1 00:00:00,320 --> 00:00:04,360 So it's the first Sunday of December. 2 00:00:04,400 --> 00:00:09,840 So we are officially in Christmas season and I have 3 00:00:09,840 --> 00:00:12,680 some, I have a question to ask you or some questions. 4 00:00:12,960 --> 00:00:15,160 Raise your hands, OK? And this is going to be a few. 5 00:00:15,160 --> 00:00:19,240 So if you don't actually agree with the first one, it's OK. 6 00:00:19,280 --> 00:00:22,920 All right. So who absolutely loves like 7 00:00:22,920 --> 00:00:26,720 loves Christmas and I'm not talking about what it really is 8 00:00:26,720 --> 00:00:30,120 about. I'm talking about you love it. 9 00:00:30,280 --> 00:00:32,040 You love it. OK, there's a few. 10 00:00:32,159 --> 00:00:33,480 There's a few. OK. 11 00:00:34,080 --> 00:00:35,080 All right, then who? Who? 12 00:00:35,200 --> 00:00:36,880 Who thinks it's lovely? It's nice. 13 00:00:36,880 --> 00:00:38,080 You know, it's all right. It's nice. 14 00:00:38,880 --> 00:00:40,360 Yeah. OK. 15 00:00:40,360 --> 00:00:42,360 Who? Who can take or leave Christmas? 16 00:00:42,800 --> 00:00:44,560 Anyone. That's me. 17 00:00:45,960 --> 00:00:47,040 Yeah. OK. 18 00:00:47,040 --> 00:00:49,360 Anyone that really doesn't like Christmas at all. 19 00:00:49,760 --> 00:00:51,600 Are you brave enough to put your hand up? 20 00:00:52,480 --> 00:00:53,760 OK. Right. 21 00:00:53,760 --> 00:00:56,400 OK. Now, my kids are not in this, 22 00:00:56,680 --> 00:00:59,800 this in this one. They're coming at the half 11 23 00:00:59,800 --> 00:01:01,440 service, so I can really let it RIP. 24 00:01:01,440 --> 00:01:03,680 Yeah, I had. I actually spoke to them and I 25 00:01:03,720 --> 00:01:05,720 said, look, I'm going to say some stuff about Christmas. 26 00:01:05,720 --> 00:01:06,840 I love it. All right? 27 00:01:06,840 --> 00:01:12,160 But you know, Mum's story now what I'm about to say to you, I 28 00:01:12,160 --> 00:01:15,200 know some people might feel. Oh, you know, I'm really worried 29 00:01:15,200 --> 00:01:16,840 for Denise. OK, I'm OK. 30 00:01:16,880 --> 00:01:18,880 All right. Just want to let you know that 31 00:01:18,880 --> 00:01:21,680 when you see me in the foyer, I'm all right. 32 00:01:21,680 --> 00:01:22,480 OK. I'm good. 33 00:01:22,480 --> 00:01:25,120 I'm good. Yeah, but when it comes to 34 00:01:25,120 --> 00:01:29,160 Christmas, I see Christmas, I'm a little bit heartbroken by 35 00:01:29,160 --> 00:01:34,000 Christmas and I kind of see Christmas like someone who's 36 00:01:34,000 --> 00:01:37,880 broken your heart. And the reason being like when I 37 00:01:37,880 --> 00:01:43,480 say that like someone who has broken your heart time and time 38 00:01:43,520 --> 00:01:47,520 again that after a while you see the pattern, you see them away 39 00:01:47,520 --> 00:01:50,600 off and you just go. I know, I know your pattern. 40 00:01:50,680 --> 00:01:54,240 You know, like someone who dangles themselves and they, you 41 00:01:54,240 --> 00:01:58,880 know, they, they woo you and then when you are bedazzled, 42 00:01:59,360 --> 00:02:03,240 they break your heart and they do it often that you then think, 43 00:02:03,240 --> 00:02:06,240 you know what, I'm just hardened to you. 44 00:02:06,480 --> 00:02:09,039 I am not going to let you in. And that's how I feel a bit by 45 00:02:09,039 --> 00:02:10,840 Christmas. I had to brief my daughter about 46 00:02:10,840 --> 00:02:13,680 that one. And the reason being is that 47 00:02:13,680 --> 00:02:17,200 when I was a child, my parents were not that Christmassy. 48 00:02:17,560 --> 00:02:21,600 They did celebrate Christmas, but I, I don't know if it's a 49 00:02:21,600 --> 00:02:25,760 cultural thing, but at school you know, they'll be celebrating 50 00:02:25,760 --> 00:02:27,720 Christmas. I'll be going to the shopping 51 00:02:27,720 --> 00:02:30,720 centre and you see all the big tree and the polar bears and all 52 00:02:30,720 --> 00:02:33,800 that stuff, Santa's grotto and everything like that. 53 00:02:34,200 --> 00:02:37,960 And then at home, my parents were not that Christmassy and my 54 00:02:37,960 --> 00:02:41,320 mum, she never really gave me what I really wanted. 55 00:02:41,720 --> 00:02:43,880 She always gave me things that I needed. 56 00:02:44,240 --> 00:02:47,960 So I would get like, you know, a bath towel, a dressing gown, a 57 00:02:47,960 --> 00:02:52,360 pack of knickers, vests, those sort of things that I would get. 58 00:02:52,360 --> 00:02:55,760 And I remember when I was 8 years old, my uncle bought me a 59 00:02:55,760 --> 00:02:58,320 speak and spell and that is that. 60 00:02:58,320 --> 00:03:01,160 And you know those dogs where they walk and then they bark. 61 00:03:02,240 --> 00:03:04,440 I think I got that and a speak and spell. 62 00:03:04,720 --> 00:03:06,680 And I I still have that speak and spell. 63 00:03:06,680 --> 00:03:09,320 I don't use it, but I still have it. 64 00:03:09,800 --> 00:03:14,440 It's like 4 years old and that's the only present I remember that 65 00:03:14,440 --> 00:03:18,680 I actually really wanted. And I just thank God. 66 00:03:18,680 --> 00:03:24,560 Thank God that my pet, my kids have a dad who had a different 67 00:03:24,560 --> 00:03:25,880 Christmas. I don't even know if it's to 68 00:03:25,880 --> 00:03:28,880 thank God, to be honest with you, but I really don't know. 69 00:03:29,120 --> 00:03:31,600 But he had a different Christmas to me. 70 00:03:31,880 --> 00:03:36,280 He got whatever he wanted. He had the real tree. 71 00:03:36,280 --> 00:03:38,120 I'm not saying that if you don't have a real tree, you're not 72 00:03:38,120 --> 00:03:42,560 celebrating Christmas. But his mum really went to town 73 00:03:42,880 --> 00:03:46,960 and because he had that Christmas, he gives our children 74 00:03:47,120 --> 00:03:50,040 that Christmas. And I have learned to like 75 00:03:50,040 --> 00:03:52,400 Christmas because of it. I get up at 5:00 because they 76 00:03:52,400 --> 00:03:55,520 wake us up and we sit there and we watch them. 77 00:03:56,440 --> 00:04:01,720 But if it was my way I would probably giving them that toy. 78 00:04:01,720 --> 00:04:06,880 They don't need that toy but they have their dad and they 79 00:04:06,880 --> 00:04:10,680 enjoy Christmas and so you may feel that way. 80 00:04:10,720 --> 00:04:15,400 I remember last year being at a petrol station and I went to go 81 00:04:15,400 --> 00:04:18,560 and pay for my petrol and I saw the man at the till and I said 82 00:04:18,560 --> 00:04:22,120 Happy Christmas and he went I don't like Christmas and I went 83 00:04:22,600 --> 00:04:26,440 oh why not? As if, you know, I wouldn't know 84 00:04:26,440 --> 00:04:30,280 that he goes because I don't like my family, don't like being 85 00:04:30,280 --> 00:04:32,280 with my family. In fact, I don't like being with 86 00:04:32,280 --> 00:04:34,640 people. And he was just going on and on 87 00:04:34,640 --> 00:04:37,120 and on and I really wanted to pray for him. 88 00:04:37,520 --> 00:04:40,120 Have you ever been at the till and you wanted to pray for 89 00:04:40,120 --> 00:04:42,000 someone? Have you ever done that? 90 00:04:42,000 --> 00:04:44,360 You've ever prayed for someone? And there's like people behind 91 00:04:44,920 --> 00:04:47,360 and it's kind of awkward. I've done it once in Oldie. 92 00:04:47,360 --> 00:04:49,000 I had to pray for the guy at the till. 93 00:04:49,480 --> 00:04:51,720 And it's kind of weird as well because you really feel you've 94 00:04:51,720 --> 00:04:54,040 got to step out in faith. And they're kind of like thanks 95 00:04:55,640 --> 00:04:57,440 in your life. It's a bit weird. 96 00:04:58,160 --> 00:05:02,800 But if you feel to pray, do so. And it's a stressful time as 97 00:05:02,800 --> 00:05:05,400 well. Have you noticed the the adverts 98 00:05:05,400 --> 00:05:08,520 on TV? Have you seen the Tesco adverts? 99 00:05:09,160 --> 00:05:11,360 They're not like the Waitrose one when you've got Keira 100 00:05:11,360 --> 00:05:14,320 Knightley, you know, falling in love with that bearded man. 101 00:05:14,320 --> 00:05:18,560 I don't know what his name is. But the Tesco adverts are more 102 00:05:18,560 --> 00:05:20,480 realistic. There's arguments. 103 00:05:20,480 --> 00:05:22,880 Have you seen them? So you've seen the two brothers 104 00:05:22,880 --> 00:05:25,600 where they're playing a game and they're arguing and all sorts of 105 00:05:25,600 --> 00:05:27,920 stuff are coming up for when they were young. 106 00:05:28,440 --> 00:05:31,440 And then there's also one where this couple in the car park and 107 00:05:31,440 --> 00:05:34,200 I can relate to this one and they have an argument just 108 00:05:34,200 --> 00:05:35,600 before they do their Christmas shopping. 109 00:05:36,040 --> 00:05:39,760 Their husband says something mean about her brother and she 110 00:05:39,760 --> 00:05:41,680 gets really angry. I haven't got a brother, but I 111 00:05:41,680 --> 00:05:45,920 can relate to the argument and I like the way how they're doing 112 00:05:46,360 --> 00:05:50,000 the adverts, the Tescos. But also, as I said, it's a 113 00:05:50,000 --> 00:05:53,280 stressful time. And if you've got kids, these 114 00:05:53,280 --> 00:05:57,480 last two weeks is where everything is just ramping up 115 00:05:57,800 --> 00:06:00,720 and you got these emails like in October, you know, like when you 116 00:06:00,720 --> 00:06:04,040 get 50 a day and they tell you there's going to be Christmas 117 00:06:04,040 --> 00:06:07,480 dinner, Christmas jumper day, Christmas fair, Christmas, 118 00:06:07,480 --> 00:06:10,040 whatever. And if you're like me, you 119 00:06:10,040 --> 00:06:13,920 ignore them. And then these next two weeks 120 00:06:13,920 --> 00:06:15,880 you're going to school and you see everyone with their 121 00:06:15,880 --> 00:06:18,600 Christmas jumper and you're like, oh, I'd better quickly run 122 00:06:18,600 --> 00:06:20,960 to the shop and get you one. And then there's Christmas 123 00:06:20,960 --> 00:06:24,080 dinner and there's all these things happening and it all 124 00:06:24,080 --> 00:06:27,600 happens and ramps up in these last two weeks and the kids have 125 00:06:27,600 --> 00:06:30,320 got colds and they don't want to go to school. 126 00:06:30,320 --> 00:06:33,720 And all that stuff is happening. And then it's Christmas. 127 00:06:33,760 --> 00:06:38,440 And I always find that I'm so stressed and so tired and that 128 00:06:38,440 --> 00:06:42,320 day comes and I just remember that I always look at 4:00 in 129 00:06:42,320 --> 00:06:44,240 the afternoon where it's nearly dark. 130 00:06:44,600 --> 00:06:49,240 I look out the window and I think, and now it's over all 131 00:06:49,320 --> 00:06:52,920 that, all that, and it's now done. 132 00:06:54,360 --> 00:06:59,600 Anyway, can anyone sorry I've ranted, I'm ranted, I'm sorry. 133 00:06:59,600 --> 00:07:04,120 And I'm just glad that was only like 3 people that absolutely 134 00:07:04,120 --> 00:07:06,040 love because it's Christmas, because if you all put your 135 00:07:06,040 --> 00:07:10,280 hands up and then I've just ranted, sorry, I'm sorry, I'm 136 00:07:10,280 --> 00:07:12,280 sorry. But anyway, it's lovely. 137 00:07:12,280 --> 00:07:15,520 It's a nice time. I can't do this in the 11:30 138 00:07:15,520 --> 00:07:17,920 service. So I'm saying it all now. 139 00:07:18,320 --> 00:07:23,760 OK, so this is the time. This is the time where it's 140 00:07:23,760 --> 00:07:29,200 special and it is so easy to forget the meaning of Christmas. 141 00:07:29,200 --> 00:07:32,240 It's so easy. Even as a Christian, it's so 142 00:07:32,240 --> 00:07:36,160 easy to just be thinking about everything else but Jesus. 143 00:07:37,080 --> 00:07:38,400 And so we're going to be thinking about that. 144 00:07:38,400 --> 00:07:40,040 We're going to be looking at that today. 145 00:07:40,040 --> 00:07:42,880 So I would like you to turn to your Bibles, if you've got your 146 00:07:42,880 --> 00:07:46,680 Bibles, or you can look at the screen and look at Luke chapter 147 00:07:46,680 --> 00:07:52,320 2, verse 8 to 18. And I'm going to read that 148 00:07:52,320 --> 00:07:56,920 passage. OK, so, and there were 149 00:07:56,920 --> 00:07:58,920 shepherds. In fact, let me give you some 150 00:07:58,920 --> 00:08:00,320 time. Let me give you a bit more time 151 00:08:00,320 --> 00:08:08,240 to find Luke chapter 2. And there were shepherds living 152 00:08:08,320 --> 00:08:14,800 out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks 153 00:08:14,840 --> 00:08:18,320 at night. An Angel of the Lord appeared to 154 00:08:18,320 --> 00:08:21,960 them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them. 155 00:08:22,320 --> 00:08:27,440 And they were terrified. But the Angel said to them, Do 156 00:08:27,440 --> 00:08:32,280 not be afraid, I bring you good news that will cause great joy 157 00:08:32,600 --> 00:08:36,880 for all the people. Today in the town of David, a 158 00:08:36,880 --> 00:08:43,080 Saviour has been born to you. He is the Messiah, the Lord. 159 00:08:43,679 --> 00:08:47,680 This will be assigned to you. You will find a baby wrapped in 160 00:08:47,680 --> 00:08:53,680 clothes and lying in a Manger. Suddenly a great company of the 161 00:08:53,680 --> 00:08:57,920 heavenly hosts appeared with the Angel praising God and saying, 162 00:08:58,240 --> 00:09:03,000 Glory to God in the highest heavens and on earth, peace to 163 00:09:03,000 --> 00:09:08,680 those on whom his Father rests. When the angels had left them 164 00:09:08,680 --> 00:09:12,200 and gone into heaven, the shepherd said to one another, 165 00:09:12,920 --> 00:09:17,080 Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, 166 00:09:17,640 --> 00:09:19,560 which the Lord has told us about. 167 00:09:20,520 --> 00:09:24,520 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph and the baby who 168 00:09:24,520 --> 00:09:28,200 was lying in the Manger. When they had seen him, they 169 00:09:28,200 --> 00:09:33,360 spread the word concerning what had been told them about this 170 00:09:33,360 --> 00:09:39,480 child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds 171 00:09:39,600 --> 00:09:47,040 said to them. Now the author Luke, before this 172 00:09:47,040 --> 00:09:53,800 passage, he mentions that Caesar has issued A census and so 173 00:09:53,880 --> 00:09:58,280 everyone has gone to their hometown to go and register. 174 00:09:59,480 --> 00:10:05,040 And Joseph goes to Nazareth. He goes with Mary, he goes to 175 00:10:05,040 --> 00:10:07,800 Nazareth and he goes to register. 176 00:10:09,040 --> 00:10:15,880 So he's registering in Nazareth with Mary, who is pregnant and 177 00:10:15,880 --> 00:10:19,200 she's agreed to be his wife. Just think about that. 178 00:10:19,200 --> 00:10:21,560 She's pregnant and she's his fiancee. 179 00:10:22,520 --> 00:10:28,800 Now, culturally today that is acceptable, but back then that 180 00:10:28,800 --> 00:10:31,520 didn't look good. That really didn't look good. 181 00:10:33,160 --> 00:10:36,440 And just think he's registering his fiancee. 182 00:10:36,440 --> 00:10:38,400 He's registering, he's there with his fiancee. 183 00:10:38,400 --> 00:10:44,640 She's heavily pregnant. And then people be like, wow, 184 00:10:44,640 --> 00:10:47,400 OK, so she's she's not even your wife yet. 185 00:10:49,600 --> 00:10:51,480 No, it's not my baby. It's not my baby. 186 00:10:52,160 --> 00:10:53,480 It's some. Oh, right. 187 00:10:53,480 --> 00:10:56,360 So it's some other man's baby. No, no, no, no, no. 188 00:10:56,360 --> 00:10:58,800 She's a virgin. But it's God's baby. 189 00:10:59,280 --> 00:11:01,120 Yeah, Right. That really makes sense. 190 00:11:01,120 --> 00:11:02,760 Really, doesn't it? That makes sense. 191 00:11:02,760 --> 00:11:04,680 It doesn't seem like the math is mathing here. 192 00:11:04,680 --> 00:11:09,840 Really. And then there's no room for 193 00:11:09,840 --> 00:11:11,600 them. There's nowhere for them to 194 00:11:11,600 --> 00:11:13,640 stay. And they have to stay in a 195 00:11:13,640 --> 00:11:17,920 stable. She gives birth in a stable and 196 00:11:17,920 --> 00:11:23,520 Jesus is in a Manger. He's in a through where animals 197 00:11:23,520 --> 00:11:25,920 are eating. Now, you know, we've got that 198 00:11:25,920 --> 00:11:28,320 whole new bin system now where you've got, you know, that 199 00:11:28,320 --> 00:11:30,960 purple lid bin and that black bin and you've got the food bin. 200 00:11:30,960 --> 00:11:33,560 I don't know about your food bin, but my food bin is always 201 00:11:33,560 --> 00:11:35,960 dirty. Fruit flies everywhere have to 202 00:11:35,960 --> 00:11:41,320 really scrub it and just think that the King of kings was in a 203 00:11:41,320 --> 00:11:46,880 trough, was in a place where animals eat from, animals eat 204 00:11:46,880 --> 00:11:49,120 from. That's where he had to lay. 205 00:11:51,680 --> 00:11:54,600 There was no red carpet rolled out for the king of kings. 206 00:11:56,160 --> 00:12:02,400 And then we found out, we see in verse 8 that the shepherds were 207 00:12:02,400 --> 00:12:09,760 the first to know about Jesus. God spoke to the shepherds, the 208 00:12:09,760 --> 00:12:12,960 shepherds. They were living outside 209 00:12:14,240 --> 00:12:16,880 shepherds. Why the shepherds? 210 00:12:17,160 --> 00:12:20,840 Surely there were more important people that could have been told 211 00:12:20,840 --> 00:12:25,800 about Jesus first, because shepherds, they were known to be 212 00:12:26,320 --> 00:12:30,280 only They lived outside. They were dirty, they were in 213 00:12:30,280 --> 00:12:33,360 contact with the sheep. They would have had sheep blood 214 00:12:33,360 --> 00:12:37,280 on them, sheep poo, muds, all sorts of things. 215 00:12:37,720 --> 00:12:40,040 They weren't allowed in the temple because they were in 216 00:12:40,040 --> 00:12:43,440 contact to death animals, the death of animals. 217 00:12:43,440 --> 00:12:45,080 They weren't allowed in the temple. 218 00:12:45,800 --> 00:12:51,040 They were also considered to be untrustworthy, illiterate, and 219 00:12:51,040 --> 00:12:55,000 yet God spoke to the shepherds first. 220 00:12:55,440 --> 00:13:01,200 All of it doesn't look good. He looks not how we would have 221 00:13:01,200 --> 00:13:05,720 done this. But you know what this is The 222 00:13:05,720 --> 00:13:09,360 wonderful thing about God is that He will do whatever He 223 00:13:09,360 --> 00:13:14,000 wants to do, regardless of what it looks like on the outside. 224 00:13:14,560 --> 00:13:17,200 He will do whatever He wants to do. 225 00:13:17,520 --> 00:13:20,800 He will do a good work in your heart regardless. 226 00:13:21,000 --> 00:13:24,840 Even if you don't look shiny on the outside, He's doing a great 227 00:13:24,840 --> 00:13:30,040 thing. The Kingdom is upside down. 228 00:13:31,480 --> 00:13:35,560 Upside down Kingdom, The first will be last. 229 00:13:35,840 --> 00:13:38,160 Who we would think are the first. 230 00:13:38,320 --> 00:13:41,960 They will be last. The last will be first. 231 00:13:42,400 --> 00:13:45,120 The marginalized. The people who we wouldn't see 232 00:13:45,120 --> 00:13:47,320 are the likely people. They will be first. 233 00:13:48,160 --> 00:13:51,640 What God sees as valuable is what may. 234 00:13:51,640 --> 00:13:56,160 We may not see as valuable. What we see as valuable in this 235 00:13:56,160 --> 00:13:59,480 world, it doesn't mean anything to gods. 236 00:13:59,800 --> 00:14:02,840 You would think that the King of Kings would have probably been 237 00:14:03,120 --> 00:14:09,240 born in a palace, maybe borne by a Princess, but no, he was born 238 00:14:09,480 --> 00:14:14,680 in a stable. It didn't look good, but God was 239 00:14:14,680 --> 00:14:18,160 doing something wonderful. And at this point, I just want 240 00:14:18,160 --> 00:14:20,680 to stop. And I just want to encourage you 241 00:14:21,440 --> 00:14:25,400 that if God is doing something in you, keep going. 242 00:14:25,880 --> 00:14:28,440 Keep going. I have a friend or there's 243 00:14:28,440 --> 00:14:33,520 somebody that I know and she used to be an addict and she's 244 00:14:33,520 --> 00:14:37,320 now in contact with so many people who were once like her. 245 00:14:37,320 --> 00:14:40,920 She's given her life to Christ. She's changed her life around 246 00:14:41,200 --> 00:14:45,440 God's changed her life. And she said to me, I don't feel 247 00:14:45,440 --> 00:14:50,480 I'm good enough to actually pray for them and lead them to Christ 248 00:14:50,640 --> 00:14:52,840 because look at me, look what I've done. 249 00:14:53,360 --> 00:14:57,040 And I said to her, don't worry about that, don't worry about 250 00:14:57,040 --> 00:14:59,280 that. In fact, you are brilliant 251 00:14:59,600 --> 00:15:02,800 because you can relate to these people. 252 00:15:03,160 --> 00:15:07,560 And also it's not you, it's God. So don't ever disqualify 253 00:15:07,560 --> 00:15:12,920 yourself if you feel overlooked. Let God keep doing what he's 254 00:15:12,920 --> 00:15:15,960 doing. He that began a good work in you 255 00:15:15,960 --> 00:15:18,800 will continue until the day of Christ. 256 00:15:22,240 --> 00:15:31,240 And so in verse 9 we see that God comes to speak to the 257 00:15:31,240 --> 00:15:35,920 shepherds, because the glory of the Lords is there with them. 258 00:15:35,920 --> 00:15:41,360 The glory of the Lord, God's weighted glory, is with the 259 00:15:41,360 --> 00:15:45,320 shepherds. And the Angel of the Lord has a 260 00:15:45,320 --> 00:15:48,800 messenger, a heavenly messenger in bodily form. 261 00:15:49,280 --> 00:15:54,080 And the shepherds are petrified. Now, I live in the countryside. 262 00:15:54,080 --> 00:15:56,200 There's no St. lamps. And you know, there's been a 263 00:15:56,200 --> 00:15:59,320 full moon. And every month I always go out, 264 00:15:59,360 --> 00:16:02,720 I look outside and I just see how the full moon just 265 00:16:02,720 --> 00:16:05,480 illuminates all the fields that are around me. 266 00:16:06,760 --> 00:16:10,560 I just think these shepherds would have had experience 267 00:16:10,560 --> 00:16:13,480 heaven. Heaven came down and was so 268 00:16:13,480 --> 00:16:16,640 bright. That must have been so scary, 269 00:16:16,880 --> 00:16:22,000 but also because of God's glory, they were petrified because 270 00:16:22,360 --> 00:16:26,320 God's glory was right there and they would have just felt how 271 00:16:26,320 --> 00:16:30,600 unholy they are. And so the messenger says, don't 272 00:16:30,600 --> 00:16:35,560 be afraid. I come to bring you good news. 273 00:16:36,520 --> 00:16:42,080 And in the Greek, the good news is I have to have a look at what 274 00:16:42,080 --> 00:16:45,200 it says because I, I keep forgetting to how to pronounce 275 00:16:45,200 --> 00:16:47,400 it. But it's you, Angelizo. 276 00:16:47,600 --> 00:16:52,120 You Angelizo. And that means to bring good 277 00:16:52,120 --> 00:16:57,400 news, evangelize. And the way it's written in this 278 00:16:57,400 --> 00:17:02,560 passage, the messenger is making a statement, a declaration, 279 00:17:03,120 --> 00:17:08,880 declaration that God himself, this is history, that God is 280 00:17:08,880 --> 00:17:14,280 coming to the earth to save it. He is coming down to the earth 281 00:17:14,280 --> 00:17:18,119 to save it. And we need this good news. 282 00:17:18,680 --> 00:17:22,040 We need this good news. It's like we're on a conveyor 283 00:17:22,040 --> 00:17:25,800 belt towards destruction and death. 284 00:17:26,400 --> 00:17:30,440 And yet God is saying that I'm coming, I'm coming down to 285 00:17:30,440 --> 00:17:33,280 change that. So where you're going one way, 286 00:17:33,520 --> 00:17:36,600 you're going to go a different way because I'm coming. 287 00:17:37,800 --> 00:17:44,080 And then we learn that there is a Saviour who's been born and he 288 00:17:44,080 --> 00:17:46,400 is the Messiah. He is the Messiah. 289 00:17:46,400 --> 00:17:49,600 Now the Jewish people, they were waiting for a Messiah. 290 00:17:49,600 --> 00:17:54,120 They were waiting for this human Messiah, this political person 291 00:17:54,120 --> 00:17:57,960 who was going to change the Roman system and he was going to 292 00:17:57,960 --> 00:18:01,520 establish the Jews and he was going to bring spiritual 293 00:18:01,520 --> 00:18:05,160 discipline. But they didn't realise that he 294 00:18:05,160 --> 00:18:08,000 was going to be supernatural. He was going to be fully man and 295 00:18:08,000 --> 00:18:12,360 fully God at the same time. And we need a Messiah. 296 00:18:12,800 --> 00:18:17,080 We need a saviour. I know I need a saviour. 297 00:18:17,840 --> 00:18:23,360 I know I do because this world is just so messed up and I'm not 298 00:18:23,360 --> 00:18:27,200 perfect and I mess up all the time, every day. 299 00:18:27,840 --> 00:18:31,600 I need a saviour. I need a saviour because I mess 300 00:18:31,600 --> 00:18:35,760 up relationships. I don't do relationships well, I 301 00:18:35,760 --> 00:18:39,360 get it wrong. I need a Saviour, I need a 302 00:18:39,360 --> 00:18:44,840 Saviour for every day. And so you, me, we all need a 303 00:18:44,840 --> 00:18:51,000 Saviour and we have one. And as this messenger declares 304 00:18:51,000 --> 00:18:56,160 this, these angels, they come from heaven, a plethora of 305 00:18:56,160 --> 00:19:00,400 angels, an army of angels, they can't help themselves because 306 00:19:00,800 --> 00:19:04,720 God's truth is being said. They come down and they just 307 00:19:04,720 --> 00:19:10,560 shout glory, glory. They praise God and they come to 308 00:19:10,560 --> 00:19:16,760 declare that God has peace where we deserve punishment. 309 00:19:17,040 --> 00:19:22,520 He's coming with peace. He's coming because he loves us 310 00:19:22,880 --> 00:19:27,600 and he brings peace, not war, but peace. 311 00:19:30,600 --> 00:19:35,720 OK, so I want to leave you with a few things. 312 00:19:36,480 --> 00:19:41,800 Actually, two things, two practical things, practical 313 00:19:41,800 --> 00:19:45,880 things to do in this Christmas time because it is a busy time. 314 00:19:47,040 --> 00:19:51,560 And so the first thing, the first thing that I would like to 315 00:19:51,560 --> 00:19:56,600 just encourage you to do that in this time of business, in this 316 00:19:56,600 --> 00:20:02,320 time where you are caught up with all the just the, you know, 317 00:20:02,320 --> 00:20:13,920 the festivities, remember. That Jesus came, He was born and 318 00:20:13,920 --> 00:20:21,800 he came to be your Saviour. Now you may not even you've 319 00:20:21,800 --> 00:20:24,080 never accepted Christ as your Saviour. 320 00:20:24,880 --> 00:20:29,240 Maybe that's where you're at today and he's available to you. 321 00:20:30,840 --> 00:20:38,680 But also remember that Jesus came to save you and you can do 322 00:20:38,680 --> 00:20:45,280 that, but just simply taking time to reflect, saying thank 323 00:20:45,280 --> 00:20:52,800 you God, thank you God, thank you for Jesus, thank you that I 324 00:20:53,240 --> 00:20:58,400 am set free. Thank you that I can do 325 00:20:58,400 --> 00:21:02,960 something completely different, turn my life around because 326 00:21:03,200 --> 00:21:06,440 there is a Savior. Thank you. 327 00:21:08,680 --> 00:21:12,960 And the next thing is that this is a busy time. 328 00:21:13,960 --> 00:21:15,640 We're going to see lots of people. 329 00:21:16,720 --> 00:21:19,880 We're going to be around family, friends. 330 00:21:20,840 --> 00:21:25,480 You're going to encounter people in car parks, shopping centres. 331 00:21:27,080 --> 00:21:35,400 And so I'd like to invite you to put the cross of Christ between 332 00:21:35,400 --> 00:21:40,400 you and others. Put the cross of Christ between 333 00:21:40,400 --> 00:21:42,840 you and others. And when I say that I don't mean 334 00:21:42,840 --> 00:21:48,000 literally holding up a cross to ward people off, I don't mean it 335 00:21:48,000 --> 00:21:52,040 like that. What I mean is that this is a 336 00:21:52,040 --> 00:21:57,960 time where there can be a lot of arguments where you're going to 337 00:21:57,960 --> 00:22:04,840 see family and there are unresolved issues you may have 338 00:22:04,840 --> 00:22:12,960 in laws that irritate you. You you're going to spend time 339 00:22:12,960 --> 00:22:16,440 with your partner and you both work. 340 00:22:16,440 --> 00:22:19,080 So you don't really spend much time together and probably see 341 00:22:19,080 --> 00:22:20,920 each other for one or two hours a day. 342 00:22:21,360 --> 00:22:23,520 And now you're going to see each other every day. 343 00:22:24,800 --> 00:22:30,040 And there are issues that you're you've got that you haven't 344 00:22:30,040 --> 00:22:33,520 resolved. You've got to try and put it 345 00:22:33,520 --> 00:22:35,080 aside. And there might be arguments in 346 00:22:35,080 --> 00:22:39,160 the kitchen while you're cooking the Turkey, all sorts of stuff. 347 00:22:39,640 --> 00:22:43,360 Or maybe you've been driving around trying to find a parking 348 00:22:43,360 --> 00:22:49,400 space and then someone after 45 minutes of driving around nabs 349 00:22:49,400 --> 00:22:52,680 your space and you want to shout at them. 350 00:22:54,120 --> 00:22:56,960 Maybe you've done restore recently and things have come 351 00:22:56,960 --> 00:23:02,720 up, wounds have come up, and then now you've got to see those 352 00:23:02,720 --> 00:23:09,000 people this Christmas time. You might have friends who have 353 00:23:09,000 --> 00:23:11,600 got kids coming to your house that you don't like. 354 00:23:15,080 --> 00:23:20,160 It's an awkward time. And I want to invite you to put 355 00:23:20,240 --> 00:23:27,480 the cross of Christ between you and others, because what was 356 00:23:27,480 --> 00:23:30,200 done on the cross is available to you. 357 00:23:30,920 --> 00:23:35,200 There's healing at the cross, there's forgiveness at the 358 00:23:35,200 --> 00:23:38,840 cross, There's grace at the cross. 359 00:23:39,200 --> 00:23:43,840 There's patience at the cross. And you will feel things. 360 00:23:44,280 --> 00:23:48,240 And instead of saying it to that person or saying it to others, 361 00:23:48,800 --> 00:23:51,880 which is so toxic, give it to Jesus. 362 00:23:52,400 --> 00:23:56,720 Give what you feel to Jesus. If you are angry, give that to 363 00:23:56,720 --> 00:24:00,080 Jesus. If you have resentment, give it 364 00:24:00,080 --> 00:24:03,920 to Jesus. If you have bitterness, give it 365 00:24:03,920 --> 00:24:07,040 to Jesus. Because if you hold it on, 366 00:24:07,480 --> 00:24:11,640 that's the place for the enemy to take root and make that a 367 00:24:11,640 --> 00:24:15,440 fortress to do all sorts of trouble. 368 00:24:16,480 --> 00:24:21,840 So give it to Jesus. And the beauty about the cross 369 00:24:22,240 --> 00:24:25,560 is that God has forgiven those people. 370 00:24:26,400 --> 00:24:28,440 God's got patience for those people. 371 00:24:29,240 --> 00:24:33,960 God loves those people. So where you find it hard right 372 00:24:33,960 --> 00:24:39,880 now to forgive, God Forgives. Just give it to him. 373 00:24:40,320 --> 00:24:48,080 Give it to Jesus. You've got the armor of God, the 374 00:24:48,080 --> 00:24:53,640 breastplate of righteousness, and it's not our righteousness 375 00:24:54,160 --> 00:24:59,760 that we have to enter into. It's his righteousness where you 376 00:24:59,760 --> 00:25:01,840 feel like you might want to box people down. 377 00:25:02,760 --> 00:25:07,200 Yeah, it's God's. It's his righteousness because 378 00:25:07,200 --> 00:25:12,640 of the work of the cross, because of Jesus. 379 00:25:12,640 --> 00:25:14,960 It's his identity that we can take on. 380 00:25:16,000 --> 00:25:21,840 So remember to put the cross of Christ between you and others 381 00:25:22,080 --> 00:25:25,040 this Christmas and past Christmas. 382 00:25:25,320 --> 00:25:27,520 We've got 2 1/2 weeks till Christmas Day. 383 00:25:27,960 --> 00:25:32,360 We've got 4 just under 4 weeks until the whole Christmas time 384 00:25:32,360 --> 00:25:37,360 is over. So thank you for Jesus. 385 00:25:37,920 --> 00:25:39,840 I'd like to invite you to stand right now. 386 00:25:39,840 --> 00:25:40,960 We're just going to say a prayer. 387 00:25:48,420 --> 00:25:51,420 Heavenly Father, thank you so much. 388 00:25:51,700 --> 00:25:54,460 Thank you for your love. Thank you for your kindness. 389 00:25:54,980 --> 00:26:00,760 Thank you for your patience. Thank you that you use us even 390 00:26:00,760 --> 00:26:06,000 though we may not be all shiny on the outside, you use us, you 391 00:26:06,000 --> 00:26:09,840 love us. Thank you that your Kingdom is 392 00:26:09,840 --> 00:26:14,360 upside down. Thank you that what you see is 393 00:26:14,360 --> 00:26:19,480 valuable is not what the world sees valuable. 394 00:26:19,480 --> 00:26:22,760 Thank you lot. Thank you for your mercy and 395 00:26:22,760 --> 00:26:26,440 grace, and thank you for bringing Jesus into the world. 396 00:26:26,440 --> 00:26:29,880 Thank you. Thank you that we are set free. 397 00:26:31,320 --> 00:26:33,320 Thank you that our lives can change. 398 00:26:34,280 --> 00:26:37,600 Thank you that we don't have to be a slave to sin. 399 00:26:38,440 --> 00:26:41,600 Thank you for the work that's been done on the cross. 400 00:26:42,680 --> 00:26:47,840 And during this time. Help us to just think and be 401 00:26:47,840 --> 00:26:50,480 grateful for what you have done for us. 402 00:26:52,240 --> 00:26:58,560 And as we do life with others during this time, help us to go 403 00:26:58,800 --> 00:27:06,560 to Jesus, to give all of this all our stuff to Jesus, and to 404 00:27:06,560 --> 00:27:10,960 trust him in Jesus name, Amen.