WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:06.799 And today's sweet service is our service that we give our love gift to Jesus. 00:00:06.959 --> 00:00:12.240 I want you to turn with me in your Bibles to Matthew chapter 2. 00:00:12.720 --> 00:00:15.279 Matthew chapter 2. 00:00:18.480 --> 00:00:24.960 It's been a tough couple of weeks, and I know many of you have been praying for me and our church staff. 00:00:25.199 --> 00:00:38.479 We've had three of our members, relatives, husbands, wife, daddy, go on to be with the Lord. 00:00:39.280 --> 00:00:41.359 So we've had three funerals. 00:00:42.240 --> 00:00:45.759 Well, we've had two last Monday, same day. 00:00:46.000 --> 00:00:48.560 And then many of you know you've got word. 00:00:49.280 --> 00:00:50.719 I know your heart's broken. 00:00:50.799 --> 00:00:58.719 I know when you walked in the door, if you haven't heard, Steve McClendon went on to be with the Lord. 00:00:59.679 --> 00:01:01.439 I was talking to Ann again this morning. 00:01:01.600 --> 00:01:11.599 Susan and I were out there a couple of days ago, and we both were able to go in and spend some time with Miss Ann and Steve. 00:01:12.560 --> 00:01:14.480 Susan was able to sing to him. 00:01:14.640 --> 00:01:17.200 It was sweet, very sweet time. 00:01:17.599 --> 00:01:20.480 As we sat there and talked about memories of Steve. 00:01:20.560 --> 00:01:23.280 And I'll tell you what it does, folks. 00:01:23.599 --> 00:01:27.760 It makes you and I realize that life is brief. 00:01:29.439 --> 00:01:43.519 I mean, just a month ago, Steve was sitting at the welcome center, and you know that sweet smile and and having me a cup of coffee ready, and and and it just, man, it just gets your attention. 00:01:45.519 --> 00:01:48.079 Whereas you know not what y'all be on tomorrow. 00:01:48.319 --> 00:01:49.599 What is your life? 00:01:49.920 --> 00:01:54.959 Even a vapor that appears for a little time, then vanishes away. 00:01:55.760 --> 00:01:57.920 So, but praise God. 00:01:58.079 --> 00:02:03.680 You know what my daughter told me about Miss Jewel, and keep praying for Brother Bob back there. 00:02:03.920 --> 00:02:08.400 Miss Jewel went on to be with the Lord, and we did her funeral last Monday. 00:02:08.479 --> 00:02:10.719 It was a sweet, sweet service. 00:02:12.319 --> 00:02:20.080 But you know what my daughter said when I was talking about Miss Jewel and Bob, and they helped start the church with us here eight years ago? 00:02:20.319 --> 00:02:27.759 She said, Well, Dad, one thing about it, Miss Jewel will be home for Christmas. 00:02:29.199 --> 00:02:31.919 And I never thought about that that way. 00:02:32.800 --> 00:02:37.360 And so I was able to share that with Miss Ann. 00:02:37.599 --> 00:02:40.400 And I said, Ann, one thing about it. 00:02:41.120 --> 00:02:44.560 Steve will be home for Christmas. 00:02:44.879 --> 00:02:47.039 That just ministers to me. 00:02:47.599 --> 00:02:48.960 It really does. 00:02:49.199 --> 00:02:50.479 It really does. 00:02:50.719 --> 00:02:53.840 Well, I'm excited about the wise men. 00:02:54.479 --> 00:02:57.520 We have read this passage of scripture. 00:02:58.479 --> 00:03:00.319 Sean, you didn't realize. 00:03:00.639 --> 00:03:08.560 You didn't realize what you said is exactly the whole message this morning on what true biblical worship should be. 00:03:09.520 --> 00:03:12.319 Because today we're going to talk about the wise men. 00:03:12.479 --> 00:03:16.479 And the title of the message is Wise Men Still Seek Him. 00:03:16.639 --> 00:03:18.240 Does everyone have an outline? 00:03:18.400 --> 00:03:21.360 And by the way, you can go online to outline. 00:03:21.439 --> 00:03:23.360 I've already had the outlines filled in. 00:03:23.439 --> 00:03:24.159 Susan used. 00:03:24.400 --> 00:03:25.520 No, she's right today. 00:03:25.680 --> 00:03:29.120 But some of you go ahead and cheat and pull it up on your phone and fill it in. 00:03:29.199 --> 00:03:30.479 And that's okay. 00:03:30.800 --> 00:03:31.840 That's okay. 00:03:32.159 --> 00:03:43.280 But today, you know, in the text before us today, we're allowed to get a glimpse of worship through giving. 00:03:43.840 --> 00:03:51.759 The passage is usually preached around Christmas time with an emphasis on the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:03:52.560 --> 00:03:57.120 But today I want us to look at what the wise men did in these verses. 00:03:57.360 --> 00:04:03.360 And it's something that should be done every day, hey, every day of our life. 00:04:03.759 --> 00:04:06.319 I love Psalms 118, verse 24. 00:04:06.479 --> 00:04:09.680 This is the day the Lord hath made. 00:04:09.840 --> 00:04:12.319 We will rejoice and be glad in him. 00:04:12.960 --> 00:04:26.079 And one of the things that I didn't realize about that beautiful verse in Psalms 118, in the context of really worship, rejoice, part of worship is rejoicing in the Lord. 00:04:27.199 --> 00:04:30.800 And that is to be done every day, not just on Sunday. 00:04:30.879 --> 00:04:32.000 Can I get an amen? 00:04:33.279 --> 00:04:49.360 And so today, as we watch here and read about the wise men and their worship and how they worship the Lord, they reveal a lot of characteristics for us in our worship. 00:04:49.680 --> 00:05:08.720 In fact, I want us to look at these verses in the context of what true worship is, because their ultimate purpose for coming to Hey was to worship the little baby, the little baby boy that was born in Bethlehem. 00:05:09.600 --> 00:05:22.240 And history tells us they probably came from Mesopotamia, and and and which was hundreds and hundreds of miles, which would have taken them months and months to get there. 00:05:22.560 --> 00:05:32.480 Possibly the little baby was no longer a baby, it could be approaching one and a half to two years of age by the time the wise men got there. 00:05:32.560 --> 00:05:38.480 And I know it fits the gift that there were just three wise men. 00:05:39.839 --> 00:05:43.360 That's our programs, that's our plays that we do. 00:05:44.079 --> 00:05:46.560 We three kings from Orionar. 00:05:47.759 --> 00:05:55.360 So, but but to be honest with you, folks, I promise you there was a lot more people than just three wise men. 00:05:55.759 --> 00:05:57.759 It was a whole caravan. 00:05:59.360 --> 00:06:06.000 And these men, these wise men, and we'll look at it, they were very important, influential people. 00:06:06.399 --> 00:06:10.639 In fact, history tells us that they were kingmakers. 00:06:11.759 --> 00:06:13.600 Now, let me tell you what that means. 00:06:13.920 --> 00:06:17.920 Kingmak were those that would really what? 00:06:18.560 --> 00:06:19.360 Make kings. 00:06:19.519 --> 00:06:22.720 What I mean by that, ordain kings, seek out kings. 00:06:23.040 --> 00:06:36.079 People that would be in the lineage of the royal families and and and kind of ordain them or place them as the next ruler in certain areas of the region. 00:06:37.519 --> 00:06:39.839 They were astronomers, some of them. 00:06:40.560 --> 00:06:46.319 They read the stars, they were they were scientists, they were kingmakers. 00:06:46.480 --> 00:06:51.360 They were all kind of very influential, smart people. 00:06:54.959 --> 00:07:05.920 And here they came with a caravan, and no doubt with armed guards, too, because you didn't go through that desert where all the thieves were and all the robbers were. 00:07:06.160 --> 00:07:11.839 Can you imagine three kings coming by themselves with all the gifts that they had? 00:07:12.000 --> 00:07:14.639 They wouldn't have made it two days. 00:07:16.399 --> 00:07:31.759 And I'm convinced that when they got to uh King Herod, when they got there and they made this unbelievable appearance, hollowing out, where is the king? 00:07:31.920 --> 00:07:33.040 Where is the king? 00:07:33.279 --> 00:07:38.399 We've come to see, and they make these words the king of the Jews, where is he? 00:07:39.759 --> 00:07:44.000 Now you know why Herod got troubled, and we're gonna see that in this passage. 00:07:44.240 --> 00:07:45.120 He was troubled. 00:07:45.279 --> 00:07:45.680 Why? 00:07:45.839 --> 00:07:48.079 They didn't come to worship him. 00:07:50.959 --> 00:07:54.560 And Herod was a mean, ruthless ruler. 00:07:55.360 --> 00:07:59.680 Do you realize he killed two of his own sons and killed one of his wives? 00:08:00.079 --> 00:08:02.240 That threatened his rulership. 00:08:02.480 --> 00:08:06.959 I mean, you you said anything or threatened him, you know what he'd do? 00:08:07.120 --> 00:08:08.160 He'd kill you. 00:08:10.319 --> 00:08:24.079 In fact, you know, he was the one that massacred all those babies from two years and under, trying to kill a baby Jesus. 00:08:24.319 --> 00:08:25.680 I mean, he was ruthless. 00:08:25.839 --> 00:08:31.519 So all of a sudden, now here's this caravan with armed guards, and they're saying, we want to see the king of the Jews. 00:08:31.680 --> 00:08:34.639 Boy, he got upset, he got troubled. 00:08:37.200 --> 00:08:40.720 So, this is the context of this story. 00:08:40.960 --> 00:08:45.360 And I want us to look at the meaning of why did they come? 00:08:45.679 --> 00:08:54.159 Oh, they went to all that trouble, all that danger, all that sacrifice of months and months to get there from the Far East. 00:08:55.679 --> 00:08:58.159 They came for one purpose, folks. 00:08:58.399 --> 00:08:59.759 One purpose. 00:09:00.240 --> 00:09:04.879 And that was to worship the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. 00:09:06.639 --> 00:09:11.440 And I want us to look at seven characteristics of this worship. 00:09:11.600 --> 00:09:16.720 Number one, in your outline, how the wise men worshiped Jesus. 00:09:17.039 --> 00:09:21.039 The wise men sought Jesus through worship. 00:09:21.279 --> 00:09:27.919 And we see this in chapter 2, verses 2 through 12. 00:09:28.159 --> 00:09:30.159 It's saying, Where is he? 00:09:30.320 --> 00:09:37.600 Look at verse 2, that is born king of the Jews, for we have seen the star in the east and are come to worship him. 00:09:38.399 --> 00:09:47.600 And then when the king had heard these things, that's King Herod, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 00:09:48.080 --> 00:09:56.240 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. 00:09:57.759 --> 00:10:03.519 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judea, for this it is written by the prophet. 00:10:03.679 --> 00:10:06.720 That's prophecy that was fulfilled here. 00:10:06.960 --> 00:10:12.879 We see it being fulfilled, that was written by the prophet Micah in Micah 5, 2. 00:10:13.360 --> 00:10:24.480 And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, and not the least among the princes of Judah, for out of thee shall come a governor that shall rule my people Israel. 00:10:24.639 --> 00:10:27.440 Can you imagine Herod listening to this? 00:10:28.080 --> 00:10:35.039 Then Herod, when he had privately called the wise men to inquire of them diligently, what time the star appeared. 00:10:35.200 --> 00:10:46.480 And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, Go and seek diligently for your young J, and when you have found him, bring me word again that I may come and worship him also. 00:10:46.960 --> 00:10:50.000 And when they had heard the king, they departed. 00:10:50.159 --> 00:10:57.519 And lo, the star which they saw in the east went before them till it came and stood over where the young child was. 00:10:57.759 --> 00:11:02.960 And when they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. 00:11:04.080 --> 00:11:10.000 When they were come into the house, not the stable, it's probably been almost two years. 00:11:10.240 --> 00:11:14.399 They saw the young child with Mary and mother and fell down and worshipped him. 00:11:14.480 --> 00:11:22.960 And when they, hey, what's this, had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts, gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 00:11:23.360 --> 00:11:25.440 The gifts were very important. 00:11:26.080 --> 00:11:29.440 Gold representing his royalty. 00:11:30.399 --> 00:11:34.000 The king of kings, the Lord of Lords. 00:11:34.320 --> 00:11:35.279 We see that. 00:11:36.399 --> 00:11:37.360 Powerful. 00:11:37.919 --> 00:11:43.759 And then we see not only was the gold, but the frankincense. 00:11:54.720 --> 00:12:02.000 They would use myrrh and the frankincents to embalm bodies, basically. 00:12:02.639 --> 00:12:04.639 Represented his humanity. 00:12:04.960 --> 00:12:12.159 So we see, hey, we see the goal for his kingship, the king of kings, the lord of lords. 00:12:12.960 --> 00:12:19.120 We see the frankincense for his deity, for the God man. 00:12:19.600 --> 00:12:23.039 And then we see the myrrh for his humanity. 00:12:23.919 --> 00:12:26.879 Beautifully, beautifully, beautifully. 00:12:27.840 --> 00:12:34.639 Representation here of all that Jesus was, as he was the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords. 00:12:34.720 --> 00:12:38.639 And he had come to be our king. 00:12:39.039 --> 00:12:41.039 But not an earthly king. 00:12:41.759 --> 00:12:46.000 Like they thought, but an eternal king. 00:12:46.639 --> 00:12:47.279 Wow. 00:12:48.399 --> 00:12:58.960 And being warned of God, verse 12, in a dream, that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way. 00:12:59.279 --> 00:12:59.919 Wow. 00:13:00.240 --> 00:13:03.200 This paragraph of scripture is loaded. 00:13:03.279 --> 00:13:04.159 So get ready. 00:13:04.240 --> 00:13:05.600 It's gonna be exciting. 00:13:05.919 --> 00:13:08.080 How the wise men worship the king. 00:13:08.240 --> 00:13:10.480 Number one, verse two and eleven. 00:13:10.639 --> 00:13:13.039 Their worship was intentional. 00:13:13.679 --> 00:13:19.600 If you look at verse two and verse 11, you see, where is he that is born king of the Jews? 00:13:19.759 --> 00:13:24.480 For we, we have seen his star in the east and are come to worship him. 00:13:25.120 --> 00:13:27.519 In other words, it was intentional. 00:13:27.840 --> 00:13:31.120 These kings had seen the star. 00:13:31.600 --> 00:13:37.919 And when you look at verse 11, and when they were coming to the house, they saw the young child. 00:13:38.080 --> 00:13:39.120 They, they, they. 00:13:39.440 --> 00:13:41.279 It was intentional. 00:13:41.679 --> 00:13:48.879 These men came to Jerusalem for one sole purpose, and that was to worship the king of kings and the Lord of Lords. 00:13:49.120 --> 00:13:54.960 They did not, and I really believe this, the worship was why they came from their homeland. 00:13:55.039 --> 00:14:01.919 It's why they, hey, brought their treasures, it's why they left their family and they endured the hardships. 00:14:02.080 --> 00:14:05.039 They came to worship Jesus. 00:14:05.759 --> 00:14:16.720 And I thought for just a moment, how diligent are we in our intentions to worship Him. 00:14:18.720 --> 00:14:22.000 If it's raining outside, we decide not to come. 00:14:22.240 --> 00:14:27.840 If we got a, you know, any reason not to come to church sometimes. 00:14:28.240 --> 00:14:32.639 But they were not going to let anything keep them from worshiping God. 00:14:33.200 --> 00:14:37.279 I thought, oh God, give me that that attitude. 00:14:37.519 --> 00:14:43.200 Worship should not be something that just happens, and that's what John was talking about to us. 00:14:44.000 --> 00:14:47.679 It should be something that we set in our hearts on. 00:14:47.840 --> 00:14:51.919 It should be something we seek, it should be something that motivates us. 00:14:52.799 --> 00:14:59.759 Jeremiah 29, 13 says, You shall seek me and find me when you shall search for me with all your heart. 00:15:02.159 --> 00:15:03.600 It was intentional. 00:15:04.159 --> 00:15:06.159 Notice the second thing. 00:15:07.440 --> 00:15:09.919 Their worship was volitional. 00:15:10.240 --> 00:15:11.759 What does that mean, preacher? 00:15:11.919 --> 00:15:14.399 That is, it was an act of their wills. 00:15:14.799 --> 00:15:17.519 They determined in their hearts that they would worship him. 00:15:17.679 --> 00:15:24.720 No one forced them to leave their home and family and to travel across a desert to find Jesus. 00:15:24.879 --> 00:15:27.600 No one made them give Jesus the gifts. 00:15:27.759 --> 00:15:32.720 No one held a gun to their head and made them bow before the king. 00:15:35.279 --> 00:15:40.320 We should determine in our hearts that we will not just go through the motion of worship. 00:15:40.639 --> 00:15:45.360 A lot of times we come and we come in here and we go through the motions. 00:15:45.679 --> 00:15:48.399 We come in, and I've been guilty myself. 00:15:48.559 --> 00:15:50.080 We come in with a lot of things. 00:15:50.240 --> 00:16:00.080 In fact, I talked to Ann this morning before as I was coming, and she said, please tell the church how much she loves you and thank you for your response. 00:16:00.159 --> 00:16:05.279 And just she wanted you to know that they're just a sweet, sweet couple. 00:16:05.679 --> 00:16:10.320 And so we come in, and there's a lot of things we've, you know, on our hearts. 00:16:10.480 --> 00:16:19.120 We've had a lot of our church members saddened because of these tragedies and these events and these circumstances. 00:16:19.519 --> 00:16:29.200 And we just don't sometimes take time to be still and get our hearts ready to worship Him. 00:16:31.360 --> 00:16:33.519 And so we just go through the motions. 00:16:33.679 --> 00:16:34.559 Listen to me. 00:16:34.799 --> 00:16:39.360 True worship is not something that just happens. 00:16:41.919 --> 00:16:43.679 You have to prepare your heart. 00:16:43.840 --> 00:16:49.919 That's why every Sunday morning, for a couple of hours, it's just me and Jesus and the Word. 00:16:50.240 --> 00:16:55.039 Just me and I'm getting my heart ready before I drive into this pool parking lot. 00:16:55.200 --> 00:17:02.480 Because I've already so fooled and been worshiping him before I get here that I'm just ready. 00:17:02.639 --> 00:17:04.319 Hey, let me loose. 00:17:04.880 --> 00:17:06.400 Turn me loose. 00:17:08.240 --> 00:17:10.720 And here we see these wise men. 00:17:10.880 --> 00:17:13.359 They could not wait to get there. 00:17:16.640 --> 00:17:35.279 We should determine in our hearts that every song we sing, every prayer we pray, every sermon we listen to, every deed and service we do, every day and every breath will be an act of supreme worship that honors and magnifies the King. 00:17:36.240 --> 00:17:38.559 Jesus put it this way in John 4. 00:17:38.799 --> 00:17:45.119 The hour has come and now is that true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth. 00:17:45.359 --> 00:17:48.880 For the Father seeketh such to worship him. 00:17:49.519 --> 00:17:52.319 God wants us to worship him this way. 00:17:53.759 --> 00:17:55.440 It needs to be intentional. 00:17:55.599 --> 00:17:58.000 It needs to be volitional. 00:17:59.519 --> 00:18:07.599 It needs to be all as my closest friend used to say. 00:18:08.000 --> 00:18:09.519 You gotta be all in. 00:18:11.599 --> 00:18:13.279 Not half-heartedly. 00:18:14.240 --> 00:18:16.640 It was volitional. 00:18:16.880 --> 00:18:18.319 I like Matthew 5, 6. 00:18:18.480 --> 00:18:24.319 Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after Christ, for they shall be filled. 00:18:25.279 --> 00:18:27.039 Do you hunger and thirst after him? 00:18:27.440 --> 00:18:27.920 Really? 00:18:28.720 --> 00:18:32.319 Or when you're coming to church, you're already thinking about what you got to do after church. 00:18:32.640 --> 00:18:33.359 Guilty? 00:18:33.599 --> 00:18:34.240 Sometimes. 00:18:36.720 --> 00:18:43.759 Why do you think Sunday was a time set apart for rest? 00:18:45.279 --> 00:18:48.799 Jesus worked six days, but on the seventh he rested. 00:18:49.039 --> 00:18:53.359 Sunday, when I grew up, stores weren't even open on Sunday. 00:18:54.480 --> 00:19:07.839 It's a time to just worship the King of Kings and Lord of Lords all day long and just bask in his glory and bask in his character and to bask in all that he is to you. 00:19:08.000 --> 00:19:13.920 And it's a time to praise him and bless him for all that he's done for you and blessed you and me. 00:19:15.839 --> 00:19:19.599 It's more than just a couple of hours once a week. 00:19:20.000 --> 00:19:25.119 We're gonna see that as we go, so I don't want to get bogged down. 00:19:25.519 --> 00:19:29.359 Number three, their worship was personal. 00:19:30.319 --> 00:19:34.160 They did not allow others to do their worshiping for them. 00:19:34.960 --> 00:19:39.039 They involved themselves in this worship of the Lord. 00:19:39.279 --> 00:19:40.400 Look what they did. 00:19:40.640 --> 00:19:44.240 Verse 2, they came and they came from a great distance. 00:19:44.400 --> 00:19:46.400 In other words, it took effort. 00:19:47.119 --> 00:19:48.079 It took effort. 00:19:48.160 --> 00:19:53.359 It takes effort to make the Lord's worship a priority in your life. 00:19:55.039 --> 00:19:57.759 If it's top priority, you'll have no problem. 00:19:57.920 --> 00:19:59.200 Can I get an O me? 00:20:02.480 --> 00:20:03.839 But notice what else. 00:20:04.000 --> 00:20:08.160 Not only did they come, and they came from a distance, but they came by faith. 00:20:08.319 --> 00:20:15.759 They had no idea basically where they were going or what they were, hey, where they were going to find this babe. 00:20:16.960 --> 00:20:21.119 So they trusted, hey, the readings of the prophets. 00:20:21.279 --> 00:20:25.839 And by the way, they where they came from, guess who lived in those regions? 00:20:26.000 --> 00:20:27.759 Ezekiel and Daniel. 00:20:29.599 --> 00:20:45.839 And they had written the numbers 24, 7, and that Judah, Judah, Israel, there would be a star that would lead and bring the ruler, the governor to Bethlehem. 00:20:46.559 --> 00:20:49.359 So these writings they had access to. 00:20:49.519 --> 00:21:11.039 There's no doubt in my mind, being the students that they were and the educated people that they were, they had read these writings and they knew that, hey, coming from the east, going to the west when Jerusalem, they knew that there was a place there, Micaphai, that was called Bethlehem, the house of the bread, where the bread of life would be born. 00:21:12.720 --> 00:21:15.039 So they had to walk by faith. 00:21:15.359 --> 00:21:17.920 They had to ride camels by faith. 00:21:20.559 --> 00:21:22.640 We walk by faith, not by sight. 00:21:22.720 --> 00:21:23.920 2 Corinthians 5.7. 00:21:24.160 --> 00:21:24.319 Amen. 00:21:24.559 --> 00:21:26.160 A lot of people tell me, said I'm scared. 00:21:26.240 --> 00:21:30.240 I'm scared about this COVID and all this, all this stuff going on. 00:21:30.319 --> 00:21:32.240 And praise the Lord, there's a vaccination. 00:21:32.400 --> 00:21:32.799 Amen. 00:21:32.960 --> 00:21:34.480 Praise the Lord for that. 00:21:37.119 --> 00:21:42.640 But listen, either we trust God, and now we're to do our part, wash our hands. 00:21:42.880 --> 00:21:50.160 If you feel safe wearing masks, wear masks, and uh and whatever you feel safe doing to do your part. 00:21:50.559 --> 00:21:59.440 But Proverbs 3 5 and 6 trust in the Lord with all thy heart, lean not on thy own understanding, in all thy ways acknowledge him, and he'll direct their paths. 00:22:00.000 --> 00:22:04.000 I'm gonna give you a let me just tell you what I've done for 30 years. 00:22:04.160 --> 00:22:05.599 Take it or leave it. 00:22:07.519 --> 00:22:10.559 So far, thank you, Father, for my help. 00:22:11.039 --> 00:22:13.680 I turned 67 this week. 00:22:14.240 --> 00:22:15.440 I know I don't look it. 00:22:15.680 --> 00:22:16.720 Thank you very much. 00:22:18.240 --> 00:22:21.279 Except for this one knee I I just had scoped two weeks. 00:22:21.440 --> 00:22:23.119 But hey, hey, look here, look here. 00:22:23.440 --> 00:22:24.319 I'm coming. 00:22:24.480 --> 00:22:25.200 I'm coming. 00:22:26.000 --> 00:22:28.559 I won't be down much longer, I can tell you that. 00:22:28.960 --> 00:22:30.559 Yeah, pick a ball here, I come. 00:22:30.880 --> 00:22:32.079 But now watch this. 00:22:32.480 --> 00:22:33.440 Watch this. 00:22:33.680 --> 00:22:34.799 You know what I've done? 00:22:34.960 --> 00:22:36.319 My granddaddy taught me this. 00:22:36.400 --> 00:22:40.880 My granddaddy believed in all the natural stuff. 00:22:41.279 --> 00:22:48.319 I never remember my papa being sick until he had to go to hospital at 87 for colon cancer. 00:22:49.599 --> 00:22:51.519 That was the only time he ever went to hospital. 00:22:52.319 --> 00:23:01.440 And then he got early dementia and then he went into a care home and uh died at 94, 95. 00:23:03.759 --> 00:23:04.640 He was 90. 00:23:06.880 --> 00:23:09.759 Well, well. 00:23:19.440 --> 00:23:21.519 I have two Holy Spirits. 00:23:24.160 --> 00:23:25.359 Thank you, honey. 00:23:26.480 --> 00:23:29.119 But but you know what he taught me? 00:23:29.359 --> 00:23:33.680 When I moved in with him, I was kicked out of my y'all know that story. 00:23:33.839 --> 00:23:38.799 When I was going into sixth grade, he said, All right, here's what you're gonna do every day, daddy boy. 00:23:39.119 --> 00:23:42.240 You're gonna floss your teeth with Listerine. 00:23:43.440 --> 00:23:46.000 I'm not talking about the good Listerine. 00:23:46.640 --> 00:23:50.799 I'm not talking about the the pretty green Listerine now. 00:23:51.440 --> 00:23:54.319 I'm talking about that gold brownish. 00:23:54.960 --> 00:23:56.240 I meant you. 00:23:58.880 --> 00:24:00.640 That's the Listerine I'm talking about. 00:24:02.720 --> 00:24:04.720 Well, I believe that may be true. 00:24:06.000 --> 00:24:08.240 But I'd have to do that every morning. 00:24:08.319 --> 00:24:11.759 And he'd say, you ought to do it at night before you go to bed, too. 00:24:12.559 --> 00:24:18.079 He said, because 60% of germs comes through your gums. 00:24:18.319 --> 00:24:19.599 You may not know that. 00:24:19.839 --> 00:24:29.440 He said, so I want you to, and then the second thing he said, here, raw honey, here, honey, honey in your coffee, honey on your bread, honey, honey, honey. 00:24:32.000 --> 00:24:33.759 And then you know what he said? 00:24:34.240 --> 00:24:35.759 Here, vitamin C. 00:24:35.920 --> 00:24:38.240 Now, back then we didn't have the vitamins. 00:24:38.640 --> 00:24:42.240 So he'd make me drink a half a gallon of orange juice every morning. 00:24:43.359 --> 00:24:44.880 He believed in those three things. 00:24:45.119 --> 00:24:45.680 Well, guess what? 00:24:45.759 --> 00:24:48.319 I've been doing that for 30-something years. 00:24:48.720 --> 00:24:49.599 Praise the Lord. 00:24:49.680 --> 00:24:56.960 I'm not bragging, never been in the hospital, never been sick, but a couple of times. 00:24:57.920 --> 00:24:58.960 And you say, why? 00:24:59.039 --> 00:25:01.839 Well, first of all, it's the Lord is my shepherd. 00:25:02.000 --> 00:25:03.200 Can I get an amen? 00:25:03.680 --> 00:25:10.480 And I try to live according to his rules and his uh I do eat a little pork every once in a while. 00:25:10.960 --> 00:25:12.640 I'm not under the law. 00:25:12.880 --> 00:25:14.880 But but but I watch. 00:25:16.319 --> 00:25:17.599 But I watch. 00:25:18.240 --> 00:25:20.079 And I I try to stay fit. 00:25:20.160 --> 00:25:22.799 I try to do my exercise, do what I'm supposed to do. 00:25:22.960 --> 00:25:27.119 But what I'm trying to tell you folks is I trust in the Lord. 00:25:29.839 --> 00:25:30.960 That's it. 00:25:34.000 --> 00:25:36.799 So they came by faith. 00:25:36.880 --> 00:25:39.519 They came and they found him verse 10. 00:25:39.680 --> 00:25:46.480 And then they humbled themselves in verse 11 and willingly lavish the gifts upon him. 00:25:46.799 --> 00:25:53.519 In verse 11, they worship, hey, their worship involved everything they were: their mind, their body, and their soul. 00:25:53.759 --> 00:25:55.359 Is that not great? 00:25:56.319 --> 00:25:58.480 In fact, our worship should be personal. 00:25:58.640 --> 00:26:01.359 Listen to what he says in Hebrews 13, 15. 00:26:01.519 --> 00:26:06.480 By him, therefore, let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually. 00:26:06.880 --> 00:26:09.839 That is the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to him. 00:26:14.319 --> 00:26:17.519 Number four, the worship was confrontational. 00:26:17.680 --> 00:26:18.720 Verse 3. 00:26:19.279 --> 00:26:24.000 Herod was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 00:26:25.279 --> 00:26:26.880 Isn't that amazing? 00:26:27.680 --> 00:26:30.720 Herod thought that since he was king, he should be worshipped. 00:26:30.880 --> 00:26:34.319 They didn't come to worship him, they didn't come to worship in the temple. 00:26:34.559 --> 00:26:37.839 They came to find the newborn king. 00:26:38.400 --> 00:26:40.559 And they weren't ashamed of it. 00:26:42.000 --> 00:26:52.640 They came for one purpose, and the purpose was to bow themselves at the feet of a baby, not just any baby, but a baby who was and is the eternal God. 00:26:53.519 --> 00:26:54.160 Wow. 00:26:54.720 --> 00:26:56.400 Gets me excited. 00:26:56.799 --> 00:27:13.039 When you and I reach a place where you, and this is what Sean was trying to say a while ago, I think, when you and I get to the point that we're unreserved and wholehearted worship to the Lord Jesus Christ is our number one, hey, heartbeat. 00:27:13.119 --> 00:27:15.359 We're not worried about what people think. 00:27:15.920 --> 00:27:18.000 My wife, she cries. 00:27:18.559 --> 00:27:19.839 I shout. 00:27:24.240 --> 00:27:28.480 I'm very expressive with my worship. 00:27:29.200 --> 00:27:32.079 But I've been very expressive in everything. 00:27:33.839 --> 00:27:42.880 When I was playing football in all the sports, I never won the most valuable player award, but I always won the most enthusiastic. 00:27:45.440 --> 00:27:47.359 Exhorting, let's go, go. 00:27:47.599 --> 00:27:49.359 First one on the field, last one off. 00:27:49.440 --> 00:27:50.559 That's just who I was. 00:27:50.720 --> 00:27:51.759 That's who I've been. 00:27:52.480 --> 00:27:55.200 When you're in, you're in, you give it everything you got. 00:28:00.880 --> 00:28:04.640 And then notice number five. 00:28:05.839 --> 00:28:08.079 Their worship was emotional. 00:28:09.519 --> 00:28:12.640 When they arrived, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. 00:28:12.799 --> 00:28:14.319 Now let me tell you what that means. 00:28:14.559 --> 00:28:20.400 That word exceeding great joy has the idea of exuberant excitement. 00:28:20.720 --> 00:28:21.920 Can you see them? 00:28:22.079 --> 00:28:30.319 I can see them shouting and jumping and doing their little honorable dance to the Lord when they found the baby. 00:28:30.640 --> 00:28:32.640 We're here, we found him. 00:28:33.039 --> 00:28:37.119 Ho ho! Ho ho! And folks, let me say something. 00:28:37.279 --> 00:28:44.400 When God gets all over you, my papa used to say, when my papa used to be, he was assembly of God. 00:28:44.559 --> 00:28:47.039 My my grandmother was Southern Baptist. 00:28:47.279 --> 00:28:51.359 So Sunday morning we went to the First Baptist Church, Sylvester. 00:28:51.759 --> 00:28:54.000 Sunday night we went to the First Assembly. 00:28:54.079 --> 00:28:59.039 And they believe in worshiping together because a family that worships together stays together. 00:28:59.200 --> 00:29:01.599 And the family that prays together stays together. 00:29:01.759 --> 00:29:04.960 So we'd go to the First Baptist Church on Sunday morning. 00:29:05.039 --> 00:29:12.079 And to be honest with you, it was a little dry. 00:29:14.559 --> 00:29:23.680 And then we'd go to the Assembly of God Church on Sunday night, and Papa would sit there on Sunday morning, and I could see when the preacher would say something that just blessed his heart. 00:29:23.759 --> 00:29:24.720 He'd go, hmm. 00:29:26.240 --> 00:29:34.079 Because he knew if he got expressive, they'd ask, you know, they'd they in that church, they didn't like that. 00:29:34.720 --> 00:29:38.559 See, there's two types of churches, happy, clappy, or chosen, frozen. 00:29:39.039 --> 00:29:39.599 Hello. 00:29:44.079 --> 00:29:56.319 So, but then we'd go to the first assembly church on that night, and Papa'd get on front or second row, and he'd get happy, and he'd just start getting his hands up and dancing, and I used to say, Papa, you're so crazy. 00:29:57.200 --> 00:30:00.799 He said, But you don't understand, Danny boy, you don't understand. 00:30:00.960 --> 00:30:09.440 He says, when it gets, when the Holy Spirit and the gets all over you and all in you, and you're worshiping God, and you're so thankful for all that he's done. 00:30:09.680 --> 00:30:14.880 God has saved me, he's raised me up, he's changed my life, he's provided for me. 00:30:15.119 --> 00:30:18.400 Oh, I can't help it, and he just starts shouting. 00:30:21.440 --> 00:30:23.920 Now you just think, man, he's crazy. 00:30:24.799 --> 00:30:27.680 And now I'm 67 years old, and I'm just like him. 00:30:28.640 --> 00:30:31.200 But I've understood what he what he meant. 00:30:31.359 --> 00:30:34.880 When Jesus gets all over you, you can't help it, folks. 00:30:36.240 --> 00:30:48.000 There will be an expression, whether it's shouting, clapping, whatever, or whether it's crying, or whatever it is that God has so wonderfully and beautifully designed your personality. 00:30:48.559 --> 00:30:50.319 And that's what I love about our church. 00:30:50.480 --> 00:30:57.359 You can you can raise your hands and shout, you can have a spell, or you can just sit there and cry, and nobody looks at you weird. 00:31:02.640 --> 00:31:04.240 Let me just say this. 00:31:04.960 --> 00:31:10.480 There's nothing wrong with emotional worship as long as the Spirit of God is driving that worship. 00:31:10.559 --> 00:31:11.599 Can I get an amen? 00:31:12.400 --> 00:31:17.200 I've had people say, well, they're just doing that in the flesh. 00:31:18.319 --> 00:31:23.119 Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, let me help you here. 00:31:23.440 --> 00:31:25.920 Everything I do is in the flesh. 00:31:27.039 --> 00:31:32.799 Now sometimes it's not controlled by the Spirit, and that's bad. 00:31:33.119 --> 00:31:48.319 But everything we do is in the flesh, but what we pray and we won't is that we do it with the Spirit of God controlling us and leading us and filling us, but you're still doing it in the flesh. 00:31:49.279 --> 00:31:51.359 Maybe that'll help some of you. 00:31:52.240 --> 00:31:52.880 Amen. 00:31:53.279 --> 00:31:56.960 I don't have this out of body experience to worship. 00:31:57.279 --> 00:31:59.599 I'm doing my fleshly body. 00:31:59.920 --> 00:32:05.119 But that person called the Holy Spirit that dwells within my heart, he's controlling it. 00:32:05.200 --> 00:32:14.160 And boy, that is a sweet feeling, and it's a sweet experience, and it's oh yes. 00:32:16.160 --> 00:32:16.799 Amen. 00:32:17.680 --> 00:32:19.519 You say, well, what was that? 00:32:20.000 --> 00:32:23.359 The peace of God that passes all understanding? 00:32:23.599 --> 00:32:26.480 That shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus? 00:32:26.720 --> 00:32:28.079 That's what it is. 00:32:28.880 --> 00:32:36.559 I come in here, I keep waiting to come in here every Sunday, because I just leave all my cares and worldly stuff out there. 00:32:36.880 --> 00:32:38.319 Just leave it out there. 00:32:40.079 --> 00:32:40.559