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For unto us a child is born, a 
son is given, a son is given. 

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For unto us a child is born, a 
son is given, a son is given. 

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The Messiah. 
Pour to see him, to see him 

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high, and lift it up, shining in
the light of your glory. 

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Pour out your power and love as 
we sing. 

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Holy, holy, holy, Pour unto us, 
a child is born, a son is given,

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a son is given. 
Four or two. 

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As a child is born, a son is 
given, a son is given. 

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The Messiah All to see him, to 
see Him high and lifted up, 

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shining in the light of the 
glory. 

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Pour out your power and love as 
we sing holy, holy, holy. 

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You are high and lifted up, 
shining in the light of the 

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glory. 
Pour out your power and love as 

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we sing holy, holy, holy, holy, 
holy, holy, holy, holy holy. 

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You are holy, holy, holy, holy, 
holy, holy. 

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For unto us a child is born. 
You are holy holy, holy four and

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two. 
As a child is born, holy, holy, 

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holy Four and two as a child is 
born, you are holy, holy, holy, 

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Four and two. 
As a child is born, you are 

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holy, holy, holy. 
Amen. 

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He is holy. 
This comes from Luke. 2IN those 

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days a decree went out from 
Caesar Augustus that all the 

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world should be registered. 
This was the first registration 

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when Quinarius, the governor of 
Syria and all, went to be 

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registered, each to his own 
town. 

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And Joseph also went up from 
Galilee, from the town of 

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Nazareth, to Judea, Judea, to 
the city of David, which was 

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called Bethlehem, because he was
at the house and lineage of 

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David to be registered with 
Mary, his betrothed, who was 

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with child. 
And while they were there, the 

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time came for her to give birth,
and she gave birth to her first 

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born son, and wrapped him in 
swaddling clothes, and laid him 

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in a Manger, because there was 
no place for them in the end. 

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And in the same region there 
were shepherds out in the field,

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keeping watch over their flock 
by night. 

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And an Angel of the Lord 
appeared to them, and the glory 

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of the Lord shone around them. 
And they were filled with great 

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fear. 
And the Angel said to them, fear

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not. 
For behold, I bring you good 

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news of great joy that will be 
for all of the people. 

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For unto you a son is born this 
day in the city of David, a 

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Savior who is Christ the Lord. 
And this will be a sign for you.

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You will find the baby wrapped 
in swaddling clothes and lying 

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in a Manger. 
And suddenly there was with the 

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Angel a multitude of the 
heavenly host, praising God and 

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saying, glory to God in the 
highest and on earth, peace 

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among those with him. 
He is pleased. 

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When the angels went away from 
them into heaven, the shepherd 

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said to one another, Let us go 
over to Bethlehem and see this 

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thing that has happened, which 
the Lord has made known to us. 

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And they went with haste, and 
found Mary and Joseph and the 

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baby lying in a Manger, And when
they saw it, they made known the

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saying that had been told them 
concerning this child, And all 

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who heard it wondered at what 
the shepherd's told them. 

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But Mary treasured up these 
things, pondering them in her 

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heart, and the shepherd's 
returned, glorifying and 

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praising God for all they had 
heard and seen, as it had been 

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told, them praise God for 
Christ. 

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We're going to continue to sing 
to the Lord and God. 

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I ask that as we sing to you, 
that you continue to make 

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yourself known. 
We give you praise and glory 

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this morning Christ's name. 
Oh come, oh ye faithful, joyful 

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and triumphant. 
Oh come he oh, come to bed life 

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come and behold him born a king 
of angels. 

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Oh come, let us sado, oh come 
let us sado oh come let us sado,

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he writes the Lord sync wires of
angels singing exaltation, 

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singing all these citizens of 
heaven. 

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Glory to God, glory in the 
highest. 

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Oh come, let us sador. 
Oh come let us sador. 

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Oh come, let us sador him, 
Christ the Lord. 

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Yeah, Lord, we greet thee on 
this happy morning, Jesus. 

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To thee, Lord again Word of the 
Father, now in flesh appear. 

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Oh come, let us adorn. 
Oh come, let us adorn. 

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Oh come, let us adorn him, 
Christ the Lord. 

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Oh come, let us settle him. 
Oh come, let us oh to him, oh 

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come, let us settle him. 
Christ the Lord, 

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shore to the world. 
The Lord is gone. 

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Let earth receive her key. 
Let every heart repay him. 

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Room and heaven and nature sing,
and heaven and nature sing. 

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And heaven and heaven and 
nature. 

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So to the world the Lord has 
come 

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their songs in the world, while 
fields and floods, rock, seals 

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and flames. 
Repeat the sounding joy. 

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Repeat the sounding joy. 
Repeat, Repeat the sounding 

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'cause we sing to you, Jesus, 
the King of Creation. 

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We give you our praises. 
Oh join to the world, 'cause we 

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sing to you, Jesus the King of 
Creation. 

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We give you our praises. 
Oh join to the world. 

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He rules the world with truth 
and grace and makes the nations 

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prove the glories of His 
righteousness and wonders of His

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love and wonders of His love and
wonders. 

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Wonders of His love. 
And wanders, wanders all is love

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and wanders, wanders all is 
love. 

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Because we sing to you, Jesus, 
the King of Creation wants to 

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give you our raises. 
Oh, joy to the world. 

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Joy to we Sing to you, Jesus, 
the King of Creation, the King 

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of our raises world join to the 
world. 

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Join to the world. 
Join to the. 

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World. 
Amen. 

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Let's give him praise this 
morning where he is good. 

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I'm going to pray one last time 
for us. 

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God, we thank you and we give 
you praise. 

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Thank you for allowing us to 
sing out joyfully, triumphantly 

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to you today. 
We love you and we ask that as 

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your word is preached to us this
morning, that that that your 

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scripture is revealed to us. 
And that is more so than ever, 

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that we can focus on you today 
and you alone. 

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You get the glory and the honor 
and the Praise Christ Jesus 

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name. 
Amen. 

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It's so good to see. 
You. 

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Well? 
Good morning to you. 

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Merry Christmas. 
It's good to see you. 

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You're visiting today. 
My name is Kyle. 

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I serve as lead pastor here. 
I want to welcome you to New 

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Life Community Church. 
As you're finding your seat. 

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I just want to commend everyone 
who worked so hard last night 

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for our EVE service. 
What a tremendous night it was. 

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Amen. 
Can we give the Lord a hand? 

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Clap of praise for all the hard 
work. 

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I thoroughly enjoyed hearing 
from our choir, who worked so 

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hard over the last few weeks at 
the direction of Wesley and 

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Allen and Patricia and so 
everyone who participated in 

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that, let's give them a round of
applause. 

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We thank you so much. 
That was that was a lot of fun. 

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And hopefully we can do similar 
things moving forward. 

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Amen. 
Would that be OK with you guys? 

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We do some of those kinds of 
things more often. 

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All right, So three of them are 
in. 

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That's all it takes. 
OK, That's all it takes. 

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That'll give us a good start to 
require. 

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Anyway, if you have your Bible, 
would you open to Isaiah Chapter

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9? 
Isaiah Chapter 9 today is the 

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last sermon in our series with 
an Advent. 

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Light has dawned through the 
series. 

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We've heard about the light of 
hope. 

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We heard from Mr. Meadows about 
the light of peace. 

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We heard from Mister Jack about 
the light of joy. 

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Last night we heard about the 
light of love. 

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And today we will hear about the
light of Christ, hoping to kind 

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of bring all these things 
together in the person in work. 

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The gift of Christ, Isaiah was a
prophet to Judah. 

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Judah is the Southern Kingdom 
after the split which happened 

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around 9:30 BC And so Isaiah 
contains prophecies about many 

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of the different aspects of 
Christ coming. 

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How will we know who the Messiah
is? 

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Isaiah is seeking to let the 
people of Judah who are 

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struggling, as we saw last night
and we'll see again today, They 

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are in darkness. 
But he's seeking to let them 

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know. 
God is seeking through his man 

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Isaiah, to let his people know 
that hope belongs to them. 

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That light is on the way and it 
will be in it will come to them 

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in a person. 
This person will be the Messiah,

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the long-awaited Messiah. 
Emmanuel, God with us. 

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And so there's prophecies in 
Isaiah concerning the last days.

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There's prophecy concerning 
Emmanuel, God with us. 

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We see prophecies about the 
branch in the root of Jesse 

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which would also be all of 
these, sorry, are pretending to 

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who the Messiah was. 
We talked. 

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We see in Isaiah the Savior 
waited for we see that He is the

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foundation stone. 
We see that the way of the Lord 

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is prepared for Him and what his
ministry will look like. 

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We see, and Isaiah 53, the man 
of sorrows, that suffering 

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servant who will go to the cross
to redeem his people from their 

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sins. 
We see the Redeemer to come. 

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In a word, we see the Messiah. 
This is the beauty of the book 

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of Isaiah. 
Lord Willing, I'll preach 

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through it one day. 
But today we are looking at the 

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Savior. 
Waited for The Savior waited for

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because you and I exist in 
between advents, we have the 

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first Advent, which is Christ 
coming as a child, born in a 

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Manger, born to save his people 
from their sins, as we've heard 

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many times over the last few 
weeks. 

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And we await yet another Advent.
We await the coming of a king. 

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Amen. 
We await the coming of the Lord 

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of Lords, the King of Kings, the
one who will establish the new 

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heavens and new earth. 
He will reign in righteousness 

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and justice forevermore. 
We will be His people. 

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He will call us His people, and 
He will be our God. 

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Amen. 
We see you though in this text 

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today, the beginning of such a 
rain. 

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How will that thing begin to 
take shape? 

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So if you would, I ask that you 
stand to your feet as we read 

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the word of the Lord this 
morning, when I'm finished 

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reading, I'll say this is the 
word of the Lord, and you can 

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respond. 
Thanks be to God. 

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I'm going to start in chapter 8,
verse 22, just above verse one. 

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There, in Chapter 9, and we'll 
read through verse 7 today, and 

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they will look to the earth. 
But behold the stress and 

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darkness, the gloom of anguish, 
and they will be thrust into 

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thick darkness. 
For there will be no gloom for 

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her who was in anguish. 
In the former time he brought 

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into contempt the land of 
Zebulun and the land of 

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Naphtali. 
But in the latter time he has 

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made glorious the way of the 
sea, the land beyond the Jordan,

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Galilee of the nations. 
First to hear the people who 

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walked in darkness have seen a 
great light. 

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Those who dwelt in a land of 
deep darkness. 

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On them has light shown. 
You have multiplied the nation, 

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you have increased its joy. 
They prophesied before you as 

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with joy at the harvest, as they
are glad when they divide the 

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spoil for the yoke of his 
burden, and the staff for his 

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shoulder the rod for of his 
oppressor. 

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You have broken, as on the day 
of Midian, for every boots of 

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the tramping warrior in battle 
to mold, and every garment 

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rolled in blood will be burned 
as fuel for the fire. 

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For to us a child is born, to us
a son is given, and the 

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government shall be upon his 
shoulder, and his name shall be 

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called. 
Wonderful Counselor. 

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Mighty God, Everlasting Father, 
Prince of peace, of the increase

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of his government and of peace. 
There will be no end on the 

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throne of David and over his 
Kingdom to establish it and to 

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uphold it with justice and with 
righteousness. 

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From this time forth and 
forevermore, the zeal of the 

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Lord of Hosts will do this. 
This is the word of the Lord. 

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Thanks be to God, let's pray. 
Heavenly Father, we thank you 

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for your word. 
We thank you, Lord, for the the 

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prophecy we hold here in our 
hand. 

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Words which you gave to your man
Isaiah to speak to your people. 

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Words that are meant to be a 
hope and a joy, an anchor for 

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their souls as they traverse 
deep darkness. 

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Lord and in Christ we have seen 
that light has indeed dawned. 

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We praise you for Christ Jesus. 
We praise You, Lord, that we 

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read these words as those who 
exist on the the backside of of 

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the fulfillment of this 
prophecy. 

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As Christ has been born and 
peace has come, it's come to all

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with whom you were pleased. 
And so, Father, we pray now that

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as we open the scriptures, that 
you would open our hearts and 

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our minds to receive your word. 
By the power of your Spirit, 

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would you transform us? 
Help us to be men and women and 

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boys and girls who think 
biblically, who trust you 

231
00:21:12,240 --> 00:21:16,920
deeply, who understand that no 
matter what darkness may come, 

232
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there is a steady anchor for us 
and your promises. 

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00:21:22,920 --> 00:21:28,040
We love you, Lord, and it is our
joy to proclaim the excellencies

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of Christ Jesus this morning. 
Amen. 

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You may be seated. 
So I I teased this out just a 

236
00:21:41,160 --> 00:21:44,040
little last night, somewhat 
unintentionally. 

237
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But what you have in verse 22 is
it's it's really a diagnostic 

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verse of what's taking place 
here in the Southern Kingdom. 

239
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They look to the earth. 
Behold, there's distress and 

240
00:21:57,960 --> 00:22:01,800
darkness, gloom of anguish. 
They're thrust into thick 

241
00:22:01,800 --> 00:22:05,400
darkness. 
It's obvious that the people are

242
00:22:06,040 --> 00:22:09,640
dwelling in darkness, right? 
I mean, it's plain to see 

243
00:22:11,000 --> 00:22:13,720
They're separated from God, 
They're in captivity. 

244
00:22:14,360 --> 00:22:17,400
There's likely anger with the 
Lord because of their state. 

245
00:22:17,400 --> 00:22:21,640
There's frustrations with the 
people who have been sinning who

246
00:22:21,640 --> 00:22:24,760
have caused this. 
There's a faithful remnant who 

247
00:22:24,760 --> 00:22:28,000
likely is tempted to look at the
others and say this is your 

248
00:22:28,240 --> 00:22:35,000
doing. 
And yet the though the darkness 

249
00:22:35,000 --> 00:22:40,160
has come, we see in nine, one 
through 7, that God gives Isaiah

250
00:22:40,160 --> 00:22:46,680
a word to proclaim to his people
for their hope, for their joy, 

251
00:22:47,920 --> 00:22:52,160
that there is the birth of the 
Messiah coming, a savior will be

252
00:22:52,480 --> 00:22:56,480
born. 
And so the thing that I'm going 

253
00:22:56,480 --> 00:22:59,880
to try to teach today from this 
text really is just this in a 

254
00:22:59,880 --> 00:23:02,520
sentence. 
That God fulfills his promise to

255
00:23:02,520 --> 00:23:05,280
destroy the darkness through the
birth of Jesus Christ. 

256
00:23:06,640 --> 00:23:11,080
That this is a promise not only 
for those who dwelled in deep 

257
00:23:11,080 --> 00:23:13,920
darkness here in Isaiah 9, but 
it's those. 

258
00:23:13,920 --> 00:23:17,080
It's a promise for us as well, 
that Christ has come. 

259
00:23:17,080 --> 00:23:20,520
And so therefore, through the 
light of Christ, darkness has 

260
00:23:20,640 --> 00:23:26,000
been dispelled. 
It's being put away more and 

261
00:23:26,000 --> 00:23:31,600
more, and we'll see that as we 
go, and they will look to the 

262
00:23:31,600 --> 00:23:34,800
earth, but behold the stress and
darkness, the gloom of anguish, 

263
00:23:34,800 --> 00:23:36,960
and they will be thrust into 
thick darkness. 

264
00:23:37,800 --> 00:23:40,240
There will be no gloom for her 
who was in anguish. 

265
00:23:43,160 --> 00:23:45,880
In the former time he brought 
into contempt the land of Zebia 

266
00:23:45,880 --> 00:23:48,520
and the land of Naphtali. 
But in the latter time he has 

267
00:23:48,520 --> 00:23:51,600
made glorious the way of the 
sea, the land beyond the Jordan 

268
00:23:51,600 --> 00:23:55,520
Galilee of the nation. 
So there is gloom. 

269
00:23:56,240 --> 00:24:00,040
And then in verse one, it's a. 
Nevertheless, there will be no 

270
00:24:00,040 --> 00:24:04,160
gloom. 
Do you see that it's there? 

271
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I mean, if you're present in the
moment, you would say, But 

272
00:24:07,480 --> 00:24:11,280
that's just blatantly false. 
There is gloom here. 

273
00:24:11,280 --> 00:24:15,120
There is thick darkness. 
We've been thrust into it by 

274
00:24:15,120 --> 00:24:19,640
you, Lord, your hand has caused 
this. 

275
00:24:20,800 --> 00:24:23,200
It's just and it's right. 
But we don't like it. 

276
00:24:26,120 --> 00:24:33,080
And yet, nevertheless. 
But there is no gloom for her 

277
00:24:33,080 --> 00:24:39,760
who was in anguish. 
God is speaking through Isaiah. 

278
00:24:39,760 --> 00:24:41,720
He's announcing an end to the 
gloom. 

279
00:24:41,960 --> 00:24:43,840
He's announcing an end to the 
darkness. 

280
00:24:43,840 --> 00:24:48,400
At one time, God would deal with
his people's rebellion in wrath 

281
00:24:48,760 --> 00:24:52,680
through their destruction in the
Promised Land of Driven Out. 

282
00:24:52,680 --> 00:24:56,400
They're in captivity. 
They're having a really tough go

283
00:24:56,400 --> 00:25:03,120
of it for the last hundreds of 
years, but a time is coming 

284
00:25:04,200 --> 00:25:08,720
where he will rescue them in His
grace and it will come through 

285
00:25:08,960 --> 00:25:17,000
Galilee and it will affect the 
nations or the Gentiles, those 

286
00:25:17,080 --> 00:25:21,720
previously thought to be outside
of God's people. 

287
00:25:24,160 --> 00:25:26,280
Really, when you read those 
verses, there's kind of, there's

288
00:25:26,400 --> 00:25:28,200
there's two things that we 
should observe. 

289
00:25:28,200 --> 00:25:32,760
One is there's a an immediate 
call to unbelievers here. 

290
00:25:34,320 --> 00:25:37,880
There's an immediate appeal to 
the unbelieving that anyone who 

291
00:25:37,880 --> 00:25:41,520
sits in their sins, anyone who 
is unrepentant, anyone who sets 

292
00:25:41,520 --> 00:25:46,480
themselves as Lord of their 
life, anyone who is in a 

293
00:25:46,480 --> 00:25:52,640
sentence without faith in 
Christ, that that person sits in

294
00:25:52,800 --> 00:25:59,000
grave darkness, their soul is in
danger. 

295
00:26:01,200 --> 00:26:03,280
And so what's the call? 
Well, the call is that when the 

296
00:26:03,280 --> 00:26:07,080
gospel is proclaimed, when 
there's the nevertheless, when 

297
00:26:07,080 --> 00:26:10,920
there's the But her who was in 
anguish, she'll be in anguish no

298
00:26:10,920 --> 00:26:15,240
more. 
When that comes, when that's 

299
00:26:15,240 --> 00:26:18,400
proclaimed to someone and they 
receive it, and they receive it 

300
00:26:18,400 --> 00:26:23,480
by repentance of their sins and 
by faith in Christ, then what we

301
00:26:23,480 --> 00:26:26,760
see is a great light shines on 
them. 

302
00:26:28,120 --> 00:26:30,520
It's the light of Christ. 
It's the lot of love, it's the 

303
00:26:30,520 --> 00:26:32,120
lot of peace. 
It's a lot of joy. 

304
00:26:32,240 --> 00:26:37,560
It's a lot of hope. 
It shines on the unbelieving as 

305
00:26:37,560 --> 00:26:42,240
they are given the gift of 
repentance and faith in Christ. 

306
00:26:44,760 --> 00:26:49,880
Once in deep darkness, now they 
know anguish no more. 

307
00:26:51,080 --> 00:26:55,760
Praise God. 
They gladly welcome the light 

308
00:26:55,760 --> 00:26:59,880
then, and it grows in them, and 
they begin to shine brighter 

309
00:26:59,880 --> 00:27:02,600
with each new day. 
Not because they're amazing and 

310
00:27:02,600 --> 00:27:05,000
they're awesome and they have 
pretty smiles or any of the 

311
00:27:05,000 --> 00:27:09,000
sort, but because the Holy 
Spirit has resurrect them to new

312
00:27:09,000 --> 00:27:13,920
life, and now he works the life 
of Christ into them. 

313
00:27:14,720 --> 00:27:17,280
And as they stare, and so we see
in 2nd Corinthians 3 and 4th, 

314
00:27:17,280 --> 00:27:21,480
they stare and behold the 
glories of Christ Jesus. 

315
00:27:22,000 --> 00:27:25,680
They're transformed from 1° of 
glory into another. 

316
00:27:25,680 --> 00:27:29,360
They're gone on and on from now 
until their final breath into 

317
00:27:29,360 --> 00:27:33,800
the same image of Jesus Christ. 
The Spirit bears witness that 

318
00:27:33,800 --> 00:27:36,560
they are God's people. 
Amen. 

319
00:27:38,760 --> 00:27:43,920
We praise God for this. 
This light shines through the 

320
00:27:43,920 --> 00:27:46,280
regenerate person. 
It's the evidence of a 

321
00:27:46,280 --> 00:27:52,280
transformed life. 
It's one that this life is one 

322
00:27:52,280 --> 00:27:54,040
that's been removed from 
darkness. 

323
00:27:54,040 --> 00:27:57,120
It's been brought into marvelous
light. 

324
00:27:58,360 --> 00:27:59,320
The second. 
Peter. 

325
00:27:59,880 --> 00:28:00,360
Sorry. 
First. 

326
00:28:00,360 --> 00:28:00,800
Peter. 
Two. 

327
00:28:00,800 --> 00:28:04,160
Nonsense. 
It's a sweet light. 

328
00:28:04,160 --> 00:28:07,280
It's a beautiful light. 
It's one that carries the 

329
00:28:07,280 --> 00:28:13,400
brightness of eternal life. 
Once in anguish, now full of the

330
00:28:13,400 --> 00:28:20,320
Lord's joy, once walking in 
death, now walking in life. 

331
00:28:22,800 --> 00:28:25,000
That's the call that we see here
to unbelievers. 

332
00:28:25,000 --> 00:28:26,680
But there's a call to believers 
here as well. 

333
00:28:26,680 --> 00:28:30,120
There's an an encouragement, I 
should say, to believers here, 

334
00:28:30,840 --> 00:28:33,640
just in this opening two 
sentences or these opening 2 

335
00:28:33,640 --> 00:28:35,880
verses. 
There's a there's that call to 

336
00:28:35,880 --> 00:28:38,400
unbelievers, but there's this 
encouragement for believers that

337
00:28:38,400 --> 00:28:41,520
in the darkest of moments, 
remember there's a remnant 

338
00:28:41,960 --> 00:28:44,160
present. 
And when they hear this, there's

339
00:28:44,160 --> 00:28:47,960
going to be hope. 
It's like Adam and Eve after 

340
00:28:47,960 --> 00:28:50,080
they sinned. 
And in Genesis 315, God 

341
00:28:50,080 --> 00:28:53,120
pronounces a curse to the 
serpent, and he says, I'm going 

342
00:28:53,120 --> 00:28:57,920
to put enmity between you, Satan
and the woman, between you and 

343
00:28:57,920 --> 00:29:02,680
her offspring, and he will 
bruise your head and you will 

344
00:29:02,680 --> 00:29:05,640
bruise his heel. 
He's going to crush you, though 

345
00:29:05,640 --> 00:29:10,160
you might harm him. 
And Adam and Eve walked out of 

346
00:29:10,160 --> 00:29:13,280
the garden facing the just 
punishment for their sins. 

347
00:29:13,280 --> 00:29:18,240
But they walked out in hope, and
they begin to tell the stories 

348
00:29:18,240 --> 00:29:22,920
to Seth and to Cain and Abel I 
assume as well. 

349
00:29:23,200 --> 00:29:30,000
But Seth believes, and from the 
lineage of Seth we get Christ, 

350
00:29:30,960 --> 00:29:35,760
the offspring of the woman, the 
suffering servant, the promised 

351
00:29:35,760 --> 00:29:40,000
Messiah, the light that would 
dispel darkness. 

352
00:29:43,880 --> 00:29:49,160
And so, in the darkest of times,
God's people always have in 

353
00:29:49,160 --> 00:29:58,320
Christ, and nevertheless you 
have a but because you have 

354
00:29:58,320 --> 00:30:02,160
hope. 
And it's AI can look and I can 

355
00:30:02,160 --> 00:30:06,760
see that what's happening in 
front of me is a tragedy. 

356
00:30:08,240 --> 00:30:14,920
It's a terrible situation. 
It's something that no one would

357
00:30:15,360 --> 00:30:23,520
ever sign up for. 
Nevertheless, Christ is on its 

358
00:30:23,520 --> 00:30:28,480
throne. 
Nevertheless, God is sovereign 

359
00:30:28,480 --> 00:30:30,760
and in complete control of all 
things. 

360
00:30:31,360 --> 00:30:38,080
Nevertheless, my heart may fail,
but my hope will stand. 

361
00:30:40,720 --> 00:30:44,440
Man. 
In my mind, I'm driven crazy by 

362
00:30:44,440 --> 00:30:48,560
all that happens around me, by 
the pain, the anguish and the 

363
00:30:48,560 --> 00:30:53,800
things that we experience. 
And yet, in my mind, I'm rock 

364
00:30:53,800 --> 00:30:56,360
solid because I know that God's 
word is true. 

365
00:30:58,920 --> 00:31:01,520
It's the only thing that gets 
you through tragedy. 

366
00:31:02,680 --> 00:31:05,080
It's the only thing that gets 
you through difficulties, to 

367
00:31:05,080 --> 00:31:10,560
trust that the Lord, that the 
light of Christ will shine in 

368
00:31:10,560 --> 00:31:14,440
that darkness. 
And so there's always a 

369
00:31:14,440 --> 00:31:16,680
nevertheless that you can 
comfort yourself with. 

370
00:31:16,680 --> 00:31:20,360
There's a a promise of 
sustaining light, which is to be

371
00:31:20,520 --> 00:31:24,440
a balm for your distressed soul 
in your troubled hearts. 

372
00:31:24,440 --> 00:31:29,840
In those moments, Christ helps 
his people. 

373
00:31:30,960 --> 00:31:34,960
The Spirit comforts. 
Why are you troubled? 

374
00:31:34,960 --> 00:31:39,000
Christ says to his disciples 
before he goes away from them. 

375
00:31:40,000 --> 00:31:43,840
I'm going to send to you one who
is better. 

376
00:31:43,840 --> 00:31:47,120
It's better that I go so that 
the Comforter can come. 

377
00:31:48,640 --> 00:31:50,880
You have not been left alone. 
You have been given the 

378
00:31:50,880 --> 00:31:56,320
Comforter, the Holy Spirit of 
God, to dwell in you. 

379
00:31:58,760 --> 00:32:01,080
You're not without hope. 
You're not without comfort. 

380
00:32:01,080 --> 00:32:08,400
No matter what, no matter what 
troubles you may face, though 

381
00:32:08,400 --> 00:32:11,400
you may be persecuted, you were 
never forsaken. 

382
00:32:11,400 --> 00:32:14,080
Listen to the words of Paul in 
Second Corinthians 489. 

383
00:32:14,080 --> 00:32:17,600
We are afflicted in every way, 
but not crushed. 

384
00:32:18,640 --> 00:32:21,640
We are perplexed, but we are not
driven to despair. 

385
00:32:21,760 --> 00:32:24,360
We are persecuted, but we are 
not forsaken. 

386
00:32:24,640 --> 00:32:27,360
We are struck down, but we are 
not destroyed. 

387
00:32:30,200 --> 00:32:33,760
That's courage. 
That's great courage. 

388
00:32:33,760 --> 00:32:36,720
That's great biblical strength 
and courage. 

389
00:32:36,720 --> 00:32:41,880
But you know what fuels courage?
Hope, Peace. 

390
00:32:42,320 --> 00:32:45,200
Joy, right. 
Love. 

391
00:32:45,200 --> 00:32:47,800
All these things fuel courage in
a word. 

392
00:32:47,800 --> 00:32:51,800
What we're saying is Christ in 
you fuels your courage. 

393
00:32:52,200 --> 00:32:55,240
Christ in you gives you the 
ability to keep pressing 

394
00:32:55,440 --> 00:32:58,880
forward. 
Christ in you is your great hope

395
00:32:59,040 --> 00:33:05,760
no matter what. 
Again in 2nd Corinthians 6. 

396
00:33:06,280 --> 00:33:10,320
Let me just tell you this. 
If you're struggling at all in 

397
00:33:10,320 --> 00:33:15,560
life to wonder if there is a 
reason to remain hopeful or 

398
00:33:15,560 --> 00:33:19,040
wondering if God can truly 
comfort you or any of the sort, 

399
00:33:19,360 --> 00:33:21,560
read the book of Second 
Corinthians. 

400
00:33:23,200 --> 00:33:26,320
It starts out with a bang as you
read in Second Corinthians one, 

401
00:33:26,320 --> 00:33:30,640
verse three, that we have the 
God of all comfort. 

402
00:33:33,720 --> 00:33:38,000
That means that every comfort 
belongs to God. 

403
00:33:39,400 --> 00:33:43,560
Whether an unbeliever feels some
sense of comfort in a friendship

404
00:33:43,560 --> 00:33:46,000
or what what have you, it 
doesn't matter whether you're 

405
00:33:46,000 --> 00:33:48,480
believing or unbelieving. 
Any comfort that comes to 

406
00:33:48,480 --> 00:33:53,600
mankind comes from God. 
But believers have at the ready 

407
00:33:53,800 --> 00:33:57,200
the greatest comfort available 
because you have the Spirit of 

408
00:33:57,200 --> 00:34:06,360
God, the comforter in you. 
All comfort belongs to God and 

409
00:34:06,360 --> 00:34:10,360
it says that he comforts us in 
every affliction so that we 

410
00:34:10,360 --> 00:34:13,600
might be able to comfort others 
in their afflictions with the 

411
00:34:13,600 --> 00:34:16,440
same comfort which we have 
received. 

412
00:34:19,440 --> 00:34:23,520
I'm going to sidetrack 
pastorally for just a second 

413
00:34:24,600 --> 00:34:26,560
because there's something you 
need to know about what those 

414
00:34:26,560 --> 00:34:33,199
verses are saying. 
You live in a world that is full

415
00:34:33,199 --> 00:34:36,280
of darkness, and in a world full
of darkness, what people want 

416
00:34:36,280 --> 00:34:39,840
you to believe is that you have 
to have the same experience as 

417
00:34:39,840 --> 00:34:42,840
them to be able to comfort them.
You have to say, have the same 

418
00:34:42,840 --> 00:34:45,880
experience as them to be able to
speak to their situation. 

419
00:34:48,040 --> 00:34:53,239
This is a lie from Satan, and 
Christians should not live with 

420
00:34:53,239 --> 00:34:57,160
that mentality. 
In other words, you do not have 

421
00:34:57,160 --> 00:35:01,000
to lose a child to be able to 
comfort Patricia and I. 

422
00:35:02,600 --> 00:35:07,120
You do not have to lose your job
to comfort a friend who has lost

423
00:35:07,120 --> 00:35:09,040
their job. 
Why? 

424
00:35:09,120 --> 00:35:13,000
Because you are to comfort with 
the same experience you have 

425
00:35:13,000 --> 00:35:14,800
received. 
Is that what the text said? 

426
00:35:15,640 --> 00:35:17,760
No. 
You are to comfort others with 

427
00:35:17,760 --> 00:35:20,120
the same comfort you have 
received. 

428
00:35:21,520 --> 00:35:24,040
And so in any way that you've 
been comforted by the Lord 

429
00:35:24,040 --> 00:35:28,320
through your afflictions, you 
offer that comfort to others. 

430
00:35:28,600 --> 00:35:32,480
Amen. 
This is how the body of Christ 

431
00:35:32,480 --> 00:35:35,320
works. 
This is how we comfort one 

432
00:35:35,320 --> 00:35:37,880
another in every affliction. 
Whether we've experienced it or 

433
00:35:37,880 --> 00:35:40,000
not does not matter. 
I'm not saying there's not some 

434
00:35:40,000 --> 00:35:43,400
wisdom that may come with that, 
some wisdom of traversing the 

435
00:35:43,400 --> 00:35:45,880
valley, of the shadow of death 
that others may not have. 

436
00:35:45,880 --> 00:35:48,160
I understand that. 
But what I'm saying is you carry

437
00:35:48,160 --> 00:35:52,040
the same comfort. 
Comfort to others. 

438
00:35:53,640 --> 00:35:55,000
Comfort. 
Amen. 

439
00:35:56,080 --> 00:35:59,000
All right, back on track here, 
2nd Corinthians 610. 

440
00:35:59,000 --> 00:36:02,560
We are, as always, sorrowful, 
yet always rejoicing. 

441
00:36:04,400 --> 00:36:07,920
And so when life seems to be at 
its darkest, it's a comfort to 

442
00:36:07,920 --> 00:36:12,280
us to remember that he who forms
the light and creates the 

443
00:36:12,280 --> 00:36:16,360
darkness has appointed to both 
of them their boundaries. 

444
00:36:17,280 --> 00:36:20,880
And he alone can shine a great 
light upon his people. 

445
00:36:20,880 --> 00:36:23,480
They're walking in great 
darkness because of God's 

446
00:36:23,480 --> 00:36:27,800
judgment on them. 
And yet God says your darkness 

447
00:36:27,800 --> 00:36:30,800
will not last. 
I'm going to bring you light. 

448
00:36:32,520 --> 00:36:35,960
He alone. 
He alone can shine the light on 

449
00:36:35,960 --> 00:36:38,920
his people. 
Amen. 

450
00:36:40,760 --> 00:36:42,960
Look at verses two and three. 
The people who walked in 

451
00:36:42,960 --> 00:36:45,520
darkness have seen everybody 
said. 

452
00:36:45,520 --> 00:36:48,240
That's past tense. 
You didn't say it. 

453
00:36:48,320 --> 00:36:52,440
Past tense, all right. 
The people who walked in 

454
00:36:52,440 --> 00:36:56,920
darkness have seen a great 
light. 

455
00:36:57,360 --> 00:36:59,400
Those who dwelt in the land of 
deep darkness. 

456
00:36:59,400 --> 00:37:05,920
On them has light shone. 
You have multiplied the nation, 

457
00:37:05,920 --> 00:37:10,160
you have increased its joy. 
They rejoice before you as with 

458
00:37:10,160 --> 00:37:14,920
joy at the harvest, as they are 
glad when they divide the spoil.

459
00:37:15,360 --> 00:37:17,640
The reason I wanted you to. 
Notice the past tense is because

460
00:37:17,640 --> 00:37:23,160
the tone changes here. 
Isaiah now speaks as. 

461
00:37:23,160 --> 00:37:26,920
Though this has already 
happened, but it hasn't. 

462
00:37:26,920 --> 00:37:31,880
They're in darkness, but he's 
speaking, God is speaking, and 

463
00:37:31,880 --> 00:37:34,760
Isaiah is proclaiming. 
You have multiplied the nation. 

464
00:37:34,760 --> 00:37:38,240
You have increased its joy. 
They rejoice before you as as 

465
00:37:38,240 --> 00:37:41,200
with joy at the harvest, even 
though there's no harvest yet, 

466
00:37:41,360 --> 00:37:43,760
as they are glad when they 
divide the spoil, even though 

467
00:37:43,760 --> 00:37:45,440
there's no spoil to be divided 
yet. 

468
00:37:47,040 --> 00:37:48,440
Isaiah now speaks as though 
this. 

469
00:37:48,440 --> 00:37:51,280
Has already happened. 
And that is because when God 

470
00:37:51,440 --> 00:37:56,720
makes an announcement about 
something, you can depend upon 

471
00:37:56,720 --> 00:38:06,340
it. 
You can trust him because God 

472
00:38:06,420 --> 00:38:10,940
makes a guarantee and we. 
Know that part of the character.

473
00:38:10,940 --> 00:38:16,260
Of God is that he cannot lie, 
and he guarantees his oaths by 

474
00:38:16,260 --> 00:38:21,540
none other than himself. 
Because what greater thing could

475
00:38:21,540 --> 00:38:25,220
you guarantee an oath by 
nothing? 

476
00:38:26,580 --> 00:38:30,580
He is the greatest. 
He is the highest. 

477
00:38:31,280 --> 00:38:33,920
He's the only one who will not 
fail us. 

478
00:38:34,200 --> 00:38:37,440
Amen. 
And so when God makes. 

479
00:38:37,440 --> 00:38:39,200
An announcement. 
We should depend on it. 

480
00:38:39,200 --> 00:38:42,840
We should see that thing as 
though it's already happened. 

481
00:38:43,600 --> 00:38:46,800
A great light has shown on those
in deep darkness. 

482
00:38:46,800 --> 00:38:50,080
This is why we say to you often 
around here that we live. 

483
00:38:50,080 --> 00:38:53,040
Yes, in between these what we 
call to this morning, these two 

484
00:38:53,040 --> 00:38:56,800
advents, but you live in between
the coming of Christ and the 

485
00:38:56,800 --> 00:38:59,480
second coming of Christ. 
But you can bet your bottom 

486
00:38:59,480 --> 00:39:02,200
dollar that that second coming 
is coming. 

487
00:39:03,080 --> 00:39:05,600
It's going to happen. 
And there will be a new heavens 

488
00:39:05,600 --> 00:39:08,080
and a new earth, and there will 
be people from every tribe, 

489
00:39:08,080 --> 00:39:12,360
tongue, and nation of multitude,
too many to number, who will not

490
00:39:12,360 --> 00:39:17,240
be afflicted by sin or pain or 
death or tears any longer. 

491
00:39:17,240 --> 00:39:20,680
But we will go on and on and on 
into all eternity, singing the 

492
00:39:20,680 --> 00:39:24,040
praises of God and learning 
something new about his grandeur

493
00:39:24,040 --> 00:39:31,680
for the rest of eternity. 
It's going to happen, and So 

494
00:39:31,680 --> 00:39:35,520
what do you hope for? 
Now well you hope in this Christ

495
00:39:35,520 --> 00:39:39,960
is building His Kingdom. 
His rule will never end. 

496
00:39:40,280 --> 00:39:42,920
He's extending his Kingdom to 
the ends of the earth as the 

497
00:39:42,920 --> 00:39:46,000
gospel goes forward through 
faithful men and women and their

498
00:39:46,000 --> 00:39:49,320
sons and daughters as they 
proclaim the word of God in all 

499
00:39:49,320 --> 00:39:54,440
the nations and people believe, 
and they get new life from it. 

500
00:39:55,480 --> 00:40:00,120
And they too will join with us 
and a heavenly multitude once 

501
00:40:00,120 --> 00:40:04,120
again singing and praising the 
name of God forever. 

502
00:40:07,920 --> 00:40:09,240
And there will be no end to 
this. 

503
00:40:09,360 --> 00:40:19,040
I'm just looking at your faces 
to make sure you're convinced 

504
00:40:20,640 --> 00:40:25,600
it's your hope. 
It's it's the greatest light you

505
00:40:25,600 --> 00:40:29,960
have in the worst darknesses 
that may come to you. 

506
00:40:31,480 --> 00:40:32,680
Is to. 
Know that this. 

507
00:40:32,680 --> 00:40:38,160
Will not be this way forever. 
You have to trust. 

508
00:40:45,600 --> 00:40:46,920
I don't even know where I 
stopped at. 

509
00:40:47,120 --> 00:40:49,560
The people who walked in 
darkness have seen this light. 

510
00:40:50,760 --> 00:40:54,280
Oh yeah, here I am. 
I want you to remember what the 

511
00:40:54,280 --> 00:40:57,240
Apostle John wrote concerning 
the birth of Jesus Christ. 

512
00:40:57,240 --> 00:41:00,760
Now this is some 700 years after
this prophecy. 

513
00:41:02,640 --> 00:41:04,000
All right. 
So if you doubt whether or. 

514
00:41:04,000 --> 00:41:07,200
Not the scriptures are real. 
The scriptures always attest to 

515
00:41:07,200 --> 00:41:10,920
themselves. 
Amen. 

516
00:41:11,960 --> 00:41:14,760
The prophecies of the Old 
Testament are fulfilled in 

517
00:41:14,760 --> 00:41:16,720
Christ. 
One of the easiest ways to see 

518
00:41:16,720 --> 00:41:20,160
that you can find them all 
throughout the New Testament. 

519
00:41:20,160 --> 00:41:23,200
One of the easiest books to read
where you can where Matthew's 

520
00:41:23,200 --> 00:41:27,080
just blatantly saying this was 
to fulfill the scripture written

521
00:41:27,080 --> 00:41:31,720
in and he quotes it. 
All right, but even a good Bible

522
00:41:31,720 --> 00:41:33,400
with cross. 
References will show you how 

523
00:41:33,400 --> 00:41:34,760
these things are being 
fulfilled. 

524
00:41:36,320 --> 00:41:40,040
But some 700 years later? 
The Apostle John writes the 

525
00:41:40,040 --> 00:41:42,960
light shines in the darkness and
the darkness has not overcome 

526
00:41:42,960 --> 00:41:44,720
it. 
Now that light he's talking 

527
00:41:44,720 --> 00:41:47,120
about, there is the Word 
becoming flesh and dwelling 

528
00:41:47,120 --> 00:41:51,600
among us. 
The Word who was with God, and 

529
00:41:51,600 --> 00:41:56,760
the Word who is God, The second 
member of the Trinity, Jesus 

530
00:41:56,760 --> 00:42:00,440
Christ, the Son of God, became 
flesh and dwelt among us. 

531
00:42:02,480 --> 00:42:05,360
And he is the light. 
That shines in the darkness, and

532
00:42:05,360 --> 00:42:11,000
the darkness shall not overcome.
It. 

533
00:42:11,000 --> 00:42:14,360
How do we know? 
Well, because the nation is. 

534
00:42:14,360 --> 00:42:20,280
Being multiplied, you see here 
that he, he, he says, You, you, 

535
00:42:20,280 --> 00:42:25,280
God, have multiplied the nation,
you have increased its joy. 

536
00:42:25,800 --> 00:42:31,840
But this is crazy, because in 
822 there's anguish, There's 

537
00:42:31,840 --> 00:42:32,840
deep. 
Darkness, but he's. 

538
00:42:32,840 --> 00:42:36,240
Saying you have increased the 
nation, the nation has actually 

539
00:42:36,240 --> 00:42:40,040
just been decreased. 
It's been split in two. 

540
00:42:41,360 --> 00:42:42,720
There's. 
Only a remnant and. 

541
00:42:42,720 --> 00:42:46,920
And they're hard to find. 
But the prophet Isaiah is saying

542
00:42:46,920 --> 00:42:49,800
from the word of the Lord, no, 
no, no, no, no. 

543
00:42:50,080 --> 00:42:55,760
You have increased the nation. 
You have been increased. 

544
00:42:55,760 --> 00:42:58,320
It's joy. 
You've multiplied the nation. 

545
00:42:59,280 --> 00:43:02,360
No longer does it contain a 
small remnant of Jews that now 

546
00:43:02,360 --> 00:43:05,560
includes people from all nations
and tongues and tribes. 

547
00:43:05,560 --> 00:43:08,520
In Christ there is neither Jew 
nor Gentile. 

548
00:43:08,520 --> 00:43:10,440
There's neither slave nor free, 
right. 

549
00:43:10,880 --> 00:43:13,480
These are the things we begin to
see fill out for us in the New 

550
00:43:13,480 --> 00:43:17,200
Testament when it describes the 
new nation, which we would say 

551
00:43:17,200 --> 00:43:23,040
is the Church. 
In Christ there is neither. 

552
00:43:23,040 --> 00:43:26,560
Jew nor Gentile, and so we are 
all one family. 

553
00:43:27,160 --> 00:43:30,960
Isaiah saying this is a message 
of great victory. 

554
00:43:32,560 --> 00:43:34,880
You've increased you've. 
Multiplied the nation, you've 

555
00:43:34,880 --> 00:43:37,880
increased its joy. 
This is victory. 

556
00:43:39,800 --> 00:43:42,160
And it's a victory that brings. 
Great joy. 

557
00:43:43,840 --> 00:43:46,520
The Gospel of Christ. 
Spreads throughout all the 

558
00:43:46,520 --> 00:43:48,200
earth. 
Now again think about it. 

559
00:43:48,200 --> 00:43:51,320
When Christ arrives on the 
scene, the very first message 

560
00:43:51,320 --> 00:43:55,960
that he preaches is repent. 
For the Kingdom of heaven is at 

561
00:43:55,960 --> 00:43:59,920
hand, the Kingdom of heaven is 
at hand and. 

562
00:44:01,920 --> 00:44:04,520
And the very last. 
Message that we see him preach 

563
00:44:04,520 --> 00:44:07,440
is to His disciples where He 
says to them. 

564
00:44:07,640 --> 00:44:10,400
Go therefore and make disciples 
of all nations first. 

565
00:44:10,400 --> 00:44:13,520
He says All authority in heaven 
and on the earth has been given 

566
00:44:13,520 --> 00:44:15,640
to me as He's risen from the 
dead. 

567
00:44:15,640 --> 00:44:21,880
He's been restored to his pre 
Incarnate state where He rules 

568
00:44:21,880 --> 00:44:23,880
over everything. 
Everything belongs to Him. 

569
00:44:25,000 --> 00:44:27,880
Go therefore and make disciples 
of all nations, baptizing them 

570
00:44:27,880 --> 00:44:30,520
in the name of the Father and of
the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 

571
00:44:30,720 --> 00:44:33,480
teaching them to observe all 
that I have commanded you. 

572
00:44:33,720 --> 00:44:38,080
And behold, I am with you always
to the end of the age. 

573
00:44:38,080 --> 00:44:40,840
Well, what's the end of the age?
It's when Christ returns. 

574
00:44:41,600 --> 00:44:44,480
And when Christ returns we'll be
with him. 

575
00:44:44,480 --> 00:44:47,200
But even now, he says I am with 
you. 

576
00:44:49,640 --> 00:44:53,800
Even to the end of the age. 
He's carrying out what the 

577
00:44:53,800 --> 00:44:57,080
building of his Kingdom, the 
Kingdom of heaven, is at hand in

578
00:44:57,080 --> 00:45:00,960
the Kingdom is extending. 
The gates of hell will not 

579
00:45:00,960 --> 00:45:04,240
prevail against. 
When we say gates of hell, we're

580
00:45:04,240 --> 00:45:07,280
not talking about an offensive 
weapon, are we? 

581
00:45:08,000 --> 00:45:11,200
When you establish gates, that's
not an offensive weapon, right? 

582
00:45:11,200 --> 00:45:14,960
The gates are pretty stationary,
walls are stationary. 

583
00:45:14,960 --> 00:45:19,520
And So what are you saying? 
We're defending ourselves, but 

584
00:45:19,520 --> 00:45:23,040
we will plunder hell, brothers 
and sisters. 

585
00:45:26,640 --> 00:45:29,400
As we proclaim the gospel. 
Of Jesus Christ, there will be 

586
00:45:29,400 --> 00:45:32,320
people who were previously 
captive, just as you and I were,

587
00:45:32,680 --> 00:45:36,640
who we brought out of darkness 
and into the marvelous light of 

588
00:45:36,640 --> 00:45:39,080
Christ Jesus. 
They too will be a holy people, 

589
00:45:39,080 --> 00:45:43,480
a royal priesthood. 
He'll be part of the city on A. 

590
00:45:43,480 --> 00:45:45,840
Hill that Christ talks about in 
Matthew 5. 

591
00:45:46,320 --> 00:45:49,200
They'll become salt of the earth
and light of the world, just as 

592
00:45:49,200 --> 00:45:54,120
you and I are. 
He's advancing, his Kingdom 

593
00:45:54,360 --> 00:45:58,240
advances. 
In Acts 18 we see a very similar

594
00:45:58,240 --> 00:46:01,200
message here, but you Jesus 
again talking to his disciples, 

595
00:46:01,200 --> 00:46:03,160
telling him to go back to 
Jerusalem, they want to know 

596
00:46:03,160 --> 00:46:04,760
when are you going to establish 
your Kingdom. 

597
00:46:04,760 --> 00:46:07,800
And he says listen, listen. 
It's not for you to know. 

598
00:46:08,520 --> 00:46:11,920
Here's what I want you to know. 
You will receive power when the 

599
00:46:11,920 --> 00:46:15,120
Holy Spirit has come upon you. 
And you will be my witnesses in 

600
00:46:15,120 --> 00:46:19,040
Jerusalem and in all Judea and 
Samaria and to the ends of the 

601
00:46:19,080 --> 00:46:21,720
earth. 
And guess where they started. 

602
00:46:21,720 --> 00:46:29,840
And guess where they went. 
To Judea and Samaria and to the 

603
00:46:29,840 --> 00:46:33,360
ends of the earth. 
And we're still going to the 

604
00:46:33,360 --> 00:46:34,520
ends of the earth. 
Amen. 

605
00:46:34,560 --> 00:46:38,480
Axe Chapter 29 is still being 
written. 

606
00:46:42,040 --> 00:46:44,640
But it's advancing. 
The word. 

607
00:46:44,640 --> 00:46:46,800
Of the Lord goes forth. 
And people are called out of 

608
00:46:46,800 --> 00:46:50,680
darkness into light. 
And So what was prophesied long 

609
00:46:50,680 --> 00:46:54,840
ago in Isaiah 9 has been 
commanded by Christ here in 

610
00:46:54,840 --> 00:46:58,360
Matthew 28 and Acts 18. 
It's what he was preparing his 

611
00:46:58,360 --> 00:47:01,000
disciples for. 
And so after his resurrection, 

612
00:47:01,000 --> 00:47:03,800
we see the fruit of this begin 
to take place in the book of 

613
00:47:03,800 --> 00:47:07,160
Acts as those men go and 
proclaim the gospel of Jesus 

614
00:47:07,160 --> 00:47:13,480
Christ and people respond to it.
And so 2000 years later, plus 

615
00:47:14,760 --> 00:47:20,760
you and I sit here as fruit of 
this, this promise in Isaiah to 

616
00:47:20,760 --> 00:47:24,720
a people who were dwelling in 
great darkness, Is that not 

617
00:47:24,720 --> 00:47:31,920
incredible? 
The Lord does not forsake His 

618
00:47:31,920 --> 00:47:41,610
people. 
The Spirit of God is at. 

619
00:47:41,610 --> 00:47:43,650
Work for his word. 
It's at work for the people 

620
00:47:43,650 --> 00:47:46,250
going forward. 
It's setting captors free. 

621
00:47:46,250 --> 00:47:47,890
It's saving people from their 
sins. 

622
00:47:47,890 --> 00:47:51,200
It's making them brand new 
again. 

623
00:47:51,240 --> 00:47:53,080
I've said it enough, but I'll 
say it again. 

624
00:47:53,080 --> 00:47:56,360
Light is dispelling the 
darkness, just as God has said 

625
00:47:56,360 --> 00:47:58,600
that it would. 
I don't. 

626
00:47:58,600 --> 00:48:01,080
Care what the news says. 
I've told you before that the 

627
00:48:01,080 --> 00:48:03,640
news feed in heaven looks 
drastically different than the 

628
00:48:03,640 --> 00:48:07,160
news feed here on Earth. 
It doesn't look the same. 

629
00:48:08,720 --> 00:48:11,760
You're reading the wrong news 
feed if you walk around worried 

630
00:48:11,760 --> 00:48:14,320
all the time. 
If you walk around stressed out,

631
00:48:19,000 --> 00:48:25,200
you're reading the wrong news. 
If you're afraid, trust in the 

632
00:48:25,200 --> 00:48:27,680
Lord, look at verses four and 
five for the yoke of his burden 

633
00:48:27,680 --> 00:48:30,400
and staff, for his shoulder. 
I'll spend very minimal time on 

634
00:48:30,400 --> 00:48:33,160
these two verses because I've 
said a lot about them already. 

635
00:48:33,400 --> 00:48:35,720
It's just kind of proving the 
point for the yoke of his burden

636
00:48:35,920 --> 00:48:38,400
and the staff for his shoulder, 
the rod of his oppressor. 

637
00:48:38,600 --> 00:48:42,720
You have broken, as on the day 
of Midian for every boot of the 

638
00:48:42,720 --> 00:48:45,840
tramping warrior in battle to 
mold, and every garment rolled 

639
00:48:45,840 --> 00:48:47,960
in blood will be burned as fuel 
for the fire. 

640
00:48:47,960 --> 00:48:50,680
What's he saying? 
Your enemies will receive 

641
00:48:50,840 --> 00:48:55,240
destruction. 
That's why you and I have to be 

642
00:48:55,240 --> 00:48:56,520
very. 
Careful about. 

643
00:48:58,560 --> 00:49:01,320
How we fight battles. 
Because of the Lord has said to 

644
00:49:01,320 --> 00:49:07,400
us, vengeance is mine. 
Vengeance is mine. 

645
00:49:08,600 --> 00:49:09,800
Doesn't mean. 
There's no fighting to be. 

646
00:49:09,800 --> 00:49:11,240
Done doesn't mean there's no 
preaching. 

647
00:49:11,240 --> 00:49:12,880
There's absolutely preaching to 
be done. 

648
00:49:12,880 --> 00:49:14,920
There's sharing to be done. 
There's spreading the gospel and

649
00:49:14,920 --> 00:49:16,440
love with Christ all over the 
world. 

650
00:49:16,440 --> 00:49:19,640
To be done, absolutely, we need 
to make disciples. 

651
00:49:22,040 --> 00:49:26,640
But we should be careful about 
not taking vengeance into our 

652
00:49:26,640 --> 00:49:29,440
own hand. 
That belongs to the Lord. 

653
00:49:29,440 --> 00:49:38,160
And trust me, those who have 
done great evils, should they 

654
00:49:38,160 --> 00:49:42,320
not repent and believe that 
Christ is Lord, they will 

655
00:49:42,320 --> 00:49:44,680
receive a just. 
Punishment. 

656
00:49:52,480 --> 00:49:56,120
It's not something you glory in.
Necessarily, other than Christ 

657
00:49:56,120 --> 00:50:00,800
gets the glory, it's not 
something we revel in. 

658
00:50:06,340 --> 00:50:09,460
What we see though, is that this
isn't some simple deliverance 

659
00:50:09,460 --> 00:50:13,500
from oppressors. 
God announces the breaking of 

660
00:50:13,500 --> 00:50:18,200
the bondage of sin on mankind. 
Here, it's the removal of 

661
00:50:18,200 --> 00:50:24,080
darkness, it's the removal of 
bondage, and it's coming to the 

662
00:50:24,080 --> 00:50:28,240
people of the Lord God. 
Announces that peace. 

663
00:50:28,240 --> 00:50:30,760
Is coming. 
He's announcing an end to the 

664
00:50:30,760 --> 00:50:32,520
wars. 
He's announcing an end to the 

665
00:50:32,520 --> 00:50:38,120
evil in the world. 
And man, I. 

666
00:50:38,720 --> 00:50:41,800
I I have no idea. 
And so it's careful, you know, 

667
00:50:41,800 --> 00:50:43,680
we want to be careful with any 
sort of conjecture. 

668
00:50:43,680 --> 00:50:48,680
But I I I'm not quite sure what 
the people who were hearing this

669
00:50:48,680 --> 00:50:51,160
for the first time would have 
reacted like. 

670
00:50:51,440 --> 00:50:55,280
But I imagine around verse 5 
here, I'd have been a bit on the

671
00:50:55,280 --> 00:50:59,240
edge of my seat, leaning in, 
wondering what in the world is 

672
00:50:59,240 --> 00:51:00,920
going to happen next. 
How? 

673
00:51:01,120 --> 00:51:09,120
How will he bring this about? 
Right. 

674
00:51:10,560 --> 00:51:15,720
The end of the oppressors, every
boot of the tramping warrior and

675
00:51:15,720 --> 00:51:18,240
battle to mold, and every 
garment of theirs will be rolled

676
00:51:18,240 --> 00:51:21,280
in blood and will be burned as 
fuel for the fire. 

677
00:51:21,280 --> 00:51:28,520
Do you not see us, Lord? 
We're in anguish here, right? 

678
00:51:28,520 --> 00:51:31,560
I mean, I'd be on the edge of my
see what's next? 

679
00:51:32,240 --> 00:51:37,240
Who's coming? 
What nation is going to save? 

680
00:51:37,280 --> 00:51:40,800
Us from this, what king is going
to rise up? 

681
00:51:44,080 --> 00:51:46,560
But in verse 6. 
You get a baby. 

682
00:51:48,840 --> 00:51:52,040
For to us. 
A child is born. 

683
00:51:52,040 --> 00:51:52,600
What? 
No, no. 

684
00:51:54,800 --> 00:51:56,240
No, no, no. 
Go back to verse. 

685
00:51:56,240 --> 00:51:57,560
Five. 
You were saying something about 

686
00:51:57,560 --> 00:52:00,520
the war, Isaiah and all these 
things that we're going to come 

687
00:52:00,520 --> 00:52:04,040
to an end and and now and 
Isaiah, no, no, no. 

688
00:52:05,080 --> 00:52:09,440
For to us a child is born. 
To us a son is given. 

689
00:52:10,840 --> 00:52:12,000
And the government shall be 
upon. 

690
00:52:12,000 --> 00:52:16,160
His shoulder and his name shall 
be called Wonderful Counselor, 

691
00:52:16,320 --> 00:52:20,200
Mighty God, Everlasting Father, 
Prince of Peace. 

692
00:52:25,440 --> 00:52:27,640
And I don't know, there's 
probably mixed reactions when 

693
00:52:27,640 --> 00:52:28,840
you hear that the summer were 
like. 

694
00:52:30,440 --> 00:52:38,200
Oh my goodness, who's it going 
to be? 

695
00:52:39,400 --> 00:52:43,120
What king are we waiting for? 
Who's going to arise? 

696
00:52:43,800 --> 00:52:46,760
But wait, wait, wait, said 
Everlasting Father, Mighty God, 

697
00:52:46,960 --> 00:52:49,800
a Prince of Peace. 
Wonderful counselor. 

698
00:52:49,800 --> 00:52:53,480
This is describing some. 
Wonderful man. 

699
00:52:54,640 --> 00:52:59,040
That we've never heard of. 
You see what I'm saying? 

700
00:52:59,040 --> 00:53:04,760
I mean, there would have been 
real question here, but what God

701
00:53:04,760 --> 00:53:10,720
offers is not another human king
who will destroy the Kingdom, 

702
00:53:11,080 --> 00:53:15,280
not another human king who will 
rule in selfishness who might. 

703
00:53:15,720 --> 00:53:18,640
You know, man, just reading the 
stories of the kings over and 

704
00:53:18,640 --> 00:53:24,840
over again this, this year? 
OK, this coming year, 2024, grab

705
00:53:24,920 --> 00:53:29,400
a chronological Old Testament 
Bible reading in a year and read

706
00:53:29,400 --> 00:53:32,520
it. 
It's like 2 chapters a day, but 

707
00:53:32,520 --> 00:53:37,800
your heart will be devastated 
when you get to the Kings and 

708
00:53:37,800 --> 00:53:39,760
Chronicles. 
And as you just begin to read 

709
00:53:39,760 --> 00:53:41,600
story after story. 
And every now and then there's a

710
00:53:41,600 --> 00:53:44,360
blip on the radar of a man who 
loves the Lord, and then those 

711
00:53:44,360 --> 00:53:46,960
who rise up after him really 
stink it up. 

712
00:53:51,120 --> 00:53:54,440
And so the promise is. 
There's a new king coming. 

713
00:53:54,440 --> 00:53:59,880
There's a divine gift coming. 
I am going to give you. 

714
00:54:01,840 --> 00:54:05,320
I am going to give you a true 
king. 

715
00:54:06,760 --> 00:54:09,320
And so God looking into. 
The darkness of the sin scarred 

716
00:54:09,320 --> 00:54:13,480
world, he essentially says this 
here is my son. 

717
00:54:15,840 --> 00:54:18,760
Here is my son, the marvelous. 
Light of the Savior to save you 

718
00:54:18,760 --> 00:54:22,160
out of great darkness to deliver
you from your sins, and by His 

719
00:54:22,320 --> 00:54:24,680
life you will know what I am 
like. 

720
00:54:24,680 --> 00:54:27,040
By His death you will know true 
life. 

721
00:54:27,040 --> 00:54:30,280
He will save His people from 
their sins, and He will grant to

722
00:54:30,280 --> 00:54:39,320
them eternal life as just a mass
gift of grace, of no doing of 

723
00:54:39,320 --> 00:54:47,120
their own Son of God born to 
save sinners. 

724
00:54:48,480 --> 00:54:51,880
One man called him the 
invincible figure striding 

725
00:54:51,880 --> 00:54:57,800
across the world stage. 
Isaiah is prophesying. 

726
00:54:57,800 --> 00:55:02,200
About the coming of Christ, but 
he's speaking as though it 

727
00:55:02,200 --> 00:55:08,680
already happened. 
And Isaiah, 53, he's. 

728
00:55:08,680 --> 00:55:14,280
Going to become the lamb who is 
slain, but here he's the child 

729
00:55:14,280 --> 00:55:18,520
who's born. 
This is the light of Christ. 

730
00:55:19,160 --> 00:55:22,360
Most prophecies in the Old 
Testament are about judgment and

731
00:55:22,360 --> 00:55:24,680
rescue. 
You're going to get a lot of 

732
00:55:24,680 --> 00:55:26,160
judgment. 
You're going to see a whole lot 

733
00:55:26,160 --> 00:55:30,760
of righteous judgments, and 
you're going to get blips of 

734
00:55:30,760 --> 00:55:35,120
rescue, blips of redemption, 
blips of the work that God is 

735
00:55:35,120 --> 00:55:39,840
going to do on their behalf in 
spite of their total awful 

736
00:55:40,000 --> 00:55:43,720
behavior. 
And you and I have received the 

737
00:55:43,720 --> 00:55:46,040
same. 
Thing in. 

738
00:55:46,040 --> 00:55:49,280
Spite of totally. 
Awful behavior. 

739
00:55:50,120 --> 00:55:53,880
We've received grace in Christ 
Jesus. 

740
00:55:57,840 --> 00:55:59,120
He's going to rescue his people 
from. 

741
00:55:59,120 --> 00:56:01,800
The Darkness. 
It's not just a baby being born.

742
00:56:01,800 --> 00:56:04,320
He also tells us what this baby 
will be like, what he'll 

743
00:56:04,480 --> 00:56:07,400
accomplish, and he does so in 
giving him four names. 

744
00:56:07,400 --> 00:56:10,720
One is he's going to be the 
wonderful counselor. 

745
00:56:12,200 --> 00:56:16,120
He's wonderful because he's. 
Both God and man He's counselor 

746
00:56:16,120 --> 00:56:19,360
because he is intimately 
acquainted with the counsels of 

747
00:56:19,360 --> 00:56:23,920
God from eternity, and so 
therefore He gives wise counsel 

748
00:56:23,920 --> 00:56:27,160
to his people. 
No one teaches like Christ. 

749
00:56:28,840 --> 00:56:32,960
He's full of wisdom. 
He makes the wisest decisions. 

750
00:56:33,120 --> 00:56:36,160
He has wisdom beyond human 
capabilities. 

751
00:56:37,760 --> 00:56:40,960
We see here also that he is the.
Mighty God, this is a title of 

752
00:56:40,960 --> 00:56:44,080
the Lord Himself, that he is God
Almighty. 

753
00:56:44,080 --> 00:56:46,840
Yet in his birth we see his 
humble estate. 

754
00:56:48,360 --> 00:56:49,920
I said last night that the 
infinite. 

755
00:56:49,920 --> 00:56:54,520
Became an infant. 
Mighty God, yet a child. 

756
00:56:54,520 --> 00:56:57,560
Born to us, given to us as a 
ransom for sinners. 

757
00:56:57,560 --> 00:57:01,600
In John chapter one later there 
we see that he We saw that the 

758
00:57:01,600 --> 00:57:04,200
light shines in the darkness. 
But we see that that light is 

759
00:57:04,200 --> 00:57:06,880
none other than the glory of God
revealed to us. 

760
00:57:07,480 --> 00:57:10,120
We see there that he is full of 
grace and truth. 

761
00:57:10,320 --> 00:57:13,640
And Hebrews one, verse three, we
see that he is the exact imprint

762
00:57:13,640 --> 00:57:18,520
of the nature of God. 
He is God with us. 

763
00:57:19,400 --> 00:57:22,880
Jesus Christ is fully God and 
fully man. 

764
00:57:23,280 --> 00:57:26,760
Christ being born to us as the 
foundation of all of our hope. 

765
00:57:26,960 --> 00:57:30,160
It is a fountain of great joy 
and times of great fear and 

766
00:57:30,160 --> 00:57:33,080
grief. 
He alone is mighty to save His 

767
00:57:33,080 --> 00:57:36,240
people. 
We see also that he's given the.

768
00:57:36,240 --> 00:57:40,480
Title Everlasting Father doesn't
mean. 

769
00:57:40,480 --> 00:57:43,240
That he is. 
That He is the Father, though he

770
00:57:43,240 --> 00:57:46,000
and the Father are in perfect 
unity. 

771
00:57:46,600 --> 00:57:49,360
We would not say that the Son is
the Father, nor would we say 

772
00:57:49,360 --> 00:57:53,120
that the Father is the Son. 
Rather, we would say they exist 

773
00:57:53,120 --> 00:57:57,480
in perfect harmony as 
everlasting Father, though he 

774
00:57:57,480 --> 00:57:59,960
gives eternal life to his 
people. 

775
00:58:00,760 --> 00:58:04,240
Dustin preached a few weeks ago 
that he's the first born of all 

776
00:58:04,240 --> 00:58:10,480
creation. 
He's certainly the first born. 

777
00:58:10,480 --> 00:58:13,040
Of all of us who will be newly 
created. 

778
00:58:13,160 --> 00:58:15,160
Amen. 
He is. 

779
00:58:15,160 --> 00:58:18,800
Our brother. 
And He gives life to us by His 

780
00:58:18,800 --> 00:58:21,920
death. 
We have been born again because 

781
00:58:21,920 --> 00:58:25,600
of the acts of Christ. 
He is also their benevolent 

782
00:58:25,600 --> 00:58:28,280
protector. 
He is like a father for all 

783
00:58:28,480 --> 00:58:31,800
eternity. 
In Hebrews 4 we see that we can 

784
00:58:31,800 --> 00:58:35,000
come boldly before the throne of
grace and receive mercy and 

785
00:58:35,000 --> 00:58:37,520
grace in our time of need 
because we have a sympathetic 

786
00:58:37,720 --> 00:58:40,960
High Priest in heaven, Jesus 
Christ. 

787
00:58:42,560 --> 00:58:45,880
Who has been tempted in all? 
The ways that we are yet without

788
00:58:46,040 --> 00:58:53,240
sin, and so we can come to Him. 
Just like you might come to. 

789
00:58:53,640 --> 00:58:58,640
A really great earthly father, 
even better is Christ. 

790
00:59:00,960 --> 00:59:06,640
This is the task of the ideal 
King is to be like a father. 

791
00:59:07,680 --> 00:59:09,560
We see also that he's the Prince
of peace. 

792
00:59:09,560 --> 00:59:13,080
He is our peace. 
He brings peace. 

793
00:59:13,200 --> 00:59:16,600
He grants peace when the angels 
announce his coming. 

794
00:59:16,600 --> 00:59:20,440
They announce that peace on 
earth has come to all with whom 

795
00:59:20,440 --> 00:59:25,360
God is pleased. 
He is the ruler who will bring. 

796
00:59:25,360 --> 00:59:29,920
About peace because the nations,
those in the nations will rely 

797
00:59:29,920 --> 00:59:33,920
on him for peace with God. 
He gives peace to all who call 

798
00:59:34,200 --> 00:59:38,240
on his names, on his name. 
Now these titles show that Jesus

799
00:59:38,240 --> 00:59:41,960
will be the best kind of king 
because he will be a gift of 

800
00:59:41,960 --> 00:59:45,320
divine grace. 
No one in the Davidic line of 

801
00:59:45,320 --> 00:59:49,840
kings will even come close to 
what Christ is. 

802
00:59:51,840 --> 00:59:53,200
And then in verse seven we read 
of. 

803
00:59:53,200 --> 00:59:55,320
The increase of his government 
and the peace. 

804
00:59:55,560 --> 00:59:57,480
End of peace. 
There will be no end on the 

805
00:59:57,480 --> 01:00:00,400
throne of David and over his 
Kingdom, to establish it and to 

806
01:00:00,400 --> 01:00:02,360
uphold it with justice and with 
righteousness. 

807
01:00:02,600 --> 01:00:04,840
From this time forth and 
forevermore. 

808
01:00:05,080 --> 01:00:08,600
The zeal of the Lord of Hosts 
will do this. 

809
01:00:10,960 --> 01:00:13,440
And so Isaiah here focuses. 
On the messianic hope. 

810
01:00:16,880 --> 01:00:19,800
An heir of David who would? 
Extend His rule from Israel to 

811
01:00:19,800 --> 01:00:23,400
include all the gentile nations,
bringing to them the blessing of

812
01:00:23,400 --> 01:00:28,360
knowing the one true God. 
He would do what Israel could 

813
01:00:28,360 --> 01:00:34,400
never do, and this empire of 
grace will forever expand every 

814
01:00:34,400 --> 01:00:38,160
moment better than the last. 
God's mission to save His people

815
01:00:38,160 --> 01:00:40,400
through His Son will not be 
stopped. 

816
01:00:42,080 --> 01:00:46,080
It will be. 
Accomplished with a passionate 

817
01:00:46,160 --> 01:00:49,240
intensity of which only God can 
accomplish. 

818
01:00:50,440 --> 01:00:53,960
In other words, though we live 
in a Pagan society, we live in 

819
01:00:53,960 --> 01:00:58,200
one that seeks to redefine 
marriage and gender by their own

820
01:00:58,200 --> 01:01:00,440
terms, or by no terms for that 
matter. 

821
01:01:00,600 --> 01:01:03,960
One that seeks to murder human 
life in the womb, one that seeks

822
01:01:03,960 --> 01:01:08,320
to ignore and reject altogether 
God's truths and wisdom. 

823
01:01:08,320 --> 01:01:13,200
And we could go on and on and on
to talk about the darkness, but 

824
01:01:13,200 --> 01:01:19,040
what I want you to know is light
and that we remain though all 

825
01:01:19,040 --> 01:01:22,240
that is taking place. 
We remain a people of good 

826
01:01:22,520 --> 01:01:34,120
cheer, Amen, and Advent reminds 
us that light has shown. 

827
01:01:34,840 --> 01:01:39,760
Light has dawned, and as you 
feast with your families, as you

828
01:01:39,760 --> 01:01:43,160
look at Christmas lights, as you
look at your trees in the living

829
01:01:43,160 --> 01:01:46,680
room, and as you open presents, 
we do all of this, celebrating, 

830
01:01:46,680 --> 01:01:50,640
all of these festivities unto 
the glory of the Lord Jesus 

831
01:01:50,640 --> 01:01:54,200
Christ, who has given us the 
ability to feast and to 

832
01:01:54,200 --> 01:01:57,600
celebrate and to enjoy the 
company of family and friends, 

833
01:01:57,600 --> 01:02:01,080
and especially of brothers and 
sisters who are like minded. 

834
01:02:04,880 --> 01:02:10,440
And so, raise your toast. 
With joy tonight sing carols. 

835
01:02:10,440 --> 01:02:15,760
With joy praise the name of the 
one who has come to rescue his 

836
01:02:15,760 --> 01:02:22,200
people from their sins. 
He is worthy the gospel, the 

837
01:02:22,200 --> 01:02:25,240
coming of Christ Jesus to die 
for the salvation of sinners. 

838
01:02:25,400 --> 01:02:30,400
That age-old faithful gospel 
message still saves. 

839
01:02:30,400 --> 01:02:34,160
Paul wrote that it is the power 
of God unto salvation. 

840
01:02:35,680 --> 01:02:41,280
It exalts Christ alone and he It
exalts Christ who alone is able 

841
01:02:41,280 --> 01:02:44,880
to save to the uttermost all of 
those who draw near to the 

842
01:02:44,880 --> 01:02:49,920
Father through him. 
Hebrews 725 And by it sinners 

843
01:02:49,920 --> 01:02:53,640
are saved by the gospel. 
Redemption flows into the world.

844
01:02:53,640 --> 01:02:57,200
By the gospel God has worshipped
in all the earth, though kings 

845
01:02:57,200 --> 01:03:00,880
and kingdoms will fall, though 
kings and kingdoms will pass 

846
01:03:00,880 --> 01:03:04,600
from time to time to time to 
time, right from one era to the 

847
01:03:04,600 --> 01:03:08,000
next. 
The gospel will not pass away. 

848
01:03:09,000 --> 01:03:12,560
The gospel is invincible. 
The gates of hell will not 

849
01:03:12,560 --> 01:03:15,840
prevail against the gospel of 
Christ. 

850
01:03:15,840 --> 01:03:22,800
The light of Christ has shown. 
It's shown in the darkness and 

851
01:03:22,800 --> 01:03:24,960
the. 
Darkness has not, nor will it 

852
01:03:24,960 --> 01:03:29,440
ever overcome it. 
God fulfills his promise to 

853
01:03:29,440 --> 01:03:34,600
destroy the darkness through the
birth of Jesus Christ. 

854
01:03:35,960 --> 01:03:40,440
In Matthew chapter 4, verses 12 
through 17 we read this. 

855
01:03:40,680 --> 01:03:45,360
Now when he heard that John had 
been arrested, Jesus withdrew 

856
01:03:45,360 --> 01:03:48,960
into Galilee, and leaving 
Nazareth, he went and lived in 

857
01:03:48,960 --> 01:03:54,920
Capernaum by the sea, in the 
territory of Zebulun and 

858
01:03:54,920 --> 01:03:58,840
Naphtali. 
So that what was spoken by the. 

859
01:03:58,840 --> 01:04:02,840
Prophet Isaiah might be 
fulfilled the land of Zebulun 

860
01:04:02,840 --> 01:04:06,760
and the land of Naphtali, the 
way of the sea beyond the Jordan

861
01:04:07,160 --> 01:04:11,160
reality of the Gentiles. 
The people dwelling in darkness 

862
01:04:11,160 --> 01:04:15,360
have seen great light and for 
those dwelling in the region and

863
01:04:15,360 --> 01:04:18,520
shadow of death on them light 
has dawned. 

864
01:04:18,520 --> 01:04:25,720
Praise God, let's pray. 
Heavenly Father, we thank you 

865
01:04:26,880 --> 01:04:32,400
for your word, which goes forth 
like a double edged sword and 

866
01:04:32,600 --> 01:04:36,280
pierces. 
To the depths of. 

867
01:04:36,320 --> 01:04:40,640
Every man, woman and child. 
And. 

868
01:04:40,640 --> 01:04:45,520
We ask, Lord, that you would 
Pierce our hearts with such hope

869
01:04:45,600 --> 01:04:53,040
and joy and peace and love that 
we have received in Christ. 

870
01:04:55,840 --> 01:05:03,320
Forgive us, Lord, if we have 
overlooked your son the season. 

871
01:05:05,560 --> 01:05:10,400
Forgive us if we have made. 
This about presence and lights 

872
01:05:11,080 --> 01:05:17,320
and performances and clothes and
parties and whatever else. 

873
01:05:20,320 --> 01:05:24,720
Today, hearts are still before 
you, and we recognize that 

874
01:05:24,720 --> 01:05:30,760
Christ is Lord. 
And so we. 

875
01:05:31,000 --> 01:05:35,120
Repent of our sins, whatever 
they may be. 

876
01:05:38,880 --> 01:05:42,080
We trust that the Spirit will 
reveal to us our sinfulness, so 

877
01:05:42,080 --> 01:05:46,880
that we might repent and 
faithfulness and be drawn deeper

878
01:05:46,880 --> 01:05:54,000
into relationship with your Son.
Through your Spirit and Father. 

879
01:05:54,000 --> 01:06:02,560
We beg of you, fill us with joy.
Fill our hearts with hope that 

880
01:06:02,560 --> 01:06:07,560
sustains in any tragedy, in any 
difficulty, no matter whatever 

881
01:06:07,560 --> 01:06:14,200
pain or heartache or hurt what 
have you we may experience in 

882
01:06:14,200 --> 01:06:18,360
this life. 
We trust you. 

883
01:06:20,360 --> 01:06:25,920
We ask that you would mature us 
in Christ, that you would grow 

884
01:06:25,920 --> 01:06:30,800
us up into the fullness and 
stature, that we would become 

885
01:06:30,800 --> 01:06:33,240
more mature men and women of 
God. 

886
01:06:37,720 --> 01:06:39,040
Lord, we thank you for your 
word. 

887
01:06:39,040 --> 01:06:42,800
Today that light has shone on 
the people dwelling in great 

888
01:06:42,800 --> 01:06:45,440
darkness. 
We recognize that we are such 

889
01:06:45,440 --> 01:06:50,320
people. 
And though we have not seen you.

890
01:06:50,800 --> 01:06:53,200
We love you, though we do not 
now see you. 

891
01:06:53,600 --> 01:06:56,840
We trust you. 
Hope is in you. 

892
01:07:00,040 --> 01:07:03,080
Lord, I do pray for anyone who 
doesn't know you who. 

893
01:07:05,280 --> 01:07:07,840
Has not yet repented of their. 
Sins and placed their faith in 

894
01:07:07,840 --> 01:07:10,280
Christ. 
Would you save them by your 

895
01:07:10,280 --> 01:07:14,880
marvelous grace today? 
Would you help them to see? 

896
01:07:15,160 --> 01:07:21,520
Christ anew afresh. 
Maybe it's an old story for. 

897
01:07:21,520 --> 01:07:24,680
Them, but it's not yet 
captivated, their heart and 

898
01:07:24,680 --> 01:07:26,560
their mind. 
Would you awaken them by your 

899
01:07:26,560 --> 01:07:31,200
spirit to be captivated to see 
and to savor Jesus? 

900
01:07:33,000 --> 01:07:34,800
To profess him as. 
Lord. 

901
01:07:35,560 --> 01:07:38,560
And to live in such a way that 
it becomes obvious that he's 

902
01:07:38,560 --> 01:07:43,320
Lord. 
Would you help them to come into

903
01:07:43,320 --> 01:07:48,680
your light? 
I'm going to give you a moment 

904
01:07:48,680 --> 01:07:49,520
to keep your head. 
Bowed. 

905
01:07:49,520 --> 01:07:52,080
You can spend a few moments in 
prayer. 

906
01:07:52,080 --> 01:07:54,120
Here. 
I ask that you would confess any

907
01:07:54,120 --> 01:07:57,160
sin. 
Repent of your sins. 

908
01:07:57,920 --> 01:08:00,720
There's anything that was 
preached today that you struggle

909
01:08:00,720 --> 01:08:06,480
to believe. 
I encourage you to pray. 

910
01:08:06,560 --> 01:08:10,080
As the Father who had a sick 
child in the Gospels, Lord, I 

911
01:08:10,080 --> 01:08:13,880
believe, help my unbelief. 
He will. 

912
01:08:17,560 --> 01:08:21,160
He longs to help you. 
Take a moment. 

913
01:08:57,920 --> 01:09:01,000
God, I want to close this. 
Time in prayer now and just 

914
01:09:01,000 --> 01:09:04,920
thank you. 
For your people's. 

915
01:09:04,920 --> 01:09:09,479
Pursuit of Christ. 
I pray, Lord, that those who 

916
01:09:09,479 --> 01:09:11,120
are. 
Seeking now will find him. 

917
01:09:12,160 --> 01:09:14,880
I pray that those who are 
knocking them, the door will be 

918
01:09:14,880 --> 01:09:18,040
answered. 
I pray that those who are asking

919
01:09:18,040 --> 01:09:24,399
in your name that those things 
will be given to them, would you

920
01:09:24,399 --> 01:09:28,359
feel them? 
It's all that they need in 

921
01:09:28,359 --> 01:09:30,200
Christ. 
Strengthen. 

922
01:09:35,399 --> 01:09:37,680
Father, we love you. 
We thank. 

923
01:09:37,680 --> 01:09:40,800
You that you care. 
So deeply for us that you have 

924
01:09:40,800 --> 01:09:45,439
given us your Son Jesus. 
We celebrate that today. 

925
01:09:46,640 --> 01:09:48,240
Amen. 
Amen. 

926
01:09:48,240 --> 01:09:52,120
And invite you to stand as we 
prepare to receive the Lord's 

927
01:09:52,120 --> 01:09:56,480
Supper today. 
If you're new here, we. 

928
01:09:56,480 --> 01:09:59,720
Practice close communion, which 
means that so long as you were a

929
01:09:59,720 --> 01:10:06,960
believer in Christ Jesus who's 
been baptized, we invite you to 

930
01:10:06,960 --> 01:10:09,520
receive the Lord's Supper with 
us today. 

931
01:10:10,400 --> 01:10:13,520
However, if you have not 
professed faith in Christ, 

932
01:10:13,520 --> 01:10:17,080
whether you were a child or an 
adult, we ask that you would 

933
01:10:17,080 --> 01:10:19,680
refrain from receiving the 
Lord's Supper today. 

934
01:10:23,920 --> 01:10:27,480
The worship team is going to. 
Sing for us, and I invite you to

935
01:10:27,480 --> 01:10:32,040
sing along with them now, as the
ushers pass out the elements. 

936
01:10:32,040 --> 01:10:47,560
Let's do that. 
Into our hands. 

937
01:10:51,960 --> 01:10:53,200
God. 
With. 

938
01:10:54,360 --> 01:10:56,240
Us. 
Here in our world. 

939
01:11:00,200 --> 01:11:04,600
Bread. 
And wine, God be coming. 

940
01:11:08,400 --> 01:11:17,320
We. 
Receive your mercy, Lord, even 

941
01:11:17,440 --> 01:11:22,000
the hands that we're holding you
in even the hours. 

942
01:11:22,000 --> 01:11:27,840
And behold, all that we have and
we hold is your gift. 

943
01:11:28,720 --> 01:11:35,320
All that we're made of is yours.
Give us the body and give us the

944
01:11:35,320 --> 01:11:38,480
blood. 
Give us the heartbeat and 

945
01:11:38,480 --> 01:11:41,040
breath. 
Give. 

946
01:11:42,240 --> 01:11:53,320
Us love yourself nothing here, 
one by our hands. 

947
01:11:57,320 --> 01:11:59,600
All. 
Is grace. 

948
01:11:59,800 --> 01:12:05,760
Nothing we've earned. 
Here. 

949
01:12:05,760 --> 01:12:16,880
Like poor shepherds, we stand, 
we receive your mercy, Lord. 

950
01:12:20,600 --> 01:12:23,400
Even the. 
Songs that we're praising you 

951
01:12:23,480 --> 01:12:26,960
with, even the offerings we 
bring. 

952
01:12:28,240 --> 01:12:31,680
All that we make and we do is 
your gift. 

953
01:12:32,080 --> 01:12:38,720
All that we give to our key. 
You are the body and you are the

954
01:12:38,800 --> 01:12:42,200
blood. 
You are the heartbeat and bread.

955
01:12:43,640 --> 01:12:58,960
You are love itself. 
Let let your gifts loathe 

956
01:12:58,960 --> 01:13:04,760
through our hands. 
From. 

957
01:13:05,360 --> 01:13:20,360
Your heart into the world, 
reaching out to every land we 

958
01:13:20,360 --> 01:13:29,160
receive your mercy, Lord. 
Even the roads. 

959
01:13:29,160 --> 01:13:34,240
That we travel today, even the 
golden number. 

960
01:13:35,680 --> 01:13:40,320
Even the smoke. 
Rising up as we pray, these are 

961
01:13:40,320 --> 01:13:46,080
the gifts you confer. 
Live in our bodies and live in 

962
01:13:46,080 --> 01:13:49,520
our blood. 
Live in our heartbeat and bread 

963
01:13:52,000 --> 01:13:55,560
Jesus brings in US.