WEBVTT 00:00:00.479 --> 00:00:04.400 How amazing were those kids this morning and our kids' team? 00:00:04.719 --> 00:00:12.080 Can we just give some shout out and some praise to them right now because that was a beautiful moment. 00:00:12.320 --> 00:00:21.519 And some of you have been holding back on serving in the kids' ministry, and I want you to take the step in, to join them and start serving with them. 00:00:21.679 --> 00:00:25.519 You saw the joy on their faces and what God is doing as they are learning about Jesus. 00:00:25.600 --> 00:00:29.440 And there's somebody in here who's been holding back, and there's a connect card under your seat. 00:00:29.519 --> 00:00:37.520 And I would love for you to take the step to join that team, to check off team, to take a step into serving kids this Christmas. 00:00:37.679 --> 00:00:38.479 I love it. 00:00:38.719 --> 00:00:41.200 God is doing amazing work in this place. 00:00:41.280 --> 00:00:48.960 And I also have to celebrate because we had a pretty amazing Sunday last Sunday with our outpour offering Sunday. 00:00:49.119 --> 00:00:50.079 Praise the Lord. 00:00:50.479 --> 00:00:53.759 And I don't have a total number to give you because gifts are still coming in. 00:00:54.000 --> 00:00:57.600 But I will tell you this it's record-breaking. 00:00:58.799 --> 00:00:59.920 Praise God. 00:01:01.600 --> 00:01:26.400 But what I truly want to celebrate, what I truly want to celebrate today with you, is the faith step of 23 of our friends and family, brothers and sisters, who made the decision to give for the very first time and take a step of faith to trust God with their life and with all of their life and with their finances and took the step to give for the very first time. 00:01:26.480 --> 00:01:28.079 And y'all didn't clap loud enough for that. 00:01:28.239 --> 00:01:31.680 We need to give it up for 23 of our brothers and sisters. 00:01:32.400 --> 00:01:34.079 For their step of faith. 00:01:34.560 --> 00:01:36.480 Truly, it's a step of faith. 00:01:36.799 --> 00:01:41.120 In joining Jesus in gratitude and in generosity. 00:01:41.280 --> 00:01:46.959 And there's some of you who missed last Sunday, or others who haven't yet been able to bring and give your best. 00:01:47.120 --> 00:01:53.120 And you can do that through our website or through the giving station at the back of the room now through the end of the year. 00:01:53.280 --> 00:01:58.719 And I'm believing that God is going to bring some more people to trust Him for the very first time. 00:01:58.799 --> 00:01:59.920 Don't you believe that, church? 00:02:00.159 --> 00:02:01.120 I'm believing that. 00:02:01.280 --> 00:02:03.840 I'm believing that because He's growing our faith. 00:02:04.000 --> 00:02:05.599 He's growing our faith collectively. 00:02:05.840 --> 00:02:08.960 If I've not met you yet, my name is Forrest Coleman, lead pastor here at Multiply. 00:02:09.199 --> 00:02:10.159 Glad that you are here with us. 00:02:10.240 --> 00:02:14.879 Our church is just a short two and a half years old, and are thankful that you're here this morning to worship with us. 00:02:14.960 --> 00:02:16.479 Again, there's a connect card under your seat. 00:02:16.560 --> 00:02:24.560 We'd love to connect with you and get to know who you are as we're jumping into this sermon series, Christmas Collision. 00:02:26.159 --> 00:02:38.159 The National Safety Council reported, and this is this may be shocking to you, it may not be shocking to you, that one in five car accidents happen in parking lots. 00:02:39.360 --> 00:02:44.560 One out of five wrecks happened in parking lots. 00:02:44.719 --> 00:02:54.319 Now you can imagine that this time of the year that increases because of all the craziness that's going on in the holidays and all the parking lots that are filled. 00:02:54.960 --> 00:03:18.080 And uh when you're thinking about this, and uh it's kind of shocking to me, that that has led to uh yearly 60,000 injuries and 500 deaths in parking lots across the nation because you know why, and I know why, because of distracted driving and because of the Christmas chaos. 00:03:19.840 --> 00:03:21.439 The Christmas chaos. 00:03:22.000 --> 00:03:24.159 Now, you're probably feeling it. 00:03:24.319 --> 00:03:37.039 I know I'm feeling it, the stress that comes, that you gotta make everything right and perfect, you gotta get the perfect gifts, and you're running around trying to make everything happen. 00:03:37.199 --> 00:03:40.800 You gotta do all the planning, get all the right stuff. 00:03:42.960 --> 00:04:02.159 This week I with uh my wife went to uh my daughter's Christmas uh their their uh their concert that they have with for their school, and in the hustle and bustle of trying to get her there to sing at the venue, we were we were rolling and trying to get there. 00:04:02.240 --> 00:04:11.360 We're coming from two different directions, and we rolled up, we were 15 minutes early, but the place was already full because we weren't 30 minutes early, like all the better parents. 00:04:11.759 --> 00:04:21.199 And so we got my daughter dropped off to the teacher, and then we're looking to try to find the seat, but it's all full, and so we ended up in the balcony, and we're trying to figure it all out. 00:04:21.360 --> 00:04:26.000 And I leaned over to my wife and I said, I'm feeling like the Grinch right now. 00:04:26.720 --> 00:04:29.120 And she looked back at me and she she leaned back over to me. 00:04:29.279 --> 00:04:30.959 She said, That's a choice. 00:04:36.959 --> 00:04:46.879 Oh my attitude didn't sound very much like the good news of great joy that the angels proclaimed in it. 00:04:48.319 --> 00:04:50.240 Isn't it crazy somehow? 00:04:50.639 --> 00:04:56.720 In all of the chaos of Christmas, it's so easy for us to miss the point. 00:04:58.079 --> 00:05:01.759 The title of my message today is Rethink and Rejoice. 00:05:02.079 --> 00:05:04.160 Turn to your neighbor and say, Rethink. 00:05:05.120 --> 00:05:06.959 Turn to your other neighbor and say, rejoice. 00:05:08.240 --> 00:05:15.680 See, we are living in a culture right now that tells us that the joy of Christmas comes from getting it all right. 00:05:17.040 --> 00:05:21.360 Having all the right presents, the right decorations, the right plans. 00:05:21.519 --> 00:05:26.959 But the the story of Christmas, we're gonna see that it's much different. 00:05:27.600 --> 00:05:36.319 See, as we rethink, as we refocus, and we rejoice in what truly matters. 00:05:38.879 --> 00:05:54.480 Getting all the parties and the presents and the planning and seeing those things, trying to make them perfect, there's this pressure that can cause us to miss the point of what this is all about. 00:05:55.600 --> 00:06:09.600 As we take a look at the Christmas story, that you've probably heard a number of times, or maybe you're hearing it for the very first time today, what we're gonna see from this story is that literally the world is turning on its head. 00:06:12.000 --> 00:06:55.920 And it starts by the fact that the angels come and proclaim this newborn king to a group of lowly, outcast shepherds that are just out in a field doing their shepherd stuff, and then the heavens are opened, and the glory of God shone around them and proclaimed the good news of the great joy that is of Jesus, and the fact that the angels came to the shepherds in the middle of the field doing their shepherd stuff, and not to the elites and the religious, was a big get lost to all the elites and the religious. 00:06:57.839 --> 00:07:03.519 All the Pharisees and all the religious leaders that thought that they had it all figured out, they had the perfect plan. 00:07:03.759 --> 00:07:32.319 The Messiah was gonna come one day to restore Israel, and he was going to ride into Jerusalem and was gonna be a military leader, and they had all these plans of how the Messiah was gonna come, and instead the angels come to the outcasts on the outside of the city and proclaim that Jesus was coming and was born and laid in a lowly manger, a feeding trough. 00:07:33.199 --> 00:07:43.360 Dirty, gross, the savior of the world, and the world is turned on its head. 00:07:44.240 --> 00:07:45.360 We're gonna look at it now. 00:07:45.519 --> 00:07:46.240 Look at that with me. 00:07:46.319 --> 00:07:48.800 If you have your Bible, you can turn to Luke chapter 2, starting in verse 8. 00:07:48.879 --> 00:07:55.199 If you've got your phone app, look it up on your phone, highlight it. 00:07:56.319 --> 00:07:58.879 Luke chapter 2, starting in verse 8. 00:08:03.040 --> 00:08:04.319 We'll have it on the screen as well. 00:08:04.480 --> 00:08:10.160 That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. 00:08:10.480 --> 00:08:19.439 Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the glory of the Lord's glory shone around them, and they were terrified. 00:08:19.839 --> 00:08:22.959 But the angel assured them, Don't be afraid, he said. 00:08:27.279 --> 00:08:35.519 The Savior, yes, the Messiah, the Lord, has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David, and you will recognize him by this sign. 00:08:35.679 --> 00:08:41.919 You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger. 00:08:43.200 --> 00:08:45.360 The angel comes with a message. 00:08:47.519 --> 00:09:00.080 The angel comes with a message about the tangible historical reality that Jesus, the Savior, has come. 00:09:04.799 --> 00:09:05.840 The real story. 00:09:08.000 --> 00:09:13.120 Not the Hollywood, not a movie version. 00:09:14.480 --> 00:09:15.440 The real story. 00:09:16.080 --> 00:09:24.240 See, I don't know about you, but for me, me and my family, we've been watching Christmas movies over the last few weeks with the kids, and we've watched some classics. 00:09:24.399 --> 00:09:26.559 We've watched Frosty the Snowman. 00:09:27.039 --> 00:09:31.759 We've watched uh Santa Claus is coming to town, the claymation, it's creepy, but it's classic. 00:09:33.279 --> 00:09:42.480 We've watched Miracle on 34th Street, and I realized that all the movies we've watched thus far have had nothing to do with Jesus. 00:09:44.559 --> 00:09:46.000 He hasn't even been a character. 00:09:48.639 --> 00:09:49.759 The story hasn't been told. 00:09:50.159 --> 00:09:55.360 We've been doing the Christmas thing, the American Christmas thing. 00:09:57.279 --> 00:10:02.879 But mind you me, I'm gonna be finding some movies with Jesus in them to show my kids. 00:10:04.480 --> 00:10:07.440 Because Christmas is just 10 days away. 00:10:09.919 --> 00:10:12.159 Just 10 short days away. 00:10:13.840 --> 00:10:33.200 See, I don't know if you're like me, but I would imagine that some of you have already felt the chaos and the fact that Christmas is 10 days away, and you can't even believe that it's 10 days away because there's 10 days away because there's so many things that you still have to do, and so many things that you've done, and we have all this pressure to have the perfect Christmas without Christ. 00:10:36.879 --> 00:10:41.759 It leaves us stressed and exhausted, and we're missing out on the reality. 00:10:43.440 --> 00:10:46.240 The reality of that night in Bethlehem. 00:10:46.960 --> 00:10:49.759 And so we're gonna rejoice in some things today this morning. 00:10:49.919 --> 00:10:51.039 Are you good with that, church? 00:10:51.759 --> 00:10:55.679 And the first thing that we're gonna rejoice in is in the reality of Christmas. 00:10:56.000 --> 00:11:07.120 See, the angel's message that came to these shepherds, it wasn't about tradition, it wasn't about uh feelings, it was about the Savior who had come to rescue us. 00:11:08.559 --> 00:11:15.360 And the reality of Christmas is that Jesus has arrived and he's the greatest gift we could ever receive. 00:11:16.320 --> 00:11:18.320 And it happened 2,000 years ago. 00:11:18.559 --> 00:11:29.200 See, that's the reality of the situation because the world wants us to have a Christmas that's that's all about tradition and sweetness, but God says it's about salvation. 00:11:32.080 --> 00:11:37.679 The reality that Jesus is with us, God with us, Emmanuel. 00:11:38.399 --> 00:11:49.440 And this Christmas, we're rejoicing in the unchanging reality that Jesus has come to bring joy and hope and salvation to this world. 00:11:51.200 --> 00:11:52.879 Can you rejoice in it? 00:11:55.679 --> 00:12:03.200 Can you let the reality of the story of Christmas truly sink in this year? 00:12:03.440 --> 00:12:04.399 Let's keep reading. 00:12:04.559 --> 00:12:05.279 Verse 13. 00:12:05.440 --> 00:12:19.600 Suddenly the angel was joined by a vast host of others, the armies of heaven, praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth to peace on earth to whom God is pleased. 00:12:19.840 --> 00:12:28.720 And when the angels have returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, Let's go to Bethlehem, let's see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about. 00:12:30.399 --> 00:12:44.720 The angel comes and is joined by a host of angels and proclaims Glory to God on the highest and peace on earth. 00:12:45.200 --> 00:12:51.840 And I don't know about you, but a lot of times my Christmas experience for my family is the opposite of peace. 00:12:55.200 --> 00:13:00.000 It's like the busyness of the holidays, it's like peace is just some distant dream. 00:13:03.360 --> 00:13:09.840 See, the reality is that we're all longing for peace. 00:13:10.480 --> 00:13:17.919 Peace in our relationships, peace in our circumstances, peace in our own hearts. 00:13:19.039 --> 00:13:30.000 And somehow in the middle of the season, that we're proclaiming God's peace towards men that it escapes us. 00:13:32.240 --> 00:13:48.480 Because we feel like the only way that we're gonna have peace is when all the presents are bought and they're all sitting nicely under the tree, and I got a cup of hot chocolate, and all the work is done, and then there'll be peace. 00:13:48.720 --> 00:13:58.639 All the running around, all the late nights staying up on Amazon, looking for the perfect gift, when all that stuff is done, then there'll be there will be peace. 00:13:59.679 --> 00:14:04.960 But I want to just kind of take this from a different angle for a second. 00:14:05.279 --> 00:14:09.039 And I want to talk specifically to the men in the room for a moment. 00:14:09.759 --> 00:14:12.879 Uh all my men hit me with an amen. 00:14:14.639 --> 00:14:16.159 We could be better with that. 00:14:16.480 --> 00:14:18.399 Men hit me with a real manly. 00:14:18.960 --> 00:14:20.240 Everybody say amen. 00:14:20.480 --> 00:14:21.120 Amen. 00:14:21.279 --> 00:14:22.399 Woo! Like that. 00:14:22.960 --> 00:14:23.759 I like that. 00:14:23.919 --> 00:14:25.120 That was better. 00:14:26.559 --> 00:14:34.879 See this scene that we see of the sky splitting open and the angels coming to proclaim the good news. 00:14:35.200 --> 00:14:44.399 I love the NLT and the fact that it actually says that it's heaven's armies, because some of the other translations say the host of heaven or the heavenly host. 00:14:44.480 --> 00:14:54.000 But but what you need to know is that I want us to divert from the Hallmark Christmas card picture of this moment for a second. 00:14:55.759 --> 00:15:01.200 With all these angels all in these nice robes up there with a halo on their head. 00:15:01.519 --> 00:15:13.519 No, actually, the word that's used there of the the angel, the armies of heaven is this Greek word that's it's it's uh it is uh stratia, which is actually a military word. 00:15:14.159 --> 00:15:17.120 See, it has a military connotation to it. 00:15:17.279 --> 00:15:28.399 So what I'm trying to tell you, men, is that when the sky split open, it wasn't just just Christmas card, a bunch of choir robe angels up there, prim and proper. 00:15:28.480 --> 00:15:30.799 No, these were warrior angels. 00:15:31.519 --> 00:15:42.799 These were warrior angels who in this moment, as they proclaimed the peace of God to come to earth, it was a battle cry. 00:15:44.399 --> 00:15:51.440 See, they're proclaiming the peace that's going to come because the king is finally born. 00:15:51.679 --> 00:16:29.600 See, because what had happened is up until this point, the chaos of sin, the cosmic battle that had been going on for some time, finally and that night, the thing that was promised right after sin into the into the world, back in Genesis chapter 2, and the fall of man, and the the eating of the fruit, and sin entering the world, and the chaos that ensued from that moment in Genesis chapter 3, verse 15, we have the promise of the coming Messiah for the first time in the scripture, and the scripture says that the enemy will strike his heel, but that the savior will stop and will smash the head of the serpent. 00:16:29.840 --> 00:16:40.000 And it's on that night that the sky split open and the warrior angels proclaimed a battle cry in front of everyone, that it's finally time. 00:16:40.320 --> 00:16:42.480 It was a declaration of war. 00:16:43.200 --> 00:16:49.279 It was a declaration of war that night of the cosmic war that had been planning it out for millennia. 00:16:49.440 --> 00:16:51.840 The declaration was a revelation. 00:16:52.080 --> 00:16:55.759 Worship the king, the true king. 00:16:56.000 --> 00:17:00.960 And so we're gonna rejoice in the revelation of Christmas. 00:17:05.039 --> 00:17:14.079 See, the world's trying to tell us that we're only gonna have peace. 00:17:19.359 --> 00:17:23.359 But if you're in Christ, we have peace because of what he's already done. 00:17:26.000 --> 00:17:29.039 Because of what he's already accomplished. 00:17:29.519 --> 00:17:33.200 Because Jesus didn't stay a baby. 00:17:34.000 --> 00:17:39.039 He lived a perfect, sinless life for 33 years. 00:17:40.160 --> 00:17:44.960 And had a ministry filled with signs and wonders and healing. 00:17:45.440 --> 00:17:47.200 And he spoke the truth. 00:17:48.799 --> 00:17:51.119 And he eventually went to the cross. 00:17:52.160 --> 00:18:01.119 And he died a death in your place and in my place that we deserved because of the chaos of sin. 00:18:03.599 --> 00:18:06.480 But it was because of Jesus and what he did. 00:18:08.000 --> 00:18:11.759 The peace finally came to men. 00:18:14.319 --> 00:18:16.799 Because of what started on that night. 00:18:16.960 --> 00:18:27.920 And we're gonna rejoice in the revelation of knowing that it's Jesus who is the one who brings true love and true peace through what he's done. 00:18:29.119 --> 00:18:30.559 See, we're all looking for peace. 00:18:30.640 --> 00:18:33.759 And it's Jesus who is the peacemaker. 00:18:35.119 --> 00:18:39.599 And he even tells us in Matthew chapter 5 that blessed are the peacemakers. 00:18:40.319 --> 00:18:42.000 We're not just these peacekeepers. 00:18:42.079 --> 00:18:45.519 No, we're people who make peace, and we join Jesus in making peace. 00:18:45.680 --> 00:18:49.119 So who is it in your life that you need to make peace with this Christmas? 00:18:51.440 --> 00:18:56.240 Who is it in your life that you need to share the peace of Christ with? 00:18:56.880 --> 00:19:00.079 That right now they're far from it. 00:19:01.039 --> 00:19:08.000 Or your relationship is strained, or the chaos of sin has broken the peace. 00:19:09.039 --> 00:19:10.799 And you need to join Jesus. 00:19:12.880 --> 00:19:18.000 And the reality and the revelation of the story of Christ that He came to bring us peace. 00:19:18.079 --> 00:19:18.799 Let's keep reading. 00:19:18.880 --> 00:19:19.680 Verse 16. 00:19:19.839 --> 00:19:25.359 They hurried to the village and they found Mary and Joseph, and there was the baby lying in the manger. 00:19:25.599 --> 00:19:32.160 After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. 00:19:32.400 --> 00:19:34.799 All who heard the shepherd's story were astonished. 00:19:34.960 --> 00:19:39.519 But Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. 00:19:39.839 --> 00:19:46.559 The shepherds went back to their flocks and glorified, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. 00:19:47.920 --> 00:19:51.279 And it was just as the angel had told them. 00:19:52.480 --> 00:19:56.799 The shepherd's response was to tell everybody. 00:19:58.880 --> 00:20:12.799 The shepherd's response to what they had just seen, experienced, heard from these angels, this army, this unbelievable night. 00:20:13.039 --> 00:20:16.559 Their response was to tell others about it. 00:20:18.079 --> 00:20:28.240 I don't know if you're like me, but sometimes I can feel I feel like it could be incredibly awkward to tell people about what Christmas is really all about. 00:20:30.640 --> 00:20:35.039 I mean, half the time they don't even want us to say Merry Christmas anymore. 00:20:35.359 --> 00:20:38.480 They just want to say happy holidays or whatever they want us to say. 00:20:39.759 --> 00:21:01.039 But there's a there's a natural overflow of the joy that we get by the fact that just like the shepherds, we find joy in the fact that this good news that we have, it's not about getting everything white, right? 00:21:01.680 --> 00:21:05.920 It's about the one who is perfect who's come to earth to save us. 00:21:08.000 --> 00:21:13.680 It's not about us being perfect on our own because we can't. 00:21:14.240 --> 00:21:20.559 It's about us being filled with the joy of Jesus that once we were lost and now we're found. 00:21:21.680 --> 00:21:28.240 That a Savior King was born 2,000 years ago to die for us. 00:21:29.680 --> 00:21:32.160 And the world just wants us to keep it private. 00:21:34.079 --> 00:21:35.279 Keep it private. 00:21:36.079 --> 00:21:39.039 But it's God who's called us to proclaim it. 00:21:39.920 --> 00:21:53.119 It's God who's called us to proclaim it, just like the angel armies proclaimed it, just like the shepherds then proclaimed it, and we're going to find joy in the retelling of Christmas. 00:21:53.599 --> 00:21:59.680 We're gonna find joy in spreading the hope that we have in Christ, glorifying him. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:03.279 Him by telling the true story of Christmas. 00:22:05.200 --> 00:22:07.039 What truly happened. 00:22:08.319 --> 00:22:16.799 The salvation that came through a child that one day would come from the cross. 00:22:18.400 --> 00:22:21.759 From walking out of the grave, and we rejoice in it. 00:22:22.720 --> 00:22:34.319 I was thinking about this time last year, and this time last year, our Christmas services were at the Elizabeth, the Elizabeth venue downtown. 00:22:34.880 --> 00:22:37.200 And boy, we had a great time. 00:22:37.519 --> 00:22:40.319 We were set up and tear down pros at that point. 00:22:41.920 --> 00:22:51.920 We went in that joint and a mother in just a matter of hours had transformed it into this Christmas wonderland. 00:22:52.960 --> 00:22:55.920 Had our time and the Elizabeth, it was beautiful. 00:22:56.079 --> 00:22:58.640 And we packed it all back into the trailer. 00:23:00.319 --> 00:23:10.559 But my favorite thing about that night was that there were a few people that night who gave their life to Jesus. 00:23:12.559 --> 00:23:16.480 One of those was a middle school girl named Amaya. 00:23:17.200 --> 00:23:21.519 Amaya, who's the granddaughter of Chuck, who's in our church. 00:23:22.160 --> 00:23:23.519 I love Chuck. 00:23:25.839 --> 00:23:29.200 And Chuck invited his granddaughter that night. 00:23:30.079 --> 00:23:32.480 And she accepted Christ as her savior. 00:23:32.640 --> 00:23:38.480 And a few weeks later, Chuck baptized Amaya here in this house. 00:23:43.599 --> 00:23:51.759 And not only Amaya, not only Amaya, but also his grandson Xavier as well that morning. 00:23:58.480 --> 00:24:02.240 And I wonder, I wonder who else? 00:24:03.039 --> 00:24:07.759 Who else needs to know the true joy of Christmas? 00:24:08.880 --> 00:24:27.200 And understand the God of the universe who came to earth and put on flesh and dwelled among us so that we might have a right relationship with God, that we would not be separated from him in a place called hell, but live forever in a place called heaven because of what happened 2,000 years ago and a night in Bethlehem. 00:24:31.759 --> 00:24:36.160 The people that are in our life who just so desperately need to hear it. 00:24:37.359 --> 00:24:39.279 I want you to do a favor for me. 00:24:39.839 --> 00:24:44.799 Under your seat, there is an ornament that looks like this. 00:24:44.960 --> 00:24:46.079 This is a gift to you. 00:24:46.160 --> 00:24:47.759 If you grab it, will you grab that for me? 00:24:47.920 --> 00:24:48.720 Give me a favor. 00:24:48.960 --> 00:24:49.839 It's under your seat. 00:24:49.920 --> 00:24:51.680 Everybody should have one, hopefully. 00:24:52.000 --> 00:24:54.079 It says the outpour on it. 00:24:54.640 --> 00:24:58.720 This is this is the celebration of what God's doing in our church. 00:24:58.799 --> 00:25:00.160 This is a gift for you to take home. 00:25:00.240 --> 00:25:07.359 When my family, when we were putting up our Christmas trees, our Christmas tree, we were putting up some of these ornaments, and we had some ornaments from church, and this one's for you. 00:25:07.440 --> 00:25:08.880 This is a gift for you to put on your tree. 00:25:08.960 --> 00:25:14.240 And I don't know about you, but my family, we always write stuff on the back of our ornaments. 00:25:14.400 --> 00:25:17.039 And so there's also a little tiny Sharpie marker under your seat. 00:25:17.119 --> 00:25:18.400 Will you grab that for me too? 00:25:19.920 --> 00:25:21.200 Real small one. 00:25:21.920 --> 00:25:24.559 And we always put like the year on the back of ours. 00:25:24.640 --> 00:25:26.640 You can put the year down, 2024. 00:25:28.400 --> 00:25:42.960 But I want you what I want you to do is I want you to write on the back of this the name or initials of somebody who's in your life who is close to you but far from God. 00:25:45.279 --> 00:25:48.720 Somebody in your life who needs Christ. 00:25:48.799 --> 00:25:52.160 And I'm going to talk for a while longer so that you have time to do it. 00:25:52.240 --> 00:25:55.200 And some of you, as soon as I said that, that person popped into your mind. 00:25:55.359 --> 00:25:56.559 And I want you to write it down right now. 00:25:56.640 --> 00:25:57.519 I want you to write their name down. 00:25:57.599 --> 00:25:58.400 They're not going to see it. 00:25:58.559 --> 00:25:59.680 They're not going to see this. 00:25:59.839 --> 00:26:01.920 They're not coming to inspect your tree. 00:26:04.160 --> 00:26:11.279 But as a prayer, some of you are thinking, trying to think about who that person could possibly be. 00:26:12.720 --> 00:26:28.000 See, I want you to write it down because us collectively as a church, we're taking a moment here to reflect, reflect on the reality of Christ's birth and what it means for us, not just this week, but every week. 00:26:28.240 --> 00:26:36.079 And that we're going to reveal, we're going to reveal God's peace and his love in this chaotic world. 00:26:38.559 --> 00:26:45.359 And we're going to actively retell the story of Christmas together. 00:26:46.559 --> 00:26:53.599 And I wonder, as you write this name down, I don't know what God's going to do. 00:26:55.519 --> 00:27:06.319 But maybe by this time next year, like Chuck's granddaughter and grandson, they'll be saved and baptized. 00:27:07.920 --> 00:27:13.519 Because of his work, because of his power, because what he could do through you. 00:27:14.079 --> 00:27:18.799 To love them and reveal to them the hope that we have in Christ. 00:27:19.359 --> 00:27:22.400 The hope, the whole reason for this season. 00:27:22.640 --> 00:27:24.640 The hope of God that we have. 00:27:25.920 --> 00:27:26.880 Who is it? 00:27:27.119 --> 00:27:28.880 Who is that person in your life? 00:27:28.960 --> 00:27:54.799 And as we think about collectively as a church and we rethink some of the Christmas traditions and things that we have and we're going to do over the next 10 days, maybe you need to reflect and think about what it looks like for you to be able to reflect on Christ's birth and for you to do something this Christmas season that you haven't done before that would be meaningful and Christ-centered, something intentional. 00:27:54.960 --> 00:28:00.480 Maybe it's reading Luke 2 with your family for the first time at Christmas or on Christmas Eve. 00:28:01.359 --> 00:28:10.799 Just so that the reality of the true story of Christ is first and foremost in your home. 00:28:14.720 --> 00:28:16.640 Can you just imagine with me? 00:28:18.319 --> 00:28:20.960 The joy of Jesus replacing the stress. 00:28:24.400 --> 00:28:32.799 Being overwhelmed and what in worship. 00:28:35.359 --> 00:28:43.119 Instead of overflowing in anxiety and celebrating what Jesus did for us. 00:28:45.279 --> 00:28:46.319 I'm believing. 00:28:46.480 --> 00:28:48.319 I don't know what God's going to do. 00:28:49.680 --> 00:28:59.119 But I know this as you walk out today, there's going to be some invite cards that are there on the doors on your way out for a Christmas service next week. 00:29:00.559 --> 00:29:09.839 And I would love for the person that's on your ornament, maybe for you to take that card to them and to invite them to be here next Sunday. 00:29:10.240 --> 00:29:17.519 Because yeah, we're going to celebrate and we're going to have a Christmas fun, but we're going to share the gospel of Jesus. 00:29:17.920 --> 00:29:23.039 And we're going to share the truth of Christ so that people can come to know him. 00:29:23.759 --> 00:29:47.200 See, there in a room this size, I know that in a room this size, there are some folks that are in here today that there is chaos right now in your world because of your own sin and your own brokenness and ways that your life right now is going in the wrong direction. 00:29:47.279 --> 00:30:13.440 And I want to tell you today, Jesus has made a pathway for you to turn and walk straight to him and leave the chaos behind of sin and walk into the forgiveness that comes from the hope of Jesus, of him being born one day in a manger 2,000 years ago and dying on the cross in your place, and today could be your day to turn away from the chaos and turn to Christ today, right now, today. 00:30:14.480 --> 00:30:17.440 Somebody in this room, maybe it's you. 00:30:38.480 --> 00:30:40.880 Father, I pray all across this room, God. 00:30:42.720 --> 00:30:44.559 Glory to God in the highest. 00:30:45.839 --> 00:31:10.319 We're here with you, God, to celebrate what you did for us by coming at Christmas time in a lowly manger and going to the cross and dying in our place to forgive us of our many sins. 00:31:12.640 --> 00:31:26.880 And so, Father, right now, as we've written down names and people who've come to mind, God, I pray, Lord, that you would help us to be people who are ready to share the hope that we have with the invitation to you. 00:31:28.480 --> 00:31:36.640 And Father, right now, I pray in this place, if there's anybody in this place who's not received you as Savior, that today would be the day that they do that. 00:31:36.799 --> 00:31:38.240 They wouldn't wait. 00:31:38.559 --> 00:31:40.720 But today they would receive you. 00:31:41.359 --> 00:31:44.400 Today they would ask for your salvation. 00:31:44.960 --> 00:31:55.440 For the first time, put their trust in you, receive your gift on the cross for the forgiveness of their sins. 00:31:55.839 --> 00:32:01.119 If that's you today, I want you to pray from a genuine place to your heart. 00:32:01.680 --> 00:32:03.200 Jesus, save me. 00:32:03.599 --> 00:32:05.599 I believe that you're the Son of God. 00:32:06.079 --> 00:32:06.559 Pray this. 00:32:06.720 --> 00:32:08.160 I believe that you're the Son of God. 00:32:10.880 --> 00:32:12.640 That you came to this earth. 00:32:14.640 --> 00:32:18.559 That you died on the cross, and that you walked out of the grave. 00:32:20.000 --> 00:32:20.880 Forgive me. 00:32:21.920 --> 00:32:22.799 Cleanse me. 00:32:23.440 --> 00:32:25.119 Wash me as white as snow. 00:32:27.680 --> 00:32:30.160 So that I can be in heaven with you one day. 00:32:30.559 --> 00:32:32.240 Thank you for saving me. 00:32:32.880 --> 00:32:36.720 I give you my life as you gave yours for mine. 00:32:38.400 --> 00:32:39.839 Heads bowed, eyes closed. 00:32:39.920 --> 00:32:47.119 Today you prayed to receive Jesus as your Savior, so that you might be forgiven and free. 00:32:47.359 --> 00:32:49.039 Healed and holy in his name. 00:32:49.200 --> 00:32:53.920 I wanted you to take a sign and make a sign towards heaven to proclaim it. 00:32:54.240 --> 00:32:57.279 In just a moment, I'm going to count to three, and I'm going to ask you to raise your hand. 00:32:57.359 --> 00:33:00.960 And I want to see you and be able to pray for you if that's you today. 00:33:01.200 --> 00:33:08.079 I want you to raise that hand up at the count of three, real high, as a sign towards heaven, if that's you. 00:33:08.400 --> 00:33:13.519 So if you received him as Savior today, at the count of three, ready. 00:33:13.599 --> 00:33:15.200 One, two, three, raise your hand up. 00:33:15.359 --> 00:33:16.559 Anybody in this place? 00:33:18.559 --> 00:33:30.799 Father, I pray and right now, God, I ask for you to seal and to save and to bring salvation to this place. 00:33:32.160 --> 00:33:42.559 God, for people that we know and people that we love, that God, they would come into right relationship with you. 00:33:42.799 --> 00:33:48.400 And God, right now, during this Christmas season, we honor you above all. 00:33:48.559 --> 00:33:50.319 We praise you above all. 00:33:50.480 --> 00:33:55.839 We give you all the glory and all the honor and all the praise forever and ever. 00:33:58.240 --> 00:34:01.119 In Jesus' mighty name, we all said, Amen. 00:34:01.279 --> 00:34:05.680 Church, will you stand to your feet now as we worship and as we sing together and celebrate?