1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:15,860 Welcome to Walk in the Truth podcast. How do we know where to find answers to the toughest 2 00:00:15,860 --> 00:00:21,080 questions in life? While the simplest answer is the Bible, where do we start this search 3 00:00:21,080 --> 00:00:27,300 and how do we discover this truth? Today, in this teaching podcast, John Meador, lead 4 00:00:27,300 --> 00:00:32,440 pastor of Cross City Church, takes a specific text of the Bible and helps us find truth 5 00:00:32,440 --> 00:00:40,360 for the life we're searching for. So brothers, you're with us this morning. If you have your 6 00:00:40,360 --> 00:00:44,440 Bibles, I want you to take them and turn to the Gospel of Luke again. Each week we've 7 00:00:44,440 --> 00:00:49,760 been on the Gospel of Luke and our series is called The Characters of Christmas and 8 00:00:49,760 --> 00:00:54,320 we'll carry this on right on through Christmas Eve and all of our services today. Characters 9 00:00:54,320 --> 00:00:59,800 on the World's Biggest Stage. And by the way, before we read our text today, let me just 10 00:00:59,800 --> 00:01:04,120 share a couple of things with you about the days ahead. I want to encourage you to walk 11 00:01:04,120 --> 00:01:10,040 with us in something we're called Welcoming and Wise. Welcoming and Wise. That is, that's 12 00:01:10,040 --> 00:01:14,040 what we want to be in our worship services, Welcoming and Wise. And one of the things 13 00:01:14,040 --> 00:01:19,080 that we are seeing is increased numbers of people who are visiting our church and checking 14 00:01:19,080 --> 00:01:24,520 Cross City out for the first time. And one of the best things that we can do is be in 15 00:01:24,520 --> 00:01:29,800 the room early enough to meet those folks before the service begins. Often guests may 16 00:01:29,800 --> 00:01:33,880 come in and they may be the only ones in the room and we're out there enjoying a good cup 17 00:01:33,880 --> 00:01:39,280 of coffee probably, but grab that coffee and then come on in and find your place and be 18 00:01:39,280 --> 00:01:44,940 able to meet and greet the people that come in who are looking not only for a church, 19 00:01:44,940 --> 00:01:48,200 but they're looking for great friends as well. So I want to encourage you to be Welcoming 20 00:01:48,200 --> 00:01:53,440 and Wise. And the second part of that is once the message begins, which is about now in 21 00:01:53,440 --> 00:01:58,120 our service, I want to encourage you to keep distractions to a minimum in the sense of 22 00:01:58,120 --> 00:02:03,320 getting out and going out or coming back in. It's kind of easy just to stay there. I rarely 23 00:02:03,320 --> 00:02:09,720 ever preach two hours. Now you know I never do that. It's always about 30 minutes, 35 24 00:02:09,720 --> 00:02:14,640 minutes, and so we want you to try to keep distractions to a minimum by staying for the 25 00:02:14,640 --> 00:02:18,920 message and not going out and coming back in. So just those couple of feelings will 26 00:02:18,920 --> 00:02:23,920 help us to be Welcoming and Wise. And with that, please take your Bibles and turn to 27 00:02:23,920 --> 00:02:29,240 Luke 2 and let's stand together. Luke chapter 2, I'm going to read the shortest part of 28 00:02:29,240 --> 00:02:37,080 what we'll be looking at today. First of all, Luke chapter 2, beginning in verse 1. Now 29 00:02:37,080 --> 00:02:41,660 we all know this as the classical Christmas story, the traditional story that we always 30 00:02:41,660 --> 00:02:46,960 read. Luke chapter 2. Today I'm going to read the first seven verses for just a few moments. 31 00:02:46,960 --> 00:02:51,460 Now in those days the decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the census be taken of 32 00:02:51,460 --> 00:02:56,080 all the inhabited earth. This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor 33 00:02:56,080 --> 00:03:01,680 of Syria. And everyone was on the way to register for the census, each to his own city. Joseph 34 00:03:01,680 --> 00:03:07,120 also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, the city of David, which 35 00:03:07,120 --> 00:03:12,440 is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David. In order to register 36 00:03:12,440 --> 00:03:17,400 along with Mary, he was engaged to him and was with child. While they were there, the 37 00:03:17,400 --> 00:03:22,840 days were completed for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son, and 38 00:03:22,840 --> 00:03:28,000 she wrapped him in cloth and laid him in a manger because there was no room for them 39 00:03:28,000 --> 00:03:33,040 in the inn. Great story, isn't it? Father, in Jesus' name I pray that you will speak 40 00:03:33,040 --> 00:03:40,040 to us through the characters of this Christmas story. Show us how you're at work in our lives 41 00:03:40,040 --> 00:03:45,120 and in the lives of all those around us as well as all those in this story. You're always 42 00:03:45,120 --> 00:03:49,760 at work. You're always accomplishing your purpose. And help us to be a part of that, 43 00:03:49,760 --> 00:03:54,180 Father. We thank you that you accomplished that through your son Jesus Christ. We ask 44 00:03:54,180 --> 00:04:01,480 this in Jesus' name. And all God's people said amen. Please be seated if you would. 45 00:04:01,480 --> 00:04:07,240 I know you'd be never able to guess it, but when I was growing up I was quite the playwright. 46 00:04:07,240 --> 00:04:13,080 In the seventh grade I was in a play in my hometown school. Every year they had a play. 47 00:04:13,080 --> 00:04:17,000 They had a production they called it. And one year, I don't remember the name of the 48 00:04:17,000 --> 00:04:21,640 play, but I remember I was asked to play a caveman in that play. I was perfectly cast 49 00:04:21,640 --> 00:04:28,640 as a caveman. And I wore something that looked a lot like Fred Flintstone's garb in that 50 00:04:28,640 --> 00:04:34,800 cartoon. And I had two words that I had to repeat over and over. They were glub and uck. 51 00:04:34,800 --> 00:04:38,640 Those were the two words. I still remember those. I'm great at memorization and I nailed 52 00:04:38,640 --> 00:04:44,800 it. I want you to know I nailed it. My big scene was where I had a paper mache club and 53 00:04:44,800 --> 00:04:50,280 I clubbed a female version of a caveman over the head and then dragged her off the stage 54 00:04:50,280 --> 00:04:54,720 into my cave, I guess. They probably wouldn't let us do that today. It probably wouldn't 55 00:04:54,720 --> 00:05:01,720 be politically correct. But that was my history as a playwright. Now there were only 75 people 56 00:05:01,720 --> 00:05:05,440 in the room. Thanks the Lord there were only 75 people in the room. None of them were talent 57 00:05:05,440 --> 00:05:11,920 scouts or movie makers and so consequently instead of great Broadway talent, instead 58 00:05:11,920 --> 00:05:23,440 of a movie star, I'm a preacher today and that's how I got here. It was on a very small 59 00:05:23,440 --> 00:05:31,440 stage in a very remote part of America and Oklahoma. But I still remember it. But I want 60 00:05:31,440 --> 00:05:39,000 to talk to you about the biggest stage on the world. The global stage. Where you have 61 00:05:39,000 --> 00:05:48,320 a Mary and a Joseph and a baby. You have shepherd wise men. You have a governor, Corineus. You 62 00:05:48,320 --> 00:05:53,000 have a Caesar Augustus and all these somehow work together. Somehow God moves all these 63 00:05:53,000 --> 00:06:00,760 pieces in place in the right way in order to bring about the message of love and forgiveness 64 00:06:00,760 --> 00:06:05,260 and redemption. It's the biggest stage of the world because everyone, just about everyone 65 00:06:05,260 --> 00:06:10,480 knows the story of Jesus' birth. In fact the biggest challenge pastors have year in 66 00:06:10,480 --> 00:06:15,680 and year out is how do I tell this same story again after having told it over and over for 67 00:06:15,680 --> 00:06:21,680 40 years and sometimes it feels kind of challenging to do that. But what a joy I've had of walking 68 00:06:21,680 --> 00:06:28,520 through the characters of Christmas. We started with Zechariah and Elizabeth who were the 69 00:06:28,520 --> 00:06:34,080 parents of John the Baptist. Part of biblical prophecy and the fact that the angel appeared 70 00:06:34,080 --> 00:06:39,040 to this man named Zechariah and he was struck mute because he didn't believe God and Elizabeth 71 00:06:39,040 --> 00:06:43,000 of course was overjoyed because she was older and barren and all of a sudden they are with 72 00:06:43,000 --> 00:06:48,680 child and this child is going to be John the Baptist. It's an amazing story. And then 73 00:06:48,680 --> 00:06:53,360 last week we looked at all the angels that announced the news to the wise men or rather 74 00:06:53,360 --> 00:06:57,560 to the shepherds in the fields. And we looked at really a history of who angels were, how 75 00:06:57,560 --> 00:07:02,660 they were created, where they've been all along. And we looked at the power of angels 76 00:07:02,660 --> 00:07:07,160 and the wisdom of angels and everything about angels and they are much bigger creatures, 77 00:07:07,160 --> 00:07:12,220 much more powerful creatures than we really think about them being. And all that helps 78 00:07:12,220 --> 00:07:17,880 us set the scene for two angelic encounters that Joseph and Mary have in this little text 79 00:07:17,880 --> 00:07:23,440 right here that we've read and how important they are. I want you to know some characters 80 00:07:23,440 --> 00:07:28,360 first of all of history. The characters in history that this text points out are two 81 00:07:28,360 --> 00:07:34,140 political leaders believe it or not who somehow find themselves in this Christmas story. Read 82 00:07:34,140 --> 00:07:39,040 verse one and two where it says, in those days the decree went out from Caesar Augustus. 83 00:07:39,040 --> 00:07:44,960 That's the first political figure that we look at. And a census is being commanded and 84 00:07:44,960 --> 00:07:50,600 then the first census while Quirinius was governor of Syria is the second reference. 85 00:07:50,600 --> 00:07:54,460 So you've got a couple of people here. Caesar Augustus, which is not his real name of course, 86 00:07:54,460 --> 00:08:01,100 his real name is a different name. It is Gaius Octavius. But Caesar Augustus was the title 87 00:08:01,100 --> 00:08:06,460 given to him by the Roman Senate once he was approved to be the leading emperor. Literally 88 00:08:06,460 --> 00:08:12,280 this word means majestic one. And this was a political figure that entered in what we 89 00:08:12,280 --> 00:08:19,400 know as the Pax Romana. That is the peace of Rome. It was Rome's greatest season, greatest 90 00:08:19,400 --> 00:08:25,920 era for peace, prosperity and power. Roads that were built during Pax Romana are still 91 00:08:25,920 --> 00:08:31,540 in existence today. You can still walk on those same roads. Now Quirinius was the other, 92 00:08:31,540 --> 00:08:36,480 he was the governor during that period of time and he literally instituted the census 93 00:08:36,480 --> 00:08:41,280 that was commanded by Caesar Augustus. Now it took him between two and four years to 94 00:08:41,280 --> 00:08:46,720 actually respond to what was said by Caesar Augustus. And all this means that there's 95 00:08:46,720 --> 00:08:52,960 a march of time going on until the actual census and the actual movement of Mary and 96 00:08:52,960 --> 00:08:59,280 Joseph to this place called Bethlehem. But through these two political leaders, Mary 97 00:08:59,280 --> 00:09:07,840 and Joseph end up in this city called Bethlehem and fulfill biblical prophecy because of 98 00:09:07,840 --> 00:09:14,120 the movements of these political leaders. One of the great prophecies in the Bible is 99 00:09:14,120 --> 00:09:21,400 the specific place, Bethlehem. In Micah chapter five verse two we find this written, but as 100 00:09:21,400 --> 00:09:26,720 for you Bethlehem, Ephphara, too little to be among the clans of Judah. From you one 101 00:09:26,720 --> 00:09:31,640 will go forth from me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago from the 102 00:09:31,640 --> 00:09:39,360 days of eternity. Such a small place, such a big prophecy about this very, very small 103 00:09:39,360 --> 00:09:44,960 place. How do you get a Mary and Joseph to that place at that time in the fullness of 104 00:09:44,960 --> 00:09:51,560 time? Well, if you're God, you use these political leaders like pawns on a chessboard, 105 00:09:51,560 --> 00:09:56,600 moving them in each place. They need to be moved for this command to have gone out. Now 106 00:09:56,600 --> 00:10:00,800 I don't think it seems very smart to talk about politics during the Christmas season, 107 00:10:00,800 --> 00:10:07,360 but I don't think it's smart to talk about politics in any season, but nonetheless. I 108 00:10:07,360 --> 00:10:12,120 want to talk about politics for just a moment. I want to talk about the fact that the God 109 00:10:12,120 --> 00:10:16,560 of the universe uses all kinds of people, all kinds of systems to point out the need 110 00:10:16,560 --> 00:10:25,640 of and the source of salvation. I mean God actually used these two pagan godless rulers 111 00:10:25,640 --> 00:10:31,720 to bring about the movement that brought these two simple people, Joseph and Mary, to this 112 00:10:31,720 --> 00:10:37,960 place called Bethlehem. Just want to remind you, every part in this story has a role to 113 00:10:37,960 --> 00:10:43,160 play. The Bible says in Proverbs chapter 16 verse 4, the Lord has made everything for 114 00:10:43,160 --> 00:10:49,200 his own purpose, even the wicked for the day of evil. I don't like talking about the wicked 115 00:10:49,200 --> 00:10:52,880 for the day of evil either, but I do like talking about the God who has made everything 116 00:10:52,880 --> 00:10:57,800 for his own purpose. I like the fact that God causes all things to work together for 117 00:10:57,800 --> 00:11:05,520 good. That's Romans 8, 28. That verse tells us that we know God causes all things to work 118 00:11:05,520 --> 00:11:09,800 together for good. For those who love God, for those who are called according to his 119 00:11:09,800 --> 00:11:15,400 purpose. I use this illustration all the time because I believe it's accurate and I think 120 00:11:15,400 --> 00:11:22,240 it's biblically correct, but I use the illustration of a chess master and a chess board. I've 121 00:11:22,240 --> 00:11:25,960 always loved the game of chess. I love the strategy behind it. I don't play much anymore, 122 00:11:25,960 --> 00:11:31,720 but as a boy I grew up playing chess. It was so challenging to find the ways, the different 123 00:11:31,720 --> 00:11:37,280 ways to move and the different ways to capture the enemy and so forth. As I grew older, I 124 00:11:37,280 --> 00:11:43,160 realized that life is kind of like that game of chess. I have no idea the strategy involved 125 00:11:43,160 --> 00:11:48,400 that the chess master has in mind as he moves me on the board from piece to piece and place 126 00:11:48,400 --> 00:11:53,800 to place and square to square in certain scenarios, certain confrontations, certain situations. 127 00:11:53,800 --> 00:11:58,160 You don't know either, but we have trust and confidence that there is a great chess 128 00:11:58,160 --> 00:12:03,200 master and his name is Almighty God who moves us where we need to be, when we need to be 129 00:12:03,200 --> 00:12:07,880 in order to fulfill his plan for our life. That's exactly what happened to Joseph and 130 00:12:07,880 --> 00:12:13,400 Mary. There's some people that are grateful for that in the room right now and I am too. 131 00:12:13,400 --> 00:12:19,280 A great chess master and these characters in history remind us of that. God continues 132 00:12:19,280 --> 00:12:24,760 to do that by the way. It continues to work in that powerful way by what we call the sovereign 133 00:12:24,760 --> 00:12:29,760 realm. Secondly, I want you to notice the characters of his story, not just history, 134 00:12:29,760 --> 00:12:35,200 but the story of Jesus. It says in verses four and five, Joseph also went up from Galilee 135 00:12:35,200 --> 00:12:40,680 to the city of Nazareth to Judea to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem because 136 00:12:40,680 --> 00:12:45,800 he was of the house and family of David. We have some hints as to why they're there and 137 00:12:45,800 --> 00:12:49,400 who they're supposed to be staying with. They're supposed to be staying with Joseph's family. 138 00:12:49,400 --> 00:12:54,520 It says in order to register along with Mary, so there we go, the purpose for which they're 139 00:12:54,520 --> 00:13:01,000 going, which was instituted by Quirinius and Caesar Augustus. He was there along with Mary 140 00:13:01,000 --> 00:13:07,720 and then it says he was engaged to him and was with child. We sometimes read those first 141 00:13:07,720 --> 00:13:13,040 two names. Caesar Augustus, Quirinius and Caesar. You know, they're just minor players here, 142 00:13:13,040 --> 00:13:17,000 but the major players are really Joseph and Mary, aren't they? We know that God is using 143 00:13:17,000 --> 00:13:25,080 them in supernatural, amazing ways. Like most, they had plans for their lives. They had an 144 00:13:25,080 --> 00:13:30,000 idea of what the future would involve and it didn't really go in that direction, did 145 00:13:30,000 --> 00:13:35,440 it for Joseph and Mary. Most of us know the story well enough to realize that God took 146 00:13:35,440 --> 00:13:39,400 their lives, whatever direction they were heading in and turned them, moved them into 147 00:13:39,400 --> 00:13:45,200 spots where they could play a significant role in human history. These ordinary people 148 00:13:45,200 --> 00:13:50,640 were asked by an extraordinary God to have a significant role in the coming of the Messiah. 149 00:13:50,640 --> 00:13:55,480 It's the biggest news that could possibly have taken place and these very ordinary people 150 00:13:55,480 --> 00:14:02,600 are used by this extraordinary God and it's ushered in by angelic visitations. So you 151 00:14:02,600 --> 00:14:11,680 know the stories. Mary encounters the angel Gabriel and then later on Joseph needs to 152 00:14:11,680 --> 00:14:16,680 have an encounter with an angel. First of all, I want you to go back to Luke chapter 153 00:14:16,680 --> 00:14:21,200 one. We won't put this on the screen, but I want to read a significant section of scripture 154 00:14:21,200 --> 00:14:26,760 and if you will take your Bibles and turn to Luke chapter one, verse 26. I'm going to 155 00:14:26,760 --> 00:14:33,160 read this part of the Christmas story from verse 20, 60, verse 38 and in it I want to 156 00:14:33,160 --> 00:14:40,160 warn you some of the greatest words in history are on this page. The greatest explanation 157 00:14:40,160 --> 00:14:45,440 in the world as to how this woman could be with child while a virgin is on this page 158 00:14:45,440 --> 00:14:51,440 in one single verse. This is a significant, amazing set of scriptures. Look at what it 159 00:14:51,440 --> 00:14:57,680 says in verse 26 of Luke one. Now in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God 160 00:14:57,680 --> 00:15:05,080 to a city in Galilee called Nazareth to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph 161 00:15:05,080 --> 00:15:10,400 of the descendants of David and the virgin's name was Mary. And coming in, he said to her, 162 00:15:10,400 --> 00:15:15,600 greetings, favorite one, the Lord is with you. But she was very perplexed at this statement 163 00:15:15,600 --> 00:15:20,560 and kept pondering what kind of salutation this was. The angel said to her, do not be 164 00:15:20,560 --> 00:15:24,280 afraid Mary for you have found favor with God. I'm going to pause for just a moment 165 00:15:24,280 --> 00:15:30,880 here and I want to remind you that the presence of angels while not unheard of is somewhat 166 00:15:30,880 --> 00:15:38,000 rare and the last time Gabriel has spoken before Zacharias was told that he was going 167 00:15:38,000 --> 00:15:45,200 to have a little boy was 500 years prior. For 500 years no one has heard from that angel 168 00:15:45,200 --> 00:15:52,280 or any angel. Daniel and the lions den was the previous time an encounter of Gabriel 169 00:15:52,280 --> 00:15:58,080 speaking up and it saved Daniel from the lions of course. There was a minor prophet Malachi 170 00:15:58,080 --> 00:16:03,160 that spoke 400 years before this moment but between 400 and 500 years the intertestamental 171 00:16:03,160 --> 00:16:07,360 period is what we call it, is a time of silence and all of a sudden the silence is broken 172 00:16:07,360 --> 00:16:15,080 by these angelic announcements to Zacharias and now to Mary. So this powerful, brilliant 173 00:16:15,080 --> 00:16:19,160 angel is speaking to her in the middle of the night and the first thing he says is what 174 00:16:19,160 --> 00:16:27,680 all angels say, don't be afraid. Why? Because the angel's presence is so powerful, so brilliant, 175 00:16:27,680 --> 00:16:33,960 so illuminating, so different from any other encounter Mary will have in her lifetime that 176 00:16:33,960 --> 00:16:40,360 he has to say don't be afraid. He goes on and says in verse 31, and behold you will 177 00:16:40,360 --> 00:16:46,200 conceive in your womb and bear a son and you shall call him Jesus. He will be great and 178 00:16:46,200 --> 00:16:50,120 be called the son of the most high and the Lord God will give him the throne of his father 179 00:16:50,120 --> 00:16:54,880 David and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever and his kingdom will have no 180 00:16:54,880 --> 00:17:01,480 end. All this fulfilling the prophecies of Isaiah. Mary said to the angel how can this 181 00:17:01,480 --> 00:17:06,600 be since I am a virgin? The best question in the world is that one right there and the 182 00:17:06,600 --> 00:17:12,720 best answer in the world is coming. The angel answered and said to her the Holy Spirit will 183 00:17:12,720 --> 00:17:18,520 come upon you and the power of the most high will overshadow you and for that reason the 184 00:17:18,520 --> 00:17:26,280 holy child shall be called the son of God. And behold even your relative Elizabeth has 185 00:17:26,280 --> 00:17:30,360 also conceived a son in her old age and she was called barren and is now in her sixth 186 00:17:30,360 --> 00:17:35,120 month for nothing will be impossible with God. Now notice what Mary says in spite of 187 00:17:35,120 --> 00:17:41,360 the shock and awe, in spite of this amazing explanation which probably is overwhelming 188 00:17:41,360 --> 00:17:46,960 to her in that moment. Mary said behold the bond slave of the Lord may it be done to me 189 00:17:46,960 --> 00:17:57,800 according to your word and the angel departed from her. Both amazing and intimidating. Can 190 00:17:57,800 --> 00:18:01,920 you imagine? Think about this for a moment. How many mothers are in the room? Would you 191 00:18:01,920 --> 00:18:09,600 raise your hand if you were a mom? Think about before you had a child. If you were Mary's 192 00:18:09,600 --> 00:18:15,320 age you would have been fifteen years of age or younger. You are engaged to a man that 193 00:18:15,320 --> 00:18:20,640 is of high reputation. You realize that at some point in the month, maybe years ahead 194 00:18:20,640 --> 00:18:24,120 you are going to have a wedding after the house is built and all the preparations are 195 00:18:24,120 --> 00:18:29,200 made that you are going to come take you as his bride. But until then you are chased. 196 00:18:29,200 --> 00:18:34,400 You are going to follow the Lord. You are going to trust the Lord. You have got plans 197 00:18:34,400 --> 00:18:39,000 though. You probably know how many kids you want to have if you are a young woman in that 198 00:18:39,000 --> 00:18:44,080 situation. You probably know where you want to live. You probably know a little bit about 199 00:18:44,080 --> 00:18:47,320 how you are going to raise those kids and you are thinking of all this. You are thinking 200 00:18:47,320 --> 00:18:50,520 of marriage. You are thinking of the wedding itself. You are thinking of where you are 201 00:18:50,520 --> 00:18:54,160 going to live. You are thinking of all the plans that you have for the future and all 202 00:18:54,160 --> 00:18:58,200 of a sudden in the middle of the night an angel comes to you and all of those plans 203 00:18:58,200 --> 00:19:05,200 all of a sudden are gone because the angel says, no you are going to be pregnant starting 204 00:19:05,520 --> 00:19:12,520 now and without your husband. The Holy Spirit is going to overshadow you and the one who 205 00:19:14,440 --> 00:19:21,160 is in you is going to be called the Holy Child. Can you imagine the next conversation that 206 00:19:21,160 --> 00:19:25,480 she has to have? The conversation she has to have with Joseph? The conversation she 207 00:19:25,480 --> 00:19:29,240 has to have with her mother and her dad? The conversation she has to have with all of her 208 00:19:29,240 --> 00:19:34,240 friends and telling the news of what she has seen in the night and yet she realizes that 209 00:19:34,240 --> 00:19:39,200 something has truly happened to her. Who would believe her? What would she say? Because she 210 00:19:39,200 --> 00:19:43,160 just pointed to the fact that she had some angelic visitation and that would be it. No 211 00:19:43,160 --> 00:19:50,160 one has heard from an angel in 500 years. You are out of your mind Mary. You expect 212 00:19:50,160 --> 00:19:57,160 us to believe this. This crisis of faith that is going on inside her mind had to be huge. 213 00:19:58,160 --> 00:20:02,440 She had to be asking all the questions, will I be accepted or will I be rejected? What 214 00:20:02,440 --> 00:20:09,440 will my extended family say? What will my reputation look like? And yet she says, be 215 00:20:09,440 --> 00:20:16,440 to it as it may. I am the bond-servant of the Lord. Whatever you say, I will do. Can 216 00:20:21,320 --> 00:20:26,480 you imagine that level of faith that Mary exercised in that moment where she said yes 217 00:20:26,480 --> 00:20:29,760 to the angel? I don't know if you have a choice when the angel says something like 218 00:20:29,760 --> 00:20:34,480 that. I don't think it's a yes or no question. It's more like how am I going to respond 219 00:20:34,480 --> 00:20:39,560 to this? How am I going to believe this? How am I going to move forward? Then there is 220 00:20:39,560 --> 00:20:46,560 Joseph. Joseph who now hears the news of Mary's situation. She is now with child by the Holy 221 00:20:48,800 --> 00:20:55,800 Spirit. She is met with an angel. Isn't this just like God to meet with Joseph when Joseph 222 00:20:56,120 --> 00:21:01,440 most needs it after he has already met with Mary? Mary is heard and now it's Joseph's 223 00:21:01,440 --> 00:21:08,440 turn. The reality is that before the angel speaks to Joseph, Joseph is considering an 224 00:21:09,200 --> 00:21:14,560 exit plan. He is trying to figure out what do I do with her? What do I do with me? What 225 00:21:14,560 --> 00:21:20,680 do I do with our future? What do I do with our family? In just the right moment the angel 226 00:21:20,680 --> 00:21:25,880 comes and has a conversation with him. Now I want you to turn in your Bibles to Matthew 227 00:21:25,880 --> 00:21:32,880 chapter 1, Matthew chapter 1 and beginning in verse 18. Matthew chapter 1. Now the birth 228 00:21:37,560 --> 00:21:42,200 of Jesus Christ was as followed when his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph before they 229 00:21:42,200 --> 00:21:47,840 came together. She was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit. Notice that every account 230 00:21:47,840 --> 00:21:54,840 gives validity to the virgin birth. Isaiah the prophet does, Luke the doctor does, Matthew, 231 00:21:54,840 --> 00:22:00,520 the scribe does, all attest to the fact that this was a woman who was chaste, who was a 232 00:22:00,520 --> 00:22:06,880 virgin who had not known her husband at all. He said before they came together he was found 233 00:22:06,880 --> 00:22:11,000 to be with child by the Holy Spirit and Joseph her husband being a righteous man and not 234 00:22:11,000 --> 00:22:18,000 wanting to disgrace her planned to send her away secretly. So that's his first response. 235 00:22:18,380 --> 00:22:21,840 But when he had considered this behold an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream 236 00:22:21,840 --> 00:22:26,680 saying Joseph son of David do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife for the child who 237 00:22:26,680 --> 00:22:31,680 has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son and you shall call his 238 00:22:31,680 --> 00:22:36,200 name Jesus for he will save his people from their sin. Now all this took place to fulfill 239 00:22:36,200 --> 00:22:41,360 what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet. Behold the virgin shall be with child and 240 00:22:41,360 --> 00:22:47,600 shall bear a son and they shall call his name Emmanuel which translated means God with us. 241 00:22:47,600 --> 00:22:52,120 And Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took 242 00:22:52,120 --> 00:22:57,920 Mary as his wife but kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a son and he called his 243 00:22:57,920 --> 00:23:04,920 name Jesus. So here is Joseph all of a sudden in spite of his initial reaction which is 244 00:23:05,520 --> 00:23:10,000 often our initial reaction how do I get out of this interruption in my life even if it 245 00:23:10,000 --> 00:23:16,260 is God it seems like such an abrupt interruption into my future, into my plans and everything 246 00:23:16,260 --> 00:23:23,000 else I thought would be normal. The angel comes and says this is your new normal this 247 00:23:23,000 --> 00:23:29,520 is what life is going to be like for you because I am taking you just ordinary people I am 248 00:23:29,520 --> 00:23:36,000 going to do extraordinary things in your life. These are interruptions in their life that 249 00:23:36,000 --> 00:23:42,080 they never would have chosen on their own and so disruptive so unsettling that one imagines 250 00:23:42,080 --> 00:23:46,440 how they could even survive them. And when I think about the Christmas story I think 251 00:23:46,440 --> 00:23:52,720 about the interruptions that God often allows to happen in every life. And then the great 252 00:23:52,720 --> 00:23:58,200 example of a Joseph in Mirra who said we will let those interruptions take place as long 253 00:23:58,200 --> 00:24:05,040 as we know they are from you. And as long as we know you have a plan and a purpose and 254 00:24:05,040 --> 00:24:09,560 as long as we know what our part is in this plan and this purpose. Let me just tell you 255 00:24:09,560 --> 00:24:13,280 something I don't think God is going to ask you to do what he asked Mary to do and I don't 256 00:24:13,280 --> 00:24:17,920 think he is going to ask you to do what he asked Joseph to do. But if he asks you to 257 00:24:17,920 --> 00:24:24,720 do something big he will clearly let you know what he is asking. And he will clearly give 258 00:24:24,720 --> 00:24:32,720 you the opportunity to respond in faith the way Joseph and Mary responded in faith. I 259 00:24:32,720 --> 00:24:36,560 guess the question I have when I look at Joseph and Mary is are we willing to be stretched 260 00:24:36,560 --> 00:24:41,440 the way they were? Are we willing to be challenged to believe God when he speaks into our lives 261 00:24:41,440 --> 00:24:45,720 and says that he is going to use us in bigger ways than we can possibly imagine? Part of 262 00:24:45,720 --> 00:24:55,000 faith is trusting the God who leads these two in his leading of us. Those are the characters 263 00:24:55,000 --> 00:25:01,920 of his story. And then I want you to know some characters of our story. Because this 264 00:25:01,920 --> 00:25:08,040 text brings us face to face with a couple of incidents that I think are important for 265 00:25:08,040 --> 00:25:13,000 us in our walk of faith. Look at verse 7 it says, she gave birth to her first born son 266 00:25:13,000 --> 00:25:16,820 and she wrapped him in cloth and laid him in a manger because there was no room for 267 00:25:16,820 --> 00:25:22,840 him in the inn. So here is a verse that shows a manger scene and a stable that we often 268 00:25:22,840 --> 00:25:27,760 associate with Christmas. I have had an artist do some renditions that are in caricature 269 00:25:27,760 --> 00:25:32,800 form and we have one I want you to look at for just a moment. This is the scene that 270 00:25:32,800 --> 00:25:38,760 is classically, technically thought of when we think of that line, there is no room for 271 00:25:38,760 --> 00:25:43,160 them in the inn. If you will place that up on the screen and we will be able to see that. 272 00:25:43,160 --> 00:25:48,520 I want you to look at the innkeeper for just a few moments. That is a person that we write 273 00:25:48,520 --> 00:25:53,560 into the story. Notice the text doesn't say that there is an innkeeper. It simply says 274 00:25:53,560 --> 00:25:58,320 there is no room for them in the inn. We will explain that in just a few moments. We classically 275 00:25:58,320 --> 00:26:04,240 have an innkeeper with his hand up saying no. Then you have got Joseph who is looking 276 00:26:04,240 --> 00:26:09,880 hopeful and Mary who is clearly pregnant riding on this donkey and then the line below 277 00:26:09,880 --> 00:26:14,660 there is no room for them at the inn. Can you imagine traveling for a great distance 278 00:26:14,660 --> 00:26:19,760 while being fully pregnant, nine months pregnant about and looking for a place to stay. Can 279 00:26:19,760 --> 00:26:24,880 you imagine being Joseph and Mary who are both obedient to the Lord but now things are 280 00:26:24,880 --> 00:26:30,680 not working out quite like they wanted in the sense of these doors are not open. This 281 00:26:30,680 --> 00:26:37,080 journey is not easy. This is not something as fun as we had hoped it might be. Saying 282 00:26:37,080 --> 00:26:41,560 yes to Jesus is not always easy, right? It is not always so easy to say yes but it is 283 00:26:41,560 --> 00:26:46,240 also not always easy to keep saying yes after you have said yes for the first time and their 284 00:26:46,240 --> 00:26:51,760 journey was a challenging, challenging journey. That is the picture we put up there so that 285 00:26:51,760 --> 00:26:56,000 you might see what that looks like and then the line there because there was no room for 286 00:26:56,000 --> 00:27:03,320 them in the inn. Let me just give you a little history to this word and I think you are going 287 00:27:03,320 --> 00:27:07,320 to appreciate it even though at first it sounds a little disappointing. There is no real inn 288 00:27:07,320 --> 00:27:13,400 in the sense of a motel or a hostel. This is not like a businessman standing up and 289 00:27:13,400 --> 00:27:20,400 saying no room for you but the reality is far more troubling and far more brutal. The 290 00:27:20,400 --> 00:27:29,400 word for inn is most often translated guest house. So Joseph's family, the house of David, 291 00:27:29,400 --> 00:27:34,760 a guest house there in Bethlehem and while others in his family have already come and 292 00:27:34,760 --> 00:27:38,400 already arrived because they are there for the consensus, the same reason everybody is 293 00:27:38,400 --> 00:27:46,720 in town is for that, this house is full. Most houses at that time had a primary floor for 294 00:27:46,720 --> 00:27:51,280 the attendants or the people that owned the hall and the homeowners. Then you had a guest 295 00:27:51,280 --> 00:27:57,320 room that would be the upper room and whenever you had company over, the family members that 296 00:27:57,320 --> 00:28:01,940 came they were in that upper room and then beneath the main floor of the house was sort 297 00:28:01,940 --> 00:28:06,720 of a dugout kind of arrangement for the animals because they always kept their animals near. 298 00:28:06,720 --> 00:28:10,600 There were the donkeys and there were the cows, there were the sheep and so forth. You 299 00:28:10,600 --> 00:28:15,880 always kept them close because of theft, because of all the animals that would ravage them. 300 00:28:15,880 --> 00:28:20,120 So this is what a home would normally look like and at a time of great visitation when 301 00:28:20,120 --> 00:28:25,080 many people were in town all your family would come and be up in the guest house which is 302 00:28:25,080 --> 00:28:29,600 the second floor of the house and the primary floor was occupied by the family that owned 303 00:28:29,600 --> 00:28:36,120 the home. And according to this Joseph and Mary came to the inn or the guest house and 304 00:28:36,120 --> 00:28:42,480 there was no room for them. That's one thing for Motel 6 to be full. It's another thing 305 00:28:42,480 --> 00:28:48,520 for your family to say we've got no room for you. It's the beginning picture of our awareness 306 00:28:48,520 --> 00:28:55,520 that even his family rejected and rebelled Joseph and Mary and ultimately Jesus. You 307 00:28:56,440 --> 00:29:00,560 don't have to look far in the gospels to see that rejection, it was very real. That's 308 00:29:00,560 --> 00:29:05,520 what we're looking at here in this scene is not just a cartoon image and the kind of an 309 00:29:05,520 --> 00:29:09,720 endearing guy, an innkeeper that's somewhat apologetic, I'm sorry we just don't have 310 00:29:09,720 --> 00:29:14,960 room. But actually probably a family member that says no, I mean it doesn't make sense, 311 00:29:14,960 --> 00:29:19,520 you two have seen angels but nobody else has. You two have this story but we're not sure 312 00:29:19,520 --> 00:29:23,880 about that story. Of course you're looking for a place to stay. It may be a family member 313 00:29:23,880 --> 00:29:30,320 that says you're just getting what you basically deserve which is nothing. There's room down 314 00:29:30,320 --> 00:29:36,520 here where we keep the animals and you can put the baby in that place where we feed the 315 00:29:36,520 --> 00:29:43,520 animals. I look at that picture and I think he did suffer rejection from early on. A couple 316 00:29:44,080 --> 00:29:49,920 of things I want you to carry away first of all. His first bed reminds us that he can 317 00:29:49,920 --> 00:29:56,920 identify with us all in some way. He was laid in a manger, that part's very real. And it 318 00:29:56,920 --> 00:30:03,920 reminds us that he can identify in every way with us, at our best or at our worst. Now 319 00:30:04,280 --> 00:30:09,120 some of you know that I'm a new grandfather. I really didn't do anything except just be, 320 00:30:09,120 --> 00:30:14,960 just exist. And all of a sudden I have a son and his wife and they have a baby so now I'm 321 00:30:14,960 --> 00:30:20,760 a grandfather and I'm enjoying my grandfather life. Four months old our grandbaby is. Yes 322 00:30:20,760 --> 00:30:27,760 you can clap for them and for me. And as soon as we knew this was taking place in typical 323 00:30:28,240 --> 00:30:33,360 fashion my wife decided okay we got a bedroom upstairs we're not using and that's going 324 00:30:33,360 --> 00:30:40,080 to be the baby's room. And so this was an opportunity for us to redecorate that room 325 00:30:40,080 --> 00:30:44,880 and set it up for whenever our granddaughter would come over which she hasn't done overnight 326 00:30:44,880 --> 00:30:48,280 yet. We're hoping it will happen soon but nonetheless we've got a bed theater, we've 327 00:30:48,280 --> 00:30:53,040 got toys theater, we've got all those things and she's going to get the best of the best 328 00:30:53,040 --> 00:30:59,440 when she gets to our house I promise you that. In the meantime our in-laws have done the 329 00:30:59,440 --> 00:31:04,440 same thing with their home. All the consumer reports have been read, all the beds have 330 00:31:04,440 --> 00:31:09,280 been purchased, all the toys that are safe and yet stimulating or they're ready for the 331 00:31:09,280 --> 00:31:15,280 baby to play with when and if she spends the night at their house or at our house. And 332 00:31:15,280 --> 00:31:20,440 I think about what we do whenever we have family and whenever we have a granddaughter 333 00:31:20,440 --> 00:31:24,680 the way we have and it's filled with joy this time it's filled with joy, it's filled with 334 00:31:24,680 --> 00:31:30,600 anticipation we can't wait to be around them, we can't wait to get to hold her. But what 335 00:31:30,600 --> 00:31:37,600 I can't imagine is them coming to our home and me saying we have no room for you. That's 336 00:31:37,600 --> 00:31:44,600 what I can't imagine but that's what happened. And that's where Joseph and Mary end up putting 337 00:31:47,320 --> 00:31:54,160 Jesus in a manger because there was no room for him in the guest house. And there he is 338 00:31:54,160 --> 00:32:01,160 identifying with us fully, basically homeless. Joseph hasn't had a chance to build a house 339 00:32:01,160 --> 00:32:07,680 and prepare it and come back to take her as his bride because she became a child before 340 00:32:07,680 --> 00:32:13,480 they ever were able to do that. So basically they're homeless in the sense of their hometown, 341 00:32:13,480 --> 00:32:20,480 they're homeless in the sense of Bethlehem, now they have no place to stay just this stable. 342 00:32:20,920 --> 00:32:25,800 And I think about that when I think about what Jesus left in order to come be born and 343 00:32:25,800 --> 00:32:32,800 placed in that stable. Paul said it like this in Philippians chapter 2, he said he according 344 00:32:32,800 --> 00:32:37,440 to Christ, he's speaking about Christ, although he existed in the form of God did not regard 345 00:32:37,440 --> 00:32:43,980 equality with God a thing to be grasped but he emptied himself. Jesus in his high priestly 346 00:32:43,980 --> 00:32:50,980 prayer in John chapter 17 said this, he said, Father, now glorify me together with yourself 347 00:32:50,980 --> 00:32:57,980 with the glory which I have with you before the world was. In other words, I had all the 348 00:32:57,980 --> 00:33:02,980 glory of the Father before I left heaven to be born of this virgin and laid in this manger. 349 00:33:02,980 --> 00:33:09,980 I read in the book of Hebrews in chapter 2 verse 17 the reason for all this. The Bible 350 00:33:10,540 --> 00:33:15,540 says therefore he had to be made like his brethren in all things so that he might become 351 00:33:15,540 --> 00:33:22,540 a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God so he could identify with 352 00:33:22,300 --> 00:33:27,300 us and make propitiation for the sins of the people. Jesus left glory to be born in a manger 353 00:33:27,300 --> 00:33:32,500 and laid in a manger so that he could identify fully with you. And that's why Hebrews 4 354 00:33:32,500 --> 00:33:37,500 and 15 also says, for we do not have a high priest who can sympathize with our weaknesses 355 00:33:37,500 --> 00:33:44,500 but one who is tested in all ways as we are yet without sin. Identified with us at the 356 00:33:45,500 --> 00:33:51,500 greatest time of our life, identified with us in the worst time of our life. Because 357 00:33:51,500 --> 00:33:56,500 of this Hebrews goes on and says, therefore we can draw near with confidence to the throne 358 00:33:56,500 --> 00:34:03,500 of grace so that we should receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Listen, 359 00:34:03,500 --> 00:34:10,500 he came to be with us, to identify with us so that he could also be for us in all things. 360 00:34:13,500 --> 00:34:19,500 That's why he left glory. That's why the manger. That's why the rejection. Because 361 00:34:19,500 --> 00:34:25,500 every time you have nothing you have a Savior who can identify with you when you have nothing. 362 00:34:25,500 --> 00:34:30,500 And every time you are rejected you have a Savior that can identify with you when you 363 00:34:30,500 --> 00:34:37,500 have been rejected because He has been rejected. His verse reminds us He can identify with 364 00:34:38,660 --> 00:34:45,660 us in some way, all of us. When you're at your deepest, darkest moment in life, when 365 00:34:46,140 --> 00:34:52,820 you think nobody cares, nobody knows, when you think that there's no answer to your problem, 366 00:34:52,820 --> 00:34:59,820 you just remember Jesus emptied Himself completely to come live your life in your shoes so that 367 00:34:59,820 --> 00:35:06,420 when you come and pray to Him and call upon Him and lean on Him, He is there with you 368 00:35:06,420 --> 00:35:13,420 no matter how dark the day, no matter how deep the pain, He is there with you. Emmanuel 369 00:35:16,140 --> 00:35:23,140 God with us. I want you to see one more thing though. His first rejection reminds us that 370 00:35:23,140 --> 00:35:29,140 people still have no room for Jesus. I mean Jesus is being rejected right and left in 371 00:35:29,140 --> 00:35:36,140 this story, just this piece of it. It's very clear that the family rejected Him. As the 372 00:35:36,140 --> 00:35:41,140 child grew His family increasingly rejected Him. In fact there are several passages to 373 00:35:41,140 --> 00:35:46,140 talk about His half-brothers trying to get Him to go up to Jerusalem before it's time 374 00:35:46,140 --> 00:35:52,140 and they want Him to be put to death. They want Him to die. So this is the rejection 375 00:35:52,140 --> 00:35:59,140 that Jesus is suffering. In fact John opens his gospel by saying He came to His own and 376 00:35:59,140 --> 00:36:06,140 His own did not receive Him. So often you think about the word His own as being the 377 00:36:07,140 --> 00:36:12,140 Jewish people and while that is true there's a more intimate setting for that as well. 378 00:36:12,140 --> 00:36:17,140 It's not just the Jewish people that were His own, it was His own family that He was 379 00:36:17,140 --> 00:36:24,140 born into. So many know what that pain feels like. He came to His own, His own did not 380 00:36:24,140 --> 00:36:29,140 receive Him. The gospels tell us that Jesus had no place to lay His head during His earthly 381 00:36:29,140 --> 00:36:34,140 ministry. That He was rejected by the chief priests. He was rejected by men as a whole. 382 00:36:34,140 --> 00:36:39,140 He was rejected by this generation Mark tells us. When He cast demons out of the demoniac, 383 00:36:39,140 --> 00:36:44,140 the people of the city, the whole village came out because their business was disrupted. 384 00:36:44,140 --> 00:36:49,140 He cast the demons into the herd of swine if you remember that and they were so angry 385 00:36:49,140 --> 00:36:55,140 that they entreated Him to leave. Please leave us alone they said to Jesus who later died 386 00:36:55,140 --> 00:37:01,140 on the cross for them. Everybody missed it when it came to Jesus. The Jews were offended 387 00:37:01,140 --> 00:37:07,140 at Him. Cities were offended at Him and ran Him out of town. The Pharisees and the Sadducees 388 00:37:07,140 --> 00:37:12,140 and the Gentiles and the Samaritans and the Romans and the Jews alike all missed it when 389 00:37:12,140 --> 00:37:21,140 it came to knowing who the Messiah is. Nearly every single one missed it. And I don't want 390 00:37:21,140 --> 00:37:27,140 you to miss it. It's so possible for you to know the Christmas story and yet also possible 391 00:37:27,140 --> 00:37:34,140 that you have not put your hope and trust and faith in this one who is born. To identify 392 00:37:34,140 --> 00:37:39,140 with you later on to die on the cross for you and pay for your sins. It's possible that 393 00:37:39,140 --> 00:37:46,140 you know about Jesus in caricature form and you know the cartoon figures of the innkeeper 394 00:37:46,140 --> 00:37:53,140 saying no the Joseph and the Mary on the donkey and no room at the inn but you don't know 395 00:37:53,140 --> 00:38:02,140 the one who is the center of that story Jesus. The same verse, same passage that says He 396 00:38:02,140 --> 00:38:08,140 came to His own and His own did not receive Him goes on and says but as many as did receive 397 00:38:08,140 --> 00:38:15,140 Him to them He gave the right to become the children of God even to those who believe 398 00:38:15,140 --> 00:38:23,140 in His name. It's possible to not accept Him but then it's possible to change your mind 399 00:38:23,140 --> 00:38:30,140 and to accept Him. As many as believed Him, as many as accepted Him to them He gave the 400 00:38:30,140 --> 00:38:37,140 right to be called the children of God. Dear friend today I want to tell you that you don't 401 00:38:37,140 --> 00:38:42,140 want to miss Jesus the way so many have. You don't want to sing the songs and read the 402 00:38:42,140 --> 00:38:46,140 story and see the caricatures and the pictures and all the things that remind you of the 403 00:38:46,140 --> 00:38:51,140 nostalgia and the good feelings and everything else that a great carol will do for you. You 404 00:38:51,140 --> 00:38:57,140 don't want to walk away with feelings and without faith in Jesus. You want to make sure 405 00:38:57,140 --> 00:39:02,140 your faith is in Him and you want to make sure that you've accepted the gift of eternal 406 00:39:02,140 --> 00:39:07,140 life that He came to bring you. In just a few moments I'm going to close in prayer and 407 00:39:07,140 --> 00:39:12,140 as I do we have our decision stations open and I want to invite you to stop and talk 408 00:39:12,140 --> 00:39:18,140 with someone about this most significant decision of your life to push your faith and trust 409 00:39:18,140 --> 00:39:26,140 and hope in Jesus Christ. Would you stand with me for a word of prayer? Before I pray 410 00:39:26,140 --> 00:39:31,140 three invitations to give you stop by the decision station and have that life with me 411 00:39:31,140 --> 00:39:37,140 and have that life changing conversation number one. Number two I want to encourage you to 412 00:39:37,140 --> 00:39:41,140 come to the guest reception room if you are visiting today I'd love to meet you and tell 413 00:39:41,140 --> 00:39:45,140 you some things about our church. Number three I want you to invite people to come back with 414 00:39:45,140 --> 00:39:51,140 you tonight for the search for baby Jesus. It's an incredible event and also invite them 415 00:39:51,140 --> 00:39:56,140 back next week as we continue to walk through loop one and two. Father in Jesus name we 416 00:39:56,140 --> 00:40:01,140 are so grateful to you for loving us enough to send your son and Lord today we want to 417 00:40:01,140 --> 00:40:07,140 celebrate that and we want to rejoice in that but we also want to place our faith and trust 418 00:40:07,140 --> 00:40:13,140 and confidence in Jesus Christ fully the way Mary did the way Joseph did and Lord I thank 419 00:40:13,140 --> 00:40:20,140 you for their examples of faith help us follow those examples and believe I ask this in Jesus 420 00:40:20,140 --> 00:40:27,140 name amen.