Mission Sent
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Mission Sent
Unwrapping the True Gifts of the Season
What happens when the arrival of a humble shepherd becomes the central piece of a divine plan? Join us as we humorously traverse the Advent season, reflecting on the arrival of the King, and poking fun at Thanksgiving’s commercial trappings. We dive into the intriguing scriptural foundation from Luke 2, contemplating God's unexpected choice of shepherds to bear the first news of Jesus’ birth. Together, we challenge the traditional vision of a warrior Messiah, understanding how Jesus’ modest arrival redefined status and significance. As we journey through history, parallels emerge between marginalized figures like Billy the Kid and the shepherds, inviting a fresh perspective on Jesus’ mission to liberate the oppressed.
Explore with us the revolutionary message of Jesus, who, unlike the expected political liberator, offered freedom from spiritual captivities. Drawing inspiration from the Green Berets' motto, “To free the oppressed,” we ponder how we too might shift from personal gain to a life of service. Engage in conversations about the struggle between flesh and spirit, where we reflect on the fruits of the Spirit and the comfort of salvation. By acknowledging our imperfections, we discuss the strength to resist temptation, setting boundaries both in parenting and spiritual growth, and finding liberation from anger, envy, and temptation’s grip.
In the final chapter, we unravel the true essence of Christmas, reaching beyond glittering lights and festive treats. Dive into the transformative power of the Gospel, as we prioritize sharing the good news of Christ’s birth and the hope it brings. Embracing the Advent season’s anticipation, we invite you to join in becoming a beacon in the darkness, relaying the joy and redemption that Christmas embodies. Through prayer and community, let’s deepen our connection with the King’s message of love and salvation, and embrace the freedom that comes with relinquishing control to Christ.
Well, happy Advent season. And for those of you that may not be familiar with that word, advent, it simply means the arrival of an important person. All right, now there are five weeks in Advent. We're going to be using Luke 2, which is what we just read, to really understand this year's Advent, which is this the King is coming. All right, and that's what we see in what we're about to celebrate. Right, because I know if any of you are like my mom, you're mad because I kind of just skipped right over Thanksgiving and just jumped right into Advent. And you know I hear it all the time, right, like, hey, thanksgiving's a holiday too. Well, here's the deal. Okay, thanksgiving is a made-up holiday, made by Butterball to sell more turkeys. All right, there's no historical accuracy to it whatsoever.
Speaker 1:And yet here we have the king of all creation coming to his people to dwell among us. In John 1, it would say, the word became flesh and dwelt with us. That word is the same word we see in the word tabernacle, going back all the way to Exodus that God's presence is being felt with his people this week, to set our scene correctly, we're going to be focusing on this. The king is coming to the shepherds. So I'm going to pray and then I will jump into that. Father, we thank you so much that you loved us enough to come to us. Father, we thank you that you chose to redeem your creation instead of just justly bringing death to your creation. Father, I ask and I pray that as we go through this, that, father, we do so with an open mind and open heart. That we, father, be able to pull away your eternal truth from your eternal word. Father, I pray we are changed from the inside out and that this season we could be different than we have ever been in our lives. Father, we pray this in Jesus' name. Amen, all right, I will tell you, this is kind of hard for me, because normally we teach expositionally, right. So I don't usually have to come up with what I'm going to be teaching. I just kind of follow along and go okay, and then the next verse says this so to teach topically like this is actually a skill that I don't have a lot of practice with, because I don't like to jump around like that, because it's very easy at that point to take things out of context. But to set the scene correctly here, here is what we are seeing in Luke, chapter 2.
Speaker 1:For thousands of years, israel has been promised that a Messiah will come from the house and the lineage of David. Now, israel's understanding of this Messiah is this that this warrior will come to throw off the oppression of Rome. Israel's understanding is that when the Messiah comes, they will now be the superpower in the world. In other words, israel's mindset is focused on the here and the now. Now we're going to see as we get through this, though, that the Messiah God sends isn't exactly what Israel is thinking of when they think of a king, when they think of that Messiah. So we're going to look at verse 8 right now, and it says this oh, I didn't add the rest of it, but, starting in Luke, chapter 2, verse 8, it says and in the same region, there were shepherds out in the field keeping watch over their flock by night, and the angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone all around them and they were filled with great fear.
Speaker 1:And the angel said to them fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people. Now, anytime we see an angel in the Bible, do you see how it says that the angel says to them fear not. Has anyone ever spent time on YouTube looking up, like actual biblical, like AI generated, what an angel actually looks like? All right, because for most of us, when we think angel, what do we think of? All right, cute little baby, maybe with wings and a little diaper on. You know, he's got the chunky rolls. Some of us might think like a person that looks like us but has wings. However, the Bible describes a lot of different angels in a lot of different ways, and some of them would look absolutely terrifying if we were to see them.
Speaker 1:And yet these angels appear to shepherds who are watching their flock by night. In other words, god, in his infinite wisdom, went Of all people on earth that I am going to give the good news to first. It's the shepherds. Now, I don't know about you, but has anyone ever actually stopped and went? Why would God, making this announcement that is going to literally change the world forever, pick shepherds to be the first people to hear that announcement? Like, think about this. Jesus, whether you believe in him or not, literally changed the entire world. Like, raise your hand if you've written down the date at any point over the past week. Do you realize that when you wrote 2024, that is based on Jesus and so anyone in the world who goes, hey, this is the year 2024, they are sitting here going? The reason is the year 2024 is because 2024 years ago this guy came and literally changed the world forever, and the very first people that were announced to that, the very first people that got to hear that this king is coming, were shepherds.
Speaker 1:Now, in my mind, wouldn't it have made a lot more sense to go to, like the king? You know, maybe go to Herod and go, hey, look, there's a guy coming who's actually a king, not just somebody that was put into power by Caesar to kind of make sure that taxes are paid, or I don't know? Wouldn't it have made sense to go to Caesar Like, hey, I know you think you're the king of this world and I know you think you kind of conquered all of this, but there is a king that is actually coming who's by the power of his world, or word, this world exists Like. Wouldn't that have been a better announcement, not some shepherds that are out in a field watching their flock by night, like, does anybody in here actually know, like, who the shepherds are what'd you say, prisoners. See, shepherds are the people that weren't allowed to be in the city. So, in other words, like, let's say, you were one of those people, like you know up to nefarious things Back then here's what they would do hey, you can't keep yourself in check, leave the city. We're not allowed to do that anymore. Right, like now, we have to be inclusive and all loving. But see, back then they would be like hey, look, since you can't play by our rules, get your stuff, go, get out of the city.
Speaker 1:A lot of these people were people that were wanted. Like I know JT is playing these Western games on PlayStation now and he's like daddy, these are so cool and I wish like I would have grown up in this time period. And I'm sitting here going no, you really don't, because guess what, you wouldn't have a PlayStation. Right, like these people. Okay, if we think of these famous outlaws, right, billy the Kid, jesse, james, like we have turned them into these icons, but I mean, really, these guys were outlaws and they didn't have a place to stay, right, they would just travel around. Because if they stayed in any one place, what would wind up happening? The marshals, the secret service, the Pembertons, like all of these people, were hunting them. So if you stayed in one place too long, they're going to find you.
Speaker 1:That's who the shepherds are. There are these people that went hey, I can go out here in the fields, out of the city, and I can hide out out here with the animals. These are not like upstanding high profile people. These are people who went into slavery and the people that own the fields, that own the sheep went hey, look, I'll pay your debt. You go work my sheep. But that's who these shepherds are.
Speaker 1:And yet this is the first group that God is introducing the coming king to. Why? The answer to that is actually found in Luke 4, starting in verse 18. It says this four, starting in verse 18, it says this the spirit of the lord is upon me because he has anointed me to proclaim the good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering the sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.
Speaker 1:This is Jesus reading from Isaiah in a synagogue. This is the first time that the Pharisees and the religious leaders look at Jesus and they go. That's blasphemy. How dare you take this prophecy that is meant to show us the coming Messiah and you say you were the one that did this? But did you hear what he said? When the angels announced to the shepherds that the king is coming, what did they say? Fear not, for I bring you good news for all people.
Speaker 1:Jesus later, in his ministry, about 30 years after these angels told the shepherds that is sitting here going. The spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to proclaim what the good news. And what is that good news? I came to set the captives free. I came to give sight to the blind. I came to give sight to the blind. I came to redeem all of creation, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor. I came to give freedom to the oppressed. Anyone in here like you into special forces? Does anybody in here know the motto of the Green Berets? To free the oppressed, like that's what they fight for, like when we go into other countries to go topple regimes and things like that. It's to free the oppressed, it's to give freedom to the ones who are in captive. And yet Jesus is sitting here going.
Speaker 1:That's what I came to do, see, unlike us, because I like and I love like when kids ask hey, can I be teacher today? And they're always like dumbfounded when they ask that, and I'm like, sure, I don't care, like I'm gonna get paid regardless of whether you learn or not. So get up there and teach. Just make sure everyone's quiet, because what's the first thing any one of these children are going to do when they get up to teach? Do you really think they're like hey, look, like I'm going to prepare this lesson so that these kids learn, or do you think they're sitting here going, hey, I'm the one in charge and I have the power now, so they have to listen to me. That's all of us, though, isn't it? That's every single one of us in this room, like, if I was like hey, you know what, I'm going to hand the mic to so-and-so, and I'm not going to call anyone out on this one, because then you know it's not nice. That's what we do, though, right, I have the authority, I have the power.
Speaker 1:If I came as the king, guess who I would be like? Would I be like King Jesus going hey, I'm here to set the captives free. Or would I be like Caesar going hey, pay me, it's not real hard, right? I would be sitting here and going, hey, all money comes to me, and then I will dole out what I think is necessary to you, just like any other human king. See, israel thought that the Messiah, that this king, is coming to set them free from Rome. But yet this king is coming to set them free from Rome. But yet this king is coming to set them free from something far greater than an oppressive government.
Speaker 1:This king said I came so that the captives will be free. I came so that the oppressed can have liberty. I came so that the blind receive their sight. I came so that I may redeem my creation. That's what I came for. Imagine being that selfless. Imagine if that's actually how we looked at this thing. Imagine, instead of sitting here, going, what can I stack up for me? How can I make sure my family's taken care of? Imagine if our mindset was actually Jesus's mindset. And sitting here, going, you know what? No, I came so that the captives may be free. I came because it's not about my comfort, it's not about what I can stack up for me, it's not how comfy can I make my kids' life. I came so that the poor, the blind, the ones who don't deserve it, the least of these can have. That's what Jesus is sitting here saying. And do you know who would understand that the best? The ones who are in captivity. See later when Jesus is talking with the religious leaders in Luke 19, I think he goes I am the great physician and, just like any doctor, I didn't come for the well, I came for the sick, and then he follows that up with I came to seek and save what is lost. Here's the thing.
Speaker 1:As a teacher, I can relate to this very well. There are certain kids you will always have in any class that you don't have to help. They just get it like you, just you put the lesson up, you go through it. One time they're like cool, I got it. And then you never have to go check on them because they got it. You'll look at their report cards like yes, you straight A's. Then there are other kids who you could sit one-on-one with and they're still going to struggle to learn it and they're still going to struggle and it's going to take everything they got to be able to understand that concept, whatever that concept may be. See what Jesus is saying is the same thing, like Jesus wouldn't walk in here and go hey look, y'all, y'all, like I came for you, you're the well.
Speaker 1:But what about those out there? What about those people right now that at and I always forget that that clock's wrong that, at 9.32 on a Sunday morning, are sitting here not being able to drag themselves out of bed because their head feels like it's in a vice, because last night they made some poor decisions Like what about those people that right now, at 9.32 in the morning, are sitting here going? Hey, I don't even know what I'm going to eat today. What about those people right now that are sitting here going? Man, I needed to go to a shelter because it's too cold for me to live behind the building. I've been living behind. How many of us are going and searching for those people?
Speaker 1:Because here's the deal actually, about 17 years ago, that was me sitting in church, and the only reason I even went to church that week was because Debbie went. Hey look, if we go to church as a family, we will go to Cracker Barrel after it's over, and as and I know we don't do this, but it was customary in a lot of churches, especially growing up, you know, after they get done. Singing, it's always oh, you know, turn around and say hello to your neighbor. And so the people in front of us would turn around. They would oh, good morning, brother. And I'm like, first of all, you don't know anything about me. Second of all, is taking everything I have to keep down all of the alcohol from last night from coming back up onto you when I say good morning, like that was me and you know who.
Speaker 1:Jesus came for that. And you know why I look at it the way I do. Because it's very easy for me to look at myself and go Jesus saved me and if he could save me then he could save anyone. But so many times we get to this point where we're like we're good, we forget that we are the shepherds, because the ones that are in captivity, those are the ones that realize they were freed from captivity, the ones that were oppressed, those are the ones who go hey, I know what it's like to have freedom and liberty.
Speaker 1:One of the hottest people you will ever be able to see is someone that Jesus saved them from their sin. What do they do? In everything in scripture? They run and tell everyone. You know who doesn't go tell anyone the Pharisees, the Sadducees, the scribes. They're the ones that just sit here and do this, week after week after week.
Speaker 1:Why did Jesus show up to the shepherds first? Because the shepherds are going to be the ones that are going to go. Hey, I'm going to go tell everyone about this, because this Jesus, this coming king, gave me a new future. See, jesus comes first to the shepherds because, in the end, if we're honest with ourselves, that is who we are. All you got to do is go back to Romans 3. I know we've been in Romans for almost two years now, but if we go back to Romans 3, in verse 10, it says this none is righteous no, not one. There is not an asterisk that has your name by it. It says none is righteous. See, if we're honest with ourselves, we are the shepherds.
Speaker 1:If we're honest with ourselves, if we were back in the first century, every single one of us would be more comfortable out in the field with the shepherds than we would in the synagogue with the Pharisee. We would get the shepherds. We would go hey, I know. Yeah, like we're cool, and so therefore, when I go to these conferences, it's very hard for me to connect with a lot of people. Because I go. I'm not like you. I would much rather spend my time out in the woods or in the boat than sit here and talk about these lofty things that really don't matter in the grand scheme of life. You know why? Because I have more in common with the shepherds than I do the Pharisees Like, especially when I can see my own wretchedness, when I can see my own propensity to be extremely selfish to the things that I want, like I get this. I would be more comfortable with the shepherds, but yet the angels show up first to who the shepherds. Do you think the angels picked who they showed up to? No, because angels have no will of their own. So if they showed up to the shepherds first, it's because God went hey, that's who you're going to go show up to and let the shepherds know the king is coming and he is going to set them free. Free from what? Because, see, this is actually where we run into a problem.
Speaker 1:In Galatians 5, starting in verse 22,. It talks about the fruits of the Spirit. Right, and I have a very advanced degrees and for whatever reason, these nine things I cannot memorize. I can get like eight. I've even tried the whole song, you know, and like singing the song in my head as I do it. It still doesn't work, but it's love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, self-control. Gentleness is always the one I forget. I guess I don't look at it like, anyway, no, I am not gentle. But right before that, in verse 19, it talks about a different thing.
Speaker 1:So if the fruits of the spirit, of the works of the spirit, in verse 19 it says this, now the works of the flesh are evident sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do not such things will not inherit the kingdom of god. This is why I say we are more comfortable with the shepherds than we are with the Pharisees, because, as we read through this list, raise your hand. If you can't identify with that, okay, let the record show for those that are listening online that we only had one selfish, righteous person in here who said yes, that's not me. And, mind you, I've heard her say at least four times this week strife, see, what are we freed from? What are we freed from that? See, understand when we have salvation.
Speaker 1:It's not that God removes temptation from us. It's that God gives us the strength to say no to temptation. Because, see why, if I do not believe that Jesus is the king, why would I ever tell myself no? Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow I die. You give him one life. Enjoy that life, therefore, fill it with every passion that could possibly come up, and you know where that leads to STDs Like that's where that leads to the gift that just keeps on giving right.
Speaker 1:You know where that leads to Liver failure, cancer. You know where that leads to ultimately, death. Why? Because I'm living in a way that Jesus said this is not how I should live, because I'm a slave to sin, as Romans 7 would have said. Like, think about it when my kids were little, was I just trying to be mean to them when I was like, hey, you're not allowed to play in the street? If you ask my kids, yes. However, here's what it really was. You can't stop a car, regardless of the cartoons we watch, regardless of what Hulk can do in the Avengers, you can't do that because you're not the Hulk. So, because I want you to have a long and happy life, I'm going to keep you from these things, because these things lead to death. You know how many times I tell JT hey, what you're doing right now is wrong, and when you are older you will look back on this and regret this. Do you know how many times JT is like? You know what, daddy, you're probably right. Why? Because we're more comfortable with the shepherds, Because we can see ourselves in this list, because some of us can't get over our anger, and it controls us.
Speaker 1:Some of us can't beat our temptations and they control us. Some of us can't help. But look at others, look at the jobs that they have, their houses, their spouses, and we go. That's not fair. I deserve that, and that controls us. See, some of us have all sorts of idols that we chase, and that controls us.
Speaker 1:See, some of us do not understand that we are even being held in captivity and bondage and you wonder why you just can't be content in your life, because everything in your life is controlling you and that's a bad place to be. See, some of us, we really need to understand that the king is coming to set the captives free, to redeem his creation so that we can worship rightly. See, some of us have to understand that, that the king would sit here and say take my yoke, for it is easy. See, some of us, we got this hard life. Some of us were like I'm tired of struggling with this, I'm tired of carrying this, I'm tired of having whatever this is on my back and going. This is too much for me. Some of us are sitting here going.
Speaker 1:I don't understand why I can't just move past this. Here's why because you weren't meant to carry it to begin with. You know what we were meant to do Be fruitful and multiply. Have dominion over the earth that's what you were meant to do. Make the rest of the world look like the garden that's what you were meant to do. You know what we weren't meant to do Carry the temptation of the sin that hits you all the time. Do you want to know where spiritual warfare starts? Here? That's it. You guys, especially if you've been here a while, you've heard me like, make all sorts of jokes about hey, you know, I would love to fight the devil. You know where I'm not strong enough to fight the devil In my mind and he just has a playground up there. And when I start getting down on things, you know what I don't do Run to the cross. You know what I do. I'm a pretty smart guy, I can figure this out. You know where that leads me Exhausted, tired and still dead Because I ain't got it.
Speaker 1:Instead of picking up the phone and calling someone and going, hey, can you pray with me about this? Can we walk through this? Can we talk about this? I was blown away and again, I don't like using their name because they told me not to. But Friday someone invited everyone to a fire and then they went others are welcome too, and I really didn't even know what that text like meant. I went others like the others in Lost, like those people and they were like no, like anybody else you want to invite. And I was like, oh cool.
Speaker 1:So, like we sent out this message and I went man, you don't see that anymore. You don't see people, just go. Hey, you know what? My house is open, I'll make sure I feed whoever shows up. That is called hospitality and that is a biblical thing to sit here and go. Yeah, just bring all the kids too, because you know what kids do? They break things Like they're little evil human beings that exist to just destroy good things. And yet they went yeah, just bring whoever you want. Why? Because that's what we're called to do.
Speaker 1:Keep thinking you got this and the devil will show you over and over. You ain't got it, see, because this king came and said take my yoke. It is easy, because when we take the king's yoke, here's what it means, as in John 8, 36. So, if the son sets you free, you are free, indeed, free from what? The bondage of sin and death, the captivity of your sin and temptation. You are free from all of that.
Speaker 1:How many of us are actually walking around in freedom, though? Most of us are not. Most of us are walking around in bondage, every single step we make because we're sitting here, still going. This depends on me. Keep thinking that this is just a list of do's and don'ts, and I got to do more do's than I do don'ts.
Speaker 1:What freedom is in that? What freedom is in your ability to try to white knuckle everything that runs through your mind. You know what. That makes you A slave. What freedom is there in not being able to take every thought captive? What freedom is there in honestly being a slave to your feelings? Jeremiah 17 already told you your heart is wicked and deceitful above everything.
Speaker 1:And yet how many of us do nothing but follow what we feel, because we can't hold on to what is real, because we sit here and go. Right now, I feel this Because do you know how? No, we ain't saying that, because do you know how much power is in that? See, you're a captive to your feelings and the devil wins that fight every day, all day long. Your heart isn't strong enough because the king came so that you may be free, because you are no match for the power of sin and death. But yet here, the good news that the angels told the shepherds so long ago is that the king is coming to take your place. And we look at this and we go oh yeah, cool, jesus died on the cross, and it kind of just goes in one ear and out the other. But do you understand that by that death, it gave you freedom and it gave you the ability to not be captive to your feelings. It gave you the ability to be able to go. Hey, you know what I'm going to stand on Jesus and his promises, because this king came so that I may live. This king chose to die so that I may live. And yet how many of us walk in that freedom. None, we want to go. Hey, cool, jesus gave me salvation, but I'll take it from here. Cool, how's that working out for you, haas? Because most of us are just going to die exhausted. Most of us are going to go to our grave going.
Speaker 1:I never overcame this. You want to know why you didn't overcame it? Because the king overcame it for you. All you had to do was follow after him. And yet we don't want to do that. We want to do it our way, because we know best. You know how many times I'll go into JT's room and be like, hey, you want daddy to come in here and help you clean? And you know how many times he goes yes, never. No, daddy, I got this, and he'll spend three days in his room trying to get it clean Instead of just going. Yeah, daddy, can you come in here and help me get this? Can you come in here and do this for me? Because, daddy, when you do it for me, we're done in half an hour. But he wants to sit here and go. No, I know it, I got it, I know what's best for me here and go. No, I know it, I got it, I know what's best for me and that's how we live. And the king came to the shepherds and went no, I will fight in your place, you don't have to.
Speaker 1:Some of you that are walking around you're tired, understand it's Christmas season. I don't know if you could tell from the announcements, but like there is literally not a week that goes by from now Until after christmas that there is not something that the church is doing Like wrap your head around that. And you still have to go to work. Like you still have family. Some of you like this is that time of year where it's like, oh crap, now we have more family. Like some of us like they'll be. This is the time of year where those people you haven't talked to in 364 days you're going to talk to. I get it's busy, I get you're tired, but understand, jesus already fought and won it. There's no more fighting for you. You just have to be in that. All you got to do is follow after that, because the king said I will take your place.
Speaker 1:And when Jesus died on that cross, he said three words that changed the course of your life. You ready, it is finished, it's done, it's over with. You know what GT is not going to have after service today. I am not going to walk him into my office and go hey, put your hands on my desk. I'm going to take my belts off and whoop you, because when you were seven, you lied to me. That's right. Ten years ago you lied to me. That's right. Ten years ago you did this and now I'm going to keep punishing you for it. But that's how we live our life. When we look at our Lord, is it not? See, when Jesus said it is finished, he meant that it's done, it's over with. We don't have to deal with this anymore. We're going to move past this now. We're just going to keep on putting one foot in front of the other. It's finished. I already got it. And when he walked out of the tomb he went hey, you come with me, let's go. We're done with being dead. Let's go. We're done with being dead. See, that's what this king came to do. That is the good news that the angels were talking about.
Speaker 1:Now our question should be why Anyone in here ever struggle with. Why would Jesus love me enough to save me? I don't bring anything to this. I am a hot mess and, for whatever reason, I don't want to change anything about me, like I just want Jesus to love me and not really mess with anything going on inside of my heart. So why would he save us? Now the churchy answer is what? Because he loves you. However, I think it's a little deeper than that. In Acts 1.8, jesus says this but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, to be what my witnesses. Why would Jesus save those shepherds? Because who are those shepherds going to go talk to Every single person they come into contact with. Hey, let me tell you what this king did for me.
Speaker 1:Like, think about this, right, anybody in here ever been out in the woods at night? Okay, for those of you that haven't, I'm sure the desert would be the same. But for those of you that haven't, desert would be the same. But for those of you that haven't, it is pitch black. Like, let's say, it's a new moon. You can't see hardly anything. Yeah, you got some light from the stars and stuff like that, but when you get away from the city, like, it gets dark. Like at Joe's house Friday night, like, and they're not that far out of the city, but you can see stars there that you can't see at my house Because they're not surrounded by houses that have lights.
Speaker 1:Now imagine you're in that pitch blackness. You're just watching these sheep maybe got a little fire going, or something like that. These sheep maybe got a little fire going, or something like that, and all the sudden angels appear and the glory of the Lord shines all around them. Let's say you got to witness that. Who are you going to tell about that? Everyone, like you, were going to be like hey look, we were sitting there, we were chilling, sheep were good. All of a sudden, here's all of this light and there's these angels and here's what they told me. You are literally going to tell everyone about that. Why? Just look at your social media. You tell everyone what you had for dinner last night.
Speaker 1:You don't think that if the sky all of a sudden opened up in light, that you would not be like, oh my God, conspiracy, alert. Here we go, saw the aliens? Of course we would. And yet, as we close today, let me ask you the king came to give you new light, to be his witnesses. But are we sharing the good news of the gospel? See, the angel showed up and went. I come to bring you good news. How many of us are going to bring good news. See, most of us we're good with knowing we're the shepherds. The shepherds just didn't stay in the field, though.
Speaker 1:When you get further down in Luke 2, it says this that the shepherds went to Bethlehem to see the king. See, we're good with going hey, we're sinners and all of that. We're good with that part of it, but how many of us are good with the other part of it? How many of us are sitting here going? Yeah, the king came, announced he was coming and I went and saw the king. And then I went and told everyone about the king that I just went and saw that's what Christmas is all about that the king would love us enough to step into his creation, to go. I'm going to redeem all of this for me so that you may live how I designed you to live. You know what we call that Heaven on earth.
Speaker 1:So, as we close and Josh makes his way up, ask yourself am I sharing the good news of the gospel? Am I showing everyone how I was dead, but now I am alive? I was blind, but now I see. I was blind, but now I see. I was a captive, but now I am free, and if not, then my challenge this Christmas, advent season is forget the traditions. Your snickerdoodle cookies may be amazing, but if that's all you're sharing, you're missing the point of Christmas.
Speaker 1:Someone I haven't talked to or I talk to, like intermittently, I guess you could say, but I haven't really talked to in a couple of months I get a text. Last night at 10 30 at night, it was this Christmas lights ain't up yet. I went okay, first of all, stalker, ain't seen you or heard from you in a minute. You're just driving by my house at 1030 at night. Like this is weird on more than one level. Second of all, we always wait till the day after Thanksgiving to put up our Christmas lights. We had a whole conversation and it went on a little back and forth, but I go.
Speaker 1:But is that all we're sharing? Do you know why we put Christmas lights up? It's not so that everyone can look at your house and go hey, we got to go to that house on that one road. It's because the King is coming and the glory of the Lord's shown all around. It's so that we can be the light in the darkness. That is why we are saved.
Speaker 1:So don't just share your Christmas cookies this year Share the amazing point of Christmas that the King is coming. So, father, I ask and I pray that God, as we move from this moment to the next, that God, you do just wondrous work inside of our heart, that God, you redeem our heart, that, father, this year, that right now we can understand that the King is coming and you know what the king's coming back. Father, I ask and I pray that as we move through this Advent season, we do so with the anticipation that the shepherds felt in that field that night. That, father, we understand the good news you have given us and that, father, we take the good news you have given us and that, father, we take that good news to everyone else. Father, I ask and I pray that we are changed from the inside out and that we can just lean and rest into you, the King who loved us so much that he gave, that he gave his life so that we may be saved. Father, I pray all of this in Jesus' name, amen.