a scripture in 46 00:02:43,400 --> 00:02:48,000 the Old Testament in the book of Isaiah, Isaiah 9, which is a 47 00:02:48,900 --> 00:02:52,100 prophetic scripture about the coming of the Messiah, the 48 00:02:52,100 --> 00:02:57,300 coming of Jesus, and we're kind of going through these different 49 00:02:57,500 --> 00:03:01,800 Options that he uses these different metaphors that he uses 50 00:03:01,800 --> 00:03:05,900 to describe the coming Messiah and the one that I was assigned 51 00:03:05,900 --> 00:03:09,900 was Everlasting father. So I've been thinking about that 52 00:03:09,900 --> 00:03:13,000 in the last few weeks as I've been preparing to speak with you 53 00:03:13,000 --> 00:03:16,900 about the idea of an everlasting father. 54 00:03:17,700 --> 00:03:22,300 And and so it it you know, when I think about my father, I get a 55 00:03:22,308 --> 00:03:27,200 nostalgic and you may you may as well depending upon them. 56 00:03:27,300 --> 00:03:31,100 Mean it, evokes different kinds of emotions depending upon your 57 00:03:31,100 --> 00:03:36,000 upbringing, your experience. For me, it was a reflection back 58 00:03:36,000 --> 00:03:45,100 to October 21st 1999. Now, October 21st, is my 59 00:03:45,100 --> 00:03:47,600 birthday. So you can write that down in 60 00:03:47,600 --> 00:03:51,200 case you can have someone that you need to, you know, just so 61 00:03:51,200 --> 00:03:56,000 be ready for next year. But October 21st, I was born in 62 00:03:56,000 --> 00:03:58,600 59. So it was my 40th birthday. 63 00:03:59,100 --> 00:04:01,800 And it's that birthday. You know, your 40th, birthday is 64 00:04:01,800 --> 00:04:04,200 kind of that birthdays that birthday when you go. 65 00:04:04,400 --> 00:04:08,500 I have just crested the hill. And now I'm going to be going 66 00:04:08,500 --> 00:04:11,800 down the other side, you know, and people that are all younger 67 00:04:11,800 --> 00:04:14,800 than me are going to be considering the old right. 68 00:04:14,900 --> 00:04:18,500 Like I'm over the hill. Maybe, maybe you might even get, 69 00:04:18,500 --> 00:04:23,700 so I don't know introspective that you might contemplate your 70 00:04:23,700 --> 00:04:27,800 own mortality. That particular day, October 71 00:04:27,800 --> 00:04:35,100 21st, 1999, I was contemplating mortality Just not my own. 72 00:04:36,200 --> 00:04:39,400 Because that was the day that I buried my father. 73 00:04:40,600 --> 00:04:46,500 What a 40th birthday. To be able to lay my father to 74 00:04:46,500 --> 00:04:50,300 rest, was it made it a very, very difficult day. 75 00:04:51,500 --> 00:04:54,300 And I remember going, I mean I was officiating. 76 00:04:54,300 --> 00:04:58,100 So I had the privilege of officiating, my father's funeral 77 00:04:58,100 --> 00:05:01,900 and my mother's funeral, My Brother's funeral, and so I'm 78 00:05:01,900 --> 00:05:04,200 officiating. And so I'm wearing two hats, 79 00:05:04,600 --> 00:05:06,900 right? I'm wearing the I'm the morning, 80 00:05:06,900 --> 00:05:10,200 sun hat and I'm missing my father. 81 00:05:10,200 --> 00:05:13,500 And then I'm also that person who's responsible that 82 00:05:13,500 --> 00:05:15,800 everything runs smoothly in this service. 83 00:05:16,100 --> 00:05:20,500 And I wanted to make sure that he was properly honored and I 84 00:05:20,500 --> 00:05:24,400 remember after Going through the service and, you know, into the 85 00:05:25,900 --> 00:05:28,600 dad's body into the hearse and then taking the Hurst, the other 86 00:05:28,600 --> 00:05:33,600 side of Indianapolis to Washington Park Cemetery, where 87 00:05:33,600 --> 00:05:39,100 my mother had been buried five years before in my my family not 88 00:05:39,100 --> 00:05:40,500 me. If they would have listened to 89 00:05:40,500 --> 00:05:43,200 me, they would have made a different choice, but my family 90 00:05:43,400 --> 00:05:46,900 picked out the casket and they picked out an oak casket. 91 00:05:48,600 --> 00:05:50,300 Now, those of you that are thinking about would know 92 00:05:50,300 --> 00:05:55,700 something about Oak, what is it? It's heavy, it's heavy, and for 93 00:05:55,700 --> 00:06:01,600 some reason, we chose six pallbearers instead of eight and 94 00:06:01,600 --> 00:06:06,200 you really needed to have eight pallbearers for this. 95 00:06:06,200 --> 00:06:12,900 And so, my job, my responsibility, when the hearse 96 00:06:12,900 --> 00:06:18,000 arrives at the cemetery is I go to the back. 97 00:06:18,300 --> 00:06:22,300 Of the of the hearse I stand there, the pallbearers line up 98 00:06:22,400 --> 00:06:24,500 backwards. They and they, you know, they 99 00:06:25,100 --> 00:06:30,400 bring out the casket and then I walk in front of the casket to 100 00:06:30,400 --> 00:06:34,700 the burial site about, maybe 10 feet in front, and they follow 101 00:06:34,700 --> 00:06:39,300 me to the, to the burial site. So, that's what I'm doing and 102 00:06:40,000 --> 00:06:44,400 going forward and, you know, there's just some circumstances 103 00:06:44,400 --> 00:06:47,700 I have to be aware of. Well, I happen to look back now 104 00:06:47,700 --> 00:06:52,900 my At the time was toward the front of the casket as one of 105 00:06:52,900 --> 00:06:56,600 the pallbearers and as I looked behind me, I could see something 106 00:06:56,600 --> 00:07:00,300 happening that my brother's knees were buckling. 107 00:07:01,400 --> 00:07:06,300 Because it was heavy. and he was going to lose it and I mean, I'm 108 00:07:06,300 --> 00:07:10,200 thinking to myself, this will be horrible if that were to happen 109 00:07:10,600 --> 00:07:15,100 and I figured out that day why they put handles on the ends of 110 00:07:15,100 --> 00:07:21,200 the casket because all I needed to do was step back and put my 111 00:07:21,200 --> 00:07:26,000 hand down on that onto that handle and lift up that handle 112 00:07:26,000 --> 00:07:28,300 and I looked at my brother he looked at me and it was like 113 00:07:28,600 --> 00:07:34,900 thank you thank you so much and I carried I helped carry Free my 114 00:07:34,900 --> 00:07:40,600 father's body that the rest of the way to where he was set on 115 00:07:40,600 --> 00:07:44,300 that part, that lowers the casket down. 116 00:07:46,300 --> 00:07:49,100 And when I was doing that, there was something that occurred to 117 00:07:49,100 --> 00:07:53,200 me. That all these years, those 40 118 00:07:53,200 --> 00:07:57,500 years, my dad had carried the burden for me. 119 00:07:59,400 --> 00:08:03,700 From the day, I was born. He carried the burden for me. 120 00:08:03,700 --> 00:08:07,500 And here now I have the opportunity just for a moment to 121 00:08:07,500 --> 00:08:11,000 return the favor and carry the burden with him. 122 00:08:13,700 --> 00:08:16,000 And I have to tell you that, you know, I was blessed. 123 00:08:16,000 --> 00:08:20,500 I was really blessed as a son to have a father, like, I had 124 00:08:20,500 --> 00:08:26,900 because he bore the burden of his family and the burden that I 125 00:08:26,900 --> 00:08:29,500 presented him with with so much grace. 126 00:08:30,500 --> 00:08:32,299 I never heard. I can't tell you. 127 00:08:32,299 --> 00:08:35,400 I'm I'm not lying. I don't think I ever heard. 128 00:08:35,400 --> 00:08:39,200 My dad really raised his voice in anger, I can't remember him. 129 00:08:39,200 --> 00:08:45,600 Ever swearing Not one off-color word out of his mouth, I can't 130 00:08:45,600 --> 00:08:49,800 say either one of those things. But I could say those about him. 131 00:08:51,200 --> 00:08:53,800 And that's pretty amazing. I'm not saying that he didn't 132 00:08:53,800 --> 00:08:56,700 have his faults but I just didn't he didn't let me see 133 00:08:56,700 --> 00:08:59,900 them. I never heard him, complain 134 00:08:59,900 --> 00:09:04,700 about his responsibility, taking care of the family. 135 00:09:06,600 --> 00:09:08,600 And with both of our parents gone. 136 00:09:10,000 --> 00:09:13,400 By my mother five years before. And then my father, I remember 137 00:09:13,600 --> 00:09:17,600 when we were walking back to our cars, after that little 138 00:09:18,100 --> 00:09:21,400 committal ceremony was over looking at my brother and going 139 00:09:21,400 --> 00:09:27,300 you realize we're orphans I never thought of that before the 140 00:09:27,300 --> 00:09:33,400 idea that both of my, my parents were gone and you know how it 141 00:09:33,400 --> 00:09:37,600 is, you know, matriarch and patriarch of the family. 142 00:09:37,600 --> 00:09:41,000 And then all of a sudden, everything shifts, Everything 143 00:09:41,000 --> 00:09:47,200 Changes, all sorts of things. And that I was going to have to 144 00:09:47,208 --> 00:09:51,300 be the patriarch of my family now because that he had, he had 145 00:09:51,300 --> 00:09:56,000 moved on now. Have to tell you, as grieving, 146 00:09:56,000 --> 00:09:59,100 as I was, I wasn't grieving like other people who had no hope 147 00:09:59,100 --> 00:10:03,200 because I knew something that my about my father's, see my father 148 00:10:03,200 --> 00:10:06,600 gave me the greatest gift. Any father could ever give a son 149 00:10:06,700 --> 00:10:09,600 any parent could ever give a child and that is the knowledge 150 00:10:09,600 --> 00:10:11,300 of where he was spending eternity. 151 00:10:12,000 --> 00:10:16,900 That changes everything. So I grieve but nothing not like 152 00:10:16,900 --> 00:10:23,900 people who don't have any hope. Now, he was gone from us and he 153 00:10:23,900 --> 00:10:28,600 was with the Lord. But what he left us with, was 154 00:10:28,600 --> 00:10:32,300 priceless to me. Because I had received so much 155 00:10:32,300 --> 00:10:37,200 from him, received his protection, his provision, his 156 00:10:37,200 --> 00:10:41,500 financial investment, his emotional investment, his 157 00:10:41,500 --> 00:10:46,100 spiritual investment. I mean, he was a key player in 158 00:10:46,100 --> 00:10:51,700 me becoming a Christian. So I was kind of latching onto 159 00:10:51,700 --> 00:10:55,500 my my mother and father's faith. I actually have a picture a Jack 160 00:10:55,500 --> 00:10:59,600 and white picture that somebody I don't know who took it of me 161 00:10:59,600 --> 00:11:04,000 in the waters of baptism with our pastor. 162 00:11:04,000 --> 00:11:06,900 Baptizing me but my father got in the water. 163 00:11:07,900 --> 00:11:09,700 Would that was something that was never done. 164 00:11:09,700 --> 00:11:12,300 He got in the water in his Sunday suit and he's standing 165 00:11:12,300 --> 00:11:16,000 there with his arms folded. Like you better do this right 166 00:11:16,000 --> 00:11:20,500 man. You know, like I mean you can't 167 00:11:20,500 --> 00:11:22,900 even see my face. You just see my feet? 168 00:11:23,000 --> 00:11:25,800 You know, because I'm in the like the prone position. 169 00:11:25,900 --> 00:11:30,800 You can see my socks and back then you were in our church. 170 00:11:30,900 --> 00:11:34,000 You are actually baptized in the clothes you wore. 171 00:11:34,900 --> 00:11:38,600 And and so it's kind of interesting that he gave me the 172 00:11:38,600 --> 00:11:42,400 spiritual investment and he taught me and he trained me and 173 00:11:42,400 --> 00:11:45,600 he gave me Grace and he gave me mercy, but most of all he gave 174 00:11:45,600 --> 00:11:53,400 me love Now, by that time I was a father, I was a father four 175 00:11:53,400 --> 00:11:57,200 times over and I was doing my best to instill the things that 176 00:11:57,200 --> 00:12:01,200 my father had instilled in me into my children. 177 00:12:01,200 --> 00:12:03,600 And I'm sure that I'm not. I don't live up to those 178 00:12:03,600 --> 00:12:08,900 expectations, but I've trying and I try and and I reach 179 00:12:08,900 --> 00:12:13,400 realizing something at by that time in my life at 40, is that 180 00:12:13,400 --> 00:12:17,700 being a father is a lot more than just a biological reality. 181 00:12:19,200 --> 00:12:21,900 That being a father is a responsibility. 182 00:12:23,800 --> 00:12:26,800 And I was thinking about that word as I Was preparing to 183 00:12:26,800 --> 00:12:30,000 preach today, the word responsibility because there's a 184 00:12:30,000 --> 00:12:33,300 word inside of it and the word is side of the word. 185 00:12:33,300 --> 00:12:35,800 Responsibility is the word response. 186 00:12:38,200 --> 00:12:42,700 So when this baby is presented to you, how are you going to 187 00:12:42,700 --> 00:12:47,100 respond to that? You know, it's more than a 188 00:12:47,108 --> 00:12:51,200 biological reality because the response is, this is a big 189 00:12:51,200 --> 00:12:54,900 responsibility. I don't know what this is going 190 00:12:54,900 --> 00:12:58,600 to entail but this is a huge responsibility. 191 00:13:00,100 --> 00:13:03,500 And my dad's response to that responsibility was great for me 192 00:13:03,700 --> 00:13:07,700 and and hopefully it's continuing to live on in me and 193 00:13:07,700 --> 00:13:11,100 then in my kids, I see it as they are now parents and I'm a 194 00:13:11,300 --> 00:13:16,000 grandparent even though my father's been gone for 23 years 195 00:13:16,000 --> 00:13:20,800 from this world. I see his legacy living on. 196 00:13:22,100 --> 00:13:25,500 And I can tell you that even though he has been gone for 23 197 00:13:25,500 --> 00:13:27,600 years, he'll always be my father. 198 00:13:30,700 --> 00:13:33,800 Now, we've been in this book of Isaiah in the Old Testament, 199 00:13:33,800 --> 00:13:37,800 Isaiah chapter 9. And when Isaiah is describing 200 00:13:37,800 --> 00:13:42,600 the coming Messiah, he uses these really colorful metaphors. 201 00:13:43,200 --> 00:13:46,200 Beautiful metaphors. I, I remember from when I was in 202 00:13:46,200 --> 00:13:50,600 choir, and I was singing These in Handel's Messiah, because 203 00:13:50,900 --> 00:13:54,300 there's a song in there. And his name Shall be Called 204 00:13:54,500 --> 00:13:59,100 wonderful counselor. Hear that metaphor in their 205 00:13:59,100 --> 00:14:03,700 Mighty God? Prince of Peace. 206 00:14:07,100 --> 00:14:11,400 But then there's this one. That stands out. 207 00:14:11,400 --> 00:14:13,300 You know, it talks about the government being on his 208 00:14:13,300 --> 00:14:16,700 shoulders, that he's bearing, the weight of government, but 209 00:14:16,700 --> 00:14:21,000 then there's this one one, this one metaphor that captures 210 00:14:21,000 --> 00:14:24,400 something much more personal than all the others and it's the 211 00:14:24,400 --> 00:14:28,300 one that I'm going to talk about today and that's Everlasting 212 00:14:28,300 --> 00:14:33,100 father You see, when it describes him as a wonderful 213 00:14:33,100 --> 00:14:35,300 counselor. I see him as somebody. 214 00:14:35,300 --> 00:14:37,200 I can go and talk to and pray to. 215 00:14:37,200 --> 00:14:41,100 And I know he hears me and I know that he responds to me when 216 00:14:41,100 --> 00:14:44,700 I think Prince of Peace, I think of all of the clamor and turmoil 217 00:14:44,700 --> 00:14:48,300 in my life and how he can bring peace into my life because of 218 00:14:48,300 --> 00:14:50,800 what he has done for me. When he died for me, on the 219 00:14:50,800 --> 00:14:53,900 cross was buried and rose from the dead. 220 00:14:54,300 --> 00:14:57,900 When I think of Mighty God, I think about all of his power 221 00:14:58,000 --> 00:15:00,400 power that can actually raise him from the dead, the power. 222 00:15:00,500 --> 00:15:04,400 That could create the world of the universe, all this power. 223 00:15:05,200 --> 00:15:07,900 But when I hear Everlasting father, now that's different 224 00:15:07,900 --> 00:15:11,200 because that's personal, that's relational. 225 00:15:12,400 --> 00:15:16,900 That's talking about his relationship to me. the things 226 00:15:16,900 --> 00:15:20,100 that I know now as a father, and as a grandfather, and the things 227 00:15:20,100 --> 00:15:26,100 that I witnessed with my father, I can describe some of that to 228 00:15:26,100 --> 00:15:29,200 him and that is that he loves me no matter what. 229 00:15:31,200 --> 00:15:33,400 That he gives me all these things even though I don't 230 00:15:33,400 --> 00:15:37,300 deserve them and I didn't really have them coming to me. 231 00:15:38,000 --> 00:15:41,400 This is special term Everlasting father. 232 00:15:44,500 --> 00:15:47,800 Now, the night before, Jesus died for our sins, he actually 233 00:15:48,200 --> 00:15:52,100 kind of connected with something from the book of Isaiah chapter 234 00:15:52,100 --> 00:15:55,300 9. Even though those words were 700 235 00:15:55,300 --> 00:16:01,300 years old, when, when we refer to them before Jesus, and he 236 00:16:01,300 --> 00:16:05,200 said it by using a single phrase and and this is the night, this 237 00:16:05,200 --> 00:16:08,400 is the night before he was crucified, look at what he says. 238 00:16:08,600 --> 00:16:11,000 He says I will not leave you as orphans. 239 00:16:11,600 --> 00:16:13,700 I want to stop right there. I'm going to read the rest of 240 00:16:13,700 --> 00:16:17,000 this but But he's not saying your heavenly father will leave 241 00:16:17,000 --> 00:16:18,900 you as will not leave you as orphans. 242 00:16:19,100 --> 00:16:24,200 He's saying I will not Leave you as orphans now the idea of 243 00:16:24,200 --> 00:16:27,200 Orphan has to do with parenting, right? 244 00:16:27,900 --> 00:16:30,600 And so it's like even though Jesus is the son and we 245 00:16:30,600 --> 00:16:34,200 recognized that the father is the father that's on his throne. 246 00:16:34,400 --> 00:16:38,600 Jesus is ascribing to that like he is our father as well. 247 00:16:39,000 --> 00:16:43,000 Like he has this kind of a relationship Tessa Harkens back 248 00:16:43,200 --> 00:16:47,800 to Isaiah chapter 9, where the Son of God, the Messiah is 249 00:16:47,800 --> 00:16:53,300 called Everlasting father. I will not leave you as orphans. 250 00:16:53,300 --> 00:16:56,600 I will come to you before long. The world won't see many more, 251 00:16:56,600 --> 00:17:00,800 but you will see me because I live, you will also live. 252 00:17:00,800 --> 00:17:06,599 Wow, that's great because we know from his resurrection that 253 00:17:06,599 --> 00:17:09,500 that power that raised Jesus from the dead. 254 00:17:09,500 --> 00:17:12,700 Not only has the power to raised Jesus from the dead. 255 00:17:12,900 --> 00:17:15,599 It has the power to raise you from the dead. 256 00:17:16,900 --> 00:17:20,800 Has the power to raise me from the dead and as I'm 257 00:17:20,800 --> 00:17:24,599 contemplating death on my 40th Day birthday. 258 00:17:24,599 --> 00:17:28,900 I know that Jesus has the power to raise my father from death. 259 00:17:31,600 --> 00:17:35,500 On that day, you will realize that I'm in my father, you're in 260 00:17:35,500 --> 00:17:39,200 me and I'm in you listen to that relationship. 261 00:17:39,600 --> 00:17:42,800 That's in there. The depth of this relationship. 262 00:17:43,200 --> 00:17:47,300 So he's taking on the role of father to his disciples but not 263 00:17:47,300 --> 00:17:51,300 just a father Everlasting father. 264 00:17:52,900 --> 00:17:56,400 Is he, he wasn't going to let a petty thing like death at the 265 00:17:56,400 --> 00:18:00,400 hands of mere mortals, separate him from us. 266 00:18:02,400 --> 00:18:05,500 I think that's cool and Hebrews chapter 13. 267 00:18:05,700 --> 00:18:10,100 It uses that term mere mortals. Look, I'll never leave you, I'll 268 00:18:10,100 --> 00:18:13,500 never forsake you. That's that Everlasting quality. 269 00:18:13,800 --> 00:18:16,600 So we say with confidence, the Lord is my helper. 270 00:18:16,700 --> 00:18:21,400 He did, he isn't that he was, he is right now because he exists 271 00:18:21,400 --> 00:18:23,900 right now and I will not be afraid. 272 00:18:23,900 --> 00:18:27,800 What can mere mortals do to me? What could mere mortals do? 273 00:18:28,900 --> 00:18:33,100 To my savior, what could mere mortals do to a my Lord O? 274 00:18:33,100 --> 00:18:35,900 They could put him on a cross. They could nail him to that 275 00:18:35,900 --> 00:18:41,800 cross and he would pay the ultimate price and died on that 276 00:18:41,800 --> 00:18:44,200 cross, but they couldn't keep him there. 277 00:18:44,200 --> 00:18:50,900 Could they know they couldn't You see what my Earthly father 278 00:18:50,900 --> 00:18:53,100 couldn't do? Because he was a mere mortal 279 00:18:53,300 --> 00:18:57,200 just like I'm a mere mortal. My heavenly father. 280 00:18:57,200 --> 00:19:00,400 My Everlasting. Father can do because he is more 281 00:19:00,400 --> 00:19:04,500 than that. John the Baptist revealed this 282 00:19:04,500 --> 00:19:07,700 to his followers when he was talking about Jesus, it's 283 00:19:07,700 --> 00:19:11,300 recorded in John 130. It says, this is the one I 284 00:19:11,300 --> 00:19:13,100 meant. He's pointing at Jesus and he 285 00:19:13,100 --> 00:19:16,800 says, this is the one I meant when I said a man who comes 286 00:19:16,800 --> 00:19:22,100 after me, has surpassed me because he was, before me now, 287 00:19:22,100 --> 00:19:26,300 John, the Baptist was older than Jesus and yet he says he was 288 00:19:26,300 --> 00:19:30,100 before me. So he's recognizing something 289 00:19:30,100 --> 00:19:34,400 about Jesus, that's recorded also in Isaiah that he's an 290 00:19:34,400 --> 00:19:38,400 everlasting. Father, the Hebrew writer also 291 00:19:38,400 --> 00:19:43,900 describe, Jesus Everlasting quality and Hebrews. 13:8, Jesus 292 00:19:44,000 --> 00:19:50,200 Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. 293 00:19:50,500 --> 00:19:57,200 Same Jesus, that died for you, 2,000 years ago, The same Jesus 294 00:19:57,200 --> 00:20:00,100 that you were introduced to when you decided to become a 295 00:20:00,108 --> 00:20:03,000 Christian as the same Jesus that I'll meet you at the Gates of 296 00:20:03,000 --> 00:20:07,600 Heaven. He's the same yesterday today, 297 00:20:08,300 --> 00:20:10,600 and forever. And I'm sharing this with you 298 00:20:10,600 --> 00:20:14,600 today because Jesus Christ being my Everlasting, father is the 299 00:20:14,600 --> 00:20:18,100 gift I need. We're going to get all sorts of 300 00:20:18,100 --> 00:20:23,000 gifts, giving them receiving them experiencing so many things 301 00:20:23,200 --> 00:20:28,700 in this season, but this really is the gift you need. 302 00:20:30,200 --> 00:20:32,400 I was blessed to have an Earthly father. 303 00:20:32,400 --> 00:20:35,400 That was incredible for me. I'll forever be grateful that he 304 00:20:35,400 --> 00:20:39,600 chose my mother because that was the best decision he ever made. 305 00:20:40,600 --> 00:20:42,900 And you know what? He gave me a lot of great things 306 00:20:42,900 --> 00:20:47,800 he gave me his name, he gave me his traits, he gave me his care, 307 00:20:47,800 --> 00:20:51,600 his love and his inheritance, he gave me a family to be a part of 308 00:20:51,600 --> 00:20:55,600 so that I could feel Chosen and special but you have an 309 00:20:55,600 --> 00:21:00,300 everlasting father. And I have an everlasting 310 00:21:00,300 --> 00:21:04,000 father. And the fact that I'm his child 311 00:21:04,000 --> 00:21:08,700 is no accident. You see I'm Chosen and special 312 00:21:08,800 --> 00:21:13,000 and so are you every single one of you your Chosen and your 313 00:21:13,000 --> 00:21:17,400 special because God was involved in your creation. 314 00:21:17,900 --> 00:21:21,200 I know the world never stops saying that where the product of 315 00:21:21,200 --> 00:21:25,800 circumstance and coincidence, and that's just a complete and 316 00:21:25,800 --> 00:21:29,400 absolute lie. That's not true. 317 00:21:29,500 --> 00:21:32,500 There's nothing coincidental about you, there's nothing 318 00:21:32,500 --> 00:21:35,800 circumstantial about you. You were in it together in your 319 00:21:35,800 --> 00:21:40,700 mother's womb by an everlasting. Father who loves you, who knew 320 00:21:40,700 --> 00:21:44,000 you. Before you were born. 321 00:21:45,500 --> 00:21:48,800 Science proves this. Really. 322 00:21:49,000 --> 00:21:52,800 Yeah, you know, in the process of human creation, a woman 323 00:21:52,800 --> 00:21:59,200 provides only a single product of her DNA, but the man provides 324 00:21:59,200 --> 00:22:07,800 between 250 and 400 million variations of his DNA. 250 and 325 00:22:07,800 --> 00:22:11,200 400 million and only one of those. 326 00:22:12,500 --> 00:22:18,000 Got to be who you are today. You are fearfully and 327 00:22:18,000 --> 00:22:20,400 wonderfully made. You are special and chosen 328 00:22:20,400 --> 00:22:24,400 before you were born, you are already at Birth. 329 00:22:24,400 --> 00:22:32,000 You were one and half a billion. Now, some of you at listen II 330 00:22:32,000 --> 00:22:35,600 mean, I'm saying a lot of great things about my dad and I know 331 00:22:35,600 --> 00:22:37,700 that some of you are not relating to what I'm saying, 332 00:22:37,700 --> 00:22:40,500 because you had a completely different experience with your 333 00:22:40,500 --> 00:22:43,200 Earthly. Father, maybe you have some 334 00:22:43,200 --> 00:22:45,900 deep-seated anger. Maybe there's a lot of hurt 335 00:22:46,000 --> 00:22:49,500 that's in your life on account of him but I want you to see 336 00:22:49,500 --> 00:22:52,600 something today that your heavenly father was much more 337 00:22:52,600 --> 00:22:56,900 involved in your creation than your Earthly father ever was. 338 00:22:59,000 --> 00:23:03,400 And before you reject the word or the concept of father because 339 00:23:03,400 --> 00:23:07,300 a lot of people do a lot of people, they hear that they've 340 00:23:07,300 --> 00:23:10,100 had those their experiences and they're like I don't even like 341 00:23:10,100 --> 00:23:12,700 hearing that, I don't even like God being called that. 342 00:23:12,700 --> 00:23:17,600 Understand that the Earthly fathers there is shadow images 343 00:23:17,900 --> 00:23:24,000 of our true father. Our heavenly father I want you 344 00:23:24,000 --> 00:23:26,100 to consider that you're his creation. 345 00:23:27,300 --> 00:23:30,200 That you were designed in heaven to be his child. 346 00:23:31,200 --> 00:23:35,300 That you were fearfully and wonderfully made and when you 347 00:23:35,300 --> 00:23:40,800 came into this world, he gave you his name, he gave you his 348 00:23:40,800 --> 00:23:44,100 traits. He gave you his care and his 349 00:23:44,100 --> 00:23:48,500 love and his inheritance. You remember what he said to us 350 00:23:48,500 --> 00:23:53,800 in Genesis chapter 2. Now let us make Mankind in our 351 00:23:53,800 --> 00:23:57,100 image after our likeness and let him rule. 352 00:23:59,700 --> 00:24:05,500 You're made to be his child. Bible tells us that we are 353 00:24:05,500 --> 00:24:10,200 co-heirs with Jesus Christ. We receive a portion of the 354 00:24:10,200 --> 00:24:12,400 inheritance that we receive from our father. 355 00:24:13,700 --> 00:24:15,600 Look at the family. Look around you. 356 00:24:15,700 --> 00:24:18,000 And look at the family that he gave us. 357 00:24:20,200 --> 00:24:23,200 To be a part of while we're here on Earth all the way in and 358 00:24:23,200 --> 00:24:27,800 passed the Gates of Heaven. But unlike our Earthly fathers, 359 00:24:29,100 --> 00:24:35,900 he will not leave us as orphans. He'll be our father Beyond the 360 00:24:35,900 --> 00:24:39,000 Veil of this life and into eternity. 361 00:24:41,900 --> 00:24:45,700 You and I were the same, we're the same because when we came 362 00:24:45,700 --> 00:24:48,800 into this world, we were born. We were completely and 363 00:24:48,800 --> 00:24:52,900 absolutely vulnerable, right? The only thing we knew was that 364 00:24:52,900 --> 00:24:55,500 we needed, but we didn't even know how to communicate it 365 00:24:55,500 --> 00:25:00,200 without crying. And even though I didn't have 366 00:25:00,200 --> 00:25:04,700 any ability to do that on my own and I was completely vulnerable, 367 00:25:05,100 --> 00:25:08,100 my heavenly father, your heavenly father provided people 368 00:25:08,100 --> 00:25:12,400 for you to meet those needs in ways that at that time you or I 369 00:25:12,500 --> 00:25:17,800 could not comprehend because you were powerless and I was 370 00:25:17,800 --> 00:25:21,900 powerless. To come to Jesus. 371 00:25:23,000 --> 00:25:25,000 Is to recognize that you're powerless. 372 00:25:26,200 --> 00:25:29,600 Is to recognize that you can't solve these problems on your 373 00:25:29,600 --> 00:25:33,500 own. That you're weak and vulnerable. 374 00:25:34,800 --> 00:25:38,200 That all you understand, is that you need that. 375 00:25:38,200 --> 00:25:41,600 There's something inside you that needs to be filled, but you 376 00:25:41,600 --> 00:25:45,000 cannot provide it for yourself and only he can provide it for 377 00:25:45,000 --> 00:25:47,600 you. That's why Jesus says that the 378 00:25:47,600 --> 00:25:50,900 only way to come to him is to come as a little child. 379 00:25:52,300 --> 00:25:57,200 Because a little child recognizes that sometimes we try 380 00:25:57,200 --> 00:26:00,900 to be so with it, you know, we try to be so smart. 381 00:26:00,900 --> 00:26:04,200 And think how we're going to get try to utilize my relationship 382 00:26:04,200 --> 00:26:06,200 with God. When the thing that we must 383 00:26:06,200 --> 00:26:09,700 learn is that we are just powerless and weak like little 384 00:26:09,700 --> 00:26:16,300 children needing to come to our Everlasting, father because when 385 00:26:16,300 --> 00:26:20,100 we do that, that's when we truly begin to recognize who we really 386 00:26:20,100 --> 00:26:29,200 are. and the fact that he is the gift that I need the most some 387 00:26:29,200 --> 00:26:33,500 of us during this season, we're going to be thinking about the 388 00:26:33,500 --> 00:26:35,800 Nativity. How many of you have a nativity 389 00:26:35,800 --> 00:26:37,500 scene in your house? Raise your hand, if you have a 390 00:26:37,508 --> 00:26:42,700 nativity scene, right? A reminder, Of what Christmas is 391 00:26:42,700 --> 00:26:45,200 really about. I remember growing up, we always 392 00:26:45,200 --> 00:26:48,700 had that nativity scene. It was always front and center 393 00:26:49,000 --> 00:26:52,900 under the tree, like, the tree was raised up and there was that 394 00:26:52,900 --> 00:26:57,200 a nativity scene? To remind us about Mary and 395 00:26:57,500 --> 00:27:02,900 Joseph, and the animals, and the angels, and the Shepherds. 396 00:27:03,200 --> 00:27:08,900 And later, the wise men, we see this little newborn baby that's 397 00:27:08,900 --> 00:27:13,200 swaddled and lying in a manger and we might even think, oh, 398 00:27:13,200 --> 00:27:16,900 look at that poor little baby, you know, in the in that Barn in 399 00:27:16,900 --> 00:27:21,000 Bethlehem and and that and that little child is so powerless and 400 00:27:21,000 --> 00:27:27,800 soul vulnerable, not really Because you're in that picture. 401 00:27:29,600 --> 00:27:33,100 And I'm in that picture. You're in that Nativity and I'm 402 00:27:33,100 --> 00:27:36,800 in that Nativity because it's us the ones that are standing in 403 00:27:36,800 --> 00:27:40,700 front of it, wherever it's placed in our house, we're the 404 00:27:40,700 --> 00:27:43,900 ones that are really vulnerable and Powerless, we're the ones 405 00:27:43,900 --> 00:27:48,100 that are really needy. Isn't it interesting? 406 00:27:48,100 --> 00:27:52,000 Sometimes we see things in the wrong way, the in the wrong 407 00:27:52,000 --> 00:27:55,300 perspective. And that's the way the world is 408 00:27:55,300 --> 00:27:57,000 now. The world has the wrong 409 00:27:57,000 --> 00:28:01,700 perspective about the Nativity, even if they believe in the 410 00:28:01,700 --> 00:28:05,100 Nativity or even if they remember this historical 411 00:28:05,100 --> 00:28:09,200 reality, that Jesus was born, they see all the wrong things. 412 00:28:09,300 --> 00:28:13,700 I wonder what you see, when you see the Nativity in your mind's 413 00:28:13,700 --> 00:28:15,800 eye. Let me tell you what I see, I 414 00:28:15,800 --> 00:28:19,400 know what the world sees. The world sees poverty, Mary and 415 00:28:19,400 --> 00:28:24,800 Joseph, nothing powerless, pay nothing and Here they are in a 416 00:28:25,100 --> 00:28:30,300 barn, but, you know what? I see, I see royalty World sees 417 00:28:30,400 --> 00:28:33,100 oppression, you know, at the hands of the Roman government, 418 00:28:33,100 --> 00:28:37,000 but I see Deliverance, deliverance, from sin, the world 419 00:28:37,000 --> 00:28:42,500 sees in significance, but I see greatness the world sees taxes, 420 00:28:42,500 --> 00:28:46,500 but I see gifts the world sees Darkness, but I see the light of 421 00:28:46,500 --> 00:28:49,900 the world. The world sees, no room at the 422 00:28:49,900 --> 00:28:53,600 end, but I see an open door to every human heart World sees 423 00:28:53,600 --> 00:28:57,700 rejection, but I see an invitation, the world sees 424 00:28:57,700 --> 00:29:02,300 godlessness, but I see the Gospel World. 425 00:29:02,300 --> 00:29:06,600 Here's a baby crying, but I can hear angels singing the world. 426 00:29:06,600 --> 00:29:11,500 Here's a mother travailing, but I hear people rejoicing. 427 00:29:12,400 --> 00:29:14,500 World sees just another mortal baby. 428 00:29:15,500 --> 00:29:23,100 But I see. My Everlasting father. because 429 00:29:23,300 --> 00:29:33,400 Isaiah said, For unto us. A child is born unto us a son is 430 00:29:33,400 --> 00:29:37,200 given. And the government will be upon 431 00:29:37,200 --> 00:29:41,800 his shoulders. And his name Shall be Called 432 00:29:42,400 --> 00:29:50,100 wonderful, counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting father. 433 00:29:51,300 --> 00:29:54,100 The prince. Of peace. 434 00:29:56,900 --> 00:29:58,500 With all the things that are happening. 435 00:29:59,700 --> 00:30:03,400 This Christmas season, all the things that are vying for your 436 00:30:03,400 --> 00:30:11,200 attention Maybe right now at this moment is the time to 437 00:30:11,200 --> 00:30:15,200 concentrate. On what you truly need. 438 00:30:16,200 --> 00:30:20,400 The gift. You need the most We're moving 439 00:30:20,400 --> 00:30:28,400 to a time of decision. So is that happening to you? 440 00:30:28,400 --> 00:30:30,800 Is that as I is, it is it crazy right now? 441 00:30:31,300 --> 00:30:34,600 Is it is everything like is your head like exploding? 442 00:30:37,300 --> 00:30:41,600 Allison likes for me to drive her to High V. 443 00:30:43,200 --> 00:30:47,700 Drop her off at the front. And then either Circle. 444 00:30:48,800 --> 00:30:51,800 Or find a spot so she can call and I can pick her up. 445 00:30:53,000 --> 00:30:58,500 And I kind of like that. because when you walk through, The 446 00:30:58,500 --> 00:31:01,700 grocery store like might have five different counseling 447 00:31:01,700 --> 00:31:04,000 sessions and I've got the aisle three yet. 448 00:31:05,000 --> 00:31:09,400 So I'm all right with that. But not yesterday. 449 00:31:11,100 --> 00:31:14,300 Not yesterday, yesterday was knots. 450 00:31:17,700 --> 00:31:21,300 If you go into the high V parking lot, your IQ goes down 451 00:31:21,300 --> 00:31:27,700 by at least 20. I don't know what get, I mean, 452 00:31:27,700 --> 00:31:30,400 you know, it comes over people. I park in a spot. 453 00:31:30,500 --> 00:31:33,700 I'm getting my car. Hit the doors in my car. 454 00:31:34,100 --> 00:31:39,800 Come on, it's crazy people. You can see that they're 455 00:31:39,800 --> 00:31:45,900 exasperated, they're rushing. It's crazy time, right? 456 00:31:46,700 --> 00:31:49,000 And it can be a crazy time for you right now. 457 00:31:49,500 --> 00:31:52,400 For lots of different reasons, it could be, you're trying to 458 00:31:52,400 --> 00:31:55,100 get stuff ready because you got a lot of family coming in, it 459 00:31:55,100 --> 00:31:57,300 could be that you're trying to get stuff ready because you're 460 00:31:57,300 --> 00:31:59,900 going to be piling all your kids in the car and going, somewhere, 461 00:32:00,200 --> 00:32:05,900 it could be That you're going to be facing Christmas alone this 462 00:32:05,900 --> 00:32:08,700 year. And you don't have people to 463 00:32:08,700 --> 00:32:11,800 celebrate with it's heartbreaking for you. 464 00:32:13,100 --> 00:32:14,900 Could be a lot of different things. 465 00:32:21,100 --> 00:32:23,500 And I don't know what's going on in your life. 466 00:32:23,500 --> 00:32:27,200 I have no idea. But I know this. 467 00:32:29,100 --> 00:32:31,100 That in spite of all of those things. 468 00:32:32,500 --> 00:32:37,300 Last-minute shopping dinners to prepare for travel plans to 469 00:32:37,300 --> 00:32:42,300 make. Loneliness to manage. 470 00:32:45,600 --> 00:32:48,000 A heart that may hurt for one reason or another. 471 00:32:51,500 --> 00:33:00,800 You have an everlasting father. If you are in an intimate 472 00:33:00,800 --> 00:33:06,600 personal relationship with Jesus Christ, you have an everlasting 473 00:33:06,600 --> 00:33:10,700 father. It's hectic, is this time is you 474 00:33:11,200 --> 00:33:17,600 have an everlasting father? As lonely as it can be that 475 00:33:17,600 --> 00:33:21,000 empty place at the table, that was there last year that was 476 00:33:21,000 --> 00:33:22,800 being filled by someone you love. 477 00:33:24,000 --> 00:33:30,400 Regardless of your circumstance in the lower story, you have an 478 00:33:30,400 --> 00:33:39,600 everlasting father. I've experienced a 479 00:33:39,600 --> 00:33:42,900 quarter-century of Christmases without my dad. 480 00:33:45,000 --> 00:33:53,200 Thirty years without my mom. And even though I don't get to 481 00:33:53,200 --> 00:33:57,200 have that place and I would give a lot to have those moments with 482 00:33:57,200 --> 00:34:01,400 them. I know. 483 00:34:05,100 --> 00:34:07,900 That they're saving a place at the table for me. 484 00:34:10,000 --> 00:34:14,100 At a table. In heaven. 485 00:34:17,900 --> 00:34:25,199 Because I was not left as an orphan. and if you're here 486 00:34:25,199 --> 00:34:30,300 today, And you don't have that knowledge. 487 00:34:31,199 --> 00:34:34,300 Because that flows out of an intimate personal relationship 488 00:34:34,300 --> 00:34:36,699 with Jesus Christ. If you've never made that 489 00:34:36,699 --> 00:34:42,600 decision, don't make wait for somebody else to try to buy you 490 00:34:42,600 --> 00:34:46,699 that gift. It's already been paid for and 491 00:34:46,699 --> 00:34:50,100 it's available for you because of what Jesus Christ is 492 00:34:50,100 --> 00:34:54,000 accomplished and make that gift your own today because it's the 493 00:34:54,000 --> 00:34:56,000 gift that you need. There's going to be someone 494 00:34:56,000 --> 00:34:58,500 right over there by the baptistry would love nothing 495 00:34:58,500 --> 00:35:02,800 more than to talk to you about your next steps in becoming a 496 00:35:02,800 --> 00:35:10,000 follower of Jesus Christ. and like the Christmas carol, says, 497 00:35:13,700 --> 00:35:17,500 When that is accomplished. You can sleep. 498 00:35:19,200 --> 00:35:26,100 In Heavenly peace. Because you have a an 499 00:35:26,100 --> 00:35:30,100 everlasting father. Many of you today have made that 500 00:35:30,100 --> 00:35:35,500 decision for Christ. But you are caught up. 501 00:35:36,600 --> 00:35:39,200 In the insanity. That is the season of the year. 502 00:35:40,900 --> 00:35:45,700 But you did something very wise today, you took time out of that 503 00:35:45,700 --> 00:35:50,100 crazy, busy schedule to spend time with your father, in 504 00:35:50,100 --> 00:35:54,600 Heaven, your brothers and sisters in Christ and you're 505 00:35:54,600 --> 00:35:58,900 here right now. I wonder if you might squeeze 506 00:35:58,900 --> 00:36:03,500 just a little bit more potential out of this moment, is this 507 00:36:03,500 --> 00:36:06,000 great that you're sitting here. It's great that you're 508 00:36:06,000 --> 00:36:09,500 worshipping is great that you're listening, but I wonder if you 509 00:36:09,500 --> 00:36:12,200 might squeeze just a little bit more potential out of this 510 00:36:12,200 --> 00:36:16,800 moment to come up here and get down on your knees and whatever 511 00:36:16,800 --> 00:36:22,500 burden you're carrying. To let him have it because if 512 00:36:22,500 --> 00:36:26,600 the government can rest on his shoulders and I'm not talking 513 00:36:26,600 --> 00:36:30,300 about one government or one nation, I'm talking about all 514 00:36:30,300 --> 00:36:34,400 governments and All Nations. For all time, if he can bear, 515 00:36:34,400 --> 00:36:38,000 the burden of all those governments on his shoulder, he 516 00:36:38,000 --> 00:36:43,100 can take your burden, too. Not only will he take it, he 517 00:36:43,100 --> 00:36:48,500 asks for it and I wonder if there's some here that just 518 00:36:48,500 --> 00:36:52,800 might as you're going into this next crazy week. 519 00:36:53,700 --> 00:36:57,200 If you might say, I'm going to get low and I'm going to let 520 00:36:57,200 --> 00:36:59,100 this burden come off my shoulders. 521 00:37:00,100 --> 00:37:01,900 And I'm going to let the Lord have it. 522 00:37:04,900 --> 00:37:09,500 Just be that little child. Knowing that you need. 523 00:37:10,600 --> 00:37:12,400 And let him provide for that need. 524 00:37:13,800 --> 00:37:16,600 Would you stand with me? Let's pray together. 525 00:37:16,600 --> 00:37:20,800 Heavenly father, in Jesus name. I pray that this that this 526 00:37:20,800 --> 00:37:25,600 congregation when it leaves this place today, will feel their 527 00:37:25,600 --> 00:37:31,600 burdens lifted. That father your son Jesus. 528 00:37:31,600 --> 00:37:35,100 He took all of that burden on himself when he carried that 529 00:37:35,100 --> 00:37:40,300 cross up the hill. When he carried all of our sins, 530 00:37:40,300 --> 00:37:44,400 the weight of our sins. On his shoulders. 531 00:37:44,900 --> 00:37:48,600 And even now he's here to carry those burdens. 532 00:37:52,900 --> 00:37:54,600 And that's something that he will do. 533 00:37:56,800 --> 00:38:01,200 For us. For all eternity because he is 534 00:38:01,200 --> 00:38:07,900 the Everlasting father. so, I pray Right now. 535 00:38:10,100 --> 00:38:14,500 That, like little children. We'll let you have that burden. 536 00:38:16,300 --> 00:38:19,000 In Jesus name, amen. In Jesus name, amen.