WEBVTT 00:00:04.080 --> 00:00:06.820 The Lord's goodness and his mercy endures forever. 00:00:06.940 --> 00:00:13.759 Amen. See how I did that from the last two weeks. 00:00:16.699 --> 00:00:20.600 You can tell it's definitely the Sunday after 00:00:20.600 --> 00:00:25.699 Thanksgiving. It's very evident. Very evident. 00:00:26.260 --> 00:00:31.640 And scientifically, they think they've proven 00:00:31.640 --> 00:00:34.560 that... Turkey has a certain amount of lead in 00:00:34.560 --> 00:00:43.759 it. And it's got you dragging this morning. Amen. 00:00:44.719 --> 00:00:50.799 That means truth. Because you drag it. So if 00:00:50.799 --> 00:00:54.119 you'll pray for me, maybe I won't drag. Drag 00:00:54.119 --> 00:00:56.719 it out, drag it on. Maybe we'll say what we've 00:00:56.719 --> 00:01:01.750 got to say and move along. Amen. And maybe we 00:01:01.750 --> 00:01:07.409 can get it done in less than an hour. But I'm 00:01:07.409 --> 00:01:15.590 excited. In preparing yesterday, I was literally 00:01:15.590 --> 00:01:20.189 trembling on the inside, just shaking with what 00:01:20.189 --> 00:01:23.329 the Lord has just been speaking to me. And when 00:01:23.329 --> 00:01:26.790 it's done, you may get a car on your way to a 00:01:26.790 --> 00:01:29.069 Mexican restaurant or wherever you're going saying, 00:01:29.439 --> 00:01:32.739 Well, I'm glad he got something out of it. Just 00:01:32.739 --> 00:01:38.140 know I did. Amen. And so the Lord just really 00:01:38.140 --> 00:01:41.459 touched my heart the last few days. Matthew's 00:01:41.459 --> 00:01:45.340 Gospel, first chapter. Look at verse 18. It's 00:01:45.340 --> 00:01:47.700 familiar. We'll be going to very familiar places 00:01:47.700 --> 00:01:52.459 with our scripture reading for the next few weeks. 00:01:53.200 --> 00:01:56.019 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise. 00:01:56.900 --> 00:02:02.140 When? As his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph 00:02:02.140 --> 00:02:04.840 before they came together, she was found with 00:02:04.840 --> 00:02:07.439 child of the Holy Ghost. Everybody say the Holy 00:02:07.439 --> 00:02:12.080 Ghost. Then Joseph, her husband, being a just 00:02:12.080 --> 00:02:15.060 man, not willing to make her a public example, 00:02:15.300 --> 00:02:20.400 was minded to put her away privately. But while 00:02:20.400 --> 00:02:24.430 he thought on these things, Behold, the angel 00:02:24.430 --> 00:02:27.949 of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, 00:02:28.169 --> 00:02:32.409 Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto 00:02:32.409 --> 00:02:35.870 thee Mary thy wife, for that which is conceived 00:02:35.870 --> 00:02:41.729 in her is of the Holy Ghost. She shall bring 00:02:41.729 --> 00:02:45.650 forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus, 00:02:45.810 --> 00:02:50.509 for he shall save his people from their sins. 00:02:51.360 --> 00:02:54.120 Now all this was done that it might be fulfilled 00:02:54.120 --> 00:02:56.599 which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, 00:02:56.680 --> 00:02:59.560 saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, 00:02:59.719 --> 00:03:03.360 and shall bring forth a son. And they shall call 00:03:03.360 --> 00:03:06.379 his name Immanuel, which being interpreted is 00:03:06.379 --> 00:03:11.780 God with us. Then Joseph, being raised from sleep, 00:03:11.900 --> 00:03:14.180 did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, 00:03:14.319 --> 00:03:17.419 and took unto him his wife, and knew her not 00:03:17.419 --> 00:03:20.340 till she had brought forth her firstborn son. 00:03:21.460 --> 00:03:28.819 And he called his name Jesus. There's a lot in 00:03:28.819 --> 00:03:33.719 that. I mean, this is loaded. And we don't have 00:03:33.719 --> 00:03:36.539 time to unload it all. And you better hope it 00:03:36.539 --> 00:03:39.500 don't move on me to try to do it. Because we 00:03:39.500 --> 00:03:42.560 will be here a while. But I want to preach to 00:03:42.560 --> 00:03:45.759 you on a thought. For years in my ministry, I 00:03:45.759 --> 00:03:50.259 think around my third decade of ministry, Comparing 00:03:50.259 --> 00:03:53.120 to some in here, that's still just a bleep on 00:03:53.120 --> 00:03:58.300 the radar. But early, because I'm going to need 00:03:58.300 --> 00:04:03.939 you to help me pray about it, this practice, 00:04:04.460 --> 00:04:09.620 I just wasn't for it. Never have been for it. 00:04:11.800 --> 00:04:17.720 I struggle with the liturgy of the church because 00:04:17.720 --> 00:04:26.439 I was raised, in an old -fashioned Pentecostal 00:04:26.439 --> 00:04:33.199 church. And now that I just had a flash in memory 00:04:33.199 --> 00:04:35.620 and thinking about some of my pastors, they probably 00:04:35.620 --> 00:04:38.939 didn't even know what this was. Some of the ones 00:04:38.939 --> 00:04:41.160 I had growing up, they probably didn't know a 00:04:41.160 --> 00:04:44.740 thing about Advent. What's that? And then they 00:04:44.740 --> 00:04:46.959 had their own connection, and we sure didn't 00:04:46.959 --> 00:04:52.259 do it. So we become products of our raising, 00:04:52.420 --> 00:04:59.899 right? But in the last few years, I'm being drawn 00:04:59.899 --> 00:05:07.920 more towards some, not all, but some of the liturgy 00:05:07.920 --> 00:05:13.079 of our past. And this Advent wreath is one of 00:05:13.079 --> 00:05:17.569 those. I'm just... Never really been. I don't 00:05:17.569 --> 00:05:20.430 still like to put too much pomp and circumstance 00:05:20.430 --> 00:05:24.230 around it. But when you read the text, as Pastor 00:05:24.230 --> 00:05:27.769 Brian read to us today, and the semblance of 00:05:27.769 --> 00:05:31.810 why we light this candle four Sundays before 00:05:31.810 --> 00:05:36.410 Christmas, it begins to draw our focus. If you 00:05:36.410 --> 00:05:39.029 keep the main thing, the main thing, liturgy, 00:05:39.050 --> 00:05:43.970 is okay. Too many times in our humanity, though, 00:05:44.110 --> 00:05:46.529 we're... We're more about the candle and the 00:05:46.529 --> 00:05:49.990 wreath and the ribbon than we are the flame that 00:05:49.990 --> 00:05:55.050 has been lit. So I erred to the other side of 00:05:55.050 --> 00:05:58.069 that. Instead of trying to bring balance, I just 00:05:58.069 --> 00:06:02.509 didn't bring it at all. So the Lord's been, I 00:06:02.509 --> 00:06:05.129 think, dealing with me some in my latter years 00:06:05.129 --> 00:06:09.389 that we focus on the importance on some of the 00:06:09.389 --> 00:06:12.720 liturgy. And if you'll start praying this Sunday 00:06:12.720 --> 00:06:15.019 for whenever I get ready to bring my Christmas 00:06:15.019 --> 00:06:18.720 message, if the Lord don't change my mind, I'm 00:06:18.720 --> 00:06:23.060 going to preach on Christmas tradition myth busters. 00:06:25.160 --> 00:06:28.759 All you anti -Christmas tree folk, hang on. Don't 00:06:28.759 --> 00:06:30.839 skip that Sunday because I'm going to help you. 00:06:32.160 --> 00:06:36.279 I'm going to help you. See, I'm already ahead, 00:06:36.399 --> 00:06:38.480 and I've got to start right here. So what I want 00:06:38.480 --> 00:06:39.860 to preach to you this morning on this thought 00:06:39.860 --> 00:06:47.420 before we pray is the mission of Advent. The 00:06:47.420 --> 00:06:53.899 mission of Advent. Today is Mission Emphasis 00:06:53.899 --> 00:06:56.740 Sunday. And so we're talking about the mission 00:06:56.740 --> 00:07:01.800 of Advent. I hope you can see that within that 00:07:01.800 --> 00:07:07.680 wreath. You see the Lord on that. White House. 00:07:08.620 --> 00:07:14.600 Amen? Yeah. Lord, I love you today. I thank you 00:07:14.600 --> 00:07:17.779 for your mercy and grace. Lord, I thank you for 00:07:17.779 --> 00:07:21.300 your people. And Lord, we can't always ride the 00:07:21.300 --> 00:07:23.779 high wave into your house because life comes 00:07:23.779 --> 00:07:27.120 and things of life happen and practices of life 00:07:27.120 --> 00:07:31.160 we go through. So Lord, may our hearts be open 00:07:31.160 --> 00:07:35.579 today. Lord, may our minds be acceptable to your 00:07:35.579 --> 00:07:40.810 word. May our spirit be receptive to your touch 00:07:40.810 --> 00:07:44.550 and your draw. Help me now, Lord. Help me. I 00:07:44.550 --> 00:07:48.430 need your help today in a mighty way. Help me, 00:07:48.470 --> 00:07:53.410 Lord, as we together hear from heaven. In Jesus' 00:07:53.550 --> 00:08:00.310 name, everybody say amen. The mission of Advent. 00:08:00.509 --> 00:08:04.360 In our text today, just simply. the reference 00:08:04.360 --> 00:08:10.660 to the Holy Ghost multiple times. The Holy Ghost 00:08:10.660 --> 00:08:16.939 was present at the Advent, before the Advent. 00:08:17.040 --> 00:08:21.360 He's working, moving, speaking. And in spite 00:08:21.360 --> 00:08:23.980 of the world's philosophy, especially here in 00:08:23.980 --> 00:08:28.560 our Western culture, in spite of all that philosophy, 00:08:29.579 --> 00:08:32.759 Friday morning was not the official beginning 00:08:32.759 --> 00:08:41.200 of the countdown to Christmas. Amen. When we 00:08:41.200 --> 00:08:45.200 think about the countdown to Christmas, our attention 00:08:45.200 --> 00:08:50.759 is drawn to the advent. For see, the advent begins 00:08:50.759 --> 00:08:56.779 to point us as a reminder to the beginning of 00:08:56.779 --> 00:09:02.590 anticipations. of what Christ came to do this 00:09:02.590 --> 00:09:08.710 Advent season. Advent from the Latin, Adventus, 00:09:08.710 --> 00:09:14.649 which means coming, sets in motion a time for 00:09:14.649 --> 00:09:19.610 focus, anticipation, celebration of the birth 00:09:19.610 --> 00:09:26.909 of our Savior as well as the return of Jesus. 00:09:28.879 --> 00:09:31.200 The first of four candles that will be lit in 00:09:31.200 --> 00:09:34.360 the following weeks, the first today, represents 00:09:34.360 --> 00:09:39.080 hope. It's the candle of hope. The prophetic 00:09:39.080 --> 00:09:44.899 words of Isaiah begin to foster hope in the people 00:09:44.899 --> 00:09:47.600 of God. It's not a beginning of it, but it's 00:09:47.600 --> 00:09:50.779 a reminder. We can go all the way to Genesis 00:09:50.779 --> 00:09:54.559 3 .15 and find the beginning. where we have that 00:09:54.559 --> 00:09:58.200 prophetic first voice, God himself is telling 00:09:58.200 --> 00:10:01.659 that that seed of woman is coming. That's going 00:10:01.659 --> 00:10:04.899 to put a smack down on the devil. He's coming. 00:10:05.600 --> 00:10:11.500 So Isaiah is merely reminding God's people, Messiah 00:10:11.500 --> 00:10:18.279 is coming. Amen? And so we look toward and hope 00:10:18.279 --> 00:10:24.309 forward to the hope of the return. The first 00:10:24.309 --> 00:10:27.970 advent points to the hope of the coming of the 00:10:27.970 --> 00:10:32.669 Messiah, the Christ, the anointed one. Not only 00:10:32.669 --> 00:10:35.549 is today the beginning of advent, but as we've 00:10:35.549 --> 00:10:39.190 stated, it is our mission's emphasis Sunday. 00:10:40.169 --> 00:10:45.169 And so as we draw from this season of advent, 00:10:46.059 --> 00:10:49.039 it becomes a reminder that Christ's coming was 00:10:49.039 --> 00:10:56.379 and remains the mission of God. And when we begin 00:10:56.379 --> 00:11:00.779 to take into thought the mission of God, we understand 00:11:00.779 --> 00:11:03.200 that just through this birth of his son, it's 00:11:03.200 --> 00:11:06.429 revealed to us. You know the types and shadows 00:11:06.429 --> 00:11:09.850 of the Old Testament. God brought forth that 00:11:09.850 --> 00:11:13.789 lamb, amen, to be the Passover lamb, the one 00:11:13.789 --> 00:11:16.850 whose blood would be the covering for the sins 00:11:16.850 --> 00:11:20.269 of his people. The effort and the attempt of 00:11:20.269 --> 00:11:24.110 heaven, the mission of heaven, is simply to reconcile 00:11:24.110 --> 00:11:28.909 humanity to God himself. That's what it's all 00:11:28.909 --> 00:11:31.710 about. That's what a lamb was about because of 00:11:31.710 --> 00:11:34.009 sin and disobedience. That's what that blood 00:11:34.009 --> 00:11:37.409 pouring out for was for, was that God could be 00:11:37.409 --> 00:11:40.850 reconciled and be among his people. Amen? And 00:11:40.850 --> 00:11:45.169 that is the focus of the advent. So the mission 00:11:45.169 --> 00:11:49.200 of advent defined... By Christ's name. Look at 00:11:49.200 --> 00:11:52.419 it in verse 21 of our text. They shall call his 00:11:52.419 --> 00:11:56.879 name Jesus. Amen. When we think about all that 00:11:56.879 --> 00:11:59.980 is in the titles of the names of the Son of God, 00:12:00.159 --> 00:12:04.440 the advent points us toward the mission of God, 00:12:04.700 --> 00:12:07.879 which is in the very name of the Son of God, 00:12:07.980 --> 00:12:11.720 the incarnate one. Thou shalt call his name Jesus, 00:12:11.820 --> 00:12:16.080 for he shall save his people from their sins. 00:12:16.879 --> 00:12:20.480 beginning to get an idea now of how that advent 00:12:20.480 --> 00:12:24.179 and mission goes together? It's at the very heart 00:12:24.179 --> 00:12:28.460 of God himself. The name of Jesus begins to pour 00:12:28.460 --> 00:12:31.600 it out. His name from the Hebrew is Yahshua or 00:12:31.600 --> 00:12:34.299 Joshua as we would pronounce it, which simply 00:12:34.299 --> 00:12:38.899 means the Lord is salvation or God saves. Are 00:12:38.899 --> 00:12:42.179 you beginning to see now what God is trying to 00:12:42.179 --> 00:12:45.019 formulate in simply through what we are lighting 00:12:45.019 --> 00:12:47.629 a candle? This morning, we'll go through the 00:12:47.629 --> 00:12:49.690 process, and they'll light their candle, and 00:12:49.690 --> 00:12:51.850 they'll say, oh, that's sweet, but they'll miss 00:12:51.850 --> 00:12:55.029 the whole point that it's beginning to turn our 00:12:55.029 --> 00:12:58.730 focus again to the heart of God. It's about the 00:12:58.730 --> 00:13:01.750 heart of God, and the heart of God is the reconciliation 00:13:01.750 --> 00:13:05.970 of humanity with himself. It's all about the 00:13:05.970 --> 00:13:08.629 mission, and on this Mission -ificent Sunday, 00:13:08.870 --> 00:13:11.710 that's what we are about, that we understand 00:13:11.710 --> 00:13:14.830 that the coming of the Christ was all about the 00:13:14.830 --> 00:13:17.470 fulfillment. of the mission of the Heavenly Father 00:13:17.470 --> 00:13:21.809 so that humanity could be reconciled. What are 00:13:21.809 --> 00:13:24.129 you talking? I'm saying that we could be saved 00:13:24.129 --> 00:13:27.710 from the wretchedness of our sin. It's all about 00:13:27.710 --> 00:13:32.389 the heart of God. God's mission has always been 00:13:32.389 --> 00:13:36.590 to save humanity. Luke 2 .10 says, The angel 00:13:36.590 --> 00:13:39.330 said unto them, Fear not, for behold, I bring 00:13:39.330 --> 00:13:41.929 you good tidings of great joy, which shall be 00:13:41.929 --> 00:13:47.129 to all people. You know that's the angelic choir 00:13:47.129 --> 00:13:49.149 and the angel that is proclaiming to the shepherds 00:13:49.149 --> 00:13:51.730 who sit on the hill sides. We'll talk about them 00:13:51.730 --> 00:13:54.309 no doubt later on throughout this month and the 00:13:54.309 --> 00:13:57.710 emphasis of the missions toward the message that 00:13:57.710 --> 00:14:00.149 was shared by the shepherds. When we begin to 00:14:00.149 --> 00:14:02.129 think about this, the angel of the Lord sharing 00:14:02.129 --> 00:14:04.870 with them this good news, this good tiding, this 00:14:04.870 --> 00:14:11.049 good hope is going to be to all people with great 00:14:11.049 --> 00:14:18.580 joy. We begin to understand that God has formulated 00:14:18.580 --> 00:14:23.279 this plan from the very beginning. You do understand 00:14:23.279 --> 00:14:26.559 that Jesus was not an afterthought when the law 00:14:26.559 --> 00:14:35.340 failed. Huh? He's not an afterthought. The plan 00:14:35.340 --> 00:14:38.820 was always that he would come. But isn't it just 00:14:38.820 --> 00:14:41.659 like a loving God who's giving opportunity to 00:14:41.659 --> 00:14:45.340 his creation so that he might not have to send 00:14:45.340 --> 00:14:48.299 him? My mind's just having a forward flash to 00:14:48.299 --> 00:14:50.659 Calvary's hill in the prayer that, gee, how do 00:14:50.659 --> 00:14:52.480 you get from a manger to Calvary? Well, it all 00:14:52.480 --> 00:14:55.120 goes together. The story is intertwined. It's 00:14:55.120 --> 00:14:57.460 all meant to be together. But I just had a flash 00:14:57.460 --> 00:15:00.299 forward to the foot of Calvary's hill. But before 00:15:00.299 --> 00:15:02.679 he enters there, he's in a garden and he prays, 00:15:02.679 --> 00:15:04.840 not my will but thy will be done. And then I 00:15:04.840 --> 00:15:07.799 hear in my mind's echo again from the foundations 00:15:07.799 --> 00:15:10.500 of the world, Christ was slain from the very 00:15:10.500 --> 00:15:13.379 beginning. But in the process of time, God sent 00:15:13.379 --> 00:15:16.549 a plan that, Maybe he would not have to send 00:15:16.549 --> 00:15:19.450 his son. Maybe I can reconcile my people through 00:15:19.450 --> 00:15:22.190 the shedding of this lamb's blood. Maybe they 00:15:22.190 --> 00:15:26.049 can live under these few ten rules. No, they 00:15:26.049 --> 00:15:28.450 couldn't abide by that, and they could not hold 00:15:28.450 --> 00:15:31.009 to that. And the blood of the lamb wasn't enough 00:15:31.009 --> 00:15:33.730 to cleanse men's conscience and cleanse men's 00:15:33.730 --> 00:15:37.009 heart. And so the plan now has always been the 00:15:37.009 --> 00:15:39.750 advent from the very beginning and the dawning 00:15:39.750 --> 00:15:43.730 of creation, even before Christ had already been 00:15:43.730 --> 00:15:47.600 slain. God could see through time and ages and 00:15:47.600 --> 00:15:50.360 endless millennia and to know that it would require 00:15:50.360 --> 00:15:53.799 the sending of the advent. The advent would have 00:15:53.799 --> 00:15:58.600 to happen and the only sacrifice worthy would 00:15:58.600 --> 00:16:02.399 be God himself. So the mission of the advent 00:16:02.399 --> 00:16:07.019 is the heart of God that God himself would recognize. 00:16:15.120 --> 00:16:17.539 We have insight to the coming of this advent 00:16:17.539 --> 00:16:22.320 all throughout his story, history. Through the 00:16:22.320 --> 00:16:24.639 beginning and the giving of the word, I said 00:16:24.639 --> 00:16:27.559 315 in Genesis, and now you make your way all 00:16:27.559 --> 00:16:30.120 the way to Isaiah 9, who again Matthew begins 00:16:30.120 --> 00:16:33.279 to quote when he calls his name, and he declares 00:16:33.279 --> 00:16:36.460 unto him Isaiah 9 and 6, where the eagle -eyed 00:16:36.460 --> 00:16:38.860 prophet who sees through the millennia of time 00:16:38.860 --> 00:16:42.000 would begin to prophesy unto the unction of that 00:16:42.000 --> 00:16:44.980 same Holy Ghost that is present at the conception. 00:16:45.220 --> 00:16:48.840 My God! Don't you just feel it begin to stir 00:16:48.840 --> 00:16:52.120 up as he was moved upon by the Holy Ghost. He 00:16:52.120 --> 00:16:55.379 began to say, for unto you a child is born. Unto 00:16:55.379 --> 00:16:59.000 you a son is given. And his name shall be called 00:16:59.000 --> 00:17:03.220 Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, the Everlasting 00:17:03.220 --> 00:17:06.160 Father, and the Prince of Peace. And before he 00:17:06.160 --> 00:17:09.099 declares, and the government shall be upon his 00:17:09.099 --> 00:17:11.640 shoulders. Not this world's governments, not 00:17:11.640 --> 00:17:14.240 this world's powers, but the government of heaven 00:17:14.240 --> 00:17:17.400 is placed upon him. extends throughout eternity 00:17:17.400 --> 00:17:20.240 from the foundation of the world. The father 00:17:20.240 --> 00:17:24.720 knew his mission would be to send his only begotten 00:17:24.720 --> 00:17:38.220 son. It would be the same eagle -eyed prophet 00:17:38.220 --> 00:17:41.799 that would see through time another 33 years 00:17:41.799 --> 00:17:49.630 after this son is given. And begin to tell of 00:17:49.630 --> 00:17:57.970 his death. In the 53rd chapter. But he proceeds 00:17:57.970 --> 00:18:02.809 further in the 64th chapter. This name of Jesus. 00:18:04.670 --> 00:18:13.309 Is the apex. In the story. Of the advent. Of 00:18:13.309 --> 00:18:17.309 the coming of the Christ. Messiah will come. 00:18:18.190 --> 00:18:21.150 And Messiah, when he comes, is going to do great 00:18:21.150 --> 00:18:25.109 things. As we remember, as Advent becomes a reminder 00:18:25.109 --> 00:18:28.910 that Jesus came as the hope of the world. You 00:18:28.910 --> 00:18:31.789 understand as we light this candle, it represents 00:18:31.789 --> 00:18:35.390 hope. It is the hope candle. And the hope that 00:18:35.390 --> 00:18:39.630 we have, we are now fulfillment of. Because the 00:18:39.630 --> 00:18:43.009 Advent has already taken place. Can you not see? 00:18:43.150 --> 00:18:46.039 It's Isaiah. I begin to picture as the Spirit 00:18:46.039 --> 00:18:48.720 would roll back time in the heavens and he would 00:18:48.720 --> 00:18:51.660 look through space continuum and see the one 00:18:51.660 --> 00:18:55.039 who is suffering for the sin of humanity. Amen. 00:18:55.140 --> 00:18:57.980 To fulfill the heart of the Father, the mission 00:18:57.980 --> 00:19:01.180 of God to reconcile. I'm talking about our part 00:19:01.180 --> 00:19:04.019 is coming up. We have a part two in this Advent 00:19:04.019 --> 00:19:07.980 story. You and I have a role to play in the history 00:19:07.980 --> 00:19:19.160 of God. this is doing to you, maybe nothing, 00:19:19.259 --> 00:19:25.480 but it is turning me inside out. I don't know 00:19:25.480 --> 00:19:27.559 if it's just a preacher thing in me and what 00:19:27.559 --> 00:19:29.980 he's doing for me this morning. I have no clue. 00:19:30.509 --> 00:19:34.509 But when my mind tries, the finite mind that 00:19:34.509 --> 00:19:37.829 I have tries to grasp hold of the infinite wisdom 00:19:37.829 --> 00:19:40.809 and knowledge and the plan of God, I get a headache 00:19:40.809 --> 00:19:43.970 and I get dizzy. And then I get all excited because 00:19:43.970 --> 00:19:47.089 it's beyond me. Some of you need to realize that 00:19:47.089 --> 00:19:49.569 life is beyond you. And the plan and the purpose 00:19:49.569 --> 00:19:52.170 of God is beyond the crisis and the circumstance 00:19:52.170 --> 00:19:56.970 of the moment. It's not about now. It's all about 00:19:56.970 --> 00:20:08.839 the mission of God to reconcile us. When you 00:20:08.839 --> 00:20:11.759 see the advent through the lens of your crisis 00:20:11.759 --> 00:20:16.480 and chaos, my God joy will overwhelm your spirit 00:20:16.480 --> 00:20:23.400 and fill your soul. Yes, use your crisis as a 00:20:23.400 --> 00:20:27.380 lens to look to and gaze in the advent. And when 00:20:27.380 --> 00:20:30.880 you gaze to the advent, your vision becomes clearer 00:20:30.880 --> 00:20:34.299 because it is the will of God. It becomes not 00:20:34.299 --> 00:20:43.569 your or our or my, but his. A crisis begins to 00:20:43.569 --> 00:20:47.029 pale in the shadow of God's hope for humanity. 00:20:52.369 --> 00:20:57.210 The missionary heart of God. The mission of God. 00:20:58.150 --> 00:21:03.670 Is simply to save the very core of God. This 00:21:03.670 --> 00:21:06.289 is my second point. The mission heart of God. 00:21:06.990 --> 00:21:11.650 The very core of God's love for humanity. It's 00:21:11.650 --> 00:21:16.289 displayed through the first advent. It's displayed 00:21:16.289 --> 00:21:20.150 through the first advent. Oh, he done marvelous 00:21:20.150 --> 00:21:23.490 things. He put a bow in the clouds for Noah to 00:21:23.490 --> 00:21:28.109 remind him of his promise. Did he not? He separated 00:21:28.109 --> 00:21:32.410 the Red Sea for Moses. He separated a flooding 00:21:32.410 --> 00:21:37.759 Jordan. Amen? For Joshua. And on and on and on 00:21:37.759 --> 00:21:41.000 it goes. God revealed his power. But his power 00:21:41.000 --> 00:21:44.660 is no greater revealed than when the advent of 00:21:44.660 --> 00:21:47.920 the Son of God. Because his power is now present 00:21:47.920 --> 00:21:50.140 upon the face of the earth. How do you know? 00:21:50.200 --> 00:21:52.920 Know that, preacher, because he who created the 00:21:52.920 --> 00:21:56.259 heavens spoke to the winds, and they became still. 00:21:56.440 --> 00:22:00.220 He who created the shoreline boundaries for every 00:22:00.220 --> 00:22:03.920 wave of the sea began to walk across the breast 00:22:03.920 --> 00:22:07.259 of each, and they became calm and solid beneath 00:22:07.259 --> 00:22:12.440 him. He speaks to his creation, though breathless, 00:22:12.440 --> 00:22:16.380 life enters in. The mission in the heart of God 00:22:16.380 --> 00:22:25.849 is to reconcile. life into humanity. My God in 00:22:25.849 --> 00:22:27.670 heaven. I don't know if we really understand 00:22:27.670 --> 00:22:39.029 what's happening here this morning. This mission 00:22:39.029 --> 00:22:43.170 heart of God is revealed in John's gospel in 00:22:43.170 --> 00:22:48.960 the third chapter. Among many other places. But 00:22:48.960 --> 00:22:51.059 it's really brought out of the shadows in that 00:22:51.059 --> 00:22:54.900 16th verse. When the mission heart of God is 00:22:54.900 --> 00:22:59.880 revealed. For God so loved the world. Are you 00:22:59.880 --> 00:23:04.200 hearing me? For God so loved the world that he 00:23:04.200 --> 00:23:07.259 gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth 00:23:07.259 --> 00:23:09.759 in him should not perish but have everlasting 00:23:09.759 --> 00:23:12.559 life. And so often we stop and want to shout 00:23:12.559 --> 00:23:14.940 right there, but that's not where the shout really 00:23:14.940 --> 00:23:18.019 gets. It's verse 17 that really should stir the 00:23:18.019 --> 00:23:20.460 heart of the believer as we hear this declaration. 00:23:21.180 --> 00:23:24.720 Oh, for God sent not his son into the world to 00:23:24.720 --> 00:23:27.500 condemn the world, but the world through him 00:23:27.500 --> 00:23:31.680 might be saved. Oh, it's a wonderful thing to 00:23:31.680 --> 00:23:34.640 know that God loved the world and sent his son. 00:23:34.799 --> 00:23:38.200 But the mission of God is in verse 17. For God 00:23:38.200 --> 00:23:40.900 sent not his son into the world to condemn it, 00:23:40.940 --> 00:23:44.900 but he sent his son to save it. And what are 00:23:44.900 --> 00:23:48.119 we going to call him? You call him Jesus, for 00:23:48.119 --> 00:24:02.000 he shall save. His people. Just so you know. 00:24:02.579 --> 00:24:06.200 This is not out of the archives. It's out of 00:24:06.200 --> 00:24:10.339 heaven's oven. Fresh yesterday afternoon. And 00:24:10.339 --> 00:24:22.869 finished baking this morning. Fresh bread. You 00:24:22.869 --> 00:24:25.250 know what I found out, though? You can take a 00:24:25.250 --> 00:24:28.750 three, four day old kind of dry piece of bread 00:24:28.750 --> 00:24:30.509 and give it about ten seconds in the microwave 00:24:30.509 --> 00:24:37.369 and it's fresh. Oh, Lord. That's why them old 00:24:37.369 --> 00:24:39.849 messages preach so good. You just put them back 00:24:39.849 --> 00:24:48.150 through the fire and they get fresh again. The 00:24:48.150 --> 00:24:50.410 missionary heart of God is in that God loved 00:24:50.410 --> 00:24:53.180 the world. And that he loved this world so much 00:24:53.180 --> 00:24:56.480 that he sent his son not to condemn it. But his 00:24:56.480 --> 00:24:59.839 son might save it. That little candle burning 00:24:59.839 --> 00:25:02.599 there is a representation of the hope of all 00:25:02.599 --> 00:25:06.670 humanity. Understand that the heart of God, the 00:25:06.670 --> 00:25:08.309 missionary heart of God, is not willing that 00:25:08.309 --> 00:25:10.789 any should perish, but that all should come unto 00:25:10.789 --> 00:25:13.250 repentance and everlasting life. The missionary 00:25:13.250 --> 00:25:15.569 heart of God is this. All that call upon the 00:25:15.569 --> 00:25:18.890 name of the Lord shall be saved. The missionary 00:25:18.890 --> 00:25:20.930 heart of God is revealed in Romans 10, 9, and 00:25:20.930 --> 00:25:23.569 10. With the mouth confession is made. With heart 00:25:23.569 --> 00:25:28.390 man believes unto salvation. For it's by grace 00:25:28.390 --> 00:25:30.910 that you're saved, not by are you following me? 00:25:30.930 --> 00:25:34.089 The missionary heart of God is revealed to the 00:25:34.089 --> 00:25:37.000 mercy and the grace. When good is good enough, 00:25:37.220 --> 00:25:40.740 it appears in the form of an advent when the 00:25:40.740 --> 00:25:53.960 Christ comes. God's heart is for the world. Not 00:25:53.960 --> 00:26:00.680 like a Calvinist doctrine would describe as being 00:26:00.680 --> 00:26:05.700 selected. Either you're in or you're out. And 00:26:05.700 --> 00:26:07.779 if you're out, no hope of getting in. Well, who 00:26:07.779 --> 00:26:12.099 wants that? The folks that's convinced they're 00:26:12.099 --> 00:26:19.319 already in. Let me tell you right now, I knew 00:26:19.319 --> 00:26:21.019 from the beginning I was on the outside looking 00:26:21.019 --> 00:26:26.539 in. So my hope wasn't in Calvinism and that tulip 00:26:26.539 --> 00:26:30.220 branch. My hope was in an advent, and I didn't 00:26:30.220 --> 00:26:33.460 even realize it. My hope is in lighting a candle 00:26:33.460 --> 00:26:36.319 on the fourth Sunday out from the celebration 00:26:36.319 --> 00:26:38.980 of the coming of the Lord. That's where my hope 00:26:38.980 --> 00:26:42.000 resides in the prophetic words that hope is going 00:26:42.000 --> 00:26:44.539 to be placed upon the earth on the utterance 00:26:44.539 --> 00:26:47.740 of knowing that hope is coming to humanity. That 00:26:47.740 --> 00:26:50.579 hope will be revealed. That hope will be released. 00:26:50.720 --> 00:26:54.079 That hope can be accepted. That hope could be 00:26:54.079 --> 00:27:04.559 given. All nations, all tribes, all tongues. 00:27:04.640 --> 00:27:11.960 His great love knows no boundaries. And his mission 00:27:11.960 --> 00:27:18.000 has always been to reconcile the world to himself. 00:27:19.119 --> 00:27:23.579 On this first Sunday of Advent celebration, we 00:27:23.579 --> 00:27:27.259 are reminded. I don't know what's going to happen 00:27:27.259 --> 00:27:30.700 to you, but let me just tell you this. I am stirred 00:27:30.700 --> 00:27:36.839 and reminded. That we are part of his great mission 00:27:36.839 --> 00:27:42.579 plan. That mission plan includes his love and 00:27:42.579 --> 00:27:45.960 his salvation and his great grace. The advent 00:27:45.960 --> 00:27:50.319 of the Holy Ghost empowers and ensures. Now you 00:27:50.319 --> 00:27:54.619 missed it right there. The advent of the Holy 00:27:54.619 --> 00:27:59.619 Ghost. The coming of the Holy Ghost. You see, 00:27:59.759 --> 00:28:04.230 the birth, the Holy Ghost was there. I actually 00:28:04.230 --> 00:28:09.690 think it's a Pentecostal tradition, the Advent, 00:28:09.789 --> 00:28:13.690 because the Holy Ghost is present. The Holy Ghost 00:28:13.690 --> 00:28:16.650 is there. The Holy Ghost is speaking. The Holy 00:28:16.650 --> 00:28:22.589 Ghost is impregnating. The Holy Ghost is putting 00:28:22.589 --> 00:28:26.430 life within. Are you hearing me? Joseph, don't 00:28:26.430 --> 00:28:30.150 be ashamed to take Mary as your wife. Don't hide 00:28:30.150 --> 00:28:34.190 it, son. because what's in her has been placed 00:28:34.190 --> 00:28:38.730 there by the Holy Ghost. Can I tell you, we are 00:28:38.730 --> 00:28:42.170 part of the mission plan of God. Don't be afraid 00:28:42.170 --> 00:28:45.049 to hide it. Don't be ashamed to get in the shadows. 00:28:45.210 --> 00:28:48.710 The Holy Ghost was there at the conception, and 00:28:48.710 --> 00:28:55.049 he's here today empowering us. The advent of 00:28:55.049 --> 00:29:03.519 the Holy Ghost. Well, when was that really? When 00:29:03.519 --> 00:29:10.980 did that happen, Pastor? Acts chapter 2. Which 00:29:10.980 --> 00:29:18.420 follows Acts chapter 1. Where in verse 8, we 00:29:18.420 --> 00:29:23.339 have our mission emphasis. And after that, the 00:29:23.339 --> 00:29:29.450 Holy Ghost has come upon you. You shall. Thou 00:29:29.450 --> 00:29:35.130 be witnesses of me in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, 00:29:35.210 --> 00:29:40.289 and to the uttermost parts of the world. And 00:29:40.289 --> 00:29:52.809 as he spake, he began to levitate. A reverse 00:29:52.809 --> 00:29:58.460 advent. I don't know what you call that. It must 00:29:58.460 --> 00:30:09.380 have been a word, devent. The vent. He begins 00:30:09.380 --> 00:30:17.099 to rise in front of them. Go tarry you in Jerusalem, 00:30:17.259 --> 00:30:19.579 I'm telling you, boys. The Holy Ghost is coming. 00:30:22.960 --> 00:30:27.029 Do we need the Holy Ghost? Yes, we do. I don't 00:30:27.029 --> 00:30:29.430 have him. We can remedy that here in about 32 00:30:29.430 --> 00:30:39.450 minutes. When the day of Pentecost was fully 00:30:39.450 --> 00:30:43.890 come, there was a sound as of a rushing mighty 00:30:43.890 --> 00:30:48.269 wind. It filled the upper room where they were 00:30:48.269 --> 00:30:53.529 seated in cloven tongues, like as a fire, sat 00:30:53.529 --> 00:31:02.759 on it. And they began to speak with other tongues 00:31:02.759 --> 00:31:11.460 as the Spirit gave them utterance. The mission 00:31:11.460 --> 00:31:13.619 heart of God, the missionary heart of God is 00:31:13.619 --> 00:31:17.940 to empower and to resource those in whom he dispatches 00:31:17.940 --> 00:31:26.880 into the reconciliation process. The advent. 00:31:29.359 --> 00:31:41.980 is not the beginning. The manger is not the beginning. 00:31:47.519 --> 00:32:02.990 It's the continuation. It didn't begin. He carries 00:32:02.990 --> 00:32:09.789 on through and past beyond the manger. Number 00:32:09.789 --> 00:32:12.250 three, you'll be happy to know there's only four. 00:32:15.950 --> 00:32:21.029 We have to live out the mission of Advent. We 00:32:21.029 --> 00:32:22.950 have the hope and the missionary heart of God. 00:32:23.710 --> 00:32:27.750 We have the plan of God simply through the naming 00:32:27.750 --> 00:32:32.480 of his son. His name alone represents that he 00:32:32.480 --> 00:32:38.819 is our salvation. We have our hope in the missionary 00:32:38.819 --> 00:32:40.920 heart of God that he loved this entire world. 00:32:42.099 --> 00:32:49.880 And you can be saved. We have to live out the 00:32:49.880 --> 00:32:55.480 mission of Advent. We not only celebrate Advent, 00:32:55.599 --> 00:33:02.720 we engage with it. Matthew 28, 19 through 20 00:33:02.720 --> 00:33:05.019 gives us what we know as the Great Commission. 00:33:06.299 --> 00:33:11.460 Go you into all the world. Right? We're preaching 00:33:11.460 --> 00:33:16.940 the gospel. We're baptizing converts in the name 00:33:16.940 --> 00:33:18.940 of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost 00:33:18.940 --> 00:33:21.160 according to the divine direction of Christ. 00:33:23.519 --> 00:33:31.869 Teaching them to observe all. We have to live 00:33:31.869 --> 00:33:35.410 that out. Well, I'm not going anywhere. You get 00:33:35.410 --> 00:33:41.170 up and get out the house most every day. You 00:33:41.170 --> 00:33:44.029 engage the mission of God as you go about your 00:33:44.029 --> 00:33:52.230 daily life. You engage the gift of hope at every 00:33:52.230 --> 00:33:57.630 point you turn. You and I have a choice to be 00:33:57.630 --> 00:34:03.400 bitter or better. You and I have a choice to 00:34:03.400 --> 00:34:07.819 allow our crisis to form our attitude or our 00:34:07.819 --> 00:34:12.340 attitude to reform our crisis. Write that down, 00:34:12.460 --> 00:34:17.960 says Eric. Don't miss that one. Don't ask me 00:34:17.960 --> 00:34:26.460 to say it again. The onus is you and I. The missionary 00:34:26.460 --> 00:34:32.099 heart of God. The plan of God. To send hope into 00:34:32.099 --> 00:34:36.000 your heart. And if hope is not dispelled, then 00:34:36.000 --> 00:34:41.260 it causes life to spring forth. If you've got 00:34:41.260 --> 00:34:44.059 hope, what did the psalmist say? Why art thou 00:34:44.059 --> 00:34:50.079 cast down within me, O my soul? Hope thou in 00:34:50.079 --> 00:34:54.380 God. What other hope is there in this world? 00:34:55.579 --> 00:35:02.000 None. None, there's no other hope other than 00:35:02.000 --> 00:35:04.820 Christ alone. That's why Paul would tell young 00:35:04.820 --> 00:35:07.699 Timothy, the preacher, he said, Jesus Christ, 00:35:07.820 --> 00:35:15.760 which is our hope. He is our hope. We live out 00:35:15.760 --> 00:35:19.519 this great commission mandate. We pray for all 00:35:19.519 --> 00:35:24.780 nations. We engage this mission mandate as we 00:35:24.780 --> 00:35:27.500 give, like some of you have done today. You've 00:35:27.500 --> 00:35:30.679 given towards something that will go beyond your 00:35:30.679 --> 00:35:35.300 ability to reach. That's why we give. Made a 00:35:35.300 --> 00:35:37.440 kingdom connection the other day right here in 00:35:37.440 --> 00:35:40.139 town. Good friend of Pastor Brian's. He mentioned 00:35:40.139 --> 00:35:41.619 that earlier. There will be more to come up on 00:35:41.619 --> 00:35:45.579 that. Another way to engage and lock arms with 00:35:45.579 --> 00:35:48.400 our community. People that are doing things for 00:35:48.400 --> 00:35:51.300 Christ. I think it kind of surprised this young 00:35:51.300 --> 00:35:54.039 man a little bit. Stood right here and told him. 00:35:54.079 --> 00:35:57.679 I said, man, our heart's for the mission. I'm 00:35:57.679 --> 00:35:59.639 not really concerned about your name on your 00:35:59.639 --> 00:36:05.639 sign, but Christ in your heart. Let's do something 00:36:05.639 --> 00:36:09.519 for Jesus. How can we help? How can we get together? 00:36:09.679 --> 00:36:12.300 How can we lock arms and do something for the 00:36:12.300 --> 00:36:15.679 mission of God? It's not Church of God missions. 00:36:15.820 --> 00:36:18.219 It's not Southern Baptist missions. It's not 00:36:18.219 --> 00:36:21.539 United Methodist either split missions. It is 00:36:21.539 --> 00:36:24.969 the mission of God. And that is to see that lost 00:36:24.969 --> 00:36:28.630 souls are reconciled with a hope -giving, love 00:36:28.630 --> 00:36:37.829 -offering, salvation -providing God. We live 00:36:37.829 --> 00:36:44.769 it out. We give. We go when we can. We live the 00:36:44.769 --> 00:36:47.909 mission. And we live the mission by letting the 00:36:47.909 --> 00:36:51.809 gospel of Christ shine through our everyday life. 00:36:53.159 --> 00:36:58.539 Now, if you're like me, a vessel of imperfection, 00:36:58.539 --> 00:37:04.840 you know, I no longer get dizzy on the potter's 00:37:04.840 --> 00:37:13.400 wheel. Some of you Bible readers are already 00:37:13.400 --> 00:37:16.960 there, aren't you? I don't get dizzy anymore. 00:37:21.610 --> 00:37:27.630 How many know Lake Winnipesoka? There's this 00:37:27.630 --> 00:37:31.369 one particular ride. I've got to tighten this 00:37:31.369 --> 00:37:33.489 one up, folks. That's why you see me reaching 00:37:33.489 --> 00:37:37.489 this slide. I've got to tighten it. There's a 00:37:37.489 --> 00:37:39.989 ride they have there that you get in, you stand 00:37:39.989 --> 00:37:43.289 up against the wall. Oh, come on now. You there. 00:37:44.769 --> 00:37:48.809 Other theme parks have them. It begins to spin 00:37:48.809 --> 00:37:52.550 with centrifugal force. Till you stick to the 00:37:52.550 --> 00:37:56.010 wall. And they let the floor out and under you. 00:37:59.210 --> 00:38:03.090 See, I don't even go in there. Because the last 00:38:03.090 --> 00:38:06.670 time I had a grandchild on the little Dumbo deal, 00:38:06.750 --> 00:38:17.010 I got sick as a dog. Dumbo. Because Dumbo goes 00:38:17.010 --> 00:38:20.820 around and around. And then slowly they'll go, 00:38:20.840 --> 00:38:25.860 you go up. And then hydraulics, if not tuned 00:38:25.860 --> 00:38:30.019 well, when you start to go down, goes, and you're 00:38:30.019 --> 00:38:41.179 going in that circle. And I'm going, stop. I 00:38:41.179 --> 00:38:43.019 don't need the thing with the floor falling out 00:38:43.019 --> 00:38:45.719 from under me to get dizzy. So when I tell you 00:38:45.719 --> 00:38:50.650 I no longer am dizzy on the potter's wheel, It's 00:38:50.650 --> 00:38:54.250 just a straight sight line for me now because 00:38:54.250 --> 00:38:57.869 he keeps me on the wheel. I know no other life 00:38:57.869 --> 00:39:00.469 than being on the wheel. I don't ever get to 00:39:00.469 --> 00:39:03.150 get off and rest off of the wheel. I'm on the 00:39:03.150 --> 00:39:07.329 wheel every single day. And I would love to tell 00:39:07.329 --> 00:39:09.590 you that there's a day go by that it's the gentle 00:39:09.590 --> 00:39:12.389 pressure and he's forming me. No, no, it's every 00:39:12.389 --> 00:39:15.030 day for me. He's adding more water, the water 00:39:15.030 --> 00:39:18.590 of the Spirit. He's got to keep pouring it in, 00:39:18.610 --> 00:39:21.130 this old boy, and he's got to break me back down, 00:39:21.329 --> 00:39:23.889 and he's got to mold me and shake me back up, 00:39:24.010 --> 00:39:26.289 and he's got to kick the wheel a little harder. 00:39:26.469 --> 00:39:29.090 Matter of fact, we ain't slowing down. He's speeding 00:39:29.090 --> 00:39:31.429 up with me on the wheel because there's still 00:39:31.429 --> 00:39:34.190 a great work to do in my life. He's conforming 00:39:34.190 --> 00:39:37.449 me to the idea of the reconciliation of humanity 00:39:37.449 --> 00:39:42.230 is more important than any crises of my life, 00:39:42.369 --> 00:39:45.269 and there's a deep passion beginning to stir 00:39:45.269 --> 00:39:47.610 for the kingdom. kingdom of God and heaven's 00:39:47.610 --> 00:39:50.610 great shore. There is a hope that's rising in 00:39:50.610 --> 00:39:53.809 me to help spread the gospel and tell the good 00:39:53.809 --> 00:39:57.750 news so my everyday valor is to live out the 00:39:57.750 --> 00:40:02.250 gospel and the advent is evident in my everyday 00:40:02.250 --> 00:40:13.030 life. I tell you to the point where I'm getting. 00:40:14.599 --> 00:40:16.800 The other day I had to go through Walgreens and 00:40:16.800 --> 00:40:21.139 sit through the nine -car deep line because I 00:40:21.139 --> 00:40:24.639 didn't want to go in. And so when I get to the 00:40:24.639 --> 00:40:30.760 window, make my transaction, and, you know, they 00:40:30.760 --> 00:40:34.539 put your change in that little larger -sized 00:40:34.539 --> 00:40:38.780 pill bottle, right? Well, I dumped it out and 00:40:38.780 --> 00:40:40.599 got my change, and I thought, well, she's put 00:40:40.599 --> 00:40:46.389 my other in my bag. Now. Now, I left $18 at Walgreens. 00:40:47.510 --> 00:40:49.989 And I only thought once about turning around. 00:40:51.570 --> 00:40:53.489 Because I'd been spending too much time on the 00:40:53.489 --> 00:40:56.510 wheel. And instantly my mind says, well, maybe 00:40:56.510 --> 00:41:00.269 the next person through might need $18. And they 00:41:00.269 --> 00:41:04.909 feel down in the jar and they get it out. That's 00:41:04.909 --> 00:41:07.789 how much time, because I'm beginning to see through 00:41:07.789 --> 00:41:10.449 the lens of crisis, there are greater things 00:41:10.449 --> 00:41:13.909 at large. There's greater things happening through 00:41:13.909 --> 00:41:16.929 the lens of my crisis and the chaos of my life. 00:41:17.010 --> 00:41:18.869 And through the spinning of the potter's wheel, 00:41:18.929 --> 00:41:21.710 I can see more clearly now. And the image of 00:41:21.710 --> 00:41:24.670 God's will is beginning to reveal itself in everyday 00:41:24.670 --> 00:41:27.469 life. And then he stirs my heart on something 00:41:27.469 --> 00:41:30.929 I don't even like doing. And he causes me to 00:41:30.929 --> 00:41:34.300 feel this way because we've lit a candle. representing 00:41:34.300 --> 00:41:37.519 the hope of the advent of the first coming of 00:41:37.519 --> 00:41:42.980 the anointed one. When I was a kid, we used to 00:41:42.980 --> 00:41:45.039 sing that little song. He's still working on 00:41:45.039 --> 00:41:49.500 me to make me what I ought to be. Took him just 00:41:49.500 --> 00:41:51.860 a week to make the moon and the stars, Jupiter 00:41:51.860 --> 00:41:54.199 and Earth and all the other ones. I forgot it. 00:41:54.820 --> 00:42:03.239 But he's still working on me. While you're on 00:42:03.239 --> 00:42:06.920 the crisis of the potter's wheel, focus on the 00:42:06.920 --> 00:42:14.739 potter. Because you see, the potter is stationary. 00:42:15.659 --> 00:42:19.699 Everything else may be spinning in your atmosphere, 00:42:19.800 --> 00:42:24.139 but focus on the potter. He remains unmoved. 00:42:24.280 --> 00:42:27.519 And know this, the whole time you're on the wheel, 00:42:27.639 --> 00:42:31.360 you're not going to fly off because he never... 00:42:31.670 --> 00:42:42.190 takes his hands off of you. The mission of the 00:42:42.190 --> 00:42:50.110 advent. Let's move to the last one. We're in 00:42:50.110 --> 00:42:52.250 that critical you check out on me zone. It's 00:42:52.250 --> 00:43:00.119 1205. So let's see. What are we at here? We had 00:43:00.119 --> 00:43:04.559 the mission of Advent defined by his name. We 00:43:04.559 --> 00:43:09.900 had the mission heart of God. Living out the 00:43:09.900 --> 00:43:16.519 mission. And fourthly, the hope of the second 00:43:16.519 --> 00:43:34.869 Advent. Of the first. Advent. That reality is 00:43:34.869 --> 00:43:39.869 displayed. Through the life. Ministry. Death. 00:43:40.269 --> 00:43:46.329 And resurrection. Of Jesus Christ. The birth 00:43:46.329 --> 00:43:50.510 of Jesus. Was the beginning. Of God's great mission. 00:43:50.630 --> 00:43:56.750 Plan to save humanity. And bring hope. To a hopeless 00:43:56.750 --> 00:44:04.019 world. Remember, the mission didn't end at the 00:44:04.019 --> 00:44:11.460 manger. It simply began at the manger. And will 00:44:11.460 --> 00:44:17.599 be culminated and completed at the second advent. 00:44:20.219 --> 00:44:23.000 Matthew 4, 16, a little further in our text, 00:44:23.019 --> 00:44:26.059 reads, the people which sat in darkness saw great 00:44:26.059 --> 00:44:28.800 light, and to them which sat in the region and 00:44:28.800 --> 00:44:40.320 shadow of death. We understand the mandate greater. 00:44:41.099 --> 00:44:46.719 The day is far spent. The night is coming when 00:44:46.719 --> 00:44:52.500 no man is going to be able to work. We're coming 00:44:52.500 --> 00:44:57.519 to the conclusion of the advent's first appointment. 00:44:59.400 --> 00:45:05.800 Reconciliation. Light has come. Poured in the 00:45:05.800 --> 00:45:09.420 darkness where men sat in hopelessness in the 00:45:09.420 --> 00:45:13.360 region where death reigned. Now hope brings life. 00:45:16.000 --> 00:45:25.659 And it has sprung up. The root from Jesse has 00:45:25.659 --> 00:45:31.840 blossomed. The scepter shall never leave his 00:45:31.840 --> 00:45:37.619 hand. Why? Because he's the everlasting father, 00:45:37.679 --> 00:45:43.380 the prince of peace. It resides upon his shoulders. 00:45:44.880 --> 00:45:47.360 This great light has sprung forth and the mission 00:45:47.360 --> 00:45:50.719 of hope declares it. The hope of this second 00:45:50.719 --> 00:45:53.860 advent, the hope of the first advent is redemption. 00:45:59.039 --> 00:46:10.570 The hope of the second is victory. How does that 00:46:10.570 --> 00:46:15.210 look, Pastor? Well, it looks as though Isaiah 00:46:15.210 --> 00:46:19.130 would pin it well in 61. For the Spirit of the 00:46:19.130 --> 00:46:21.429 Lord is upon me, and he's anointed me to preach 00:46:21.429 --> 00:46:28.889 the good news to the blind, to the bruised, to 00:46:28.889 --> 00:46:32.530 the broken, to those who are being held captive. 00:46:34.250 --> 00:46:38.590 That's what this first advent looks like. That 00:46:38.590 --> 00:46:42.889 in the chaos and crises of life, hope springs 00:46:42.889 --> 00:46:52.889 high. Hope burns bright. A hope that can only 00:46:52.889 --> 00:47:01.989 be accepted, not forced. Wouldn't you love to 00:47:01.989 --> 00:47:04.510 just shove hope down some people you know's throat? 00:47:09.130 --> 00:47:11.730 I know that's sort of crude and it was formed 00:47:11.730 --> 00:47:13.670 in my mind. It was already coming out of my mind. 00:47:13.690 --> 00:47:18.610 I thought we'll fix it after you say it. There 00:47:18.610 --> 00:47:26.670 are some people you cannot force the act of the 00:47:26.670 --> 00:47:29.969 reconciliation that God offers through hope in 00:47:29.969 --> 00:47:36.949 people's life. Be burdened but do not be bound. 00:47:39.369 --> 00:47:42.250 What does that mean? Have a burden for them, 00:47:42.349 --> 00:47:45.090 but do not let their refusal of the hope and 00:47:45.090 --> 00:47:48.429 the reconciliation to bind you in the joy that 00:47:48.429 --> 00:47:52.090 is in the hope that you have in that first advent, 00:47:52.230 --> 00:48:03.610 looking toward the second. Stand with me, I'm 00:48:03.610 --> 00:48:09.699 closing. The mission of advent is not, celebrating 00:48:09.699 --> 00:48:20.880 his birth only. But rather it's about anticipating 00:48:20.880 --> 00:48:32.280 his return. It's about continuing his mission. 00:48:37.199 --> 00:48:41.960 It's about anticipating the hope of the second 00:48:41.960 --> 00:48:48.719 advent. Revelation 22 and 12. John the revelator 00:48:48.719 --> 00:48:55.500 stranded on the isle. Whom they thought they 00:48:55.500 --> 00:49:04.800 would separate but only positioned. Thought they 00:49:04.800 --> 00:49:07.260 were punishing him. And probably in his eyes 00:49:07.260 --> 00:49:11.179 he felt like he was being punished. Until he 00:49:11.179 --> 00:49:15.079 found himself in the 10th verse of the first 00:49:15.079 --> 00:49:18.699 chapter. And his declaration is this. And I was 00:49:18.699 --> 00:49:24.820 in the spirit on the Lord's day. And I heard 00:49:24.820 --> 00:49:38.690 a voice. And when I turned to see. I saw an image 00:49:38.690 --> 00:49:44.869 that had a gown flowing white. His feet, as I 00:49:44.869 --> 00:49:47.590 began to look up to gaze the rest of his countenance, 00:49:47.690 --> 00:49:53.469 were like polished brass. Hair white as wool. 00:49:54.889 --> 00:50:02.789 And his eyes a flaming fire. My, my, my, my. 00:50:05.369 --> 00:50:10.110 That's in chapter 1. So in 22, he's saying, and 00:50:10.110 --> 00:50:17.769 behold, I come quickly. And my reward is with 00:50:17.769 --> 00:50:25.510 me to give every man according as his work shall 00:50:25.510 --> 00:50:36.809 be. We must engage Advent's mission. Well, it's 00:50:36.809 --> 00:50:39.920 Christmas. I know it is. You see now why a few 00:50:39.920 --> 00:50:42.480 months ago I told you this enters in my least 00:50:42.480 --> 00:50:44.780 favorite time because we become so distracted 00:50:44.780 --> 00:50:48.099 by everything that's going on and I can't check 00:50:48.099 --> 00:50:52.920 out. God does me like this. Turns me inside out. 00:50:55.699 --> 00:51:00.139 What we have so normalized, there's nothing normal 00:51:00.139 --> 00:51:05.460 about it. What has become so commercialized, 00:51:05.480 --> 00:51:13.739 this is not a commercial. It is the movie. It's 00:51:13.739 --> 00:51:23.659 part one. What we have commercialized, we should 00:51:23.659 --> 00:51:28.400 be worshiping. Not the commercialization. But 00:51:28.400 --> 00:51:30.480 we should remember the glimmer of the first candle. 00:51:30.519 --> 00:51:42.500 It's hope. It's hope. And we have to engage the 00:51:42.500 --> 00:51:48.820 mission of the advent. Because we have been empowered 00:51:48.820 --> 00:52:05.760 to do so. And if we don't, are we AWOL? If we 00:52:05.760 --> 00:52:08.920 refuse to engage. You don't have to go to Africa, 00:52:09.039 --> 00:52:17.780 to Honduras or Brazil. You're going to Walmart. 00:52:23.380 --> 00:52:29.519 If you want to engage a Honduran, just go stand 00:52:29.519 --> 00:52:32.079 in there a little bit and talk to some folks 00:52:32.079 --> 00:52:38.429 that don't look like you. Ask them, say, where 00:52:38.429 --> 00:52:42.869 are you from? Google it in Spanish on your phone. 00:52:42.969 --> 00:52:45.650 Let her tell you how to say it, and then just 00:52:45.650 --> 00:52:49.150 ask them. You'll find yourself standing with 00:52:49.150 --> 00:52:54.550 Honduras in front of you. El Salvador, San Salvador, 00:52:54.829 --> 00:53:01.829 Brazil, Jamaica, Haiti. You don't have to go 00:53:01.829 --> 00:53:09.260 there. It's here. So many feel ostracized because 00:53:09.260 --> 00:53:13.039 no one will approach them and say hi. If you 00:53:13.039 --> 00:53:17.039 want a three -cornered eye look, when you're 00:53:17.039 --> 00:53:20.500 going through Walmart or any grocery store, and 00:53:20.500 --> 00:53:23.139 you hear somebody speaking a language you don't 00:53:23.139 --> 00:53:25.099 know, and the Holy Ghost ain't interpreting it 00:53:25.099 --> 00:53:30.360 for you, and if it is Spanish, say, when was 00:53:30.360 --> 00:53:36.969 this? And just ease on by. I do it all the time. 00:53:37.030 --> 00:53:39.849 I know about five or six phrases, enough to get 00:53:39.849 --> 00:53:44.869 in trouble. But I use them. Why? Because I want 00:53:44.869 --> 00:53:47.190 to engage somehow. Let somebody see the love 00:53:47.190 --> 00:53:50.489 of God. Let somebody see the evidence of the 00:53:50.489 --> 00:53:59.190 advent and the hope that I have. We don't have 00:53:59.190 --> 00:54:01.309 to go around the world. We just have to engage 00:54:01.309 --> 00:54:05.139 the world that's before us. Father, I love you 00:54:05.139 --> 00:54:09.360 today. I digress today or I shall am alone because 00:54:09.360 --> 00:54:18.880 my heart is full and overflowing. Holy Ghost, 00:54:18.960 --> 00:54:21.699 speak to me today. How do I go about this time 00:54:21.699 --> 00:54:24.119 of our ending in prayer? How do I go about this 00:54:24.119 --> 00:54:27.900 moment? Because I know in my heart there's chaos 00:54:27.900 --> 00:54:31.940 and crisis in lives in here. I know it. I know 00:54:31.940 --> 00:54:35.829 it. We can't gather a crowd this size and there 00:54:35.829 --> 00:54:43.250 not be chaos and crisis. We've got all manner 00:54:43.250 --> 00:54:51.010 of diagnosis standing here. But all those as 00:54:51.010 --> 00:54:53.889 we stand, we look to this little candle glimmering 00:54:53.889 --> 00:55:00.190 with hope. Knowing that if thy will, you can 00:55:00.190 --> 00:55:07.159 heal and deliver. This very moment. That is our 00:55:07.159 --> 00:55:13.420 hope. But my hope excels beyond the mere touch 00:55:13.420 --> 00:55:20.000 of my physical being. Beyond just the simplicity 00:55:20.000 --> 00:55:25.539 fact that my bones don't hurt anymore. That my 00:55:25.539 --> 00:55:33.369 soul be secure in eternity. Where? I shall receive 00:55:33.369 --> 00:55:42.369 a new glorified body. Help us see you, Lord. 00:55:46.750 --> 00:55:50.269 If you're comfortable, I want us to kind of link 00:55:50.269 --> 00:55:53.010 hands across aisles. Just join hands with each 00:55:53.010 --> 00:55:56.030 other. Your row, just kind of make your way. 00:55:56.610 --> 00:55:59.150 You know I've never done this before. This is 00:55:59.150 --> 00:56:01.170 a brand new one on me. If you're comfortable. 00:56:01.800 --> 00:56:03.780 If you're not, just put a hand on the shoulder. 00:56:05.119 --> 00:56:11.159 Just kindly join hands together. We do not know. 00:56:15.639 --> 00:56:21.300 Just kindly. We're going to pray one for another. 00:56:24.159 --> 00:56:27.559 We're about to set the bushes on fire. Hope's 00:56:27.559 --> 00:56:35.130 about to really flame. You know I've not preached 00:56:35.130 --> 00:56:46.869 an hour because that's a one -hour candle. About 00:56:46.869 --> 00:56:52.070 45 minutes worth. We need hope. Let me tell you 00:56:52.070 --> 00:56:53.750 something. According to the word of God, laughter 00:56:53.750 --> 00:56:55.690 doeth good like a medicine. Some of you need 00:56:55.690 --> 00:56:59.170 a double dose because of what's going on in your 00:56:59.170 --> 00:57:01.690 life. Because of what's going on surrounding 00:57:01.690 --> 00:57:05.570 you. You need the joy of the Lord. We need to 00:57:05.570 --> 00:57:08.590 hear that the Advent brings hope for every crisis. 00:57:08.730 --> 00:57:13.730 For every moment. For even those who are in the 00:57:13.730 --> 00:57:18.010 region where death has reigned. Light springs 00:57:18.010 --> 00:57:24.269 up. Father, I come to you today in the name above 00:57:24.269 --> 00:57:32.039 every name. That name of Jesus. Lord, as they 00:57:32.039 --> 00:57:37.599 are joined together across this room, we are 00:57:37.599 --> 00:57:42.079 joined together in crisis and in rejoicing. We 00:57:42.079 --> 00:57:46.239 share the burden of both. That I may rejoice 00:57:46.239 --> 00:57:48.920 with my brother and sister even though my crisis 00:57:48.920 --> 00:57:52.460 may have my joy stifled. May I be filled with 00:57:52.460 --> 00:57:58.300 joy because of their great joy. And joy springs 00:57:58.300 --> 00:58:05.800 forth as light. Springs up. Lord, there are dire 00:58:05.800 --> 00:58:08.639 sicknesses in this room. Everywhere from cancer. 00:58:18.659 --> 00:58:22.559 There's blood issues. There's heart issues. There's 00:58:22.559 --> 00:58:27.980 nerve issues. There's mind issues. All across 00:58:27.980 --> 00:58:31.119 this place. Across the spectrum in severity. 00:58:33.119 --> 00:58:37.199 Lord, I'm grateful for the faithful. Brother 00:58:37.199 --> 00:58:39.380 Fred came in this morning hopping on a brand 00:58:39.380 --> 00:58:41.820 new knee, just installed on Monday, but in the 00:58:41.820 --> 00:58:47.440 house of the Lord today. Others, having had procedures 00:58:47.440 --> 00:58:50.300 and visitations in hospitals, have made their 00:58:50.300 --> 00:58:56.059 way for strength and grace and hope's great light. 00:58:56.940 --> 00:59:01.639 Lord, across this room, let hope, let hope, let 00:59:01.639 --> 00:59:07.579 hope, let hope foster in the heart of your people 00:59:07.579 --> 00:59:12.159 as we enter this Advent celebration season. Lord, 00:59:12.260 --> 00:59:14.719 you came and we're so grateful and so thankful 00:59:14.719 --> 00:59:17.519 for your humbling yourself, coming from glory 00:59:17.519 --> 00:59:20.900 down to the earth which you've created, to the 00:59:20.900 --> 00:59:27.860 lowliness of a manger to be born. For we proclaim 00:59:27.860 --> 00:59:34.079 good tidings of great joy. For unto us today, 00:59:34.340 --> 00:59:45.159 the child was born, the son was given. We love 00:59:45.159 --> 00:59:47.059 you this morning. Pray one for another. Father, 00:59:47.219 --> 00:59:49.980 every need in the house, touch my brother, my 00:59:49.980 --> 00:59:53.119 sister, to my right or to my left. Touch my friends, 00:59:53.199 --> 00:59:56.440 touch my spouse, Lord. Move in every situation, 00:59:56.619 --> 01:00:00.960 God. In every need and in every concern as we 01:00:00.960 --> 01:00:04.579 enter in, we enter this season with great hope. 01:00:05.139 --> 01:00:08.139 This could be the last that we celebrate. You 01:00:08.139 --> 01:00:11.639 may come before the 25th of December. You may 01:00:11.639 --> 01:00:15.440 come with that second great advent hope, the 01:00:15.440 --> 01:00:18.000 hope of your return. And as your declaration 01:00:18.000 --> 01:00:22.039 from your own self, behold, I come quickly and 01:00:22.039 --> 01:00:27.280 my reward is with me. Lord, as we look forward 01:00:27.280 --> 01:00:31.280 to your return, the hope of your grace that we 01:00:31.280 --> 01:00:37.300 have day by day, bless every heart, touch in 01:00:37.300 --> 01:00:47.619 every life. In Jesus' name I ask. Amen. And amen. 01:00:47.860 --> 01:00:50.380 God bless you. Go in grace. Go in peace. If you're 01:00:50.380 --> 01:00:52.340 visiting with us today, please stop by the booth 01:00:52.340 --> 01:00:54.929 out to my left. Have something great there. Just 01:00:54.929 --> 01:00:56.510 wonderful to let you know how much we appreciate 01:00:56.510 --> 01:01:00.969 you being in the house. Choir practice today 01:01:00.969 --> 01:01:02.690 at 3 p .m.