WEBVTT 00:00:00.959 --> 00:00:01.600 Hello, friends. 00:00:01.679 --> 00:00:02.879 This is Pastor Creighton. 00:00:02.959 --> 00:00:06.080 Thank you for tuning in to Newsong Church's Sermon Podcast. 00:00:06.320 --> 00:00:13.279 At Newsong Church, we want to see Jesus lifted high in Port Perry, Ontario, as we worship, grow, and serve. 00:00:13.519 --> 00:00:18.719 You can learn more about us and find contact info at newsongportperry.ca. 00:00:20.000 --> 00:00:24.559 This is the holy gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, according to Luke. 00:00:24.879 --> 00:00:27.440 Glory to you, Lord Christ. 00:00:28.800 --> 00:00:36.079 In those days, a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 00:00:36.479 --> 00:00:45.359 This was the first registration when Quinerius was governor of Syria, and all went to be registered, each to his own town. 00:00:45.679 --> 00:01:04.480 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. 00:01:05.200 --> 00:01:20.640 And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth, and she gave birth to her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling cloths, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. 00:01:22.000 --> 00:01:36.079 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night, and an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 00:01:36.560 --> 00:01:47.680 And the angel said to them, Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people. 00:01:48.319 --> 00:01:55.439 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 00:01:56.159 --> 00:01:58.319 And this will be a sign for you. 00:01:58.640 --> 00:02:04.079 You will find the baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger. 00:02:05.200 --> 00:02:19.439 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of heavenly hosts praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased. 00:02:21.360 --> 00:02:32.560 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, Let us go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us. 00:02:33.199 --> 00:02:50.560 And they went with haste, and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger, and when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child, and all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 00:02:51.120 --> 00:03:05.280 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart, and the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen as it had been told them. 00:03:05.759 --> 00:03:07.919 This is the gospel of the Lord. 00:03:08.240 --> 00:03:10.719 Praise to you, Lord Christ. 00:03:13.120 --> 00:03:18.479 The grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people. 00:03:19.680 --> 00:03:21.120 Come, let us adore him. 00:03:21.280 --> 00:03:22.479 Let's pray. 00:03:26.719 --> 00:03:31.759 Heavenly Father, we give you great thanks for the greatest gift ever given. 00:03:35.680 --> 00:03:44.240 We pray we would make room in our hearts to receive him even now, full of grace and truth. 00:03:45.280 --> 00:03:47.199 In Jesus' name we pray. 00:03:47.520 --> 00:03:48.159 Amen. 00:03:49.039 --> 00:03:50.479 Please be seated. 00:03:55.280 --> 00:04:02.560 So a young family goes out for a walk on Christmas Day, as is their habit, in a nearby wood. 00:04:02.960 --> 00:04:07.840 And their oldest son, he's young, he's precocious. 00:04:08.159 --> 00:04:10.879 And the second they hit the trail, he takes off. 00:04:11.280 --> 00:04:17.680 And he winds the corner and he runs into the heart of the forest, and he finds the tallest tree that he can find. 00:04:18.639 --> 00:04:20.240 And he starts climbing. 00:04:21.279 --> 00:04:26.639 This fellow climbs higher and higher until he's up close to the top and his foot slips. 00:04:26.800 --> 00:04:28.079 And he begins to tumble. 00:04:28.160 --> 00:04:29.600 He begins to plummet. 00:04:30.000 --> 00:04:34.959 And as he's plummeting, he does probably what a lot of us that would be in our instinct. 00:04:35.040 --> 00:04:36.160 He starts to pray. 00:04:36.399 --> 00:04:40.000 He's not in the custom of praying, but here he is praying. 00:04:40.560 --> 00:04:44.399 So he says, Lord, I'm in trouble here. 00:04:45.519 --> 00:04:47.519 Please save me. 00:04:47.759 --> 00:04:52.720 If you save me, I promise I'll be nice to my sister for the rest of the year. 00:04:53.759 --> 00:04:56.000 Okay, for the rest of next year, too. 00:04:56.240 --> 00:04:58.079 And still he plummets. 00:04:58.639 --> 00:05:02.399 Okay, Lord, I know I wasn't, you know, the best kid in church today. 00:05:02.480 --> 00:05:05.600 And so I promise I'll be good next Christmas Sunday. 00:05:05.759 --> 00:05:07.519 And still he plummets. 00:05:07.920 --> 00:05:08.879 Okay, every Sunday. 00:05:08.959 --> 00:05:10.319 I'll be good every Sunday. 00:05:10.959 --> 00:05:12.000 Still he falls. 00:05:12.079 --> 00:05:14.879 And now the ground is getting worryingly close. 00:05:15.040 --> 00:05:18.879 And he says, Lord, let me know whatever it takes. 00:05:19.199 --> 00:05:20.800 I'll do whatever it takes. 00:05:21.040 --> 00:05:24.079 Just save me from certain doom. 00:05:24.240 --> 00:05:28.720 And just as he concludes this prayer, doesn't a branch snag his trousers? 00:05:28.800 --> 00:05:32.560 And he's rescued, dangling a foot above the ground. 00:05:32.879 --> 00:05:34.079 And he's stunned. 00:05:37.439 --> 00:05:41.439 Says out loud, never mind God, the branch got me. 00:05:45.680 --> 00:05:46.959 I love that joke. 00:05:47.120 --> 00:05:49.600 I've probably shared it once or twice. 00:05:50.079 --> 00:05:54.399 I love that joke because to some degree I relate to this young boy. 00:05:54.800 --> 00:05:56.639 Maybe we can relate to this young boy. 00:05:56.720 --> 00:06:00.959 We know what it's like when we lose our footing in life and we feel like we're plummeting. 00:06:01.360 --> 00:06:09.759 And we feel desperate enough to lob up whatever prayer it's going to take to get God to bring us to a sense of security again. 00:06:10.000 --> 00:06:13.120 We can make big promises along the way, can't we? 00:06:14.560 --> 00:06:16.079 But maybe we chuckle too. 00:06:16.319 --> 00:06:28.000 I mean, I love this joke because here's the obvious instrument of God's salvation for this young boy, this branch that catches his pant leg, but he doesn't recognize this as a gift, does he? 00:06:28.399 --> 00:06:38.560 I mean, we can laugh because we understand that the Bible gives us maybe a little bit more of a sophisticated understanding of God's providential work than this young boy understands. 00:06:39.040 --> 00:06:51.279 God's providence is his gracious outworking in Christ, realizing his sovereign, saving promises in real history, in real time. 00:06:51.519 --> 00:07:01.600 It's God at work in the world that we live in, realizing his promises, his purposes, and his plans for us. 00:07:02.720 --> 00:07:05.199 Our God is a providential God. 00:07:07.199 --> 00:07:13.680 Luke 2 is a witness to God's providential work in the world. 00:07:13.920 --> 00:07:18.240 And I especially want to zoom in tonight on verses 1 to 7. 00:07:18.720 --> 00:07:27.839 The Christmas story tells us the good news of God's providential work in the world that we live in. 00:07:28.240 --> 00:07:35.920 In our world too, in our individual lives, in our in the minutiae we might say, of life, but also in our hardships. 00:07:36.160 --> 00:07:44.560 God is at work in all of these ways, fulfilling his sovereign, saving purposes, plans, and promises. 00:07:46.079 --> 00:07:51.199 So I'd like to encourage you to take out your order of service, take out your Bible, let's open up to Luke chapter 2. 00:07:51.360 --> 00:07:57.040 Let's spend some time with the first seven verses of Luke 2. 00:07:57.759 --> 00:08:03.120 Let's look at the good news of God's providential work in our world. 00:08:03.360 --> 00:08:06.000 God works providentially. 00:08:07.040 --> 00:08:09.199 Let's look at the first three verses here. 00:08:09.279 --> 00:08:11.920 Some stories begin once upon a time. 00:08:12.240 --> 00:08:14.959 We've probably all heard a story like that once upon a time. 00:08:15.360 --> 00:08:20.079 What does that signal to us when we hear that as an intro to a story? 00:08:20.480 --> 00:08:22.959 It signals it's a fairy tale of some sort, right? 00:08:23.120 --> 00:08:24.800 And fairy tales are wonderful things. 00:08:24.879 --> 00:08:27.360 We would do well to listen to more fairy tales, I think. 00:08:27.600 --> 00:08:34.080 But it does signal to us that the story we're about to hear doesn't take place in what we understand as history, in the world that we live in. 00:08:34.240 --> 00:08:38.159 It has an implication for it, sure, but it doesn't take place in real history. 00:08:38.320 --> 00:08:44.879 Luke begins this narrative, he begins the Christmas story with quite the opposite to Once Upon a Time. 00:08:45.039 --> 00:08:46.480 He begins in verse 1. 00:08:46.720 --> 00:08:53.519 In those days, a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 00:08:53.759 --> 00:09:01.840 This was the first registration when Canerius was governor of Syria, and all went to be registered, each to his own town. 00:09:02.159 --> 00:09:09.039 Luke wants us to understand that the story he relates to us of Christ's birth is real history. 00:09:09.279 --> 00:09:14.480 This doesn't take place in a land far, far away, in a galaxy far, far away, pardon me. 00:09:15.440 --> 00:09:18.159 It takes place in the world that we live in. 00:09:18.720 --> 00:09:24.720 With real people, recognizable people for Luke's audience, Caesar Augustus and Canerius. 00:09:24.879 --> 00:09:27.120 Boy, there's a lot I could say about Caesar Augustus. 00:09:27.759 --> 00:09:29.600 He was the first Roman emperor. 00:09:29.759 --> 00:09:35.200 He was a Rome up until him had been a republic, but now here he is ruling as emperor. 00:09:35.440 --> 00:09:42.080 The title he gives himself is Dominus et Deus, which means Lord and God. 00:09:42.639 --> 00:09:44.399 That's how he understands himself. 00:09:44.559 --> 00:09:48.639 That's how he expects his citizens and his subjects to relate to him. 00:09:48.879 --> 00:10:00.000 So you can imagine why it's so unacceptable to the Roman government decades later when Christians say, no, Jesus is our Dominus et Deus, our Lord and our God. 00:10:00.639 --> 00:10:04.639 So here's a tyrant, here's a governor, Canerius. 00:10:04.960 --> 00:10:17.200 If you've got a footnote in your Bible, maybe you can follow that footnote and it might suggest an alternate reading, something like this is the first registration before Canerius was governor. 00:10:17.360 --> 00:10:21.279 I'm a little favorable to that myself, but one way or another, it really doesn't matter. 00:10:21.440 --> 00:10:23.279 Luke's point stays the same. 00:10:23.519 --> 00:10:34.080 His point is that this story takes place in the world we live in, in the real world, in real creation, in real history and time. 00:10:35.440 --> 00:10:47.759 God works his providence towards his sovereign saving promises, not in a fantasy world, not far off and away, but he works them out in the world that we live in. 00:10:48.399 --> 00:10:54.000 He's moving things towards his purpose, and his purpose becomes clearer and clearer as we go. 00:10:54.240 --> 00:10:55.759 Verses 4 and 5. 00:10:56.000 --> 00:11:09.279 Joseph also went up from Galilee from the town of Nazareth to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who is with child. 00:11:09.600 --> 00:11:13.360 So Caesar Augustus has issued this registration, this decree. 00:11:13.600 --> 00:11:14.639 It's a census. 00:11:15.039 --> 00:11:21.600 It's meant to tax Roman citizens properly, and it requires every Roman citizen to go to the place of their birth. 00:11:21.919 --> 00:11:25.679 Bureaucracy, really, is the introduction to this story of all things. 00:11:26.080 --> 00:11:32.639 Here's Joseph heading back to his hometown from Nazareth, where he's living and working as a carpenter, I take it. 00:11:32.879 --> 00:11:40.000 He's going back to Bethlehem with his betrothed, with Mary, who we learn is with child. 00:11:40.639 --> 00:11:44.000 There's a few things that Luke expects to be ringing in our ears. 00:11:44.080 --> 00:11:46.080 Maybe they're ringing in our ears right now. 00:11:46.320 --> 00:11:50.879 There's more going on here than just pure government bureaucracy. 00:11:51.200 --> 00:11:54.240 God is moving his purposes forward in history. 00:11:54.399 --> 00:12:05.039 In the big picture, yes, with Roman emperors and governors, but here, God's providence becomes clear in the life of this family with these individuals. 00:12:05.360 --> 00:12:12.399 Were it not for this census being taken, Joseph wouldn't have been going to Bethlehem, he would have stayed in Nazareth. 00:12:12.639 --> 00:12:16.799 If Mary weren't betrothed to Joseph, she wouldn't be going along with him. 00:12:17.679 --> 00:12:24.480 But God is ready to honor his sovereign saving promises that he's delivered centuries before through the prophets. 00:12:24.799 --> 00:12:36.000 We know that the Savior of the world has been promised, the one who will rescue God's people from sin, from death, and restore friendship and fellowship with God and inaugurate the kingdom. 00:12:36.320 --> 00:12:41.200 And this sovereign Savior is going to be born in Bethlehem, the prophet Micah says. 00:12:41.440 --> 00:12:44.960 Well, that's interesting because that's where Joseph and Mary are going. 00:12:46.080 --> 00:12:51.759 And this sovereign Savior is going to be of the royal line of David. 00:12:51.919 --> 00:12:56.559 He's going to reign on the throne that God promised David forever. 00:12:56.879 --> 00:13:03.039 Well, that's interesting because the prophet Jeremiah says, or, well, that's what the prophet Jeremiah promises. 00:13:03.120 --> 00:13:07.919 Right here, Luke is saying that Joseph is of the royal line of David. 00:13:08.399 --> 00:13:10.320 David is one of his ancestors. 00:13:10.480 --> 00:13:16.559 And the child that Joseph raises will be counted as an heir to David. 00:13:18.799 --> 00:13:21.120 Well, here he's with Mary, his betrothed. 00:13:21.600 --> 00:13:29.679 Who Luke 1 is already confirmed for us is the fulfillment of what the prophet Isaiah says, that a virgin will be with child. 00:13:30.159 --> 00:13:35.279 She is bearing the Savior of the world as they travel across the country. 00:13:35.519 --> 00:13:54.720 Luke wants us to know something very important: that the same God who works in the huge gears of history with emperors and empires and bureaucracy and everything that goes with that is the same God who is working his providential promises with individuals in our lives. 00:13:55.200 --> 00:13:57.360 And I do think in our lives as well. 00:13:57.679 --> 00:14:00.960 We might just think, well, this is a pretty important family. 00:14:01.120 --> 00:14:02.879 Of course, God has a special eye on them. 00:14:03.039 --> 00:14:05.679 And I suppose that's true, this is an important family. 00:14:06.080 --> 00:14:13.120 One of the things Jesus teaches his disciples is that God has, God pays attention to the birds themselves. 00:14:18.000 --> 00:14:21.360 How much more valuable, he asks, are you than birds? 00:14:21.840 --> 00:14:30.639 The providential care that God has for Mary and Joseph is incredible, yes, but it's the same providential care that God has for you and for me. 00:14:31.279 --> 00:14:39.279 He loves us enough to care for us, to meet our needs, to move his purposes and plans for our lives forward. 00:14:40.879 --> 00:14:49.840 God is doing that in a remarkable way, yes, for the sake of the world through Mary and Joseph, but his compassion, his providential compassion is for us too. 00:14:51.360 --> 00:14:59.840 But God's providence is not just for when life is going the way it's supposed to, when we're heading in the right direction. 00:15:00.799 --> 00:15:06.320 God's providence is there in the trials and tribulations and the hardships of life as well. 00:15:06.480 --> 00:15:09.360 I think that's what Luke suggests in verse 6 and 7. 00:15:09.600 --> 00:15:14.960 While Mary and Joseph were in Bethlehem, Luke says, the time came for her to give birth. 00:15:15.360 --> 00:15:21.200 When she gave birth to her firstborn son, wrapping him in swaddling claws and laid him in a manger. 00:15:21.360 --> 00:15:23.600 There was no place for them in the inn. 00:15:24.080 --> 00:15:26.960 The time had come for Mary to give birth. 00:15:27.279 --> 00:15:29.600 That has to be stressful, don't you think? 00:15:30.080 --> 00:15:32.240 They're across the country. 00:15:33.200 --> 00:15:35.919 Oddly enough, they can't stay with Joseph's relatives. 00:15:36.000 --> 00:15:38.559 It seems to me he'd have relatives in Bethlehem. 00:15:39.039 --> 00:15:41.200 They've shut their door on him, so it seems. 00:15:41.279 --> 00:15:42.799 And I wonder why that is. 00:15:43.039 --> 00:15:47.120 I mean, what we know from the New Testament is Nazareth has a pretty bad reputation. 00:15:47.200 --> 00:15:48.879 It's the town you don't want to go to. 00:15:49.039 --> 00:15:50.799 Maybe that's the case. 00:15:51.120 --> 00:15:58.799 But maybe Joseph shows up with Mary, his betrothed, not yet married, and she is nine months pregnant. 00:15:59.039 --> 00:16:03.519 And maybe assumptions get made, and maybe doors get closed. 00:16:04.000 --> 00:16:08.960 One way or the other, they're in a hard spot. 00:16:09.200 --> 00:16:12.559 There's not even a place left for them in the inn. 00:16:14.960 --> 00:16:17.679 But they find a place to stay. 00:16:18.000 --> 00:16:20.879 The Holy Family spends their first night together where? 00:16:21.440 --> 00:16:22.639 In a stable. 00:16:24.960 --> 00:16:46.960 God has worked in the grand tapestry of the world, in this family, to bring them to this exact spot, to this stable, to lay this child in this manger so that his birth can be announced to lowly shepherds, keeping their flocks nearby. 00:16:48.879 --> 00:16:54.879 But God works his providence in the world and in our world, even in our hardships. 00:16:55.120 --> 00:16:59.440 He moves his plans and purposes and promises forward. 00:17:00.960 --> 00:17:02.960 So Creighton, that's pretty neat. 00:17:03.919 --> 00:17:09.680 God can take who he wants and put them where he wants, when he wants them to be there. 00:17:10.319 --> 00:17:11.599 That's nifty. 00:17:11.920 --> 00:17:14.559 I think UPS does something similar. 00:17:16.400 --> 00:17:19.359 I'm not hearing good news of great joy. 00:17:21.519 --> 00:17:24.480 I think there's good news to be found here, friends. 00:17:25.200 --> 00:17:31.039 I would submit that there's one word in particular that unlocks this good news like a key. 00:17:31.599 --> 00:17:33.759 And the word is in verse 7. 00:17:34.480 --> 00:17:36.240 The word is manger. 00:17:38.480 --> 00:17:42.079 This child is laid in a manger. 00:17:43.440 --> 00:17:46.720 A manger suggests, I think, at least two things. 00:17:47.279 --> 00:17:54.160 I think it suggests that God works providentially in the big and the small to enter into our world. 00:17:54.400 --> 00:17:57.759 Who is it again that God announces this birth to? 00:17:58.160 --> 00:18:00.799 Shepherds, keeping their flocks nearby. 00:18:01.039 --> 00:18:04.319 God invites the lowly to come behold the Savior King. 00:18:04.400 --> 00:18:07.279 He's not born into Caesar Augustus's palace. 00:18:07.680 --> 00:18:11.519 He's born to where the meek and the lowly and the forgotten are. 00:18:12.240 --> 00:18:17.440 God has a heart for these meek and lowly and forgotten people who belong to him. 00:18:18.240 --> 00:18:20.319 He brings to them their king. 00:18:22.000 --> 00:18:23.920 This is the humility of Christ. 00:18:24.160 --> 00:18:34.480 This is the humility that Paul writes about in Philippians chapter 2, that he didn't count equality with God as something to be grasped, but instead he took the form of a servant. 00:18:35.359 --> 00:18:38.960 A servant who went as far as the cross for our sake. 00:18:39.519 --> 00:18:49.680 It's the humility of entering into the world and lying in a manger that brings this Savior to the cross and to be raised again to new life for our sake. 00:18:50.240 --> 00:18:53.039 God is willing to go to any length to enter in. 00:18:53.200 --> 00:18:56.799 Not to say you have to be good enough to enter into my world. 00:18:57.119 --> 00:19:03.200 You have to make promises good enough for me to take you seriously, you know, like a little boy falling off a tree. 00:19:04.400 --> 00:19:12.559 No, I'm humble enough to enter into your world, into its lowliness, into the overlooked places. 00:19:12.799 --> 00:19:16.079 That's the providential care that God has for you and I. 00:19:16.240 --> 00:19:18.799 And the manger tells us that. 00:19:19.119 --> 00:19:22.720 The manger tells us another thing, I think, too, and that's this. 00:19:23.119 --> 00:19:28.480 God works providentially to supply our greatest need. 00:19:29.119 --> 00:19:31.200 What is a manger, by the way? 00:19:32.319 --> 00:19:33.680 Not a rhetorical question. 00:19:33.839 --> 00:19:34.960 What's a manger? 00:19:36.799 --> 00:19:37.839 It's a feeding trough. 00:19:38.000 --> 00:19:39.039 That's exactly right. 00:19:39.200 --> 00:19:45.839 It's where God's lowly creatures go to eat their supper so that they can have life, right? 00:19:48.160 --> 00:19:50.000 Jesus is laid in a manger. 00:19:50.079 --> 00:19:51.279 And where's the manger? 00:19:51.440 --> 00:19:52.640 It's in Bethlehem. 00:19:52.799 --> 00:19:54.640 Do you know what Bethlehem means? 00:19:56.160 --> 00:19:57.680 It means house of bread. 00:19:57.759 --> 00:19:59.200 That's exactly right. 00:20:00.000 --> 00:20:04.640 Here, this child is laid in a feeding trough in a town called House of Bread. 00:20:04.960 --> 00:20:11.759 Is it an accident then that Jesus tells his disciples that I am the bread of life? 00:20:14.240 --> 00:20:22.640 He invites them to come to him by faith, that he will never cast them out, that the Father will raise them up on the last day. 00:20:23.279 --> 00:20:27.440 They abide in him by faith, this bread of life. 00:20:27.680 --> 00:20:38.559 In the house of bread, the bread of life is laid in a feeding trough for God's lowly creatures to come by faith and have life. 00:20:39.839 --> 00:20:42.079 That's good news for you and I. 00:20:44.079 --> 00:20:46.079 This is the God who enters in. 00:20:47.359 --> 00:21:01.359 The God who gives himself completely for our sake and invites us to come by faith and feast in our hearts by faith with thanksgiving. 00:21:01.759 --> 00:21:04.079 Friends, that's the promise of the Lord's table. 00:21:04.720 --> 00:21:08.880 We come to eat the bread of life by faith. 00:21:09.759 --> 00:21:15.759 To be one, to abide in Christ given for us on Christmas. 00:21:16.319 --> 00:21:25.359 I think it's so appropriate we come to the Lord's table to behold this bread of life once again by faith. 00:21:25.680 --> 00:21:27.920 He invites us to come even still. 00:21:28.640 --> 00:21:32.160 Wherever we are, maybe we're tumbling through life right now. 00:21:32.720 --> 00:21:51.359 He invites us to come like lowly shepherds, to behold him once again, given for us, the bread of life that we need, the wellspring of life that spills over into eternal life, and renewed friendship with God forever in his kingdom. 00:21:53.920 --> 00:21:59.200 The grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people. 00:22:00.319 --> 00:22:02.079 Come, let us adore him. 00:22:02.720 --> 00:22:03.359 Amen. 00:22:04.640 --> 00:22:06.319 Thank you for listening today. 00:22:06.559 --> 00:22:12.000 We worship a generous God who calls us to follow him in giving willfully, cheerfully, and sacrificially. 00:22:12.160 --> 00:22:18.640 Newsong Church's mission and ministry is 100% funded by the generous gifts of those worshiping and journeying with us. 00:22:18.799 --> 00:22:26.400 If you'd like to offer a gift towards Newsong's ministry, please visit newsongportperry.ca slash giving for more information on how to do that. 00:22:26.640 --> 00:22:29.680 May God bless you and keep you today and every day.