WEBVTT

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<v SPEAKER_00>Isaiah nine, two through seven.

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<v SPEAKER_00>The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Those who dwell in the land of deep darkness, on them a light has shone.

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<v SPEAKER_00>You have multiplied the nation, you have increased its joy.

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<v SPEAKER_00>They rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as they are glad when they divide the spoil.

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<v SPEAKER_00>For the yoke of his burden and the staff for his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, you have broken it as on the day of Midian.

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<v SPEAKER_00>For every boot of tramping warrior in battle tumult, and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire.

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<v SPEAKER_00>For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace, of the increase of his government and of peace.

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<v SPEAKER_00>There will be no end on the throne of David and over his kingdom to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness.

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<v SPEAKER_00>From this point forth and forevermore, the zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

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<v SPEAKER_00>This is the word of the Lord.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Please be seated.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Well done.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Wow.

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<v SPEAKER_01>All right, let's give the uh let's give the Redemptions a hand.

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<v SPEAKER_01>They were crushing it.

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<v SPEAKER_01>That is excellent.

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<v SPEAKER_01>All right, now for the part you all came for.

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<v SPEAKER_01>I'm obviously kidding.

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<v SPEAKER_01>That has already happened.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Um thanks for joining us this morning.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Uh Merry Christmas.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Merry Christmas Eve Eve.

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<v SPEAKER_01>We're doing back-to-back services.

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<v SPEAKER_01>So we're doing today and tomorrow.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And in both instances, we're going to be looking at the same verse.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Uh but before we get into that, I want to give you a heads up of a couple of things.

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<v SPEAKER_01>One, we launched our app last week.

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<v SPEAKER_01>So you can go to your app store of choice, Amazon or Google Play or iTunes, and download that.

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<v SPEAKER_01>The purpose of that app is we're gonna be rolling out practices that we're gonna be doing together as a church over the course of the next year.

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<v SPEAKER_01>So we're going to be looking at reading scripture, getting times of silence and solitude with the Lord.

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<v SPEAKER_01>We're going to be looking at different meditations that have served the church for hundreds of years, like the Lectio Divina, the prayer of examine.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Uh, and we're gonna be doing these as a church because what we're gonna be focusing on over this next year is how we take these truths of scripture and we work them into our hearts so that we are truly transformed in living transformed lives.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Also, uh early next year, we're going to be doing uh uh we're gonna be accepting applications for eldership.

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<v SPEAKER_01>So, as I mentioned last week, if you think that God has placed it on your heart to become an elder of our church, uh apply.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Uh you'll have details to come on how to do that.

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<v SPEAKER_01>But for now, begin praying because we're moving into a really foundational time for our church in the next year.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And those people are going to, in a lot of ways, serve as the culture-making foundation for where we're headed.

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<v SPEAKER_01>So pray that that might be you and pray for discernment if you might want to give someone a nudge and say, hey, I think that might be you.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Lastly, we uh are nearing end of the year giving.

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<v SPEAKER_01>So if you're nine months pregnant, try and have your kids soon so that you can get the tax credit.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And if that isn't your situation, then uh a great place to give is uh Redemption Church Denver.

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<v SPEAKER_01>You can do that through our app.

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<v SPEAKER_01>So uh with that, let's pray.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Holy Father, we thank you so much for the joy that you show us.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Uh the way that you are growing our church by making disciples physically, making them as these kids.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Lord, I pray that you would bless them and that uh you would admit us together as a body to celebrate you in this season.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Father, our souls need Christmas, and I pray that we wouldn't miss it.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Father, we lift this up in Jesus' name.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Amen.

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<v SPEAKER_01>I used to think that the best way to convince someone of Christianity was through argument.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And then after many attempts and years of attempts, I have been completely unsuccessful in that method.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Now, I think the reason that I thought that the best way to convince was through argument uh was because that's what I wanted to be true.

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<v SPEAKER_01>I wanted that to be true for myself.

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<v SPEAKER_01>I wanted to somehow have a faith in Christianity that really, when you got down to the bottom of it, wasn't a faith.

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<v SPEAKER_01>It was just something that was self-evident.

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<v SPEAKER_01>It must be true.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Look at the evidence, look at the way the world unfolds.

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<v SPEAKER_01>It must be true that Christianity is uh what it says it is, that Jesus is who he claims to be.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And so I would study arguments, I would study the fine-tuning argument that shows how the tolerances between the strong force and the weak force in an atom, if they were 2% different, then uh the world would not be able to sustain life.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And I would say sentences like that with lots of words of which I have no idea what they really mean, because I don't know what a strong or weak force is on an atom, but it must be a proof of an existence of God.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Or I would try things like uh examining the morality of the world and how in every culture there seems to be this moral code, irrespective of any of the other factors, that is really built into humanity.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And that seems to be evidence of an external law giver.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And so that is an argument that I would use for proof of God.

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<v SPEAKER_01>There's this really weird argument from the 12th century that's called the ontological argument, which basically uses the sentence, God does not exist to prove that God exists.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And at the end of it, you think that argument is valid, and yet my heart doesn't feel compelled at all by it.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And so we've had to get honest with what is the truth of why I believe in God, and more than that, believe in Jesus, that Jesus is who he said he was.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And my own experience was not that I followed the arguments and saw this must be the case.

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<v SPEAKER_01>It was much more passive than that.

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<v SPEAKER_01>It was much more like I was 15 at a youth group conference, and I had been on a low protein, high carbohydrate diet for five days with a band and like six girls that I had crushes on.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And then they were like, you should believe in Jesus, and then everyone else did, and I was like, Yeah.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Uh, and that and it seemed to really take.

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<v SPEAKER_01>You see, I think what actually took was that uh I had these unanswered, uh, even not even articulated questions of my soul that Jesus perfectly answered.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And that may seem like a cop-out, right?

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<v SPEAKER_01>You know, there's a Jesus-shaped hole in your heart that you need to fill.

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<v SPEAKER_01>It seems like this sort of cop-out answer of like, how do I know that Jesus is true?

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<v SPEAKER_01>How do I know that this is real?

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<v SPEAKER_01>Well, it's because it it mapped onto my soul in such a way where it had to be true.

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<v SPEAKER_01>This must be real.

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<v SPEAKER_01>I needed it to be true so badly that it almost must be.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And that seems like a cop-out answer, but I want to submit to you that it isn't.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Because you and me, something that we share in common is we are incredibly complicated.

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<v SPEAKER_01>We are the most complicated thing in the universe.

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<v SPEAKER_01>I think that you are more complicated than the strong and weak force that hold together an atom.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And so for something to map on to you, to your soul, so perfectly is a better proof of God than the fine-tuning of the universe.

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<v SPEAKER_01>So, what we're going to look at today and tomorrow is who Jesus is, and how who Jesus is answers the most important questions of our lives, the deepest questions in our souls.

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<v SPEAKER_01>So we're going to be meditating on just this one verse, which is Isaiah 9, verse 6.

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<v SPEAKER_01>It says, I don't have it memorized.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Samantha crushing it.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Um in fact, Samantha, would you mind uh we can, I think everybody would benefit.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Uh says, for to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

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<v SPEAKER_01>This verse, written nearly a thousand years before Jesus' birth, explains who Jesus is, and I'm arguing that it perfectly answers the deepest questions of our souls.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Today we're going to just look at the names in that verse.

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<v SPEAKER_01>So, first, wonderful counselor.

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<v SPEAKER_01>This means that Jesus answers the question, how should I live?

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<v SPEAKER_01>I'm addicted to NPR, for better or for worse.

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<v SPEAKER_01>It's not because I want to, it's because I have to.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And I listen every year, except for during the drives, the funding drives.

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<v SPEAKER_01>They'll be fine.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And you know who you should give to.

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<v SPEAKER_01>You can become an evergreen partner and we'll send you a pair of socks.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And the uh uh every day on my drive here, I listen to NPR and I and I hear tons of problems.

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<v SPEAKER_01>There's just all of these problems in the world.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And when I hear those problems, it's it's actually kind of nice.

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<v SPEAKER_01>It's a vacation because what happens is I stop my car and I park and I turn off the radio, and then you know what I get encountered with is a lot of other problems.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And the differences, the problems I'm encountered with when my radio is off, those problems are mine.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And I like those problems a lot less than the problems I hear on the radio, which I can stress about and just sort of enjoy.

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<v SPEAKER_01>But these problems somehow seem to be just perfectly partitioned out to me, like they were Amazon primed to my door.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And so it'll be miscommunication in my marriage, it will be difficulties with relationships in the church, it will be uh drama in a family, it will be financial woes, right?

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<v SPEAKER_01>Those things that seem to be our problems, and the world is really complicated.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And what I used to think is I'll just find the person who's just doing it right.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And then I'll just be like them.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And so I've tried that a number of times, and you know what?

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<v SPEAKER_01>It doesn't work.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Because you know who that person is?

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<v SPEAKER_01>Yeah, okay, me neither.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Look, there is no such person who just has this down.

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<v SPEAKER_01>There is no such blog post that finally will make this clear to you.

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<v SPEAKER_01>What we need, what our hearts need, is a wonderful counselor.

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<v SPEAKER_01>We need someone who really knows.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Someone who knows the complexities of the whole world, and then someone who knows the complexities of you and how you're supposed, how you're supposed to relate in the world.

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<v SPEAKER_01>You need someone who knows who you're supposed to be.

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<v SPEAKER_01>So you're not just pretending to be someone else or tacking on some skill that you think will make this transformative difference in your life.

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<v SPEAKER_01>You need someone who knows who you were meant to be and how you were supposed to move through these problems that seem hand-picked for you, and who can counsel you through that.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Jesus comes as our wonderful counselor.

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<v SPEAKER_01>He doesn't just know the depth of the issues that we face, he knows the depth of the issues that are in us.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And he calls us to work through those with him.

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<v SPEAKER_01>In Jesus, the answer to the question, how should I live?

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<v SPEAKER_01>How can I make it through this life?

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<v SPEAKER_01>is answered.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Next, Jesus will be called the mighty God.

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<v SPEAKER_01>It's outrageous to say that a man will be called mighty God, yet that's what we see promised in scripture.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And this answers the question, what is the point of it all?

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<v SPEAKER_01>The first question starts in your day-to-day.

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<v SPEAKER_01>This question is exam uh zooms out to examine the whole of your life.

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<v SPEAKER_01>What is the point of all this?

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<v SPEAKER_01>My wife and I have started watching this show on Amazon Prime called Forever.

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<v SPEAKER_01>It's with Fred Armison and Maya Rudolph, and the premise is they uh the it's a husband and wife, and they both die, and then they go to the afterlife.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And so the husband dies first, and so he's just living in the afterlife, and then the wife dies, and she adjoins him in the afterlife.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And the afterlife is just like an LA suburb.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And the husband arrives, and uh, excuse me, the wife arrives and she's like, So, so is there God?

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<v SPEAKER_01>And he's like, No, that it doesn't seem like it.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And she's like, So this just goes on forever?

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<v SPEAKER_01>We just live in this suburb forever?

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<v SPEAKER_01>And he goes, Yeah, it seems like that's pretty much it.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And she goes, Well, what's the point of it all?

00:14:32.480 --> 00:14:36.720
<v SPEAKER_01>And he says, Well, what was the point of the last thing that we did?

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<v SPEAKER_01>Meaning their whole life together.

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<v SPEAKER_01>It's a deeply unsatisfying answer.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And the reason that it's so deeply unsatisfying is because we can't seem to point towards a higher meaning, an ultimate purpose of our own lives without God in the equation.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Tolstoy says for a man to be able to live, he must either not see the infinite or have such an explanation of the meaning of life as will connect the finite with the infinite.

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<v SPEAKER_01>We need to have such an explanation of the meaning of life to where our finite moves that we make in our everyday lives are somehow connected to an infinite meaning.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Because there seems to be this eternal quality to our hearts.

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<v SPEAKER_01>What's strange is not that we would discover that life is meaningless.

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<v SPEAKER_01>If life is meaningless, then we should discover that.

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<v SPEAKER_01>What's strange is that when we discover that, it hurts.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And so we need to realize what does that hurt tell us?

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<v SPEAKER_01>It tells us that it shouldn't be meaningless.

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<v SPEAKER_01>It should have a meaning.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And yet we can't seem to connect our finite lives to any sort of infinite meaning.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Jesus, this baby, this son, this child who is given to us, born in a manger at a particular place, at a particular point in our human history, this finite experience is mighty God.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Mighty God breaks into this otherwise meaningless life.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And he connects the infinite to it.

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<v SPEAKER_01>He makes these normal, mundane experiences of our life beyond transcendence.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Jesus is mighty God.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Next, he will be called everlasting father.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Now, this answers the question.

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<v SPEAKER_01>We've seen the questions answered.

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<v SPEAKER_01>How should I live?

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<v SPEAKER_01>What is the point of it all?

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<v SPEAKER_01>Everlasting Father shows you who you are.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Because it's one thing to see at the concept level, mighty God.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And that does bring a sense of purpose to our lives, but I think it will still be unsatisfying and ineffective until you hear this mighty God say, You are my child, and I love you.

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<v SPEAKER_01>You see, the way that we're designed as humans is not just to see some cognitive meaning.

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<v SPEAKER_01>You don't get to build your identity from the inside out.

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<v SPEAKER_01>You require something outside of you to tell you who you really are.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Now I want this to be a relief for all you millennials who we read so much about.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Because what you, we, us, are trying to do is trying to cobble together some sort of authentic identity by looking in ourselves constantly.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And that's my son and my wife.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Uh, by looking in ourselves and saying, okay, who am I?

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<v SPEAKER_01>Who am I?

00:18:22.720 --> 00:18:24.160
<v SPEAKER_01>If I can just know who I am.

00:18:24.319 --> 00:18:29.039
<v SPEAKER_01>And you're trying to announce an identity onto yourself from within yourself.

00:18:29.119 --> 00:18:33.279
<v SPEAKER_01>And what you realize is you're a constantly moving target.

00:18:34.079 --> 00:18:46.559
<v SPEAKER_01>Who you are from inside yourself feels wildly unsatisfactory, so you chase around a bunch of really foolish things that you think will tell yourself you're an authentic person.

00:18:47.440 --> 00:18:56.160
<v SPEAKER_01>If I used that type of artisanal soap, then I'll feel like I'm an authentic person and I'll know who I really am.

00:18:57.599 --> 00:18:59.519
<v SPEAKER_01>But it doesn't work that way.

00:19:00.079 --> 00:19:01.759
<v SPEAKER_01>We know it doesn't work that way.

00:19:01.920 --> 00:19:07.039
<v SPEAKER_01>That's why we're always looking for something outside of ourselves to validate ourselves.

00:19:07.359 --> 00:19:13.119
<v SPEAKER_01>You were designed not to make your identity, but to receive your identity.

00:19:13.359 --> 00:19:28.079
<v SPEAKER_01>And the only one you can actually receive your identity from in a meaningful way is from your creator who knows who he made you to be, and then who would look at you and say, I will be your father.

00:19:29.279 --> 00:19:30.160
<v SPEAKER_01>You know what that means?

00:19:30.319 --> 00:19:32.720
<v SPEAKER_01>It means that there's this incredible love.

00:19:34.720 --> 00:19:46.559
<v SPEAKER_01>Until there, until you get to know that part of you that God made, that essential you, and you hear the voice of God say, I love you.

00:19:48.079 --> 00:19:51.519
<v SPEAKER_01>Come nestle up to me like I'm your father.

00:19:53.440 --> 00:19:55.839
<v SPEAKER_01>Your heart won't be transformed.

00:19:56.480 --> 00:19:58.559
<v SPEAKER_01>You will never know who you are.

00:19:59.119 --> 00:20:03.279
<v SPEAKER_01>And so you'll always be trying on some new identity.

00:20:04.000 --> 00:20:06.880
<v SPEAKER_01>Until you learn to swim in that type of love.

00:20:08.960 --> 00:20:12.480
<v SPEAKER_01>We don't have a hope of ever authentically being ourselves.

00:20:13.279 --> 00:20:18.559
<v SPEAKER_01>So everlasting Father tells us, answers the question, who am I?

00:20:19.599 --> 00:20:24.160
<v SPEAKER_01>And lastly, Jesus will be called the Prince of Peace.

00:20:24.480 --> 00:20:27.839
<v SPEAKER_01>And this answers the question, is there hope?

00:20:28.400 --> 00:20:38.400
<v SPEAKER_01>Jesus as the Prince of Peace means so much because we know the whole story in a way that Isaiah, when he's writing this, didn't know yet.

00:20:39.759 --> 00:20:50.319
<v SPEAKER_01>This prediction to Isaiah was just as much about a new earthly king who would be born and finally be king of Judah so that the reign of David wouldn't end.

00:20:51.440 --> 00:20:54.480
<v SPEAKER_01>And it would bring peace to the nation of Israel.

00:20:54.640 --> 00:20:59.680
<v SPEAKER_01>But this peace that Jesus brings is so much better than that.

00:21:00.880 --> 00:21:11.119
<v SPEAKER_01>Because what we see in this wonderful counselor, mighty God, everlasting Father, this Prince of Peace, is that he makes peace between us and God.

00:21:12.160 --> 00:21:19.359
<v SPEAKER_01>Because we know that he was born so that he would die to take on the guilt of our sins.

00:21:20.640 --> 00:21:29.039
<v SPEAKER_01>All those things which torment you and plague you, that create that separation between you and others.

00:21:31.200 --> 00:21:35.680
<v SPEAKER_01>That stems from this deep separation between you and God.

00:21:36.960 --> 00:21:39.519
<v SPEAKER_01>A sin that needed to be punished.

00:21:40.000 --> 00:21:50.079
<v SPEAKER_01>And in Jesus, the Prince of Peace, he comes to you and he says, I'm going to establish peace between you and God.

00:21:50.240 --> 00:21:51.440
<v SPEAKER_01>You deserve death.

00:21:51.680 --> 00:21:55.920
<v SPEAKER_01>The way that I'm going to establish it is I'm going to die for you.

00:21:57.599 --> 00:22:05.519
<v SPEAKER_01>And so that his peace will reign in our hearts completely and perfectly and eventually over the whole world.

00:22:07.119 --> 00:22:10.319
<v SPEAKER_01>Your soul needs Christmas.

00:22:10.960 --> 00:22:14.880
<v SPEAKER_01>It needs to remember who Jesus is.

00:22:15.920 --> 00:22:18.880
<v SPEAKER_01>Your soul needs these questions answered.

00:22:19.119 --> 00:22:20.000
<v SPEAKER_01>How do I live?

00:22:20.160 --> 00:22:21.200
<v SPEAKER_01>What's the point of it all?

00:22:21.440 --> 00:22:22.559
<v SPEAKER_01>Who am I?

00:22:23.440 --> 00:22:24.960
<v SPEAKER_01>Is there hope?

00:22:26.160 --> 00:22:30.240
<v SPEAKER_01>Jesus is the answer to all of those questions.

00:22:30.640 --> 00:22:32.880
<v SPEAKER_01>We see it in his very name.

00:22:33.599 --> 00:22:35.680
<v SPEAKER_01>Remember that this Christmas.

00:22:36.000 --> 00:22:39.359
<v SPEAKER_01>Swim in those things this Christmas.

00:22:40.240 --> 00:22:42.000
<v SPEAKER_01>We have great news.

00:22:42.559 --> 00:22:46.000
<v SPEAKER_01>So with that, let's celebrate together.

00:22:46.240 --> 00:22:47.440
<v SPEAKER_01>I'll pray.

00:22:49.279 --> 00:22:53.599
<v SPEAKER_01>Holy Father, you are glorious.

00:22:53.920 --> 00:22:59.279
<v SPEAKER_01>And the love that you show us by sending your only son is incomprehensibly good.

00:23:00.079 --> 00:23:11.440
<v SPEAKER_01>Father, I pray that it would settle on our hearts and that in this person of Jesus we might see an argument for you that is better than anything else we could put forward.

00:23:12.000 --> 00:23:28.559
<v SPEAKER_01>One that actually cares for and nourishes our souls, one that actually brings healing and reconciliation between us and you so that this Christmas we would celebrate this amazing gift that you so loved the world, that you gave your son.

00:23:30.160 --> 00:23:35.279
<v SPEAKER_01>So that any who believed in him wouldn't perish, would have everlasting life.

00:23:35.920 --> 00:23:40.640
<v SPEAKER_01>Father, make that the truest thing about us today.

00:23:40.880 --> 00:23:42.319
<v SPEAKER_01>We lift this up in Jesus' name.

00:23:42.640 --> 00:23:43.200
<v SPEAKER_01>Amen.
