Joy - Delivered As Promised | Real Life Christmas Celebration

0:06 Welcome to another inspirational podcast at Real Life. Church for more great content and updates, visit Real Life Church kc.com look up. See the glow of a star a million miles away so far away. So distant. So very isolated, divided tired months of waiting months of longing looking for an answer looking for her and the light has faded and our anxiety has grown. You can still hear afraid.

1:06 The child is born to us a son is given Mighty God, Prince of Peace. Good morning and welcome to Real Life Church. Merry Christmas to you.

2:00 Whether you're watching online or you're right here in Kentucky Trail, we invite you to get up on your feet and let's worship God together this morning. Merry Christmas Real Life Church

6:08 and give it up one more time for Jesus this morning. Give it up for Jesus, man. It's so good to see you. Today we are so honored that you chose real-life this Christmas weekend to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. Thank you so much for being here. Now, before you sit down, I know we have a Church online presence because it's so cold outside. So make sure they hear you today. Give it up for Real Life, Church online, Awesome. You may be seated, maybe if you're new here today. I just want to say you are our honored guest. Thank you so much for being here. No, we invite you to fill out our digital communication card. All you do is text RL new to 97,000. If you're new to Facebook online Church online, click the like button.

7:03 So, in some emojis, there's a link in the comments section, just click that as well. Also, for your convenience, if you take out your phone, there's a QR code on the back of the chair just scan that it should go on there. And what will happen is a member of our connection team will reach out to you. They will love on you. They will care for you and make you feel right at home at real life. And if you haven't yet, there's a new here Booth after the Gathering. If you go to the new here, Booth say your name, talk to some people there, and we have a free gift for you. You today. So don't forget to do that. I know. Are you guys excited about today? I'm so excited about what's going to happen before I break that down for you.

7:47 I have a surprise for you. We have real-life kids joining us on stage that, give it up for them, as they come on and sing a song for you wave to them high. Five them, cheer, their name, as they come on stage. And as they do that, I want to give you a little rundown of what to expect here at real life. Today, after the kids sing their song, we're going to have a video now. This video brings about what the true meaning of Christmas is all about. But before we get there, there will be some laughter, there's some serious talk. And then you might even shed a little tear right after the video. We have slope.

8:32 Down the warships from Jesus and more. All right. And then after we worship Jesus, a little bit more, you will hear a message of Hope from pastors. Shawn Petrie, as he gives a word today man, it was so good yesterday here from God's word. It was powerful, man. Lives were changed. I'm excited for lives being changed again today. So we're going to hear a message of Hope as he's continued the week three delivered as promised, right? And then after we hear, pastor Saint Pete. Tree. We're going to have a candlelight vigil and we'll have a choir and then after that, we're going to have a little bit of fun. After the Gathering were having a good time of connection and fellowship, and have some milk and some cookies out there. So make sure you stay for that.

9:20 But when all is said and done, I guarantee you when you leave here today, you are going to be experiencing the presence of Jesus. In your life, amen. Amen. Hey without further Ado, let's give it up for these kids one more time.

14:31 And unfreeze call. That was good, guys. Good job. Take a few minutes. It's like a thousand degrees in here who thought global warming and December. Again, global warming and hot flashes are totally different things. I'm starving. Can we, please get a snack break already? Just ate a whole king-size candy bar and Fit For A King. Look, Marty. We've been doing this for over a week day in and day out. We are all completely exhausted besides. I mean, it's not like we're doing a real nativity scene here. I mean we got stuffed animals. I mean, come on a Komodo dragon really look. Come on guys, we make do with what we've got. This is our final performance of the night, and the real baby.

15:13 Jesus is on his way. Well, not the real baby Jesus, but the real baby that plays baby Jesus. And we have been entrusted with this High esteemed on Has, he seemed honor, caring for on tradition. That's been going on for a hundred and three years for church from corn, catcher County, we get it, we heard this little pep talk about 10 minutes ago. Amen, to that. Can anybody even see me for back here? Why do people even come to these things? Baby. Jesus is a doll and aren't we supposed to be outdoors? Well, exactly. What was that?

15:57 That a sneeze, our bark. Yeah. How can it even be that loud? Marty, I got hay fever. Do you know what? Causes hay fever. Hey, why did you get? Hey sorry Bob, I tried to find hypoallergenic. Hey, but the guys at the feed store just started laughing, what is this stuff? We make do with what we got now. Let's everyone freeze. Unfreeze. Oh man. I'm sweating craziness thing. Why am I in the back?

16:39 Did I never tell you guys that I was a stand-in and Touched by an Angel? I would haven't Trump's in touch. I'm a jewel, every single time, sister clearly, you guys have never seen Charlie's Angels and not the same thing getting a hint of hazelnut. No, wait. Yeah definitely has a nut I think that's wack still hungry, though. Nobody puts this angel in the corner. It's almost coming crazy. Unfreeze cool.

17:22 This reminds me of Toy Story and he's coming. Look Barney. I didn't sign up for this. You didn't you all literally signed up for this? No, I didn't sign up for this. My wife signed me up for this. I'm out. I signed up to play. Mary, oh, and who would believe that? Look, Marty, whatever happened to doing what we can with what we got. Marty, Let's Go Gang. These LongHorn coupons are going to use themselves. Well, my baby back, baby. Back, baby back, baby back. I want my baby back, baby back. My coupon, they don't just grow on trees. Gosh, are you doing

18:52 Wow. Delivered as promised look at you. So tiny and peaceful and perfect. You're a lot like the real baby Jesus. He deserved so much more, but this was God's plan. God gave him a long me to take care of them. Shepherd's to tell everyone he said wise men to honor him and he even gave Jesus an Earthly daddy bunch of imperfect people. That's for sure.

19:36 But God makes do with what he's got. He always delivers on time. And that perfect little baby grew up to show us what real love. Looks like he saved us all. Just a dork.

20:24 I just love that video and as funny as it is, it is So true, there are so many distractions that get in the way of being present and losing the focus on the promise that God delivered. But this season is a season of joy and that is why we celebrate, and we're going to experience Jesus with a couple more songs. So go ahead and stand to your feet and let's worship him together.

21:10 Reach through the darkness, shining in the shadows. Cory. You saw my God you in two weeks, he want Hey man.

24:50 Let's lift up some praise to Jesus. He's, the reason that we come, we celebrate this season because Jesus came humbling to a Manger as a baby too far, less production, and Fanfare than we put on today. And we get to come and adore him. And so as we continue and worship, it says, okay.

31:07 Come on. Let's add oriented a come on. Let's go to Jesus live. Know you love him. Men are wonderful counselor. He is faithful in the birth of our savior. Jesus. God is with us. Thank you Jesus. Amen. On. Hey, I want to say first of all, a very merry Christmas. For a wonderful family from our staff. We were so excited. You guys are in the house today and can we just say a very, very special things really to the events team and all those are really made today. Possible, we got this amazing Globe from the ceiling. Come on right, the worship, team leading us and God's presence. All the people of shoveled and got frostbite. Come on. Somebody may just the thank you so much for all the hard work. You guys put in to make today, possible. You guys can be seated man.

31:50 I'm excited. Today, really for the sixth consecutive year to share with you guys about the birth and celebrate the birth of Jesus with you and won't do. I want decade this message to really those of you that are really missing some Joy, this Christmas, maybe it's been one of those Seasons. You're walking through a season of sickness and have some of you. It's just been that season. This just been a crazy season at home. Maybe it's one of those seasons were Christmas little different this year. Maybe you're not meeting the same house. Maybe there's an empty seat at the family table. Maybe this isn't the Christmas show. Expected, for some of you guys, there may be haunted by the Ghost of Christmas Past, maybe today is kind of remembrance of something that's not there, a broken relationship. And assume you guys went through some hard divorces, somehow relationship breaks this year and maybe some regret, some shame. And just can't quite Find the Joy this season. I know for a lot of us, just super busy. I'm telling you just driving through the parking lot, all the traffic even in the snow.

32:44 You guys are crazy. Come on somebody, and you're driving. They're stressed out. And then Feliz Navidad comes on. And if he comes on One More Time, come on, somebody. It was it was playing earlier. So many said, is there any changes? I said, yeah, when you change that song name of Jesus, I love it all. But I'm telling you, right? And it's so Sunny came is night and I know her tonight this morning and you know, it is really cold outside but you made your way here but maybe you look around going. Hey, if they knew the real me, if that guy on stage is the real me. If God to the real meat, this place would catch on fire and I'm here to tell you, I hope it does. Come on somebody, we need the heat one but two, I believe Jesus, the five Revival is going to come into the Place today. Amen. I'll be the presence of God is here, and I believe you're going to meet Jesus today. I believe you can be in the presence of God today so I kind of hope something cool happens like that. I hope prisoners got meet you here in this spot. I want to do is I want to just dive into the birth story of Jesus and the Bible truth from God's word and just build a message off of what really what God has done for us. And so it's found Luke Chapter 2, The Gospel of Luke chapter 2 verse 4 will start here, it says this. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth to Galilee to Judea to the Bethlehem, the town of David because he belonged to the house The line of David, he went there to register with Mary who was pledged to be married to him as expecting a child and while they were there, the time came and can I just say it was the perfect time cave?

34:01 If you've been track along in this series? Maybe I'd like to say the fullness of time, came the exact moment for the baby to be born and she gave birth to her firstborn a son, and she wrapped him in clothes and placed him in a Manger because there's no guests, No guest room available for them. And I just think about our savior, what a humble beginning to the king. King of Kings and the Lord of lords who commands, all the armies of Heaven, they's born in a stable, and who of us would ever pick to be born in a stable except for Jesus. And there were shepherds living the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night and the angel Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord Shone around them and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, do not be afraid. I bring you what.

34:43 I bring you Does good news in the front Jerry's, got good news. I bring you good news. I'll bring you good news. That will cause great joy for all the people. Can I tell you today? That there is some good news that's going to bring some great joy to all the people in this house today. Amen. The presence of God came to humanity for us today. In the town of David, a says this a savior has been born to you. He is the Messiah, The Chosen One, the Lord, this will be assigned to you, you will Find a baby wrapped in clothes laying in a Manger. These shepherds are getting some good news from the angels of the presence of God is just 50 yards. Over the hill in the town of Bethlehem. Laying in a Manger, there's a sign from God and these shepherds are you experienced the joy of God? And I was going to tell you today, you can't unmarry quote unquote, unmarried, the joy of God from the presence of God. Amen.

35:36 If you get in the presence of God, no matter what happens, your circumstance, what season you're in. There's a joy, the only get from Jesus. My prayer is that you have that Joy today. In fact, I believe there's a goal Jesus has for us. That's for him to get into your presence today. Not just for you to meet him, the him to come into your life today. This was Jesus, did he sent angels to these Shepherds and says in verse 13? Suddenly a great company of heavenly host appeared with the angels and praising God and saying glory to God in the highest heaven and on Earth, peace to those. Whom his favor rests when the Angels left them and gone to heaven. The shepherd's said to one another. Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened. Which check this out? I'm not so sure. I trust these jeans will soon. See for ourselves. The Lord has done as told us about so verse 16, it says this they heard off they ran to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph and the baby who was laying in the manger when they had seen him they spread the word. I'm gonna tell you something.

36:27 When you see the presence of God and God comes into your life, you really have no other option but to proclaim the gospel. Amen. You see Jesus, you meet Jesus and I don't remember you first came to Christ. The first thing you probably did is you went home. You told your parents, you told your friends, you told neighbor, you told your spouse, you just had to tell somebody about the good news of Jesus and this exactly. What these Shepherds did. They said they could told them concerning. What had been told them about this child and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherd's said to them. The Mary she trudged up the things and pondered them in her heart. She was concerned what quite understanding and just worried for her child. The shepherd's returned glorifying and praising God. For all the things that heard and seen which were just as had been told just as the angel said, we talked about this series delivered as promised, God is always faithful. If the Bible says, it is going to be true, you Can bet your life on?

37:15 This was called The Gospel truth, on the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise, a child, he was named Jesus, the name, the angel had given him before he was conceived. He imagined being these shepherds are sleeping out in the field and you're changed. The flock of sheep and maybe you're in a tent or maybe on the stars and all of a sudden, the angel appears to you and you're freaking out. You're terrified. They see the glory of God. God With Us is just on the other side of this hill, the presence of God here in humanity and he shepherds run. You can imagine which joy and which wonder that have When they see the baby Jesus, God In the Flesh. And today, there's something very special about these Shepherds. I want to share with you, it's just interesting to me as you see this story. The first thing is, this is that the Shepherds were not searching for God. It's very interesting to me that they were just doing their everyday stuff.

38:01 They're working their 925, which for them was 24/7, right? They were just doing their life and God found them. You think about the Wiseman and start contrast, these guys were searching the Bible and they had this wisdom from God and they saw the scripture and they want an eye on her mouth. Journey to Find Jesus and they found Jesus. They're absolutely amazed what they saw says this in Matthew 2:10 about the weizmann. It says, there are filled with what helped me out there filled with their feel Joy. When I saw Jesus, I think it's a joy because they're done traveling some camels. Come on somebody, right, you re not have miles on the camel. They're like, thank God, I got the park the camel, right? But these Shepherds, these shepherds are just in a field, they're doing their own thing. They have no care about God. No thought about God, no wonder about God, they're not searching the scripture and there's doing life every single day. It's amazing not searching.

38:44 But Jesus finds them. I'm about, how many of you weren't searching for God in Jesus? Found you my fact I think about these angels going to Jesus and it's amazing that these angels speak up to these. Poor uneducated Shepherds and it said that presence of God is on the other side of a hill. The very first thing that the Angels speak to humanity to get people in the presence of God is that his presence is here to his lowly Shepherds. I'm a few no in the Bible but it really records the first episode of Touched by an Angel. Come on somebody. Right there. These Shepherds. Come on weekend. It's Father's day, isn't it? Come on, right. We're going to get there right by love this. I love that. That we as human beings, we're not searching for God, but Jesus found us, I'm about you. Whoo damn it today.

39:28 So, you know, I was just searching to God found me and be like that. Today I wasn't searching. I know a lot of you just think about your life, you probably not on the path of Jesus. You reading the scriptures, put it all together and God found you. Let's be real. So you guys were sucking down some cheese puffs. Come on somebody and Jesus found you some guys playing video games and somebody came across Also a little headpiece and said some about something, you're like, man, guys start to get my attention. So you guys are rolling with your friends, literally rolling with your friends and just found you. Some of you guys were in neck deep in the things, the world you were chasing after everything, the role had. And Jesus found you some, you guys were so far in depression and addiction and Suicidal Thoughts in Jesus, found you? Amen. I mean, that's usually how it goes. We're doing our own thing and Jesus finds us and I wondered a how many you guys are?

40:14 A certain not search for God, but Jesus wants to find you tonight. So, some of you guys came here today and you got drug and by your spouse. Come on somebody, maybe your kid, your parent, you brought your kid or have a relationship work and came here. It's like, man, this preacher ain't going to get me, come on somebody, right? I've been a 30 million of these Christmas program. See the preacher and get me. And I also say this man, it's 4 degrees outside in the fact that you are here today is proof enough to me that God wants to find you a men. Think I was to find you. You were here under the Of God and the presence of God, I just believe God wants to speak to you. I believe God's presence wants to meet you, and you can hear the story of God's presence coming into our humanity. And so, the day we get to dive into these Shepherds that weren't searching, but God found them.

40:59 I think about these Shepherds is also interesting to me, is that the very first people that come into the presence of Jesus are poor lowly Shepherds, that come to Jesus. You think about all Humanity? It's almost unfathomable that the King of Kings and the Lord of lords Lures. The wonderful counselor, The Great. I Am the beginning and the end the creator of all things that the first people that didn't mean there, they weren't Nobles, their one Aristocrats and weren't Business Leaders and where CEOs, they were mayor's then weren't educated, they weren't wealthy. It wasn't even The Innkeeper. That met Jesus. It was poor, lowly uneducated Shepherd's, they're working their tail off chasing tails, right? In a field sleeping, literally with Cheap and God says, listen the Angels there.

41:48 Now, how about you? But if you had a choice to pick people out your birth and you could send some angels, if you were God, who would you pick for most of us? You know maybe something the family and maybe like a role model you know. Maybe it's like a king, you know, of Persia. Maybe there's some some Renown. Maybe it's a pop star or YouTube Star pro athlete. I don't know, but I know for sure, maybe I'm not speaking for myself here, but I would not have picked Shepherds. Come on somebody. They would have been at my birth. I was The King of Kings Lord of lords. I'm like, this is gonna be the greatest thing ever. Let's bring everybody out, but instead he picks these poor lowly Everyday People Like Us. Come on, somebody, the gospel is for everybody. Amen. That Jesus is for the everyday person and serves the everyday person, the about Jesus.

42:30 He sent his angels to humanity, to get their attention, to wake up to the presence of God. Oh, hey, be like, guys, under tuned this sheep bahhing. Other side of the Hill. Do the presence of God is, right? They need to get up and get into God's presence. You think about angels, in general angels are really They're to Proclaim really the moments that God moves in the movements of God and humanity and the word, Angel actually means messenger. Uncle Austin, Greek. It means messenger. So an angel shows up there's gonna be some kind of announcement. There's me there's some message being delivered. You think about angels and New Testament? The Angels showed up when Elizabeth was going to conceived, John the Baptist and they said, hey this is going to happen even though she's mature and age and they're going to have this conception, John the Baptist and then they're there for Mary obviously. So you're going to be conceived the Holy Spirit, come upon you and the Then Joseph, freaking out said, hey, don't worry this Paul part of the story of God, they appear to Joseph and then Angel appeared to Joseph Mary.

43:20 Again, just a few years layers to, hey, you got to get protected from Herod and the escape to Egypt and these angels minister to Jesus in the wilderness for 40 days now, in fact, that mr. Jesus in the garden, whether South poles are sleeping and then these angels have a message or sit on top of this, amazing Stone. This Boulder that has been moved there soon as the legs crossed and the roads are wide as lightning. And they look at those women at the at the empty tomb, is that he is not. Here. Amen. The message for Humanity is risen from the grave and then they're there as a Cycles are staring up in heaven as Jesus sins in the heaven. And it look at these guys are go. Why are you staring up into heaven? You got some work to do and it's amazing about these angels is that Jesus uses angels to send a message to humanity that God is here. And the reality is this, the who was not the last time that Jesus uses angels to communicate a message to humanity. How do you think about this Jesus in the garden? He's been Saying he's we talk about. He was sweating blood literally because of the trauma that he's going to come into in the stress has laid on him and he kind of meets up with the disciples and as he's talking to him he can hear a mob.

44:25 Coming said, the time has come for the son of man to be arrested. And here comes Judas with this angry mob and Judas walked up to Jesus and portrays them with a kiss. And in this, in this moment this is where the tension Rises this, this is where Jesus is going to be arrested and one of the disciples gets upset and it says this in Matthew 26 system in step forward and seizure. Jesus and arrested him. And at this one of Jesus campaign is no, it's Peter from a different gospel, Jerusalem word and struck the server, the high priest, cutting off his ear and Jesus says something very interesting. He says, put your sword back in place. Peter Jesus said to him, for all who draw the sword will die by the sword. He's saying this this war that's about to fight isn't about Flesh, and Blood. There's something spiritual going on.

45:05 There's a battle beyond the eyes. There's something more than you can see. Peter said, are you not aware that I can call on my father? And he will, at once immediately, put My disposal put me in command of more than Twelve, Legions of angels Gina. I know at this exact moment of time, I phone the y-value maniac, the snap of my finger, all this could be gone, but Peter listen to us. Don't miss this pewter. How then would the scriptures be fulfilled? That's a must happen this way. The Bible is going to come true aim in his word, never fails and Jesus understands. It's going to go down this way. Peter, there's more than meets the eye. That's what to tell you two about Jesus. That Jesus This is more than just a helpless victim. Amen.

45:47 He's not just some good teacher. He's not a moral leader. He's not revolutionary from the past. He's not some guy, you read in history, it just some Regular Joe. No, no, this is the King of Kings and the Lord of lords, that literally commands, the armies of Heaven. Amen. Literally, at his disposal. He has the marching orders and tells the Angels, what to do, instead of Jesus? I mean, this moment, he could have sent the angels to write that he made. Jesus says, no. No, it must Just happened this way because God has so much love for us. And so it's Grace for us, that Jesus wrote the story. Now, here's a story of how it goes down to Jesus. In this Garden. He gets arrested. Falsely, arrested, falsely, accused falsely tried the middle night and he gets sentenced to death on a cross. He gets into really B place a place of torture, a place, reserved for slaves, and criminals, and traitors, and they would have whipped him just beyond death. And they would have given a Cross Beam to carry up the hill and you're gone that cross a nail him to the Cross. Those His ankles, you've been brilliant, just a fixated trying to trying to Breathe by fixation. He's almost just barely just survive in there. Mocking him and their score, they're yelling at him and they're belittling him and they're put a sign of his head here.

46:57 Hangs the king of the Jews, and next to the east side of criminals that deserve death, and he gives Grace to them. And he's on this cross being tortured, the cross was a weapon, a torturous, not some little beautiful thing on necklace, right? This was probably the most horrendous way you could ever died in history and Jesus goes to the cross. Cross for us now. It's amazing to me on that cross. That Jesus in his at is really at his best in humanity at our worst. He could have still called on those angels, He could have called on would be 72 Thousand Angels. Actually the word legion is actually Roman term for the group of number of soldiers. Been three is six thousand soldiers would be Allegiant and Jesus could have called on 70,000 angels to this wipe out Humanity to take him off the cross to just be over it.

47:42 But the Bible says the joy set before. Before him. Amen. The Joy set before him, like the reason that Jesus suffered is because there was a prize, I just think about Jesus as like, like, a father. Like, God, the Father like that. We are his children. Amen. We are Sons and Daughters of the king. I started thinking about what we, what links we would go to to save our kids. Look how far we go, if we're Jesus, he went all the way. Amen. And on that cross something happens, very special with Jesus. All of a sudden he went from the King of Kings and the Lord of lords, he hung himself, and this moment to become the savior of humanity. In fact, the Bible says, the all our sin were pressed down on Jesus that he was crushed for all our sin past present and future Every Lie. Every Idle thoughts, every lust, everything was pressed on Jesus and Jesus went to war.

48:35 War for us. Amen. The greatest War ever fought, instead of saying the angels, to war against humanity, Jesus went to war for us. It's amazing on that cross. He says it is finished. What is fish? The war is over. Amen. Sin is defeated. Jesus is Victorious and all of a sudden Jesus. He resurrection that he dies in resurrects from the grave three days later with our freedom and hand. Amen. This is the presence of God. She's like Christmas. Rules the Eastern Rite. That Jesus is born to die. This is a story. Jesus had a mission. He was here on purpose. He did, he live a long life. He was given as a sacrifice, the innocent Lamb of God, slaughtered and slain for the sins of humanity because he loved us.

49:22 Matter of fact, it says, in Philippians 2:8, it says that he humbled himself on that cross and became obedient even the death of a cross, he died for us and what's amazing to me and this just blows my Mind. It's almost Unthinkable. The family of God does next, that he does something, that's so unimaginable. Something is so grace-filled. So then they just never happened in the history of humanity. The same Angels, the announce the birth of John the Baptist and the birth of Jesus and protected, Jesus, and ministered to Jesus over and over again, the announce the resurrected Jesus, these are messengers that God of use to minister the Son of God himself to Proclaim, these moments and movements.

50:05 God, the same angels that could have wiped out Humanity. The angels are disposal at the voice of Jesus. They have marching orders, the he's the commander of these armies. These same angels that Jesus could anything the world with, he does something very special. He sends them to us, to minister to us to serve Us. In fact, is found in Hebrews. 1:14 says, this are not all Angels. Ministering Spirits sent to serve those who Will, what, who will inherit salvation? Those are inherit salvation. Those are Jesus followers that you when you come to Christ, your promised salvation but you're not saves fully your promised it.

50:47 The Holy Spirit or seal opened one day. Holy Spirit. Lives in you, the blood shed for you, but you still got flesh, amen. You're still falling apart. Every day, we're just forgive him. We're not perfect. But the reality is this that God has sent his angels not against us, but for us. Amen. He says, So if you miss a joy, this season on the tell you Heaven is fighting for you. Amen. I sure think about his angels and Men last night. I didn't, I should have this thought I will better on the end here. I'm telling you, it's just about these angels, I'm like wondering, these are messengers of God, they're here to give a message. And I start thinking, like, what message is your angels telling you now, the Bible doesn't say, like, you have a guardian angel, right? Like you have one Angel, but the Bible says, there are angels, Max has all Angels.

51:32 So somebody's got Michael and Sims got Gabriel. Come on somebody, D. So many is a lot of work you know I mean I'm just telling you some you guys are wearing your angel out you know I'm saying Clarence you don't talking about come on we know about wearing that guy thin but there's Angels. What do you think the Angels say to you today? Like you, if you were the angel talking yourself, what do you think is telling you? But one thing's been drawn to you. What was the presence of got speak in your life? I mean, I think the Angels you say some really clearly God loves you. God is with you. There's Last Promise of Jesus. I'm with you to the ends of the Earth - there's always God is with us Emmanuel.

52:14 Amen. And we forget so easily the Christmas season. Like man. We're so busy and overwhelmed and just like joyless, right? But we have the joy of God. These presents are met. The angels are the presence of angels are ministering to us that there's something more than meets the eye. Amen. There's a mission. He has. You want. So, don't get defeated because Armies of Heaven are fighting for you. Amen. Like literally ministering to us but it is unfathomable. We're not made higher than Angels but God sent the angels to minister to us. Matter of fact this is in the first time it's really happened for Humanity. In fact, you go to Psalm 91, it's incredible says this. It says, if you say the Lord is my refuge about the new nation of Israel is going to protect them with the angels is that if you say the Lord is my refuge and you make the most high your dwelling no harm overtake, you know, disaster will come near your tent for he will. Command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.

53:12 And now in our season, since Jesus God commands, his angels to serve us. Amen. To minister to us. And so there's no reason the world that we should be full of joy and then there's no reason to what even if the world's going sideways, there's a mission. And I believe the angel are speaking to us. They're working things the way they want to work out. Doesn't mean physical safety. Come on somebody, but it means the mission of God is moving forward. The gospel is moving forward through us. I also think they just might be asking, go tell the may be asking you to go tell somebody about. Jesus, that's the reason we're here. Amen. The first things the shepherd do is they told somebody you seriously about angels, the Bible actually says something really, really interesting. It says, when you minister to people and you serve the poor, some people have served angels in disguise. So there's some people serve Angels it, you know, they're serving Angels, it's something you guys have an angel. I feel knows an angel, some you guys run the somebody and it's just an angel of God.

54:12 Somebody might've invited you this. Angel got that fact, I was 15 years old. I didn't carry the about Jesus. I didn't go to church, didn't grow up in church and Carrie is zero about guy, thoughts for the week and it made no sense of why did they ever do that in the God? Sends two angels. Come on somebody since some friends my way. Now in fact one of those people invited me to church biology Jesus is, I'm not married to her Diane. And Diane is named take as you want it, but it actually means divine come on. Somebody told you married up above is telling you, God is using these people around you, even angels to get your attention. It may be here a day. Nadia's father may be here and you're like, okay, I hear you. But what's up?

54:54 I'll tell you those Shepherds, they were looking for God at all the last thing on their mind, they got sheep, take care. And God found a way to get to them and maybe tonight, God brought you here to invite you to know him today. So talk about the building catching on fire and I hope it does today. Men in the name of Jesus in the presence of God, father, we come before you gotta pray for us as Jesus followers. Got that would be in your presence that we know that heaven is for us today, even the world they'd be against us and everything's freezing up, life is going sideways. That you are forested a guy. Remind us of your presence. Give us some fire in her veins for you that this would just be another day of the week, but this is a day commanded by God, that you've set forth in my life on purpose, to see your gospel move.

55:45 And so God, give us a mission. Now let's hear the voices from Heaven. Let's hear your voice today. Let me just be in your presence unless be comforted. Let's be found Hope and full of joy because angels are ministering to us. God because you came to us, you are with us today. I'm great for a specific group people. That's those you say, you know what, today I need Jesus today, I recognize I want a here on accident, there's no reason I should be here. But for some reason, I'm listening to this, I'm understand For the First Time who Jesus is. I'm understand what Jesus did for me on the cross. How much Jesus loves me and say I recognize that God wants me. He wants a relationship with me. If anything the house isn't burned out, Jesus throwing a party for you today.

56:28 If you need Jesus, the Bible says, whoever believes They died on the cross for their sins and confess with their mouth, that he is, Lord will be saved. And so they only give you an opportunity to Jesus, I'll give opportunity. If you're far from God, you're like the Shepherds that weren't searching but they recognize you need. Got only give you the opportunity to know Jesus to be forgiven to me made new to be set free from the power of sin to be in God's presence to have all of Heaven. Ministering to you. I'll give you that opportunity. So they'll be looking around, I'm not going to call you out. Be weird. So if you need a relationship with Jesus, if you say yes to Jesus. Yes. Forgive Us. And that's you. Please raise your hand high in this place since I need Jesus. Today, come on across this room. I need Jesus in a relationship with him. Come on. This is your moment.

57:11 They go online, you Jesus. Maybe that you just look up and me if you need Jesus. Got anything on accident. This is your time. If that's you, and you say yes to Jesus. I want to invite you just to pray this prayer to Jesus. It's not the prettiest Asia, it's a hard towards him. He knows what's in your heart already. Just praise dance, a father. Thanks so much for sending your best and as I'm at worst, you still love me. So God, thank you for loving me. This Christmas. Thanks for sending your presents to us. Emmanuel. God, thank you for sending angels - Ways that we may be divided me. Yeah, you got my attention. You've waken me up into your presence of God, take my sin. Got thank you for dying for me. God, I love you.

57:54 God, used my life got, send me out, thank you for choosing me. God, I love you know, praise in Jesus name. Amen. Come on, let's give it up for Jesus. The King of Kings today. Come on, let them know you love them. Come on, give it up big. Man, if you prayed that prayer today, that is just the best Christmas gift ever. Just that gift that God gives us freely. We know we don't deserve it. There's nothing we could do to earn but he gives us his grace. He gives us that path to Salvation through his son. Jesus. If you prayed that prayer in the rumor online, I want to give you some practical next steps. You could take, just follow that journey and just that next step, down the road.

58:38 And so the first Thing you can do, get your phone out and text are L next to 97,000, and when you do that, someone will reach out to you this week and just send you some resources, send you some links, and just really check in on you, and really want to just hear your story and really, just walk with you on that path. You just made the best decision of your life and we really want to do, want to just leave you hanging on that, we want to walk with you on that journey. And the other thing you can do is as you're leaving the room. Today, there's a table in the back with some recommendations. Bags, going to grab one inside is a Bible and some more links to some resources and just dive into God's word this week, just dive in and and Google things you don't understand and reach out to somebody. Don't leave here without telling somebody your good news. If you prayed that prayer today we're pumped for you. Well guys, Shawn really challenged us today. And one of those big takeaways was that we are the movement of God.

59:35 And so I want to give everyone in this room. Some more next steps that you can take just two Help you be in the presence of Jesus. These next few weeks as we're gearing up for a new year. And the first one is we just want to invite you to join us. Next Sunday, as Sean starts, a brand new series called break out how to make 2023 the best year yet. And so the way we're going to meet next week is completely online. We're going to have one Gathering 10 a.m. across the different platforms. We use, which is Facebook, YouTube and Church online. And so we descend Like you to join us that week if you're able to stream live at 10 a.m. I just encourage you to do that and really let's get some good Fellowship in the chat that morning.

1:00:18 I be so much fun. Throwing up those likes and hearts and emojis and dare I say we could get a little Rowdy with it. That would be a lot of fun. But what's really cool about next week is not just the chance to kind of gather as a group in that special way but really, it's a chance to have a true Sabbath. Variants for our Dream Team. We've talked about already this morning, you see, just all the production side of things that that didn't just pop up out of nowhere. We have an awesome group of people called the dream team, and they do so many things. A lot of it are during the week on their own time, behind the scenes and then of course, the stuff that we can see the stuff that we can hear the dream team.

1:01:01 Does this, not just for Christmas, but every week throughout the year and so this is our chance to sort of give Back and say hey take a Sunday and rest, take a Sunday with your family. Stay home get just spend that quality time together but we can still through the power of technology and our awesome online crew. We can still Fellowship together so I pray that you'll join us next week at 10 a.m. for that awesome series guys. Christmas is all about that Ultimate gift that God gave to us. And now we get to really think about how How we can turn around and give that out to a world that needs it. And that's done through your generosity and like it says, if they're your generosity makes a huge difference and it's so far beyond what we can see on a Saturday morning a Friday night or normally on a Sunday morning.

1:01:57 It's it's that heartbeat just to get out in our communities and tell people about Jesus through a lot of different ways. And so I want to share with you just a few quick numbers quickstats. Some Practical ways that your generosity has moved the mission forward it real life. In this last year, we had in this last year. 31, people get baptized at Real Life Church. Can we give God the praise for that? I tell you all the hard work would have been worth it and 2022 for just one but man God has just richly blessed this this house this community with, with that number. And then another number, that's pretty exciting. Again, talking about our Dream Team, we added 35 new dream, team members and some of those were just vital and getting this place ready for Christmas.

1:02:46 So can you give it up for the Dream Team? The 35 new ones, the whole the whole gang, just such a vital part and then Then what's equally exciting is at the beginning of the year, the space you're seeing up here on the screen was just the back end of a building, right? It was pretty nondescript and now as we leave this year and going to the next one, this building, this Hope Center is a place where lives are going to change. And this didn't just spring up out of nowhere. This was because of your radical generosity and we are just so pumped to see God uses this physical space to make spiritual change in people in Belton Raymore Cass County and Beyond.

1:03:32 So we are so excited. We give it a fresh one. That worked so hard on that Hope Center, man, I tell you you guys, you wouldn't believe me if I even could calculate the hours of sweat at literal, sweat, and blood and pain and and just time that people spend away from their families, to get that rock and roll in for us and You wouldn't believe me. If I could even pull that number up, God's going to use this in a huge way. So I just want to encourage you. Now, if you haven't already, if you've been praying about a year-end gift, you haven't done it quite yet. Let me just encourage you to continue to pray about that. We're will never give out a percentage. We're not looking for a specific number.

1:04:13 It's your heart, and it's where God's leading you. If you haven't done that yet, I want you to really prayerfully consider that because we are heart is just to ask God to multiply everything. Comes in and you turn around and use it for his glory. Nothing fancy, nothing crazy, but real radical life change here in our community. So I hope you'll be praying about that. Now, if you don't call real life home, that's that's okay. This, this generosity thing, I'm not talking to you right now. In fact, we don't want anything from you this morning. If you don't call real life, we want something for you. This Gathering was our gift to you, and we're just honored that you spent some time with us this week during your Christmas season. But if you do call real life home here are some ways that you can give you can go to Real Life Church kc.com. You can text any amount to 8, 4, 3, 2 1, you can drop cash or an envelope and the giving buckets that will be coming around here in a moment.

1:05:08 We also have a DropBox in the very back that you can take care of as well. Let's pray over these gifts. As we wrap up, dear God, we are just in all of you, this Christmas season. I pray father that we can truly be Movement for you. We pray father, that just in the interactions that we have over these coming weeks with our neighbors, our co-workers, family and friends, God. I just pray that that we are lit on fire for you. That people just see your glory. Shining through us. God help us to be brave and help us to be bold in our faith as we start 2023 God. And just may it all be for your glory Lord help us to never lose sight.

1:05:53 That there is nothing that we could have ever done to earn your love, your grace, your forgiveness, and your salvation, but you give it to us freely. God will never understand and we're always in all of you. So I pray for all these gifts and offerings God I pray that you will just move us to be generous and whatever way you would have for us and whatever current situation we are and we pray father that you will multiply that For Your Glory. There are souls attached to every every gift that comes in and just knowing father that you can change lives through us, let us work for you.

1:06:35 And Miss Year God, I pray for everyone in this room for just a blessed Christmas this year and it's in Jesus name. Amen. Well, that's Christmas. The beauty of our savior coming to Earth as a little bitty baby and so forth. These last few moments that we have to celebrate this morning together. We are just going to take a second to slow down and focus in on that miracle. That was Jesus in the midst of all of the busyness and cooking and shopping and all the things that really consume these today and tomorrow, take a moment to focus in on Jesus. And so, I'd like to invite our worship team in our choir to come up to the stage.

1:07:18 We have a few Christmas carols that we would love for you all to sing with us to join together and live. Up the name of Jesus. And these are familiar Christmas carols. But when you look at them through the lens of Jesus, sacrifice for us, they have so much joy within them. And so I'd like to invite you to stand with us and some of you have already found them. But look around, find your candle nearby, your seat. You can turn it on by just twisting until it kind of starts flickering a little bit there. The we're going to have open lines a little bit flickery. There you go. So it's going to be flickering there. So we can have our Candlelight moment here, together to reflect on all the Jesus has done. So we would love for you to sing along with us. These Christmas carols of words would be there. Invite you to just be a part of this moment of reflection in all Jesus has done for us.

1:08:07 So let's let's worship him together.

1:09:38 The first do, the Angels did say was to certain poor Shepherds.

1:12:55 Joyful. The angel said to them, do not be afraid. I bring you good news.

1:14:00 News that will cause great joy for all the people today in the town of David, a savior has suddenly a great company of the Heavenly Host, praising God, and saying, glory to God in the highest heaven and on Earth, peace. Rest to those on whom his favor rests Amen. Who is thankful for Jesus today?

1:15:27 Come on. Give a shout of Praise. We are praying for you and your family to have such a joy filled Christmas. Let's worship him over time. Nature. See in nature, see.

1:16:57 We hope that you all have a very merry Christmas. We are so grateful and blessed that you have chosen to spend some of it with us. I hope you had a great time worshiping with us. We have a few things for you. First, you can take your candle, just untwist it, leave it on the seat, will grab those but don't run out of here yet, we have a photo spot for you. To grab some fun photos with your friends and family. We have milk and cookies which Perfect in the morning. It's like cereal. So, go ahead and get your Christmas Eve started off, right? But we're just so thankful and blessed that you were a part of our Christmas. And so remember today, whoever finds Jesus discovers real life, and purpose have a very Merry Christmas. Everyone.