Uncontainable Joy - Here I Am to Worship Part 3

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Hey, good morning, real life
church.

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It's beginning to look a lot
like Christmas, isn't it?

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Oh man, it's such an exciting
day.

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Today I invite you to stand to
your feet and join us in worship

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today.
Let's have some fun this

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morning.
Come on unto you.

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This day a baby's born is
Christ's Messiah, King and Lord.

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All the earth will rejoice.
The King say the king is here,

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Hey, hey, the shepherds have
come, the angels sing.

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They followed the star, the
three wise kings to come and bow

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on bended knee.
The king is here, the king is

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here.
Hey, hey, hear good tidings of

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great joy unto you.
A Savior is born in a Manger

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lays Christ the Lord.
All have come to a door to

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worship Him.
Our Savior, the King is here.

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The King is here, hey.
Here good tidings of great joy

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unto you a Saviour is born.
Here good tidings of great joy

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unto you a Saviour is born.
Glory to God in the highest.

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Glory to God in the highest.
Peace, honor, and goodwill

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toward me.
Glory to God in the highest.

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Hey, hey, hey, hey, come on,
give it up for God in the house

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today.
Let's continue to worship him

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today.
Come on.

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You've come to breathe, to be
alone, to be nearer to us, and

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you've come to bring light, to
be light, to shine righter in

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us.
So we will you.

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God with us, I deliver earth.
You are Savior.

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In your presence we find our
strength over everything, our

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redemption.
God with us, you might live with

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us.
Oh, you've come to be home to

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this world for your honor and
me, and you've come to take sin,

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play shame, and to conquer the
grave.

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Are we?
You are right with us.

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I delivered.
You are Savior.

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In your presence we find light
room over everything, our

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redemption.
God with us.

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You are.
God with us.

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You are here.
You are holy.

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We are standing in your glory.
Here are here.

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You are holy.
We are standing in your glory.

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We are here.
You are holy.

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We are standing in your glory.
You are here.

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Our Deliverer, you are Saviour.
In your presence we find our

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strength.
Over everything our redemption,

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God our deliver.
You are Saviour.

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In your presence we find our
strain.

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Over everything our retention,
God with us you are God.

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With us you are God.
With us you are God.

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Amen.
Our God with us.

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And that's the reason that we
get to gather together to

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celebrate this season is that
God who was in heaven and all of

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His Majesty came to humble
himself with us here.

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And as we get to celebrate that
this morning and this season, we

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get to see just the light of the
Lord and these little kids in

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just a minute.
It's such a special time to

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worship, so let's lift him up.
The light of the world.

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You step down Into Darkness.
Open my eyes, let me see beauty

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that might this heart adore you.
Hope of a life spent with you.

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Here I am to worship.
Here I am to bow down.

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Here I am to say that you're my
God.

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You're all together lovely, all
together worthy, all together

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wonderful to me.
King of all days, also highly

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exalted, glorious in heaven.
Up humbly you came to the earth,

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you created your.
For Love's sake, we came home.

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All we worship you is here.
I am to worship here.

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I am to bow down here I am to
say that you're my God.

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You're all together lovely,
altogether worthy, altogether

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wonderful to me.
Oh, come, as I do hear him.

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Christ the Lord, lift him up.
Oh, come.

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O Him, oh come, let us out or be
him.

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High the Lord, because we'll
praise your name for him.

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We'll praise your name for him.
The the river cries, the Lord

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you all cry because here I am to
worship, here I am to bow down.

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And here I am to say that you're
my my God.

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You're all together love me all
together worthy.

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You're all together wonderful to
me.

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And here I am to worship.
And here I am to bow down.

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Here I am to say that you're my
God, you're all together lovely,

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You're all together worthy.
You're all together wonderful to

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me.
Amen.

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Give him some praise this
morning.

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Man, when you guys think of the
word worship and you come before

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God with everything you have,
everything you don't think you

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have, man, everything that we've
received is from God.

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And just to take that moment
with you guys in a corporate

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setting, just to give it back to
God, give him the worship that

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he deserves, all the honor and
glory that is his.

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And what a holy moment.
So can we give a shout of praise

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up for God one more time?
Thank you guys for worshiping so

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well this morning, man, what a
awesome day.

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We're going to have a very
special day today.

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It's going to be great.
Great, great.

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So we have a lot of new people
with us today in person and

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online.
Can we show those guys some

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love, lift them up, give them a
shout of praise?

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Yeah, bye for your hands.
Hey, why don't you guys take 30

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seconds and just welcome
everybody around you, all right?

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All right, you guys can go ahead
and be seated.

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I'm in Diane's way hey as you
guys are sitting down, I want

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you guys to know that you're
getting ready to sit down on

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something awesome and it's
connection card this connection

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card is for everybody in the
house today So as always, if you

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call real life home, we love it
when you guys thought this

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connection card.
Let us know what's happening in

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your life.
Maybe you need something prayed

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over prayed about.
We'd love to hear about that

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Maybe you got a prayer praise
man God showed up an awesome

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way.
We'd love to hear about that as

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well.
Our leaders look forward to

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getting these cards week in and
week out and they'd love to get

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them and stay connected with you
and pray for you guys.

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If you guys are new or newer
with us, we, I love it that you

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guys are here.
Thank you so much for being

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here.
We've been praying and planning

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for you all week.
We're not going to ask anything

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except for this one simple
thing.

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We would love just a simple
introduction.

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And when you fill out the top of
that connection card and drop

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that later on in the gathering,
we'll have a way to reach out to

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you.
We're not going to show up to

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your house and do anything
weird, but we love a way just to

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disconnect with you and let you
know who we are real life and

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seeing us more information this
week and who we are real life is

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this is we like to say that we
are a church on a mission,

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right?
Real life and a church on a

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mission is this is to see people
far from God discover their real

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life and their purpose in Jesus.
And what that simply means is

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this is that if you guys have
spent any time walking through

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this world, you're going to get
your teeth kicked in, right?

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That's what happened to Jesus.
What happened to his followers.

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That's our expectation.
But we don't have to stay in the

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ditch.
God's called us to live just a

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just a awesome life, one that's
full of purpose.

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And we find that purpose in
Jesus.

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And one of my best friends is in
the in the service here.

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And I steal this quote from him
all the time.

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We exist to make Jesus name
famous and in the opportunity

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and the glory that we get to
have is to see God's story just

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bless people's lives and
people's lives transformed week

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in week out.
So we just love being on mission

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with Jesus.
And thank you guys for using to

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be here with us at this
gathering.

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So today you guys are in for
something special.

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Are you guys ready, man?
We're getting ready to do real

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life kids Christmas.
And can I tell you, you share

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something from my heart?
A lot of times we come and watch

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our kids.
We think it's a performance, but

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this is not a performance.
This is an act of worship.

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And what the kids are going to
do is they're going to help lead

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us into this moment of worship.
And that's the whole story of

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Christmas.
And that's really the whole,

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the, the whole theme of, of what
we're doing here in this series.

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Because as Jesus was born, we
saw people came with open hearts

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and they basically said, is this
is here I am.

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So that's what we're doing here.
I am to worship.

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So I want you guys to really
lean in, open your hearts and

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just worship with our kids as
they lead us.

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I want you guys to welcome up
Christy Hardy as we kick off

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Real Lives, real Life kids
Christmas.

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Good morning.
How's everyone doing?

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Good.
OK, I'm going to welcome real

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life kids up, so while I
introduce them, they're going to

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walk up.
Come on guys, we have been

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working so hard.
These kiddos are so excited to

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tell you the Christmas story.
It is going to be straight from

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God's Word.
We are going to have some

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friends that are reading the
Bible today as we do it.

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We've got some adorable sheep
coming up now and let's

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encourage them.
Go ahead and give them a hand,

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guys.
Put your hands down, all right?

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Kiddos, when you get up here, go
ahead and look for your parents

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and give them a wave.
Find them, Give them a wave.

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They are so excited to share
Jesus's story with you today,

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guys.
All right, give them another

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hand.
Here they come.

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You can't find your mom.
She's here.

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Give them a wave.
Give them a wave.

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Guys, find your parents.
OK so without further ado I give

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you real life kids Christmas.
Today we celebrate the greatest

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story ever told, the story of
Jesus birth.

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We will read the Christmas story
straight from the Bible.

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God also spoke to Joseph in a
dream.

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An Angel of the Lord appeared to
him in a dream and said Joseph,

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son of David.
Do not be afraid to take Mary

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home as your wife because what
is conceived inside her is from

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the Holy Spirit.
She will give birth to a son and

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you are to give him the name
Jesus because he will save his

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people from their sins.
Time passed and Mary and Joseph

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traveled to Bethlehem.
While they were there, time came

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for the baby to be born.
She gave birth to her first

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born, a son.
She wrapped him in claws and

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placed him in a Manger because
there were no guest room

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available for them.
Dear Savior, it's not a major

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Oh, what a glorious night.
Oh, what a glorious night.

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Happy
New Year every season.

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Jesus Christ.
Glorious.

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Glorious.
What a glorious night.

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Glorious, glorious.
I hear the angels singing

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Hallelujah, the earth receiver
king.

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I know the love has gone singing
out.

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Jesus Christ is born.
I hear the angels singing

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Hallelujah, the earth receiver
King.

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I know that love has gone.
Sing it now, Jesus rising boy.

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Jesus, rising boy.
The.

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Out in the.
Field shepherds were watching

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over their sheep.
Music.

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None.
The.

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None.
Luke 2101113 and 14 But the

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angels said to them, Do not be
afraid, I bring you good news

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that will cause great joy for
all people.

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Today in the town of David, a
Savior has been born to you.

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He is the Messiah, the Lord.
Suddenly a great companion of

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the heavenly host appeared with
angels praising God and saying,

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Glory to God in the highest
heavens and on earth.

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Peace to those who whom his
favorite Reese, the shepherds

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hurried to see Jesus.
Luke 2/16/17 So they hurried off

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and found Mary and Joseph, and
the baby who was lying in the

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Manger.
When they had sent him.

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They spread the world contents
what had been told to them about

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this child.
Go.

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None.
Everyone.

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And so it's true soil, she
shouted.

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Tell all the world about it.
God is greatest life.

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God is greatest life Soil.
This is Jesus.

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Now we have peace and God is
greatest life.

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This is the true Christmas
story.

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God sent His Son Jesus to bring
hope, joy, and salvation to the

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world.
We celebrate because He is still

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our Savior today.
Man, give it up for all of our

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00:31:59,200 --> 00:32:01,240
kids, give it up real big
because they're getting ready to

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00:32:01,240 --> 00:32:05,600
walk off the stage.
Man, good job all of you guys,

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00:32:07,160 --> 00:32:10,440
from the sheep to all the
singers to our shepherd Landon.

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00:32:10,440 --> 00:32:12,920
Great job.
Good job all of you.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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00:32:57,400 --> 00:33:01,360
Great start to the day and
really just great start to

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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.

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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.

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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.

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00:34:16,920 --> 00:34:18,560
There's two types of people in
this season.

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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
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inspirational.

1026
01:09:39,439 --> 01:09:41,840
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and updates.

1027
01:09:42,080 --> 01:09:43,920
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1028
01:09:43,920 --> 01:09:44,359
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