1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:06,800 He is glorious. 2 00:00:06,800 --> 00:00:13,680 Behold the one who has come for us. 3 00:00:13,680 --> 00:00:15,680 Welcome to Hub City Vineyard. 4 00:00:15,680 --> 00:00:17,680 To get connected or to give online, 5 00:00:17,680 --> 00:00:20,480 you can go to connect.hcv.church 6 00:00:20,480 --> 00:00:23,600 or give.hcv.church. 7 00:00:23,600 --> 00:00:25,600 If at any time during this message 8 00:00:25,600 --> 00:00:28,240 you feel called to make a change in your life, 9 00:00:28,240 --> 00:00:33,040 text changeme to 970-00. 10 00:00:33,040 --> 00:00:35,040 Thank you and enjoy the message. 11 00:00:35,040 --> 00:00:36,560 Hey, good morning everyone. 12 00:00:36,560 --> 00:00:39,520 How's everybody doing here this morning? 13 00:00:39,520 --> 00:00:40,640 Good, good to hear. 14 00:00:40,640 --> 00:00:43,920 Look at your neighbor and tell them Merry Christmas. 15 00:00:43,920 --> 00:00:46,640 Hey, thank you for welcoming us into your space. 16 00:00:46,640 --> 00:00:48,440 We're so glad that you're here with us. 17 00:00:48,440 --> 00:00:51,600 Merry Christmas. 18 00:00:51,600 --> 00:00:54,880 So I'm excited that you've chosen to gather and worship 19 00:00:54,880 --> 00:00:56,720 with us here at HCV. 20 00:00:56,720 --> 00:01:00,560 And isn't it true that Christmas is a time for stories? 21 00:01:00,560 --> 00:01:03,080 We all can remember stories from our past, 22 00:01:03,080 --> 00:01:05,040 stories about our children. 23 00:01:05,040 --> 00:01:06,680 And here at our Community of Faith, 24 00:01:06,680 --> 00:01:09,720 we've been discussing the different angelic encounters 25 00:01:09,720 --> 00:01:12,760 that took place in the Christmas story in our December series 26 00:01:12,760 --> 00:01:13,960 Tremble. 27 00:01:13,960 --> 00:01:16,360 Thus far, we've looked at Zechariah 28 00:01:16,360 --> 00:01:19,560 and his questioning of God, just shared about Mary 29 00:01:19,560 --> 00:01:20,880 and her walk of obedience. 30 00:01:20,880 --> 00:01:23,640 And last week, I talked about Joseph being 31 00:01:23,640 --> 00:01:26,560 the unsung hero of Christmas. 32 00:01:26,560 --> 00:01:29,080 This morning, you may have guessed it, 33 00:01:29,080 --> 00:01:33,000 we're going to be looking at the story of a squad of shepherds 34 00:01:33,000 --> 00:01:36,080 who encountered an angel and many more angels 35 00:01:36,080 --> 00:01:38,920 on the night of Jesus' birth. 36 00:01:38,920 --> 00:01:42,000 Speaking of stories, I heard about a 10-year-old kid 37 00:01:42,000 --> 00:01:45,000 who really wanted a new bike for Christmas. 38 00:01:45,000 --> 00:01:47,160 Of course, it was a few days before the big day 39 00:01:47,160 --> 00:01:49,560 he's really been wearing his parents out. 40 00:01:49,560 --> 00:01:53,800 Hey, mommy, dad, I would love a bike for Christmas. 41 00:01:53,800 --> 00:01:57,720 Mom, all I want for Christmas is a new bike. 42 00:01:57,720 --> 00:02:00,120 Hey, dad, wouldn't it be great 43 00:02:00,120 --> 00:02:02,920 if I got a new bike for Christmas? 44 00:02:02,920 --> 00:02:05,680 And finally, his mom, fed up, says, son, 45 00:02:05,680 --> 00:02:08,240 I've heard enough about this Christmas bike. 46 00:02:08,240 --> 00:02:10,840 Of course, she's all stressed out about holiday prep 47 00:02:10,840 --> 00:02:13,680 and having the family over for dinner. 48 00:02:13,680 --> 00:02:16,560 And she says, if you really want a new bike, 49 00:02:16,560 --> 00:02:19,200 go on up to your room and talk to God about it. 50 00:02:19,200 --> 00:02:21,560 Take some time to pray. 51 00:02:21,560 --> 00:02:24,640 The son responded, okay, headed up to get theirs 52 00:02:24,640 --> 00:02:28,000 to his room and suddenly begins to pray. 53 00:02:28,000 --> 00:02:31,120 But the mom hears this screaming and yelling 54 00:02:31,120 --> 00:02:33,440 coming from her son's room, Jesus, 55 00:02:34,560 --> 00:02:37,000 I really want a new bike. 56 00:02:37,000 --> 00:02:41,480 Hey, God, wouldn't a new bike for Christmas 57 00:02:41,480 --> 00:02:43,360 be a great idea? 58 00:02:43,360 --> 00:02:46,400 The mom quickly runs up the stairs, opens the door, 59 00:02:46,400 --> 00:02:49,040 looks at her son and says, what are you doing? 60 00:02:49,040 --> 00:02:50,520 You don't have to pray like that. 61 00:02:50,520 --> 00:02:52,880 God's not deaf. 62 00:02:52,880 --> 00:02:54,640 To which the little boy responded, 63 00:02:54,640 --> 00:02:57,960 I know God's not deaf, but grandma is. 64 00:03:00,960 --> 00:03:04,840 Now the shepherds definitely were not deaf. 65 00:03:04,840 --> 00:03:08,760 And I want you to think about the simple scene change 66 00:03:08,760 --> 00:03:11,000 that takes place in Luke chapter two. 67 00:03:11,000 --> 00:03:12,840 Most of us have heard this story before, 68 00:03:12,840 --> 00:03:15,240 but this will be read in Luke two, six through seven. 69 00:03:15,240 --> 00:03:17,040 And while they were there, 70 00:03:17,040 --> 00:03:19,680 the time came for her baby to be born. 71 00:03:19,680 --> 00:03:21,920 She gave birth to her firstborn son. 72 00:03:21,920 --> 00:03:24,160 She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth 73 00:03:24,160 --> 00:03:25,640 and laid him in a manger 74 00:03:25,640 --> 00:03:28,400 because there was no lodging available for them. 75 00:03:28,400 --> 00:03:30,600 So two verses that many of us know. 76 00:03:30,600 --> 00:03:33,040 And then in verse eight, listen to this, 77 00:03:33,040 --> 00:03:35,880 that night there were shepherds staying in the fields 78 00:03:35,880 --> 00:03:38,600 nearby guarding their flocks of sheep. 79 00:03:38,600 --> 00:03:40,880 Now, if you really ponder that for a second, 80 00:03:40,880 --> 00:03:42,880 isn't that a little odd? 81 00:03:42,880 --> 00:03:44,600 Almost like it's a little out of place, 82 00:03:44,600 --> 00:03:45,760 a sort of unusual. 83 00:03:45,760 --> 00:03:48,680 Luke, here he is talking about Jesus 84 00:03:48,680 --> 00:03:51,800 being born of a virgin who is the savior of the world. 85 00:03:51,800 --> 00:03:54,840 I mean, it's a miracle, it's good news. 86 00:03:54,840 --> 00:03:57,200 And then in the next verse, 87 00:03:57,200 --> 00:04:01,320 oh, by the way, there's this squad of shepherds 88 00:04:01,320 --> 00:04:04,000 minding their own business out in the fields, 89 00:04:04,000 --> 00:04:05,280 working in all nighters, 90 00:04:05,280 --> 00:04:08,280 sipping on a cup of black AC and tea coffee. 91 00:04:10,120 --> 00:04:12,880 And I thought to myself this week, 92 00:04:12,880 --> 00:04:14,800 as I'm reading over these verses, 93 00:04:14,800 --> 00:04:18,600 so many people, they just skip over that verse. 94 00:04:18,600 --> 00:04:21,760 They don't truly read it or observe it 95 00:04:21,760 --> 00:04:24,920 for the truth that God is trying to teach us. 96 00:04:24,920 --> 00:04:29,520 This morning, I just simply wanna zoom in on the shepherds. 97 00:04:29,520 --> 00:04:31,200 Why the shepherds? 98 00:04:31,200 --> 00:04:35,080 I mean, what's the meaning of Luke so quickly moving 99 00:04:35,080 --> 00:04:38,640 from the birth of Jesus that we were just singing about 100 00:04:38,640 --> 00:04:41,720 to the shepherds hanging in the field? 101 00:04:41,720 --> 00:04:44,120 What's the motivation of God adding a bunch 102 00:04:44,120 --> 00:04:46,000 of low class shepherds 103 00:04:46,000 --> 00:04:48,840 to this incredible, miraculous story? 104 00:04:49,960 --> 00:04:52,240 For many of us, we don't realize that shepherds 105 00:04:52,240 --> 00:04:54,800 were actually outcasts in their society. 106 00:04:54,800 --> 00:04:56,680 They worked the night shift for a reason. 107 00:04:56,680 --> 00:04:59,800 Their best friends were animals. 108 00:04:59,800 --> 00:05:01,960 Shepherds were unable to worship in the temple 109 00:05:01,960 --> 00:05:04,320 because they were ceremonial unclean. 110 00:05:04,320 --> 00:05:06,800 We have to remember that shepherds were constantly touching 111 00:05:06,800 --> 00:05:08,640 and burying the dead. 112 00:05:08,640 --> 00:05:10,080 Shepherds, right? 113 00:05:10,080 --> 00:05:13,000 Their witness couldn't be used in a court of law 114 00:05:13,000 --> 00:05:15,400 because they were untrustworthy. 115 00:05:15,400 --> 00:05:20,400 Shepherds, shepherds in the Christmas story. 116 00:05:20,560 --> 00:05:22,240 Fast forward to today. 117 00:05:22,240 --> 00:05:26,320 If a baby is born to British royalty, guess what? 118 00:05:26,320 --> 00:05:29,400 It's not the cab drivers or the fishermen on the docks 119 00:05:29,400 --> 00:05:31,240 that hear this news. 120 00:05:31,240 --> 00:05:33,520 Who gets the news? 121 00:05:33,520 --> 00:05:36,720 It's the media, the TMZers, the multi-billionaires, 122 00:05:36,720 --> 00:05:38,640 those with power. 123 00:05:38,640 --> 00:05:40,480 A new royal line is born. 124 00:05:40,480 --> 00:05:42,400 They're the first ones to hear. 125 00:05:42,400 --> 00:05:44,920 I believe if Hollywood was writing a script 126 00:05:44,920 --> 00:05:47,320 for the birth of Jesus, where would he be born? 127 00:05:47,320 --> 00:05:49,480 Ritz Carlton, right? 128 00:05:49,480 --> 00:05:52,600 Followed by mass email and direct messages 129 00:05:52,600 --> 00:05:56,800 to the most important people in the world, but not God. 130 00:05:56,800 --> 00:05:59,640 God chooses the lowest of the low. 131 00:05:59,640 --> 00:06:02,320 He chooses shepherds. 132 00:06:02,320 --> 00:06:04,920 And I want us all just to ponder for a few minutes 133 00:06:04,920 --> 00:06:08,760 three simple reasons that God would do this for us, 134 00:06:08,760 --> 00:06:10,800 which leads us to our first one. 135 00:06:10,800 --> 00:06:15,800 See, humanity, you and I, we can relate to the shepherds. 136 00:06:16,200 --> 00:06:21,040 Shepherds were so low, so destitute and downtrodden 137 00:06:21,040 --> 00:06:23,360 that we can connect with them. 138 00:06:23,360 --> 00:06:27,240 I mean, not only, think about this, are they shepherds, 139 00:06:27,240 --> 00:06:29,720 but they're the shepherds in Bethlehem, 140 00:06:29,720 --> 00:06:32,280 which means they're the B-team shepherds. 141 00:06:32,280 --> 00:06:35,560 They're the JV squad because they're not in Jerusalem, 142 00:06:35,560 --> 00:06:37,600 because the Bible tells us nothing good 143 00:06:37,600 --> 00:06:38,920 comes from Bethlehem. 144 00:06:38,920 --> 00:06:42,640 In other words, they're the ones they weren't afraid 145 00:06:42,640 --> 00:06:44,400 to get their hands dirty, right? 146 00:06:44,400 --> 00:06:48,400 They're daily working hard to protect their flocks from harm. 147 00:06:48,400 --> 00:06:49,800 And think about their life. 148 00:06:49,800 --> 00:06:51,520 They live a boring life. 149 00:06:51,520 --> 00:06:53,360 All they do is stare at animals. 150 00:06:53,360 --> 00:06:55,440 They don't want anything to happen. 151 00:06:55,440 --> 00:06:57,320 Because if something happens, 152 00:06:57,320 --> 00:07:00,480 that means that they have to fight off predators. 153 00:07:01,800 --> 00:07:03,120 Think about this. 154 00:07:03,120 --> 00:07:07,240 The shepherds would become the first ones to follow Jesus 155 00:07:07,240 --> 00:07:09,080 and truly believe. 156 00:07:09,080 --> 00:07:12,080 So this speaks directly to all of us. 157 00:07:12,080 --> 00:07:14,440 Listen, it doesn't matter who you are. 158 00:07:14,440 --> 00:07:16,760 It doesn't matter where you come from, what you've done, 159 00:07:16,760 --> 00:07:19,200 rich, poor, high, low, male, female. 160 00:07:19,200 --> 00:07:21,840 It doesn't matter about your nationality. 161 00:07:21,840 --> 00:07:25,160 Everyone is invited to come to Jesus. 162 00:07:26,040 --> 00:07:27,920 And that's why it's so important for us 163 00:07:27,920 --> 00:07:30,320 that we've adopted the tagline on all of our shirts, 164 00:07:30,320 --> 00:07:33,720 come as you are, because we believe that's who God is. 165 00:07:33,720 --> 00:07:35,160 He wants people to simply come. 166 00:07:35,160 --> 00:07:38,000 That's the good news of the gospel. 167 00:07:38,000 --> 00:07:40,640 Listen to this truth in Luke two, eight through 12. 168 00:07:40,640 --> 00:07:42,440 That night there were shepherds 169 00:07:42,440 --> 00:07:45,560 staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. 170 00:07:45,560 --> 00:07:48,040 And suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared among them 171 00:07:48,040 --> 00:07:50,960 and the radiance of the Lord's glory surrounded them. 172 00:07:50,960 --> 00:07:52,640 They were terrified, 173 00:07:52,640 --> 00:07:55,560 but the angel reassured them, don't be afraid, he said. 174 00:07:55,560 --> 00:07:59,120 I bring you good news that will be great joy for all people. 175 00:07:59,120 --> 00:08:01,960 The Savior, yes, the Messiah, the Lord, 176 00:08:01,960 --> 00:08:03,480 has been born today in Bethlehem, 177 00:08:03,480 --> 00:08:07,320 the city of David, and you will recognize him by this sign. 178 00:08:07,320 --> 00:08:11,120 You will find a baby wrapped in snugly strips of cloth 179 00:08:11,120 --> 00:08:13,400 lying in a manger. 180 00:08:13,400 --> 00:08:16,200 And we must remember, right, for those of you 181 00:08:16,200 --> 00:08:20,080 that are fearful that the ceiling's gonna burn down 182 00:08:20,080 --> 00:08:21,800 because you're in a church. 183 00:08:25,240 --> 00:08:30,240 These men, they viewed themselves as unworthy, unwelcome. 184 00:08:30,320 --> 00:08:31,840 That's why they're terrified. 185 00:08:31,840 --> 00:08:35,560 When God sends a messenger, which is an angel, 186 00:08:35,560 --> 00:08:38,120 and it visits a person who is unclean, 187 00:08:38,120 --> 00:08:40,080 you know what they're thinking in those fields? 188 00:08:40,080 --> 00:08:41,360 I'm dead. 189 00:08:41,360 --> 00:08:43,120 They thought it was over. 190 00:08:43,120 --> 00:08:45,320 But notice the angel says, no, no, 191 00:08:45,320 --> 00:08:50,320 God wants you to see and receive this good news. 192 00:08:50,320 --> 00:08:53,640 And the same goes for us this morning, 193 00:08:53,640 --> 00:08:55,120 which leads us to our next reason. 194 00:08:55,120 --> 00:08:58,840 See, Jesus compared himself to a shepherd. 195 00:08:58,840 --> 00:09:01,920 I believe the shepherds were the first to receive 196 00:09:01,920 --> 00:09:05,920 the birth announcement simply because they were shepherds. 197 00:09:05,920 --> 00:09:09,520 Moses was a shepherd, David was a shepherd, 198 00:09:09,520 --> 00:09:12,200 Jesus was known as a lamb. 199 00:09:12,200 --> 00:09:14,280 I mean, when he began his public ministry, 200 00:09:14,280 --> 00:09:16,840 John the Baptist in John 1.29 says, 201 00:09:16,840 --> 00:09:19,920 look, John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, 202 00:09:19,920 --> 00:09:24,920 the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. 203 00:09:25,480 --> 00:09:27,680 But not only was Jesus known as a shepherd, 204 00:09:27,680 --> 00:09:29,840 not only was Jesus known as a lamb, 205 00:09:29,840 --> 00:09:30,880 but a shepherd as well. 206 00:09:30,880 --> 00:09:34,160 Look at John 10, verse 11 and 14 to 15. 207 00:09:34,160 --> 00:09:35,960 I'm the good shepherd. 208 00:09:35,960 --> 00:09:40,120 The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep. 209 00:09:40,120 --> 00:09:41,880 I am the good shepherd. 210 00:09:41,880 --> 00:09:44,000 I know my own sheep and they know me 211 00:09:44,000 --> 00:09:46,440 just as my father knows me and I know the father. 212 00:09:46,440 --> 00:09:50,000 So I sacrifice my life for the sheep. 213 00:09:50,000 --> 00:09:52,560 And then Jesus says in John 10.27, 214 00:09:52,560 --> 00:09:55,560 my sheep listen to my voice, I know them, 215 00:09:55,560 --> 00:09:57,120 and they follow me. 216 00:09:57,120 --> 00:10:00,600 See the shepherds that were invited to see Jesus's birth, 217 00:10:00,600 --> 00:10:02,960 many scholars believe, were responsible 218 00:10:02,960 --> 00:10:06,000 for guarding the sheep that would be used 219 00:10:06,000 --> 00:10:08,600 as a sacrificial offering in the temples. 220 00:10:09,560 --> 00:10:11,000 But what did the shepherds do? 221 00:10:11,000 --> 00:10:14,560 They chose to leave their lambs, to leave their sheep, 222 00:10:14,560 --> 00:10:17,280 so that they could go and worship and see 223 00:10:17,280 --> 00:10:19,320 the one true lamb of the world. 224 00:10:19,320 --> 00:10:21,240 God again highlighting for all of us 225 00:10:21,240 --> 00:10:24,480 that animal sacrifices, they're not needed anymore. 226 00:10:24,480 --> 00:10:26,400 With the arrival of his son, 227 00:10:26,400 --> 00:10:29,720 because he would be the one sacrificed 228 00:10:29,720 --> 00:10:32,880 for the sins of the entire world. 229 00:10:32,880 --> 00:10:34,240 Which leads us to our next reason. 230 00:10:34,240 --> 00:10:36,840 You see fear, fear's real, 231 00:10:36,840 --> 00:10:40,200 and negatively impacts humanity. 232 00:10:40,200 --> 00:10:42,400 So the angels show up, 233 00:10:42,400 --> 00:10:45,360 and this is where the Christmas story for some of us 234 00:10:45,360 --> 00:10:47,040 gets a little tricky. 235 00:10:47,040 --> 00:10:49,480 Because in our rationalistic minds, 236 00:10:49,480 --> 00:10:52,000 we begin to reason, well, Chris, 237 00:10:52,000 --> 00:10:55,320 is there really a such thing as these angels? 238 00:10:55,320 --> 00:10:57,880 Isn't this just a story, isn't this just something made up? 239 00:10:57,880 --> 00:10:59,760 Well, let's read what the Bible says. 240 00:11:00,600 --> 00:11:03,240 In Luke two, nine through 10, and 13 to 14, 241 00:11:03,240 --> 00:11:05,800 suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared among them, 242 00:11:05,800 --> 00:11:08,040 and the radiance of the Lord's glory surrounded them. 243 00:11:08,040 --> 00:11:09,920 They were terrified. 244 00:11:10,800 --> 00:11:12,360 But the angel reassured them, don't be afraid, 245 00:11:12,360 --> 00:11:14,280 he said, I bring you good news. 246 00:11:14,280 --> 00:11:15,760 There will be great joy for all people, 247 00:11:15,760 --> 00:11:20,040 and not just one angel, but an army of angels. 248 00:11:20,040 --> 00:11:24,160 Then join Gabriel praising God and saying glory to God 249 00:11:24,160 --> 00:11:25,600 in highest heaven and peace on earth 250 00:11:25,600 --> 00:11:29,040 to those with whom God is pleased. 251 00:11:29,040 --> 00:11:29,880 I mean, I don't know about you, 252 00:11:29,880 --> 00:11:33,040 but I love the honesty we read from the shepherds. 253 00:11:33,040 --> 00:11:34,680 They were terrified. 254 00:11:34,680 --> 00:11:36,680 I don't know about you, but I'd be freaked out too. 255 00:11:36,680 --> 00:11:39,160 If I was in some dark field looking at an animal, 256 00:11:39,160 --> 00:11:41,160 and suddenly it just lights up, 257 00:11:41,160 --> 00:11:44,640 the sky lights up, and there's angels everywhere. 258 00:11:44,640 --> 00:11:48,920 And then you have Gabriel just spreading his wings, 259 00:11:48,920 --> 00:11:50,960 speaking to you, right? 260 00:11:50,960 --> 00:11:52,520 And you're like, well, Chris, it doesn't say it's Gabriel. 261 00:11:52,520 --> 00:11:54,640 Well, Gabriel's the one that showed up with messages 262 00:11:54,640 --> 00:11:56,160 from God. 263 00:11:56,160 --> 00:11:59,080 And sometimes when we read this, we begin to question, 264 00:11:59,080 --> 00:12:00,640 because for many of us, I don't know about you, 265 00:12:00,640 --> 00:12:03,200 I've never encountered an angel. 266 00:12:03,200 --> 00:12:05,040 Never seen an angel. 267 00:12:05,040 --> 00:12:07,640 And therefore, when it comes to you and I, 268 00:12:07,640 --> 00:12:11,480 we begin to question, well, is there such a thing as angels? 269 00:12:11,480 --> 00:12:12,760 Hmm. 270 00:12:12,760 --> 00:12:14,240 But what if we just pause for a second 271 00:12:14,240 --> 00:12:16,480 and think about what the eye cannot see? 272 00:12:16,480 --> 00:12:18,240 Have you ever thought about that? 273 00:12:18,240 --> 00:12:21,720 I mean, God just briefly pulling back the curtains 274 00:12:21,720 --> 00:12:25,200 of the supernatural, giving these shepherds 275 00:12:25,200 --> 00:12:26,640 a glimpse of God's kingdom. 276 00:12:26,640 --> 00:12:29,920 Is it really impossible? 277 00:12:29,920 --> 00:12:31,360 Think about what your eye can't see. 278 00:12:31,360 --> 00:12:32,720 My eyes, your eyes. 279 00:12:32,720 --> 00:12:33,960 We can't see atoms. 280 00:12:34,880 --> 00:12:36,760 We can't see molecules. 281 00:12:36,760 --> 00:12:40,480 We can't see infrared light, but we know they're all there. 282 00:12:40,480 --> 00:12:42,760 We can't see germs, but I guarantee you, 283 00:12:42,760 --> 00:12:45,720 you know someone that's sick right now. 284 00:12:45,720 --> 00:12:47,520 We can't see a lot of things. 285 00:12:47,520 --> 00:12:49,920 And then you think about quantum physics. 286 00:12:49,920 --> 00:12:51,920 Right now, if you read about quantum physics, 287 00:12:51,920 --> 00:12:54,480 it's suggesting that the past, present, and future 288 00:12:54,480 --> 00:12:58,080 are all happening right now, at the same time. 289 00:12:59,200 --> 00:13:00,760 You say, well, Chris, what's that have to do with God? 290 00:13:00,760 --> 00:13:02,600 Well, listen to what the Bible says about God. 291 00:13:02,600 --> 00:13:06,240 A day is like a thousand years to God. 292 00:13:06,240 --> 00:13:09,400 And a thousand years is like a day. 293 00:13:09,400 --> 00:13:10,880 See, there's all sorts of things 294 00:13:10,880 --> 00:13:12,720 that we can't see that are true, 295 00:13:14,040 --> 00:13:16,920 but then we begin to reason, is there really angels? 296 00:13:16,920 --> 00:13:18,840 I've never seen a thought, have you? 297 00:13:18,840 --> 00:13:20,160 I've never seen determination. 298 00:13:20,160 --> 00:13:21,960 I've seen the results of determination. 299 00:13:21,960 --> 00:13:22,920 I've never seen it. 300 00:13:24,040 --> 00:13:27,320 So for some of you, well, this story is nonsense. 301 00:13:27,320 --> 00:13:28,520 No, it's not nonsense. 302 00:13:28,520 --> 00:13:31,280 It's an angel, followed by a chorus of angels 303 00:13:31,280 --> 00:13:35,440 communicating to a squad of first century shepherds. 304 00:13:37,400 --> 00:13:40,040 Are you open to receiving all that God has 305 00:13:40,040 --> 00:13:41,600 for you this morning? 306 00:13:41,600 --> 00:13:44,240 I love the way Luke 2, 10 is read in the Amplified, 307 00:13:44,240 --> 00:13:45,800 but the angel said to them, 308 00:13:45,800 --> 00:13:50,760 do not be afraid for behold, I bring you good news 309 00:13:50,760 --> 00:13:53,320 of great joy, which will be for all people. 310 00:13:53,320 --> 00:13:58,320 Now that word behold, it means to grasp, to relish. 311 00:13:59,320 --> 00:14:02,120 The fact that the good news, which brings great joy, 312 00:14:02,120 --> 00:14:05,040 has come to the earth for all people. 313 00:14:05,040 --> 00:14:06,800 Friends, it's Christmas. 314 00:14:06,800 --> 00:14:08,640 That's why we celebrate it. 315 00:14:08,640 --> 00:14:11,880 And Luke is communicating to us that if we just grasp it 316 00:14:11,880 --> 00:14:15,880 and if we grab ahold of it, if we relish this good news 317 00:14:15,880 --> 00:14:19,400 about Jesus coming to the earth, you know what it does? 318 00:14:19,400 --> 00:14:23,440 It flattens or destroys any phobias or fears 319 00:14:23,440 --> 00:14:24,640 that you and I deal with. 320 00:14:25,760 --> 00:14:28,720 I mean, just like I said at the beginning, fear is real. 321 00:14:28,720 --> 00:14:31,040 And we must remember at the beginning in creation, 322 00:14:31,040 --> 00:14:32,360 there was no fear. 323 00:14:33,360 --> 00:14:34,320 It was perfect. 324 00:14:35,200 --> 00:14:37,760 But then we read this in Genesis 3, 6 through 10. 325 00:14:37,760 --> 00:14:40,560 So she took some of the fruit and ate it. 326 00:14:40,560 --> 00:14:42,360 Then she gave some to her husband 327 00:14:42,360 --> 00:14:43,680 who was with her and ate it too. 328 00:14:43,680 --> 00:14:45,560 And at that moment, their eyes were open 329 00:14:45,560 --> 00:14:46,960 and they suddenly felt shame. 330 00:14:46,960 --> 00:14:49,760 So there's shame coming in at their nakedness. 331 00:14:49,760 --> 00:14:51,960 So they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves. 332 00:14:51,960 --> 00:14:54,360 And when the cool evening breezes were blowing, 333 00:14:54,360 --> 00:14:56,080 the man and his wife heard the Lord God 334 00:14:56,080 --> 00:14:57,960 walking about in the garden. 335 00:14:57,960 --> 00:15:01,000 So they hid from the Lord God among the trees. 336 00:15:01,000 --> 00:15:02,360 Then the Lord God called to the man, 337 00:15:02,360 --> 00:15:03,880 where are you who relied? 338 00:15:04,680 --> 00:15:06,600 I heard you walking in the garden, so I hid. 339 00:15:06,600 --> 00:15:11,240 I was afraid because I was naked. 340 00:15:11,240 --> 00:15:14,960 See, that was the first time fear entered 341 00:15:14,960 --> 00:15:17,480 into the equation of human existence. 342 00:15:17,480 --> 00:15:19,360 It's just something that you and I deal with 343 00:15:19,360 --> 00:15:21,520 every single day, it's fear. 344 00:15:21,520 --> 00:15:24,960 People fear rejection, loneliness. 345 00:15:24,960 --> 00:15:26,840 People fear the future. 346 00:15:26,840 --> 00:15:29,000 We fear we're never gonna be good enough. 347 00:15:29,000 --> 00:15:30,760 Some of you fear spiders. 348 00:15:31,760 --> 00:15:33,640 Some of you fear heights. 349 00:15:33,640 --> 00:15:37,160 Some of you are afraid to fly. 350 00:15:37,160 --> 00:15:40,520 It's amazing all the fears that we deal with. 351 00:15:40,520 --> 00:15:44,240 But the angels, notice what the angels say to the shepherds. 352 00:15:44,240 --> 00:15:45,880 Guys, I know you're afraid. 353 00:15:47,360 --> 00:15:50,960 Because anytime someone in the Bible gets near God, 354 00:15:50,960 --> 00:15:52,080 they become fearful. 355 00:15:53,240 --> 00:15:55,520 They become fearful because they're reminded 356 00:15:55,520 --> 00:15:58,240 that they're no longer in control. 357 00:15:58,240 --> 00:16:00,640 That there's someone in charge. 358 00:16:00,640 --> 00:16:02,600 And these angels are saying to the shepherds, 359 00:16:02,600 --> 00:16:04,120 focus on Jesus. 360 00:16:05,080 --> 00:16:09,000 Focus on the Savior, focus on the baby born in Bethlehem. 361 00:16:09,000 --> 00:16:13,240 Because prior to sin, there was no such thing as fear. 362 00:16:13,240 --> 00:16:16,360 After sin, after humanity, after you and I 363 00:16:16,360 --> 00:16:18,160 tried to gain control of our lives, 364 00:16:18,160 --> 00:16:19,520 that's when fear came in. 365 00:16:20,400 --> 00:16:21,560 And here's the reality. 366 00:16:22,520 --> 00:16:26,680 Whenever we're in charge, whenever we try to run the show, 367 00:16:26,680 --> 00:16:29,320 whenever I'm in control of my life, I'm the man, 368 00:16:29,320 --> 00:16:32,360 I'm gonna do this, this is how I'm gonna do it, 369 00:16:32,360 --> 00:16:35,080 that's when fear quickly consumes our lives. 370 00:16:36,120 --> 00:16:38,320 That's when we begin to question our decisions, 371 00:16:38,320 --> 00:16:41,840 our actions, our jobs, our relationships, our purpose. 372 00:16:41,840 --> 00:16:44,200 We're constantly struggling with fear, with doubt, 373 00:16:44,200 --> 00:16:46,320 we're overwhelmed with stress and anxiety. 374 00:16:47,360 --> 00:16:49,920 God is inviting us to return to the manger. 375 00:16:52,080 --> 00:16:56,560 God is inviting us to return to Jesus, why? 376 00:16:56,560 --> 00:16:59,880 Because 1 John 4.18 says, such love has no fear. 377 00:16:59,880 --> 00:17:02,640 Because perfect love expels all fear. 378 00:17:02,640 --> 00:17:06,400 If we're afraid, if we're fearful, if we have anxiety, 379 00:17:06,400 --> 00:17:08,160 it is for fear of punishment. 380 00:17:08,160 --> 00:17:10,400 And this shows that we have not fully experienced 381 00:17:10,400 --> 00:17:12,160 this perfect love. 382 00:17:12,160 --> 00:17:15,560 God's perfect love, which came in the form 383 00:17:15,560 --> 00:17:19,320 of a baby named Jesus, arrives on the scene. 384 00:17:19,320 --> 00:17:20,360 Why? 385 00:17:20,360 --> 00:17:22,640 To free us from our selfish agendas 386 00:17:22,640 --> 00:17:25,360 and to allow us to focus on what is important. 387 00:17:26,680 --> 00:17:29,080 Now, something that I want us all to see here 388 00:17:29,080 --> 00:17:32,920 is that the shepherds received the message. 389 00:17:34,240 --> 00:17:37,160 And every single day, even on Christmas Eve, 390 00:17:37,160 --> 00:17:39,560 we're gonna receive a lot of messages. 391 00:17:39,560 --> 00:17:42,280 We've received text messages, direct messages, 392 00:17:42,280 --> 00:17:46,200 emails, voicemails, some of you still use Post-It notes 393 00:17:46,200 --> 00:17:49,440 and put messages all over your house. 394 00:17:49,440 --> 00:17:53,120 But most of the messages we receive, let's be honest, 395 00:17:53,120 --> 00:17:54,560 we just scroll right past. 396 00:17:54,560 --> 00:17:59,240 Or we silence, or we ignore, or we send a voicemail 397 00:17:59,240 --> 00:18:01,640 because we feel like they're just a waste of time. 398 00:18:03,160 --> 00:18:08,160 This morning, all of us here gathered or watching online, 399 00:18:08,560 --> 00:18:10,120 you're receiving a message. 400 00:18:11,480 --> 00:18:14,480 You received a message when you walked through our doors. 401 00:18:15,280 --> 00:18:17,680 You got a smile, a handshake, a high five, 402 00:18:17,680 --> 00:18:19,080 you grabbed a cup of coffee. 403 00:18:21,040 --> 00:18:22,680 You worshiped, you sung. 404 00:18:22,680 --> 00:18:24,240 You saw a short video. 405 00:18:25,400 --> 00:18:28,000 This is a place with a message. 406 00:18:29,280 --> 00:18:31,520 And it is my prayer that you just don't 407 00:18:31,520 --> 00:18:33,200 scroll past the message. 408 00:18:34,200 --> 00:18:36,720 It's my prayer that you don't delete this message. 409 00:18:37,800 --> 00:18:41,520 It is my prayer that you take this message to heart. 410 00:18:41,520 --> 00:18:45,520 You personalize it and you do something with it 411 00:18:45,520 --> 00:18:47,960 because that's when life change happens. 412 00:18:48,760 --> 00:18:50,600 Which leads us to our four simple action steps 413 00:18:50,600 --> 00:18:52,800 of responding to the good news. 414 00:18:52,800 --> 00:18:54,320 Notice, all based on the shepherds. 415 00:18:54,320 --> 00:18:55,160 What did the shepherds first do? 416 00:18:55,160 --> 00:18:56,480 They received it. 417 00:18:56,480 --> 00:18:58,120 And we must do the same. 418 00:18:58,120 --> 00:19:00,160 The Savior, yes, the Messiah, the Lord, 419 00:19:00,160 --> 00:19:02,360 has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David. 420 00:19:02,360 --> 00:19:04,080 And you will recognize him by this sign. 421 00:19:04,080 --> 00:19:05,720 You will find a baby wrapped snugly 422 00:19:05,720 --> 00:19:08,520 and strips of cloth lying in a manger. 423 00:19:08,520 --> 00:19:09,360 And hear me out. 424 00:19:10,720 --> 00:19:14,320 There is nowhere else this type of wording 425 00:19:14,320 --> 00:19:17,400 is used in the announcement of Jesus' birth. 426 00:19:17,400 --> 00:19:18,920 Notice what Luke writes. 427 00:19:18,920 --> 00:19:22,920 The Savior, the Messiah, the Lord. 428 00:19:22,920 --> 00:19:27,920 Three powerful words spoken to you and I regarding Jesus. 429 00:19:29,360 --> 00:19:31,760 Now, I was never a basketball player. 430 00:19:31,760 --> 00:19:33,880 Okay, I grew up a wrestler, never played basketball 431 00:19:33,880 --> 00:19:36,280 in my life, but having children, 432 00:19:36,280 --> 00:19:39,480 I learned to become a basketball coach. 433 00:19:39,480 --> 00:19:41,880 So I've coached my daughter, I've coached my son 434 00:19:41,880 --> 00:19:44,680 in basketball, and I had to learn from one of the best. 435 00:19:44,680 --> 00:19:45,520 Thank you, Kevin Murphy. 436 00:19:45,520 --> 00:19:48,840 But he taught me how to be a basketball coach. 437 00:19:48,840 --> 00:19:52,240 He taught me about this thing called the triple threat. 438 00:19:52,240 --> 00:19:54,440 Okay, can you pass me the ball? 439 00:19:54,440 --> 00:19:55,560 Okay, here you go. 440 00:19:55,560 --> 00:19:57,800 So when you pass a basketball, 441 00:19:58,680 --> 00:20:00,800 you're supposed to receive it like that. 442 00:20:00,800 --> 00:20:02,200 And when you receive it like this, 443 00:20:02,200 --> 00:20:05,160 this is called the triple threat position. 444 00:20:05,160 --> 00:20:06,760 You know why? 445 00:20:06,760 --> 00:20:08,520 Because when you're in a triple threat position, 446 00:20:08,520 --> 00:20:13,520 I can dribble, I can pass, 447 00:20:14,320 --> 00:20:17,800 or I can drain a three to win the game. 448 00:20:17,800 --> 00:20:20,520 You have three different options. 449 00:20:21,560 --> 00:20:23,680 Someone needs to hear this this morning. 450 00:20:24,600 --> 00:20:27,280 Three powerful words. 451 00:20:27,280 --> 00:20:30,360 Jesus is your savior. 452 00:20:30,360 --> 00:20:33,360 Jesus is the Christ. 453 00:20:33,360 --> 00:20:35,720 Jesus is the Lord. 454 00:20:36,960 --> 00:20:39,440 And when you think about those three words, 455 00:20:39,440 --> 00:20:42,520 there's no battle, there's no storm, 456 00:20:42,520 --> 00:20:45,720 there's no struggle, there's no stress 457 00:20:45,720 --> 00:20:49,720 that can stand up to Jesus who is savior, 458 00:20:50,680 --> 00:20:53,120 Christ, and Lord. 459 00:20:54,160 --> 00:20:56,000 And something else important about this message 460 00:20:56,000 --> 00:20:59,800 to the shepherds, it tells us more about God 461 00:20:59,800 --> 00:21:01,560 than it does the shepherds. 462 00:21:01,560 --> 00:21:03,880 In other words, God's always working. 463 00:21:03,880 --> 00:21:07,560 He's supernaturally synchronizing your life and mine 464 00:21:07,560 --> 00:21:10,560 to meet right here at this moment in time. 465 00:21:10,560 --> 00:21:12,160 Have you ever thought about that? 466 00:21:12,160 --> 00:21:16,320 The shepherds were seeking, but God was seeking them more. 467 00:21:17,360 --> 00:21:20,160 And so you're here this morning for a divine reason, 468 00:21:21,760 --> 00:21:23,000 a divine purpose. 469 00:21:24,400 --> 00:21:27,680 And I believe that if you hear the message 470 00:21:27,680 --> 00:21:30,680 and you receive the message and you do something with it, 471 00:21:30,680 --> 00:21:33,480 your life will be radically changed. 472 00:21:33,480 --> 00:21:36,960 And hear me out, it's real easy to hear something 473 00:21:36,960 --> 00:21:39,040 and not do anything with it. 474 00:21:39,040 --> 00:21:42,280 Married couples, can I get an amen, right? 475 00:21:42,280 --> 00:21:44,760 If you've been married for any length of time, 476 00:21:44,760 --> 00:21:47,280 you quickly learn how to silence or ignore the voice 477 00:21:47,280 --> 00:21:48,840 of the one you love. 478 00:21:48,840 --> 00:21:51,280 And if you're in a relationship with God, 479 00:21:51,280 --> 00:21:53,160 we can do the same as well. 480 00:21:53,800 --> 00:21:56,240 But listen to the message that God wants you to receive 481 00:21:56,240 --> 00:21:58,720 this morning, 1 John 4, nine through 10. 482 00:21:58,720 --> 00:22:01,000 God showed how much He loved us 483 00:22:01,000 --> 00:22:02,840 by sending His one and only Son into the world 484 00:22:02,840 --> 00:22:05,440 so that we might have eternal life through Him. 485 00:22:05,440 --> 00:22:07,560 This is real love. 486 00:22:07,560 --> 00:22:12,560 Not that we love God, but that He loved us first 487 00:22:13,240 --> 00:22:17,200 and sent His Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. 488 00:22:18,840 --> 00:22:21,480 Will you receive the good news? 489 00:22:21,480 --> 00:22:22,760 Which leads us to our next step. 490 00:22:22,760 --> 00:22:25,080 Not only do you receive, but you gotta respond. 491 00:22:25,080 --> 00:22:27,240 When the angels had returned to the heaven, 492 00:22:27,240 --> 00:22:30,200 the shepherds said to each other, let's go to Bethlehem. 493 00:22:30,200 --> 00:22:31,760 Let's see this thing that's happened 494 00:22:31,760 --> 00:22:33,320 which the Lord has told us about. 495 00:22:33,320 --> 00:22:35,960 They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph 496 00:22:35,960 --> 00:22:38,560 and there was a baby lying in the manger. 497 00:22:38,560 --> 00:22:42,080 See, when we hear the message and then we respond to it, 498 00:22:42,080 --> 00:22:43,640 you know what it equals? 499 00:22:43,640 --> 00:22:45,240 It equals faith. 500 00:22:45,240 --> 00:22:48,680 See, the shepherds, they didn't hesitate. 501 00:22:48,680 --> 00:22:51,320 But notice the Bible says they hurried to the village. 502 00:22:51,320 --> 00:22:54,200 I love that image in the chosen clip 503 00:22:54,200 --> 00:22:57,400 where the man with the crotch, he's just running. 504 00:22:57,400 --> 00:22:59,640 So much that he's running that he's healed. 505 00:23:01,040 --> 00:23:02,760 And where were they running to? 506 00:23:02,760 --> 00:23:05,320 They were running to the village or they were running 507 00:23:05,320 --> 00:23:09,160 to the village or we could say they were running to the crib. 508 00:23:09,160 --> 00:23:10,920 See, I believe that Bethlehem was the site 509 00:23:10,920 --> 00:23:12,960 of the first MTV cribs. 510 00:23:14,360 --> 00:23:16,880 If you don't know anything about the show Cribs, 511 00:23:18,000 --> 00:23:21,600 it shows these fancy homes of the rich and famous 512 00:23:21,600 --> 00:23:23,600 and how they just spend all their money. 513 00:23:24,480 --> 00:23:26,800 And you say, well, Chris, how is Bethlehem 514 00:23:26,800 --> 00:23:28,080 the first MTV cribs? 515 00:23:28,080 --> 00:23:29,760 Well, cribs, if you break it down, 516 00:23:29,760 --> 00:23:34,440 it equals a crucial relationship initiated by the Savior. 517 00:23:35,320 --> 00:23:37,280 It's not about us going to Him, 518 00:23:37,280 --> 00:23:42,280 it's about Him already initiating it with us. 519 00:23:42,280 --> 00:23:43,960 And see, those shepherds, they didn't stand there 520 00:23:43,960 --> 00:23:47,320 frozen in fear, they didn't question what they just heard. 521 00:23:47,320 --> 00:23:48,160 What did they do? 522 00:23:48,160 --> 00:23:49,560 They ran, they responded. 523 00:23:50,960 --> 00:23:53,520 And quite often what happens during our Sunday gatherings, 524 00:23:53,520 --> 00:23:56,120 during our Christmas gatherings, there's people that come 525 00:23:56,120 --> 00:23:59,760 and they're overwhelmed, the music is special. 526 00:24:00,800 --> 00:24:02,440 It's beautiful in here. 527 00:24:03,800 --> 00:24:05,560 I love being around the people, they love me 528 00:24:05,560 --> 00:24:08,080 and they accept me, right? 529 00:24:08,080 --> 00:24:09,680 I love the high fives and the coffee 530 00:24:09,680 --> 00:24:11,000 and the welcoming environment 531 00:24:11,000 --> 00:24:14,000 and I can sense there's something different here. 532 00:24:14,000 --> 00:24:16,400 It's like I wanna weep or I wanna cry 533 00:24:16,400 --> 00:24:18,680 and I have this peace coming over me. 534 00:24:20,600 --> 00:24:22,520 But if you leave here without responding, 535 00:24:22,520 --> 00:24:24,520 you know what that equals? 536 00:24:24,520 --> 00:24:27,400 A beautiful service, a memory. 537 00:24:29,480 --> 00:24:31,240 If you do nothing with it 538 00:24:31,240 --> 00:24:34,000 and you don't initiate the relationship, 539 00:24:34,000 --> 00:24:35,240 then nothing changes. 540 00:24:37,160 --> 00:24:40,240 The shepherds responded and found. 541 00:24:41,120 --> 00:24:44,760 And the Greek word for found means an intense search. 542 00:24:44,760 --> 00:24:48,560 They intentionally searched and found. 543 00:24:49,960 --> 00:24:53,000 The shepherds were the first ones to have faith. 544 00:24:53,000 --> 00:24:55,240 And what is faith, Romans 10, 17? 545 00:24:55,240 --> 00:24:57,360 Faith comes from hearing, 546 00:24:57,360 --> 00:24:59,200 hearing the good news about Christ. 547 00:24:59,200 --> 00:25:03,440 They heard, they received, they responded. 548 00:25:03,440 --> 00:25:05,280 And that equals faith. 549 00:25:05,280 --> 00:25:07,320 And that's what happened to the shepherds. 550 00:25:07,320 --> 00:25:12,080 But for so many of us, we have a tough time surrendering, 551 00:25:12,080 --> 00:25:14,520 surrendering to God. 552 00:25:14,520 --> 00:25:16,200 It's just human nature 553 00:25:16,200 --> 00:25:19,360 because we wanna be in control of our own worlds. 554 00:25:19,360 --> 00:25:21,640 We wanna take care of ourselves. 555 00:25:21,640 --> 00:25:24,960 And there's two ways that we show our hostility 556 00:25:24,960 --> 00:25:26,200 or our ignorance towards God. 557 00:25:26,200 --> 00:25:29,240 The first is very overt and outspoken. 558 00:25:29,240 --> 00:25:31,280 Hey, God, I'm the man. 559 00:25:31,280 --> 00:25:35,440 I'm gonna do what's best for me, stay out of my way. 560 00:25:35,440 --> 00:25:37,800 Well, until I'm in a crisis, maybe I'll talk to you then, 561 00:25:37,800 --> 00:25:40,200 but I'm in control of my life. 562 00:25:41,560 --> 00:25:42,840 We all know people like that, 563 00:25:42,840 --> 00:25:45,120 self-consumed, focused on self. 564 00:25:45,120 --> 00:25:48,400 The second way is the covert or religious person 565 00:25:48,400 --> 00:25:52,400 who says, well, I'm gonna read the Bible. 566 00:25:52,400 --> 00:25:55,440 I'm gonna follow the Bible and kind of do what it says 567 00:25:55,440 --> 00:25:59,760 because if I do what it says, then God has to bless me, right? 568 00:26:01,040 --> 00:26:04,800 The church has to listen to me if I show up and I give 569 00:26:04,800 --> 00:26:07,880 and they have to do what I want. 570 00:26:07,880 --> 00:26:09,280 But in both instances, 571 00:26:09,280 --> 00:26:11,440 these people are struggling with control. 572 00:26:13,000 --> 00:26:15,560 Becoming a follower of Jesus is about surrendering control. 573 00:26:15,560 --> 00:26:17,680 It's what it's about. 574 00:26:17,680 --> 00:26:20,520 It's about saying, hey, God, you're in control. 575 00:26:20,520 --> 00:26:22,760 Lead me into abundance. 576 00:26:24,000 --> 00:26:25,600 The shepherds received, they responded, 577 00:26:25,600 --> 00:26:27,280 and next, they worshiped. 578 00:26:28,280 --> 00:26:33,280 And the cool thing about the angelic visit is the angels, 579 00:26:34,280 --> 00:26:37,120 right, gave them example of what it looks like. 580 00:26:38,040 --> 00:26:41,160 Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vastness of others, 581 00:26:41,160 --> 00:26:44,160 armies of heaven, praising God and saying, 582 00:26:44,160 --> 00:26:46,240 listen to the song they sung, 583 00:26:46,240 --> 00:26:48,480 glory to God in the highest heaven 584 00:26:48,480 --> 00:26:52,400 and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased. 585 00:26:52,400 --> 00:26:54,480 Friends, this is a song of praise. 586 00:26:54,480 --> 00:26:56,000 It's a song of presence. 587 00:26:56,000 --> 00:26:58,080 He was sending his presence onto the earth 588 00:26:58,080 --> 00:27:00,080 and it was a song of purpose. 589 00:27:00,080 --> 00:27:02,880 God is pleased with us when we're serving others. 590 00:27:02,880 --> 00:27:05,880 When it's worship, it's a time of connecting with God. 591 00:27:05,880 --> 00:27:08,360 And I want to encourage you to continue to connect with God 592 00:27:08,360 --> 00:27:09,840 during the holidays. 593 00:27:09,840 --> 00:27:11,800 Christmas music's great, don't get me wrong, 594 00:27:11,800 --> 00:27:13,080 it's great for a month. 595 00:27:13,080 --> 00:27:15,880 Okay, we all love to sing the Christmas songs. 596 00:27:15,880 --> 00:27:19,680 They all come back around for a month, a year, perfect. 597 00:27:19,680 --> 00:27:21,520 And then they go away. 598 00:27:21,520 --> 00:27:25,000 But I want to encourage you, just don't focus on 599 00:27:25,000 --> 00:27:29,440 last Christmas, focus on the worship songs of the season. 600 00:27:29,440 --> 00:27:30,800 Because isn't it true? 601 00:27:30,800 --> 00:27:33,000 Yes, Santa Claus is coming to town, 602 00:27:33,000 --> 00:27:35,920 then he leaves for a whole nother year. 603 00:27:35,920 --> 00:27:39,920 Jesus is with us 365 days out of that year. 604 00:27:39,920 --> 00:27:44,040 And when we come and adore him, when we come and adore 605 00:27:44,040 --> 00:27:47,280 his presence and his peace and we sing to him, 606 00:27:47,280 --> 00:27:49,240 that's when we connect. 607 00:27:49,240 --> 00:27:51,520 The shepherds worshiped. 608 00:27:51,520 --> 00:27:54,560 They went to Bethlehem to visit the child, they worshiped. 609 00:27:54,560 --> 00:27:57,080 And then in Luke 2.20, what do we see them doing? 610 00:27:57,080 --> 00:27:58,880 They returned to their flocks and what do they do? 611 00:27:58,880 --> 00:28:01,680 They're glorifying God, they're praising God 612 00:28:01,680 --> 00:28:03,160 for all they had heard and seen. 613 00:28:03,160 --> 00:28:05,760 It was just as the angel had told them. 614 00:28:05,760 --> 00:28:08,520 See, all of us gathered here, even watching on last Christmas, 615 00:28:08,520 --> 00:28:10,360 all of us gathered here, even watching online, 616 00:28:10,360 --> 00:28:12,680 we all worship something or someone. 617 00:28:13,720 --> 00:28:16,080 To worship simply means to put someone or something 618 00:28:16,080 --> 00:28:18,680 on a high level to show high esteem. 619 00:28:19,640 --> 00:28:21,480 And within our culture, there's a lot of people 620 00:28:21,480 --> 00:28:25,800 that worship money, the need and desire to have more stuff 621 00:28:25,800 --> 00:28:30,080 because it makes them feel like they're successful. 622 00:28:30,080 --> 00:28:32,000 When in reality, it just leads to emptiness. 623 00:28:32,000 --> 00:28:37,000 For other people, they worship or desire relationships. 624 00:28:37,000 --> 00:28:38,400 They need people. 625 00:28:39,600 --> 00:28:42,280 And unfortunately, they realize that it's work. 626 00:28:42,280 --> 00:28:44,880 There's no such thing as happily ever after. 627 00:28:44,880 --> 00:28:47,320 For still others, they wanna find success in a job 628 00:28:47,320 --> 00:28:49,320 or a position or a title. 629 00:28:49,320 --> 00:28:50,840 That's the reason I live. 630 00:28:52,040 --> 00:28:55,040 Only to find emptiness in hours and hours and hours 631 00:28:55,040 --> 00:28:55,880 of hard work. 632 00:28:57,520 --> 00:28:59,560 God is the only one worthy of our worship. 633 00:29:00,560 --> 00:29:03,440 And he wants to know you personally this morning. 634 00:29:03,440 --> 00:29:05,920 He wants to have a relationship with you. 635 00:29:05,920 --> 00:29:10,120 And those shepherds, those lowly outcast shepherds, 636 00:29:10,120 --> 00:29:11,760 they understood that truth. 637 00:29:11,760 --> 00:29:15,040 And that's why they rapidly, without haste, 638 00:29:15,040 --> 00:29:16,880 went to worship the newborn son. 639 00:29:18,240 --> 00:29:20,960 This is what true worship looks like, Romans 12. 640 00:29:20,960 --> 00:29:23,120 And so, dear brothers and sisters, 641 00:29:23,120 --> 00:29:26,280 I plead with you to give your bodies to God 642 00:29:26,280 --> 00:29:28,080 for all he has done for you. 643 00:29:28,080 --> 00:29:30,520 Let them be a living and holy sacrifice, 644 00:29:30,520 --> 00:29:33,120 the kind he will find acceptable. 645 00:29:33,120 --> 00:29:35,400 This is truly the way to worship him. 646 00:29:35,400 --> 00:29:38,400 And if you don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, 647 00:29:38,400 --> 00:29:40,520 but let God transform you into a new person 648 00:29:40,520 --> 00:29:42,240 by changing the way you think, 649 00:29:43,120 --> 00:29:44,640 then you'll learn to know God's will for you, 650 00:29:44,640 --> 00:29:48,320 which is good and pleasing and perfect. 651 00:29:49,520 --> 00:29:51,080 It's amazing. 652 00:29:51,080 --> 00:29:54,400 It's just a crazy story about shepherds. 653 00:29:55,360 --> 00:29:58,280 One minute, they're in the dark, 654 00:29:58,280 --> 00:29:59,880 then boom, they're in the light. 655 00:30:00,920 --> 00:30:02,760 One minute, they're unwelcome, they're unclean, 656 00:30:02,760 --> 00:30:07,120 they're spirits are power washed with God's grace. 657 00:30:07,120 --> 00:30:07,960 What did they do? 658 00:30:07,960 --> 00:30:10,600 They received, they responded, they worshiped, 659 00:30:10,600 --> 00:30:13,040 and then they shared. 660 00:30:13,040 --> 00:30:14,560 They couldn't hold it in. 661 00:30:14,560 --> 00:30:16,440 After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone 662 00:30:16,440 --> 00:30:18,280 what had happened and what the angel had said to them 663 00:30:18,280 --> 00:30:19,600 about this child. 664 00:30:19,600 --> 00:30:22,880 All who heard the shepherd's story were astonished. 665 00:30:22,880 --> 00:30:27,440 They simply told others what happened to them. 666 00:30:27,440 --> 00:30:30,840 Think about it, the shepherds heard it from the angels, 667 00:30:30,840 --> 00:30:32,840 saw it with their own eyes, 668 00:30:32,840 --> 00:30:34,840 and then they simply shared that good news 669 00:30:34,840 --> 00:30:36,560 with anyone and everyone. 670 00:30:37,720 --> 00:30:40,680 They didn't say they were a theologian. 671 00:30:40,680 --> 00:30:42,360 They didn't go to seminary. 672 00:30:42,360 --> 00:30:45,400 It doesn't say that they had the Bible memorized. 673 00:30:45,400 --> 00:30:49,600 They just said, this is what happened to me. 674 00:30:49,600 --> 00:30:52,040 And the people were, how did the people respond? 675 00:30:52,040 --> 00:30:55,000 They were astonished. 676 00:30:56,560 --> 00:31:00,280 Remember, the shepherds were the first ones 677 00:31:00,280 --> 00:31:05,280 to exercise faith, and God calls us to do the same. 678 00:31:07,360 --> 00:31:09,520 But for some of you here this morning, 679 00:31:09,520 --> 00:31:10,840 I have a question for you. 680 00:31:12,040 --> 00:31:14,520 Are you willing to say goodbye to fear? 681 00:31:15,960 --> 00:31:20,960 Are you willing to say goodbye to the fear of man 682 00:31:21,720 --> 00:31:25,560 so that you can boldly share this good news? 683 00:31:26,480 --> 00:31:28,200 Romans 10 tells us, 684 00:31:28,200 --> 00:31:31,080 everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. 685 00:31:31,080 --> 00:31:33,880 But how can they call on him to save them 686 00:31:33,880 --> 00:31:35,600 unless they believe in him? 687 00:31:35,600 --> 00:31:36,920 And how can they believe in him 688 00:31:36,920 --> 00:31:38,240 if they have never heard about him? 689 00:31:38,240 --> 00:31:41,000 And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? 690 00:31:41,000 --> 00:31:44,280 And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? 691 00:31:44,280 --> 00:31:46,200 That is why the scriptures say, 692 00:31:46,200 --> 00:31:48,120 how beautiful are the feet of the messengers 693 00:31:48,120 --> 00:31:50,920 who bring good news. 694 00:31:50,920 --> 00:31:52,000 Will you stand with me? 695 00:31:52,000 --> 00:31:55,000 Holy Spirit, we just invite you to come, God. 696 00:31:56,840 --> 00:32:00,400 God, we just pray that you would move in this place. 697 00:32:00,400 --> 00:32:02,600 God, there would not be a person 698 00:32:04,320 --> 00:32:08,280 that doesn't sense and know that you are here. 699 00:32:11,440 --> 00:32:13,960 Listen, for all of us gathered here this morning, 700 00:32:13,960 --> 00:32:15,480 for you watching online, 701 00:32:15,480 --> 00:32:18,200 we pray that you would move in this place. 702 00:32:18,200 --> 00:32:22,120 Listen, for all of us gathered here this morning, for you watching online, 703 00:32:23,160 --> 00:32:27,240 this gathering has left a message. 704 00:32:28,760 --> 00:32:33,960 At first was a message in my heart that God downloaded to me 705 00:32:33,960 --> 00:32:35,920 that then I then shared with you. 706 00:32:37,160 --> 00:32:38,400 And I want to challenge you. 707 00:32:40,760 --> 00:32:42,280 Don't scroll past it. 708 00:32:44,280 --> 00:32:45,440 Don't delete it. 709 00:32:45,440 --> 00:32:46,440 Don't look at it. 710 00:32:48,800 --> 00:32:49,800 Reflect on it 711 00:32:52,560 --> 00:32:53,560 and respond to it. 712 00:32:57,840 --> 00:33:01,360 And for so many people, they struggle with these decisions 713 00:33:01,360 --> 00:33:03,760 because of that simple word, fear. 714 00:33:06,400 --> 00:33:08,920 They're fearful of what other people may think. 715 00:33:08,920 --> 00:33:11,640 Now, I want you to take a second, humor me, 716 00:33:11,640 --> 00:33:13,640 and look at the people beside you. 717 00:33:13,640 --> 00:33:15,360 Look around, look at the people. 718 00:33:15,360 --> 00:33:16,360 Be sure if you know them or not. 719 00:33:16,360 --> 00:33:17,360 Look at them. 720 00:33:17,360 --> 00:33:18,360 Make eye contact. 721 00:33:18,360 --> 00:33:19,360 Go ahead. 722 00:33:19,360 --> 00:33:21,360 It's just people. 723 00:33:21,360 --> 00:33:23,000 That's all it is. 724 00:33:23,000 --> 00:33:25,000 There really are just people here. 725 00:33:25,000 --> 00:33:28,320 Isn't it amazing? 726 00:33:28,320 --> 00:33:30,600 But we're all just people. 727 00:33:30,600 --> 00:33:35,640 But yet, some of us, we won't raise our hands in worship 728 00:33:35,640 --> 00:33:38,080 because we're afraid that the person beside me, 729 00:33:38,080 --> 00:33:40,400 oh, Jesus for you. 730 00:33:40,400 --> 00:33:46,320 Some of us won't even sing on a Sunday morning because, 731 00:33:46,320 --> 00:33:49,400 oh, they might judge my voice. 732 00:33:49,400 --> 00:33:52,360 Who cares? 733 00:33:52,360 --> 00:33:57,120 Some of you won't go all in and say, 734 00:33:57,120 --> 00:34:00,480 yes, Jesus, I believe in you because your family may judge you. 735 00:34:00,480 --> 00:34:04,840 Listen, can I be honest with you? 736 00:34:04,840 --> 00:34:07,400 It wasn't my dream. 737 00:34:07,400 --> 00:34:12,600 It wasn't my desire that I would stand on a stage 738 00:34:12,600 --> 00:34:13,920 and teach about Jesus. 739 00:34:13,920 --> 00:34:18,240 I didn't want to do that. 740 00:34:18,240 --> 00:34:21,080 But God called me. 741 00:34:21,080 --> 00:34:23,080 I received it. 742 00:34:23,080 --> 00:34:24,520 I responded. 743 00:34:24,520 --> 00:34:26,320 I worshiped. 744 00:34:26,320 --> 00:34:31,920 And now I share. 745 00:34:31,920 --> 00:34:37,720 And I share because I know that God wants to change lives. 746 00:34:37,720 --> 00:34:41,440 Can I share a testimony about last night real quick? 747 00:34:41,440 --> 00:34:45,880 Last night was our traditional Christmas Eve gathering. 748 00:34:45,880 --> 00:34:50,600 Okay, and for the vineyard, it was traditional, which is great. 749 00:34:50,600 --> 00:34:51,600 We love it. 750 00:34:51,600 --> 00:34:52,600 We do it every year. 751 00:34:52,600 --> 00:34:56,840 We will continue to do it every year. 752 00:34:56,840 --> 00:35:00,800 I shared the same message. 753 00:35:00,800 --> 00:35:06,800 And before I left here, before I'm sorry, before I started to clean the toilets, 754 00:35:06,800 --> 00:35:12,600 I had a little old lady, grandmother. 755 00:35:12,600 --> 00:35:14,520 I don't know her name. 756 00:35:14,520 --> 00:35:16,520 I don't know how old she was. 757 00:35:16,520 --> 00:35:18,720 I know she's older than me. 758 00:35:18,720 --> 00:35:24,720 And she came up with a tear in her eye, gave me a kiss on the cheek and a hug and said, 759 00:35:24,720 --> 00:35:33,960 I gave my life to Jesus tonight. 760 00:35:33,960 --> 00:35:41,000 And you know, they're the ones, according to statistics, that never do that. 761 00:35:41,000 --> 00:35:42,480 Because they're past their prime. 762 00:35:42,480 --> 00:35:45,960 And they're not going to make those decisions. 763 00:35:45,960 --> 00:35:48,320 But God does the miraculous. 764 00:35:48,320 --> 00:35:52,120 And I believe that God wants to change some of your lives this morning. 765 00:35:52,120 --> 00:35:57,040 So don't let fear stand in your way. 766 00:35:57,040 --> 00:36:00,640 I speak against fear now in Jesus' name. 767 00:36:00,640 --> 00:36:04,560 And Holy Spirit, I invite you to move in this place and change lives. 768 00:36:04,560 --> 00:36:05,560 And we're all going to pray together. 769 00:36:05,560 --> 00:36:08,320 And we pray this prayer every single week. 770 00:36:08,320 --> 00:36:09,320 Because I don't want to single you out. 771 00:36:09,320 --> 00:36:10,600 I don't want you to raise your hand. 772 00:36:10,600 --> 00:36:11,880 I don't even want you to come forward. 773 00:36:11,880 --> 00:36:13,200 But here's what I want you to do. 774 00:36:13,200 --> 00:36:16,760 If you pray this prayer for the first time, I want you to find me after this gathering 775 00:36:16,760 --> 00:36:18,560 in that cafe and tell me. 776 00:36:18,560 --> 00:36:20,840 Because you know what I'm going to tell you to do? 777 00:36:20,840 --> 00:36:22,800 Get baptized next Sunday. 778 00:36:22,800 --> 00:36:25,020 Because that's your next step. 779 00:36:25,020 --> 00:36:27,680 Do something with it. 780 00:36:27,680 --> 00:36:29,240 So let's pray together. 781 00:36:29,240 --> 00:36:32,400 Jesus, I'm broken. 782 00:36:32,400 --> 00:36:39,320 I'm full of doubt, shame, regret, anger, sin. 783 00:36:39,320 --> 00:36:40,400 Change me. 784 00:36:40,400 --> 00:36:43,360 I believe you're God's son. 785 00:36:43,360 --> 00:36:46,680 I believe you died for me. 786 00:36:46,680 --> 00:36:47,680 Make me new. 787 00:36:47,680 --> 00:36:48,680 Set me free. 788 00:36:48,680 --> 00:36:49,680 Fill me with your spirit. 789 00:36:49,680 --> 00:36:50,680 The King of Glory is here. 790 00:36:50,680 --> 00:36:51,680 Come and be whole. 791 00:36:51,680 --> 00:37:20,680 The King of Glory is here.