1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:05,040 Chapter 2. Sorry, Matthew, Chapter one. 2 00:00:11,520 --> 00:00:15,480 Matthew, Chapter one. We're going to read a Christmas 3 00:00:15,480 --> 00:00:17,240 Passage. Matthew, chapter one and verse 4 00:00:17,240 --> 00:00:18,920 18. I'm going to read to you through 5 00:00:18,920 --> 00:00:22,120 25 now. The birth of Jesus Christ took 6 00:00:22,120 --> 00:00:25,440 place in this way. When his mother Mary had been 7 00:00:25,440 --> 00:00:29,880 betrothed to Joseph before they came together, she was found to 8 00:00:29,880 --> 00:00:31,880 be with child from the Holy Spirit. 9 00:00:32,560 --> 00:00:36,120 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put 10 00:00:36,120 --> 00:00:39,520 her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. 11 00:00:40,720 --> 00:00:42,560 Why did he resolve to divorce her quietly? 12 00:00:42,560 --> 00:00:45,360 Well, because she's pregnant. So we're supposed to be getting 13 00:00:45,360 --> 00:00:47,160 married. We're engaged, you're supposed 14 00:00:47,160 --> 00:00:49,720 to be faithful, and you're supposed to be a virgin. 15 00:00:50,040 --> 00:00:51,760 So we're we're looking forward to getting married. 16 00:00:51,760 --> 00:00:54,400 But now she's pregnant. OK, Joseph being a righteous 17 00:00:54,400 --> 00:00:56,880 man, a just man, he's got that option, he says. 18 00:00:56,880 --> 00:00:58,240 You know what, I don't want to continue. 19 00:00:58,560 --> 00:01:01,080 But he also doesn't want to put her to public shame. 20 00:01:02,120 --> 00:01:05,040 So being a just man and also unwilling to put her to shame, 21 00:01:05,040 --> 00:01:07,120 he resolved to divorce her quietly. 22 00:01:07,520 --> 00:01:10,760 But as he considered these things, behold, an Angel of the 23 00:01:10,760 --> 00:01:15,200 Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, Joseph, son of David, do 24 00:01:15,200 --> 00:01:18,320 not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is 25 00:01:18,320 --> 00:01:21,160 conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 26 00:01:21,760 --> 00:01:25,920 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for 27 00:01:25,920 --> 00:01:30,520 he will save his people from their sins. 28 00:01:31,320 --> 00:01:34,080 All of this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken 29 00:01:34,080 --> 00:01:37,000 by the prophet. Behold, the Virgin shall 30 00:01:37,000 --> 00:01:41,280 conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name 31 00:01:41,960 --> 00:01:45,920 Emmanuel, which means God with us. 32 00:01:46,440 --> 00:01:49,200 When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the Angel of the Lord 33 00:01:49,200 --> 00:01:52,160 commanded him. He took his wife, but knew her, 34 00:01:52,640 --> 00:01:55,520 but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. 35 00:01:55,760 --> 00:02:03,640 And he called his name Jesus. Heavenly Father, your word is 36 00:02:03,640 --> 00:02:06,200 true. Your word is powerful. 37 00:02:06,640 --> 00:02:09,000 Your word is going to do and perform exactly what you sent it 38 00:02:09,000 --> 00:02:11,560 out to do. And perform bring light and 39 00:02:11,560 --> 00:02:13,880 bring revelation. Right now as your word is 40 00:02:13,880 --> 00:02:15,720 preached. And God, I pray that it would be 41 00:02:15,720 --> 00:02:19,600 preached, that would be proclaimed under the anointing, 42 00:02:20,480 --> 00:02:24,040 under your direction, all in worship and honor to your name. 43 00:02:24,040 --> 00:02:29,120 In Jesus name. Everybody said, Amen, a familiar 44 00:02:29,120 --> 00:02:31,320 passage. That's one of the risks, the one 45 00:02:31,320 --> 00:02:34,800 of the risks we run with, with Christmas time, with Easter with 46 00:02:34,800 --> 00:02:37,520 other times that we should celebrate, that we should honor 47 00:02:37,520 --> 00:02:39,160 as the body of Christ, as Christians. 48 00:02:39,360 --> 00:02:41,880 Maybe, maybe you're not even a Christian, yet you're saying I'm 49 00:02:41,880 --> 00:02:44,680 interested in Christian things. I pay attention to the Christian 50 00:02:44,680 --> 00:02:48,360 message, But wherever you stand in the faith, it's still easy to 51 00:02:48,360 --> 00:02:51,400 become accustomed to the message to the point where it really 52 00:02:51,400 --> 00:02:53,560 doesn't bear the weight that it should for you anymore. 53 00:02:53,720 --> 00:02:55,880 I'm familiar with it. I've heard it a million times. 54 00:02:55,880 --> 00:02:57,440 I get it. I heard it, I know it. 55 00:02:57,680 --> 00:02:59,720 But it's important to recognize what's happening in this 56 00:02:59,720 --> 00:03:02,480 passage. All of this passage is 57 00:03:02,480 --> 00:03:07,000 emphasizing the fact that Jesus is born from a virgin. 58 00:03:07,760 --> 00:03:10,840 But why? Why did that matter? 59 00:03:10,840 --> 00:03:12,520 I'm convinced that most people don't know. 60 00:03:12,840 --> 00:03:14,560 I'm convinced that most Christians don't even know. 61 00:03:14,560 --> 00:03:17,040 Why did it matter so much? We might say, well, because it 62 00:03:17,040 --> 00:03:19,120 was prophesied. So everything that's been 63 00:03:19,120 --> 00:03:22,240 prophesied in the past by the prophets that has to take place. 64 00:03:22,240 --> 00:03:25,080 And that's absolutely true. Everything that's prophesied in 65 00:03:25,080 --> 00:03:28,720 the past had to take place. All of this would come to 66 00:03:28,720 --> 00:03:30,760 fruition. And Matthew continues, continues 67 00:03:30,760 --> 00:03:31,880 to show that through the Gospels. 68 00:03:32,160 --> 00:03:34,160 Remember the gospel? Matthew was written to Jews. 69 00:03:34,520 --> 00:03:36,480 So he's writing to Jews and he's saying, hey, remember this 70 00:03:36,480 --> 00:03:38,120 prophecy about the Messiah. And they're like, yeah, yeah. 71 00:03:38,120 --> 00:03:40,080 And he says Jesus fulfilled that one. 72 00:03:40,080 --> 00:03:43,320 And like, oh, interesting. Well, he does that all through 73 00:03:43,480 --> 00:03:47,320 the book of Matthew over and over and over and over again. 74 00:03:47,320 --> 00:03:49,000 He shows, you know, this prophecy. 75 00:03:49,240 --> 00:03:50,840 You know, how it was said that this would happen in the 76 00:03:50,840 --> 00:03:53,000 Messiah, The savior of the world will do this and goes, yeah, 77 00:03:53,040 --> 00:03:55,720 yeah, Matthew goes this guy, Jesus of Nazareth. 78 00:03:55,720 --> 00:03:56,840 Nazareth. He did that. 79 00:03:56,840 --> 00:03:59,960 And they go, interesting over and over and over. 80 00:03:59,960 --> 00:04:03,120 Christ Jesus. Jesus is Christ. 81 00:04:03,400 --> 00:04:05,480 He fulfills it all. So yes, prophecy matters. 82 00:04:05,480 --> 00:04:08,920 Prophecy has to be fulfilled. But why was it even prophesied? 83 00:04:09,400 --> 00:04:11,920 Why was it ever prophesied? Is it just because the Lord 84 00:04:12,080 --> 00:04:14,240 wanted to put some Christmas magic around the Christmas 85 00:04:14,240 --> 00:04:16,160 story? Hey, I can do anything I want. 86 00:04:16,160 --> 00:04:17,959 So poof, there's some magical stuff. 87 00:04:18,200 --> 00:04:20,680 Babies come from virgins. That's not what's happening. 88 00:04:20,880 --> 00:04:23,240 There's something bigger and there's something deeper going 89 00:04:23,240 --> 00:04:25,080 on. And it all goes back to the 90 00:04:25,080 --> 00:04:29,120 Garden of Eden, all the way back in the garden, when Adam sinned 91 00:04:29,120 --> 00:04:34,560 against God, when Adam disobeyed, when Adam ate from 92 00:04:34,560 --> 00:04:36,480 the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. 93 00:04:36,720 --> 00:04:41,000 And that moment all of humanity was plunged Into Darkness. 94 00:04:41,160 --> 00:04:46,320 And from that moment forward, everybody born from Adam is born 95 00:04:46,320 --> 00:04:50,080 in sin, are precious babies. We think of them as innocent. 96 00:04:50,080 --> 00:04:53,480 And in a large sense, they are compared to us and what we've 97 00:04:53,480 --> 00:04:55,400 walked through and all the sin we've committed. 98 00:04:55,600 --> 00:04:58,440 And yet they are not. They're not. 99 00:04:58,720 --> 00:05:00,720 No one is sinless when they're born. 100 00:05:00,720 --> 00:05:03,560 Well, that doesn't seem fair, except that it is, because 101 00:05:03,560 --> 00:05:06,880 everybody comes from the fallen, sinful human race. 102 00:05:07,240 --> 00:05:11,320 And Adam, being our head, is the one who plunged us into that 103 00:05:11,320 --> 00:05:14,000 darkness. So all of our sin comes from 104 00:05:14,000 --> 00:05:15,880 Adam. The Scripture makes us plain in 105 00:05:15,880 --> 00:05:19,640 the New Testament through one if through one man's sin we would 106 00:05:19,640 --> 00:05:23,480 be plunged Into Darkness and into all of us become sinners. 107 00:05:23,480 --> 00:05:26,360 Through one man. The good news, through one man's 108 00:05:26,360 --> 00:05:29,120 righteousness, we can also all be rescued. 109 00:05:29,760 --> 00:05:32,000 So through one man's sin we got into this mess. 110 00:05:32,000 --> 00:05:34,320 Well, I don't think that's fair. Well, it doesn't matter what you 111 00:05:34,320 --> 00:05:36,840 and I think. It matters what God says and how 112 00:05:36,840 --> 00:05:39,720 it works. So headship is a thing and we 113 00:05:39,720 --> 00:05:43,000 come under Adam's headship. But but there's better news. 114 00:05:43,000 --> 00:05:47,280 You can opt out of Adam's head shift and and opt into to to the 115 00:05:47,280 --> 00:05:51,640 greater Adam whose name is Jesus who comes to rescue his people 116 00:05:51,800 --> 00:05:56,080 from their sins. So why was Jesus born from a 117 00:05:56,080 --> 00:05:58,760 virgin? Because the sin travels through 118 00:05:58,920 --> 00:06:02,960 Adam the head, into another man into the Father's. 119 00:06:02,960 --> 00:06:05,840 So sin travels through the bloodline of the Father. 120 00:06:06,560 --> 00:06:09,840 This is why it's significant that Joseph was not Jesus's 121 00:06:09,840 --> 00:06:12,520 father, but that God was Jesus's father. 122 00:06:12,800 --> 00:06:17,040 So Jesus being born of Mary makes him not not a Sinner 123 00:06:17,040 --> 00:06:19,200 anymore. And some people could mistake 124 00:06:19,200 --> 00:06:21,960 that and go, ah, so Mary or women are sinless? 125 00:06:21,960 --> 00:06:24,640 No, not at all, because Mary also had a what? 126 00:06:25,200 --> 00:06:28,120 A father. So all people are born into sin. 127 00:06:28,280 --> 00:06:32,720 Mary was a a sinful human just like everybody else, but 128 00:06:32,960 --> 00:06:36,320 certainly chosen and separated, just like many people chosen and 129 00:06:36,320 --> 00:06:38,080 separated for the purposes of God. 130 00:06:38,840 --> 00:06:42,240 So we we thank God for her faithfulness, we thank God for 131 00:06:42,240 --> 00:06:44,480 her obedience. We thank God for Joseph's 132 00:06:44,480 --> 00:06:46,520 faithfulness and Joseph's obedience. 133 00:06:46,720 --> 00:06:50,680 But we recognize the weight of why Jesus had to be born from a 134 00:06:50,680 --> 00:06:52,720 virgin. So Jesus being born from a 135 00:06:52,720 --> 00:06:55,120 virgin, he is now born without sin. 136 00:06:56,840 --> 00:07:00,720 He is born from the Holy Spirit, but he's also got to be a man. 137 00:07:00,960 --> 00:07:04,680 He also has to be a human being. He can't just be God himself 138 00:07:04,960 --> 00:07:08,000 visiting the earth. He has to be God made flesh. 139 00:07:08,440 --> 00:07:10,320 He has to come from human beings. 140 00:07:10,480 --> 00:07:13,720 A human got us into this mess. A human has to get us out. 141 00:07:14,000 --> 00:07:17,400 And Jesus fits the need perfectly, Which is why we say 142 00:07:17,400 --> 00:07:19,280 this, this theological conundrum. 143 00:07:19,280 --> 00:07:23,760 We say he was 100% man and he was 100% God. 144 00:07:23,960 --> 00:07:27,040 This is good news that he was born from a virgin because now 145 00:07:27,120 --> 00:07:29,760 he can be the Savior, but he had to be sinless. 146 00:07:29,960 --> 00:07:32,840 But he also has to live out his life without sin, which the 147 00:07:32,840 --> 00:07:36,120 scripture proves and shows over and over that Jesus never 148 00:07:36,120 --> 00:07:38,360 sinned. So this so this is good news. 149 00:07:38,360 --> 00:07:41,600 This is powerful news, but this is news that also makes us face 150 00:07:41,880 --> 00:07:43,920 a reality about ourselves. Right out of the gate. 151 00:07:44,360 --> 00:07:46,480 Right out of the gate. This, this makes me face the 152 00:07:46,480 --> 00:07:47,560 mirror. You'll notice we have a lot of 153 00:07:47,560 --> 00:07:50,560 mirrors in our church, right? Plenty of places to look at. 154 00:07:50,560 --> 00:07:52,080 The source of most of my problems, right? 155 00:07:54,360 --> 00:07:57,600 But this is where the Scripture takes us over and over and over, 156 00:07:57,800 --> 00:08:01,840 the way God talks about humanity, the way God recognizes 157 00:08:01,840 --> 00:08:06,280 people outside of Christ. When describing people, God uses 158 00:08:06,280 --> 00:08:10,720 words like darkness. God uses words like dead. 159 00:08:11,120 --> 00:08:16,160 God uses words like lost. This is why the Christmas 160 00:08:16,160 --> 00:08:20,360 message and the gospel message are good news, because it's 161 00:08:20,360 --> 00:08:23,520 taking for granted that you know that there's bad news to start 162 00:08:23,520 --> 00:08:26,120 with. The gospel message is not the 163 00:08:26,120 --> 00:08:30,200 message of, hey, you're doing great, you're doing really well, 164 00:08:30,680 --> 00:08:33,000 you're a, you're a wonderful bowl of ice cream. 165 00:08:33,000 --> 00:08:35,200 But Jesus is going to be the sprinkles on top. 166 00:08:35,679 --> 00:08:38,720 That is not the gospel message. And we rejected entirely. 167 00:08:38,919 --> 00:08:42,400 That is a wicked message that totally misses out on an 168 00:08:42,400 --> 00:08:44,880 important piece. So what what I want to show you 169 00:08:44,880 --> 00:08:47,560 is in Isaiah Now turn to Isaiah Chapter 9. 170 00:08:49,280 --> 00:08:52,760 It's still good news, but it's only good news if you understand 171 00:08:52,760 --> 00:08:58,840 the whole story. So Isaiah in the Old Testament, 172 00:08:59,280 --> 00:09:06,080 written 700 years before the birth of Christ in Chapter 9. 173 00:09:09,560 --> 00:09:12,160 This is prophecy of Christ. I'm going to read to you verses 174 00:09:12,160 --> 00:09:15,600 2 through 7. The people who walked in 175 00:09:15,600 --> 00:09:19,280 darkness, that's us, have seen a great light. 176 00:09:20,000 --> 00:09:22,680 Those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness. 177 00:09:22,920 --> 00:09:26,240 On them, light has shown right away. 178 00:09:26,240 --> 00:09:28,920 We got the dichotomy there. I'm walking in darkness. 179 00:09:29,280 --> 00:09:31,800 That doesn't sound very good. Hey, it's not. 180 00:09:31,800 --> 00:09:34,440 But there's good news. God doesn't leave you. 181 00:09:34,600 --> 00:09:36,640 He doesn't just tell you. I'm just going to shine a light. 182 00:09:37,240 --> 00:09:39,160 Hey, you're you already got the lights on, and I'm going to make 183 00:09:39,160 --> 00:09:41,200 it even brighter. That's not the message of the 184 00:09:41,200 --> 00:09:42,920 cross. That's not the message of the 185 00:09:42,920 --> 00:09:45,360 Manger. That's not the message of the 186 00:09:45,360 --> 00:09:48,440 gospel. And it's also not the message 187 00:09:48,440 --> 00:09:50,200 that we would just be left in darkness. 188 00:09:52,160 --> 00:09:54,960 Those people who walked in darkness have seen a great 189 00:09:54,960 --> 00:09:58,000 light, those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness. 190 00:09:58,000 --> 00:10:01,640 On them light has shown. You have multiplied the nation, 191 00:10:01,640 --> 00:10:06,040 you have increased its joy. They rejoice before you as with 192 00:10:06,040 --> 00:10:10,160 joy at the harvest, as they are glad when they divide the spoil 193 00:10:10,160 --> 00:10:13,800 for the yoke of his burden, and for the staff, and the staff for 194 00:10:13,800 --> 00:10:15,640 his shoulder the rod of his oppressor. 195 00:10:15,920 --> 00:10:19,720 You have broken, as on the day of Midian, For every boot of the 196 00:10:19,720 --> 00:10:23,200 tramping warrior in battle tumult, and every garment rolled 197 00:10:23,200 --> 00:10:25,800 in blood, will be burned as fuel for the fire. 198 00:10:26,200 --> 00:10:27,880 Why? Why will all these good things 199 00:10:27,880 --> 00:10:31,080 happen? For unto us a child is born, to 200 00:10:31,080 --> 00:10:35,320 us a son is given, and the government shall be upon his 201 00:10:35,320 --> 00:10:40,280 shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, 202 00:10:40,760 --> 00:10:46,800 Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace, of the increase 203 00:10:46,800 --> 00:10:51,000 of his government, and of Peace. There will be no end on the 204 00:10:51,000 --> 00:10:55,160 throne of David, and over his Kingdom, to establish it, and to 205 00:10:55,160 --> 00:10:58,280 uphold it with justice and with righteousness. 206 00:10:58,280 --> 00:11:00,680 From this time forth and forevermore. 207 00:11:00,840 --> 00:11:04,360 The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will do this. 208 00:11:04,640 --> 00:11:08,200 This is good news, and people are supposed to understand that 209 00:11:08,200 --> 00:11:11,040 automatically. We need to emphasize this, 210 00:11:11,040 --> 00:11:12,400 though. We've got to recognize our 211 00:11:12,400 --> 00:11:14,040 moment. We've got to recognize the 212 00:11:14,040 --> 00:11:17,160 cultural moment that we live in. And it's easy for us to forget 213 00:11:17,160 --> 00:11:19,520 this piece. It's easy for people, and we see 214 00:11:19,520 --> 00:11:21,960 it often. People want to take Jesus on to 215 00:11:21,960 --> 00:11:25,240 their life as an additive, as an addition instead of the 216 00:11:25,240 --> 00:11:27,600 everything. And he never left that option to 217 00:11:27,600 --> 00:11:30,000 us. He never left it as a Hey you 218 00:11:30,000 --> 00:11:32,480 can you can add me on to what you already have going. 219 00:11:32,800 --> 00:11:34,920 I'm an attachment that you can put on. 220 00:11:35,440 --> 00:11:37,240 You know, you've already got a great truck. 221 00:11:37,320 --> 00:11:40,000 I'm just an accessory that you might want to add to it. 222 00:11:40,160 --> 00:11:41,880 This is not the message of the gospel. 223 00:11:42,200 --> 00:11:44,880 The message of the gospel is much harsher towards the human 224 00:11:44,880 --> 00:11:47,080 ego. And I would challenge you to say 225 00:11:47,080 --> 00:11:50,720 that if your if your ego has not been crushed by the cross, then 226 00:11:50,720 --> 00:11:53,640 you haven't yet received the the message of the cross. 227 00:11:54,080 --> 00:11:56,960 Because the message of the cross carries with it the message that 228 00:11:56,960 --> 00:11:59,880 crushes the human ego and says you're not good. 229 00:12:00,600 --> 00:12:04,200 This is why the scripture calls us things like dead, but he 230 00:12:04,200 --> 00:12:06,800 doesn't leave us there. He tells us that we can also now 231 00:12:06,800 --> 00:12:10,120 be alive. The message of the cross makes 232 00:12:10,240 --> 00:12:14,320 Christ the hero. So the truth is, we're not a mix 233 00:12:14,320 --> 00:12:17,200 of good and bad. We're not some some yin and 234 00:12:17,200 --> 00:12:18,200 Yang. We're just. 235 00:12:18,200 --> 00:12:19,560 I don't know which one's the bad one. 236 00:12:19,840 --> 00:12:22,560 We're just the bad one though, whichever one that is. 237 00:12:23,000 --> 00:12:26,520 Romans 118 says it this way. The wrath of God is being 238 00:12:26,520 --> 00:12:30,280 revealed from heaven against all godlessness and wickedness of 239 00:12:30,280 --> 00:12:33,640 people. Are you going to leave me there? 240 00:12:33,640 --> 00:12:35,720 No, absolutely not. The gospel doesn't leave us 241 00:12:35,720 --> 00:12:38,040 there. The gospel is good news to our 242 00:12:38,040 --> 00:12:40,520 soul, but only after we know the bad news. 243 00:12:40,680 --> 00:12:44,240 That we're not righteous, that we're not holy, that we are not 244 00:12:44,440 --> 00:12:48,440 enough. So we should run from messages 245 00:12:48,440 --> 00:12:52,840 that stroke our ego and comfort us in our sin, because those are 246 00:12:52,840 --> 00:12:56,880 messages from hell. We should run from messengers 247 00:12:57,200 --> 00:13:00,960 who make deep devotion to King Jesus sound optional because 248 00:13:00,960 --> 00:13:07,160 they are messengers from hell. Anyone who makes deep devotion 249 00:13:07,160 --> 00:13:10,640 to King Jesus sound like an optional thing, or make it sound 250 00:13:10,640 --> 00:13:13,040 like that's extremism Christianity, or that's 251 00:13:13,320 --> 00:13:17,840 fundamental fundamentalism or that's right wing, all of that, 252 00:13:17,840 --> 00:13:22,280 we reject it. We bow down to literally worship 253 00:13:22,280 --> 00:13:25,320 King Jesus. That's what wise men did from 254 00:13:25,320 --> 00:13:28,240 the beginning. If you're wise, you'll build 255 00:13:28,240 --> 00:13:32,920 your whole life around going to worship a 2 year old. 256 00:13:33,560 --> 00:13:35,640 Because that's probably when the wise men arrived, not at his 257 00:13:35,640 --> 00:13:37,920 birth. So Can you imagine worshipping a 258 00:13:37,920 --> 00:13:41,240 toddler? No, you can't. 259 00:13:41,760 --> 00:13:43,080 But that's exactly what they did. 260 00:13:43,200 --> 00:13:46,000 They came and they bowed down before a 2 year old. 261 00:13:46,000 --> 00:13:47,800 Why? Because I understood who he was. 262 00:13:48,080 --> 00:13:52,880 He was God, the Word made flesh. He hadn't even accomplished yet 263 00:13:52,880 --> 00:13:54,480 everything he was going to accomplish. 264 00:13:54,960 --> 00:13:58,480 He goes all the way to the cross sinlessly and perfectly, because 265 00:13:58,480 --> 00:14:01,400 he loves us and he is worthy. And now he is the one who sits 266 00:14:01,600 --> 00:14:03,440 on the thrane and his government. 267 00:14:03,440 --> 00:14:06,200 There will be no end. He is ruling and reigning right 268 00:14:06,200 --> 00:14:08,800 now. He answers to no one and 269 00:14:08,800 --> 00:14:12,080 everyone does answer to him, Is this good news or bad news? 270 00:14:12,080 --> 00:14:15,040 Well, it depends. It's it's good news. 271 00:14:15,160 --> 00:14:18,600 It's good news, friends. It's good news as long as you 272 00:14:18,600 --> 00:14:22,520 bend the knee and kiss the ring of the Lord Jesus Christ because 273 00:14:22,520 --> 00:14:25,640 he welcomes you to do so. He says, I love you and I want 274 00:14:25,640 --> 00:14:27,120 to bring you in. You're dead. 275 00:14:27,320 --> 00:14:30,880 I want to make you alive. This is good news unless you're 276 00:14:30,880 --> 00:14:33,480 prideful. If you have pride, you reject 277 00:14:33,480 --> 00:14:35,200 all of this and you bristle against it even as you're 278 00:14:35,200 --> 00:14:37,760 hearing it now. Maybe you're listening on the 279 00:14:37,760 --> 00:14:39,560 podcast. Maybe you're listening. 280 00:14:39,560 --> 00:14:41,680 You're alive. If you're bristling against this 281 00:14:41,680 --> 00:14:44,320 message, all you're getting is explicit scripture. 282 00:14:45,480 --> 00:14:46,800 You're just getting explicit scripture. 283 00:14:46,800 --> 00:14:49,080 I haven't added any John Michaelisms into this thing. 284 00:14:49,120 --> 00:14:52,040 I've done my best not to, but this is the message of the 285 00:14:52,040 --> 00:14:55,400 gospel. The human ego is crushed and 286 00:14:55,400 --> 00:14:57,800 then the glory of the Lord brings something new out of it. 287 00:14:58,000 --> 00:15:00,160 This is called resurrection, he says. 288 00:15:00,160 --> 00:15:03,720 Old things pass away and all things become new. 289 00:15:04,440 --> 00:15:07,200 So God doesn't come and God doesn't look at you, Michael, 290 00:15:07,200 --> 00:15:09,040 and go man, you're you're pretty awesome. 291 00:15:09,280 --> 00:15:11,040 I just want to put a new coat of paint on you. 292 00:15:11,360 --> 00:15:14,560 God says you're so bad you have to die and then I'll raise you 293 00:15:14,560 --> 00:15:16,520 into new life. This is what baptism is. 294 00:15:16,520 --> 00:15:20,400 Saints. I died with Christ, and I've 295 00:15:20,400 --> 00:15:23,480 been raised to new life in him. My sin was crucified on the 296 00:15:23,480 --> 00:15:27,160 tree, and through the beautiful substitution of the Lord Jesus 297 00:15:27,160 --> 00:15:32,880 Christ, now I run to him. We also run from the messages 298 00:15:32,880 --> 00:15:36,600 and the messengers that tell us how awful we are, only to leave 299 00:15:36,600 --> 00:15:39,360 us in the dark. That's also a message from hell. 300 00:15:39,680 --> 00:15:40,880 You're awful. You're doomed. 301 00:15:40,880 --> 00:15:44,360 You're condemned with no hope. Is there no hope? 302 00:15:44,360 --> 00:15:46,960 That's a message from hell that we reject entirely. 303 00:15:46,960 --> 00:15:49,040 Why? Because it doesn't tell the 304 00:15:49,040 --> 00:15:52,720 whole story. So both of these are extremes. 305 00:15:52,720 --> 00:15:54,680 The whole You're fine, just as you are. 306 00:15:54,680 --> 00:15:59,640 Crowd is a liar from hell and also the You're doomed crowd. 307 00:15:59,640 --> 00:16:02,600 And there's no hope that is also a lie from hell. 308 00:16:03,520 --> 00:16:06,600 You're not OK as you are, and you're also not doomed without 309 00:16:06,600 --> 00:16:09,880 hope. Both of those messages leave out 310 00:16:09,880 --> 00:16:13,800 some part of the story, but the whole truth is glorious and 311 00:16:13,800 --> 00:16:17,960 overwhelmingly good. Jesus had to die, and if you and 312 00:16:17,960 --> 00:16:21,280 I were good enough on our own, or if we can accomplish anything 313 00:16:21,280 --> 00:16:24,360 on our own, then the death of Christ is meaningless. 314 00:16:25,960 --> 00:16:29,240 And of course the death of Christ is not meaningless. 315 00:16:29,480 --> 00:16:32,680 God wouldn't sacrifice his Son for no reason. 316 00:16:33,640 --> 00:16:36,560 So if anything, if any other world religion, if any other 317 00:16:36,560 --> 00:16:39,000 philosophy could have gotten it done, then the Lord would have 318 00:16:39,000 --> 00:16:42,240 allowed for that. But He wasn't going to spend his 319 00:16:42,240 --> 00:16:45,680 only Son who he loved for no reason whatsoever. 320 00:16:45,680 --> 00:16:49,480 So the whole truth is presented here by Isaiah again, 700 years 321 00:16:49,480 --> 00:16:53,760 before it comes to pass. We were in darkness, but we've 322 00:16:53,760 --> 00:16:59,000 seen a great light, for unto us a child is born, a son is given. 323 00:17:00,000 --> 00:17:04,280 Jesus plainly confirms this in the famous passage in John 324 00:17:04,280 --> 00:17:08,880 chapter 3, when he says, For God so loved the world that he gave 325 00:17:08,880 --> 00:17:12,720 his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not 326 00:17:12,720 --> 00:17:16,720 perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son 327 00:17:16,720 --> 00:17:18,240 into the world to condemn the world. 328 00:17:19,079 --> 00:17:21,560 That's good news. But in order that the world 329 00:17:21,560 --> 00:17:27,359 might be saved through him, whoever believes in him is not 330 00:17:27,359 --> 00:17:32,040 condemned. But whoever does not believe in 331 00:17:32,040 --> 00:17:37,360 him is condemned already, because he has not believed in 332 00:17:37,360 --> 00:17:40,400 the name of the only Son of God. So Jesus there is the one who 333 00:17:40,400 --> 00:17:42,200 taught that I'm already condemned. 334 00:17:42,200 --> 00:17:46,560 My default setting out of the womb was condemned. 335 00:17:47,720 --> 00:17:50,920 Oh, that doesn't that doesn't seem like it's fair. 336 00:17:50,920 --> 00:17:53,600 Again, it's very good that God rescues us. 337 00:17:53,760 --> 00:17:55,920 This is the goodness of God. This is why he's the hero of the 338 00:17:55,920 --> 00:17:57,120 story. What does it mean to be 339 00:17:57,120 --> 00:17:59,360 condemned? It means I'm sentenced. 340 00:18:00,080 --> 00:18:01,600 It means I've already been judged. 341 00:18:01,600 --> 00:18:05,000 It's already been assessed. It's already that's my default 342 00:18:05,000 --> 00:18:06,720 setting. My destination is set. 343 00:18:06,760 --> 00:18:11,360 Except that by the grace of God, through faith in Christ, it can 344 00:18:11,360 --> 00:18:13,520 all be changed. So to be condemned or to be 345 00:18:13,520 --> 00:18:15,840 sentenced, it isn't something that's going to happen in the 346 00:18:15,840 --> 00:18:18,240 future. It is my current state if I'm 347 00:18:18,240 --> 00:18:21,360 outside of Christ. And this is what the real Jesus 348 00:18:21,360 --> 00:18:24,240 teaches. The real Jesus is polarizing. 349 00:18:24,760 --> 00:18:28,080 You meet Jesus. If you meet Jesus you will move 350 00:18:28,080 --> 00:18:30,440 towards God or you will move away from God. 351 00:18:30,640 --> 00:18:33,440 If you come face to face with Christ in his word. 352 00:18:33,640 --> 00:18:36,120 The real Jesus will not compel you to do nothing. 353 00:18:37,240 --> 00:18:39,600 Nobody ever came to Christ and listened to his teachings and 354 00:18:39,600 --> 00:18:42,760 said, I'm not sure what to make of this. 355 00:18:42,960 --> 00:18:46,320 I guess I'll just kind of hang around the hang around the 356 00:18:46,320 --> 00:18:48,920 perimeter. People were either repelled by 357 00:18:48,920 --> 00:18:52,040 him and said how dare you? I can't believe he would say 358 00:18:52,040 --> 00:18:55,000 that. Or people say you have the words 359 00:18:55,000 --> 00:18:56,400 of life. Where else would I go? 360 00:18:56,920 --> 00:18:59,600 Those are the responses that the real Christ creates. 361 00:18:59,880 --> 00:19:02,640 A lot of times in our culture, we don't see those two responses 362 00:19:02,640 --> 00:19:05,600 anymore because there isn't a clear gospel being preached. 363 00:19:06,000 --> 00:19:09,040 It is a muddy message. It is a message of confusion 364 00:19:09,040 --> 00:19:11,320 instead of the message of the baby in the Manger. 365 00:19:11,320 --> 00:19:12,880 I just love Christmas. It's so sweet. 366 00:19:13,080 --> 00:19:14,240 And maybe that's what you're thinking, man. 367 00:19:15,120 --> 00:19:16,440 Preacher. I just wanted to feel good 368 00:19:16,440 --> 00:19:19,280 sermon today, friend. There is no better feeling than 369 00:19:19,280 --> 00:19:22,760 being right with God, than having your sins washed away and 370 00:19:22,760 --> 00:19:25,320 being made a new creation with an entire new life. 371 00:19:25,880 --> 00:19:28,960 When you enjoy God as the wonderful counselor, your mighty 372 00:19:28,960 --> 00:19:32,720 God, your everlasting father, your Prince of peace, it 373 00:19:32,720 --> 00:19:33,920 doesn't. There's nothing better. 374 00:19:34,400 --> 00:19:36,320 There's nothing better. There's nothing warmer. 375 00:19:36,640 --> 00:19:39,360 The baby in the Manger is meant to evoke the whole message, 376 00:19:39,680 --> 00:19:42,200 because the baby in the Manger is the same one who goes to the 377 00:19:42,200 --> 00:19:43,840 cross. Why? 378 00:19:44,080 --> 00:19:46,640 For the sins of the whole world, yeah, but for the sins of me. 379 00:19:47,520 --> 00:19:52,400 For the sins of me, Not just the vague sins of the world, but the 380 00:19:52,400 --> 00:19:57,360 stuff that I've done, the person who I've been, the things I'm 381 00:19:57,360 --> 00:19:59,720 guilty of. I'm just talking about me. 382 00:19:59,720 --> 00:20:01,360 Because it makes you a little bit more comfortable, right? 383 00:20:01,520 --> 00:20:03,200 I'll keep pointing the finger this way when I point it that 384 00:20:03,200 --> 00:20:07,560 way. The things you've done, we're 385 00:20:07,560 --> 00:20:12,160 all in the same boat, except that Jesus is a great rescuer 386 00:20:12,400 --> 00:20:16,280 and he loves us. Simeon prophesied this about 387 00:20:16,280 --> 00:20:18,040 him. That he would bring this 388 00:20:18,040 --> 00:20:19,960 polarizing response in the world. 389 00:20:20,280 --> 00:20:23,440 So Simeon was was an old man who worshipped into the temple 390 00:20:23,440 --> 00:20:27,280 regularly. And when they went to circumcise 391 00:20:27,280 --> 00:20:30,880 Jesus and dedicate Jesus into the in the temple, Simeon had 392 00:20:30,880 --> 00:20:33,880 been told by the Holy Spirit ahead of time that he would not 393 00:20:33,880 --> 00:20:36,160 die until he saw the Lord's Messiah. 394 00:20:36,600 --> 00:20:38,800 So it's just a personal message that the Holy Spirit told him. 395 00:20:38,800 --> 00:20:40,440 He said you're going to get to see the Messiah. 396 00:20:40,720 --> 00:20:44,480 So Joseph and Mary, just a just a family, just another baby 397 00:20:44,480 --> 00:20:49,000 being brought in to be to be circumcised, to be brought in, 398 00:20:49,440 --> 00:20:50,720 to be taken care of by the priest. 399 00:20:50,720 --> 00:20:52,400 Just another one. Happens all the time. 400 00:20:52,400 --> 00:20:54,440 Here's another one. And Simeon sees him, The Holy 401 00:20:54,440 --> 00:20:56,120 Spirit says the Simeon, There he is. 402 00:20:56,760 --> 00:20:58,760 Can you imagine? I can't. 403 00:20:59,120 --> 00:21:02,800 But Simeon, an old man goes and takes the baby and holds him up 404 00:21:02,800 --> 00:21:07,360 and begins to prophecy over him. And thanks God, he says, now I 405 00:21:07,360 --> 00:21:09,240 can die. I can die. 406 00:21:09,240 --> 00:21:13,080 Like he's here, It's happening. What a joy, what a privilege, 407 00:21:13,240 --> 00:21:15,720 what a, what a pleasure. And Mary and Joseph, they're 408 00:21:15,720 --> 00:21:19,880 going another confirmation, another reassurance from the 409 00:21:19,880 --> 00:21:23,920 Lord, Simeon said. This child is destined to cause 410 00:21:23,920 --> 00:21:27,800 the falling and the rising of many in Israel and to be a sign 411 00:21:27,800 --> 00:21:31,120 that will be spoken against so that the heart, so that the 412 00:21:31,120 --> 00:21:35,520 hearts of many will be revealed. Jesus reveals your heart. 413 00:21:36,200 --> 00:21:40,000 He reveals it. And in the work of the the 414 00:21:40,000 --> 00:21:44,120 gospel itself accomplishes what the Lord intended for it to 415 00:21:44,120 --> 00:21:46,520 accomplish. But the Word always comes forth 416 00:21:46,520 --> 00:21:48,040 and always cuts everybody to the heart. 417 00:21:48,320 --> 00:21:50,040 You and I are both even being cut to the heart. 418 00:21:50,040 --> 00:21:51,960 Did you know preachers even cut to the heart as they preach the 419 00:21:51,960 --> 00:21:53,960 word of God. So it's a joy to receive the 420 00:21:53,960 --> 00:21:57,720 Word even as you preach it. So even as we're cut, even as 421 00:21:57,720 --> 00:22:00,560 we're all cut to the heart, we have responses that we can 422 00:22:00,560 --> 00:22:02,400 choose. In the New Testament, in the 423 00:22:02,400 --> 00:22:04,720 book of Acts, you see when the after Christ has been 424 00:22:04,720 --> 00:22:08,240 resurrected and after he has ascended into heaven, the gospel 425 00:22:08,240 --> 00:22:10,880 is preached to one group. And you see they, it says they 426 00:22:10,880 --> 00:22:13,280 gnashed their teeth and they stoned him to death. 427 00:22:13,440 --> 00:22:15,880 They were cut to the heart and then they killed the preacher. 428 00:22:15,880 --> 00:22:16,960 It was Stephen. They killed him. 429 00:22:17,280 --> 00:22:20,000 And then there's another time it says they were cut to the heart 430 00:22:20,240 --> 00:22:23,160 and it was Peter who had preached and they said what must 431 00:22:23,160 --> 00:22:26,320 we do to be saved? Those are the responses that 432 00:22:26,800 --> 00:22:30,480 Jesus brings out of people. Why? 433 00:22:30,480 --> 00:22:33,640 Because both of those messages, if you doubt, if you think that 434 00:22:33,640 --> 00:22:36,080 this was, if you think this was an explicitly strong or you 435 00:22:36,080 --> 00:22:39,120 think this this message has any John Michaelisms in it, I dare 436 00:22:39,120 --> 00:22:40,880 you. Go read Peter's sermon. 437 00:22:41,200 --> 00:22:46,280 Go read Stephen's sermon. It was not seeker friendly in in 438 00:22:46,280 --> 00:22:48,000 the middle of his sermon. He's just telling the story. 439 00:22:48,000 --> 00:22:50,320 And then they turn the corner and he goes in this Christ who 440 00:22:50,320 --> 00:22:53,800 you crucified like tone it down, you're going to get yourself 441 00:22:53,800 --> 00:22:55,920 killed. Now I got to tell the truth and 442 00:22:55,920 --> 00:22:57,480 the whole truth. Why? 443 00:22:57,480 --> 00:23:00,120 Because the King is worthy and the message matters. 444 00:23:00,520 --> 00:23:03,840 And it's not a game. Life is not light. 445 00:23:04,920 --> 00:23:07,120 It is meant to be lived for the glory of God. 446 00:23:07,120 --> 00:23:11,280 And if it's not, it's pointless, it's empty, and it's fruitless. 447 00:23:13,320 --> 00:23:17,960 So this is all good news. It's all good news that God 448 00:23:17,960 --> 00:23:21,920 reached down for us because we could not reach up to him. 449 00:23:22,680 --> 00:23:25,480 There's nothing I could do. There was nowhere I could go. 450 00:23:26,480 --> 00:23:29,520 So Christmas is that reminder. It was the beginning of the 451 00:23:29,520 --> 00:23:32,000 mission in our minds anyway. He had been beginning the 452 00:23:32,000 --> 00:23:33,160 mission. Back in the garden. 453 00:23:33,480 --> 00:23:35,800 He prophesied in the garden to Eve. 454 00:23:36,560 --> 00:23:39,280 He said, your seed talking about Jesus. 455 00:23:39,280 --> 00:23:41,760 This is the first preaching of the gospel that we know of. 456 00:23:41,760 --> 00:23:44,400 God did it in the garden. Your seed is going to crush the 457 00:23:44,400 --> 00:23:46,720 head of the serpent. The serpent will bruise his 458 00:23:46,720 --> 00:23:50,000 heel, but he will bruise his head. 459 00:23:51,160 --> 00:23:52,960 So Jesus takes the bruise on the heel. 460 00:23:53,520 --> 00:23:56,080 The the wound. That's that's not damning. 461 00:23:56,520 --> 00:23:58,760 And he crushes the head of the serpent. 462 00:23:59,960 --> 00:24:03,120 So this is good news, because we weren't innocent even when we 463 00:24:03,120 --> 00:24:05,520 were born. But Christ comes to give us the 464 00:24:05,520 --> 00:24:08,840 gift of his righteousness, making us right with God and 465 00:24:08,840 --> 00:24:12,680 making us alive and making us whole for the very first time. 466 00:24:12,680 --> 00:24:14,840 It is a real thing to walk with Christ. 467 00:24:14,840 --> 00:24:17,600 It is a real thing to be made a new creature. 468 00:24:17,600 --> 00:24:21,040 It is a real thing to have a new life and to have a new identity 469 00:24:21,040 --> 00:24:23,720 inside of you. You didn't earn it. 470 00:24:23,720 --> 00:24:26,080 You don't deserve it. And it does not induce pride. 471 00:24:26,600 --> 00:24:29,760 It induces humility. It induces fear of God. 472 00:24:29,920 --> 00:24:33,280 It induces love for others. That's the first thing that 473 00:24:33,280 --> 00:24:35,040 shows up when a person comes to Christ. 474 00:24:35,240 --> 00:24:37,840 They have a love for God's people, and they have a love for 475 00:24:37,840 --> 00:24:40,480 those who aren't God's people. They just have a love. 476 00:24:40,960 --> 00:24:43,120 They say, I realize what I've just been given. 477 00:24:43,520 --> 00:24:45,720 I can't shut up about it. Oh, you're careful. 478 00:24:45,920 --> 00:24:48,360 Bob just went off the deep end. He found religion. 479 00:24:48,360 --> 00:24:49,880 You better thank God that Bob did. 480 00:24:50,520 --> 00:24:51,920 You better thank God that he did. 481 00:24:52,160 --> 00:24:54,360 Because now he's loving you. Now he's praying for you. 482 00:24:54,360 --> 00:24:58,400 Now he's caring for you. This is the normal response when 483 00:24:58,400 --> 00:25:00,080 somebody has met Jesus and walked with him. 484 00:25:01,520 --> 00:25:04,280 That's why he was the baby in the Manger, and that's why he 485 00:25:04,280 --> 00:25:06,960 was the man on the cross, to be the one who is our substitute. 486 00:25:07,160 --> 00:25:10,360 The Manger is beautiful and joyful because the baby 487 00:25:10,360 --> 00:25:13,240 eventually accomplishes the mission to be the sinless 488 00:25:13,240 --> 00:25:16,560 sacrifice. They didn't make room for him in 489 00:25:16,560 --> 00:25:18,800 Bethlehem, they didn't have any room. 490 00:25:18,800 --> 00:25:22,160 In the end, the king comes into the earth, not the way everybody 491 00:25:22,160 --> 00:25:24,480 expected him to. That's why they didn't recognize 492 00:25:24,480 --> 00:25:26,400 him. Jesus only shows up to the 493 00:25:26,400 --> 00:25:29,680 people who have him, who can host a king, anyone who will 494 00:25:29,680 --> 00:25:31,480 welcome him. But the whole world wouldn't do 495 00:25:31,480 --> 00:25:33,360 it. And he says, I'm going to come 496 00:25:33,360 --> 00:25:35,200 in to those who nobody cares about. 497 00:25:35,200 --> 00:25:37,800 I'm going to come in to this young girl, come in to this 498 00:25:37,800 --> 00:25:39,520 young guy. I'm going to meet those 499 00:25:39,520 --> 00:25:40,760 shepherds over there in the field. 500 00:25:41,120 --> 00:25:42,760 Why? Because they're not prideful. 501 00:25:43,320 --> 00:25:45,200 Because they're not. They're not prideful. 502 00:25:45,360 --> 00:25:48,080 They will humble themselves. They heard the news and they 503 00:25:48,080 --> 00:25:50,720 rush down into Bethlehem. Let's go worship him. 504 00:25:51,960 --> 00:25:56,160 The angels. 100 million angels show up to men in a field one 505 00:25:56,160 --> 00:25:57,680 night. What a joy. 506 00:25:57,680 --> 00:25:59,600 What a privilege, what an honor to be a part of that. 507 00:25:59,880 --> 00:26:01,040 You know where the angels didn't show up? 508 00:26:01,200 --> 00:26:03,760 They didn't show up in the synagogue, They didn't show up 509 00:26:03,760 --> 00:26:07,160 in the temple. They didn't show up where Herod 510 00:26:07,160 --> 00:26:09,240 lived. They didn't show up where Caesar 511 00:26:09,240 --> 00:26:12,200 was in Rome. They didn't say, hey, kings, the 512 00:26:12,200 --> 00:26:15,880 real king is here. He showed up in the Far East to 513 00:26:15,880 --> 00:26:20,160 some magi and gave them a star that they would follow for a few 514 00:26:20,160 --> 00:26:23,080 years. Humble people follow Jesus. 515 00:26:23,440 --> 00:26:27,240 Prideful people can't, and therefore God's judgment is even 516 00:26:27,240 --> 00:26:32,160 on them in their pride because God opposes the proud and he 517 00:26:32,160 --> 00:26:37,280 gives grace to the humble. Why does God require such 518 00:26:37,280 --> 00:26:39,480 humility? Because God is so humble. 519 00:26:40,200 --> 00:26:43,640 He became a baby. He lived inside a woman's body 520 00:26:43,640 --> 00:26:49,480 for nine months. God did that to himself, So our 521 00:26:49,480 --> 00:26:52,200 pride in in his sight is disgusting. 522 00:26:52,880 --> 00:26:56,000 It's so out of place. It's so absurd. 523 00:26:56,120 --> 00:26:59,800 It's so ironic that we would ever be prideful towards him 524 00:26:59,880 --> 00:27:01,960 when he has been so humble towards us. 525 00:27:02,600 --> 00:27:06,760 He became flesh, He became a human being. 526 00:27:07,000 --> 00:27:09,120 And we're sitting here trying to make ourselves like God. 527 00:27:09,120 --> 00:27:11,040 And he says, I would have elevated you. 528 00:27:11,480 --> 00:27:13,880 I want to elevate you and seat you beside me in heavenly 529 00:27:13,880 --> 00:27:16,280 places. But you've got to become lowly. 530 00:27:16,960 --> 00:27:18,560 You've got to become lowly in heart. 531 00:27:18,960 --> 00:27:20,720 You've got to become broken in spirit. 532 00:27:21,160 --> 00:27:24,080 And then I will heal you. Then I will restore you. 533 00:27:24,080 --> 00:27:26,440 Who can host Christ? Who can have Christ? 534 00:27:26,640 --> 00:27:30,480 The humble Jesus said, Behold, I stand at the door and knock. 535 00:27:31,160 --> 00:27:35,040 If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in 536 00:27:35,200 --> 00:27:40,400 and eat with him and he with me. Jesus laid down his life. 537 00:27:40,600 --> 00:27:44,680 He surrendered to the Father, and we must do the same at 538 00:27:44,680 --> 00:27:51,080 Christmas and all year long, all life long, because we don't have 539 00:27:51,080 --> 00:27:54,200 a Savior who requires something that he didn't do himself. 540 00:27:55,280 --> 00:27:58,720 Worthy is the Lamb who came. Worthy is the Lamb when he's 541 00:27:59,120 --> 00:28:01,520 when he's in the Manger. Worthy is the Lamb when he's 12 542 00:28:01,520 --> 00:28:04,320 years old. Worthy is the Lamb when he was 543 00:28:04,320 --> 00:28:05,880 on the cross. Worthy is the Lamb when he was 544 00:28:05,880 --> 00:28:08,240 in the tomb. Worthy was the Lamb when he was 545 00:28:08,240 --> 00:28:11,360 resurrected and walked on the earth for 40 days living, 546 00:28:11,440 --> 00:28:13,840 preaching, teaching. Worthy was the Lamb when he 547 00:28:13,840 --> 00:28:16,440 ascended into heaven. Worthy is the Lamb seated on the 548 00:28:16,440 --> 00:28:19,240 throne right now. Worthy is the Lamb who is coming 549 00:28:19,240 --> 00:28:23,040 back to judge the living and the dead church. 550 00:28:23,040 --> 00:28:26,000 Let him make you alive, friends. Let him let him make you alive. 551 00:28:26,600 --> 00:28:28,840 God loves you. This is the message of 552 00:28:28,840 --> 00:28:30,800 Christmas. God is good. 553 00:28:31,800 --> 00:28:35,920 He is better than you think. He has paid a great price to be 554 00:28:35,920 --> 00:28:38,840 with you. Christmas is all about Jesus. 555 00:28:38,840 --> 00:28:41,960 Let's give him glory. God, we thank you so much for 556 00:28:41,960 --> 00:28:46,160 the love of Christ. Nothing can separate his people 557 00:28:46,160 --> 00:28:50,920 from his love. No height, no depth, no breadth, 558 00:28:51,280 --> 00:28:54,200 no demon in hell, no Angel in heaven. 559 00:28:54,680 --> 00:28:57,160 Nothing shall separate us from your love. 560 00:28:58,320 --> 00:29:02,280 And yet still you require that we participate in our salvation. 561 00:29:02,440 --> 00:29:06,080 Not to earn it, not to accomplish it, but to respond by 562 00:29:06,080 --> 00:29:08,680 faith with what you've done. By your grace. 563 00:29:09,400 --> 00:29:12,560 What a magnificent gift. Lord, you said that whoever 564 00:29:12,560 --> 00:29:15,480 would call upon the name of the Lord would be saved. 565 00:29:16,400 --> 00:29:21,720 So we call in humility, in weakness and brokenness, in 566 00:29:21,720 --> 00:29:24,320 smallness. We come to the baby in the 567 00:29:24,320 --> 00:29:27,280 Manger because we understand who he is. 568 00:29:28,120 --> 00:29:30,880 We come to the baby in the Manger not for sentimentality, 569 00:29:31,240 --> 00:29:36,480 not for tradition, but for truth, for worship, for 570 00:29:36,480 --> 00:29:41,680 salvation, to have our sins washed away, and to have a 571 00:29:41,680 --> 00:29:45,640 substitute given. Thank you so much, God, for your 572 00:29:45,640 --> 00:29:48,440 love. Thank you so much for your 573 00:29:48,440 --> 00:29:50,640 magnificent care. Why? 574 00:29:50,840 --> 00:29:52,760 Why? Why would you do it? 575 00:29:53,200 --> 00:29:56,200 Why wouldn't you just crush us all and and start over? 576 00:29:57,160 --> 00:30:00,440 Why create people to begin with? But all these things are 577 00:30:00,440 --> 00:30:02,400 expressions of your love and who you are. 578 00:30:02,840 --> 00:30:05,080 God, I pray that you would bless these people today. 579 00:30:07,640 --> 00:30:10,000 I pray that you would bless them here at this Christmas season. 580 00:30:11,800 --> 00:30:14,120 I ask that you would pour out your spirit upon them all. 581 00:30:14,840 --> 00:30:16,400 That they would receive your nearness. 582 00:30:16,600 --> 00:30:17,960 That they would receive your blessing. 583 00:30:18,280 --> 00:30:21,640 That their hearts would be open to the grace and the 584 00:30:21,640 --> 00:30:24,080 transformation that you offer. That you would take out Stony 585 00:30:24,080 --> 00:30:25,720 hearts, and that you would place. 586 00:30:25,720 --> 00:30:29,840 That you would replace them with soft hearts of flesh tender 587 00:30:29,840 --> 00:30:34,320 towards you, devoted in obedience and wanting to love 588 00:30:34,320 --> 00:30:35,320 you and worship you. Well. 589 00:30:35,680 --> 00:30:38,560 God be glorified among us in Jesus name. 590 00:30:39,640 --> 00:30:41,880 And now the Lord bless you and keep you. 591 00:30:42,800 --> 00:30:46,680 The Lord make his face shine down upon you and be gracious to 592 00:30:46,680 --> 00:30:49,120 you. The Lord lift up his countenance 593 00:30:49,120 --> 00:30:53,120 upon you and give you great peace in Jesus name. 594 00:30:53,760 --> 00:30:56,680 Amen. You are dismissed. 595 00:30:56,680 --> 00:30:59,760 Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas.