WEBVTT 00:00:02.560 --> 00:00:05.280 Thank you for joining us on the CCW podcast. 00:00:05.360 --> 00:00:11.119 Make sure you connect with us on social media to stay up to date on ministries and events happening at CCW. 00:00:11.279 --> 00:00:15.039 We hope you're encouraged, inspired, and motivated by today's message. 00:00:15.199 --> 00:00:19.199 To find out how to connect with us, keep listening after the message ends. 00:00:27.440 --> 00:00:28.800 Well, amen church. 00:00:29.280 --> 00:00:30.320 Wasn't that awesome? 00:00:31.199 --> 00:00:31.440 Man. 00:00:32.159 --> 00:00:33.439 Good job. 00:00:35.600 --> 00:00:37.359 That's one of Benji's songs. 00:00:37.439 --> 00:00:38.399 Good job, choir. 00:00:39.759 --> 00:00:49.439 People in my house, certain people, a couple of ladies who are strong-willed get angry if Benji don't sing that song every Christmas. 00:00:50.240 --> 00:00:54.159 So, anyhow, uh, Merry Christmas. 00:00:54.799 --> 00:00:55.679 Merry Christmas. 00:00:55.920 --> 00:01:00.079 We are so glad that you're here this morning with us. 00:01:00.320 --> 00:01:07.359 And uh want to say, uh, we're blessed this morning to have our Pastor Emeritus, Pastor Danny, and Miss Susan. 00:01:11.200 --> 00:01:14.000 Once you take your Bible, turn to John chapter one. 00:01:14.319 --> 00:01:17.120 I'm ready to preach two sermons, but I'll only do one. 00:01:18.000 --> 00:01:24.799 Thank you to Dave Roper and Pastor Eli, who preached the last two Sundays and did an awesome job. 00:01:24.959 --> 00:01:31.120 Uh listen to those sermons, and uh we're blessed here to have people who love God's word. 00:01:31.359 --> 00:01:32.640 But turn to John chapter one. 00:01:32.799 --> 00:01:38.640 We're gonna be looking at the third in this series, The Miracles of Christmas and the Miracle of the Method. 00:01:39.280 --> 00:01:44.079 In 1928, there was a scientist named Alexander Fleming. 00:01:44.400 --> 00:01:57.040 And Alexander Fleming uh hurried up because he was taking holiday, and he got out of town, zipped out, and he did what any professional lab person doesn't do. 00:01:57.200 --> 00:01:59.200 He left his lab a mess. 00:01:59.359 --> 00:02:06.959 And when he came back, he found some petri dishes that were uncovered, left, and they were covered with mold. 00:02:07.200 --> 00:02:16.000 And when he looked at it, he was disgusted at what he had done, but looking at that mold by all appearances, his experiments had been ruined. 00:02:16.240 --> 00:02:28.960 You see, Fleming specialized in the study of bacteria and diseases, and as he took a closer look at that mold that had grown in those dishes, he realized something really strange. 00:02:29.360 --> 00:02:34.800 Everywhere that that mold grew, bacteria died. 00:02:35.199 --> 00:02:47.759 That mold became the onset of the discovery of penicillin, the first true antibiotic, and it's credited with saving hundreds of thousands of lives. 00:02:48.159 --> 00:02:52.719 But Fleming that day wasn't even trying to cure anything. 00:02:53.039 --> 00:03:03.520 That day he had taken, he had come back from a vacation, he had forgotten to clean, and what looked careless became life-saving. 00:03:04.400 --> 00:03:28.719 No room at the inn, a feeding trough for a crib, a teenage girl, and a young adult boy, both unsure of what's happening, looks messy, looks unplanned, but John 1 tells us the opposite that in the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God. 00:03:28.879 --> 00:03:36.000 And I want to tell you what we see in this scene in the manger was no uh accident, it was no unplanned mess. 00:03:36.240 --> 00:03:47.360 What we see looked weak, quiet, and unimpressive, but it was God's intentional, sovereign method to heal the bacteria that sin had created. 00:03:47.919 --> 00:03:48.719 Well, that's good. 00:03:49.039 --> 00:03:55.439 And so, as we open this morning, I want you to know God has a sovereign method and plan. 00:03:55.520 --> 00:03:56.719 Let's open in prayer. 00:03:56.960 --> 00:03:58.479 Father, we love you this morning. 00:03:58.639 --> 00:04:03.840 We are thankful for the goodness of this season. 00:04:04.080 --> 00:04:13.759 We are thankful that every year built into your plan long ago, we would be faced with a reminder of the birth of Jesus Christ. 00:04:14.000 --> 00:04:19.360 And God, I pray that that would uh just inundate us in this week. 00:04:19.600 --> 00:04:25.920 Lord, that we would consider all of this beautiful story that's the foundation of our faith. 00:04:26.079 --> 00:04:37.600 And God, I pray that this morning you would open our hearts to your word, draw us to its truth, and help us to see God even more closely, the methods that you took for our saving. 00:04:37.759 --> 00:04:39.680 We love you, Lord, in Jesus' name. 00:04:40.000 --> 00:04:40.639 Amen. 00:04:41.120 --> 00:04:44.879 In John chapter 1, we'll look at verse 1 and 5 this morning. 00:04:45.120 --> 00:04:47.759 God's methods are above us. 00:04:48.079 --> 00:04:54.240 It says, In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God in John 1 1. 00:04:54.319 --> 00:05:01.439 In verse 5, it says, And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. 00:05:01.680 --> 00:05:05.519 A couple of other scriptures just to get your mind in context. 00:05:05.759 --> 00:05:10.399 Isaiah 55, 8, and 9, you know, it says, For my thoughts are not your thoughts. 00:05:10.639 --> 00:05:15.759 As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my thoughts higher than your thoughts. 00:05:16.000 --> 00:05:24.800 In Psalms 147, verse 5, it says, Great is the Lord, Almighty, and power is his understanding, it's infinite. 00:05:25.120 --> 00:05:33.120 And in Romans 11, 33, it says, How unsearchable are his judgments, his ways are past finding out. 00:05:33.360 --> 00:05:37.439 So when we think about this word method, what's method? 00:05:37.600 --> 00:05:41.360 It's a systematic procedure for accomplishing a plan. 00:05:42.000 --> 00:05:58.240 God chose the miraculous method first of a baby, then the miraculous method of a virgin-born baby, and then the miraculous conception through the Holy Spirit born in a virgin would be the baby Jesus. 00:05:58.480 --> 00:06:09.199 Don't miss this that God the Father, and all of the methods and plans he could have come through with, decided to use all of the Trinity in the birth of the baby Jesus. 00:06:09.360 --> 00:06:12.480 His method this morning, it points to his character. 00:06:12.639 --> 00:06:15.360 And I want you to see some things about that character. 00:06:15.519 --> 00:06:19.040 Letter A is this God's sovereign authority. 00:06:19.600 --> 00:06:24.720 The word sovereign means God's supreme authority, it means control. 00:06:25.360 --> 00:06:31.759 If you look up some of the names of God in Scripture, you see this woven into his names. 00:06:32.000 --> 00:06:36.720 The name Adonai means Lord, capital L-O-R-D, Master. 00:06:36.959 --> 00:06:40.560 The name El Elion is a name used for God, Most High. 00:06:40.720 --> 00:06:44.160 The name El Shaddai is God Almighty. 00:06:44.240 --> 00:06:52.160 The name Yahweh, which when spelled out is Jehovah, is I am the existent one, the eternal being, the one. 00:06:52.399 --> 00:06:54.319 There's only one like that. 00:06:54.480 --> 00:06:58.319 And his methods show his sovereignty, his power. 00:06:58.560 --> 00:07:02.879 You know, Genesis 1.1 says, in the beginning, God. 00:07:03.680 --> 00:07:05.839 In the beginning, God created. 00:07:06.000 --> 00:07:06.639 What was there? 00:07:06.879 --> 00:07:07.120 God. 00:07:07.279 --> 00:07:12.160 In John 1.1 it says, In the beginning was the Word, and the word was with God, and the Word was God. 00:07:12.560 --> 00:07:13.519 We're getting somewhere. 00:07:13.600 --> 00:07:16.399 I want you to turn your Bibles to Ephesians chapter 3. 00:07:18.319 --> 00:07:21.040 We're going to unpack just a little more on this. 00:07:23.279 --> 00:07:26.160 In Ephesians 3, there's this mystery. 00:07:26.879 --> 00:07:28.160 Verse 3 through 6. 00:07:28.240 --> 00:07:56.319 It says, How that by revelation he made known to me the mystery, as I have briefly written already, by which when you read you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ, which in other ages was not made known to the sons of man, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to his holy apostles and prophets, that the Gentiles should also be fellow heirs of the same body and partakers of this promise in Christ through the gospel. 00:07:56.800 --> 00:08:04.800 This mystery was now being shown as not just a divine puzzle, but it's a strategy. 00:08:05.040 --> 00:08:08.800 A previously hidden concept has now been revealed. 00:08:09.040 --> 00:08:17.120 God, who is outside of time, always understood this method that one day we would receive and celebrate here this week. 00:08:17.279 --> 00:08:19.040 We celebrate it as Christmas. 00:08:19.199 --> 00:08:24.399 Hey, by the way, when somebody asks you what the holiday is, just read the word. 00:08:25.120 --> 00:08:26.079 Christmas. 00:08:26.639 --> 00:08:28.560 That's the Christ day. 00:08:28.720 --> 00:08:29.279 Amen? 00:08:29.439 --> 00:08:30.480 It's his day. 00:08:31.519 --> 00:08:35.919 And God revealed his sovereign way through the gift of Jesus Christ. 00:08:36.240 --> 00:08:41.919 Many of you have seen, most of you have seen the movie Home Alone. 00:08:42.559 --> 00:08:49.679 And in Home Alone, there's this little scene where Kevin's running back and forth as this little kid, and he says, I don't know what to pack. 00:08:49.840 --> 00:08:50.879 I don't know what to pack. 00:08:51.039 --> 00:08:54.000 And one of the siblings says, you know, we're going to vacation. 00:08:54.240 --> 00:08:56.320 Just pack toilet paper and water. 00:08:56.559 --> 00:08:56.879 Right? 00:08:57.039 --> 00:08:58.399 And he's like, I don't know what to pack. 00:08:58.480 --> 00:08:59.600 And so he's running back and forth. 00:08:59.679 --> 00:09:04.960 And finally, uh, one of the his other siblings says, You know, mom's gonna pack your suitcase. 00:09:05.039 --> 00:09:07.039 I don't know what you're whining about. 00:09:08.159 --> 00:09:15.279 Just uh the other week, Weston had a suitcase out, and we said, Are you ready to go on this trip? 00:09:15.440 --> 00:09:16.799 And he's oh yeah, I'm ready. 00:09:16.960 --> 00:09:18.639 He's got a video game controller in hand. 00:09:18.799 --> 00:09:19.679 I'm ready, I'm ready. 00:09:19.840 --> 00:09:26.080 And I see his suitcase, which nothing is in it, it looks like an explosion around it, but he's ready. 00:09:26.240 --> 00:09:27.120 And I say, Okay. 00:09:27.440 --> 00:09:33.200 I said, when you think you're ready, bring that to the kitchen where mom is for inspection. 00:09:34.879 --> 00:09:36.720 So we open up the suitcase. 00:09:36.879 --> 00:09:37.519 Are you ready? 00:09:37.600 --> 00:09:38.559 Yes, I'm ready. 00:09:38.799 --> 00:09:40.720 Okay, it's gonna be gone for seven days. 00:09:40.879 --> 00:09:46.320 He has five pairs of sweatpants, two t-shirts, and two pairs of socks. 00:09:46.559 --> 00:09:49.039 I'm like, wear two t-shirts for seven days. 00:09:49.200 --> 00:09:50.240 You're ready. 00:09:50.720 --> 00:09:52.080 Got two pairs of socks. 00:09:52.159 --> 00:09:54.159 That is disgusting, folks. 00:09:54.639 --> 00:09:56.080 But he's ready. 00:09:56.639 --> 00:09:57.919 He's ready. 00:09:59.279 --> 00:10:08.399 When the famous missionary, Corey Ten Boon, was a little girl, she complained to her father once about the calling that was before her. 00:10:08.559 --> 00:10:12.399 And she said, How will I face all my troubles, Daddy? 00:10:12.639 --> 00:10:19.440 And he smiled and he said, Corey, when you get on a train, when do I give you the train ticket? 00:10:19.600 --> 00:10:21.840 Do I give it to you weeks before? 00:10:22.000 --> 00:10:25.360 Or do I give it to you just before you're going to board the train? 00:10:25.519 --> 00:10:27.120 And she said, just before. 00:10:27.360 --> 00:10:32.799 And he said, Corey, God gives us what we need when we need it. 00:10:33.200 --> 00:10:35.440 He is in charge. 00:10:36.240 --> 00:10:38.000 Church, God is never late. 00:10:38.240 --> 00:10:43.840 He's never surprised, he's never out of control because our God is sovereign. 00:10:45.440 --> 00:10:47.039 I have a question for you to ponder. 00:10:47.120 --> 00:10:47.679 He is sovereign. 00:10:47.759 --> 00:10:51.840 Are you playing tug of war with the rope of his sovereignty in your life? 00:10:52.480 --> 00:10:53.600 He is in control. 00:10:53.840 --> 00:10:54.799 We are not. 00:10:55.039 --> 00:10:57.440 But sometimes we got a dead lock. 00:10:57.919 --> 00:10:59.919 As if we think we're in control. 00:11:00.559 --> 00:11:03.840 I want you to know his methods show his sovereignty. 00:11:04.159 --> 00:11:05.279 Letter B. 00:11:05.919 --> 00:11:08.879 His methods show God's supreme awareness. 00:11:09.679 --> 00:11:13.519 Again, I want to read this verse again, not to be redundant, but we need to see it. 00:11:13.679 --> 00:11:20.159 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. 00:11:20.879 --> 00:11:22.639 The light shines in the darkness. 00:11:22.799 --> 00:11:26.000 God saw into our greatest need when He sent Jesus. 00:11:26.159 --> 00:11:29.840 And our greatest need was deliverance from the dark. 00:11:30.080 --> 00:11:33.039 If we needed more money, God would have sent an economist. 00:11:33.200 --> 00:11:36.559 If we needed a disease cured, he would have sent a biologist. 00:11:36.799 --> 00:11:39.600 He sent a baby with flesh. 00:11:40.480 --> 00:11:45.039 You see, light requires a conduit, a carrier. 00:11:45.200 --> 00:11:49.600 And then the vision that you have and the perception that you have can take place. 00:11:50.320 --> 00:11:56.320 You ever woke up at night and the lights were off, and first you opened your eyes and nothing. 00:11:56.960 --> 00:11:58.559 Just pitch black dark. 00:11:58.639 --> 00:12:04.240 And then after a moment, you begin to kind of perceive something. 00:12:04.480 --> 00:12:09.039 That's because in that dark, it's not complete and total darkness. 00:12:09.200 --> 00:12:12.080 You'll pick up a light in the corner, a light from a power switch. 00:12:12.240 --> 00:12:15.279 Something will give you a little bit of adjustment. 00:12:15.840 --> 00:12:23.840 But for us, our ailment is we are in complete, total, and utter darkness. 00:12:24.720 --> 00:12:25.919 Complete darkness. 00:12:26.080 --> 00:12:27.279 It's our deepest ailment. 00:12:27.440 --> 00:12:32.720 Romans 5.1 says, 5.12 says, by one man sin entered into the world. 00:12:32.879 --> 00:12:34.480 You didn't choose sin. 00:12:35.120 --> 00:12:38.240 You would have chosen it, but you were born into it. 00:12:38.480 --> 00:12:39.759 And death by sin. 00:12:39.840 --> 00:12:42.080 And so our ailment is this darkness. 00:12:42.240 --> 00:12:43.600 We're born sinful. 00:12:43.759 --> 00:12:46.480 We're born sin-filled, and we are sinning. 00:12:46.720 --> 00:12:48.480 That's encouraging, right? 00:12:50.080 --> 00:12:54.080 But God sent us light into that darkness. 00:12:54.240 --> 00:12:56.159 Light reflects something. 00:12:56.480 --> 00:13:02.720 When I look at my daughter, it begins there, and I can see a long line of reflection. 00:13:02.879 --> 00:13:06.799 I look at my daughter, and we say this kind of statement in culture. 00:13:06.960 --> 00:13:09.519 They can't deny their mother. 00:13:09.679 --> 00:13:10.960 They can't deny their father. 00:13:11.039 --> 00:13:15.279 Well, my daughter, if you've ever seen her or my wife, you'd say, she can't deny her. 00:13:15.360 --> 00:13:17.759 She reflects my wife. 00:13:18.000 --> 00:13:26.240 If you look at my wife and you get to know her and you've met her mother, you'll say, She looks like her mother. 00:13:26.720 --> 00:13:29.440 She can't deny her mother, Melanie. 00:13:29.600 --> 00:13:38.000 If you know Melanie and you know her mother, Granny, Carol, you'll look at her and you'll go, man, she looks like her mother. 00:13:38.159 --> 00:13:39.440 Why is all that happening? 00:13:39.519 --> 00:13:43.039 Because they reflect something that already exists. 00:13:43.679 --> 00:13:52.480 You see, because Jesus was born, because he existed here, God sent a light that you and I could be reflectors of. 00:13:53.360 --> 00:13:57.279 John 8 12 says, Jesus said, I am the light of the world. 00:13:57.519 --> 00:14:02.000 Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness. 00:14:03.600 --> 00:14:05.279 Are you walking in the light? 00:14:05.440 --> 00:14:07.360 You know, back to Genesis 1:1. 00:14:07.679 --> 00:14:12.159 He says, in the beginning, God created heavens and earth, and he said, and then God said, Let there be what? 00:14:12.960 --> 00:14:13.600 Light. 00:14:14.000 --> 00:14:22.480 God at the onset of time seen darkness and created at the beginning of this scripture that we have a solution to it, light. 00:14:22.720 --> 00:14:25.600 And 2 Corinthians 4, 6, it explains this way. 00:14:25.679 --> 00:14:36.720 It says, God, who said, Let the light shine out of darkness, has shone in our hearts to give the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 00:14:37.600 --> 00:14:44.480 God who wanted to cure this problem that we had through Jesus Christ sent light to be in our hearts. 00:14:44.799 --> 00:14:51.279 So what did God, this is interesting in the story of Christmas, what did God use to lead men to the birth of Jesus? 00:14:52.000 --> 00:14:54.960 A celestial, miraculous light. 00:14:56.240 --> 00:15:01.519 In Numbers 24, 17, this is the uh fulfillment of a prophecy. 00:15:01.600 --> 00:15:05.679 It says, a star shall come out of Jacob, a scepter of Israel. 00:15:05.759 --> 00:15:06.879 A star came forth. 00:15:07.039 --> 00:15:10.399 Matthew 2, 2, 9 through 11 is the fruition of that. 00:15:10.480 --> 00:15:18.080 And you see the wise men, a star comes from the east, and they follow the star all the way to baby Jesus. 00:15:18.320 --> 00:15:19.519 You could say it this way. 00:15:19.600 --> 00:15:20.960 This would be good for your notes. 00:15:21.279 --> 00:15:27.759 Light took men to the light so that they could have the light, and then they would be the light. 00:15:28.399 --> 00:15:29.440 Let's say that again. 00:15:29.679 --> 00:15:35.200 Light took men to the light so that they could have the light and then they would be the light. 00:15:35.360 --> 00:15:43.679 Matthew 5, 16 says, Let your light so shine that they would see his good works and glorify our Father which is in heaven. 00:15:44.399 --> 00:15:46.320 God brought that light. 00:15:47.279 --> 00:15:49.679 I wanted to share with you this picture. 00:15:50.480 --> 00:15:52.720 A man named Kevin Briggs. 00:15:54.159 --> 00:15:58.399 Kevin pictured, it's called the Guardian at the Golden Gate. 00:15:58.480 --> 00:16:00.639 You see the Golden Gate in the background. 00:16:01.120 --> 00:16:05.279 And he would monitor that bridge, an officer. 00:16:05.679 --> 00:16:12.080 And in this particular instance, he talked down a man who was preparing to jump. 00:16:12.720 --> 00:16:19.519 This same man knew of Kevin, screamed at Kevin, had cursed and rejected Kevin's authority. 00:16:20.000 --> 00:16:23.440 But that day, Kevin Briggs didn't walk away. 00:16:23.759 --> 00:16:30.639 He held this man's arm, saving someone who considered him an enemy. 00:16:31.039 --> 00:16:37.600 Years later, the rescued man said this the one I pushed away became my lifeline. 00:16:38.639 --> 00:16:44.879 Jesus Christ's church is the one the world would reject, but he came to hold your arm. 00:16:45.759 --> 00:16:54.559 He came, and God could have decided anything, but his method was Jesus Christ showing that in darkness his heart is to send light. 00:16:55.120 --> 00:17:01.360 Jesus became flesh, the Son of Man, so that he could hold on to the arm of his fellow man. 00:17:02.639 --> 00:17:04.160 He is God's method. 00:17:04.400 --> 00:17:08.880 The second point this morning is this God's methods assimilated us. 00:17:09.039 --> 00:17:13.039 Look down there at John 1, verse 11 and 12. 00:17:18.160 --> 00:17:24.240 It says, He came to his own, and his own did not receive him. 00:17:24.480 --> 00:17:26.160 I would highlight that word receive. 00:17:26.640 --> 00:17:33.440 But as many as received him, to them he gave the right to become children of God. 00:17:33.920 --> 00:17:36.559 Letter A is God's saving adoption. 00:17:36.720 --> 00:17:43.680 That word received in this passage that you see twice in this little context is paralumbano. 00:17:44.079 --> 00:17:49.839 And the word paralumbano is associated with intimacy and relationship. 00:17:50.079 --> 00:17:52.319 It's the action verb of those two verses. 00:17:52.400 --> 00:17:55.039 It says, His own received him not. 00:17:55.200 --> 00:18:02.480 But as many as paralumbano, as many as did receive him, to them he gave the power to become sons of God. 00:18:02.799 --> 00:18:09.920 People sometimes get hung up on this association because people will say, I received Jesus as my Savior. 00:18:10.000 --> 00:18:13.920 And there's people that don't like that wording. 00:18:14.160 --> 00:18:17.599 And I want you to know this from this pulpit. 00:18:17.920 --> 00:18:20.240 Jesus Christ is Savior. 00:18:20.720 --> 00:18:24.480 Received or not, he is the Savior of the world. 00:18:25.200 --> 00:18:25.440 Okay? 00:18:26.160 --> 00:18:31.119 But this does say to those who receive Him. 00:18:31.440 --> 00:18:32.240 He is Lord. 00:18:32.400 --> 00:18:35.039 I don't need to receive Him for Him to be Lord. 00:18:35.359 --> 00:18:39.359 But that paralembano, do you today have a question? 00:18:39.599 --> 00:18:43.359 Have an intimate closeness with Jesus Christ? 00:18:44.240 --> 00:18:49.039 Think about the intimacy you've experienced with your life, the people that you're closest to. 00:18:49.759 --> 00:18:51.279 Are you walking with Him? 00:18:51.440 --> 00:18:52.720 Are you talking with Him? 00:18:52.960 --> 00:18:54.240 Are you worshiping Him? 00:18:54.559 --> 00:18:58.400 Are you giving your gifts to Him this Christmas season? 00:18:58.480 --> 00:19:03.119 Do you have that paralembano, a closeness because of your reception? 00:19:03.759 --> 00:19:05.599 I hope you've received Him. 00:19:05.920 --> 00:19:09.839 If you're here today, I want to tell you from my heart, you can today. 00:19:10.079 --> 00:19:12.880 Today can be the day of salvation. 00:19:13.599 --> 00:19:18.319 Because He said, for as many as received, they became a child. 00:19:18.559 --> 00:19:19.920 Back to that word adoption. 00:19:20.000 --> 00:19:21.440 They became His child. 00:19:21.680 --> 00:19:23.039 Now this is interesting. 00:19:23.200 --> 00:19:26.000 His own here, where it says, His own did not receive Him. 00:19:26.160 --> 00:19:29.759 The Greek word for His own is idios. 00:19:30.880 --> 00:19:33.359 You can't make this stuff up, church. 00:19:33.680 --> 00:19:36.799 The Greek for those who did not receive Him, idios. 00:19:40.079 --> 00:19:41.519 Who here knows? 00:19:42.880 --> 00:19:46.559 There's children in here, there's teens in here, there's a lot of parents. 00:19:46.960 --> 00:19:49.920 If you've parented, you know this feeling. 00:19:50.000 --> 00:19:52.319 There is no love like the love of a mother and father. 00:19:52.480 --> 00:19:53.680 Most would agree. 00:19:53.920 --> 00:19:57.039 There's not a feeling like that feeling. 00:19:57.359 --> 00:20:00.640 The pride that you have with your child, the care that you take. 00:20:00.720 --> 00:20:07.519 Most would say I would do anything and have, and will continue to try to do anything I can to make sure that my child is taken care of. 00:20:07.759 --> 00:20:11.279 We call that a biological love. 00:20:11.759 --> 00:20:19.279 But there's another kind of love that's interesting as I study, looking at it this past week: adoptive love. 00:20:20.640 --> 00:20:27.920 Commentator Orangio said this: I love adoption because it taught what true unconditional love is. 00:20:28.319 --> 00:20:34.799 It's a love that takes in and offers the same love that is biological without the biology. 00:20:35.599 --> 00:20:39.200 I got a picture of a family in the church that I want you to see. 00:20:40.640 --> 00:20:42.559 The Randolph family. 00:20:43.920 --> 00:20:52.880 I had the blessing of being with this family on this day before this judge as they continued in their adoptive process. 00:20:52.960 --> 00:20:54.160 And I want to tell you something. 00:20:54.319 --> 00:20:58.400 When I met them, now, first of all, God called them to the king's home. 00:20:58.640 --> 00:21:02.720 And that is a work that is a mission field right here in Shelby County. 00:21:02.799 --> 00:21:03.599 And the love they had. 00:21:03.680 --> 00:21:06.640 But I found out quickly upon playing games and getting to know them. 00:21:06.880 --> 00:21:11.039 Miss Jamie said to Derek upon dating, here is a non-negotiable. 00:21:11.279 --> 00:21:13.119 I will adopt one day. 00:21:13.359 --> 00:21:14.319 Am I right? 00:21:14.640 --> 00:21:15.839 Non-negotiable. 00:21:16.000 --> 00:21:16.319 Right? 00:21:16.400 --> 00:21:19.519 That's a pretty big non-negotiable for some folks. 00:21:19.920 --> 00:21:25.519 And I heard that, but now we've seen that come to fruition in their family. 00:21:25.680 --> 00:21:32.880 And church, I want to tell you, that picture, that adoptive love, unconditional love without the biology, that is the gospel. 00:21:33.119 --> 00:21:34.240 Amen, church. 00:21:34.400 --> 00:21:35.839 Can we give a hand for that? 00:21:36.000 --> 00:21:37.359 That is the gospel. 00:21:41.680 --> 00:21:45.519 We've seen that in several families in this church. 00:21:45.759 --> 00:21:47.839 And it's a beautiful picture. 00:21:48.720 --> 00:21:50.880 And so we see that adoptive love. 00:21:51.039 --> 00:21:59.359 Those who received and believed in the name of Jesus were given the right to be called family. 00:22:00.480 --> 00:22:01.359 Can you imagine? 00:22:01.599 --> 00:22:06.720 You and I co-heirs with Jesus Christ. 00:22:07.119 --> 00:22:18.400 How is that possible that in God's method, you and I, you know you and I know me, and you know deserving, and I know deserving, and I'm telling you, I shouldn't be a brother with Jesus Christ. 00:22:19.119 --> 00:22:24.960 But he said, if you'll receive him, he'll give the power. 00:22:25.119 --> 00:22:26.480 That's his method. 00:22:27.200 --> 00:22:28.799 His method of adoption. 00:22:28.960 --> 00:22:33.359 Well, this assimilation came because of letter B. 00:22:33.759 --> 00:22:35.519 God's son's arrival. 00:22:38.000 --> 00:22:39.440 It came to us because of it. 00:22:39.519 --> 00:22:43.039 Look at verse 13 and 14 of John 1. 00:22:43.759 --> 00:22:48.799 Who were born not of the blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor the will of man, but of God. 00:22:48.960 --> 00:22:50.559 This is the adoption picture. 00:22:50.720 --> 00:22:55.359 It's not anything that we can do within our flesh, but the will of God that does it. 00:22:55.440 --> 00:23:06.240 And then he says, And the word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. 00:23:06.400 --> 00:23:10.559 Picture that verse in context with Mary for a moment, will you? 00:23:12.319 --> 00:23:13.920 The word became flesh. 00:23:14.160 --> 00:23:24.880 God, part of the God head, became a man and dwelt, emptying himself of his godness, and is there as a baby. 00:23:24.960 --> 00:23:29.279 And there's Mary with the weight of the literal world. 00:23:30.880 --> 00:23:33.119 That's the child she's going to bring up. 00:23:34.000 --> 00:23:35.920 And she beheld the glory. 00:23:36.240 --> 00:23:36.880 Wow. 00:23:37.440 --> 00:23:39.279 It says the word became flesh. 00:23:39.440 --> 00:23:40.960 I want to tell you this verse. 00:23:41.200 --> 00:23:47.200 If you want to get into some theological conversations, this verse is bedrock to Christianity. 00:23:47.839 --> 00:23:52.240 Doctrine stands and falls upon John 1.14. 00:23:53.039 --> 00:23:55.519 Original readers would have heard the idea. 00:23:55.839 --> 00:24:09.440 Picture with me, the Jewish people that heard the original idea of the Old Testament God, something they had heralded, something that they had heard the stories of great miracles, but the Old Testament God taking on human form? 00:24:10.799 --> 00:24:12.160 Sacrilege. 00:24:12.880 --> 00:24:20.240 The original readers would have probably thought, dumbfounding, how can they preposterously propose this? 00:24:21.680 --> 00:24:30.240 Yet, when you look back in the history of what's happened in God's method, Genesis 1.28 said God gave man dominion over the earth. 00:24:30.480 --> 00:24:33.759 In Psalms it says, God's seat is in the heavens. 00:24:34.079 --> 00:24:38.000 So here we are, man on earth, plighted with sin, and we're stuck. 00:24:38.160 --> 00:24:44.640 We're in a mess because we're sinful and we are authority on earth that's riddled with sin. 00:24:44.799 --> 00:24:45.839 Where do we have hope? 00:24:46.000 --> 00:24:47.519 We don't have hope. 00:24:47.759 --> 00:24:51.119 Sin is going to reign and eventually we just die. 00:24:51.519 --> 00:24:52.160 Right? 00:24:53.200 --> 00:24:53.519 No. 00:24:54.240 --> 00:24:56.720 Because the word became flesh. 00:24:57.359 --> 00:25:01.440 And in Philippians 2, there's this theological word called the kenosis. 00:25:01.599 --> 00:25:05.680 He emptied himself of his godness and became flesh, being fully man. 00:25:05.839 --> 00:25:11.440 And because he was fully man, he has the right and the authority to propitiate. 00:25:11.680 --> 00:25:14.319 Take my and your punishment. 00:25:14.720 --> 00:25:23.440 And so God, his method was so extraordinary in that, hidden in plain sight, it was quite ordinary. 00:25:24.880 --> 00:25:32.160 Jesus, the Savior of all, the most extraordinary flesh there's ever been, was hidden in the carpenter's sun. 00:25:33.119 --> 00:25:34.400 Can you imagine? 00:25:34.720 --> 00:25:37.519 Like you grew up with him right down the street. 00:25:38.319 --> 00:25:42.960 And there he was, the most extraordinary thing this earth has ever felt. 00:25:43.359 --> 00:25:47.599 And he's born in a major, an unassuming life. 00:25:48.160 --> 00:26:00.319 A couple of Christmases ago, um, two Christmases ago, I opened up this box, and in it was a key, and it had like masking tape over it. 00:26:00.480 --> 00:26:02.160 I'm like, that's weird. 00:26:02.400 --> 00:26:04.960 I didn't think, I really didn't think anything. 00:26:05.119 --> 00:26:08.559 When you get to the end of the picture, I had zero idea of what was going on. 00:26:08.720 --> 00:26:10.400 I'm looking at it, I'm like, okay. 00:26:10.720 --> 00:26:15.440 And Heather goes, I had lost my keys that Christmas. 00:26:15.599 --> 00:26:17.839 About December, something we had a party here. 00:26:18.000 --> 00:26:18.880 I lost my keys. 00:26:18.960 --> 00:26:20.880 And the problem is I'm just a little too cheap. 00:26:20.960 --> 00:26:22.559 And I was like, we'll make do. 00:26:22.720 --> 00:26:25.119 I didn't have another key to the expedition. 00:26:25.279 --> 00:26:27.440 I just didn't drive it for a few weeks. 00:26:27.599 --> 00:26:32.720 And I was like, I don't feel like paying the couple hundred dollars that it's gonna take to make this key. 00:26:32.799 --> 00:26:39.039 So Christmas, I open up this box and there's a key in there, and they're like, It's we got your key made. 00:26:39.119 --> 00:26:40.559 And I'm like, oh, awesome. 00:26:41.039 --> 00:26:43.839 In my mind, I'm like, that's a couple hundred dollar gift, that's pretty strong. 00:26:43.920 --> 00:26:44.880 And I'm like, awesome. 00:26:45.039 --> 00:26:48.000 And they were like, they said, let's go outside and start it up. 00:26:48.160 --> 00:26:50.960 I'm like, okay, start up the expedition. 00:26:51.039 --> 00:26:53.039 But I didn't want to like let the kids and people down. 00:26:53.119 --> 00:26:54.880 They bought me this gift, this key. 00:26:55.119 --> 00:27:04.960 And I walk around the corner, and there sits this beautiful, glowing 1968 cherry red Plymouth GTX. 00:27:05.359 --> 00:27:07.759 And I'm like, what's that doing there? 00:27:08.160 --> 00:27:10.480 And I hear why go, that's your car. 00:27:10.559 --> 00:27:12.079 And I'm like, what? 00:27:13.119 --> 00:27:14.480 What are you talking about? 00:27:14.640 --> 00:27:15.759 That's my car. 00:27:16.000 --> 00:27:20.000 And I had no earthly idea what was going on. 00:27:20.160 --> 00:27:25.599 But hidden in plain sight between my wife and the Mattis family, kept it at their house. 00:27:25.839 --> 00:27:29.839 Her uncle, who has several old cars, sent that to me. 00:27:30.160 --> 00:27:33.839 The most extraordinary thing was sitting in my driveway. 00:27:34.000 --> 00:27:40.160 And I'm going out to start my 03 expedition with joy because I got me a$200 key. 00:27:41.200 --> 00:27:42.960 I couldn't believe it. 00:27:44.240 --> 00:27:50.160 Church, don't miss the most extraordinary thing that's all around you. 00:27:50.799 --> 00:27:52.160 Don't miss it. 00:27:53.279 --> 00:27:54.559 He's right here. 00:27:55.599 --> 00:28:02.480 Well, when you think about those things, access isn't something we earned. 00:28:03.920 --> 00:28:05.519 Church, it was granted. 00:28:08.000 --> 00:28:16.160 Riddled throughout the pages of scripture is God's use of ordinary men for extraordinary means. 00:28:16.880 --> 00:28:21.839 Then what can God do with me if I receive his son or if I live for a son? 00:28:22.240 --> 00:28:25.200 Abraham left his home and traveled to a place of promise. 00:28:25.359 --> 00:28:26.559 He was chosen. 00:28:26.880 --> 00:28:27.599 Nobody. 00:28:27.839 --> 00:28:35.279 Joseph was chosen the next to youngest son to become the savior of his family after he lived in a pit and after he lived in prison. 00:28:36.640 --> 00:28:41.359 He chose David, the shepherd boy, not any of the older brothers. 00:28:41.680 --> 00:28:42.960 And David became king. 00:28:43.039 --> 00:28:47.759 He chose Bethlehem, the most insignificant spot on the landscape of Israel. 00:28:47.920 --> 00:28:49.920 And that was the birthplace of his son. 00:28:50.480 --> 00:28:52.720 Church, God wants to use you and me. 00:28:52.960 --> 00:28:55.200 He wants us to be those light bearers. 00:28:55.519 --> 00:28:57.359 That's his method of saving. 00:28:57.440 --> 00:29:02.559 The continuation of Christmas runs through your heart day and night. 00:29:03.200 --> 00:29:03.680 Dr. 00:29:03.839 --> 00:29:07.599 Robert Smith proclaimed this, and he said it much better than I can. 00:29:07.759 --> 00:29:13.200 But he said, Jesus took off his royal diadem and put it in the hat rack of heaven. 00:29:13.359 --> 00:29:17.200 He took off his royal robe and he put it in the closet of eternity. 00:29:17.440 --> 00:29:23.359 He caught the train of nature and rode it for nine months and he got off in a town called Bethlehem. 00:29:23.519 --> 00:29:24.559 He owned nothing. 00:29:24.799 --> 00:29:27.359 Foxes have holes and birds have a nest. 00:29:27.519 --> 00:29:30.319 But the Son of Man had nowhere to lay his head. 00:29:30.480 --> 00:29:32.559