WEBVTT 00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:03.839 And I want you to turn with me this morning to Luke chapter 2. 00:00:04.000 --> 00:00:09.199 And if you're here this morning and you do not have a worship guide, would you raise your hand? 00:00:09.279 --> 00:00:11.599 We want to make sure you have a worship guide. 00:00:11.839 --> 00:00:13.599 Anyone that does not, raise your hand. 00:00:13.759 --> 00:00:15.599 Right here, David. 00:00:15.919 --> 00:00:19.039 We need one up here, a couple over here. 00:00:19.359 --> 00:00:21.359 So uh amen, Matt. 00:00:21.600 --> 00:00:22.480 One here, there. 00:00:22.640 --> 00:00:23.760 Oh, we're gold. 00:00:23.920 --> 00:00:24.800 Look at Kate. 00:00:25.120 --> 00:00:26.079 Go, buddy. 00:00:26.719 --> 00:00:27.359 Amen. 00:00:27.839 --> 00:00:28.480 Amen. 00:00:29.359 --> 00:00:31.760 Now, I want you to notice something immediately. 00:00:31.839 --> 00:00:33.679 Look at your worship guide. 00:00:34.640 --> 00:00:36.799 I want you to look at the outline. 00:00:37.920 --> 00:00:38.960 I'm getting the A, Dave. 00:00:39.039 --> 00:00:39.679 I've already noticed. 00:00:40.000 --> 00:00:42.479 Do you notice anything on the outline? 00:00:44.079 --> 00:00:45.520 The answer key. 00:00:46.000 --> 00:00:47.600 Good job, girl. 00:00:48.719 --> 00:01:01.840 Well, I was getting so much flack, not really, of not having the blanks filled in or Jason and them not be, you know, Jason waiting for me to say it to fill it in, and every once in a while I got to preach it. 00:01:01.920 --> 00:01:04.400 So now you have all the answers. 00:01:08.319 --> 00:01:10.879 I know, but now I can just preach, see? 00:01:11.120 --> 00:01:15.040 Look, Dean, hey, don't you, you you figured that out too quick, man. 00:01:15.280 --> 00:01:16.239 Be calm over there. 00:01:16.400 --> 00:01:17.599 But uh, amen. 00:01:18.079 --> 00:01:26.079 So uh actually, actually, uh Anita and I were decided we'd uh surprise you and give you the answers today. 00:01:26.719 --> 00:01:28.319 Merry Christmas, right? 00:01:29.200 --> 00:01:40.879 But that won't I usually uh well I wanted to see if you'd enjoy it, but uh actually we had already filled in half of them, so we decided to fill instead of starting all over, I said, just fill them all in. 00:01:41.040 --> 00:01:44.560 Let's let's see what they I said they probably won't even notice it. 00:01:46.640 --> 00:01:48.719 Luke chapter 2. 00:01:50.239 --> 00:01:50.879 Amen. 00:01:51.920 --> 00:01:58.799 You know, when you start talking about Christmas, why I love Christmas, is all the Christmas stories. 00:01:58.959 --> 00:02:02.239 And boy, didn't the kids do a fantastic job this morning. 00:02:02.400 --> 00:02:03.760 They really did. 00:02:05.519 --> 00:02:12.080 And Christmas Eve service, we're gonna kind of tell the little story about Christmas also. 00:02:12.400 --> 00:02:14.479 It's gonna be a wonderful time. 00:02:14.560 --> 00:02:17.919 In fact, Susan's kind of gonna lead that for me that morning. 00:02:18.080 --> 00:02:19.280 And it's gonna be awesome. 00:02:19.439 --> 00:02:20.240 It really is. 00:02:20.479 --> 00:02:32.560 You don't want to miss I Christmas, when when Christmas when should I say, when Christmas comes on Sunday, which it only does every seven years, last year it was a beautiful service. 00:02:32.800 --> 00:02:42.400 The opportunity to take an hour out of our busy schedule and really and significantly understand the true meaning of Christmas. 00:02:42.639 --> 00:02:48.000 It's such a sweet time, and Christmas Eve is gonna be a beautiful, beautiful morning. 00:02:48.400 --> 00:02:56.479 But today and then next week, next week we're gonna be looking at wise men still seek him. 00:02:57.360 --> 00:02:59.439 So next week we're looking at the shepherds. 00:02:59.680 --> 00:03:05.199 Last week we looked at at uh Mary and her greatest gift, the grace of God. 00:03:05.280 --> 00:03:09.759 And if you missed it, go online and and and please watch it or listen to it. 00:03:10.080 --> 00:03:15.439 But this week we're gonna look at the shepherds, and then next week we're gonna look at the wise men. 00:03:16.080 --> 00:03:25.520 And uh so, but today I've titled the message When the Shepherds Meet the Chief Shepherd. 00:03:26.000 --> 00:03:34.000 And we see, have you ever wondered why the Lord chose the shepherds? 00:03:34.400 --> 00:03:35.840 I was thinking about that. 00:03:36.080 --> 00:03:36.560 Why? 00:03:36.800 --> 00:03:41.039 Because the shepherds were a despised orthodox group of people. 00:03:41.520 --> 00:03:53.680 In fact, the shepherds, if we were listing the rung of society, the ladder, we call it, you know, if you study anything on leadership, we call it the ladder to success. 00:03:53.759 --> 00:04:00.000 And it has different rungs of leadership and different stages of leadership, and you want to climb to the top. 00:04:00.159 --> 00:04:05.599 Well, if you were choosing the shepherds, they were on the bottom. 00:04:05.840 --> 00:04:09.120 They were on the lowest rung of the ladder. 00:04:09.759 --> 00:04:13.439 They were despised by society. 00:04:14.000 --> 00:04:36.079 In fact, they were not even allowed to come in to the temple area to worship uh God, Jehovah, Elohim, because they were dirty, they stunk, and they didn't participate in the rituals of washing the hands and stuff like that regularly. 00:04:36.240 --> 00:04:40.959 I mean, so they were really the lowest of the lowest and really despised. 00:04:41.120 --> 00:04:46.959 I mean, if you if you were looking at the lowest class of people, it would be the shepherds. 00:04:48.720 --> 00:05:03.680 So why do you think the Lord or God wanted to reveal his baby, his son, Jesus, the first people to hear the announcement and to attend their arrival were the shepherds. 00:05:04.720 --> 00:05:13.199 Well, I got a, in the introduction, I got a three reasons that I really, the Lord laid on my heart this month when I was talking about shepherds. 00:05:13.600 --> 00:05:24.160 One, I think the reason that God revealed to the shepherds his tremendous, unbelievable gift. 00:05:24.560 --> 00:05:33.519 2 Corinthians 9.15 says, thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift, was because of their dedication. 00:05:34.319 --> 00:05:41.839 Look at verse, I think one of the key verses here in uh, well, let's pick up the story at verse 8. 00:05:42.079 --> 00:05:52.480 And it says, and there were in the same country shepherds, the key word there, abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 00:05:52.639 --> 00:05:56.639 The word abiding there, it's the Greek word that is agral. 00:05:57.759 --> 00:05:58.399 Agral. 00:05:59.120 --> 00:06:01.439 And it literally means faithfulness. 00:06:01.600 --> 00:06:06.639 It means, and by the way, it's in what we call the present participle in the Greek language. 00:06:06.800 --> 00:06:08.800 You have the airis and the present tense. 00:06:08.879 --> 00:06:20.560 You basically, in the old Greek language, you have two tense: aoris tense, which is a completed action once and for all, or the present tense, which is a continuous action that continually repeats itself. 00:06:20.800 --> 00:06:23.759 So here we see that it's in the present tense. 00:06:23.839 --> 00:06:26.480 In other words, they were continuously abiding. 00:06:26.639 --> 00:06:30.319 In other words, it means that they were continuously faithful. 00:06:30.560 --> 00:06:35.360 And I thought to myself, that is the kind of men and women that God calls. 00:06:35.600 --> 00:06:41.120 Those that are continuously faithful in what they're doing when they're called. 00:06:41.279 --> 00:06:42.319 Can I get an amen? 00:06:42.639 --> 00:06:43.439 That's good. 00:06:44.160 --> 00:06:48.800 So we see, there's no doubt in my mind, that that was a character trait. 00:06:49.040 --> 00:06:50.639 I love what the word says. 00:06:50.959 --> 00:06:57.600 Jesus says, if you abide in me and my words abide in you, you shall ask what it will, and it shall be done. 00:06:57.839 --> 00:07:02.079 John 15, 7, that continuous abiding. 00:07:02.720 --> 00:07:06.240 I love what he also says in another verse that's so powerful. 00:07:06.399 --> 00:07:08.240 1 Corinthians 15, 58. 00:07:08.399 --> 00:07:17.759 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding, abiding in the work of the Lord. 00:07:18.000 --> 00:07:21.040 That is that continuous action. 00:07:21.279 --> 00:07:23.040 And that we see they were. 00:07:23.199 --> 00:07:25.680 They were faithful to their task. 00:07:25.920 --> 00:07:27.839 Notice the second thing. 00:07:28.160 --> 00:07:31.279 Not only their dedication, but their occupation. 00:07:33.199 --> 00:07:44.480 You should be familiar with the fact that an unblemished lamb was offered twice a day for a sacrifice in the temple. 00:07:44.959 --> 00:07:50.879 Two unblemished lambs would be offered in the morning and in the evening for sacrifices. 00:07:51.120 --> 00:07:59.920 So that meant there had to be a pretty big place of a lot of sheep and lambs abiding in the fields very close to Jerusalem. 00:08:00.079 --> 00:08:10.639 So chances are these shepherds were the one tending to the lambs that would be offered in the morning and in the afternoon as sacrifices in the temple. 00:08:10.879 --> 00:08:18.800 So they had a very important job, a major job, even though they were the lowest on the ring. 00:08:19.279 --> 00:08:22.079 But we see that they were taking care. 00:08:22.319 --> 00:08:43.039 What a symbolic picture of the shepherds taking care of the lambs, realizing that one day, oh, I'm about to have a spell, that one day the chief shepherd, the good shepherd, the great shepherd, the lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world would be born. 00:08:43.519 --> 00:08:45.120 John 1 29. 00:08:45.600 --> 00:08:49.759 So what a beautiful picture, occupation that they had. 00:08:50.000 --> 00:08:58.320 No wonder God revealed to the shepherds, his chief shepherd, Jesus. 00:08:58.639 --> 00:08:59.279 Wow. 00:08:59.919 --> 00:09:02.720 Dedication, occupation. 00:09:03.120 --> 00:09:07.200 But there was a third thing that I saw: expectation. 00:09:07.919 --> 00:09:08.879 Expectation. 00:09:09.360 --> 00:09:13.679 Oh, listen, how precious and how exciting. 00:09:13.840 --> 00:09:16.000 In verse 15, look at what happens. 00:09:16.559 --> 00:09:20.000 In verse 15, the Bible says, and it came to pass. 00:09:20.879 --> 00:09:28.879 As the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, now here it is, let us now. 00:09:30.320 --> 00:09:35.679 That's a powerful word in this whole picture, in this whole story. 00:09:36.000 --> 00:09:46.159 Let us now go even unto Bethlehem and see this thing which has come to pass, which the Lord has made known unto us. 00:09:47.120 --> 00:09:52.159 Wow! Look at the expectation after the angelic announcement. 00:09:52.480 --> 00:09:55.759 They said, Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this. 00:09:55.919 --> 00:09:58.799 The shepherds were seeking someone. 00:09:59.279 --> 00:10:01.039 They were seeking someone. 00:10:01.200 --> 00:10:06.480 They had been told of someone, and they couldn't wait to find this someone. 00:10:07.759 --> 00:10:09.519 Now that's salvation. 00:10:10.240 --> 00:10:12.399 God begins to seek your heart. 00:10:12.639 --> 00:10:18.720 God begins to speak to you, and then you get excited, and you begin to seek him. 00:10:19.279 --> 00:10:27.440 I love what he says, ye shall seek me, and ye shall find me when you search for me with all your heart. 00:10:27.759 --> 00:10:29.919 Jeremiah 29, 17. 00:10:30.240 --> 00:10:32.559 So we see this expectation. 00:10:32.799 --> 00:10:38.960 Folks, they were excited about the announcement of what the angels had told them. 00:10:39.519 --> 00:10:41.679 Which brings me to the first point. 00:10:42.639 --> 00:10:49.679 The search of the shepherds were unbelievable, the search was unbelievable, and it gives me three examples. 00:10:50.080 --> 00:10:55.759 Number one, the shepherds ascertained the facts concerning Christ. 00:10:56.240 --> 00:10:58.080 It wasn't just a hearsay. 00:10:58.639 --> 00:11:12.480 Once the angels, the angelic beings, announced to the shepherds that in Bethlehem, there was, hey, in Bethlehem there was going to be born God's gift to the world. 00:11:12.720 --> 00:11:15.039 They didn't, hey, were they excited? 00:11:15.200 --> 00:11:16.080 Absolutely. 00:11:16.320 --> 00:11:17.440 But they couldn't wait. 00:11:17.600 --> 00:11:21.840 But not only that, they said, now look what they said in verse 15. 00:11:22.080 --> 00:11:28.080 Let us now, now's a great word, but now go to Bethlehem and to see, watch. 00:11:28.639 --> 00:11:33.519 This thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us. 00:11:33.679 --> 00:11:36.960 Now, underline, the Lord has made known to us. 00:11:37.120 --> 00:11:38.399 Folks, listen to me. 00:11:38.559 --> 00:11:44.080 When God wants you to come to salvation, he's going to make known to you who he is. 00:11:44.559 --> 00:11:45.840 Can I get an amen? 00:11:46.879 --> 00:11:50.879 He will not live, hey, he will not leave you out there wondering. 00:11:51.200 --> 00:11:55.360 He will make known to you what he wants you to do. 00:11:56.159 --> 00:11:57.759 That's so exciting to me. 00:11:57.919 --> 00:12:01.200 You don't have to guess, you don't have to wonder. 00:12:01.919 --> 00:12:06.080 All you have to do is obey when you hear the truth and see the truth. 00:12:06.240 --> 00:12:07.519 Can I get an amen? 00:12:07.759 --> 00:12:09.919 So we see that's very important here. 00:12:10.080 --> 00:12:15.200 The stillness of the night had been broken through with this angelic announcement. 00:12:15.440 --> 00:12:18.399 Oh, accompanied by the blaze of glory. 00:12:18.559 --> 00:12:21.200 Can you imagine the whole sky lighting up? 00:12:21.360 --> 00:12:25.039 And listen, I was doing my research on these angelic beings. 00:12:25.279 --> 00:12:26.960 It wasn't just a few angels. 00:12:27.120 --> 00:12:31.600 There was hundreds and hundreds of angels praising God. 00:12:32.559 --> 00:12:38.480 What an unbelievable service that might have must have been that night. 00:12:38.799 --> 00:12:41.919 So we see, hey, and yet they wondered. 00:12:42.000 --> 00:12:47.440 The shepherds heard the words, verse 10 and 12, and notice what they said in verse 10 through 12. 00:12:47.679 --> 00:12:50.159 Behold, here were the words they heard. 00:12:50.399 --> 00:12:54.960 Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which will be to all the people. 00:12:55.120 --> 00:12:58.399 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior. 00:12:58.639 --> 00:13:00.799 Watch, who is Christ the Lord? 00:13:01.039 --> 00:13:02.960 And this will be the sign to you. 00:13:03.120 --> 00:13:07.600 You will find a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. 00:13:08.000 --> 00:13:22.080 This heavenly news was so astonishing and held such far-reaching consequences that these shepherds could do nothing less than, hey, go and hey, verify what they had heard. 00:13:22.240 --> 00:13:23.519 They had to go. 00:13:23.759 --> 00:13:25.360 They couldn't wait. 00:13:25.759 --> 00:13:26.399 Wow. 00:13:26.879 --> 00:13:28.960 The command, look into verse 10. 00:13:29.120 --> 00:13:30.320 The command, fear not. 00:13:30.399 --> 00:13:31.279 I saw something here. 00:13:31.440 --> 00:13:32.960 Verse 10 is a powerful verse. 00:13:33.120 --> 00:13:35.679 God gave me this about early this morning. 00:13:35.919 --> 00:13:40.559 I was going back through as I always do on Sunday mornings, praying and reading back through the scripture. 00:13:40.639 --> 00:13:41.679 And notice what he says. 00:13:41.840 --> 00:13:42.720 Verse 10. 00:13:42.960 --> 00:13:45.120 The angels said unto them, Fear not. 00:13:45.279 --> 00:13:48.879 For behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all the people. 00:13:49.039 --> 00:13:51.679 I saw, I had never seen it before. 00:13:52.879 --> 00:14:00.879 When God shows up and he has a message for you, you can be assured of three things. 00:14:01.039 --> 00:14:02.480 God taught me this this morning. 00:14:02.720 --> 00:14:07.279 When God really has a message for you, you can be assured of three things from God. 00:14:07.440 --> 00:14:09.039 Number one, are you ready? 00:14:09.200 --> 00:14:13.200 Hey, there will be no fear in his message. 00:14:14.480 --> 00:14:20.159 There will be no fear and discouragement and dismay in his message. 00:14:20.639 --> 00:14:25.759 2 Timothy 1:7, for God's not given the spirit of fear, but of power and a love and a sound mind. 00:14:25.840 --> 00:14:27.039 Now I know that's not in there. 00:14:27.120 --> 00:14:31.279 I've filled in the blanks, but this is what God gave me after I'd filled in the blanks. 00:14:32.320 --> 00:14:32.799 Sorry. 00:14:32.960 --> 00:14:35.039 So you just, I'm preaching now. 00:14:36.240 --> 00:14:36.879 Amen? 00:14:37.519 --> 00:14:41.919 What God showed me, when God gives us a message, there's no fear in it. 00:14:42.159 --> 00:14:43.919 Somebody say that's good, preacher. 00:14:46.159 --> 00:14:50.159 And then secondly, there's not only is there no fear in it, what's this? 00:14:50.399 --> 00:14:51.519 Verse 10 again. 00:14:51.679 --> 00:14:54.320 That's the command, because the command is fear not. 00:14:54.399 --> 00:14:55.679 But notice the comfort. 00:14:55.840 --> 00:14:58.000 Behold, I bring you good tidings. 00:14:58.720 --> 00:15:02.799 God's message will always bring you good tidings. 00:15:03.039 --> 00:15:04.159 Hallelujah. 00:15:04.480 --> 00:15:07.360 It won't be bad tidings, it'll be good tidings. 00:15:07.600 --> 00:15:15.120 You say, but but but sometimes it's not what I want to hear, or it's not what the circumstances may not be always good, but I've got news for you. 00:15:15.200 --> 00:15:16.240 It doesn't matter. 00:15:16.480 --> 00:15:23.279 In God's eyes, he will not allow anything to happen to you that ultimately is not good for you. 00:15:25.200 --> 00:15:33.200 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose. 00:15:33.440 --> 00:15:34.000 Amen. 00:15:34.320 --> 00:15:36.000 Romans 8 28. 00:15:36.559 --> 00:15:42.720 So, a message from God, there be no fear, there be good tidings, and look at the third thing. 00:15:42.960 --> 00:15:44.320 There be cheer. 00:15:44.559 --> 00:15:46.159 There'll be great joy. 00:15:46.559 --> 00:15:48.240 There'll be great joy. 00:15:48.559 --> 00:15:54.480 For the joy, say it with me, for the joy of the Lord is my strength. 00:15:55.039 --> 00:15:56.639 Nehemiah 8:10. 00:15:57.919 --> 00:15:58.879 Powerful. 00:15:59.200 --> 00:16:00.240 Powerful. 00:16:00.559 --> 00:16:03.279 So, with that said, look at it. 00:16:03.600 --> 00:16:04.720 Two things. 00:16:05.039 --> 00:16:09.600 Let's observe two things about them seeking. 00:16:10.000 --> 00:16:13.840 The shepherds ascertaining the facts concerning Christ. 00:16:14.000 --> 00:16:15.279 Look at what they did. 00:16:16.480 --> 00:16:21.519 One, they seriously ascertained the facts concerning Christ. 00:16:21.679 --> 00:16:23.200 Notice what he said again in verse 15. 00:16:23.279 --> 00:16:27.919 Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass. 00:16:29.360 --> 00:16:31.360 At this point, watch. 00:16:31.600 --> 00:16:37.039 At this point in the shepherd's life, nothing else mattered. 00:16:37.759 --> 00:16:40.480 Once they had heard, now here's the key. 00:16:40.720 --> 00:16:45.919 Once they had heard from the Lord, there's no fear. 00:16:47.200 --> 00:16:49.200 They know it's got to be good. 00:16:49.840 --> 00:16:52.080 And they know it's going to bring great joy. 00:16:52.240 --> 00:16:55.759 They couldn't wait to find out what God had for them. 00:16:56.240 --> 00:16:57.519 Is that not good? 00:16:58.480 --> 00:16:59.759 Is that not good? 00:17:00.320 --> 00:17:06.480 So, ladies and gentlemen, why in the world would you keep yourself from coming to Christ? 00:17:07.440 --> 00:17:11.680 When you know there'll be no fear, it'll be good and it'll be joyful. 00:17:12.720 --> 00:17:21.759 Why in the world would you not submit to the will of God for your life when you know there'll be no fear, but it'll be good and it'll be joyful? 00:17:23.680 --> 00:17:31.920 My, my, my, how many people miss the true meaning of Christmas? 00:17:32.880 --> 00:17:34.160 They don't get it. 00:17:34.400 --> 00:17:35.680 They're fearful. 00:17:36.880 --> 00:17:38.960 They're fearful, they're frightened. 00:17:39.519 --> 00:17:41.119 They don't want to submit. 00:17:42.400 --> 00:17:44.480 And they sure don't have joy. 00:17:45.440 --> 00:17:49.359 So we see this unbelievable, unquestionable. 00:17:49.519 --> 00:17:54.960 Listen to what Paul said about this in Philippians chapter 3, verses 13 and 14. 00:17:55.119 --> 00:18:01.200 Paul said this, Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended. 00:18:01.279 --> 00:18:02.960 In other words, I've not arrived. 00:18:03.200 --> 00:18:07.839 But this one thing I do, I love this, forgetting those things which are behind. 00:18:08.079 --> 00:18:09.359 Hey, forgetting it. 00:18:09.440 --> 00:18:10.880 Don't worry about your past. 00:18:11.039 --> 00:18:14.160 So many of us are bogged down because of our past. 00:18:14.400 --> 00:18:20.480 Satan uses our past to scourge us and defeat us and to keep us from doing what God wants us to do. 00:18:21.519 --> 00:18:24.480 Oh, but Paul said, and by the way, Paul was a murderer. 00:18:24.559 --> 00:18:25.759 He had killed Christians. 00:18:25.920 --> 00:18:27.920 He was the chief of sinners. 00:18:28.880 --> 00:18:30.640 So he says, it's one thing I do. 00:18:30.799 --> 00:18:32.960 Hey, I forget those things which are behind that. 00:18:33.039 --> 00:18:33.279 What? 00:18:33.359 --> 00:18:36.799 I reach forth to those things which are ahead. 00:18:37.039 --> 00:18:38.240 Oh, what's ahead? 00:18:38.400 --> 00:18:39.200 Have you thought about it? 00:18:39.279 --> 00:18:40.400 Look at the application. 00:18:40.559 --> 00:18:41.359 What's ahead? 00:18:41.519 --> 00:18:44.160 I don't know, but it's not going to be fearful. 00:18:44.640 --> 00:18:47.519 I don't know, but it's going to be good. 00:18:47.759 --> 00:18:50.720 I don't know, but it's going to be filled with joy. 00:18:51.359 --> 00:18:52.720 Hallelujah. 00:18:54.480 --> 00:18:55.039 Amen. 00:18:55.680 --> 00:18:56.960 Where's Sylvester? 00:18:57.599 --> 00:18:59.599 I want to hear something back there, buddy. 00:18:59.839 --> 00:19:00.480 Amen. 00:19:01.599 --> 00:19:02.240 Amen. 00:19:02.880 --> 00:19:05.759 That ought to have the Presbyterian shouting. 00:19:07.359 --> 00:19:09.599 I don't know, but it's going to be good. 00:19:09.839 --> 00:19:10.400 I don't know. 00:19:10.559 --> 00:19:11.519 There's no fear. 00:19:11.680 --> 00:19:14.079 I don't know, but there's going to be joy. 00:19:14.720 --> 00:19:17.519 Now, folks, that's worth serving God. 00:19:18.480 --> 00:19:19.119 Amen. 00:19:20.400 --> 00:19:22.720 That's the that's Christmas. 00:19:24.000 --> 00:19:26.400 Christmas comes year after year. 00:19:27.119 --> 00:19:31.200 But we ignore the significance of this holy occasion. 00:19:31.519 --> 00:19:32.559 Here's the fact. 00:19:32.799 --> 00:19:33.599 You ready? 00:19:33.839 --> 00:19:39.200 The fact that God invaded history for the purpose of redeeming the human race. 00:19:39.839 --> 00:19:43.519 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost. 00:19:43.759 --> 00:19:45.039 Luke 19, 10. 00:19:45.279 --> 00:19:45.920 Fact. 00:19:46.480 --> 00:19:47.039 Fact. 00:19:47.200 --> 00:19:58.240 That Jesus died so that man may live, who his own self bears sins in his body on the tree, that we being dead to sin should live unto righteousness by whose stripes we are healed. 00:19:58.480 --> 00:20:00.000 1 Peter 2, 24. 00:20:00.079 --> 00:20:00.880 That's a fact. 00:20:01.039 --> 00:20:02.160 And here's another fact. 00:20:02.240 --> 00:20:02.960 Are you ready? 00:20:03.119 --> 00:20:07.519 That salvation from sin depends upon the acceptance of Christ as Savior. 00:20:07.759 --> 00:20:11.279 And, hey, the seeking of what God has for us. 00:20:11.440 --> 00:20:12.559 That's a fact. 00:20:12.799 --> 00:20:17.359 Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. 00:20:17.599 --> 00:20:21.440 And all these other things shall be added unto you. 00:20:22.160 --> 00:20:23.759 Matthew 6.33. 00:20:25.920 --> 00:20:27.759 Notice the second thing. 00:20:28.880 --> 00:20:36.240 They seriously sought the facts, but secondly, they speedily sought the facts. 00:20:36.480 --> 00:20:37.759 Look at verse 16. 00:20:38.000 --> 00:20:39.440 They came with what? 00:20:40.880 --> 00:20:42.400 Come on, say it with me, church. 00:20:42.480 --> 00:20:43.599 And they came with what? 00:20:45.599 --> 00:20:47.680 Pause right there and underline that word. 00:20:48.640 --> 00:20:50.720 So many times we just jump it. 00:20:51.279 --> 00:20:53.519 It's the Greek word spudo. 00:20:55.039 --> 00:20:55.599 Spoudo. 00:20:56.000 --> 00:20:56.480 It really is. 00:20:56.559 --> 00:20:58.079 That's the way you pronounce it. 00:20:58.480 --> 00:21:00.240 And somebody said spito. 00:21:00.559 --> 00:21:01.519 No, spudo. 00:21:04.559 --> 00:21:08.880 Y'all were thinking it, I know, because when I saw the Greek word, I thought that too. 00:21:08.960 --> 00:21:11.359 I said, that's not the way you pronounce it. 00:21:11.599 --> 00:21:13.279 But anyway, spudo. 00:21:13.599 --> 00:21:14.799 Here's what that means. 00:21:15.039 --> 00:21:16.960 It means desire. 00:21:18.079 --> 00:21:19.759 It means, are you ready? 00:21:20.000 --> 00:21:21.920 And hey, diligent. 00:21:22.160 --> 00:21:23.759 It means earnestly. 00:21:24.079 --> 00:21:27.359 It means to await eagerly. 00:21:28.480 --> 00:21:31.359 They could not wait. 00:21:32.640 --> 00:21:39.519 They were eagerly, desirously seeking the truth that God had told them. 00:21:39.759 --> 00:21:46.240 They were wanting to do, first of all, they were wanting to find out what God wanted them to see and know. 00:21:47.440 --> 00:21:49.440 Why did we come to church on Sunday? 00:21:49.519 --> 00:21:51.279 You knew I wasn't going to miss this. 00:21:52.319 --> 00:21:58.400 You ought to get up on Sunday mornings excitably, desirably. 00:21:58.799 --> 00:21:59.839 I know he says desirable. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:01.599 There he goes with those L Ys. 00:22:01.680 --> 00:22:03.200 I like my L Ys. 00:22:03.680 --> 00:22:13.920 Hey, but hey, expectantly coming to church with God, knowing that you're going to hear a word from God, and you want to hear a word from God. 00:22:14.079 --> 00:22:25.519 You want to know what God has for you so that you can do what God has, knowing that it's not going to be fearful, it's going to be good, and it's going to be joyful. 00:22:27.920 --> 00:22:31.759 Even correction is good for us. 00:22:32.880 --> 00:22:33.519 Amen. 00:22:33.839 --> 00:22:36.319 He chastens the ones that he loves. 00:22:36.640 --> 00:22:39.759 So we see this tremendous truth. 00:22:40.480 --> 00:22:42.799 To them, the matter was urgent. 00:22:42.880 --> 00:22:44.079 They could not delay. 00:22:44.240 --> 00:22:49.680 They had to investigate the facts that were announced by the angelic messengers. 00:22:49.920 --> 00:22:56.640 The sense of urgency concerning God's way of salvation, as revealed in Christ, was very important to them. 00:22:57.359 --> 00:22:59.440 Quoting from the Old Testament. 00:23:00.000 --> 00:23:04.880 And including the message of the New Testament. 00:23:05.039 --> 00:23:07.680 Paul says, look at 2 Corinthians 6.2. 00:23:08.559 --> 00:23:09.440 Powerful. 00:23:09.680 --> 00:23:12.880 And he says, Behold, now. 00:23:14.000 --> 00:23:16.400 Behold, now is acceptable time. 00:23:16.559 --> 00:23:21.359 Behold, now is the day of salvation. 00:23:21.759 --> 00:23:25.839 We cannot afford to be casual or careless with God. 00:23:26.400 --> 00:23:36.799 Such an attitude smacks of the arrogant presumption that most people have during this time of the year. 00:23:38.799 --> 00:23:41.039 For years, thank God it's coming back. 00:23:41.200 --> 00:23:43.680 Everybody wanted to say happy holidays. 00:23:43.839 --> 00:23:53.519 I'm all for you to having a happy holiday, but I'm more for saying, and I don't, yes, and I'm not throwing off on happy holidays, but I want to say Merry Christmas. 00:23:54.880 --> 00:23:59.359 Because this time, this time of the year, it's Jesus' birthday. 00:23:59.519 --> 00:24:01.119 It's Christ's birthday. 00:24:01.359 --> 00:24:02.559 Merry Christmas. 00:24:03.839 --> 00:24:05.440 And happy New Year. 00:24:06.880 --> 00:24:08.799 But get the happy in the right place. 00:24:09.440 --> 00:24:10.079 Amen. 00:24:11.359 --> 00:24:16.079 So we see this was such an awesome experience. 00:24:16.880 --> 00:24:19.759 In fact, there ought to be urgency about four things. 00:24:19.839 --> 00:24:21.599 Here's another thing God gave me. 00:24:21.759 --> 00:24:23.359 It's not in your notes. 00:24:23.759 --> 00:24:25.839 There ought to be four urgencies. 00:24:26.079 --> 00:24:28.000 Urgency number one for salvation. 00:24:28.160 --> 00:24:29.359 Can I get an amen? 00:24:30.960 --> 00:24:32.640 Right here, 2 Corinthians 6.2. 00:24:32.799 --> 00:24:33.920 Behold, now's the time. 00:24:34.160 --> 00:24:34.960 Behold, now. 00:24:35.359 --> 00:24:36.799 Now is the day of salvation. 00:24:36.960 --> 00:24:41.039 Secondly, there ought to be the urgency for sanctification. 00:24:41.279 --> 00:24:44.880 That's why I'm so excited about our new class coming in in December. 00:24:44.960 --> 00:24:50.720 We're going to have a have a discipleship class that'll go for a whole semester. 00:24:51.200 --> 00:25:02.880 And anyone that's that, and I know sometimes it's kind of, you kind of get a little intimidated and say, well, I don't, I'm a I'm a spiritual babe. 00:25:03.039 --> 00:25:04.559 We don't like to say that. 00:25:04.880 --> 00:25:08.319 Or maybe I'm a spiritual child. 00:25:08.640 --> 00:25:16.240 Or, you know, there's you got the you got the child, you got the baby, the child, the young man, and then the old man, the wisdom. 00:25:16.400 --> 00:25:19.680 That's the four growth stages in the Christian life. 00:25:19.920 --> 00:25:23.839 Well, we want to take you wherever you are because it's discipleship class. 00:25:23.920 --> 00:25:27.039 In fact, I wrote the book on Jesus is awesome. 00:25:27.200 --> 00:25:38.720 And I taught for seven, almost 20 years, thousands of college students, how to, hey, be a disciple for Christ, basically. 00:25:38.880 --> 00:25:42.720 Starting from the very first point on how to tell your testimony. 00:25:43.920 --> 00:25:45.599 Have you ever shared your testimony? 00:25:45.839 --> 00:25:48.960 85, 90% of people never told the testimony. 00:25:49.119 --> 00:25:51.039 But there's a way you can tell your testimony. 00:25:51.119 --> 00:25:52.720 You tell, hey, you know what it is? 00:25:52.880 --> 00:25:53.359 It's simple. 00:25:53.440 --> 00:25:54.400 It's three ways. 00:25:54.559 --> 00:25:58.400 First of all, you hey, you tell people how you got saved. 00:25:58.880 --> 00:26:02.160 Secondly, you tell people what you got saved from. 00:26:02.319 --> 00:26:06.240 And then thirdly, you tell people what God's doing in your life right now. 00:26:06.400 --> 00:26:07.920 Those are the three stages. 00:26:08.240 --> 00:26:08.880 Simple. 00:26:09.039 --> 00:26:11.200 So we even start right there. 00:26:12.720 --> 00:26:14.480 And then we tell you how to have a quiet time. 00:26:14.559 --> 00:26:16.480 Then we teach you how to put on the armor of God. 00:26:16.559 --> 00:26:18.880 Then we teach you how to walk in the Spirit. 00:26:19.759 --> 00:26:25.279 Key principles that everyone needs to learn right after they get saved. 00:26:25.839 --> 00:26:32.480 Because when you are equipped with the armor of God, you can ward off the attacks of Satan. 00:26:32.640 --> 00:26:33.680 Can I get an amen? 00:26:35.519 --> 00:26:37.920 So we're going to do that for a whole semester. 00:26:38.319 --> 00:26:41.759 Then you can go into another Sunday school, a Bible study class. 00:26:41.920 --> 00:26:45.359 But we won't, I'd like to see everybody go through that. 00:26:46.559 --> 00:26:47.839