WEBVTT 00:00:01.600 --> 00:00:04.080 Welcome to the Awakening Church podcast. 00:00:04.240 --> 00:00:08.960 We pray this message encourages you and provides the hope and light of Jesus Christ. 00:00:09.199 --> 00:00:10.640 Thanks for tuning in. 00:00:12.640 --> 00:00:14.240 It's great to be with you. 00:00:14.560 --> 00:00:15.919 Merry Christmas. 00:00:16.399 --> 00:00:19.839 We're in a series called A Return to Wonder. 00:00:20.480 --> 00:00:22.320 A Return to Wonder. 00:00:22.559 --> 00:00:32.079 And we're asking this: what if there is a deeper, more wonderful reality to the Christmas season that we've been missing all along? 00:00:32.960 --> 00:00:41.520 If that's really true, if there is this deeper reality, how do we return to the wonder of Christmas being the most awe-inspiring, right? 00:00:41.679 --> 00:00:50.399 The most uh, you know, like magical, wonderful time of the year. 00:00:50.640 --> 00:01:08.319 Now, when it comes to Christmas, we're so familiar with the story, and it's gets it's wrapped up in all of our holiday traditions from Agnog, which we were talking about earlier, to um, you know, Santa Claus and Elf on the Shelf and all the rest. 00:01:08.480 --> 00:01:18.239 And and probably you've set up maybe a nativity set in your home, and maybe you've seen them set up around that it tends to lose its sense of wonder. 00:01:18.319 --> 00:01:23.920 We've become so familiar, so this is just what it is, that it loses its sense of mystery. 00:01:24.000 --> 00:01:47.200 And here's what we're doing: we're taking the next few weeks and taking a fresh look at the Christmas story, at the birth of Jesus, at the nativity, to allow our hearts to return to the wonder of God with us, to let our hearts yet again, or maybe for the very first time, whisper mystery. 00:01:47.599 --> 00:01:59.599 Now, when the first followers of Jesus talked about the birth of Jesus, Christmas story, if you will, um, they called it good news. 00:02:00.159 --> 00:02:17.840 That it wasn't this kind of just, hey, nice story that something had taken place on the outskirts of Bethlehem that was news that impacted their lives and the world and forever changed their world and our world. 00:02:18.080 --> 00:02:25.039 And they the only way they could describe it was this is really, really good news. 00:02:25.199 --> 00:02:32.800 In fact, the angel, when announcing this news to the shepherds, if you remember, we'll talk about this uh on Christmas Eve. 00:02:32.879 --> 00:02:41.199 They said, Don't be afraid, I bring you good news of great joy uh that is for all people. 00:02:41.360 --> 00:02:42.960 Now, that line is amazing. 00:02:43.039 --> 00:02:49.840 We'll unpack that, because this was unheard of in that day that there would be good news for every person. 00:02:50.719 --> 00:02:59.120 Generally, you have good news for certain people, some people, special people, VIP people, but this was good news for all people. 00:02:59.840 --> 00:03:07.840 In fact, the the first documented story of the life of Jesus, it wasn't called the Bible, it was called the Gospels. 00:03:07.919 --> 00:03:10.800 We have the Gospel of Matthew or the good news. 00:03:10.879 --> 00:03:12.240 That's what gospel means. 00:03:12.400 --> 00:03:16.400 That something happened and it's good, it's fundamentally good. 00:03:16.639 --> 00:03:23.759 Now, when Joseph, here we go, get Joseph front and center there. 00:03:24.560 --> 00:03:31.199 When Joseph first heard this news, it was not good news to him. 00:03:31.360 --> 00:03:35.120 In fact, it was really bad news. 00:03:35.759 --> 00:03:42.800 It was soul-shattering, earth-shaking, future-crumbling news. 00:03:43.840 --> 00:03:47.919 Joseph, he doesn't get a whole lot of press, does he, in the Christmas story? 00:03:48.080 --> 00:03:51.599 We tend to overlook Joseph, and I'm not exactly sure why. 00:03:51.759 --> 00:03:56.800 Um, maybe it's because we have no recorded words of Joseph in the Bible. 00:03:56.960 --> 00:04:01.439 Uh, maybe it's because, let's be honest, Mary did all the heavy lifting. 00:04:02.639 --> 00:04:13.520 Maybe it's because it seems and appears that Joseph probably died when um Jesus was in his teenage years, and so he wasn't a part of the entire story of Jesus' life. 00:04:13.680 --> 00:04:19.360 I we don't know why we tend to overlook him today, but for whatever reason, here's what we what I do know. 00:04:19.600 --> 00:04:31.680 In overlooking the story of Joseph's understanding of this Christmas season, we miss something incredibly profound and powerful. 00:04:32.160 --> 00:04:42.079 And so we're gonna take a moment and dive into what was known for Joseph as the worst day of his life. 00:04:42.319 --> 00:04:47.600 In fact, if you got your Bibles, would you open up to Matthew chapter 1, verse 18? 00:04:47.759 --> 00:04:49.199 Matthew 1, verse 18. 00:04:49.360 --> 00:04:56.800 Now, the Gospel of Luke, when telling the birth story of Jesus, is really telling the story from Mary's perspective. 00:04:56.879 --> 00:05:01.439 And the gospel of Matthew is really telling the birth story from Joseph's perspective. 00:05:01.600 --> 00:05:08.560 It's kind of like as a couple, you ask a couple, you know, their story of how they met, and you get those two different perspectives, right? 00:05:08.800 --> 00:05:16.079 Well, Luke, you see Mary, and Mary treasured all these things in her heart, and we'll talk about that next week. 00:05:16.240 --> 00:05:19.680 Well, Joseph goes back to the day he found out Mary was pregnant. 00:05:19.839 --> 00:05:27.439 That was his starting point, and we pick it up here in Matthew chapter one, verse 18. 00:05:27.519 --> 00:05:32.079 He says this This is how the birth of Jesus, the Messiah, came about. 00:05:32.319 --> 00:05:41.680 His mother, Mary, was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. 00:05:41.920 --> 00:05:50.879 Now, for us to understand what's happening and the tension of this moment, we have to understand uh what the marriage process was in ancient Judaism. 00:05:51.040 --> 00:06:01.519 And in ancient Judaism, like many uh cultures today, they practiced uh really this whole idea of, oh, I forgot it immediately in this first service and I forgot it again today. 00:06:01.600 --> 00:06:02.639 Uh, arranged marriages. 00:06:02.720 --> 00:06:03.120 There you go. 00:06:03.199 --> 00:06:04.079 Thank you very much. 00:06:04.319 --> 00:06:06.079 They did arranged marriages. 00:06:06.240 --> 00:06:25.839 In fact, I was talking to a friend who had an arranged marriage, and as he's explaining it, he's like, you know, Ryan, the reason this is such an important deal is um marriage being the significant life-altering event that it is, we don't want to let it be just to the whims of our heart, but we want the family a part of it. 00:06:26.000 --> 00:06:29.519 Like, oh wow, that makes a whole lot of sense today. 00:06:29.680 --> 00:06:33.839 And so they had this arranged marriage, and so there's three steps to this process. 00:06:34.079 --> 00:06:36.560 First was the simple step of the engagement. 00:06:36.720 --> 00:06:39.199 This happened when they were small, they were kids. 00:06:39.279 --> 00:06:44.079 Uh, this was done by either a professional matchmaker or by the family themselves. 00:06:44.319 --> 00:06:48.720 And they may or may not have even met each other at this stage. 00:06:48.959 --> 00:06:58.079 And the only way this would be called off at this time was be if the girl at any time did not want to get married to the guy she could call it off. 00:06:58.240 --> 00:07:01.279 And so, as their kids, they would be in this engagement stage. 00:07:01.360 --> 00:07:07.040 They would know who they were gonna marry later on, a handful of years down the road. 00:07:07.279 --> 00:07:10.800 Then after the engagement stage was known the betrothal stage. 00:07:11.040 --> 00:07:17.519 The betrothal stage is they were married officially legally, but they weren't married, married. 00:07:18.319 --> 00:07:20.079 Okay, a few of you know what I mean. 00:07:20.240 --> 00:07:20.560 Okay. 00:07:21.040 --> 00:07:25.120 Uh others will do a birds and bees class afterwards for that. 00:07:25.279 --> 00:07:26.639 So they weren't married, married. 00:07:26.720 --> 00:07:28.000 They're legally married. 00:07:28.160 --> 00:07:34.720 The only way to uh actually, you know, get out of this would be through a written document of divorce. 00:07:34.800 --> 00:07:36.560 They would be called husband and wife. 00:07:36.720 --> 00:07:38.160 They would not be living together. 00:07:38.319 --> 00:07:43.439 In fact, the man or the husband would be going to prepare a place for their new life. 00:07:43.600 --> 00:07:46.959 Often what he would do is he'd go to his home where his family lived. 00:07:47.040 --> 00:07:53.199 He would build another room off of the family house, or if they were wealthy and had property, they'd build his own house. 00:07:53.279 --> 00:07:57.360 He'd spend the next year to two years building this home. 00:07:57.759 --> 00:08:07.839 And then he would go to bring his new bride home, and they would have what would be a marriage proper, and it would be a week-long celebration together. 00:08:08.000 --> 00:08:10.959 The entire community or village was often invited. 00:08:11.040 --> 00:08:16.560 It was the event of the year that people would go to, and it was just an incredible celebration. 00:08:16.720 --> 00:08:23.199 And so Joseph and Mary are in the betrothal stage of their marriage. 00:08:23.279 --> 00:08:26.160 And Joseph, just think about this, he's a carpenter. 00:08:26.879 --> 00:08:36.080 Think about the time and the energy, the craftsmanship that he must have been putting into uh for the next year. 00:08:37.039 --> 00:08:37.679 Right? 00:08:39.039 --> 00:08:42.960 He's preparing a place to bring Mary home. 00:08:44.399 --> 00:08:50.799 And then he finds out Mary is pregnant and he's not the father. 00:08:53.200 --> 00:08:56.480 Can you imagine how that conversation went? 00:08:57.440 --> 00:09:05.440 Mary comes to him, so Joe, um, it's obvious I'm pregnant, and clearly you're not the father. 00:09:05.519 --> 00:09:12.080 But here's here's the deal: an angel came to me, and this is a Holy Spirit pregnancy. 00:09:12.240 --> 00:09:17.519 Like, how in the world do you test whether it's a Holy Spirit pregnancy or not? 00:09:17.919 --> 00:09:20.240 You're like, okay, how do I believe this? 00:09:20.399 --> 00:09:22.879 This girl I love, we're supposed to be married. 00:09:23.039 --> 00:09:27.519 I've been building a life, and now I get this new she's pregnant. 00:09:28.639 --> 00:09:30.480 What do I do with that? 00:09:30.799 --> 00:09:42.159 And we learn so much from Joseph and how he responds and the character and compassion that God chose to be of the man he chose to father his son. 00:09:42.320 --> 00:09:43.440 Notice what it says next. 00:09:43.600 --> 00:09:54.399 Because Joseph, her husband, was faithful to the law, a righteous person, a righteous man, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace. 00:09:54.639 --> 00:09:58.000 He had in mind to divorce her quietly. 00:09:58.320 --> 00:10:03.519 In that day, Joseph really only had one option and two conclusions. 00:10:04.159 --> 00:10:10.799 The two conclusions was either Mary wasn't the woman he thought she was, and she was unfaithful. 00:10:10.960 --> 00:10:18.000 The second conclusion would have been that maybe Mary had been taken advantage of, maybe she had been taken advantage of by a Roman soldier. 00:10:18.240 --> 00:10:28.320 But there's only one option in their culture and their custom of the day, and that would be that their marriage had now been violated and he was to divorce her. 00:10:28.799 --> 00:10:38.879 And you just see that uh in his heart of compassion, that he responds with mercy and kindness. 00:10:39.200 --> 00:10:40.000 Think about this. 00:10:40.320 --> 00:10:46.399 Joseph walked rightly with God, and yet he did not demand his rights. 00:10:47.200 --> 00:10:50.559 Oh, that's a word for us today, church. 00:10:50.960 --> 00:10:56.559 That he is walking so rightly or closely with God, and yet he had every right to go. 00:10:56.799 --> 00:11:00.240 This is wrong. 00:11:00.559 --> 00:11:02.080 And I'm done with you. 00:11:04.080 --> 00:11:15.279 And I'm gonna cast you out on the court of public opinion, and I'm gonna humiliate you the way you've humiliated me. 00:11:15.519 --> 00:11:27.120 No, but instead, he still cares for her heart, he still tries to protect and preserve her heart. 00:11:27.519 --> 00:11:29.440 And then I love this next line. 00:11:29.600 --> 00:11:42.000 It says, but after he had considered this, you know, if we're just being honest, if I found out the information that Joe found out, I'm like, what do I have to consider? 00:11:42.480 --> 00:11:43.759 What do I have to ponder? 00:11:43.919 --> 00:11:46.559 This is pretty cut and dry, right? 00:11:46.960 --> 00:11:49.279 You're pregnant, I ain't the dad, done. 00:11:49.440 --> 00:11:50.399 Bye-bye. 00:11:51.120 --> 00:11:52.159 I love this. 00:11:52.399 --> 00:12:00.960 That word consider it means to process information by thinking about it carefully, to think deeply and to form a plan. 00:12:01.120 --> 00:12:02.559 Like it takes time. 00:12:03.039 --> 00:12:08.799 He didn't just react in the moment, he didn't just kind of go be driven by his emotions. 00:12:08.879 --> 00:12:11.679 And we're such an emotion-driven culture. 00:12:11.919 --> 00:12:14.159 Whatever we feel, we just gotta respond. 00:12:14.320 --> 00:12:20.159 It says after he considered, he took time to think and plan and process. 00:12:21.600 --> 00:12:26.720 And notice this it was after the considering that God showed up. 00:12:28.320 --> 00:12:46.480 I just wonder, for us, we're such in a rush, and we so react and we so respond to everything immediately that we miss God showing up and God speaking, and he's wanting to work and he's wanting to move in your life, but we just haven't stopped to consider and to pause. 00:12:46.879 --> 00:13:03.279 But it says, after he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, 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. 00:13:03.600 --> 00:13:07.120 Well, that's how you discover if it's a Holy Spirit birth or not. 00:13:07.279 --> 00:13:08.000 There you go. 00:13:08.320 --> 00:13:10.240 An angel shows up. 00:13:11.440 --> 00:13:20.000 She will give birth to a son, and you're to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins. 00:13:20.240 --> 00:13:24.639 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord said through the prophet. 00:13:24.799 --> 00:13:33.200 The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Emmanuel, which means God with us. 00:13:33.759 --> 00:13:46.399 And this is where the worst day of Joseph's life becomes the best day, and it becomes really, really good news. 00:13:46.720 --> 00:14:03.759 Good news that Mary wasn't unfaithful, good news that that God is faithful to his promises, good news that God said, in fact, Joseph, you're such a man of character, I have a special assignment for you. 00:14:05.039 --> 00:14:20.720 Now, I think the question for us is we can understand what made it good news to Joseph, but what makes this really good news for us today? 00:14:21.360 --> 00:14:30.159 What makes the arrival of Jesus really good news as we sit here, December 2021? 00:14:30.879 --> 00:14:35.919 I want to draw your attention to two things that the angel said to Joseph. 00:14:36.240 --> 00:14:40.639 Two things that bring about this really good news for us. 00:14:40.799 --> 00:14:47.759 The first, remember that the angel said this to Joseph, you shall call his name Jesus or Yeshua. 00:14:48.320 --> 00:14:50.480 Literally means Yahweh saves. 00:14:50.720 --> 00:14:52.559 My Lord God saves. 00:14:52.720 --> 00:14:53.120 Why? 00:14:53.360 --> 00:14:57.600 Because he'll save his people from their sin. 00:14:59.440 --> 00:15:04.799 You know, you don't have to look very far to see that our world is broken. 00:15:05.360 --> 00:15:07.679 In fact, all you have to do is just wake up. 00:15:08.960 --> 00:15:18.080 And we see the brokenness, we see the pain, we see the devastation, we see the heartache, we see the evil and injustice. 00:15:19.440 --> 00:15:28.960 And when we look around at the brokenness, much, especially in Western culture, the way we're trying to solve our brokenness is one of two ways. 00:15:29.039 --> 00:15:30.960 And in fact, we try to combine them. 00:15:31.200 --> 00:15:36.559 The first is if we had more education, the world wouldn't be so broken. 00:15:38.080 --> 00:15:40.399 We just need to be more enlightened. 00:15:41.679 --> 00:15:47.440 And if we could just educate enough people, then we could build this utopic society. 00:15:47.600 --> 00:15:52.879 And the second is then you see there's some problems that need to be solved that education won't quite solve. 00:15:52.960 --> 00:15:54.799 And so you need technology and boy. 00:15:54.879 --> 00:15:57.120 We live in the heart of education and technology. 00:15:57.200 --> 00:16:06.639 And if we just had more technology, then we could create this incredible world, beautiful and unbroken. 00:16:07.120 --> 00:16:19.200 And the problem is, and you know this, we have more technology and we have more education, and yet the brokenness only grows. 00:16:20.159 --> 00:16:24.960 You see, we've misdiagnosed the brokenness in our world. 00:16:27.039 --> 00:16:36.399 We've misdiagnosed it, and we because we want the problem to be out there, we want the problem to be something beyond us that needs fixing. 00:16:36.480 --> 00:16:42.320 And if you fix out there, then everything around me will work out right. 00:16:42.639 --> 00:16:55.919 And yet the gospel is this that the problem isn't out there, but the problem is in here inside every single one of us. 00:16:56.960 --> 00:16:59.120 The problem is sin. 00:17:00.879 --> 00:17:08.160 God sent his only son into the world to save us from the brokenness of sin. 00:17:08.400 --> 00:17:18.319 Now, sin, sin is the cancer in our world that perverts and destroys everything that is good and beautiful in this world. 00:17:18.559 --> 00:17:24.240 And it's in you and it's in me and it's in everybody around us. 00:17:24.400 --> 00:17:40.799 And the beautiful, wonderful news, the reason this is good news, whether you're been a Christian for your entire life, or maybe you just stepped into church or logged on and clicked on for the very first time, is the greatest problem you have. 00:17:41.359 --> 00:17:47.359 And the greatest problem I have is that God sent his son to save us. 00:17:48.079 --> 00:17:58.960 Now, the reason many of us don't think of this as good news is we don't think we are sinners needing to be saved. 00:17:59.039 --> 00:18:01.279 We just simply think we're mistakers. 00:18:02.640 --> 00:18:03.200 Right? 00:18:04.000 --> 00:18:05.039 We're just a mistaker. 00:18:05.519 --> 00:18:06.960 It's just a mistake. 00:18:07.759 --> 00:18:18.160 Instead, that there is this pervasive sickness of the soul, and only Jesus can bring hope. 00:18:18.400 --> 00:18:32.799 Only Jesus can heal your heart, only Jesus will bring life, only Jesus will bring peace, only Jesus will fulfill the deep ache and longing of your soul. 00:18:33.039 --> 00:18:43.839 And only Jesus call his name Jesus because he will save you from your sins and my sins. 00:18:44.079 --> 00:18:52.799 He came to answer and solve the greatest problem of our world and the gravest problem in your world. 00:18:53.200 --> 00:18:55.200 And the news gets better than that. 00:18:55.519 --> 00:19:08.160 Because it's not just that, which is phenomenal and amazing, but the angel goes on to say something that you will not just call him Yeshua, Yahweh says, but you'll call him Emmanuel. 00:19:08.319 --> 00:19:10.640 And we're used to that at Christmas time. 00:19:11.200 --> 00:19:13.119 And if we called Emmanuel, why? 00:19:13.279 --> 00:19:15.359 Because he's God with us. 00:19:15.599 --> 00:19:31.359 And what a beautiful reality that you don't have a distant God, you don't have an apathetic God, you don't have a God that's just crossing his arms, waiting for you to get your act right, wondering when you're going to work your way to him, you have a God with you. 00:19:31.920 --> 00:19:50.720 A God who stepped into time, space, history to be with you and among you, a God who took on the most humblest of forms, birthed in the most humblest way, vulnerable, experienced all the pain, all the suffering, all the rejection. 00:19:50.880 --> 00:19:54.160 A God who's with you and for you. 00:19:55.759 --> 00:19:57.599 God who says, I delight in you. 00:19:58.960 --> 00:20:01.680 I'll never leave you nor forsake you. 00:20:03.039 --> 00:20:05.839 A God who says, you don't have to get your act together. 00:20:06.000 --> 00:20:10.640 I'm coming for you right where you're at. 00:20:11.839 --> 00:20:16.480 A God who says, Yeah, you may have drifted from me, but I've never drifted from you. 00:20:16.559 --> 00:20:22.079 In fact, I'm intentionally leaning in, even when you're leaning away. 00:20:22.880 --> 00:20:29.440 See, this is what makes it really good news to us. 00:20:29.680 --> 00:20:33.359 I like how Tim Keller said it. 00:20:33.759 --> 00:20:35.200 He's an author and pastor. 00:20:35.359 --> 00:20:42.240 He said, the gospel narratives tell us, are telling you not what you should do, but what God has done. 00:20:42.480 --> 00:20:43.680 It's an event. 00:20:44.319 --> 00:20:47.200 It's good news, not good advice. 00:20:47.440 --> 00:20:48.960 This took place. 00:20:50.000 --> 00:20:53.039 And as a result, it changed the world. 00:20:53.599 --> 00:20:56.720 And it's changed many of our worlds in this room. 00:20:57.519 --> 00:20:59.200 And it continues to do so. 00:21:00.079 --> 00:21:05.759 You know, um a number of years ago, I think it was like five-ish years ago. 00:21:05.839 --> 00:21:07.279 It was early Sunday morning. 00:21:07.440 --> 00:21:12.880 On Sundays, I get up early to study and to prepare and get ready for the morning. 00:21:13.039 --> 00:21:18.960 Um, and I was headed off to Pete's, and Pete's opens, at least back then, pre-pandemic, at 5 a.m. 00:21:19.200 --> 00:21:19.920 I love Pete's. 00:21:20.000 --> 00:21:20.960 Pete's is amazing. 00:21:21.119 --> 00:21:21.519 Hello. 00:21:21.680 --> 00:21:25.279 My daughter just got a job at Pete's, which is fantastic. 00:21:26.160 --> 00:21:30.079 Um, I didn't even like convince her, she did it all on her own. 00:21:30.799 --> 00:21:37.839 So I'm getting up to get ready, and and I walk out the door, I notice a guy that's leaning against my neighbor's truck. 00:21:38.000 --> 00:21:41.200 My neighbor's in construction, and I thought it was my neighbor. 00:21:41.279 --> 00:21:43.039 I look at him and oh, it's not my neighbor. 00:21:43.200 --> 00:21:47.920 And so I see him there, and I'm like, then I'm taking that neighborly look, you know. 00:21:48.079 --> 00:21:50.640 Is he trying to steal my neighbor's tools in his truck? 00:21:50.799 --> 00:21:55.519 And he's just leaning against it and he's kind of staggering a little bit, and he's on his phone. 00:21:55.680 --> 00:21:59.599 So I jump in my car and I just pull right up to him and I go. 00:22:00.319 --> 00:22:02.880 Hey man, are you doing all right? 00:22:03.359 --> 00:22:04.720 And he's just looking at his phone. 00:22:04.799 --> 00:22:08.240 He doesn't even respond to me, and he's doing something on his phone. 00:22:08.559 --> 00:22:12.240 I go, man, hey, are you okay? 00:22:12.559 --> 00:22:14.240 Doesn't respond again. 00:22:14.880 --> 00:22:18.000 Now I realize maybe I'm asking the wrong question. 00:22:18.319 --> 00:22:22.079 So then I ask, do you know where you are? 00:22:22.880 --> 00:22:26.000 Because he just was kind of staggering and he's just kind of confused. 00:22:26.079 --> 00:22:34.400 And then all of a sudden, he starts talking on the phone, and apparently I just pick up that he's talking to his girlfriend and is like, Why'd you guys leave me? 00:22:34.640 --> 00:22:36.480 Apparently he had a party that night. 00:22:36.559 --> 00:22:40.880 He was with friends and uh his girlfriend and had maybe a little too much to drink. 00:22:40.960 --> 00:22:43.759 Not maybe, but he had a little too much to drink. 00:22:44.480 --> 00:22:49.839 And he wandered out, and he had wandered the rough and tough streets of Willow Gwen all night long. 00:22:51.119 --> 00:22:53.839 Had no idea where he was at. 00:22:55.440 --> 00:22:59.839 And literally, he's on his phone, he's talking to his girlfriend, like, how could you guys leave me? 00:23:00.079 --> 00:23:02.559 And there's this nice man talking to me. 00:23:03.359 --> 00:23:05.279 He said this, this is no lie. 00:23:05.440 --> 00:23:07.759 I think he's sent from heaven. 00:23:09.519 --> 00:23:12.640 I'm pastor, I'm not an angel, but you know. 00:23:12.960 --> 00:23:14.160 I'll take it. 00:23:16.160 --> 00:23:17.920 And he hangs up the phone. 00:23:19.599 --> 00:23:23.759 And I said, Hey, do you need a ride home? 00:23:24.079 --> 00:23:24.720 Yeah. 00:23:25.039 --> 00:23:26.640 I said, hop in the car. 00:23:26.880 --> 00:23:28.799 So he got in the car and we started to drive. 00:23:28.880 --> 00:23:30.319 He lived in South San Jose. 00:23:33.279 --> 00:23:46.640 And I'll never forget this moment because then his eyes just began to well up with tears because he spent all night wandering, all night trying to find his friends and figure out where he was at. 00:23:48.559 --> 00:23:49.759 And cold. 00:23:51.680 --> 00:23:55.839 And he looks at me and he says, You found me. 00:23:56.960 --> 00:23:58.400 You saved me. 00:23:59.200 --> 00:24:01.039 And you're bringing me home. 00:24:02.400 --> 00:24:04.400 And then he said it again. 00:24:05.279 --> 00:24:06.960 He's like, I can't believe it. 00:24:07.200 --> 00:24:08.559 You found me. 00:24:09.359 --> 00:24:11.200 You saved me. 00:24:11.440 --> 00:24:13.039 And you're bringing me home. 00:24:13.119 --> 00:24:18.640 And he just kept saying that on the drive home, and tears began to well up in his eyes. 00:24:18.880 --> 00:24:20.079 You found me. 00:24:20.480 --> 00:24:22.079 You saved me. 00:24:23.359 --> 00:24:25.519 And you're bringing me home. 00:24:26.960 --> 00:24:30.640 See the wonder of Christmas. 00:24:31.599 --> 00:24:34.240 And so we have a God who found you. 00:24:36.319 --> 00:24:38.319 He's not distant or aloof. 00:24:38.480 --> 00:24:44.559 He came to save you and he's bringing you home. 00:24:45.759 --> 00:24:46.960 And the question. 00:24:47.839 --> 00:24:50.799 Then how do we respond to that good news? 00:24:52.880 --> 00:24:59.680 It's just simply the same as that young man that night or early morning. 00:25:02.960 --> 00:25:05.039 You just have to get in the car. 00:25:06.160 --> 00:25:09.759 You just have to get in the car and say, Would you bring me home? 00:25:10.799 --> 00:25:15.440 And for some, maybe you've been drifting from Jesus. 00:25:16.640 --> 00:25:24.640 Maybe you feel like you're just in a space where you're not really sure of anything anymore. 00:25:26.319 --> 00:25:47.039 And this morning, for the first time in a long time, your heart's reawakening to the wonder of the God who came for you, the God who loves you, the God who found you, saves you, and bringing you home where you would once again say, God, I want you, I want you. 00:25:47.920 --> 00:25:52.240 And maybe you're in church for the first time or logging on for the first time. 00:25:53.599 --> 00:26:01.440 And you had no idea that God loves you and God came for you. 00:26:02.319 --> 00:26:06.400 And there's way more to this little nativity set. 00:26:09.119 --> 00:26:12.480 It's Emmanuel, God with us. 00:26:12.720 --> 00:26:18.880 And where you would say for the very first time, you found me, you saved me. 00:26:19.839 --> 00:26:21.680 Would you bring me home? 00:26:22.880 --> 00:26:27.279 Jesus, thank you for my friends and our time together. 00:26:31.440 --> 00:26:35.440 Thank you that you came for us. 00:26:38.079 --> 00:26:39.519 You didn't wait on us. 00:26:39.680 --> 00:26:40.400 You came. 00:26:40.720 --> 00:26:42.000 You came. 00:26:43.680 --> 00:26:47.680 And at our very worst, you gave your very best. 00:26:50.319 --> 00:26:57.519 When we were wandering, when we've been struggling, when we feel lost. 00:27:05.200 --> 00:27:22.799 And if you're here today and you've never said yes to Jesus, I would just want to give you a moment to say yes to him, to start a relationship with him, to invite him to be your savior. 00:27:23.519 --> 00:27:26.079 And you just pray simply after me. 00:27:27.039 --> 00:27:29.759 Jesus, I believe you came for me. 00:27:30.960 --> 00:27:34.240 I believe you are Emmanuel, God with us. 00:27:36.880 --> 00:27:42.559 I believe that you took my biggest problem, sin, and would you save me? 00:27:43.359 --> 00:27:47.279 Would you come into my life and make me new? 00:27:55.359 --> 00:28:06.000 And the gospel tells us when you say yes, he comes into your life and makes you brand new. 00:28:06.799 --> 00:28:17.599 God, would you wake us up to the wonder and reality of your grace, of your presence, of your love. 00:28:18.799 --> 00:28:20.319 In Jesus' name. 00:28:20.640 --> 00:28:21.279 Amen. 00:28:21.920 --> 00:28:27.359 We're going to continue in worship and we're going to partake of the elements of communion. 00:28:28.000 --> 00:28:38.960 It's the physical reminder of the one who found us and saved us and bringing us home, his body broken for us, his blood poured out for us. 00:28:40.240 --> 00:28:46.000 That this baby in a manger grew up because his name is Yeshua. 00:28:46.480 --> 00:28:48.880 For you'll save his people from his sins. 00:28:48.960 --> 00:28:59.039 And would you, as we worship, partake and allow the wonder and reality of this moment to captivate your heart afresh. 00:29:00.400 --> 00:29:02.720 We hope you are blessed by this message. 00:29:02.960 --> 00:29:07.920 Please subscribe to our podcast for access to every episode as they're uploaded. 00:29:08.160 --> 00:29:10.480 And hey, we'd love to connect with you. 00:29:10.640 --> 00:29:16.559 Take a next step by filling out our virtual connection card at awakeningchurch.comslash card.