1 00:00:00,320 --> 00:00:04,000 Amen. Now my text tonight is taken 2 00:00:04,000 --> 00:00:09,000 from Luke chapter 2, and it says in the verse 10. 3 00:00:09,000 --> 00:00:12,520 And the Angel said unto them, Fear not, for behold, I bring 4 00:00:12,520 --> 00:00:15,560 you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 5 00:00:15,840 --> 00:00:18,840 For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Saviour, 6 00:00:18,840 --> 00:00:21,800 which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto 7 00:00:21,800 --> 00:00:23,240 you. You shall find the babe wrapped 8 00:00:23,240 --> 00:00:28,400 in swathing clothes, lying in a Manger this Christmas. 9 00:00:28,400 --> 00:00:32,520 Sunday evening, 2025. I want to deal with a simple 10 00:00:32,520 --> 00:00:37,480 subject, the significance of the Christmas story. 11 00:00:37,880 --> 00:00:41,080 Let's ask the question, why Christmas? 12 00:00:41,680 --> 00:00:46,600 What is so special and so significant about Christmas 13 00:00:46,600 --> 00:00:49,360 time? You see, in the Western world 14 00:00:49,440 --> 00:00:54,160 and beyond, Christmas has been celebrated for centuries. 15 00:00:54,560 --> 00:00:57,240 Today it is still enjoyed by millions. 16 00:00:58,320 --> 00:01:03,440 Think of the popular theme song Oh I Wish it were Christmas. 17 00:01:03,640 --> 00:01:06,320 Everyday you see, Christmas is a time for fun. 18 00:01:06,840 --> 00:01:09,120 Children enjoy that good wholesome fun. 19 00:01:09,200 --> 00:01:15,120 Party games, time for food, time for family, families, people 20 00:01:15,120 --> 00:01:17,360 gathered together for special meals. 21 00:01:17,520 --> 00:01:23,160 You only have to think of the Christmas dinner and the Turkey 22 00:01:23,400 --> 00:01:26,520 and the Brussels sprouts. Loved ones, of course, travel 23 00:01:26,520 --> 00:01:32,200 far to come home for Christmas. Gifts are exchanged, greetings 24 00:01:32,200 --> 00:01:34,640 are set. It's a time of work, the shops 25 00:01:34,640 --> 00:01:37,120 are closed. Hallelujah, the men say. 26 00:01:37,360 --> 00:01:40,240 It's a time to relax, a time to unwind. 27 00:01:41,320 --> 00:01:46,400 It's a lovely time of the year. A break from the routine, from 28 00:01:46,640 --> 00:01:50,720 the mundane. A time for pleasantries, a time 29 00:01:50,840 --> 00:01:54,080 for being positive. But let me point out something. 30 00:01:54,600 --> 00:02:00,000 It's not just a pleasant time. You see, for many, Christmas is 31 00:02:00,000 --> 00:02:03,600 also a painful time. Many face better 32 00:02:03,600 --> 00:02:07,320 disappointments. Some experience financial 33 00:02:07,320 --> 00:02:11,960 pressures. For many families, debt is real. 34 00:02:12,120 --> 00:02:15,640 This Christmas, things don't go according to plan. 35 00:02:16,360 --> 00:02:21,640 Expectations don't materialise. Many individuals will face 36 00:02:22,080 --> 00:02:25,080 peeing and illness. Some could even end up 37 00:02:25,520 --> 00:02:28,920 hospitalised. For others there can be a a 38 00:02:28,920 --> 00:02:33,200 massive fallout between family members and friends. 39 00:02:33,680 --> 00:02:36,920 Sharp, nasty words can be exchanged. 40 00:02:38,080 --> 00:02:42,160 There are those, of course, who will face the death of a dear 41 00:02:42,160 --> 00:02:45,920 loved ones. Others at Christmas time will 42 00:02:45,920 --> 00:02:50,920 encounter painful memories, and they'll think about the absence 43 00:02:50,920 --> 00:02:53,480 of loved ones. That is true. 44 00:02:55,480 --> 00:02:59,840 So I asked a question in the midst of all this, whether you 45 00:02:59,840 --> 00:03:05,640 view it as a pleasant time or a painful time, what does 46 00:03:05,640 --> 00:03:10,440 Christmas really mean to you? Why do we say happy Christmas 47 00:03:10,520 --> 00:03:12,880 one to another? What makes it so special, so 48 00:03:12,880 --> 00:03:15,120 significant? Is there an answer? 49 00:03:16,640 --> 00:03:22,320 I believe the answer is yes, it is possible to have the best 50 00:03:22,320 --> 00:03:24,840 Christmas ever. And I want to tell you, young 51 00:03:24,840 --> 00:03:27,320 people, it's nothing to do with being drunk with alcohol. 52 00:03:27,480 --> 00:03:30,280 It's nothing to do with the party scene or digging drunks. 53 00:03:30,400 --> 00:03:32,480 It's nothing to do with winning the lottery. 54 00:03:34,240 --> 00:03:39,440 It's coming to understand the best and the good news of all 55 00:03:39,440 --> 00:03:42,680 time that we've been singing about, that we've been hearing 56 00:03:42,680 --> 00:03:46,960 about in these readings. So I put it to you, here's the 57 00:03:46,960 --> 00:03:50,280 significance of the Christmas story. 58 00:03:50,280 --> 00:03:53,760 And what I'm about to tell you is what I preached at the City 59 00:03:53,760 --> 00:03:57,680 Hall a few Fridays ago. Three things very quickly the 60 00:03:57,680 --> 00:04:02,880 promise of Jesus Christ coming Notice it says in verse 12 and 61 00:04:02,880 --> 00:04:05,680 this shall be a sign unto you shall find to be wrapped in 62 00:04:05,680 --> 00:04:08,480 swatting clothes lying in a Manger. 63 00:04:09,440 --> 00:04:13,720 Notice the word say we'll ask this question who is Jesus 64 00:04:13,720 --> 00:04:18,320 Christ Jesus Christ is the promised 1. 65 00:04:19,279 --> 00:04:24,600 He was promised long ago. The first gospel promise is 66 00:04:24,600 --> 00:04:30,200 taken from the book of Genesis in chapter 3 and verse 15. 67 00:04:30,480 --> 00:04:34,600 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between 68 00:04:34,600 --> 00:04:38,560 thy seat and her seat. It shall bruise thy head, and 69 00:04:38,560 --> 00:04:43,680 thy shall bruise his heel. The seat of the woman. 70 00:04:44,640 --> 00:04:48,600 It was prophesied and promised that the seed of the woman would 71 00:04:48,600 --> 00:04:52,440 bruise the head of the serpent, and the serpent would strike at 72 00:04:52,440 --> 00:04:56,640 his heel. Historical poetic language for a 73 00:04:56,640 --> 00:05:00,320 conflict, A conflict in which the seed of the woman would 74 00:05:00,320 --> 00:05:03,200 emerge victorious. And we can link up the seed of 75 00:05:03,200 --> 00:05:07,040 the woman with the words in Galatians 4:00 and 4:00. 76 00:05:07,040 --> 00:05:11,640 But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth 77 00:05:11,640 --> 00:05:18,360 his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them 78 00:05:18,360 --> 00:05:20,840 that were under the law. For what purpose? 79 00:05:21,040 --> 00:05:24,240 That we might receive the adoption of sons. 80 00:05:24,760 --> 00:05:26,480 See, I want you to understand something. 81 00:05:26,480 --> 00:05:29,800 The Lord Jesus came in fulfilment of what is written in 82 00:05:29,800 --> 00:05:32,600 the Scriptures. The Lord Jesus said to the Jews 83 00:05:32,600 --> 00:05:34,920 in his day, Search the Scriptures for sin. 84 00:05:35,120 --> 00:05:38,040 These are they that testify of me. 85 00:05:38,440 --> 00:05:40,560 See, the old Jews had the Scriptures. 86 00:05:40,560 --> 00:05:45,800 They read them faithfully. They studied the book, they 87 00:05:45,800 --> 00:05:49,160 taught from it, but they missed the central truth. 88 00:05:49,720 --> 00:05:52,840 You see all of these readings that we've had, Matthew 118 to 89 00:05:52,840 --> 00:05:58,720 25, Luke 2, one to seven, Luke 8 to 14, Matthew 21 to 12, John 90 00:05:58,720 --> 00:06:03,080 chapter 1 verses 1 to 18, all of them teach that the Old 91 00:06:03,080 --> 00:06:08,800 Testament prophecies from Genesis 315 forward all had 92 00:06:08,800 --> 00:06:11,760 their fulfilment in the Lord Jesus Christ. 93 00:06:11,760 --> 00:06:17,080 And the New Testament promotes and presents Jesus Christ as the 94 00:06:17,080 --> 00:06:24,360 long-awaited promised Saviour, King, the promised Child, the 95 00:06:24,360 --> 00:06:30,000 promised Son, the promised Saviour, the one who was to be 96 00:06:30,000 --> 00:06:33,480 our prophet, priest, and king. You see, I emphasise this for 97 00:06:33,480 --> 00:06:35,400 this reason. Jesus Christ just didn't appear 98 00:06:35,400 --> 00:06:39,640 randomly. He just didn't come unannounced. 99 00:06:40,240 --> 00:06:42,240 No, He came as the seat of the woman. 100 00:06:43,240 --> 00:06:47,280 He came in the line of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob. 101 00:06:47,880 --> 00:06:49,200 Do you know what it's written of? 102 00:06:49,200 --> 00:06:51,880 Christ, old Jacob on his deathbed said this. 103 00:06:52,080 --> 00:06:54,240 The sceptre shall not depart from Judah. 104 00:06:54,560 --> 00:06:58,000 There a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come, and 105 00:06:58,000 --> 00:07:00,440 unto him shall the gathering of the people be. 106 00:07:00,960 --> 00:07:05,160 When you read verse 11, you read about the binding his foal unto 107 00:07:05,160 --> 00:07:08,880 the vine, and his ass is cooled unto the choice vine. 108 00:07:09,040 --> 00:07:12,800 He washed his garments and wine and his clothes in the blood of 109 00:07:12,800 --> 00:07:17,960 grapes. You see, not only a prophecy 110 00:07:17,960 --> 00:07:23,040 about until Shiloh come, but even about the binding of the 111 00:07:23,040 --> 00:07:25,280 fool. The asses called unto the choice 112 00:07:25,280 --> 00:07:28,080 fight, and it literally took place in the life of the Lord 113 00:07:28,080 --> 00:07:32,080 Jesus as he started out in his journey toward the cross in 114 00:07:32,080 --> 00:07:35,320 Jerusalem. He came to the House of Jesse. 115 00:07:36,120 --> 00:07:40,640 He came as David's greater son. We've read there in the Gospel 116 00:07:40,640 --> 00:07:44,240 of Matthew, in Matthew 1, the book of the generation of Jesus 117 00:07:44,240 --> 00:07:48,040 Christ, the Son of David, the son of Abraham. 118 00:07:48,920 --> 00:07:51,720 Do you know what literally happened the way God planned it? 119 00:07:52,840 --> 00:07:55,360 It literally happened because God had planned it. 120 00:07:55,560 --> 00:07:59,880 God had prophesied. You see, God planned the way as 121 00:07:59,880 --> 00:08:04,920 in that word was read to us by young Samuel out of Isaiah 122 00:08:04,920 --> 00:08:08,760 Chapter 7 and verse 14. Therefore the Lord himself shall 123 00:08:08,760 --> 00:08:11,120 give you a sign. Behold, a virgin shall conceive 124 00:08:11,120 --> 00:08:15,680 and bear a son, and shall call His name Emmanuel. 125 00:08:17,560 --> 00:08:21,240 Do you know that He came to the very planned place? 126 00:08:21,600 --> 00:08:23,720 Where was He born? We were singing about it. 127 00:08:24,040 --> 00:08:28,600 Bethlehem, make a five and two. But thou Bethlehem Ephrata, 128 00:08:28,880 --> 00:08:31,960 though thy belittle among the thousands of Judah, yet out of 129 00:08:31,960 --> 00:08:35,080 thee shall he come forth unto me, that is to be ruler in 130 00:08:35,080 --> 00:08:38,640 Israel, whose goings forth have been from with old, from 131 00:08:38,640 --> 00:08:41,480 everlasting. And whenever Colin read in 132 00:08:41,600 --> 00:08:47,160 Matthew chapter 22, it was Herod that asked the Jews of his day 133 00:08:47,360 --> 00:08:50,600 where Christ would be born. And they said, For thus it is 134 00:08:50,600 --> 00:08:53,880 written by the prophet. And thou Bethlehem in the land 135 00:08:53,880 --> 00:08:57,480 of Judah, art not thou the least among the Princess of Judah, For 136 00:08:57,480 --> 00:09:00,560 out of thee shall come a governor that shall rule my 137 00:09:00,560 --> 00:09:04,320 people Israel. He also came in the planned 138 00:09:04,320 --> 00:09:05,760 time. When did he come? 139 00:09:06,360 --> 00:09:14,080 In the time of Caesar Augustus in those days, Brother Alan read 140 00:09:14,080 --> 00:09:16,600 it to us. Look 2 verses one and two. 141 00:09:17,040 --> 00:09:21,560 God used Caesar to issue the decree about taxation to fulfil 142 00:09:21,560 --> 00:09:27,680 his plan because Mary was in Nazareth with Joseph, she was 143 00:09:27,760 --> 00:09:30,800 engaged to be married. She was heavy with child and, 144 00:09:30,920 --> 00:09:32,720 and, and the child wasn't going to be born. 145 00:09:32,720 --> 00:09:34,960 And that's where the child was going to be born, 80 miles away 146 00:09:35,080 --> 00:09:38,440 in Bethlehem. And God used Caesar Augustus to 147 00:09:38,440 --> 00:09:40,280 bring about the decree about taxation. 148 00:09:40,440 --> 00:09:44,520 So they had to go to the home city where Joseph was from 149 00:09:44,520 --> 00:09:47,240 because he was off the house in lineage of David. 150 00:09:47,640 --> 00:09:50,360 You see, what do we learn? We learned that God keeps his 151 00:09:50,360 --> 00:09:54,040 promises. We learned this, that God always 152 00:09:54,800 --> 00:09:57,440 is true to his word. He's only true to his word. 153 00:09:57,480 --> 00:10:00,360 He is faithful and we can trust the word of God. 154 00:10:00,360 --> 00:10:03,840 Remember the Lord Jesus said I am the truth. 155 00:10:05,080 --> 00:10:08,840 He's the very embodiment of truth and and God the Father 156 00:10:08,920 --> 00:10:14,600 fulfilled all that he said about Christ ever down to the last jot 157 00:10:14,880 --> 00:10:20,400 and the last minute detail. Why is Christmas so significant 158 00:10:20,400 --> 00:10:23,800 and special? Because Jesus Christ is the 159 00:10:23,800 --> 00:10:27,520 promised one. I'll I'll tell you something 160 00:10:27,520 --> 00:10:28,560 else. Not when you think about the 161 00:10:28,560 --> 00:10:31,640 promise of Jesus Christ coming, but thinking about the person of 162 00:10:31,640 --> 00:10:33,800 Jesus Christ coming. Listen to our tax. 163 00:10:33,800 --> 00:10:36,840 For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Saviour, 164 00:10:37,720 --> 00:10:42,000 which is Christ the Lord. See, the Christmas story centres 165 00:10:42,000 --> 00:10:46,960 in Christ the Lord. It centres in the Saviour. 166 00:10:48,440 --> 00:10:51,440 He is God's anointed prophet to teach and tell us the way of 167 00:10:51,440 --> 00:10:53,880 salvation. He's God's anointed priest too, 168 00:10:53,960 --> 00:10:57,440 who offered himself a once and for all sacrifice for sin and 169 00:10:57,440 --> 00:10:59,680 now he lives to make intercession for his people. 170 00:10:59,840 --> 00:11:03,840 He's God's anointed king who call us to repentance and calls 171 00:11:03,840 --> 00:11:06,840 us to come into his Kingdom to live under his rulership. 172 00:11:07,680 --> 00:11:11,640 One of his lovely names that was read by her sister Tanya. 173 00:11:13,720 --> 00:11:19,040 He's called the mighty God. Isn't he known as Emmanuel, 174 00:11:19,520 --> 00:11:23,440 which means God with us? See, I believe in the 175 00:11:23,440 --> 00:11:25,600 incarnation of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 176 00:11:25,800 --> 00:11:28,480 I believe in the virgin birth of Jesus Christ. 177 00:11:28,840 --> 00:11:30,720 It's impossible to be a Christian. 178 00:11:31,160 --> 00:11:34,160 It's impossible to be a true minister of the gospel and not 179 00:11:34,160 --> 00:11:36,920 believe in the doctrine of the incarnation or not believe in 180 00:11:36,920 --> 00:11:42,400 the virgin birth of Christ. Paul says to Timothy, first 181 00:11:42,400 --> 00:11:45,480 Timothy 316. Great is the mystery of 182 00:11:45,480 --> 00:11:49,160 godliness. God was manifest in the flesh. 183 00:11:49,360 --> 00:11:53,680 Mark read to us John 1 and 14 And the Word became flesh and 184 00:11:53,680 --> 00:11:55,840 built among us, and we beheld us glory. 185 00:11:56,560 --> 00:11:59,560 The glory is of the only begotten of the Father, full of 186 00:11:59,560 --> 00:12:02,640 grace and truth. You see the great truth about 187 00:12:02,640 --> 00:12:05,000 Christmas time. Young people, boys and girls, 188 00:12:05,000 --> 00:12:07,760 listen to me carefully. It's not just about the promised 189 00:12:07,760 --> 00:12:10,760 one. It's about the person of Jesus 190 00:12:10,760 --> 00:12:16,440 Christ coming into our world. The great truth is this, that 191 00:12:16,440 --> 00:12:26,280 God came amongst us to be one of us, to be with us on a journey. 192 00:12:27,120 --> 00:12:31,160 Isn't this what Mark emphasised as he closed his reading in John 193 00:12:31,160 --> 00:12:34,800 1 and verse 18? No man has seen God at any time. 194 00:12:34,800 --> 00:12:38,480 The only begotten Son which is in the bosom of the Father, He 195 00:12:38,480 --> 00:12:43,720 has declared Him at one time when the Lord Jesus told his 196 00:12:43,720 --> 00:12:46,000 disciples in the upper room that he was going to leave them, that 197 00:12:46,000 --> 00:12:47,800 he was going away and he was going to the cross and he's 198 00:12:47,800 --> 00:12:52,800 going to bleed and die, the Philip had questioned him. 199 00:12:52,800 --> 00:12:55,480 And Philip said unto him, Lord, show us the Father, and it 200 00:12:55,480 --> 00:12:58,640 suffices us. And in verse 9 Jesus said unto 201 00:12:58,640 --> 00:13:01,520 him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not 202 00:13:01,520 --> 00:13:04,080 known me, Philip? He that have seen me have seen 203 00:13:04,080 --> 00:13:08,800 the Father, and thou sayest thou then show us the Father? 204 00:13:09,400 --> 00:13:15,160 Jesus Christ came to reveal God to us because he is God and yet 205 00:13:15,160 --> 00:13:20,120 we know so little about God. We can know God. 206 00:13:20,120 --> 00:13:22,800 The Bible says be still and know that I'm God. 207 00:13:22,840 --> 00:13:25,720 How can we know God? You can't know God apart from 208 00:13:25,720 --> 00:13:30,800 the Lord Jesus Christ. Remember what we read there in 209 00:13:32,000 --> 00:13:38,680 the Gospel of Paul in Second Corinthians chapter 5, chapter 210 00:13:38,680 --> 00:13:40,320 4, verse six. He said this. 211 00:13:40,520 --> 00:13:43,040 For God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, have 212 00:13:43,040 --> 00:13:45,360 shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the 213 00:13:45,360 --> 00:13:48,040 glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 214 00:13:49,440 --> 00:13:51,920 Whenever we hear the voice of Christ, we're hearing the voice 215 00:13:51,920 --> 00:13:55,160 of God. Come unto me, all ye that labour 216 00:13:55,160 --> 00:13:57,960 and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 217 00:13:58,560 --> 00:14:03,960 You know Jesus Christ can by His voice pronounce the full and 218 00:14:03,960 --> 00:14:06,640 free and forever pardon to all you know and trust. 219 00:14:08,400 --> 00:14:12,080 The value of Christ is he's able to give sight to the blind. 220 00:14:12,720 --> 00:14:15,160 He's able to heal the sick and raise the dead. 221 00:14:15,800 --> 00:14:19,440 The glory of Christ is that he came to deliver those that were 222 00:14:19,440 --> 00:14:23,560 oppressed and bound by sin. And when you think of his 223 00:14:23,840 --> 00:14:28,560 sinless life, a Saviour who kept the law of God perfectly for us, 224 00:14:28,560 --> 00:14:31,080 who did know sin and you know sin and him is no sin. 225 00:14:31,160 --> 00:14:34,280 You see the very heart of God, you see the beauty. 226 00:14:34,600 --> 00:14:38,400 And what makes Bible believe in Christianity so unique is that 227 00:14:38,400 --> 00:14:43,560 God didn't hide from us. God came amongst us, lived 228 00:14:43,560 --> 00:14:50,680 amongst us to be with us so that he could live in our hearts by 229 00:14:50,680 --> 00:14:53,200 his spirit of any man of not the spirit of Christ. 230 00:14:53,200 --> 00:14:57,000 The Bible says yes, none of his. And in the new birth when you 231 00:14:57,000 --> 00:15:00,000 repent of sin and believe in Christ, the Holy Spirit comes 232 00:15:00,000 --> 00:15:01,680 and takes up residence in your heart. 233 00:15:03,000 --> 00:15:05,000 Do you know anything, the reality of this? 234 00:15:05,960 --> 00:15:09,320 Do you know the uniqueness of Bible belief in Christianity? 235 00:15:09,520 --> 00:15:11,480 It's unlike any of the religions in the world. 236 00:15:11,560 --> 00:15:15,120 It stands head and shoulders. It's completely different from 237 00:15:15,120 --> 00:15:17,840 the religion of the world. It's not religion that we offer. 238 00:15:18,120 --> 00:15:19,880 It's not religion that we proclaim. 239 00:15:21,360 --> 00:15:24,560 It's a relationship with God. You can know God how? 240 00:15:25,360 --> 00:15:27,840 Through Jesus Christ, through his personal work. 241 00:15:27,920 --> 00:15:31,600 Apart from Christ you'll not know God, but in Christ you will 242 00:15:31,960 --> 00:15:36,040 begin to know God and think. Lastly, you've been very 243 00:15:36,040 --> 00:15:39,240 patient. Think about the purpose of Jesus 244 00:15:39,240 --> 00:15:45,320 Christ coming into the world. What did the shepherds say to 245 00:15:45,320 --> 00:15:48,640 the angels? They said this in our text in 246 00:15:48,640 --> 00:15:51,840 Luke chapter 2. For unto you is born this day in 247 00:15:51,840 --> 00:15:56,000 the city of David, a saviour, which is Christ the Lord. 248 00:15:56,640 --> 00:15:58,640 Here's a message of global importance. 249 00:15:59,000 --> 00:16:05,240 Here's a message of great hope. A saviour is a saviour king, the 250 00:16:05,240 --> 00:16:07,480 Bible tells us in Luke 19 verse 10. 251 00:16:07,480 --> 00:16:09,880 The Son of man has come to seek and to see if that which is 252 00:16:09,880 --> 00:16:13,640 lost. Here's the pronouncement the 253 00:16:13,640 --> 00:16:17,120 saviour has come an astonishing message. 254 00:16:18,600 --> 00:16:22,360 The Lord Jesus birth was unannounced by a godless 255 00:16:22,360 --> 00:16:26,120 ignorant world. So much so that when that one 256 00:16:26,120 --> 00:16:29,440 Angel announced to the shepherds, then God sent a choir 257 00:16:29,440 --> 00:16:32,640 of angels to to announce that birth. 258 00:16:32,720 --> 00:16:36,440 You see, why are men blind? Why are they dead and trespasses 259 00:16:36,440 --> 00:16:38,720 and sin? Why are they affections diseased 260 00:16:38,720 --> 00:16:41,680 that they don't love God or the things of God because they don't 261 00:16:41,680 --> 00:16:43,400 really see themselves as sinners. 262 00:16:43,640 --> 00:16:46,320 Yet the Bible says for all of sin then come short of the glory 263 00:16:46,320 --> 00:16:48,320 of God. Do you know we're all guilty 264 00:16:48,320 --> 00:16:51,600 before God. Remember the psalmist said in 265 00:16:51,600 --> 00:16:55,960 Psalm 51, verse four and five against thee. 266 00:16:55,960 --> 00:16:58,640 They only have a sinned and done this evil and thy sight that 267 00:16:58,640 --> 00:17:01,040 they might just be justified when thou speakest, and be clear 268 00:17:01,040 --> 00:17:04,440 when thou judgest. Behold, I was shaping an 269 00:17:04,440 --> 00:17:07,119 iniquity and sin did my mother conceive me. 270 00:17:07,119 --> 00:17:13,119 Do you understand that prophet Isaiah said, but he was wounded 271 00:17:13,119 --> 00:17:15,640 for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities. 272 00:17:15,640 --> 00:17:18,920 The chastisement of our peace was upon him with the stripes we 273 00:17:18,920 --> 00:17:21,520 are healed all we like sheep have gone astray. 274 00:17:21,520 --> 00:17:24,839 We've turned each one to his own way, and the Lord have laid in 275 00:17:24,839 --> 00:17:29,200 him the iniquity of us all. See, there's only one Saviour 276 00:17:29,440 --> 00:17:32,760 pronounced, there's only one saviour that was sent, that was 277 00:17:32,760 --> 00:17:35,680 given, that came the Lord Jesus Christ. 278 00:17:36,000 --> 00:17:38,400 The Bible says. For there's one God and one 279 00:17:38,400 --> 00:17:42,080 mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus. 280 00:17:42,800 --> 00:17:45,320 Neither is there salvation in any other, for there's no other 281 00:17:45,320 --> 00:17:48,640 name under heaven given among men, for by we must be saved. 282 00:17:49,120 --> 00:17:52,960 Christmas is a time for fun. Yes, it's a time for fellowship. 283 00:17:53,600 --> 00:17:57,240 It's a time for family and food. It's an opportunity to show love 284 00:17:57,760 --> 00:18:01,120 and to show acts of kindness, an opportunity to present the gift 285 00:18:02,040 --> 00:18:04,680 even to a stranger. Random act of kindness. 286 00:18:04,840 --> 00:18:06,920 But you know, many make this mistake. 287 00:18:07,720 --> 00:18:10,840 They miss the real meaning of the story because they know 288 00:18:10,840 --> 00:18:13,240 nothing of the promised one who has come. 289 00:18:13,640 --> 00:18:16,720 They know nothing of this person, who he really is. 290 00:18:17,040 --> 00:18:19,520 Lawrence and Anne sang. I'm glad I know who Jesus is. 291 00:18:19,520 --> 00:18:22,160 Do you know that? Do you really know who he is? 292 00:18:22,320 --> 00:18:25,440 Does it have an impact upon you? Does it make you fear and 293 00:18:25,440 --> 00:18:26,920 tremble? Does it make you want to be in 294 00:18:26,920 --> 00:18:28,600 the House of God in the Lord's Day? 295 00:18:28,840 --> 00:18:30,480 Does it make you want to read the scriptures? 296 00:18:30,600 --> 00:18:32,400 Does it make you want to pray to Him? 297 00:18:32,520 --> 00:18:35,360 Does it make you want to cry out for help and blessing? 298 00:18:37,240 --> 00:18:41,360 Years ago, when I say this, knowing families here, I 299 00:18:41,360 --> 00:18:44,240 remember when the children were very small, especially the 300 00:18:44,240 --> 00:18:50,760 girls, we had got them a lovely doll's house. 301 00:18:50,760 --> 00:18:52,640 I think it was, or maybe it was a kitchen. 302 00:18:53,120 --> 00:18:57,120 And I think in Boxing Day they were playing with the big box, 303 00:18:57,440 --> 00:19:01,600 cut holes in it and I was inside getting some tea and some buns. 304 00:19:01,920 --> 00:19:04,160 And I and I thought of that ever since. 305 00:19:04,280 --> 00:19:09,040 And you know, it's possible for many to make the mistake of 306 00:19:09,040 --> 00:19:13,320 neglecting the gift that God has made, the gift of the Saviour. 307 00:19:14,000 --> 00:19:16,280 Tailor me in exactly what we need. 308 00:19:17,640 --> 00:19:19,200 You need to receive this gift. How? 309 00:19:21,920 --> 00:19:24,320 Repent. Say you're sorry to God for your 310 00:19:24,320 --> 00:19:25,640 sin of thought. Word indeed. 311 00:19:25,760 --> 00:19:28,440 Confess that sin to God. Go to God and say Lord, I'm a 312 00:19:28,680 --> 00:19:32,200 guilty Sinner and worthy of hell, deserve judgement, have 313 00:19:32,200 --> 00:19:34,560 mercy upon me. Remember the public and prayed 314 00:19:34,560 --> 00:19:36,160 God be merciful to me, the Sinner. 315 00:19:36,520 --> 00:19:39,360 That's where we need to start. And then of course we need to 316 00:19:39,360 --> 00:19:42,240 believe. Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ 317 00:19:42,240 --> 00:19:44,160 and thou shall be saved. That means to have faith in 318 00:19:44,160 --> 00:19:45,840 Christ. And when you have faith in 319 00:19:45,840 --> 00:19:49,040 Christ, you get a new life and you get a full and free and 320 00:19:49,040 --> 00:19:51,840 forever part. And God tells you nice sins and 321 00:19:51,840 --> 00:19:53,440 iniquities. I'll remember no more. 322 00:19:53,760 --> 00:19:56,840 And we have peace with God. And we know the peace of God 323 00:19:56,840 --> 00:19:58,600 even in the storms and trials of life. 324 00:19:58,800 --> 00:20:00,360 Why? Because our hearts changed. 325 00:20:00,480 --> 00:20:03,960 We have a different lifestyle. Can I encourage you to confess 326 00:20:03,960 --> 00:20:06,640 this Christmas? What is it all about? 327 00:20:06,640 --> 00:20:09,800 What's the significance? What's the speciality of the 328 00:20:09,800 --> 00:20:14,200 story? It's God with us, Emmanuel. 329 00:20:15,600 --> 00:20:20,880 And God with us came into our world so that God by his Spirit 330 00:20:20,880 --> 00:20:25,960 could live in us through the new birth, and God for us in the 331 00:20:25,960 --> 00:20:28,920 journey. And if God be for us, who can be 332 00:20:28,920 --> 00:20:35,000 against US one day, then God to take us home to himself and 333 00:20:35,000 --> 00:20:39,080 proclaim us not only as inheritors of eternal life nigh, 334 00:20:39,360 --> 00:20:43,920 not only proclaim us as the sons of God nigh, but proclaim us as 335 00:20:43,920 --> 00:20:47,520 the sons of God and the daughters of God in the world to 336 00:20:47,520 --> 00:20:51,720 come. What a tremendous significance, 337 00:20:52,240 --> 00:20:56,680 what a great speciality. That's what makes Christmas so 338 00:20:56,680 --> 00:20:58,280 special. Why Christmas? 339 00:20:59,440 --> 00:21:02,760 For these reasons, the Lord bless you.