1 00:00:00,280 --> 00:00:02,080 Hey, good morning, real life church. 2 00:00:02,080 --> 00:00:04,920 It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, isn't it? 3 00:00:05,440 --> 00:00:07,080 Oh man, it's such an exciting day. 4 00:00:07,080 --> 00:00:10,600 Today I invite you to stand to your feet and join us in worship 5 00:00:10,600 --> 00:00:11,760 today. Let's have some fun this 6 00:00:11,760 --> 00:00:19,040 morning. Come on unto you. 7 00:00:19,040 --> 00:00:24,760 This day a baby's born is Christ's Messiah, King and Lord. 8 00:00:25,240 --> 00:00:31,400 All the earth will rejoice. The King say the king is here, 9 00:00:32,600 --> 00:00:41,520 Hey, hey, the shepherds have come, the angels sing. 10 00:00:41,520 --> 00:00:46,280 They followed the star, the three wise kings to come and bow 11 00:00:46,520 --> 00:00:51,200 on bended knee. The king is here, the king is 12 00:00:51,600 --> 00:01:01,440 here. Hey, hey, hear good tidings of 13 00:01:01,440 --> 00:01:19,240 great joy unto you. A Savior is born in a Manger 14 00:01:19,240 --> 00:01:25,040 lays Christ the Lord. All have come to a door to 15 00:01:25,120 --> 00:01:29,920 worship Him. Our Savior, the King is here. 16 00:01:29,920 --> 00:01:42,320 The King is here, hey. Here good tidings of great joy 17 00:01:45,440 --> 00:01:55,560 unto you a Saviour is born. Here good tidings of great joy 18 00:01:58,840 --> 00:02:14,320 unto you a Saviour is born. Glory to God in the highest. 19 00:02:15,760 --> 00:02:25,760 Glory to God in the highest. Peace, honor, and goodwill 20 00:02:26,240 --> 00:02:34,440 toward me. Glory to God in the highest. 21 00:02:36,080 --> 00:02:49,260 Hey, hey, hey, hey, come on, give it up for God in the house 22 00:02:49,260 --> 00:02:55,220 today. Let's continue to worship him 23 00:02:55,220 --> 00:02:55,780 today. Come on. 24 00:03:08,880 --> 00:03:19,480 You've come to breathe, to be alone, to be nearer to us, and 25 00:03:19,480 --> 00:03:28,440 you've come to bring light, to be light, to shine righter in 26 00:03:29,680 --> 00:03:32,120 us. So we will you. 27 00:03:37,200 --> 00:03:45,480 God with us, I deliver earth. You are Savior. 28 00:03:46,960 --> 00:03:55,880 In your presence we find our strength over everything, our 29 00:03:56,360 --> 00:04:03,920 redemption. God with us, you might live with 30 00:04:06,840 --> 00:04:12,280 us. Oh, you've come to be home to 31 00:04:12,560 --> 00:04:20,959 this world for your honor and me, and you've come to take sin, 32 00:04:22,920 --> 00:04:28,040 play shame, and to conquer the grave. 33 00:04:28,280 --> 00:04:40,000 Are we? You are right with us. 34 00:04:40,000 --> 00:04:43,360 I delivered. You are Savior. 35 00:04:46,120 --> 00:04:54,120 In your presence we find light room over everything, our 36 00:04:54,520 --> 00:05:00,560 redemption. God with us. 37 00:05:11,640 --> 00:05:12,320 You are. God with us. 38 00:05:12,320 --> 00:05:15,440 You are here. You are holy. 39 00:05:16,960 --> 00:05:25,080 We are standing in your glory. Here are here. 40 00:05:25,280 --> 00:05:31,320 You are holy. We are standing in your glory. 41 00:05:33,160 --> 00:05:36,640 We are here. You are holy. 42 00:05:38,440 --> 00:05:44,440 We are standing in your glory. You are here. 43 00:05:59,600 --> 00:06:08,000 Our Deliverer, you are Saviour. In your presence we find our 44 00:06:08,160 --> 00:06:14,680 strength. Over everything our redemption, 45 00:06:20,680 --> 00:06:23,840 God our deliver. You are Saviour. 46 00:06:26,200 --> 00:06:31,240 In your presence we find our strain. 47 00:06:31,240 --> 00:06:42,640 Over everything our retention, God with us you are God. 48 00:06:46,040 --> 00:06:51,880 With us you are God. With us you are God. 49 00:06:58,000 --> 00:07:00,120 Amen. Our God with us. 50 00:07:00,400 --> 00:07:02,760 And that's the reason that we get to gather together to 51 00:07:02,760 --> 00:07:06,560 celebrate this season is that God who was in heaven and all of 52 00:07:06,560 --> 00:07:10,120 His Majesty came to humble himself with us here. 53 00:07:10,880 --> 00:07:13,680 And as we get to celebrate that this morning and this season, we 54 00:07:13,680 --> 00:07:17,200 get to see just the light of the Lord and these little kids in 55 00:07:17,240 --> 00:07:19,560 just a minute. It's such a special time to 56 00:07:19,560 --> 00:07:23,600 worship, so let's lift him up. The light of the world. 57 00:07:24,840 --> 00:07:37,280 You step down Into Darkness. Open my eyes, let me see beauty 58 00:07:37,440 --> 00:07:46,800 that might this heart adore you. Hope of a life spent with you. 59 00:07:51,360 --> 00:07:57,880 Here I am to worship. Here I am to bow down. 60 00:07:58,280 --> 00:08:03,080 Here I am to say that you're my God. 61 00:08:04,680 --> 00:08:13,400 You're all together lovely, all together worthy, all together 62 00:08:14,360 --> 00:08:25,120 wonderful to me. King of all days, also highly 63 00:08:26,280 --> 00:08:37,360 exalted, glorious in heaven. Up humbly you came to the earth, 64 00:08:38,520 --> 00:08:44,960 you created your. For Love's sake, we came home. 65 00:08:48,080 --> 00:08:53,720 All we worship you is here. I am to worship here. 66 00:08:53,720 --> 00:09:02,640 I am to bow down here I am to say that you're my God. 67 00:09:02,960 --> 00:09:11,840 You're all together lovely, altogether worthy, altogether 68 00:09:12,680 --> 00:09:42,680 wonderful to me. Oh, come, as I do hear him. 69 00:09:42,720 --> 00:09:50,400 Christ the Lord, lift him up. Oh, come. 70 00:10:00,920 --> 00:10:10,320 O Him, oh come, let us out or be him. 71 00:10:10,360 --> 00:10:24,520 High the Lord, because we'll praise your name for him. 72 00:10:24,520 --> 00:11:09,040 We'll praise your name for him. The the river cries, the Lord 73 00:11:14,080 --> 00:11:26,460 you all cry because here I am to worship, here I am to bow down. 74 00:11:26,460 --> 00:11:32,160 And here I am to say that you're my my God. 75 00:11:33,720 --> 00:11:38,560 You're all together love me all together worthy. 76 00:11:41,040 --> 00:11:45,800 You're all together wonderful to me. 77 00:11:47,800 --> 00:11:54,320 And here I am to worship. And here I am to bow down. 78 00:11:54,760 --> 00:12:05,600 Here I am to say that you're my God, you're all together lovely, 79 00:12:08,360 --> 00:12:17,760 You're all together worthy. You're all together wonderful to 80 00:12:17,760 --> 00:12:18,160 me. Amen. 81 00:12:18,160 --> 00:12:19,520 Give him some praise this morning. 82 00:12:23,560 --> 00:12:26,200 Man, when you guys think of the word worship and you come before 83 00:12:26,200 --> 00:12:29,160 God with everything you have, everything you don't think you 84 00:12:29,160 --> 00:12:32,240 have, man, everything that we've received is from God. 85 00:12:32,240 --> 00:12:34,800 And just to take that moment with you guys in a corporate 86 00:12:34,800 --> 00:12:37,640 setting, just to give it back to God, give him the worship that 87 00:12:37,640 --> 00:12:40,560 he deserves, all the honor and glory that is his. 88 00:12:40,760 --> 00:12:43,400 And what a holy moment. So can we give a shout of praise 89 00:12:43,400 --> 00:12:46,240 up for God one more time? Thank you guys for worshiping so 90 00:12:46,240 --> 00:12:49,360 well this morning, man, what a awesome day. 91 00:12:49,360 --> 00:12:51,200 We're going to have a very special day today. 92 00:12:51,200 --> 00:12:52,920 It's going to be great. Great, great. 93 00:12:53,120 --> 00:12:56,000 So we have a lot of new people with us today in person and 94 00:12:56,000 --> 00:12:57,480 online. Can we show those guys some 95 00:12:57,480 --> 00:12:59,480 love, lift them up, give them a shout of praise? 96 00:12:59,720 --> 00:13:02,440 Yeah, bye for your hands. Hey, why don't you guys take 30 97 00:13:02,440 --> 00:13:04,320 seconds and just welcome everybody around you, all right? 98 00:13:47,720 --> 00:13:50,200 All right, you guys can go ahead and be seated. 99 00:13:50,320 --> 00:13:54,800 I'm in Diane's way hey as you guys are sitting down, I want 100 00:13:54,800 --> 00:13:56,560 you guys to know that you're getting ready to sit down on 101 00:13:56,560 --> 00:13:59,120 something awesome and it's connection card this connection 102 00:13:59,120 --> 00:14:02,240 card is for everybody in the house today So as always, if you 103 00:14:02,240 --> 00:14:04,640 call real life home, we love it when you guys thought this 104 00:14:04,640 --> 00:14:06,240 connection card. Let us know what's happening in 105 00:14:06,240 --> 00:14:08,160 your life. Maybe you need something prayed 106 00:14:08,160 --> 00:14:10,160 over prayed about. We'd love to hear about that 107 00:14:10,160 --> 00:14:13,080 Maybe you got a prayer praise man God showed up an awesome 108 00:14:13,080 --> 00:14:14,360 way. We'd love to hear about that as 109 00:14:14,360 --> 00:14:16,240 well. Our leaders look forward to 110 00:14:16,240 --> 00:14:18,840 getting these cards week in and week out and they'd love to get 111 00:14:18,840 --> 00:14:20,680 them and stay connected with you and pray for you guys. 112 00:14:20,960 --> 00:14:24,120 If you guys are new or newer with us, we, I love it that you 113 00:14:24,120 --> 00:14:25,640 guys are here. Thank you so much for being 114 00:14:25,640 --> 00:14:27,120 here. We've been praying and planning 115 00:14:27,120 --> 00:14:30,400 for you all week. We're not going to ask anything 116 00:14:30,400 --> 00:14:31,680 except for this one simple thing. 117 00:14:31,680 --> 00:14:33,240 We would love just a simple introduction. 118 00:14:33,240 --> 00:14:36,160 And when you fill out the top of that connection card and drop 119 00:14:36,160 --> 00:14:38,880 that later on in the gathering, we'll have a way to reach out to 120 00:14:38,880 --> 00:14:39,680 you. We're not going to show up to 121 00:14:39,680 --> 00:14:42,360 your house and do anything weird, but we love a way just to 122 00:14:42,400 --> 00:14:44,880 disconnect with you and let you know who we are real life and 123 00:14:44,880 --> 00:14:48,760 seeing us more information this week and who we are real life is 124 00:14:48,760 --> 00:14:51,280 this is we like to say that we are a church on a mission, 125 00:14:51,280 --> 00:14:54,520 right? Real life and a church on a 126 00:14:54,520 --> 00:14:57,400 mission is this is to see people far from God discover their real 127 00:14:57,400 --> 00:15:00,200 life and their purpose in Jesus. And what that simply means is 128 00:15:00,200 --> 00:15:03,720 this is that if you guys have spent any time walking through 129 00:15:03,720 --> 00:15:05,600 this world, you're going to get your teeth kicked in, right? 130 00:15:06,280 --> 00:15:08,360 That's what happened to Jesus. What happened to his followers. 131 00:15:08,600 --> 00:15:11,040 That's our expectation. But we don't have to stay in the 132 00:15:11,040 --> 00:15:13,760 ditch. God's called us to live just a 133 00:15:15,160 --> 00:15:17,280 just a awesome life, one that's full of purpose. 134 00:15:17,400 --> 00:15:18,960 And we find that purpose in Jesus. 135 00:15:18,960 --> 00:15:21,480 And one of my best friends is in the in the service here. 136 00:15:21,480 --> 00:15:23,080 And I steal this quote from him all the time. 137 00:15:23,400 --> 00:15:26,720 We exist to make Jesus name famous and in the opportunity 138 00:15:26,720 --> 00:15:29,400 and the glory that we get to have is to see God's story just 139 00:15:29,560 --> 00:15:32,200 bless people's lives and people's lives transformed week 140 00:15:32,200 --> 00:15:34,720 in week out. So we just love being on mission 141 00:15:34,720 --> 00:15:36,560 with Jesus. And thank you guys for using to 142 00:15:36,560 --> 00:15:38,200 be here with us at this gathering. 143 00:15:38,680 --> 00:15:40,440 So today you guys are in for something special. 144 00:15:40,440 --> 00:15:43,560 Are you guys ready, man? We're getting ready to do real 145 00:15:43,560 --> 00:15:45,840 life kids Christmas. And can I tell you, you share 146 00:15:45,840 --> 00:15:48,680 something from my heart? A lot of times we come and watch 147 00:15:48,680 --> 00:15:50,720 our kids. We think it's a performance, but 148 00:15:50,720 --> 00:15:54,880 this is not a performance. This is an act of worship. 149 00:15:55,280 --> 00:15:57,200 And what the kids are going to do is they're going to help lead 150 00:15:57,200 --> 00:16:00,080 us into this moment of worship. And that's the whole story of 151 00:16:00,080 --> 00:16:01,600 Christmas. And that's really the whole, 152 00:16:01,600 --> 00:16:04,400 the, the whole theme of, of what we're doing here in this series. 153 00:16:04,680 --> 00:16:08,640 Because as Jesus was born, we saw people came with open hearts 154 00:16:08,880 --> 00:16:11,000 and they basically said, is this is here I am. 155 00:16:11,600 --> 00:16:13,680 So that's what we're doing here. I am to worship. 156 00:16:14,080 --> 00:16:16,800 So I want you guys to really lean in, open your hearts and 157 00:16:16,800 --> 00:16:18,720 just worship with our kids as they lead us. 158 00:16:18,720 --> 00:16:21,440 I want you guys to welcome up Christy Hardy as we kick off 159 00:16:21,440 --> 00:16:23,280 Real Lives, real Life kids Christmas. 160 00:16:26,960 --> 00:16:28,520 Good morning. How's everyone doing? 161 00:16:29,520 --> 00:16:31,520 Good. OK, I'm going to welcome real 162 00:16:31,520 --> 00:16:34,800 life kids up, so while I introduce them, they're going to 163 00:16:34,800 --> 00:16:37,680 walk up. Come on guys, we have been 164 00:16:37,680 --> 00:16:40,560 working so hard. These kiddos are so excited to 165 00:16:40,560 --> 00:16:43,600 tell you the Christmas story. It is going to be straight from 166 00:16:43,600 --> 00:16:45,200 God's Word. We are going to have some 167 00:16:45,200 --> 00:16:47,920 friends that are reading the Bible today as we do it. 168 00:16:47,920 --> 00:16:52,800 We've got some adorable sheep coming up now and let's 169 00:16:52,800 --> 00:16:54,440 encourage them. Go ahead and give them a hand, 170 00:16:54,440 --> 00:17:01,800 guys. Put your hands down, all right? 171 00:17:02,560 --> 00:17:05,400 Kiddos, when you get up here, go ahead and look for your parents 172 00:17:05,400 --> 00:17:09,359 and give them a wave. Find them, Give them a wave. 173 00:17:10,680 --> 00:17:14,680 They are so excited to share Jesus's story with you today, 174 00:17:14,680 --> 00:17:17,400 guys. All right, give them another 175 00:17:17,400 --> 00:17:19,000 hand. Here they come. 176 00:17:20,760 --> 00:17:23,280 You can't find your mom. She's here. 177 00:17:23,560 --> 00:17:25,319 Give them a wave. Give them a wave. 178 00:17:25,319 --> 00:17:31,360 Guys, find your parents. OK so without further ado I give 179 00:17:31,360 --> 00:17:49,960 you real life kids Christmas. Today we celebrate the greatest 180 00:17:49,960 --> 00:17:53,160 story ever told, the story of Jesus birth. 181 00:17:53,400 --> 00:17:56,920 We will read the Christmas story straight from the Bible. 182 00:18:22,930 --> 00:18:26,010 God also spoke to Joseph in a dream. 183 00:18:32,180 --> 00:18:36,540 An Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said Joseph, 184 00:18:36,740 --> 00:18:40,700 son of David. Do not be afraid to take Mary 185 00:18:40,700 --> 00:18:45,660 home as your wife because what is conceived inside her is from 186 00:18:45,660 --> 00:18:49,380 the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son and 187 00:18:49,380 --> 00:18:53,280 you are to give him the name Jesus because he will save his 188 00:18:53,280 --> 00:18:58,080 people from their sins. Time passed and Mary and Joseph 189 00:18:58,240 --> 00:19:08,100 traveled to Bethlehem. While they were there, time came 190 00:19:08,100 --> 00:19:11,540 for the baby to be born. She gave birth to her first 191 00:19:11,540 --> 00:19:15,580 born, a son. She wrapped him in claws and 192 00:19:15,580 --> 00:19:18,540 placed him in a Manger because there were no guest room 193 00:19:18,540 --> 00:20:07,720 available for them. Dear Savior, it's not a major 194 00:20:08,720 --> 00:20:15,320 Oh, what a glorious night. Oh, what a glorious night. 195 00:21:20,120 --> 00:21:43,690 Happy New Year every season. 196 00:21:44,570 --> 00:21:45,410 Jesus Christ. Glorious. 197 00:21:45,410 --> 00:21:49,530 Glorious. What a glorious night. 198 00:21:52,210 --> 00:22:02,400 Glorious, glorious. I hear the angels singing 199 00:22:04,040 --> 00:22:07,680 Hallelujah, the earth receiver king. 200 00:22:07,680 --> 00:22:13,200 I know the love has gone singing out. 201 00:22:14,280 --> 00:22:16,520 Jesus Christ is born. I hear the angels singing 202 00:22:16,560 --> 00:22:22,320 Hallelujah, the earth receiver King. 203 00:22:27,240 --> 00:22:33,880 I know that love has gone. Sing it now, Jesus rising boy. 204 00:22:37,480 --> 00:23:24,520 Jesus, rising boy. The. 205 00:23:36,960 --> 00:23:39,120 Out in the. Field shepherds were watching 206 00:23:39,120 --> 00:24:25,760 over their sheep. Music. 207 00:25:41,600 --> 00:26:18,970 None. The. 208 00:26:50,060 --> 00:27:27,480 None. Luke 2101113 and 14 But the 209 00:27:27,480 --> 00:27:32,000 angels said to them, Do not be afraid, I bring you good news 210 00:27:32,000 --> 00:27:35,640 that will cause great joy for all people. 211 00:27:35,640 --> 00:27:40,400 Today in the town of David, a Savior has been born to you. 212 00:27:40,640 --> 00:27:45,120 He is the Messiah, the Lord. Suddenly a great companion of 213 00:27:45,120 --> 00:27:52,560 the heavenly host appeared with angels praising God and saying, 214 00:27:52,560 --> 00:27:58,600 Glory to God in the highest heavens and on earth. 215 00:27:58,920 --> 00:28:09,080 Peace to those who whom his favorite Reese, the shepherds 216 00:28:09,080 --> 00:28:16,600 hurried to see Jesus. Luke 2/16/17 So they hurried off 217 00:28:17,080 --> 00:28:21,880 and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby who was lying in the 218 00:28:21,880 --> 00:28:24,960 Manger. When they had sent him. 219 00:28:25,400 --> 00:28:29,600 They spread the world contents what had been told to them about 220 00:28:29,600 --> 00:29:20,960 this child. Go. 221 00:30:06,800 --> 00:30:46,160 None. Everyone. 222 00:30:48,200 --> 00:30:49,200 And so it's true soil, she shouted. 223 00:30:49,720 --> 00:30:52,480 Tell all the world about it. God is greatest life. 224 00:30:52,480 --> 00:30:58,040 God is greatest life Soil. This is Jesus. 225 00:30:58,040 --> 00:31:02,040 Now we have peace and God is greatest life. 226 00:31:33,710 --> 00:31:35,630 This is the true Christmas story. 227 00:31:35,870 --> 00:31:41,310 God sent His Son Jesus to bring hope, joy, and salvation to the 228 00:31:41,310 --> 00:31:44,990 world. We celebrate because He is still 229 00:31:44,990 --> 00:31:59,200 our Savior today. Man, give it up for all of our 230 00:31:59,200 --> 00:32:01,240 kids, give it up real big because they're getting ready to 231 00:32:01,240 --> 00:32:05,600 walk off the stage. Man, good job all of you guys, 232 00:32:07,160 --> 00:32:10,440 from the sheep to all the singers to our shepherd Landon. 233 00:32:10,440 --> 00:32:12,920 Great job. Good job all of you. 234 00:32:14,960 --> 00:32:17,800 I have to say, Carter, as you're walking off, I do relate to you 235 00:32:17,800 --> 00:32:22,240 quite a bit. Keys optional rhythm is not 236 00:32:22,240 --> 00:32:27,840 mandatory either, but bright smile, wide eyes, just pure 237 00:32:27,840 --> 00:32:31,000 worship, right. That was so good. 238 00:32:32,640 --> 00:32:34,160 He really also got into the clapping. 239 00:32:34,160 --> 00:32:37,040 It wasn't just a normal clap. It was a full body clap, all of 240 00:32:37,040 --> 00:32:40,280 his chest. Not that we're handing out MVPS 241 00:32:40,280 --> 00:32:41,880 or anything, but if we do, it might be Carter. 242 00:32:43,400 --> 00:32:44,400 Yeah. Give it up one more time as 243 00:32:44,400 --> 00:32:49,920 they're walking out. That was really good, man. 244 00:32:49,920 --> 00:32:51,800 Who's ready? Who's ready to celebrate today? 245 00:32:51,880 --> 00:32:53,120 Right. Who's ready to celebrate the 246 00:32:53,120 --> 00:32:57,120 birth of Jesus? Yes, it's so good. 247 00:32:57,400 --> 00:33:01,360 Great start to the day and really just great start to 248 00:33:01,360 --> 00:33:04,440 Christmas season in general. Look at the room, look at the 249 00:33:04,440 --> 00:33:06,520 lights, look at the Christmas trees. 250 00:33:07,000 --> 00:33:09,600 I feel very official walking around the Bethlehem walls, 251 00:33:09,600 --> 00:33:11,800 staring out you guys over these towers. 252 00:33:12,280 --> 00:33:15,080 Can we give it together, put it together for a few people? 253 00:33:15,120 --> 00:33:17,680 Can we give it up for everybody that planned this out? 254 00:33:18,040 --> 00:33:25,880 Give it up for Sean, Holly, Diane, my mom Christy, and then 255 00:33:26,040 --> 00:33:28,920 a second round of applause for everybody that took time to 256 00:33:28,920 --> 00:33:32,160 actually put boots to the ground and set this all up yesterday. 257 00:33:32,520 --> 00:33:35,400 I know it's not a small thing to take time out of your guys's 258 00:33:35,400 --> 00:33:38,040 holiday weekends because we're getting so close to Christmas. 259 00:33:38,040 --> 00:33:40,120 You guys could have been doing a lot yesterday, but everybody 260 00:33:40,120 --> 00:33:43,080 that came in here to set up, I really appreciate all you guys. 261 00:33:43,080 --> 00:33:45,240 That was huge. And then like I said, it was 262 00:33:45,240 --> 00:33:48,280 just one last big, one last round of applause for our kids 263 00:33:48,440 --> 00:33:51,720 one more time. I think really leading the way 264 00:33:52,520 --> 00:33:55,920 for just this message and our worship, they gave us such a 265 00:33:55,920 --> 00:33:58,600 good foundation of joy for today. 266 00:33:59,040 --> 00:34:00,960 There's a deep seated joy in Christmas. 267 00:34:00,960 --> 00:34:03,960 And I think that that was so evident as we see Carter 268 00:34:04,160 --> 00:34:07,400 clapping with all of his body, as we seeing all these kids 269 00:34:07,400 --> 00:34:09,639 singing and their eyes are bright. 270 00:34:09,880 --> 00:34:13,239 They have huge smiles. And it really just reminds me of 271 00:34:13,239 --> 00:34:16,080 the season in general, right? It's a season of joy. 272 00:34:16,920 --> 00:34:18,560 There's two types of people in this season. 273 00:34:19,280 --> 00:34:21,800 First type of person, raise your hand real wide. 274 00:34:21,800 --> 00:34:24,880 Real high. If you find yourself relating to 275 00:34:24,880 --> 00:34:28,280 Dan Bray, if this is the best time of the year, Christmas is 276 00:34:28,280 --> 00:34:30,600 the best month of the year. It doesn't get any better than 277 00:34:30,600 --> 00:34:31,719 this. If you consider yourself a 278 00:34:31,719 --> 00:34:34,560 joyful person, you're full of Christmas spirit. 279 00:34:34,560 --> 00:34:36,440 You're the incarnation of Buddy the Elf. 280 00:34:36,440 --> 00:34:39,360 Would you please raise your hand real high, real wide. 281 00:34:39,480 --> 00:34:42,400 Yes. The Boston Scully crew. 282 00:34:42,400 --> 00:34:44,400 We can also give it up to them. The Boston Scully crew in our 283 00:34:44,400 --> 00:34:47,199 men's quartet on the worship team, That was really good. 284 00:34:47,840 --> 00:34:50,040 That was a phenomenal foundation of the day. 285 00:34:51,239 --> 00:34:52,880 Like I said, there's a, there's a couple different types of 286 00:34:52,880 --> 00:34:55,159 people during Christmas, right? You get it? 287 00:34:55,600 --> 00:35:01,000 You're like Dan or you don't. Full disclosure, I don't. 288 00:35:01,000 --> 00:35:03,960 More often than not, I'm going to throw up a picture real 289 00:35:03,960 --> 00:35:07,320 quick. That was a picture. 290 00:35:08,440 --> 00:35:11,760 You see that picture and you think, man, he is in a Christmas 291 00:35:11,760 --> 00:35:14,160 sweater. The guy right there, he is full 292 00:35:14,160 --> 00:35:16,600 of Christmas spirit. It's a Christmas miracle. 293 00:35:16,600 --> 00:35:18,560 And I have to tell you, that is the face of a liar. 294 00:35:19,400 --> 00:35:22,000 That is the face of somebody who was forced to do that. 295 00:35:22,520 --> 00:35:25,880 I have no Christmas spirit. I've always called myself a 296 00:35:25,880 --> 00:35:28,280 Grinch. It was brought to my attention 297 00:35:28,280 --> 00:35:31,480 that I'm not even a Grinch. Mandy told me at least the 298 00:35:31,480 --> 00:35:35,400 Grinch had a change of heart. So calling myself a Grinch is 299 00:35:35,400 --> 00:35:39,160 doing a disservice to him. She said that I'm a lot closer 300 00:35:39,160 --> 00:35:41,360 to Ebenezer Scrooge because I'm never going to change and I'm 301 00:35:41,360 --> 00:35:44,280 going to get a visit from the Ghost of Christmas Past. 302 00:35:45,680 --> 00:35:47,360 And this isn't a part of anything. 303 00:35:47,360 --> 00:35:49,960 But I, I, I resent that. I feel like I'm a victim to 304 00:35:49,960 --> 00:35:52,960 these circumstances. I think that is result of my 305 00:35:52,960 --> 00:35:55,600 upbringing. I, I inherited a lot from my 306 00:35:55,600 --> 00:36:00,160 dad, his aptitude for hair follicles, and I also inherited 307 00:36:00,560 --> 00:36:03,160 his Christmas spirit. The apple doesn't fall from the 308 00:36:03,160 --> 00:36:04,560 tree. I was thrown into this. 309 00:36:05,200 --> 00:36:08,400 I I was given this through pain. If you saw in that picture 310 00:36:08,680 --> 00:36:11,200 originally, I was kind of feeling that I was in a 311 00:36:11,200 --> 00:36:13,320 Christmas sweater. I was, the Christmas joy was 312 00:36:13,320 --> 00:36:15,160 overtaking me, and I tried to hold Shawn's hand. 313 00:36:15,560 --> 00:36:19,040 He swatted it away. That didn't do anything for my 314 00:36:19,040 --> 00:36:20,800 Christmas spirit. That dragged me right back down 315 00:36:20,800 --> 00:36:25,040 to my Scrooge and then in my sweater, who I felt really good 316 00:36:25,040 --> 00:36:28,800 about, by the way, the most holiday cheerful person in here, 317 00:36:28,800 --> 00:36:32,080 Dan Bray, trashed it. He told me it wasn't a Christmas 318 00:36:32,080 --> 00:36:33,840 sweater. He told me I was pathetic and he 319 00:36:33,840 --> 00:36:35,640 told me I didn't deserve to wear Christmas sweaters. 320 00:36:36,080 --> 00:36:38,720 His words. Not that that's that is quoting 321 00:36:38,720 --> 00:36:39,920 him. I'm not making that up. 322 00:36:41,480 --> 00:36:44,880 So I my, my, my, Bah, humbugness, This was given to 323 00:36:44,880 --> 00:36:47,560 me. You feel bad for me, but is 324 00:36:47,560 --> 00:36:49,880 there anybody else in here that relates to my pity? 325 00:36:49,880 --> 00:36:51,760 That anybody else in here that finds themselves kind of 326 00:36:51,760 --> 00:36:52,600 dragging? Yeah. 327 00:36:52,600 --> 00:36:56,240 Yes, kind of dragging down the mood during Christmas. 328 00:36:56,240 --> 00:36:59,880 Anybody else, Elf? You need a hug, any buddy to 329 00:36:59,880 --> 00:37:03,160 come and cheer you up? I know you guys know this and I 330 00:37:03,160 --> 00:37:07,640 know this too, but past the consumerism, past the Hallmark 331 00:37:07,640 --> 00:37:11,280 commercials, past the overpriced presents, Black Friday, all of 332 00:37:11,280 --> 00:37:14,000 that there is there is a deep sea of joy in Christmas, right? 333 00:37:14,400 --> 00:37:17,160 There is a reason we all gather here today and there is a reason 334 00:37:17,160 --> 00:37:19,960 why people like Dan Bray do consider this the best time of 335 00:37:19,960 --> 00:37:22,280 the season. So today we're going to continue 336 00:37:22,280 --> 00:37:23,240 that. We're going to continue 337 00:37:23,240 --> 00:37:25,800 hopefully in the heart of joy. We're going to continue our 338 00:37:25,800 --> 00:37:28,160 message series on here. I am to worship. 339 00:37:30,000 --> 00:37:32,600 If you guys don't mind, let's kind of give ourselves set. 340 00:37:32,600 --> 00:37:34,920 I might I might pray if you guys don't mind, as we get ourselves 341 00:37:35,200 --> 00:37:37,360 prepared for this message. So God, you're good. 342 00:37:37,520 --> 00:37:40,560 We come before you. I thank you for the opportunity 343 00:37:40,560 --> 00:37:43,080 to just preach your word. I thank you for everybody that's 344 00:37:43,080 --> 00:37:45,240 in here today. I pray for anybody that's in 345 00:37:45,240 --> 00:37:49,000 here that might not know you to, to sit in to, to listen in and 346 00:37:49,000 --> 00:37:52,320 to settle on your word. Let us all come before you it 347 00:37:52,320 --> 00:37:56,560 with joy and in worship. Just name a man. 348 00:37:57,440 --> 00:38:00,120 Couple ground rules, 1 ground Rd. 1 ground rule. 349 00:38:00,120 --> 00:38:02,680 Really before we get started, we're going to be preaching on 350 00:38:02,680 --> 00:38:04,240 the shepherds, which I'm going to get to in a minute. 351 00:38:04,640 --> 00:38:09,760 Full disclosure, I preached on this last Wednesday at Youth and 352 00:38:10,280 --> 00:38:13,840 if anybody in here asks me when this is going to be over, I'm 353 00:38:13,840 --> 00:38:15,920 going to take my ball, I'm going to go home. 354 00:38:16,080 --> 00:38:19,520 I'm not doing that again. I appreciate all of you guys 355 00:38:20,120 --> 00:38:22,960 sitting in here and gleaning everything that this message has 356 00:38:22,960 --> 00:38:24,720 to offer. If autumn is in here, you're not 357 00:38:24,720 --> 00:38:26,200 allowed to talk during this message. 358 00:38:27,360 --> 00:38:29,240 So like I said, we're continuing our here. 359 00:38:29,240 --> 00:38:30,640 I am to worship. We've gone through different 360 00:38:30,640 --> 00:38:34,320 perspectives. Week 1, Mary, let it be to me. 361 00:38:34,320 --> 00:38:38,000 As you said, Week 2 wise men, they saw what everybody else saw 362 00:38:38,000 --> 00:38:39,760 and they did what nobody else was willing to do. 363 00:38:40,240 --> 00:38:43,560 And like I said today, our third perspective is going to be that 364 00:38:43,560 --> 00:38:45,800 of the shepherds. And the perspective of the 365 00:38:45,800 --> 00:38:49,000 shepherds is twofold. First of all, it is finding an 366 00:38:49,000 --> 00:38:53,120 overwhelming and overflowing joy in this season is to be the 367 00:38:53,120 --> 00:38:55,160 opposite of I am during the Christmas season. 368 00:38:55,520 --> 00:38:58,480 And secondly, as we'll get into where we're going to end, it is 369 00:38:58,480 --> 00:39:01,600 the perspective of evangelism. It's the perspective of being 370 00:39:01,600 --> 00:39:04,200 given the good news that is so good you can't help but keep it 371 00:39:04,200 --> 00:39:06,080 to yourself. So before we start, I'm going to 372 00:39:06,080 --> 00:39:08,320 give you guys some context. Let's start with who the 373 00:39:08,320 --> 00:39:11,480 shepherds were and what a day in their live and like what the 374 00:39:11,480 --> 00:39:12,760 kind of people that we're dealing with. 375 00:39:13,040 --> 00:39:17,280 So Luke 28 starts and there were shepherds living out where the 376 00:39:17,280 --> 00:39:20,080 fields nearby. That's important, keeping watch 377 00:39:20,080 --> 00:39:23,200 over their flocks at night. As we get into our narrative and 378 00:39:23,200 --> 00:39:25,800 as we get into our story, it is important to know that this is 379 00:39:25,800 --> 00:39:28,120 happening while these shepherds are on the clock. 380 00:39:28,520 --> 00:39:32,720 These shepherds, they were not very glamorous and they were not 381 00:39:32,720 --> 00:39:35,800 super high up on the social ladder, right? 382 00:39:35,840 --> 00:39:37,960 They're like the blue collar people of that time. 383 00:39:38,000 --> 00:39:42,000 And God chose them to reveal Jesus first. 384 00:39:42,560 --> 00:39:45,720 That is significant. Heaven's announcement went out 385 00:39:45,720 --> 00:39:48,720 to shepherds, to those low on the social ladder, before it 386 00:39:48,720 --> 00:39:51,720 went out to priests, before it went out to kings, before we 387 00:39:51,720 --> 00:39:53,520 went out to politicians, to people of influence. 388 00:39:53,560 --> 00:39:59,080 It went to people in humility. God reveals himself to us, 389 00:39:59,080 --> 00:40:00,160 right? How many of us can relate a 390 00:40:00,160 --> 00:40:04,240 little bit more to humility than we can to kings and to priests 391 00:40:04,240 --> 00:40:08,960 and and to and to politicians? But God came his glory to the 392 00:40:08,960 --> 00:40:10,760 humble. He gave his glory to the 393 00:40:10,760 --> 00:40:14,520 overlooked, to The Dirty, to the downtrodden, to the beaten, to 394 00:40:14,520 --> 00:40:18,280 people just like us. And let's walk you through a day 395 00:40:18,280 --> 00:40:19,720 in the life of the shepherd at that time. 396 00:40:20,000 --> 00:40:22,680 A shepherd's day often began before the sun came up. 397 00:40:22,680 --> 00:40:24,720 It was a hard work. They slept lightly. 398 00:40:24,920 --> 00:40:27,520 They often slept outdoors, keeping watch for predators, 399 00:40:27,520 --> 00:40:30,160 keeping watch for anything that might harm their sheep. 400 00:40:30,200 --> 00:40:32,640 At first light they would count their sheep because if any were 401 00:40:32,640 --> 00:40:36,320 missing, if any were harmed, they had to report that to their 402 00:40:36,320 --> 00:40:38,440 masters and show that they did their due diligence. 403 00:40:39,000 --> 00:40:40,880 Shepherds knew every animal in their flock. 404 00:40:41,000 --> 00:40:42,600 They knew every animal intimately. 405 00:40:42,600 --> 00:40:44,600 I don't know if you guys know I can relate to this. 406 00:40:44,600 --> 00:40:46,160 I didn't know how much I was going to relate to as I was 407 00:40:46,160 --> 00:40:48,000 learning about the shepherds, but I can relate to this. 408 00:40:48,280 --> 00:40:51,520 We have sheep, we have Bonnie, and we have Clyde at our house 409 00:40:51,720 --> 00:40:54,520 and I know them intimately. I know when Bonnie is going to 410 00:40:54,520 --> 00:40:57,240 talk to me at the door. I know when Clyde is going to 411 00:40:57,240 --> 00:41:00,400 try to take me off my feet when I turn my back to him. 412 00:41:01,000 --> 00:41:03,280 These were shepherds that knew every tendency of every animal 413 00:41:03,280 --> 00:41:04,680 they had. They finally knew them by name. 414 00:41:04,880 --> 00:41:07,840 They knew which ones were prone to wander, which ones were weak, 415 00:41:08,080 --> 00:41:10,600 which ones were pregnant. And this is impressive. 416 00:41:10,840 --> 00:41:12,480 I do not leave my sheep by voice. 417 00:41:12,720 --> 00:41:15,000 But the flocks of these shepherds were led by voice. 418 00:41:15,200 --> 00:41:17,800 They were not led by force. They were led by trust. 419 00:41:18,480 --> 00:41:20,760 I cannot get Clyde to do what I want out of trust. 420 00:41:20,760 --> 00:41:23,840 This is a relationship that was fostered over lifetime. 421 00:41:24,400 --> 00:41:26,120 And a true shepherd didn't drive sheep. 422 00:41:26,440 --> 00:41:28,200 He walked ahead and they followed. 423 00:41:29,440 --> 00:41:32,360 Like I said, they walked ahead and they walked miles every day 424 00:41:32,360 --> 00:41:35,000 looking for good pasture, looking for good water. 425 00:41:35,240 --> 00:41:37,600 Good pasture was scarce. Good water was limited. 426 00:41:37,800 --> 00:41:39,360 They had to keep watch constantly. 427 00:41:39,360 --> 00:41:41,480 They had to redirect sheep constantly. 428 00:41:41,480 --> 00:41:43,320 If you have sheep, they do their own thing. 429 00:41:43,880 --> 00:41:45,840 I can relate to that. Redirect them from cliffs 430 00:41:45,840 --> 00:41:48,880 instead of cliffs. It's a oil well so that Clyde 431 00:41:48,880 --> 00:41:50,200 doesn't get caught in the oil well. 432 00:41:50,200 --> 00:41:51,760 Redirect them. They're always trying to get 433 00:41:51,760 --> 00:41:54,760 themselves harmed and they lifted lambs onto their 434 00:41:54,760 --> 00:41:56,160 shoulders when they were exhausted. 435 00:41:56,760 --> 00:41:59,160 These were these were these were men that knew their work. 436 00:41:59,320 --> 00:42:02,400 Their work was hard and they carried after their sheep and 437 00:42:02,400 --> 00:42:05,400 they did it diligently. They carried simple tools that 438 00:42:05,400 --> 00:42:07,840 carried Staffs for their support on their long walks. 439 00:42:08,120 --> 00:42:10,480 They carried rods for protections and slings for 440 00:42:10,480 --> 00:42:15,080 weapon, weapons for predators. Bottom line, this was a lonely 441 00:42:15,080 --> 00:42:17,240 job. So it was a repetitive job. 442 00:42:17,720 --> 00:42:20,560 This was a job that was exhausting and it was a job done 443 00:42:20,560 --> 00:42:22,680 in quiet. Does this sound familiar? 444 00:42:22,680 --> 00:42:24,360 Does this sound like anything that we can relate to? 445 00:42:25,040 --> 00:42:27,040 These were the people that God revealed himself to. 446 00:42:27,600 --> 00:42:30,240 Shepherds were considered ceremonially unclean. 447 00:42:30,320 --> 00:42:31,640 They couldn't attend temple worship. 448 00:42:33,200 --> 00:42:35,160 They were always around dirty animals, right? 449 00:42:35,440 --> 00:42:37,680 They couldn't go because of their work in contact with their 450 00:42:37,680 --> 00:42:39,880 sheep. They were distrusted in courts. 451 00:42:39,880 --> 00:42:43,120 They were considered unreliable in testimony, and socially they 452 00:42:43,120 --> 00:42:46,280 were invisible. These were the kind of people 453 00:42:46,280 --> 00:42:49,760 that God chose to meet Jesus at sunset. 454 00:42:49,760 --> 00:42:52,160 Shepherds would gather the flock, counting again, making 455 00:42:52,160 --> 00:42:54,560 sure they didn't lose or kill any their had to do their due 456 00:42:54,560 --> 00:42:56,600 diligence. Sheep were placed in the sheep, 457 00:42:56,600 --> 00:42:59,520 a stone sheepfold 1 opening. There's a lot of skill in this 458 00:42:59,520 --> 00:43:02,440 job and they would lay across that one entrance, literally 459 00:43:02,440 --> 00:43:05,240 becoming the door of who could come and see the sheep. 460 00:43:05,240 --> 00:43:07,240 If you were going to go to the sheep, you had to go through or 461 00:43:07,240 --> 00:43:10,240 go over the shepherd. They stayed awakened shifts. 462 00:43:10,640 --> 00:43:12,200 They washed underneath the stars. 463 00:43:12,880 --> 00:43:16,120 And it was during this exact routine, in this exact context 464 00:43:16,120 --> 00:43:19,000 that we find our story picking up in the middle of ordinary, 465 00:43:19,000 --> 00:43:22,000 exhausting, unnoticed work. Heaven broke in with angels 466 00:43:22,000 --> 00:43:24,560 announcing Jesus birth. This is important. 467 00:43:24,560 --> 00:43:27,080 Don't miss this. God did not interrupt comfort. 468 00:43:27,320 --> 00:43:29,120 He did not interrupt people sleeping in. 469 00:43:29,120 --> 00:43:32,560 He did not interrupt people playing on their Xbox, whatever. 470 00:43:32,760 --> 00:43:36,880 He interrupted faithfulness and He met them where they were like 471 00:43:36,880 --> 00:43:40,760 He meets us where we are in the middle of a mundane normal like 472 00:43:40,760 --> 00:43:43,560 any other night. God didn't choose the powerful. 473 00:43:43,920 --> 00:43:45,960 He chose the present to reveal His Son to. 474 00:43:46,680 --> 00:43:49,320 That's powerful. Worship begins in availability. 475 00:43:51,040 --> 00:43:53,640 Something powerful to say that God sees our faithfulness and 476 00:43:53,640 --> 00:43:57,280 even the lowest of war of roles. He didn't choose the shepherds 477 00:43:57,280 --> 00:43:59,920 because of where they were or who they were in society. 478 00:43:59,920 --> 00:44:03,080 He chose the shepherds because of the fact that they were there 479 00:44:03,160 --> 00:44:05,080 and they were present and how they were going to handle the 480 00:44:05,080 --> 00:44:06,480 good news. Luke 2A. 481 00:44:06,560 --> 00:44:09,320 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, 482 00:44:09,640 --> 00:44:12,960 keeping over their what? Their flocks at night. 483 00:44:13,520 --> 00:44:15,120 So these were shepherds outside of Bethlehem. 484 00:44:15,440 --> 00:44:17,120 There's something interesting and there's something special 485 00:44:17,120 --> 00:44:19,880 about the Bethlehem shepherds. What they were most likely 486 00:44:19,880 --> 00:44:21,800 guarding. We're not just any normal lambs. 487 00:44:22,200 --> 00:44:25,480 They were probably guarding sacrificial lambs, lambs that 488 00:44:25,480 --> 00:44:28,360 would be used in temple sacrifices, lambs like what we 489 00:44:28,360 --> 00:44:32,720 would see happen in the Passover in Exodus 12 to avert the ghosts 490 00:44:32,720 --> 00:44:35,640 or the lambs that you would see in daily temple sacrifices. 491 00:44:36,000 --> 00:44:39,760 And ultimately, this was the foreshadowing of the lamb, the 492 00:44:39,760 --> 00:44:42,120 sacrificial lamb that was led without protest, right? 493 00:44:42,640 --> 00:44:45,600 There's something powerful in these keepers of sacrificial 494 00:44:45,600 --> 00:44:49,400 lambs being the first to meet the sacrificial lamb, the 495 00:44:49,400 --> 00:44:54,400 ultimate sacrificial lamb. John 129 says, look, the Lamb of 496 00:44:54,400 --> 00:44:57,320 God who takes away the sin of the world, How does he take away 497 00:44:57,320 --> 00:44:59,840 the sin of the world? Hebrew shows in that. 498 00:44:59,880 --> 00:45:03,480 And by that will we have been made holy through the sacrifice 499 00:45:03,640 --> 00:45:06,200 of the body of Jesus Christ. How long? 500 00:45:07,360 --> 00:45:09,600 Once and for all. So you have to keep doing good 501 00:45:09,600 --> 00:45:11,120 works to maintain the sacrifice, right? 502 00:45:11,760 --> 00:45:13,440 This is something that you can lose, right? 503 00:45:13,440 --> 00:45:16,200 With something, go away. No, this is a promise I've been 504 00:45:16,200 --> 00:45:18,000 given to us for the rest of time. 505 00:45:18,160 --> 00:45:20,880 Once the good news comes upon you, it will never leave. 506 00:45:21,600 --> 00:45:23,680 The good news is with you for the rest of your life. 507 00:45:24,320 --> 00:45:28,200 Verse 9 says as we continue an Angel of the Lord appeared to 508 00:45:28,200 --> 00:45:30,800 them and the glory of the Lord shown around them and they were 509 00:45:30,800 --> 00:45:34,160 what they were terrified. Understandable. 510 00:45:34,160 --> 00:45:37,400 Probably huge flashing light as we're going to see an army of 511 00:45:37,400 --> 00:45:40,080 angels overtaking the light. This isn't this isn't like I 512 00:45:40,080 --> 00:45:42,040 said, this is happening in the middle of their work shift 513 00:45:42,440 --> 00:45:45,720 little bit jarring, but the Angel said to them do not be 514 00:45:45,720 --> 00:45:49,360 afraid. I bring you what good news. 515 00:45:49,360 --> 00:45:52,920 We're going to come back to that and that will cause great joy 516 00:45:53,200 --> 00:45:55,920 for all people as I was getting ready for this message. 517 00:45:55,920 --> 00:45:59,000 Good news in the Greek, and I'm going to butcher this again you 518 00:45:59,000 --> 00:46:02,120 Angelion is the actual Greek for good news. 519 00:46:02,120 --> 00:46:04,560 And what that means is a few things, but it actually means 520 00:46:04,560 --> 00:46:06,840 gospel. What the angels gave to the 521 00:46:06,840 --> 00:46:11,320 shepherds were the was the gospel, the gospel that God 522 00:46:11,320 --> 00:46:15,520 loved them that God sent his son to to come and as a baby and 523 00:46:15,520 --> 00:46:17,920 eventually die on the cross for their sins and that that gave 524 00:46:17,920 --> 00:46:20,480 them great joy. That should give us great joy, 525 00:46:20,680 --> 00:46:22,400 right? That is the that is the foothold 526 00:46:22,400 --> 00:46:26,360 of joy in this season is the gospel the good news, you and 527 00:46:26,360 --> 00:46:32,040 gallion Luke 211 today in the town of David, a savior has been 528 00:46:32,040 --> 00:46:33,440 born to you. He is the Messiah. 529 00:46:33,600 --> 00:46:35,160 He's the Lord and this will be assigned to you. 530 00:46:35,400 --> 00:46:38,360 You will find a baby wrapped in claws and lying in a Manger. 531 00:46:38,960 --> 00:46:41,520 It's very powerful. This is reminiscent of promises 532 00:46:41,520 --> 00:46:44,560 made to Israel over the all over the Old Testament and know that 533 00:46:44,600 --> 00:46:46,640 Jesus wasn't only born in a stable. 534 00:46:46,960 --> 00:46:50,520 He was born in a promise. He was the fulfillment of that 535 00:46:50,520 --> 00:46:52,800 what was said to come. He was born in the town of 536 00:46:52,800 --> 00:46:54,760 David. Bethlehem is King David's 537 00:46:54,760 --> 00:46:56,560 hometown. He was born in the midst of the 538 00:46:56,560 --> 00:46:59,520 Roman sentence. Romans census in the ancestors 539 00:46:59,520 --> 00:47:02,560 hometown during a Pagan decree to fulfill the prophecy. 540 00:47:02,880 --> 00:47:07,440 Jesus found the shepherd's found Jesus as it was said to them not 541 00:47:07,440 --> 00:47:09,440 only then, but it also as it was said to the world. 542 00:47:10,120 --> 00:47:12,880 This wasn't just a shepherd's in waiting, this was a world in 543 00:47:12,880 --> 00:47:16,840 waiting for their Messiah. And it happened and it fulfilled 544 00:47:16,840 --> 00:47:18,920 every single detail that the world was waiting on. 545 00:47:19,400 --> 00:47:22,680 Know that God can do everything. Know that every detail will be 546 00:47:22,680 --> 00:47:25,080 fulfilled. Know that every obstacle will be 547 00:47:25,080 --> 00:47:26,800 overcome. There's no power that will stand 548 00:47:26,800 --> 00:47:29,000 in His path. The king of this time was King 549 00:47:29,000 --> 00:47:31,880 Herod, appointed by Augustus, the most powerful and the first 550 00:47:31,880 --> 00:47:33,680 emperor that Roman had ever seen. 551 00:47:33,920 --> 00:47:37,480 There is nothing that would stand in the way of Jesus coming 552 00:47:37,640 --> 00:47:39,760 to die on the cross for all of our sins. 553 00:47:40,000 --> 00:47:42,440 His word stands final, and it came to pass. 554 00:47:43,160 --> 00:47:45,680 And that's humbling, right? Everything we're talking about 555 00:47:45,680 --> 00:47:47,560 so far, it puts it into perspective. 556 00:47:47,960 --> 00:47:51,200 The King of kings, creator of everything you've ever known, 557 00:47:51,640 --> 00:47:53,600 everybody you've ever seen, anything you've ever 558 00:47:53,600 --> 00:47:58,360 experienced, that God, that king took on our humility. 559 00:47:58,440 --> 00:48:02,120 He was born and he was placed in a feeding through where he was 560 00:48:02,120 --> 00:48:05,800 revealed to shepherds. Is that humility an accident? 561 00:48:06,680 --> 00:48:09,360 Probably not. We serve a God that is a God of 562 00:48:09,360 --> 00:48:11,440 humility. It is not an accident that the 563 00:48:11,440 --> 00:48:14,080 end was full. All of this unfolded exactly as 564 00:48:14,080 --> 00:48:16,160 he wanted. And even though the root of the 565 00:48:16,160 --> 00:48:19,400 world had no room for Jesus, even though the inn was out of 566 00:48:19,400 --> 00:48:21,840 space for Jesus, Jesus always has room for us, right? 567 00:48:22,240 --> 00:48:25,600 He wasn't above a Manger. He loved us enough to enter the 568 00:48:25,600 --> 00:48:28,680 world like an animal. It reminds me of Philippians 27, 569 00:48:28,680 --> 00:48:31,840 not that it's on the screen. The Philippians 27 says that God 570 00:48:31,880 --> 00:48:35,560 emptied himself from us. He emptied himself for our sake. 571 00:48:35,760 --> 00:48:37,480 And I don't remember, it's either Acts or Second 572 00:48:37,480 --> 00:48:39,280 Corinthians. Don't quote me ever. 573 00:48:40,760 --> 00:48:43,680 It says that God took on our poverty so that we might partake 574 00:48:43,680 --> 00:48:46,560 in his riches. He entered the world as an 575 00:48:46,560 --> 00:48:49,600 animal for our sake. And this is a good reminder. 576 00:48:50,040 --> 00:48:51,840 You don't have to climb up to God. 577 00:48:52,480 --> 00:48:55,040 And even more than that, you can't climb to God. 578 00:48:55,280 --> 00:48:57,640 There's nothing you can do. There's nothing I can do to earn 579 00:48:57,640 --> 00:48:59,720 God. But luckily for us, the God we 580 00:48:59,720 --> 00:49:02,600 serve came down to us. God came down to you. 581 00:49:03,360 --> 00:49:07,040 Luke 213 Suddenly a great company of heavenly hosts 582 00:49:07,040 --> 00:49:10,560 appeared with the Angel praising God and saying glory to God in 583 00:49:10,560 --> 00:49:15,680 the highest heaven and on earth. Peace to them with peace to 584 00:49:15,680 --> 00:49:17,280 those on whom his favorite rests. 585 00:49:17,800 --> 00:49:20,560 That great company. That's a lot more than just like 586 00:49:20,560 --> 00:49:22,720 what you're seeing on like a Hallmark cartoon. 587 00:49:22,760 --> 00:49:25,480 I don't watch a lot TV on Netflix, wherever you might see 588 00:49:25,480 --> 00:49:28,120 a cartoon of angels in the sky. It's a lot more than that. 589 00:49:28,120 --> 00:49:30,720 It's an it's an army. It's not some precious moment. 590 00:49:30,880 --> 00:49:33,760 It is heaven shouting out glory to God. 591 00:49:34,000 --> 00:49:37,560 It is an army in rank with weapons that have come to push 592 00:49:37,560 --> 00:49:41,680 back the darkness. The beginning of John, John 15, 593 00:49:41,680 --> 00:49:44,920 says that Jesus came to fight the darkness, to overcome the 594 00:49:44,920 --> 00:49:47,600 darkness, and the darkness would never overcome him. 595 00:49:47,880 --> 00:49:52,240 The angels came to announce that that darkness was here to be 596 00:49:52,240 --> 00:49:54,240 vanquished. With the darkness vanquisher 597 00:49:54,520 --> 00:49:57,280 Jesus, the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has 598 00:49:57,280 --> 00:50:00,040 not overcome it. And that is the heartbeat of why 599 00:50:00,040 --> 00:50:02,440 we're here to worship, right? Because Jesus came. 600 00:50:02,640 --> 00:50:04,280 And this isn't a battle that's ongoing. 601 00:50:04,280 --> 00:50:06,960 It's a battle that's won Luke 215. 602 00:50:06,960 --> 00:50:09,400 And the angels had left them and gone into heaven. 603 00:50:09,400 --> 00:50:12,760 The shepherd said to one another, let's go to Bethlehem 604 00:50:12,800 --> 00:50:15,960 and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has told 605 00:50:15,960 --> 00:50:19,720 us about. So they what they meandered, 606 00:50:20,760 --> 00:50:24,400 they took a couple weeks, they waited until their work vacation 607 00:50:24,400 --> 00:50:26,160 was over. They waited until they got their 608 00:50:26,160 --> 00:50:28,080 house chores done. They put it off. 609 00:50:28,680 --> 00:50:30,600 No, no, they had, they had urgency. 610 00:50:30,720 --> 00:50:34,240 They hurried off and they found Mary and Joseph and the baby who 611 00:50:34,240 --> 00:50:37,960 was lying in a Manger. When God speaks, the right 612 00:50:37,960 --> 00:50:40,680 response, and I'm talking to myself when you guys here is not 613 00:50:40,680 --> 00:50:44,560 delay, it's urgency. It's this, it's this, put your 614 00:50:44,560 --> 00:50:46,280 foot on the gas and get after it. 615 00:50:46,440 --> 00:50:50,360 It's movement, it's obedience, it's submission, it's urgency. 616 00:50:50,760 --> 00:50:54,560 I joked about it earlier about how I'm a Scrooge and I was half 617 00:50:54,560 --> 00:50:55,800 joking. It's not it's not false. 618 00:50:55,800 --> 00:50:58,760 I am a Scrooge during this time of the season, but what kind of 619 00:50:58,760 --> 00:51:01,640 came on to me as I was getting ready for this message is God 620 00:51:01,640 --> 00:51:04,960 help me if I can be a Scrooge during the season where we 621 00:51:05,240 --> 00:51:07,800 exclusively talk about the story of Jesus coming to earth. 622 00:51:08,480 --> 00:51:10,760 God help me if I can be lukewarm during that season. 623 00:51:11,080 --> 00:51:13,280 And for for those of you in here that are like me, I was saved 624 00:51:13,280 --> 00:51:15,040 when I was 5. I'm 23 now. 625 00:51:15,040 --> 00:51:16,600 So it's 18 years of being a Christian. 626 00:51:16,880 --> 00:51:19,720 I I hate to say, but I have to be honest in saying that I can 627 00:51:19,720 --> 00:51:22,320 get a little bit normal to this story. 628 00:51:23,040 --> 00:51:27,320 I can let it, this story become a thing of just facts and habit 629 00:51:27,320 --> 00:51:29,560 to me. But we should be overcome by joy 630 00:51:29,840 --> 00:51:32,640 every single day, because every single day we should ponder the 631 00:51:32,640 --> 00:51:36,640 fact that God came to earth for our sake, that God came in a 632 00:51:36,640 --> 00:51:39,120 feeding trial for you and he came in the feeding trial for 633 00:51:39,120 --> 00:51:41,280 me. We should be overcome by joy 634 00:51:41,280 --> 00:51:42,760 with that. It should be impossible to be a 635 00:51:42,760 --> 00:51:46,920 Scrooge in this season. Luke 217 When they had seen him 636 00:51:46,920 --> 00:51:51,480 being Jesus, they what? They spread the word concerning 637 00:51:51,480 --> 00:51:54,080 what had been told to them about this child. 638 00:51:54,520 --> 00:51:56,360 They moved through their village, they moved through 639 00:51:56,360 --> 00:51:59,280 homes, they moved through synagogues, and all who heard it 640 00:51:59,280 --> 00:52:02,440 were what they were amazed at what the shepherds had said to 641 00:52:02,440 --> 00:52:04,160 them. Don't miss that the shepherds 642 00:52:04,160 --> 00:52:08,160 were the very first evangelists. The first people to see Jesus 643 00:52:08,200 --> 00:52:10,360 were also the first people to tell about Jesus. 644 00:52:10,960 --> 00:52:13,840 The most selfish thing we can do is let the gospel stop at our 645 00:52:13,840 --> 00:52:15,560 doorstep. And the shepherds were unwilling 646 00:52:15,560 --> 00:52:18,200 to do that. The shepherds had no platform. 647 00:52:18,520 --> 00:52:21,720 They had no education, no authority, no no strategy. 648 00:52:21,880 --> 00:52:23,720 They, they, they were considered unreliable. 649 00:52:23,720 --> 00:52:25,120 They were of low social standing. 650 00:52:25,320 --> 00:52:28,960 And yet they had an encounter and they met God and that 651 00:52:28,960 --> 00:52:31,960 overcame every possible obstacle to telling other people about 652 00:52:31,960 --> 00:52:34,480 God. God chose people that their 653 00:52:34,480 --> 00:52:37,520 culture ignored in order to carry the good news that would 654 00:52:37,520 --> 00:52:39,720 change the world. Don't miss that. 655 00:52:39,720 --> 00:52:43,280 Even though the worship begins with your availability, worship 656 00:52:43,280 --> 00:52:46,800 is carried by your posture and it is carried by your witness. 657 00:52:47,520 --> 00:52:50,120 If you let the good news stop at your door, Is it really good 658 00:52:50,120 --> 00:52:51,680 news? If you don't have a heart on 659 00:52:51,680 --> 00:52:54,360 fire to tell everybody else about what God has done in your 660 00:52:54,360 --> 00:52:56,280 life and how God has changed your life? 661 00:52:56,480 --> 00:52:59,960 Has He really changed your life? The gospel spreads through 662 00:52:59,960 --> 00:53:03,080 ordinary people like the shepherds and like you and like 663 00:53:03,080 --> 00:53:07,720 me who have seen Jesus, not experts that have everything 664 00:53:07,720 --> 00:53:10,040 figured out. They have every theological 665 00:53:10,400 --> 00:53:13,160 stance taken, solidified, and they could argue for 50 minutes. 666 00:53:13,440 --> 00:53:15,720 You don't have to have all the answers, you just have to have a 667 00:53:15,720 --> 00:53:19,600 heart for Jesus. All who heard the shepherd's 668 00:53:19,600 --> 00:53:23,120 words were amazed. And that amazement isn't 669 00:53:23,120 --> 00:53:26,280 necessarily belief. But what that amazement was is 670 00:53:26,280 --> 00:53:28,960 it created space for faith to take hold. 671 00:53:29,600 --> 00:53:31,520 It created a space when the shepherd's go out, they told her 672 00:53:31,520 --> 00:53:34,080 friends, they tell your families, and maybe it created a 673 00:53:34,080 --> 00:53:35,880 moment. Maybe it gave those people 674 00:53:35,880 --> 00:53:37,040 comfort. Maybe. 675 00:53:37,040 --> 00:53:39,000 Maybe it created a story. Maybe it told those people for 676 00:53:39,000 --> 00:53:40,360 the first time that they were loved. 677 00:53:40,360 --> 00:53:42,720 Maybe it told them for the first time they were cared for. 678 00:53:42,880 --> 00:53:45,640 Maybe it sparked a conversation. Maybe it gave an act of 679 00:53:45,640 --> 00:53:48,080 generosity. The amazement and the shepherd's 680 00:53:48,080 --> 00:53:51,920 words created space for God to move in the lives of others. 681 00:53:52,600 --> 00:53:55,080 That thought you have the first time you hear the gospel, the 682 00:53:55,080 --> 00:53:57,440 thought that I can't stop thinking about this news. 683 00:53:57,680 --> 00:54:01,040 I can't get over this. That is where God is moving the 684 00:54:01,040 --> 00:54:03,440 most. If there's anything you don't 685 00:54:03,440 --> 00:54:07,120 miss, don't miss this. The gospel didn't move and it 686 00:54:07,120 --> 00:54:09,520 has not found its way to you right now, right here, right 687 00:54:09,520 --> 00:54:11,240 today, because it's a good story. 688 00:54:11,560 --> 00:54:13,960 It's the best story, but there's a lot of good stories. 689 00:54:14,440 --> 00:54:18,520 The gospel moved and it traveled over 2000 years from person to 690 00:54:18,520 --> 00:54:20,280 person. Now to you, because it moved 691 00:54:20,680 --> 00:54:24,520 personally because the shepherd's told somebody, who 692 00:54:24,520 --> 00:54:27,480 then told somebody and it's a snowball effect that led to 693 00:54:27,480 --> 00:54:31,440 somebody caring about you enough to tell you about the Jesus that 694 00:54:31,440 --> 00:54:33,600 saved their life and changed their lives forever. 695 00:54:34,120 --> 00:54:35,760 The gospel moved because it was personal. 696 00:54:35,760 --> 00:54:39,320 And my question for you all as we get ready to wrap up is how 697 00:54:39,320 --> 00:54:40,600 are you going to make it personal? 698 00:54:41,200 --> 00:54:44,400 Are you going to let the gospel stop at your doorstep or are you 699 00:54:44,400 --> 00:54:46,640 going to tell about the good news that you've heard and that 700 00:54:46,640 --> 00:54:49,680 has changed your life? Who are you going to tell about 701 00:54:49,960 --> 00:54:51,680 Jesus? Are you going to make it 702 00:54:51,680 --> 00:54:53,720 personal? And how far will you carry it if 703 00:54:53,720 --> 00:54:55,960 you all would bow your heads, close your eyes? 704 00:54:57,240 --> 00:54:59,600 And there's a lot of people in here that are like me, you know 705 00:54:59,600 --> 00:55:01,600 Jesus. But if you're like me, you 706 00:55:01,600 --> 00:55:03,480 aren't doing enough in your evangelism. 707 00:55:03,880 --> 00:55:06,560 The good news has been given to you and it has radically changed 708 00:55:06,560 --> 00:55:08,440 your life. And you just haven't told enough 709 00:55:08,440 --> 00:55:11,000 people about it. If if you're like me, and that 710 00:55:11,000 --> 00:55:13,680 is you, and you need to do better in evangelism, you need 711 00:55:13,680 --> 00:55:16,520 more fire, more urgency and evangelism, would you raise your 712 00:55:16,520 --> 00:55:20,600 hand if I'm describing you, if you're relating to me like God, 713 00:55:20,600 --> 00:55:22,480 you are so good. And I just need to tell more 714 00:55:22,480 --> 00:55:24,320 people about it. I don't tell enough people. 715 00:55:24,480 --> 00:55:26,360 I'm being selfish for keeping it to myself. 716 00:55:27,200 --> 00:55:29,960 John 435 says that the fields are white for harvest and the 717 00:55:29,960 --> 00:55:32,880 hands are few. I invite you to get your hands 718 00:55:32,880 --> 00:55:35,120 dirty. I invite you to join me in 719 00:55:35,120 --> 00:55:37,720 telling about God to whoever will listen. 720 00:55:37,920 --> 00:55:40,680 Your, your friends, your your neighbor, that family member 721 00:55:40,680 --> 00:55:43,480 that doesn't know God, that coworker that has been 722 00:55:43,480 --> 00:55:46,120 struggling with loss. Anybody that needs the good 723 00:55:46,120 --> 00:55:49,120 news, I invite you to jump in and share with me. 724 00:55:49,560 --> 00:55:51,760 So God, you're good. Thank you for the ability to 725 00:55:51,760 --> 00:55:54,840 share your word. Give us urgency and give us 726 00:55:54,840 --> 00:55:58,560 wisdom as we share your Word. Make us like the shepherds. 727 00:55:59,040 --> 00:56:02,600 Don't let the gospel stop at our door with every head still bowed 728 00:56:02,600 --> 00:56:06,400 and every eyes still closed. I get the feeling there's 729 00:56:06,400 --> 00:56:08,720 another group of people in here that relate to the shepherds, 730 00:56:08,960 --> 00:56:10,920 but they relate to the shepherds for a different reason. 731 00:56:11,400 --> 00:56:14,520 There's somebody in here that does not know God that came in 732 00:56:14,520 --> 00:56:17,320 and they're shackled down by whatever sin has been has been 733 00:56:17,320 --> 00:56:18,920 banging on them. Maybe there's loss in their 734 00:56:18,920 --> 00:56:20,560 lives. Maybe there's circumstances that 735 00:56:20,560 --> 00:56:23,280 they can't just get over. Maybe you're in here and you 736 00:56:23,280 --> 00:56:25,480 don't know God, but like the shepherds, you have been 737 00:56:25,480 --> 00:56:28,840 interrupted by the good news. Maybe like the shepherds, you 738 00:56:28,840 --> 00:56:31,280 have heard that there's a creator of this universe that 739 00:56:31,280 --> 00:56:36,320 loves you enough to take on your flesh, to join you in Earth in a 740 00:56:36,320 --> 00:56:40,400 Manger for your sake, to live a blameless life, to die on the 741 00:56:40,400 --> 00:56:42,800 cross, to pay a debt you could never cover. 742 00:56:43,200 --> 00:56:45,800 If that's you and you don't know God, but you want to know God, 743 00:56:45,800 --> 00:56:49,840 would you raise your hand? If that's you in here and you're 744 00:56:49,840 --> 00:56:52,280 just now for the first time hearing the good news and you 745 00:56:52,280 --> 00:56:54,440 want to start a personal relationship with God, would you 746 00:56:54,440 --> 00:56:57,200 look up at me? Thank God you're good. 747 00:56:57,200 --> 00:56:59,440 You know the hands, you know the hearts. 748 00:57:00,960 --> 00:57:03,480 We are just floored to be in front of you today. 749 00:57:03,560 --> 00:57:06,400 And if that is you, you feel feel free to pray this prayer 750 00:57:06,400 --> 00:57:08,920 after me. God, I am a Sinner in need of a 751 00:57:08,920 --> 00:57:11,560 savior. I believe that Jesus came to 752 00:57:11,560 --> 00:57:16,160 earth in humility, put on my poverty and died for my sake. 753 00:57:16,480 --> 00:57:19,400 I believe that Jesus did that. I repent of my sins and I fall 754 00:57:19,400 --> 00:57:21,960 down at your feet. Yours entirely. 755 00:57:22,280 --> 00:57:25,560 Jesus, name a man and give it up for anybody that made that 756 00:57:25,560 --> 00:57:27,760 decision. Thank you so much for the 757 00:57:27,760 --> 00:57:30,640 opportunity to come up and, and, and just tell you guys what's on 758 00:57:30,640 --> 00:57:32,960 my heart. I hope that you guys leave here 759 00:57:32,960 --> 00:57:36,360 with a heart of worship today. And I just appreciate you guys 760 00:57:36,360 --> 00:57:39,360 and I invite you all to end your Christmas season in worship. 761 00:57:46,690 --> 00:57:48,810 Gear up for the bald and the beautiful over here. 762 00:57:52,090 --> 00:57:57,330 Not bad for a partial Scrooge. First of all, I'll say I love 763 00:57:57,330 --> 00:57:58,970 you guys. Man, that was that message. 764 00:57:58,970 --> 00:58:01,880 Good. Just a reminder to hurry off, 765 00:58:01,880 --> 00:58:04,000 right? It's so easy to just kind of 766 00:58:04,000 --> 00:58:07,400 hurry to the next thing and shop and plan and cook and all the 767 00:58:07,400 --> 00:58:09,960 things, but to hurry off with the gospel. 768 00:58:10,480 --> 00:58:13,600 And when you mentioned this heavenly host coming down, it 769 00:58:13,600 --> 00:58:16,360 wasn't just angels. The word, therefore host 770 00:58:16,360 --> 00:58:19,440 actually means armies. So you'd imagine these shepherds 771 00:58:19,440 --> 00:58:20,920 sitting there and the armies come. 772 00:58:21,680 --> 00:58:27,960 The warrior angels show up full garb, singing and praising, 773 00:58:27,960 --> 00:58:30,960 rejoicing for Jesus that the King has arrived. 774 00:58:31,840 --> 00:58:35,600 That puts a different fire in your bones to realize who Jesus 775 00:58:35,600 --> 00:58:38,160 really is. That the armies of the whole 776 00:58:38,160 --> 00:58:42,320 heavenly host paused what they're doing to give glory, to 777 00:58:42,320 --> 00:58:45,880 follow their king to earth. It's amazing because those same 778 00:58:45,880 --> 00:58:49,520 angels still look over the edge of heaven and curiously wonder 779 00:58:49,520 --> 00:58:54,120 what God is doing in US. Pretty cool. 780 00:58:54,960 --> 00:58:56,440 And we could play a part of the story. 781 00:58:56,960 --> 00:59:00,600 And for some of you today, like you took a real personal, like 782 00:59:00,600 --> 00:59:03,280 you recognized who Jesus is for the very first time. 783 00:59:03,800 --> 00:59:06,080 It's so significant. You never get past that. 784 00:59:06,680 --> 00:59:08,600 Never get past. Oh, thank you, Jesus, that you 785 00:59:08,600 --> 00:59:11,880 came to earth for me, that you lowered yourself and made 786 00:59:11,880 --> 00:59:15,520 yourself nothing so that I can become a child of God. 787 00:59:16,200 --> 00:59:18,800 So I'd encourage you in this season, let's go and tell, Amen. 788 00:59:19,840 --> 00:59:22,200 We've all these conversations with our families and friends 789 00:59:22,200 --> 00:59:25,200 and people that we've known see, and people are busy and they're 790 00:59:25,200 --> 00:59:26,600 out there. There's so much stress in the 791 00:59:26,600 --> 00:59:28,480 season. You see the joy, but there's 792 00:59:28,480 --> 00:59:31,600 chaos right in the Spirit of God, in the presence of God, 793 00:59:31,880 --> 00:59:34,000 just an encounter of Jesus breakthrough all that chaos. 794 00:59:34,000 --> 00:59:36,280 And if we know Jesus, let's not forget the reason for the 795 00:59:36,280 --> 00:59:38,760 season, Amen. I'll encourage you guys if you 796 00:59:38,760 --> 00:59:41,200 made a step today where you took a personal for Christ, like you 797 00:59:41,200 --> 00:59:44,040 accepted Jesus, like you recognize the stories and some 798 00:59:44,040 --> 00:59:46,320 made-up book. It's not just a good story, it's 799 00:59:46,320 --> 00:59:49,240 the story. It means passed down personally 800 00:59:49,600 --> 00:59:52,240 and today it moved from one person to another and it came to 801 00:59:52,240 --> 00:59:54,000 you, to your address, to your heart. 802 00:59:54,240 --> 00:59:56,920 I would encourage you guys to let us know on the connection 803 00:59:56,920 --> 00:59:59,920 card just to indicate, hey, I stepped to Jesus because you 804 00:59:59,920 --> 01:00:03,560 stepped into a new world like all of heaven invaded your heart 805 01:00:03,560 --> 01:00:06,400 today, like you're changed from inside out with helping on that 806 01:00:06,400 --> 01:00:08,280 journey. It's easy to just to show up to 807 01:00:08,280 --> 01:00:10,040 church. It's not about going to church, 808 01:00:10,560 --> 01:00:13,520 it's about encountering Jesus. It's so unnatural. 809 01:00:13,520 --> 01:00:14,720 You need help to do it. Amen. 810 01:00:15,480 --> 01:00:17,720 None of us are self-made and would help on that journey. 811 01:00:17,720 --> 01:00:19,680 So if you indicate we're going to follow up with you, we have 812 01:00:19,680 --> 01:00:21,240 people that are helping coach you. 813 01:00:21,720 --> 01:00:23,880 If you need a relationship, we want to put your relationship 814 01:00:23,880 --> 01:00:25,160 and to help you. What? 815 01:00:25,160 --> 01:00:26,760 What is the walk of Jesus? First steps? 816 01:00:27,400 --> 01:00:28,800 What who is Jesus? What decision I make? 817 01:00:28,800 --> 01:00:30,000 What's the Holy Spirit do in my life? 818 01:00:30,280 --> 01:00:32,400 What should be doing next? What is next steps and have a 819 01:00:32,400 --> 01:00:36,480 friend on mission together and just walk towards Jesus and so 820 01:00:36,480 --> 01:00:38,400 that's significant. We have a Bible on the way out 821 01:00:38,400 --> 01:00:40,200 for you. If you have a Bible, but please 822 01:00:40,200 --> 01:00:42,920 indicate it's just the the best next step for you. 823 01:00:42,920 --> 01:00:46,760 So a couple things we want to do before we jump in to I got all 824 01:00:46,760 --> 01:00:48,360 sorts of fun stuff we're going to talk through today. 825 01:00:48,560 --> 01:00:50,640 First of all, if you're new with us today maybe came you saw the 826 01:00:50,640 --> 01:00:53,640 kids go crazy on stage doing their thing. 827 01:00:53,640 --> 01:00:55,840 We love you. We want to invite you back for 828 01:00:55,840 --> 01:00:58,720 Christmas Eve invite you back next Sunday as well to be part 829 01:00:58,720 --> 01:01:01,200 real life is doing so can you give it up for all based new 830 01:01:01,200 --> 01:01:02,240 today. Let them know we love them the 831 01:01:02,240 --> 01:01:04,960 day. It's significant. 832 01:01:05,600 --> 01:01:08,760 Thank you guys who invited? It's fun watching the kids. 833 01:01:09,280 --> 01:01:10,960 Nothing crazy happened. Amen. 834 01:01:11,760 --> 01:01:13,400 But it's also kind of fun stories, right? 835 01:01:13,400 --> 01:01:15,400 The kid that dove off the stage and all the fun stuff. 836 01:01:17,040 --> 01:01:19,280 I want to encourage you guys. So last week we did our 837 01:01:19,280 --> 01:01:21,280 celebration. Sunday, we're wrapping up a 838 01:01:21,280 --> 01:01:22,800 difference maker. We had a number. 839 01:01:22,800 --> 01:01:23,800 We'll put the number on the screen. 840 01:01:23,800 --> 01:01:27,200 This was the number that we started with at the beginning of 841 01:01:27,200 --> 01:01:30,400 the first gathering last week. There's some people that have 842 01:01:30,400 --> 01:01:33,320 turned in pledge cards since then, and I want to give you a 843 01:01:33,320 --> 01:01:36,040 new number of what God has done. So here's the new number. 844 01:01:36,040 --> 01:01:40,760 You guys ready for it? There you go, $1,905,000. 845 01:01:41,200 --> 01:01:45,760 Boom, confetti cannons, right? Became the second last week. 846 01:01:45,760 --> 01:01:47,280 They didn't really blow up on time. 847 01:01:47,280 --> 01:01:52,080 It was it was kind of awesome and awkward, but yeah, $1.9 848 01:01:52,440 --> 01:01:54,560 million, five thousand over. Amen. 849 01:01:55,160 --> 01:01:57,760 You know, we set this goal and it is a God sized goal. 850 01:01:57,840 --> 01:02:00,200 I've been telling people we thought we could this, if you 851 01:02:00,200 --> 01:02:02,760 don't know what this is, this is basically raising a million 852 01:02:02,760 --> 01:02:05,680 above and beyond. Our typical ministry fund would 853 01:02:05,680 --> 01:02:07,960 be 1.9 million. We set out like, hey, let's 854 01:02:07,960 --> 01:02:10,760 raise the extra million of the next couple years and say yes to 855 01:02:10,760 --> 01:02:13,920 an opportunity to move out of this space into a permanent 856 01:02:13,920 --> 01:02:16,800 home. And that $1,000,000 was a huge, 857 01:02:16,800 --> 01:02:20,720 huge, huge goal and God has done more than the million. 858 01:02:21,520 --> 01:02:25,640 Amen and this was was no location in like locked in or in 859 01:02:25,640 --> 01:02:29,120 mind like we have ideas, but I mean this is just like a dream 860 01:02:29,120 --> 01:02:31,440 on faith. And so we know that numbers just 861 01:02:31,440 --> 01:02:33,480 to keep going north and God gives us an opportunity to do 862 01:02:33,480 --> 01:02:34,800 this. And so I'll say thank you guys 863 01:02:35,040 --> 01:02:38,200 who played a part of the story. And I believe God does 864 01:02:38,200 --> 01:02:42,480 exceedingly more abundantly. You can ask or think Ephesians 865 01:02:42,480 --> 01:02:45,600 320 right And if you ask anybody on our team, like can you hit a 866 01:02:45,600 --> 01:02:50,280 million? We'll be like, yeah, full of 867 01:02:50,280 --> 01:02:53,720 faith and confidence, right? And I kept thinking like, Lord 868 01:02:54,560 --> 01:02:58,200 be bold and very courageous. And it was just, it was pushing 869 01:02:58,200 --> 01:03:02,440 uphill for me and my faith. And then God did it and he did 870 01:03:02,440 --> 01:03:03,840 it and he did it. And I don't think he's done 871 01:03:03,840 --> 01:03:05,680 doing it. Like I think that number is 872 01:03:05,680 --> 01:03:07,720 still going to go and still going to go. 873 01:03:07,720 --> 01:03:09,680 It's more than a number. It's just like, we'll look at 874 01:03:09,680 --> 01:03:10,840 the Lord can do through our church. 875 01:03:10,840 --> 01:03:13,520 And if you could do this, like, maybe I should dream a little 876 01:03:13,520 --> 01:03:15,720 bigger. Maybe she stepped out on bigger 877 01:03:15,720 --> 01:03:18,880 faith, maybe don't put God in the box, don't have self 878 01:03:18,880 --> 01:03:21,560 limiting belief of who what God he can do. 879 01:03:22,120 --> 01:03:24,880 And so I would just encourage you guys if, if you played a 880 01:03:24,880 --> 01:03:27,160 part of the story, thank you Jesus, Amen. 881 01:03:27,880 --> 01:03:30,080 If you're not played a part of the story, you can be part of 882 01:03:30,080 --> 01:03:33,240 the abundance above and beyond. Like you, we can be like, look 883 01:03:33,240 --> 01:03:35,120 what God even did. Now, now, now I'm humbled 884 01:03:35,120 --> 01:03:37,600 because my faith is too small, Amen. 885 01:03:37,600 --> 01:03:40,320 And I would encourage you guys that are giving to this and 886 01:03:40,320 --> 01:03:41,840 there's a little bit of confusion like how do we do 887 01:03:41,840 --> 01:03:43,560 this? When you give to the ministry 888 01:03:43,560 --> 01:03:46,600 fund, that's the same as a difference maker, it'll say on 889 01:03:46,600 --> 01:03:49,200 there, it's the first line. When you drop down menu, it'll 890 01:03:49,200 --> 01:03:51,680 say ministry fund slash difference maker. 891 01:03:51,800 --> 01:03:53,200 It's a one fund. What's that means? 892 01:03:53,200 --> 01:03:55,960 That money comes together for next two years and we basically 893 01:03:55,960 --> 01:03:57,640 locked our budget in next couple years. 894 01:03:57,640 --> 01:04:00,000 And that money above that goes directly towards our first 895 01:04:00,000 --> 01:04:01,880 parent space. I will show this next number. 896 01:04:01,880 --> 01:04:04,080 This is pretty cool. Silver since Sunday, since 897 01:04:04,080 --> 01:04:08,240 Sunday we raised well, they did it early, $170,000 towards our 898 01:04:08,240 --> 01:04:12,280 building already given, Amen. So give it for Jesus on that. 899 01:04:13,840 --> 01:04:17,640 That's like there like people sent stocks, people gave gifts, 900 01:04:17,640 --> 01:04:18,920 people stepped out. We had gold. 901 01:04:18,920 --> 01:04:21,440 Remember to talk about gold last week, somebody gave gold. 902 01:04:21,440 --> 01:04:22,640 We're like, what do we do with gold? 903 01:04:23,840 --> 01:04:25,280 I don't know. No one's ever giving me gold, 904 01:04:25,280 --> 01:04:27,320 right? It's like in kind gift block 905 01:04:27,320 --> 01:04:28,720 that bad boy and it's safe. Sell it. 906 01:04:28,720 --> 01:04:31,880 You know, like it's just amazing how God has stepped in and this 907 01:04:31,880 --> 01:04:34,560 is numerous people's giving, by the way, but I encourage you 908 01:04:34,560 --> 01:04:37,000 guys as we step in this season, like let's kick off this thing 909 01:04:37,000 --> 01:04:39,600 strong so that we can begin to move in a direction. 910 01:04:39,600 --> 01:04:41,720 Amen. You got a million pledge and 911 01:04:41,720 --> 01:04:44,080 some of us will give her time. Don't feel bad if it's like 912 01:04:44,080 --> 01:04:48,640 going to become in weird spaces like that'd be weekly, OK, But 913 01:04:48,640 --> 01:04:51,160 those you are giving that expansion will help us to be 914 01:04:51,160 --> 01:04:53,480 able to say yes to an opportunity even earlier. 915 01:04:53,760 --> 01:04:56,280 And so it's just amazing what God's doing through that. 916 01:04:56,280 --> 01:04:58,560 If you give regularly this big time to change to your 917 01:04:58,560 --> 01:05:00,560 expansion. So you think through, hey, this 918 01:05:00,560 --> 01:05:03,480 next year, next couple years, what's my expansion look like on 919 01:05:03,480 --> 01:05:05,600 the weekly basis or my giving schedule? 920 01:05:05,960 --> 01:05:09,160 If you can, if you're giving money to the church, it cost us 921 01:05:09,160 --> 01:05:12,920 to do credit cards like that. If you do, ACH, it is helpful. 922 01:05:13,160 --> 01:05:15,160 That percentage just goes right back to what we're trying to do 923 01:05:15,160 --> 01:05:17,800 for the cause of Christ, Amen. And so just some logistics to 924 01:05:17,800 --> 01:05:19,520 think through, but God is good, Amen. 925 01:05:20,200 --> 01:05:21,480 He's really good. So I'll encourage you guys. 926 01:05:21,480 --> 01:05:24,200 We're gonna wrap up this season of Difference Maker. 927 01:05:24,200 --> 01:05:26,960 We're still pushing forward, but as you end this year, let's end 928 01:05:26,960 --> 01:05:28,440 strong. Trust the Lord. 929 01:05:28,840 --> 01:05:30,480 You guys can give today like normal. 930 01:05:30,640 --> 01:05:33,520 Lots of ways to give. We have different options that 931 01:05:33,640 --> 01:05:35,360 you don't need to talk about. We do stocks. 932 01:05:35,360 --> 01:05:36,800 There's different ways to give assets. 933 01:05:36,800 --> 01:05:39,160 We have people reaching out with, I've had some reach out 934 01:05:39,160 --> 01:05:42,480 with baseball card collections to different random things. 935 01:05:43,120 --> 01:05:45,120 We have the ability to to leverage that for the Kingdom. 936 01:05:45,480 --> 01:05:47,360 And so I would encourage you guys if something sticks out 937 01:05:47,360 --> 01:05:49,080 like, hey, we can leverage this for God. 938 01:05:49,280 --> 01:05:51,280 Let's see if we could do something and so it's just 939 01:05:51,280 --> 01:05:53,680 amazing you give online is most people give. 940 01:05:54,120 --> 01:05:57,120 But given the buckets and if you need help in this season, I do 941 01:05:57,120 --> 01:05:59,400 have somebody who's given us some more food. 942 01:05:59,760 --> 01:06:01,360 So if we need food, just come talk to me. 943 01:06:01,360 --> 01:06:04,320 I'm not going to make it weird. If you need some help reaching 944 01:06:04,320 --> 01:06:06,000 the giving buckets, take out any loose cash. 945 01:06:06,000 --> 01:06:08,440 You see if you need more than that's in there, just come find 946 01:06:08,440 --> 01:06:10,400 me or the team and we'll just make sure you guys are taken 947 01:06:10,400 --> 01:06:11,480 care of for this Christmas season. 948 01:06:11,480 --> 01:06:14,440 So thought we're coming for you. Pray a blessing on today. 949 01:06:14,640 --> 01:06:18,120 Got thank you for men step in the gap like Logan really truly 950 01:06:18,120 --> 01:06:22,400 even last minute to preach your gospel to share your word God 951 01:06:22,400 --> 01:06:25,160 thank for the example the shepherds your Holy Spirit in 952 01:06:25,160 --> 01:06:27,880 that arm you would come down and just share though there's the 953 01:06:27,880 --> 01:06:31,400 king and help us God to be a church that runs on mission. 954 01:06:31,800 --> 01:06:35,120 God bless every gift as a stepped out on faith just full 955 01:06:35,120 --> 01:06:37,600 heartedly for you. God, you see the faith in our 956 01:06:37,600 --> 01:06:40,360 people in the season. God pray blessing on their 957 01:06:40,360 --> 01:06:43,640 families as they as they lean in towards Christ bless their 958 01:06:43,640 --> 01:06:47,040 conversations as they take the gospel just around their tables 959 01:06:47,240 --> 01:06:50,280 before their meals, the side conversations and hallways in 960 01:06:50,280 --> 01:06:52,320 the kitchen. God that you would be made 961 01:06:52,320 --> 01:06:55,120 famous in this season. God praise in Jesus name. 962 01:06:55,120 --> 01:06:58,720 The church said Amen. I'll give you 3 very quick 963 01:06:58,720 --> 01:07:00,720 things before we head out. So super quick. 964 01:07:01,040 --> 01:07:04,760 Number one, I'll invite you guys come out this Wednesday at 2:00 965 01:07:04,760 --> 01:07:07,040 and 4:00 PM. We are having our Christmas Eve 966 01:07:07,080 --> 01:07:10,120 gatherings and we're going to have some Santa pictures, hot 967 01:07:10,120 --> 01:07:13,160 cocoa, lots of fun. We're just going to worship big. 968 01:07:13,160 --> 01:07:15,200 This is a great opportunity to bring somebody out that normally 969 01:07:15,200 --> 01:07:18,720 doesn't go to church. They're very skeptical in 970 01:07:18,720 --> 01:07:21,480 general, but these kind of seasons, these kind of 971 01:07:21,960 --> 01:07:24,200 gatherings, people are very open to come out. 972 01:07:24,200 --> 01:07:25,440 So encouraging to invite people out. 973 01:07:25,640 --> 01:07:27,400 We're preaching straight from the Bible through the Christmas 974 01:07:27,400 --> 01:07:30,960 story is going to be very solid, very evangelistic and to be one 975 01:07:30,960 --> 01:07:33,160 of those gatherings you want to bring somebody to. 976 01:07:33,200 --> 01:07:35,200 Amen. So that's this Wednesday. 977 01:07:35,200 --> 01:07:38,400 We all got decorated. Praise God, Hallelujah got 978 01:07:38,400 --> 01:07:40,680 shifted around that amazing team come out yesterday. 979 01:07:41,560 --> 01:07:44,760 Also New Year's Eve that the youth group is doing something 980 01:07:44,760 --> 01:07:46,480 very special. They're going to main event. 981 01:07:46,920 --> 01:07:50,600 I think there's about 1315 teens signed up, which means we have 982 01:07:50,600 --> 01:07:52,040 all our teens sign up. Amen. 983 01:07:52,360 --> 01:07:55,160 We just take about 3035 people. So please sign up. 984 01:07:55,160 --> 01:07:57,360 It's $40. They're going to do It's pizza, 985 01:07:57,360 --> 01:07:59,080 there's drinks, there's ice cream. 986 01:07:59,720 --> 01:08:05,040 By drinks, I mean soda. What kind of drinks have youth 987 01:08:05,080 --> 01:08:08,000 group, but they're gonna let the ball drop there. 988 01:08:08,000 --> 01:08:10,040 Come back to the Hope Center. But please sign up. 989 01:08:10,040 --> 01:08:12,080 It's a great crew. It's a safe option as a parent 990 01:08:12,080 --> 01:08:13,040 to worry about what's gonna happen. 991 01:08:13,040 --> 01:08:15,400 They got a Buster taken out to main event from real life Hope 992 01:08:15,400 --> 01:08:17,640 Center. So it's time for that last 993 01:08:17,640 --> 01:08:20,800 thing. Help me out social 28th So I'm 994 01:08:20,800 --> 01:08:22,720 excited about this. We we are going to go big on 995 01:08:22,720 --> 01:08:24,800 this. We got big charcuterie stuff. 996 01:08:24,960 --> 01:08:27,560 We're going to have baptisms. We're going to commissioning. 997 01:08:27,720 --> 01:08:29,920 It's at 10:00 only with your family and it's just like a 998 01:08:29,920 --> 01:08:32,920 celebration like it's a hangout. And so I encourage you guys make 999 01:08:32,920 --> 01:08:34,600 time for that 10:00 last night of the year. 1000 01:08:34,920 --> 01:08:36,960 We're ending the worship. We got like in a sense of 1001 01:08:37,040 --> 01:08:39,160 Scripture. And so I'll encourage you a few 1002 01:08:39,160 --> 01:08:42,359 verses this Isaiah 52. You might not know this existed, 1003 01:08:42,359 --> 01:08:45,560 but how beautiful on the bounds or the feet of those who bring 1004 01:08:45,560 --> 01:08:48,399 good news. This is where Paul took his 1005 01:08:48,399 --> 01:08:49,520 thought about the gospel going out. 1006 01:08:49,520 --> 01:08:50,880 You'll find this in Romans 10/15. 1007 01:08:50,880 --> 01:08:54,000 How beautiful the feet of those who bring good news. 1008 01:08:54,000 --> 01:08:55,880 You guys got beautiful feet this week, Amen. 1009 01:08:56,520 --> 01:08:58,479 Like you hurry off and your feet are now beautiful because 1010 01:08:58,479 --> 01:09:00,960 they're carrying good news to lost the dying world and Mark 1011 01:09:00,960 --> 01:09:03,399 1615. It says go into all the world 1012 01:09:03,399 --> 01:09:07,000 and preach the gospel to all creation. 1013 01:09:07,319 --> 01:09:09,560 And so I encourage you guys, let's let's make Jesus big in 1014 01:09:09,560 --> 01:09:11,920 this season, Amen. People are sharing it. 1015 01:09:12,000 --> 01:09:14,520 We're not about humbugs, Amen. We're going to get the Scrooge 1016 01:09:14,520 --> 01:09:17,160 out of Christmas this year. Come on, Logan. 1017 01:09:17,439 --> 01:09:20,240 Right? But I would encourage you guys 1018 01:09:20,880 --> 01:09:23,359 next week or this this Wednesday, come out, bring your 1019 01:09:23,359 --> 01:09:24,880 family, bring your friends. It's going to be amazing. 1020 01:09:25,240 --> 01:09:28,279 And remember, guys, whoever finds Jesus discovers real life 1021 01:09:28,279 --> 01:09:30,399 and purpose. See you guys two o'clock 4:00 1022 01:09:30,399 --> 01:09:34,359 Wednesday. This is the end of this podcast, 1023 01:09:34,359 --> 01:09:35,399 we hope you've enjoyed. It. 1024 01:09:35,560 --> 01:09:37,479 If you have, be sure to hit the subscribe. 1025 01:09:37,479 --> 01:09:39,439 Button so you don't miss another inspirational. 1026 01:09:39,439 --> 01:09:41,840 Podcast for more great content and updates. 1027 01:09:42,080 --> 01:09:43,920 Visit Real Life Church KC. Dot. 1028 01:09:43,920 --> 01:09:44,359 Com.