WEBVTT 00:00:01.919 --> 00:00:03.919 Good morning, Kelowna Christmas Center. 00:00:04.000 --> 00:00:05.280 How are we doing this fine morning? 00:00:05.759 --> 00:00:07.519 You want to stand to your feet? 00:00:08.160 --> 00:00:09.199 My name is Brian. 00:00:09.279 --> 00:00:11.279 I'm one of the pastors here at KCC. 00:00:11.679 --> 00:00:16.559 We are very excited to have you here on a near soon-to-be Christmas time. 00:00:16.879 --> 00:00:19.519 How many of you have done a look at Christmas shopping? 00:00:19.839 --> 00:00:20.399 No one. 00:00:20.559 --> 00:00:21.679 Two people put up their hand. 00:00:21.760 --> 00:00:22.800 I feel for you guys. 00:00:22.960 --> 00:00:25.039 We're ready for this week if you have any kids. 00:00:25.120 --> 00:00:31.199 We have an amazing kids program downstairs, and they're just excited to take your kids and show them who Jesus is this morning. 00:00:31.359 --> 00:00:33.600 We ready to worship the Lord this morning? 00:00:33.840 --> 00:00:34.399 Amen. 00:00:34.479 --> 00:00:35.920 I'm gonna start with some scripture. 00:00:36.079 --> 00:00:40.000 Psalms chapter 100 says, Shout to the Lord all the earth. 00:00:40.079 --> 00:00:42.320 Are we ready to give the Lord a shout this morning? 00:00:42.640 --> 00:00:46.479 Worship the Lord with gladness, come before him with joyful songs. 00:00:46.719 --> 00:00:48.320 Know that the Lord is God. 00:00:48.479 --> 00:00:50.640 It is he who has made us, and we are his. 00:00:51.039 --> 00:00:53.840 We are his people, the sheep of his pasture. 00:00:54.000 --> 00:00:57.600 Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise. 00:00:57.759 --> 00:01:00.079 This morning, let's just raise our hearts to him. 00:01:00.320 --> 00:01:09.760 Let's raise our hands, let's raise our voices as we come through the gates with thanksgiving and give him all the thanks for everything that he's done for us because he is a good God. 00:01:09.920 --> 00:01:10.560 Is he not? 00:01:10.959 --> 00:01:12.319 Is he a good God, church? 00:01:12.719 --> 00:01:13.120 Amen. 00:01:13.200 --> 00:01:16.480 Let's raise our hands to give the Lord a little bit of prayer this morning, Lord. 00:01:16.640 --> 00:01:17.920 Thank you for what you're gonna do. 00:01:18.159 --> 00:01:24.000 Thank you for who you are, what you're gonna do through this Christmas season, Lord, as we celebrate your birth, Lord. 00:01:24.079 --> 00:01:26.560 So we know that you're gonna do something amazing in this house. 00:01:26.719 --> 00:01:36.879 We know that this morning we are ready and willing to worship you, to hear your word, to move forward in our life as you've called us to great, amazing, supernatural things this morning. 00:01:36.959 --> 00:01:40.400 So we have expectation you're gonna move in our hearts this morning, Lord. 00:01:40.480 --> 00:01:43.439 So bless our time, bless this church, and bless our worship this morning. 00:01:43.519 --> 00:01:46.079 In Jesus' name, everyone said, Amen. 00:01:49.040 --> 00:01:49.680 Amen. 00:01:51.760 --> 00:02:32.000 Jesus, our redemption, our salvation is in his blood, Jesus, Lord of heaven, Forever His Kingdom come, so we will sing, we will dance to the earth that goes to heaven, sing his grace till we see the other sight. 00:02:33.840 --> 00:02:41.280 Cause we belong to the light when the night is us as darkest. 00:02:41.520 --> 00:02:46.719 Just hold on for the dawn will soon arrive. 00:02:47.520 --> 00:02:48.719 Can you have the wind? 00:02:49.120 --> 00:02:52.400 Can you feel the wings are changing? 00:02:52.800 --> 00:03:02.960 There's a new day on the rise, and the atmosphere is breaking as a new one comes to light. 00:03:03.199 --> 00:03:10.560 So we will sing, we will dance to beyond that goes to heaven. 00:03:10.800 --> 00:03:15.439 So it is praise to be on the sun. 00:03:44.719 --> 00:03:46.240 Can you feel the winds? 00:03:46.800 --> 00:03:49.919 Can you feel the winds attacking? 00:03:50.400 --> 00:04:00.479 There's a new day on the rise, and the atmosphere is breaking as a new world comes to life. 00:04:00.719 --> 00:04:13.199 So we will stay, we will test to the heaven, to get bread, to see the other side. 00:04:30.480 --> 00:04:34.959 I've got a feeling the darkness won't last very long. 00:04:37.519 --> 00:04:42.480 I've got a feeling the darkness won't last very long. 00:04:43.279 --> 00:04:43.759 Amen. 00:04:44.800 --> 00:04:49.600 I got a feeling the darkness won't last very long. 00:04:51.920 --> 00:04:55.040 I got a feeling the darkness will lie. 00:04:57.519 --> 00:05:02.720 I got a feeling, I got the feeling the darkness on life. 00:05:41.519 --> 00:05:44.480 Let us leave it while awaken. 00:05:45.279 --> 00:05:48.160 There's a new day on the rise. 00:05:48.560 --> 00:05:51.680 And the idea is shaking. 00:05:52.079 --> 00:05:54.720 As the graveyard's green to lie. 00:05:55.279 --> 00:06:02.160 So we will sing, we will dance till the earth comes to heaven. 00:06:02.480 --> 00:06:03.759 Sing it's great. 00:06:04.399 --> 00:06:07.040 So we see the other side. 00:06:07.439 --> 00:06:08.879 Let us give you all away. 00:06:09.600 --> 00:06:12.560 Let us be water waken. 00:06:13.279 --> 00:06:16.160 That's the new day on the rise. 00:06:16.720 --> 00:06:23.120 As the end of me taken, as the brave yards went to lie. 00:06:23.839 --> 00:06:27.040 Let the water wake it. 00:06:34.720 --> 00:06:37.360 As the brave yards went to lie. 00:06:37.839 --> 00:06:49.759 So we will stay, we will test, to be out and fall together, take it straight, to wish to be the other time. 00:07:28.480 --> 00:07:34.079 Our salvation is in his blood. 00:07:34.319 --> 00:07:45.120 Jesus, Lord of Heaven, Jesus, Lord Heaven, Fever. 00:08:58.559 --> 00:09:10.960 When death was arrested, I've been so free. 00:09:56.080 --> 00:10:00.480 My shame was alright, so faithfully more. 00:10:02.320 --> 00:10:07.600 He came to my death, he called me his friend. 00:10:08.480 --> 00:10:20.559 When death was arrested, I believe all this so free. 00:11:33.120 --> 00:11:39.519 So free was me. 00:12:00.399 --> 00:12:03.679 You have made us new life. 00:12:13.200 --> 00:12:15.039 Forever we're free. 00:12:15.600 --> 00:12:18.960 Come join the song of all the region. 00:12:19.440 --> 00:12:20.960 Yes, we're free. 00:12:21.440 --> 00:12:23.200 Free forever. 00:12:24.639 --> 00:12:28.639 When death was arrested, the mind for free. 00:12:34.480 --> 00:12:38.240 Come join the song of all the beauty. 00:12:38.559 --> 00:12:39.759 Yes, we're free. 00:12:40.480 --> 00:12:42.240 Free forever. 00:12:43.759 --> 00:12:57.440 When death was arrest, when death was arrest, it might be when death was during my feet. 00:13:46.879 --> 00:14:00.080 And heaven and nature seek, and heaven and nature see, and nature seal. 00:14:12.879 --> 00:14:29.200 Let all their songs and blow while fields and floods from hills and flame repeats their sounding joy. 00:14:29.759 --> 00:14:32.639 Repeat their sound in joy. 00:14:33.200 --> 00:14:49.919 Repeat, repeat their sound in joy, joy, unspeakable joy, overflowing well. 00:14:51.519 --> 00:14:53.679 No time can tell. 00:15:04.799 --> 00:15:06.720 Never let me go. 00:15:18.879 --> 00:15:23.279 And makes the nations fruit. 00:15:32.240 --> 00:15:34.720 And wonders of his love. 00:15:35.600 --> 00:15:38.080 And wonders of his love. 00:15:39.039 --> 00:15:44.639 And wonders, wonders of his love. 00:15:45.279 --> 00:15:48.399 Joy, I'm speaking for joy. 00:15:49.840 --> 00:15:52.159 I'm speaking for joy. 00:15:53.519 --> 00:16:01.759 All going well No talk and tell Joy. 00:16:03.120 --> 00:16:05.519 I'm speaking for joy. 00:16:10.240 --> 00:16:12.159 Never let's go. 00:16:16.080 --> 00:16:16.960 Joy I'm speaking. 00:16:19.840 --> 00:16:22.240 I'm speaking for joy. 00:19:15.119 --> 00:19:16.480 God loves you. 00:19:22.240 --> 00:19:23.440 Give me wish. 00:19:29.519 --> 00:19:30.880 God loves you. 00:19:32.240 --> 00:19:34.880 You am I constrained. 00:19:36.400 --> 00:19:37.599 Give me wish. 00:19:40.400 --> 00:19:42.880 You know just what to do. 00:19:43.359 --> 00:19:49.200 And I will love you know my strength. 00:19:50.640 --> 00:19:56.640 And I will love you know my shield. 00:19:57.920 --> 00:20:02.640 And I will love you for my work. 00:20:12.559 --> 00:20:17.279 I will love you for my shame. 00:20:19.599 --> 00:20:25.039 I will love you for my shame. 00:20:26.480 --> 00:20:31.440 And I will love you for my work. 00:20:32.720 --> 00:20:38.160 Whenever you all my days, I will love you. 00:22:26.079 --> 00:22:30.799 And it's Christmas season and we're talking about joy to the world. 00:22:30.880 --> 00:22:42.720 And God, I look to you, and I can't help but think of this interesting dynamic where we know there's joy and we know there's hope, but then there's something in us that says, But God, I still just have to look to you. 00:22:43.039 --> 00:22:44.960 I have no other hope but you. 00:22:45.200 --> 00:22:47.440 I have no other solution but you. 00:22:47.759 --> 00:22:50.640 God, I look to you for every worry I have right now. 00:22:50.799 --> 00:22:54.240 God, I look to you for every anxiety I feel right now. 00:22:54.480 --> 00:22:57.200 God, I look to you for the stress I'm feeling. 00:22:57.440 --> 00:22:59.599 God, I look to you in every single thing. 00:22:59.839 --> 00:23:01.440 God, I look to you. 00:23:01.759 --> 00:23:13.839 And I think it's awesome that we can come here and just have an honest moment where we can say that I know it's Christmas and there's so much going on, but maybe there's some things in our lives where we need God, where we need to look to Him. 00:23:14.000 --> 00:23:20.799 And I was thinking about that verse this morning that says, They will call him Emmanuel, which means He's God with us. 00:23:21.359 --> 00:23:24.880 That this morning we can celebrate that we have a God who's with us. 00:23:25.039 --> 00:23:31.519 He's not far off, he's not looking at you from a distance, he's a God who came to the world so he could be with you. 00:23:31.759 --> 00:23:36.400 He's a God who came to the world so he could show up into your house and say, I'm with you. 00:23:36.559 --> 00:23:38.799 I'm walking with you, I'm giving you hope. 00:23:38.960 --> 00:23:43.359 If you feel despair this morning, if you feel depressed, he is joy to the world. 00:23:43.519 --> 00:23:45.839 If you feel anxious, he is the peace. 00:23:46.160 --> 00:23:48.079 He's God with us. 00:23:48.559 --> 00:23:52.559 If you are sick, he's your healing, he's God with us, he's a healer. 00:23:52.799 --> 00:23:57.519 And I can't help but think this morning that maybe there's some people in this room that need God with you. 00:23:57.759 --> 00:24:00.079 And we're inviting people to church next week. 00:24:00.160 --> 00:24:02.400 It's the one day where everyone comes to church. 00:24:02.480 --> 00:24:14.000 They're invading your houses, they're invading our houses, and maybe there's some people that we know that need to know God is with them, that don't even know who Jesus is, that don't have a relationship. 00:24:14.240 --> 00:24:22.559 And I'm wondering if we can just lift up our voices this morning and start to pray and start to lift up our voice on behalf of every empty seat sitting next to you. 00:24:22.799 --> 00:24:28.319 Let's believe that next week that seat's gonna be filled and they're gonna encounter God with them. 00:24:28.559 --> 00:24:34.559 If you have people in your life that are sick, let's lift our voice and believe that God with them is a healer. 00:24:34.799 --> 00:24:42.400 If you have people in your life that are depressed, let's believe that God with them is a God of joy who can set free, who can deliver. 00:24:42.559 --> 00:24:42.960 Amen. 00:24:43.039 --> 00:24:50.720 Can you just lift up your voice this morning and let's start to pray and believe for God with us to come and do amazing things. 00:25:08.640 --> 00:25:12.079 God, we thank you that you are God with us. 00:25:12.480 --> 00:25:14.720 We thank you that you are the joy of the world. 00:25:14.880 --> 00:25:17.440 We thank you that you are the hope of this season. 00:25:17.759 --> 00:25:22.240 God, we thank you that you are a healer, that you set free, that you deliver. 00:25:22.400 --> 00:25:25.920 And God, right now we think of the people in our lives that need to know you. 00:25:26.160 --> 00:25:29.359 God, we think of every empty seat here that's going to be filled next week. 00:25:29.440 --> 00:25:40.960 And we pray, God, that you would come and be so real to every single person that the realness of your presence would be made known more than ever before, that they'd get to know you as God with them. 00:25:41.119 --> 00:25:53.680 Not someone who's far off, not someone who's judging them, not someone who's just up in the sky, but that you're God with them, God who wants a relationship with them, God who wants to set us free, God who wants to heal us. 00:25:54.000 --> 00:25:54.880 God, we thank you. 00:25:55.119 --> 00:25:57.440 We thank you for the sacrifice you made for us. 00:25:57.599 --> 00:26:00.640 We thank you for the life we have because of you. 00:26:00.799 --> 00:26:08.720 And this morning, God, we just believe even through this Christmas season, God, for everyone here that God with us is gonna carry us through. 00:26:08.960 --> 00:26:10.720 God with us is gonna bring hope. 00:26:10.880 --> 00:26:19.119 God with us is gonna bring healing, and we lift up your name, we praise you, and we believe for all the great things you're gonna do in Jesus' name. 00:26:19.279 --> 00:26:22.160 Everybody said, Amen. 00:26:22.319 --> 00:26:24.160 Do you believe that this morning? 00:26:25.440 --> 00:26:28.319 I would encourage you to say hello to the people around you. 00:26:28.400 --> 00:26:33.759 You can grab a seat, give a high five to three people, and welcome them to church today. 00:26:35.279 --> 00:26:43.920 Jesus in Lord, every knee shall bow. 00:26:47.359 --> 00:27:12.160 Every time confessing, good morning, sure. 00:27:12.640 --> 00:27:15.759 Welcome to KCC this morning, eh? 00:27:16.799 --> 00:27:18.559 Well, my name is Brody Kalman. 00:27:18.640 --> 00:27:22.960 I'm the lead pastor here at KCC, and we're so glad to have you with us. 00:27:23.200 --> 00:27:30.000 So if you're joining with us here, or if you're joining with us online, it's uh great that you're connecting with us. 00:27:30.079 --> 00:27:33.680 I I love the fact that we join online, get a little bit of a window. 00:27:33.839 --> 00:27:39.920 I tell people all the time, I said, they're like, oh, I don't know if I can come to church on a Sunday when I make an invitation. 00:27:40.079 --> 00:27:42.640 They're like, Oh, I don't know if I can come to church, you know, it's early. 00:27:42.799 --> 00:27:45.359 I said, just just log in online. 00:27:45.680 --> 00:27:48.160 Like just connect with us, get a bit of that window. 00:27:48.240 --> 00:27:53.839 And one more one day, uh, we are and our hope is that you'll actually make yourself into the church. 00:27:54.000 --> 00:27:58.880 So if anyone's here today after watching us online, uh we want to welcome you. 00:27:59.119 --> 00:28:12.160 Uh, if this whole church experience is new to you and and uh you're in good company today, there are a lot of people here who have come to church and everyone had to come for the first time. 00:28:12.480 --> 00:28:24.559 And if you'd like to know where you are spiritually, we just have a few just next steps, just points of reference to refer to as to your own uh spiritual journey. 00:28:24.720 --> 00:28:29.680 The first is we believe that everyone who comes has to start with the first step of actually knowing God. 00:28:29.759 --> 00:28:32.480 How many in this room here have come to know God? 00:28:33.119 --> 00:28:35.279 You've come to know God for yourself. 00:28:35.519 --> 00:28:43.200 It's really important that you have an authentic, you have a real uh relationship with God that's real to you. 00:28:43.359 --> 00:28:53.519 And it's not the faith of your father or your mother or your your uh it's not the faith of your spouse, it's your own personal faith. 00:28:53.680 --> 00:29:11.839 So once you come to know God, it's uh and you realize that after knowing Him that your sins are forgiven and that's such an important part, we just realize that there are some things that you have to work out and iron out in your life, and and that's where we come to a place where we just deal with our issues. 00:29:12.000 --> 00:29:13.599 How many of you have issues? 00:29:13.839 --> 00:29:15.039 Yeah, that's right. 00:29:15.200 --> 00:29:17.519 It all comes up at Christmas, right? 00:29:17.920 --> 00:29:20.480 I am happy, I am joyful. 00:29:20.799 --> 00:29:34.400 We have like these little issues, and this is where we find freedom, and and we have small groups uh dedicated to helping you just iron those things out, work those things out in the context of a smaller community. 00:29:34.640 --> 00:29:35.599 It's really important. 00:29:35.759 --> 00:29:41.680 And when you've ironed some of those things out, you're working on some of those things that you dealt with in your yesterday. 00:29:41.759 --> 00:29:46.240 We believe it's important to move you into your tomorrow because God has a plan for your life. 00:29:46.400 --> 00:29:50.079 Turn to your neighbor and say, God has a plan for you, a purpose for you. 00:29:50.319 --> 00:29:52.000 He's got a calling on your life. 00:29:52.160 --> 00:29:52.880 That's right. 00:29:53.119 --> 00:30:01.599 It's unique to you, you alone, the two most incredible days of the day you were born and the day you discover why you were born. 00:30:02.000 --> 00:30:09.039 It is when you start operating from that revelation of why you're here, you begin to make a difference in the world. 00:30:09.279 --> 00:30:13.440 And so this is a great season when we're we're making a difference. 00:30:13.519 --> 00:30:18.960 It's a great opportunity to make a difference in our community at this time of the year. 00:30:19.119 --> 00:30:29.359 Uh many of you were able to participate in our entrusted offering that started that uh we held on uh the beginning of the month here in December. 00:30:29.519 --> 00:30:34.319 And I just want to share with you one of the missions you helped us accomplish just recently. 00:30:34.480 --> 00:30:36.880 Uh, this is with regards to our Houses of Mercy. 00:30:37.039 --> 00:30:40.960 Houses of Mercy is our compassionate ministry of KCC. 00:30:41.519 --> 00:30:50.720 And we uh provide our community with weekly donations uh for uh their food donations to our neighborhood. 00:30:50.880 --> 00:31:04.400 And we realized in our neighborhood that a lot of people are working, a lot of people are working multiple jobs, and they're just they're coming to an end by the end of the month, end of their resources, end of the food in their pantry, etc. 00:31:04.640 --> 00:31:14.559 And we just wanted to be able to provide a cushion for them, an opportunity to be able to give them that little bit more that they needed to be able to get through the month. 00:31:14.799 --> 00:31:25.680 And uh before people resort to like debt or crime or do every other things, you know, to manage the situation they're in, the pressures they're in. 00:31:25.839 --> 00:31:30.000 And so we just provide uh we provide food hampers. 00:31:30.240 --> 00:31:38.640 And this uh Christmas we provided over 137 food hampers serving 137 families right on. 00:31:39.119 --> 00:31:42.640 It was a great, great ministry. 00:31:43.279 --> 00:31:50.160 Uh we had 25 more registrations, more than we had anticipated and budgeted. 00:31:50.400 --> 00:31:54.640 And uh each hamper is about$100 for a hamper, close to$100. 00:31:55.200 --> 00:32:02.480 We have turkeys or hams and everything from the turkey and ham and stuffing right down to the dessert and coffee. 00:32:02.640 --> 00:32:07.519 The meal is as boxes, and people are leaving with a carton full of food. 00:32:07.759 --> 00:32:14.480 And uh, when we were looking at those 25 extra families, because of the interested offering, we were able to say yes. 00:32:14.880 --> 00:32:17.119 Come on in, come on in, we'll serve. 00:32:17.200 --> 00:32:19.680 So thank you so much for doing that. 00:32:19.759 --> 00:32:25.440 And I just want to thank all of our volunteers and those who served and gave of their time and their efforts. 00:32:25.519 --> 00:32:27.839 Uh, you guys make a difference. 00:32:28.319 --> 00:32:32.559 Well, this series is called Um Hail King Jesus. 00:32:32.799 --> 00:32:33.680 All hail. 00:32:34.319 --> 00:32:36.400 All hail King Jesus. 00:32:36.720 --> 00:32:39.039 In other words, all eyes on him. 00:32:40.079 --> 00:32:47.200 When you hail the king, you're looking at the king, you're recognizing, you're putting attention on the king. 00:32:47.839 --> 00:32:52.000 And uh next week we're having a one service Sunday, 10 a.m. 00:32:52.319 --> 00:32:54.319 We love our one service Sundays. 00:32:54.480 --> 00:33:16.000 Uh, when everyone gets together, and we're gonna host a uh service that we it's gonna be uh special musical presentations and we're gonna have lobby experiences, and I'm gonna provide you with one of the best gifts that I can offer you a short message on that's to the point, powerful. 00:33:16.240 --> 00:33:22.160 It's gonna be uh really applicable to anyone who you bring with you to church on that Sunday. 00:33:22.319 --> 00:33:26.000 So we welcome you to make invitations, bring people with you. 00:33:26.480 --> 00:33:28.960 Don't come alone, come with someone. 00:33:29.599 --> 00:33:46.640 And uh, but today I'd like to talk to you about uh about finding Christ in Christmas and not overlooking Christ this Christmas, seeing him in your Christmas. 00:33:47.519 --> 00:33:57.200 Uh our lives can get so busy and caught up in the chaos and the clutter of the season that we can overlook what the season is all about. 00:33:57.680 --> 00:34:01.519 We can forget about the reason for the season. 00:34:01.759 --> 00:34:04.960 So, how do we make sure to see Christ during Christmas? 00:34:05.119 --> 00:34:13.920 And I'm gonna read you a little uh portion of scripture as we approach the big birthday, the big B day of Jesus. 00:34:14.079 --> 00:34:17.519 This is what the Bible says is they were approaching his birth. 00:34:17.760 --> 00:34:20.400 It says this out of Matthew. 00:34:20.639 --> 00:34:23.679 This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about. 00:34:23.920 --> 00:34:26.880 His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph. 00:34:27.440 --> 00:34:32.400 But before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. 00:34:33.119 --> 00:34:40.000 Because Joseph, her husband, was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace. 00:34:40.239 --> 00:34:42.880 He had in mind to divorce her quietly. 00:34:43.519 --> 00:34:57.519 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said this Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 00:34:57.760 --> 00:35:05.679 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save people from their sin. 00:35:05.840 --> 00:35:14.719 How many of you know that we all had a sin, we all have a sin problem, and we can't fix it on our set on our own. 00:35:15.039 --> 00:35:19.679 But that Jesus is the only one who will save the world from our sin. 00:35:20.320 --> 00:35:22.000 Save us from our sin. 00:35:22.320 --> 00:35:30.239 And the scripture says this all this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet. 00:35:30.960 --> 00:35:34.800 All this had taken place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet. 00:35:35.119 --> 00:35:41.440 The virgin will conceive, give birth to a son, they will call him Emmanuel, which means God is with us. 00:35:41.599 --> 00:35:43.599 Would you just pray with me this morning? 00:35:43.840 --> 00:35:45.599 Father, we thank you for your word. 00:35:45.920 --> 00:35:47.440 We thank you that it has power. 00:35:47.599 --> 00:35:51.199 We thank you that all things are put together on purpose. 00:35:51.280 --> 00:35:57.519 And Father, there's a design in everything that you've done, there's order in your kingdom. 00:35:57.679 --> 00:36:08.400 And so, Father, today we we want your spirit, we desire your spirit to open up our hearts, open up our eyes to see your plan in this season. 00:36:08.559 --> 00:36:10.639 In Jesus' name, amen. 00:36:11.679 --> 00:36:16.639 There's something about uh the lens that we look at life with. 00:36:17.119 --> 00:36:20.480 Uh, I can only look at life through my lens. 00:36:20.639 --> 00:36:23.199 I don't know what your lens looks like. 00:36:23.519 --> 00:36:29.039 I don't know what the lens of my neighbor looks like or the people I drive by on the street every day. 00:36:29.280 --> 00:36:34.639 I know, though, what my lens looks like, and we're all responsible for the lens that we carry. 00:36:35.280 --> 00:36:45.119 But we need to look at life and we need to look at this season through the lens that the details of Christmas are not unrelated. 00:36:45.519 --> 00:36:51.199 They're not uh in chaotic, they were not chaotically put in place. 00:36:51.440 --> 00:37:00.159 They were not miss like just scattered out and and there were like a puzzle that we hoped that when we threw all the pieces out, it would come together. 00:37:00.320 --> 00:37:06.480 But there was a design and there was a master plan before even the beginning of time. 00:37:06.719 --> 00:37:16.400 Everything that we experienced, every miracle, every every message, every moment that we enjoy carries a special point about the season. 00:37:16.639 --> 00:37:24.880 Nothing was caught by the Father, nothing was caught, nothing Jesus did was outside of the design of the Father. 00:37:25.039 --> 00:37:42.880 The angels, the wise men, the star, the birth in Bethlehem, the trip to Egypt, the fact that he grew up as a Nazarite in Nazareth, all these elements were created on purpose and were a part of God's master plan. 00:37:44.000 --> 00:37:48.000 All of it was to fulfill the words that had already been spoken. 00:37:48.239 --> 00:37:56.639 And all these details were set in motion for one purpose, and that purpose was that you and I would experience salvation. 00:37:57.599 --> 00:38:10.880 That at the end of the day, all the Old Testament, everything that was spoken of was to come to a point where the gift to humanity would come through a babe, Jesus. 00:38:11.360 --> 00:38:17.280 And this baby Jesus would bring salvation for you and for me. 00:38:18.159 --> 00:38:21.840 It's an incredible point, it's an incredible message. 00:38:22.000 --> 00:38:29.920 It is in essence the the heart and the context and the spirit behind Christmas. 00:38:30.320 --> 00:38:31.519 Every single moment. 00:38:31.679 --> 00:38:33.840 The question is, do we see it? 00:38:34.639 --> 00:38:37.280 When you're looking at Christmas, is it a season? 00:38:37.360 --> 00:38:38.159 Is it a date? 00:38:38.320 --> 00:38:41.119 Is it a is it a feeling? 00:38:41.360 --> 00:38:43.760 Is it a theme for your year? 00:38:43.920 --> 00:39:05.119 You're just walking into the spring, fall, winter, Christmas, and you're just kind of jumping through the hoops of culture and life and not realizing the gravity of what Jesus is, who he is, and what he's done, the gift to the earth. 00:39:05.679 --> 00:39:08.639 1 Peter 1, 19 and 20 says this. 00:39:09.039 --> 00:39:12.960 Such a powerful verse, committed to memory, this verse. 00:39:13.599 --> 00:39:21.280 He paid for you with the precious lifeblood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God. 00:39:21.679 --> 00:39:27.199 God chose him for this purpose long before the world began. 00:39:27.920 --> 00:39:34.480 But now in these final days, he was sent to the earth for all to see. 00:39:34.960 --> 00:39:36.880 And he did this for who? 00:39:37.840 --> 00:39:38.480 For you. 00:39:39.519 --> 00:39:46.400 All to see why Jesus came, that all would see this plan come together. 00:39:46.639 --> 00:39:50.159 I I I'm I try to put plans together. 00:39:50.320 --> 00:39:58.400 I remember one of the greatest plans I had up until a point in my life was like, I'm gonna propose. 00:39:59.920 --> 00:40:01.519 And I had this plan. 00:40:02.559 --> 00:40:19.519 And this plan took craftsmanship, it took stealth, it took creativity, it took moments of time where I was look going to a jeweler, but I need to go to a jeweler out of town in case her friends and her, you know, were able to see me. 00:40:19.599 --> 00:40:22.559 And so I drove out of town and went and found this jeweler. 00:40:22.639 --> 00:40:26.000 I I had conversations with her dad in private. 00:40:26.239 --> 00:40:31.360 I got all everything all put together, all my ducks in a row. 00:40:31.440 --> 00:40:38.400 I was gonna announce our engagement at a hockey game, at the Kelowna Rockets hockey game during uh a face-off. 00:40:38.880 --> 00:40:46.960 With this seat, you know, you there's a special gift for you, someone has something for you, and and all eyes, all 6,000 eyes. 00:40:47.039 --> 00:40:48.159 I don't know what I was thinking. 00:40:48.239 --> 00:40:49.679 It was a terrible. 00:40:49.920 --> 00:40:59.360 And then Rocky the Raccoon is coming up with flowers, and her brother would be there with the camera, and every also that she would say, What? 00:41:00.159 --> 00:41:00.800 Yes. 00:41:04.320 --> 00:41:06.480 I have a picture, it's blurry. 00:41:06.719 --> 00:41:17.679 Rocky the raccoon went to the wrong seat, and it's like it eventually I was like, Wait, it's over here, and she didn't she thought she had won something, she didn't even see me on my knee. 00:41:17.920 --> 00:41:21.920 It was uh she turned around, she's like, What's going on here? 00:41:22.079 --> 00:41:24.079 It was a great moment for us. 00:41:25.280 --> 00:41:29.360 It was a great moment for her, best moment in her life, I guarantee it. 00:41:30.400 --> 00:41:35.280 But there's this great plan that's put together, crafted together. 00:41:35.440 --> 00:41:54.320 Well, let me tell you this: God had a plan for salvation, and his plan didn't happen haphazardly, his plan happened over a sequence of of years, time through prophets, through words that were spoken from the beginning. 00:41:54.480 --> 00:42:07.920 The scripture says that this in 1 Peter it says that long before even the world began, all people were intended to see this plan. 00:42:08.960 --> 00:42:16.159 So we can miss Christmas in this moment if we don't look and recognize and celebrate celebrate this plan. 00:42:16.960 --> 00:42:20.239 So during the chaos, don't forget to see where Christ is. 00:42:20.400 --> 00:42:26.480 Let me look at a few of these points of prophecy that were so clearly identified. 00:42:26.639 --> 00:42:31.039 Number one, that the Savior would be King David's offspring. 00:42:31.679 --> 00:42:34.639 He would come from the lineage of David. 00:42:34.880 --> 00:42:48.800 And the scripture says this that in Samuel that when your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom. 00:42:48.960 --> 00:42:51.280 He is the one who will build a house for my name. 00:42:51.519 --> 00:42:54.880 I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 00:42:55.119 --> 00:42:58.559 It was an eternal kingdom that would be established. 00:42:58.800 --> 00:43:00.239 This is to David. 00:43:04.000 --> 00:43:14.400 In Matthew chapter 1, we read how this is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, who in fact was the son of David, the son of Abraham. 00:43:14.559 --> 00:43:25.840 Remember Abraham having a conversation with God, and God saying, I'm gonna bless you, and out of your seed, all the people of the world will be blessed through you. 00:43:26.079 --> 00:43:27.119 You're not gonna believe it. 00:43:27.280 --> 00:43:29.519 My plan for you is bigger than you can imagine. 00:43:29.679 --> 00:43:32.639 Look up, look how grandiose this plan is. 00:43:32.800 --> 00:43:42.159 And Abraham, I don't know if Abraham knew or could even fathom that out of his lineage Jesus would come and save the world from their sin. 00:43:44.079 --> 00:43:47.039 The plan took place from the beginning. 00:43:47.679 --> 00:43:51.920 A virgin would give birth, and he'd be called Emmanuel, God with us. 00:43:52.159 --> 00:43:53.840 Isaiah spoke of this. 00:43:54.079 --> 00:43:59.679 He said, The Lord Himself will give you a sign, the virgin will conceive and give birth to his son, and you'll call him. 00:44:00.320 --> 00:44:01.440 Emmanuel. 00:44:01.920 --> 00:44:06.960 Well, Joseph is concerned and conflicted at where he's at. 00:44:07.039 --> 00:44:17.360 And the angel comes to him and visits him, and he says, The Holy Spirit's going to come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you on Mary. 00:44:17.519 --> 00:44:22.480 And so the Holy One to be born will be called Emmanuel. 00:44:24.559 --> 00:44:28.320 A reference again to a book in Isaiah, a time past. 00:44:28.880 --> 00:44:31.119 The Messiah will end up in Egypt. 00:44:31.280 --> 00:44:43.840 I don't know how, not too often do you hear a prophecy of someone who would be born in Bethlehem, be called out of Egypt, and yet called a Nazarene. 00:44:44.960 --> 00:44:50.000 This person would have an interesting life pattern. 00:44:50.400 --> 00:44:54.239 And yet, this is what happened when Israel was a child. 00:44:54.480 --> 00:44:59.840 Hosea said, You loved him, and out of Egypt you called your son. 00:45:00.719 --> 00:45:02.480 You called your son out of Egypt. 00:45:02.639 --> 00:45:13.199 And this was fulfilled again in Matthew, where it says that Joseph got up, he took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. 00:45:13.360 --> 00:45:19.360 And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet, out of Egypt I called my son. 00:45:21.360 --> 00:45:34.320 Lastly, this prophecy here, there's so many, over 300 prophecies relating to Jesus' uh um coming in his lifestyle. 00:45:34.719 --> 00:45:40.320 Mathematically, they say the the um statistic is is staggering. 00:45:40.400 --> 00:45:46.800 It's uh just for eight of these prophecies to have taken place would have been one in a hundred trillion. 00:45:47.679 --> 00:45:52.559 And all of them took place, all three hundred took place in the life of Jesus. 00:45:53.519 --> 00:46:14.719 The Christ will be born in Bethlehem, Micah, sharing, he says, but you, Bethlehem, Ephratha, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come from me one who will rule, be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times. 00:46:15.360 --> 00:46:21.679 A little place, a little community, a small place, little Bethlehem. 00:46:22.000 --> 00:46:29.599 And we see the fulfillment in Matthew 2, where it says, He called together all the people's chief priests and teachers of the law. 00:46:29.760 --> 00:46:34.400 He asked them where the Messiah was to be born, and they said, In Bethlehem in Judea. 00:46:34.800 --> 00:46:42.239 They replied, For this is what the prophets written, but you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judea, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah. 00:46:42.320 --> 00:46:46.000 For out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel. 00:46:46.320 --> 00:47:02.960 All these pieces lining up, all of these uh elements and times and locations and the factors lining up just to announce to the world that salvation is come. 00:47:04.639 --> 00:47:17.599 All of these pieces put together in God's God's master plan to announce to the world that Jesus is come, that salvation is at hand. 00:47:18.880 --> 00:47:22.719 So I want you to see some things to help you this Christmas. 00:47:23.039 --> 00:47:30.880 I want you to uh to open your heart this Christmas to actually seeing Christ in Christmas. 00:47:31.119 --> 00:47:36.159 Number one, I want you to realize that God has not forgotten you. 00:47:36.320 --> 00:47:37.440 Would you say that? 00:47:37.760 --> 00:47:39.519 God has not forgotten me. 00:47:40.719 --> 00:47:42.639 He's not forgotten me. 00:47:43.360 --> 00:47:46.320 This is something we sometimes struggle with. 00:47:47.199 --> 00:47:56.719 Over time, I think the factor is the reason why we think God can forget us is because we often forget ourselves. 00:47:57.039 --> 00:47:59.119 How many of you lost your keys? 00:47:59.519 --> 00:48:02.480 How many of you ever forgotten where you put your keys? 00:48:02.719 --> 00:48:03.760 Put your phone. 00:48:04.000 --> 00:48:05.440 Someone call my phone. 00:48:05.519 --> 00:48:06.559 I don't know where it is. 00:48:06.719 --> 00:48:09.760 It's like, how many of you have done that today already? 00:48:10.079 --> 00:48:35.679 Like, the fact that we are so in tune with our own humanity, it causes us to question whether even God even remembers me, my dreams, the dreams He's placed in my heart, my life, my future, my hope, my vision, these things that we question could God, am I really worth it that you would think of me, that I'm on your mind? 00:48:35.920 --> 00:48:39.840 You've got so many more important people in the world. 00:48:40.079 --> 00:48:46.800 Well, let me tell you today, Christmas reminds us, Christmas is here to say that you are not forgotten. 00:48:48.159 --> 00:48:49.440 You are not forgotten. 00:48:49.679 --> 00:49:02.159 He had you in his mind from the beginning of time, from the moment he said that a woman would have a child and that child will bruise his heel, crushing the serpent's head. 00:49:02.400 --> 00:49:08.800 That moment from Genesis was carried through. 00:49:09.039 --> 00:49:13.679 That God never forgot people's need for salvation. 00:49:14.000 --> 00:49:15.760 He never forgot about you. 00:49:16.000 --> 00:49:23.119 He never forgot about your needs and your your the hope in your heart. 00:49:23.599 --> 00:49:31.599 And so sometimes we forget, but Christmas reminds us that it's not, it's that God doesn't forget. 00:49:31.760 --> 00:49:36.239 Um there's a space between the last book of the Old Testament and Jesus' birth. 00:49:36.400 --> 00:49:39.760 It's 400 plus years, nearly 500 years. 00:49:39.920 --> 00:49:42.960 And they call these years the silent years. 00:49:43.920 --> 00:49:48.400 They were silent years because people thought, where are the prophets? 00:49:48.559 --> 00:49:53.760 Where are the people who are continually putting our attention on a future hope? 00:49:54.079 --> 00:49:57.039 And they wondered, where is this hope coming from? 00:49:57.199 --> 00:50:01.760 And yet the last man, Micah, says, just wait for it, just wait for it. 00:50:01.920 --> 00:50:03.119 He's coming, he's coming. 00:50:03.280 --> 00:50:12.880 And in Galatians it says this God, in the fullness of time, he sent his son who was born of a woman. 00:50:13.119 --> 00:50:21.599 When the time had fully come, he sent his son, born of a woman, to save the world from their sin. 00:50:21.760 --> 00:50:22.400 Amen? 00:50:22.880 --> 00:50:24.559 That's salvation. 00:50:25.760 --> 00:50:27.920 God has not forgotten you. 00:50:28.239 --> 00:50:32.000 Christmas, you walk around Christmas today, you walk through them all. 00:50:32.239 --> 00:50:38.639 Yes, you're gonna see people purchasing and gifts and the material side, you're gonna see lights and trees. 00:50:38.960 --> 00:50:45.840 But you go through this season today remembering God has not forgotten you. 00:50:46.639 --> 00:50:48.480 You are not forgotten. 00:50:48.719 --> 00:50:52.880 You weren't someone who he just has has slipped his mind. 00:50:53.119 --> 00:50:55.840 He has remembered, he remembers you. 00:50:56.480 --> 00:50:58.239 His plans are good for you. 00:50:58.559 --> 00:51:05.199 He intends to help you, he intends to support you and encourage you and remember you. 00:51:05.440 --> 00:51:07.519