WEBVTT 00:00:00.110 --> 00:00:04.209 Morning, church. Good morning, Prescott Valley 00:00:04.209 --> 00:00:06.990 Park Collective. Just so glad you're with us. 00:00:07.070 --> 00:00:09.970 Glad that we get to do this together. I would 00:00:09.970 --> 00:00:13.449 like to say Merry Christmas, everyone. We're 00:00:13.449 --> 00:00:17.390 almost there. It's coming. It feels like Christmas. 00:00:17.809 --> 00:00:21.309 I don't know how you feel about this time of 00:00:21.309 --> 00:00:24.850 year. You may be the Grinch like Pastor Todd, 00:00:24.929 --> 00:00:30.489 and that's okay. That's okay. you may be someone 00:00:30.489 --> 00:00:33.750 who just loves it. And here's what's fun about 00:00:33.750 --> 00:00:38.130 this time of year, right? Is waking up and it's 00:00:38.130 --> 00:00:41.509 kind of cold and you get a hot drink and you 00:00:41.509 --> 00:00:44.049 can actually see the steam coming off your hot 00:00:44.049 --> 00:00:47.490 drink and you get to sit and maybe grab a blanket 00:00:47.490 --> 00:00:50.829 and get to read. Maybe you start your day with 00:00:50.829 --> 00:00:53.240 reading, whatever that looks like. But there's 00:00:53.240 --> 00:00:55.520 just something that you go, this feels good, 00:00:55.579 --> 00:00:58.539 the glow of the Christmas tree, and it just feels 00:00:58.539 --> 00:01:02.539 warm. We were created for this. There's those 00:01:02.539 --> 00:01:06.099 kind of moments that this just feels good. Anybody 00:01:06.099 --> 00:01:12.599 else? That feel? Okay. And then if that's not 00:01:12.599 --> 00:01:14.620 your thing, you're like, I don't do that, then 00:01:14.620 --> 00:01:17.849 some of you... It doesn't get better. Football 00:01:17.849 --> 00:01:20.670 is at its best this time of year, right? Like 00:01:20.670 --> 00:01:23.530 cold games where they're talking about last night 00:01:23.530 --> 00:01:26.049 that the heaters went out on one side of the 00:01:26.049 --> 00:01:28.549 field. And somebody's like, are we going to talk 00:01:28.549 --> 00:01:30.569 about football every week? Why, yes, we are. 00:01:30.769 --> 00:01:35.129 Until the Steelers are done, yes, we are. Or 00:01:35.129 --> 00:01:38.209 maybe Hallmark. If football's not your thing, 00:01:38.230 --> 00:01:40.709 then maybe Hallmark. And you just go, oh, it's 00:01:40.709 --> 00:01:42.810 a good time of the year. And we were watching 00:01:42.810 --> 00:01:44.930 one the other night, and I completely checked 00:01:44.930 --> 00:01:49.480 out. And I looked at my wife and I go, I think 00:01:49.480 --> 00:01:53.700 your cheese meter is broken. And I'm like, how 00:01:53.700 --> 00:01:57.459 do you not see how cheesy this is? And yet it 00:01:57.459 --> 00:01:59.700 just gives her the warm fuzzies that I guess 00:01:59.700 --> 00:02:04.040 cold football gives me. I don't know. But I say 00:02:04.040 --> 00:02:06.420 all that to say this. You guys, we're just normal 00:02:06.420 --> 00:02:10.199 people. Right? Like if you're here and you go, 00:02:10.379 --> 00:02:12.539 like sometimes we can make church this space 00:02:12.539 --> 00:02:15.439 where you got to be something to walk through 00:02:15.439 --> 00:02:19.080 the door. You got to clean up or act a certain 00:02:19.080 --> 00:02:22.120 way or be at a certain level. I just need to 00:02:22.120 --> 00:02:25.539 know we're as normal as it gets. I'm going to 00:02:25.539 --> 00:02:27.800 go home and put sweats on after this and watch 00:02:27.800 --> 00:02:32.439 football. That's what my plan is. And I say all 00:02:32.439 --> 00:02:36.240 that to say, sometimes we can take ourselves 00:02:36.240 --> 00:02:40.550 way too seriously. Sometimes we make this way 00:02:40.550 --> 00:02:42.990 too hard. And I don't think it was meant to be 00:02:42.990 --> 00:02:44.990 hard. I think it was meant to live in your own 00:02:44.990 --> 00:02:49.330 skin and enjoy who God made you and enjoy the 00:02:49.330 --> 00:02:51.330 things that God made you while enjoying God. 00:02:51.490 --> 00:02:55.270 I think that's what this life is about. And I 00:02:55.270 --> 00:02:57.710 would love to do this. So I'm going to take today. 00:02:58.810 --> 00:03:02.189 And yes, it's a Sunday. Yes, it falls in the 00:03:02.189 --> 00:03:06.599 year and it's in the calendar. However. Couple 00:03:06.599 --> 00:03:10.060 of days from now, the hope is that this room 00:03:10.060 --> 00:03:14.620 is packed full, not because we like to pack a 00:03:14.620 --> 00:03:17.900 room, but because you invited the people that 00:03:17.900 --> 00:03:21.080 God told you to invite. And so what I would love 00:03:21.080 --> 00:03:23.879 to do is talk to you today like a coach. OK, 00:03:23.979 --> 00:03:27.439 I would love to get you ready for what is coming. 00:03:28.099 --> 00:03:31.219 And what I mean by that is. is there are certain 00:03:31.219 --> 00:03:33.960 things we have planned, certain plays we have 00:03:33.960 --> 00:03:36.719 running, and they are very, very intentional. 00:03:36.780 --> 00:03:41.240 And I don't want you as a family member to miss 00:03:41.240 --> 00:03:45.310 the intentionality that is there for you. And 00:03:45.310 --> 00:03:48.449 for your guests. Now, if you have been tracking 00:03:48.449 --> 00:03:51.710 through Advent, you have made a list. And that 00:03:51.710 --> 00:03:53.669 list includes all the people that God has put 00:03:53.669 --> 00:03:55.949 on your heart. You have checked it twice, meaning 00:03:55.949 --> 00:03:58.150 you have talked to the Holy Spirit and you've 00:03:58.150 --> 00:04:00.229 gone through. Some of you are going to pick out 00:04:00.229 --> 00:04:02.870 who's naughty and nice. But you've made your 00:04:02.870 --> 00:04:04.669 list and you've asked the Holy Spirit, am I missing 00:04:04.669 --> 00:04:09.750 anybody? And then on top of that, you have week 00:04:09.750 --> 00:04:13.310 two prayed. You were encouraged to pray over 00:04:13.310 --> 00:04:16.600 those people. over the names that are there. 00:04:16.699 --> 00:04:20.240 Please don't miss, because you made a list, the 00:04:20.240 --> 00:04:24.560 list is people, people that Jesus died for. Don't 00:04:24.560 --> 00:04:26.899 miss that this is just a church activity. It's 00:04:26.899 --> 00:04:30.319 not a church activity. This is kingdom and eternity. 00:04:31.420 --> 00:04:34.879 This matters. What you are doing matters. The 00:04:34.879 --> 00:04:36.779 people that God has put in your life, they matter. 00:04:37.519 --> 00:04:39.439 And so you've made your list. You've kind of 00:04:39.439 --> 00:04:41.019 gone through that list. You prayed for them. 00:04:41.139 --> 00:04:43.120 And then last week you were encouraged to invite 00:04:43.120 --> 00:04:45.160 them, but you're not inviting them to an event. 00:04:46.220 --> 00:04:50.639 You're inviting them to come with you to hear 00:04:50.639 --> 00:04:53.899 some good news. Right? And so here's what's going 00:04:53.899 --> 00:04:58.060 to happen. When they walk up on Christmas, the 00:04:58.060 --> 00:04:59.899 first thing they're going to walk into, hopefully, 00:05:00.000 --> 00:05:06.670 is a tree lot. Right? Why? Why a tree lot? Well, 00:05:06.709 --> 00:05:08.670 Jesus died on a tree if you want to get spiritual. 00:05:09.170 --> 00:05:11.670 Or we could just go, it feels like Christmas. 00:05:12.750 --> 00:05:15.430 Why does it need to feel like Christmas? Because 00:05:15.430 --> 00:05:17.529 people that are coming that you have invited, 00:05:17.649 --> 00:05:20.829 just maybe, just maybe they are walking up to 00:05:20.829 --> 00:05:23.910 a church and there is fear and trembling in them 00:05:23.910 --> 00:05:27.170 walking up to a church. And you know what a tree 00:05:27.170 --> 00:05:32.230 lot does? This is normal. I can relate to this. 00:05:32.370 --> 00:05:35.459 And all of a sudden walls begin to what? Drop 00:05:35.459 --> 00:05:38.160 just a little. They begin to relax a little. 00:05:38.220 --> 00:05:39.980 Maybe you get a cup of coffee and they go, the 00:05:39.980 --> 00:05:42.100 coffee's free. You guys just hand out coffee 00:05:42.100 --> 00:05:44.699 and hot chocolate and cookies. Why? Yes, we do. 00:05:45.379 --> 00:05:50.279 Why? Because you're a guest in our home. And 00:05:50.279 --> 00:05:53.439 so we're going to treat you like a guest and 00:05:53.439 --> 00:05:57.319 we're going to honor you. And so as they come 00:05:57.319 --> 00:05:59.199 in, I'm not going to tell you what's happening 00:05:59.199 --> 00:06:01.180 in here because I want it to be a surprise for 00:06:01.180 --> 00:06:04.199 you too. But I can tell you this about in here, 00:06:04.279 --> 00:06:07.699 what they will hear is good news. And the good 00:06:07.699 --> 00:06:09.920 news, the good news hopefully is what they carry 00:06:09.920 --> 00:06:13.399 out of here. We will do everything we can to 00:06:13.399 --> 00:06:15.740 treat them kindly and well. We will do everything 00:06:15.740 --> 00:06:18.259 we can to treat them like they deserve to be 00:06:18.259 --> 00:06:20.540 treated. Now, when you leave here, everything 00:06:20.540 --> 00:06:23.199 that has been created is intentional. And here's 00:06:23.199 --> 00:06:25.980 what I mean. When you go out through these doors 00:06:25.980 --> 00:06:28.459 and you go, there will be a bistro over here, 00:06:28.500 --> 00:06:32.399 right? And when you go to the bistro, guess what? 00:06:32.459 --> 00:06:34.660 You're going to get soup. And when you get soup, 00:06:34.879 --> 00:06:37.439 you sit at a table. And when you sit at a table, 00:06:37.519 --> 00:06:41.899 guess what happens? Conversation. Everything 00:06:41.899 --> 00:06:45.379 has been created for you to slow down with who 00:06:45.379 --> 00:06:49.120 God has put in your life so that you can relationally 00:06:49.120 --> 00:06:52.720 talk to them and encourage them with the good 00:06:52.720 --> 00:06:57.939 news. Ask them questions. And then. You might 00:06:57.939 --> 00:07:00.500 get up and come back in here because there's 00:07:00.500 --> 00:07:04.360 a photo op right outside these doors. And you 00:07:04.360 --> 00:07:06.980 may go, well, I like the photo op because it's 00:07:06.980 --> 00:07:08.819 for my family. Can I encourage you? This is not 00:07:08.819 --> 00:07:12.439 about your family this year. Right? You got a 00:07:12.439 --> 00:07:14.100 phone. You can get a picture anywhere. Get your 00:07:14.100 --> 00:07:18.120 picture. The idea is this, that you would take 00:07:18.120 --> 00:07:21.199 who came with you and you would stand in line. 00:07:21.379 --> 00:07:23.680 What happens when you stand in line? You just 00:07:23.680 --> 00:07:26.680 talk. And hopefully you talk about the good news 00:07:26.680 --> 00:07:28.600 as you move along that line. Then you get in 00:07:28.600 --> 00:07:31.660 the picture, invite them into your family picture, 00:07:31.740 --> 00:07:34.740 create a memory, right? So that you can look 00:07:34.740 --> 00:07:37.199 back, you can send it to them in January and 00:07:37.199 --> 00:07:39.980 go, hey, it was so fun to have you. It was so 00:07:39.980 --> 00:07:42.899 fun to get to join you and be with you. And so 00:07:42.899 --> 00:07:45.620 now you're creating something that's larger than 00:07:45.620 --> 00:07:50.790 just one moment. The hope is that if you go outside 00:07:50.790 --> 00:07:52.810 and you're in this phase of life, right? You 00:07:52.810 --> 00:07:55.250 got kids and your kids love throwing snowballs. 00:07:55.310 --> 00:07:57.410 We've got a snowball arena. Why a snowball arena? 00:07:57.670 --> 00:08:00.209 Because while the kids are throwing snowballs, 00:08:00.290 --> 00:08:02.410 guess what the parents are doing? A lot of them 00:08:02.410 --> 00:08:05.329 are just standing with who? With who they invited 00:08:05.329 --> 00:08:08.009 and came along. And so now conversation is happening. 00:08:08.170 --> 00:08:11.209 Can I help the gentleman in the room out? Gentlemen, 00:08:11.269 --> 00:08:14.050 we do really good in conversation shoulder to 00:08:14.050 --> 00:08:17.439 shoulder. We don't do real good when we have 00:08:17.439 --> 00:08:20.600 to sit face to face, right? It's just a fact. 00:08:20.699 --> 00:08:24.040 That's why football games, right? Why do dudes 00:08:24.040 --> 00:08:26.060 like football games? We can sit here and look 00:08:26.060 --> 00:08:30.800 at that and maybe we'll talk, right? The idea 00:08:30.800 --> 00:08:33.960 of snowballs is dad, you get to talk. Moms will 00:08:33.960 --> 00:08:37.980 naturally do it. Right? Your kid might be like 00:08:37.980 --> 00:08:40.440 my kid. My kid loves animals. So we got the petting 00:08:40.440 --> 00:08:42.480 zoo, right? You know what I'll get this year? 00:08:42.580 --> 00:08:44.980 I will inevitably get some picture of my kid 00:08:44.980 --> 00:08:47.159 holding some animal, normally a chicken, because 00:08:47.159 --> 00:08:50.620 she loves the chickens. Right? But you know what 00:08:50.620 --> 00:08:52.100 happens while she's playing with the chickens? 00:08:53.159 --> 00:08:55.440 We stand and talk. We have meaningful conversation 00:08:55.440 --> 00:09:01.379 with those we're with. And maybe the cookie decorating 00:09:01.379 --> 00:09:04.889 that's happening. You know what happens with 00:09:04.889 --> 00:09:07.210 the cookie decorating is dads sit down with their 00:09:07.210 --> 00:09:09.669 kids and guess what they get to talk about? What 00:09:09.669 --> 00:09:13.009 do you think about the good news? What do you 00:09:13.009 --> 00:09:16.370 think about that? And it's happening with another 00:09:16.370 --> 00:09:18.350 dad across the table that came because they were 00:09:18.350 --> 00:09:20.730 invited by the other dad. And now you've got 00:09:20.730 --> 00:09:23.970 this conversation. You guys, you realize everything 00:09:23.970 --> 00:09:27.309 is intended and has been built intentionally 00:09:27.309 --> 00:09:30.389 for you to have meaningful conversation with 00:09:30.389 --> 00:09:32.809 those that God has put in your life. This is 00:09:32.809 --> 00:09:35.549 just a conversation starter. What happens in 00:09:35.549 --> 00:09:37.649 this room, it's just to start a conversation 00:09:37.649 --> 00:09:40.330 around the good news of the person of Jesus Christ 00:09:40.330 --> 00:09:43.950 in a way that hopefully, hopefully hits their 00:09:43.950 --> 00:09:46.730 soul that you then can follow up and walk alongside 00:09:46.730 --> 00:09:51.509 them with. It's beautiful. You have such a gift. 00:09:52.350 --> 00:09:55.509 I will give you a warning if you show up and 00:09:55.509 --> 00:09:58.330 you do not have a guest and you are not a guest. 00:09:58.450 --> 00:09:59.730 Okay, so if you're here and you're like, John, 00:09:59.769 --> 00:10:01.409 I'm just checking this out. You are welcome. 00:10:01.490 --> 00:10:04.330 Come take a place. You're a guest. We love you. 00:10:05.149 --> 00:10:07.490 If you are part of the family and you go, I am 00:10:07.490 --> 00:10:10.049 part of the Heights family and you do not bring 00:10:10.049 --> 00:10:14.029 a guest, then be ready for Pastor Ben or myself 00:10:14.029 --> 00:10:16.570 to come out here and go, hey, we need you to 00:10:16.570 --> 00:10:19.190 get up and give your seat. We need you to go 00:10:19.190 --> 00:10:22.850 over to Overflow in H2, please. Why? Because 00:10:22.850 --> 00:10:26.690 our guests deserve the best seats. And we're 00:10:26.690 --> 00:10:28.809 not going to be people that when we invite you 00:10:28.809 --> 00:10:31.970 to our home, we don't give you a seat. And so 00:10:31.970 --> 00:10:34.110 it may mean that some of you, and I'm telling 00:10:34.110 --> 00:10:37.289 you now so you don't send me an email after because 00:10:37.289 --> 00:10:39.490 you're offended that you got asked to get up. 00:10:40.409 --> 00:10:44.269 Right? This is about our community and who God 00:10:44.269 --> 00:10:46.549 is doing and them hearing the good news of Jesus 00:10:46.549 --> 00:10:49.289 because it matters more than you having a comfy 00:10:49.289 --> 00:10:54.850 seat. It matters, church. And so everything that's 00:10:54.850 --> 00:10:58.129 been created is wrapped around this idea of good 00:10:58.129 --> 00:11:00.950 news and those that are in your life hearing 00:11:00.950 --> 00:11:03.970 it. And today, I would love to share with you 00:11:03.970 --> 00:11:06.889 some of the hopes when it comes to good news, 00:11:06.990 --> 00:11:11.549 some of the hopes that we are kind of leaning 00:11:11.549 --> 00:11:15.830 on and asking God to provide for people this 00:11:15.830 --> 00:11:19.929 Christmas. And so in Luke chapter one and verse 00:11:19.929 --> 00:11:23.110 five, So Luke begins the Christmas narrative, 00:11:23.210 --> 00:11:27.470 and it's not with Jesus. It's not where you would 00:11:27.470 --> 00:11:29.389 maybe expect the Christmas narrative to begin. 00:11:29.529 --> 00:11:31.929 He begins this way. In the time of Herod, king 00:11:31.929 --> 00:11:35.129 of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah 00:11:35.129 --> 00:11:39.429 who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah. 00:11:40.409 --> 00:11:45.500 His wife Elizabeth was also a descendant. So 00:11:45.500 --> 00:11:48.899 you have Zechariah and you have Elizabeth, and 00:11:48.899 --> 00:11:52.019 what we're told about them is that they have 00:11:52.019 --> 00:11:57.419 prestige in their lineage. They are anchored 00:11:57.419 --> 00:12:01.840 into, both sides are anchored into the priestly 00:12:01.840 --> 00:12:05.200 line, which means that any offspring of theirs 00:12:05.200 --> 00:12:07.340 would be within the priestly line. But we're 00:12:07.340 --> 00:12:11.279 being told right up front, kind of their pedigree, 00:12:11.279 --> 00:12:14.789 if you like, within the religious system. And 00:12:14.789 --> 00:12:18.970 then verse 6 says this. Both of them were righteous 00:12:18.970 --> 00:12:23.129 in the sight of God, observing all the Lord's 00:12:23.129 --> 00:12:28.169 commands and decrees blamelessly. But they were 00:12:28.169 --> 00:12:31.470 childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive. 00:12:32.049 --> 00:12:40.590 And they were both very old. Okay. There are 00:12:40.590 --> 00:12:43.460 some... Things within what we just read that 00:12:43.460 --> 00:12:46.440 go together. And there's some things that need 00:12:46.440 --> 00:12:50.960 an and to join them. So righteous, that they 00:12:50.960 --> 00:12:53.200 had right standing before God, that they had 00:12:53.200 --> 00:12:56.820 right action before God that led to right standing. 00:12:56.919 --> 00:13:00.539 It says that they were righteous. And you could 00:13:00.539 --> 00:13:05.100 put a plus sign, also blameless. Meaning they 00:13:05.100 --> 00:13:07.700 were so righteous and their actions were so right 00:13:07.700 --> 00:13:12.889 that you couldn't blame them. or call against 00:13:12.889 --> 00:13:17.769 them to their account. So they are above reproach 00:13:17.769 --> 00:13:19.450 would be another way to say it within scripture. 00:13:19.629 --> 00:13:24.350 They are above the ability for somebody to come 00:13:24.350 --> 00:13:27.250 and say, well, wait a minute. And then you have 00:13:27.250 --> 00:13:29.970 an and. So they are righteous plus blameless 00:13:29.970 --> 00:13:38.059 and unable to have children. Barren. And that 00:13:38.059 --> 00:13:40.080 may not seem like a big deal to us, but in this 00:13:40.080 --> 00:13:42.960 culture at this time, if you did the right things, 00:13:43.019 --> 00:13:46.759 the thought was that if you are good, God blesses 00:13:46.759 --> 00:13:50.440 those who are good. And to not have children 00:13:50.440 --> 00:13:54.019 was extremely shameful in this context, like 00:13:54.019 --> 00:13:57.059 God was punishing you in this context. So what 00:13:57.059 --> 00:14:00.080 you have is you have righteous and blameless 00:14:00.080 --> 00:14:06.080 don't equal being barren. You instantly have 00:14:06.080 --> 00:14:11.440 provided within the story attention. You have 00:14:11.440 --> 00:14:14.279 people doing the right thing, but God not showing 00:14:14.279 --> 00:14:20.840 up the way he would be expected. Isn't it interesting? 00:14:20.980 --> 00:14:23.100 We wouldn't ever hold to that because we know 00:14:23.100 --> 00:14:26.460 things like grace, but how many times we are 00:14:26.460 --> 00:14:29.580 doing the right thing and we're frustrated because 00:14:29.580 --> 00:14:32.240 we feel like God is not doing, right? There's 00:14:32.240 --> 00:14:36.419 a tension that's created. And it says, once when 00:14:36.419 --> 00:14:40.899 Zechariah's division was on duty, he was serving 00:14:40.899 --> 00:14:45.100 as a priest before God. Okay, I just want to 00:14:45.100 --> 00:14:52.100 pause for a second. It says they were very old. 00:14:53.240 --> 00:14:56.279 Okay, now when the Bible emphasizes very, I don't 00:14:56.279 --> 00:14:58.720 know what age category that puts them in, but 00:14:58.720 --> 00:15:05.289 it's very. They are aged. And what I want to 00:15:05.289 --> 00:15:09.970 draw attention to is this. That if we humanize 00:15:09.970 --> 00:15:16.110 the story, right? That they prayed for a child 00:15:16.110 --> 00:15:20.429 when they were young. And when they were a little 00:15:20.429 --> 00:15:21.950 bit older, they're still praying for a child. 00:15:22.029 --> 00:15:23.129 And when they're a little bit older, they're 00:15:23.129 --> 00:15:28.529 still praying for a child. At what point is it 00:15:28.529 --> 00:15:33.690 realistic to say that they had... They were waiting 00:15:33.690 --> 00:15:39.370 now beyond what was hopeful. At what point is 00:15:39.370 --> 00:15:43.070 it okay to say that the tension that's now entered 00:15:43.070 --> 00:15:47.870 in is that they're waiting to the point where 00:15:47.870 --> 00:15:51.149 they've lost hope. Why? Because it physically 00:15:51.149 --> 00:15:56.289 doesn't make any sense. Logically, it doesn't 00:15:56.289 --> 00:16:01.879 make sense. And they've now waited past the point 00:16:01.879 --> 00:16:06.320 of hope. And the reason I pause here is because 00:16:06.320 --> 00:16:09.120 the next thing we read is once when Zechariah's 00:16:09.120 --> 00:16:12.519 division was on duty, he was serving as a priest 00:16:12.519 --> 00:16:16.139 before God. Wait. Okay, so quick catch up on 00:16:16.139 --> 00:16:18.980 the religious system. It was an amazing machine 00:16:18.980 --> 00:16:21.840 that ran. It was, there was believed at this 00:16:21.840 --> 00:16:25.039 point in time, there was 20 ,000 priests and 00:16:25.039 --> 00:16:28.100 the 20 ,000 priests were on a rotation. And so 00:16:28.100 --> 00:16:30.899 there was 24 divisions. So that meant that twice 00:16:30.899 --> 00:16:34.159 a year, one week at a time, as a priest, you 00:16:34.159 --> 00:16:37.120 would go and serve in the temple and think like 00:16:37.120 --> 00:16:39.059 a firehouse, right? Like that was your shift. 00:16:39.159 --> 00:16:41.559 That week was your shift. You would sleep there, 00:16:41.679 --> 00:16:43.440 right? You would be there the whole week and 00:16:43.440 --> 00:16:45.639 then you would go home after. Well, when his 00:16:45.639 --> 00:16:49.820 division, so his division is on duty and it says 00:16:49.820 --> 00:16:57.600 that Zechariah was serving in the temple. Why 00:16:57.600 --> 00:16:59.799 is that such a big deal? Because we just learned 00:16:59.799 --> 00:17:05.720 that he's waiting beyond what? Hope. There's 00:17:05.720 --> 00:17:11.740 disappointment. There's discouragement. There's 00:17:11.740 --> 00:17:16.039 pain. There's God, this didn't work out like 00:17:16.039 --> 00:17:18.839 I thought it would. There's God, you haven't 00:17:18.839 --> 00:17:23.019 answered prayer. And yet he's still showing up 00:17:23.019 --> 00:17:27.059 and what? Serving. He's serving in the midst 00:17:27.059 --> 00:17:32.980 of the pain. His own pain wasn't a reason not 00:17:32.980 --> 00:17:38.150 to serve and honor God. Isn't it interesting 00:17:38.150 --> 00:17:44.450 that we're so weak culturally? We cancel people 00:17:44.450 --> 00:17:48.589 for the quickest thing. We break relationships 00:17:48.589 --> 00:17:52.549 for the slightest thing. And yet what we see 00:17:52.549 --> 00:17:54.950 in scripture is I'm still going to show up and 00:17:54.950 --> 00:17:57.329 serve even though I think God has wronged me. 00:17:58.430 --> 00:18:01.750 Even though God has disappointed me. Even though 00:18:01.750 --> 00:18:03.750 God hasn't maybe come through how I thought he 00:18:03.750 --> 00:18:06.130 would. I'm still going to show up and I'm going 00:18:06.130 --> 00:18:12.069 to serve. He was chosen, verse nine, he was chosen. 00:18:12.150 --> 00:18:14.450 So Zechariah is chosen by Lot, according to the 00:18:14.450 --> 00:18:16.089 custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple 00:18:16.089 --> 00:18:19.369 of the Lord and burn incense. And when the time 00:18:19.369 --> 00:18:21.509 for the burning of incense came, all the worshipers, 00:18:21.509 --> 00:18:23.829 all the assembled worshipers were praying outside. 00:18:24.289 --> 00:18:28.529 Okay, so he's now in the inner part of the temple. 00:18:28.650 --> 00:18:31.069 So there was the Holy of Holies where God existed. 00:18:31.210 --> 00:18:33.250 There was a big curtain that divided it. Then 00:18:33.250 --> 00:18:35.690 there was another room kind of built around those. 00:18:35.750 --> 00:18:38.710 He's in that. And the altar of incense is close 00:18:38.710 --> 00:18:41.230 to where the very presence of God is. He's been 00:18:41.230 --> 00:18:44.009 drawn by Lot. This is once in a lifetime, Zechariah, 00:18:44.049 --> 00:18:47.950 maybe twice that you get to go and have the privilege 00:18:47.950 --> 00:18:51.089 of burning incense that close to the presence 00:18:51.089 --> 00:18:53.089 of God. There's a whole back narrative. You can 00:18:53.089 --> 00:18:55.730 read the Old Testament of God taking up his dwelling 00:18:55.730 --> 00:18:58.950 within the temple and why they believe that he 00:18:58.950 --> 00:19:01.950 was there in person. And so now he is that close. 00:19:02.349 --> 00:19:05.049 closest you can get to the presence of God. He 00:19:05.049 --> 00:19:08.490 is there burning incense. Why is this so significant? 00:19:08.809 --> 00:19:11.569 Because he is carrying into that space all of 00:19:11.569 --> 00:19:15.309 his unanswered prayer. And what is burning incense? 00:19:15.450 --> 00:19:16.930 If you've been around the church, we sing that 00:19:16.930 --> 00:19:18.829 song, night and day, day and night, night and 00:19:18.829 --> 00:19:21.210 day, let incense arise, right? The prayers of 00:19:21.210 --> 00:19:23.650 his people arise. Incense is deeply connected 00:19:23.650 --> 00:19:26.130 to prayers. What is he doing with the burning 00:19:26.130 --> 00:19:28.589 of incense? It is offering up the prayers of 00:19:28.589 --> 00:19:32.640 the people before the very presence of God. That 00:19:32.640 --> 00:19:36.099 the aroma would fill the very presence of God. 00:19:37.240 --> 00:19:40.319 So with his own unanswered prayers, he is carrying 00:19:40.319 --> 00:19:45.720 the prayers of all the people outside. You feel 00:19:45.720 --> 00:19:52.359 the tension in the story? All right, maybe you 00:19:52.359 --> 00:19:57.220 can relate. I've got unanswered prayers, but 00:19:57.220 --> 00:20:01.849 I'll pray for you. I've got unanswered prayers, 00:20:01.869 --> 00:20:09.509 but I'll choose to ask God to answer yours. It's 00:20:09.509 --> 00:20:11.450 a beautiful testimony, but at the same time, 00:20:11.450 --> 00:20:15.829 it really captures this word hope. It really 00:20:15.829 --> 00:20:20.009 brings into what hope actually means. In the 00:20:20.009 --> 00:20:24.710 Old Testament, there's... A Hebrew word that 00:20:24.710 --> 00:20:27.069 is used for hope in multiple ways. We were in 00:20:27.069 --> 00:20:28.849 our teaching prep this weekend. Those of you 00:20:28.849 --> 00:20:30.769 that know Nathan, Nathan's amazing. He works 00:20:30.769 --> 00:20:34.869 with elements, just phenomenal. He goes, hey, 00:20:34.910 --> 00:20:36.890 that reminds me, I heard this somewhere. And 00:20:36.890 --> 00:20:38.569 so he sent me the audio and I got to listen to 00:20:38.569 --> 00:20:43.549 it, explaining this word hope. And the word hope, 00:20:43.589 --> 00:20:46.430 the way it was used was in the story in Isaiah 00:20:46.430 --> 00:20:50.109 chapter five. And it's a vineyard and God is 00:20:50.109 --> 00:20:52.809 planting a vineyard. And then there's a moment 00:20:52.809 --> 00:20:55.430 when God goes within the vineyard. He goes, I 00:20:55.430 --> 00:20:57.529 planted the vineyard. Everything is in place 00:20:57.529 --> 00:20:59.750 for fruit to grow, right? And he's talking about 00:20:59.750 --> 00:21:01.990 the nation of Israel. I planted this. It's a 00:21:01.990 --> 00:21:04.009 picture of the nation of Israel. I planted you, 00:21:04.089 --> 00:21:06.529 Israel, and I'm just waiting for the fruit, right? 00:21:06.630 --> 00:21:09.750 And that word, that word that is used when it 00:21:09.750 --> 00:21:15.470 says that God planted and then he kavod is the 00:21:15.470 --> 00:21:19.420 word that's used. Now the word kavod, in that 00:21:19.420 --> 00:21:23.539 sense, is he is looking for, waiting for, anticipating, 00:21:23.559 --> 00:21:28.259 he is expecting fruit. And it says what he got 00:21:28.259 --> 00:21:30.799 from the nation of Israel was stinky grapes. 00:21:31.099 --> 00:21:33.779 He compared them to stinky grapes, like the fruit 00:21:33.779 --> 00:21:36.980 just was not good. But it says that he kavod, 00:21:37.119 --> 00:21:42.819 he did everything and then he waited and he looked 00:21:42.819 --> 00:21:48.549 and he had anticipation. Now the word Kavah is 00:21:48.549 --> 00:21:52.230 also used in Psalm 25, that no one who kavahs 00:21:52.230 --> 00:21:56.970 on the Lord will be put to shame. The word kavah 00:21:56.970 --> 00:21:59.289 in that sense, right? Like no one who hopes, 00:21:59.390 --> 00:22:02.910 no one who waits on the Lord will be put to shame. 00:22:03.049 --> 00:22:06.329 So there's this word kavah in the Hebrew language, 00:22:06.569 --> 00:22:09.569 and it's one of the words that's used and translated 00:22:09.569 --> 00:22:13.369 as hope. Now, what's interesting about the word 00:22:13.369 --> 00:22:18.100 kavah is it comes from the root word kav. Now, 00:22:18.100 --> 00:22:20.059 you may be like, this is way too technical. Stay 00:22:20.059 --> 00:22:21.819 with me. It's worth it. I promise. We'll get 00:22:21.819 --> 00:22:25.980 back to football in just a second. Okay. Kav, 00:22:25.980 --> 00:22:32.359 which is the root word, is a cord that measures. 00:22:34.079 --> 00:22:36.420 Okay, so you think about a cord that measures, 00:22:36.559 --> 00:22:39.420 right? Like you have, you ever seen the Olympics 00:22:39.420 --> 00:22:41.480 where they roll out the string, roll out the 00:22:41.480 --> 00:22:44.180 tape to measure how far the disc is thrown, right? 00:22:44.279 --> 00:22:47.119 Like it's that idea. It's a large cord that's 00:22:47.119 --> 00:22:51.220 rolled that when unrolled, it's designed to measure. 00:22:51.319 --> 00:22:54.920 Maybe a simpler sense, but if you are into football, 00:22:55.079 --> 00:22:58.299 maybe and you're watching football. On the sidelines, 00:22:58.400 --> 00:23:00.079 they have what? They have the yardage marker, 00:23:00.319 --> 00:23:03.240 and they're trying to make it 10 yards. Now, 00:23:03.279 --> 00:23:06.059 the person almost makes the first down. They 00:23:06.059 --> 00:23:07.579 don't do it anymore because they moved the digital. 00:23:07.640 --> 00:23:09.259 Something was lost in that, but that's okay, 00:23:09.380 --> 00:23:14.880 right? What happens is those guys take the yardage 00:23:14.880 --> 00:23:17.140 markers, and they do what? They go out on the 00:23:17.140 --> 00:23:19.660 field, put it down, and what happens on the other 00:23:19.660 --> 00:23:24.779 side? Coach, what happens? They measure, but 00:23:24.779 --> 00:23:27.990 what do they have to do with the chains? Stretch 00:23:27.990 --> 00:23:37.349 it out. Kav is a cord that measures. Tu kavah, 00:23:37.390 --> 00:23:41.849 which is what the vineyard owner did. The vineyard 00:23:41.849 --> 00:23:45.710 owner kavahed. He looked, waited, anticipated. 00:23:46.170 --> 00:23:54.970 He stretched out. And there's tension. You cannot 00:23:54.970 --> 00:23:59.329 take the cord to measure without what? Stretching 00:23:59.329 --> 00:24:03.390 it out and putting tension. And the key to the 00:24:03.390 --> 00:24:07.309 word kavah is that if you are going to have hope, 00:24:07.509 --> 00:24:13.490 you have to have tension. It's in the tension 00:24:13.490 --> 00:24:17.730 when you think it's going to snap. That's what 00:24:17.730 --> 00:24:23.950 it means to hope is that I wait on God. And the 00:24:23.950 --> 00:24:30.890 tension has to be present. The anticipation, 00:24:30.970 --> 00:24:38.029 the waiting and expectation, that's what it means 00:24:38.029 --> 00:24:40.829 to hope, which is why the tension here in the 00:24:40.829 --> 00:24:43.650 story is so significant, because the tension 00:24:43.650 --> 00:24:46.410 is all wrapped up in hope. I have my own answer 00:24:46.410 --> 00:24:49.210 prayer, and I'm praying for yours to be answered. 00:24:53.099 --> 00:24:55.859 Then the angel of the Lord appeared, verse 11, 00:24:56.000 --> 00:24:59.819 then the angel of the Lord appeared to him. Standing 00:24:59.819 --> 00:25:01.599 at the right side of the altar of incense, when 00:25:01.599 --> 00:25:04.539 Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped 00:25:04.539 --> 00:25:07.319 with fear. But the angel said to him, do not 00:25:07.319 --> 00:25:09.859 be afraid, Zechariah, your prayer has been heard. 00:25:10.099 --> 00:25:16.140 What was that? Your prayer has what? Huh. Huh. 00:25:18.220 --> 00:25:22.680 Your wife, Elizabeth, will bear you a son. and 00:25:22.680 --> 00:25:26.119 you are to call him John. Those of you that are 00:25:26.119 --> 00:25:28.160 coming to the Christmas services, remember this 00:25:28.160 --> 00:25:30.680 guy, okay? That's the only clue you're getting. 00:25:31.559 --> 00:25:35.740 He will be a joy and delight to you, and many 00:25:35.740 --> 00:25:39.299 will rejoice because of his birth. He will be 00:25:39.299 --> 00:25:41.619 great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to 00:25:41.619 --> 00:25:43.859 take wine or other fermented drink, and he will 00:25:43.859 --> 00:25:46.640 be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he 00:25:46.640 --> 00:25:50.819 is born. He will bring... back many of the people 00:25:50.819 --> 00:25:53.819 of Israel to the Lord their God. And he will 00:25:53.819 --> 00:25:56.140 go on before the Lord in the spirit and the power 00:25:56.140 --> 00:25:58.519 of Elijah, who was a great prophet, to turn the 00:25:58.519 --> 00:26:01.220 hearts of the parents to their children and to 00:26:01.220 --> 00:26:03.599 the disobedient, to the wisdom of the righteous, 00:26:03.660 --> 00:26:06.940 to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. 00:26:08.259 --> 00:26:13.220 Okay, 400 years of silence. And here's the first 00:26:13.220 --> 00:26:16.559 breakthrough right here. 400 years of silence. 00:26:17.469 --> 00:26:19.509 And a prayer that was offered by two parents 00:26:19.509 --> 00:26:21.650 that they thought went unanswered, that they 00:26:21.650 --> 00:26:24.250 had all this tension around, that they're holding 00:26:24.250 --> 00:26:26.109 hope, but they're losing hope because they're 00:26:26.109 --> 00:26:28.829 getting beyond what's logical. And in the midst 00:26:28.829 --> 00:26:34.170 of all that, God's timing, that it breaks through. 00:26:34.349 --> 00:26:37.829 And then any parents in the room that if God 00:26:37.829 --> 00:26:40.410 showed up and they go, hey, your kid will be 00:26:40.410 --> 00:26:42.029 a joy and a delight. You're like, that's enough. 00:26:42.150 --> 00:26:49.609 I don't need the rest. I'll stop there. Many 00:26:49.609 --> 00:26:51.450 will rejoice because of your kid's birth. He 00:26:51.450 --> 00:26:53.849 will be great in the sight of the Lord. He will 00:26:53.849 --> 00:26:55.670 be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he 00:26:55.670 --> 00:26:58.750 is born. He will prepare a people, make them 00:26:58.750 --> 00:27:01.490 ready for the Lord. Wow, you would go as a parent, 00:27:01.509 --> 00:27:02.970 you're like, this is more than I ever could have 00:27:02.970 --> 00:27:05.950 prayed. This is more than I ever could have imagined. 00:27:07.730 --> 00:27:09.930 And that's our God. You need to see the picture 00:27:09.930 --> 00:27:13.789 of who our God is. This is how he works. As he 00:27:13.789 --> 00:27:15.950 will always do more than you could ever imagine 00:27:15.950 --> 00:27:20.339 in the midst of your tension and your hope. In 00:27:20.339 --> 00:27:22.119 the midst of being pulled so tight that you're 00:27:22.119 --> 00:27:23.960 like, I think it's going to snap at the weakest 00:27:23.960 --> 00:27:30.240 point. Zechariah asked the angel, how can I be 00:27:30.240 --> 00:27:35.180 sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is 00:27:35.180 --> 00:27:41.779 well along in years. He's also a wise man. For 00:27:41.779 --> 00:27:45.799 all of the rest of human history, his words got 00:27:45.799 --> 00:27:49.160 logged out. How do you like that, guys? I'm like, 00:27:49.200 --> 00:27:52.299 dear God, please no. Don't record my words for 00:27:52.299 --> 00:27:57.799 this long. The angel said to him, I am Gabriel. 00:27:58.200 --> 00:28:00.480 I stand in the presence of God and have been 00:28:00.480 --> 00:28:04.559 sent to speak to you and tell you this good news. 00:28:06.299 --> 00:28:09.720 This is good news. I'm here to tell you this 00:28:09.720 --> 00:28:13.269 good news. And now you will be silent and not 00:28:13.269 --> 00:28:15.150 able to speak until the day this happens because 00:28:15.150 --> 00:28:17.130 you did not believe my words, which will come 00:28:17.130 --> 00:28:20.250 true at their appointed time. It's interesting. 00:28:20.369 --> 00:28:21.930 We don't have time for it here, but there's a 00:28:21.930 --> 00:28:24.450 whole thing. I kind of went down this rabbit 00:28:24.450 --> 00:28:28.109 hole this week. It kind of feels like he gets 00:28:28.109 --> 00:28:31.869 put in timeout, right? It kind of feels like, 00:28:31.869 --> 00:28:36.470 it kind of feels like, wait, so Gabriel shows 00:28:36.470 --> 00:28:39.589 up and I don't know about you, I would be scared. 00:28:40.710 --> 00:28:44.009 I'm all in on the scared part. I'm all in on 00:28:44.009 --> 00:28:46.470 the angel telling me, do not fear, which I'm 00:28:46.470 --> 00:28:48.049 like, I don't think that would help me, but thank 00:28:48.049 --> 00:28:52.170 you, you know? But at what point did you miss 00:28:52.170 --> 00:28:55.289 the glowing white levitating off the ground? 00:28:56.829 --> 00:28:59.170 Like, at what point did you miss that, Zechariah, 00:28:59.190 --> 00:29:02.650 that you're like, I don't know, right? But it 00:29:02.650 --> 00:29:04.930 kind of feels like a timeout. But here's my question. 00:29:06.349 --> 00:29:10.579 Is it actually a gift? Is it actually a gift? 00:29:12.079 --> 00:29:14.700 And what I mean by that, God makes them silent. 00:29:15.500 --> 00:29:19.079 What do we do in silence? We have to go before 00:29:19.079 --> 00:29:22.019 God with all of our concerns and all of our worries 00:29:22.019 --> 00:29:24.799 and all of our, like when we get silent before 00:29:24.799 --> 00:29:27.140 God, solitude is a gift that we are given. Silence 00:29:27.140 --> 00:29:29.720 is a gift. When we get silent before the Lord, 00:29:29.779 --> 00:29:33.920 something special happens within our soul. And 00:29:33.920 --> 00:29:35.920 I think it's interesting that maybe this was 00:29:35.920 --> 00:29:38.940 the greatest gift God could have given him. So 00:29:38.940 --> 00:29:41.579 let his soul catch up to what God is doing in 00:29:41.579 --> 00:29:49.980 his life. Meanwhile, the people were waiting 00:29:49.980 --> 00:29:53.940 for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so 00:29:53.940 --> 00:29:56.380 long in the temple. There's something beautiful 00:29:56.380 --> 00:29:59.299 right here. Meanwhile, the people were waiting. 00:29:59.440 --> 00:30:02.319 Okay, so waiting takes time. So they have time 00:30:02.319 --> 00:30:04.039 on their hands. They're like, huh, this is weird. 00:30:04.119 --> 00:30:09.779 My prayers normally done by now. In the waiting, 00:30:09.880 --> 00:30:16.279 they're forced to wonder, right? You know one 00:30:16.279 --> 00:30:21.700 of the lost arts of our culture? Wondering. We 00:30:21.700 --> 00:30:25.720 don't wonder anymore. What do I mean? I got a 00:30:25.720 --> 00:30:27.359 14 -year -old. You know what a 14 -year -old 00:30:27.359 --> 00:30:29.420 does if I say something they don't know? Hey, 00:30:29.420 --> 00:30:36.960 Siri. Hey, chat. But what happens in waiting, 00:30:37.039 --> 00:30:41.240 waiting creates space for wonder. Waiting creates 00:30:41.240 --> 00:30:45.599 space for you to take to the almighty, for you 00:30:45.599 --> 00:30:48.299 to take to your neighbor and go, hey, I don't 00:30:48.299 --> 00:30:49.759 know about this. What do you think about this? 00:30:50.839 --> 00:30:53.099 And it's interesting that we've lost the art 00:30:53.099 --> 00:30:57.130 of wonder and yet we were made to wonder. Do 00:30:57.130 --> 00:30:59.410 you know they've done scientific research on 00:30:59.410 --> 00:31:02.549 the brain and that the brain is struggling and 00:31:02.549 --> 00:31:05.490 becoming dull in certain parts of the brain because 00:31:05.490 --> 00:31:10.069 we don't wonder anymore? That's crazy. You were 00:31:10.069 --> 00:31:15.190 made to sit in attention going, I don't know. 00:31:16.210 --> 00:31:18.829 And instead, where are we at right now? You whip 00:31:18.829 --> 00:31:21.250 out your phone, chat GPT, chat GPT gives you 00:31:21.250 --> 00:31:24.450 an answer that could be right, maybe. You don't 00:31:24.450 --> 00:31:26.579 know. And you're like, I got the answer. I know 00:31:26.579 --> 00:31:30.039 now I don't have to wonder no more. And I think 00:31:30.039 --> 00:31:32.079 we've lost something because there's value to 00:31:32.079 --> 00:31:37.039 the sitting and the wondering. Mary finds out 00:31:37.039 --> 00:31:39.339 that she's pregnant with Jesus. And what does 00:31:39.339 --> 00:31:43.779 she do? She treasures them. She ponders on them. 00:31:43.839 --> 00:31:48.019 She wonders about them. I mean, can you imagine 00:31:48.019 --> 00:31:53.859 the questions Mary had? Hey, Siri. Can a virgin 00:31:53.859 --> 00:32:00.880 be pregnant? And Siri goes, only by God. I don't 00:32:00.880 --> 00:32:05.859 know where that came from. Verse 22. When he 00:32:05.859 --> 00:32:09.960 came out, he could not speak to them. They realized 00:32:09.960 --> 00:32:12.599 he had seen a vision in the temple, for he kept 00:32:12.599 --> 00:32:14.440 making signs to them, but remained unable to 00:32:14.440 --> 00:32:17.019 speak. When his time of service was completed, 00:32:17.299 --> 00:32:19.599 he returned home. What do you think he did when 00:32:19.599 --> 00:32:24.730 he got home? What do you think he did? Elizabeth's 00:32:24.730 --> 00:32:28.569 waiting. Oh, Elizabeth, the journey was so long 00:32:28.569 --> 00:32:31.509 today. I don't know. It's just... How's work? 00:32:31.609 --> 00:32:36.210 Oh, it's fine. An angel showed up. No. How do 00:32:36.210 --> 00:32:41.309 you think he returned home? Elizabeth! You got 00:32:41.309 --> 00:32:45.869 to hear this! And what did he share? He shared 00:32:45.869 --> 00:32:49.390 good news that he was given. Now, I want to give 00:32:49.390 --> 00:32:51.829 you four things because it's important to our... 00:32:52.119 --> 00:32:55.779 Christmas Eve and Eve gatherings. Four things 00:32:55.779 --> 00:33:00.000 about good news that are true. He returns home. 00:33:00.039 --> 00:33:02.980 After this, his wife, Elizabeth, became pregnant. 00:33:03.859 --> 00:33:08.079 She became pregnant. You know what it confirmed 00:33:08.079 --> 00:33:14.680 for her? That God hears. The good news confirmed, 00:33:14.859 --> 00:33:21.269 it declared to Elizabeth, God hears me. What 00:33:21.269 --> 00:33:25.529 the good news does is it confirms that God hears 00:33:25.529 --> 00:33:30.309 us, right? When I share with you a story of good 00:33:30.309 --> 00:33:34.730 news about healing for somebody, right? Because 00:33:34.730 --> 00:33:37.329 they prayed and gathered and God answered the 00:33:37.329 --> 00:33:40.029 prayer. All of a sudden you go, hey, good news 00:33:40.029 --> 00:33:42.069 is telling me that if he can hear your prayers, 00:33:42.069 --> 00:33:44.990 then maybe he's hearing mine. It reminds us that 00:33:44.990 --> 00:33:48.940 God hears. I just need you to know today, if 00:33:48.940 --> 00:33:52.160 you're sitting in the tension, I get it. I've 00:33:52.160 --> 00:33:57.559 got unanswered prayer in my life. That I long 00:33:57.559 --> 00:34:02.079 for God to answer. The way I want him to answer, 00:34:02.160 --> 00:34:08.219 by the way. I long for him to answer. And he 00:34:08.219 --> 00:34:12.900 hasn't. So when I hear this, I go, oh, he hears 00:34:12.900 --> 00:34:19.219 me though. He hears me. The next thing, she became 00:34:19.219 --> 00:34:21.059 pregnant, and for five months, she remained in 00:34:21.059 --> 00:34:23.920 seclusion. Whole message about remaining in seclusion. 00:34:23.980 --> 00:34:29.420 Anyways, 25. The Lord has done this for me, she 00:34:29.420 --> 00:34:33.480 said. In these days, he has shown his favor and 00:34:33.480 --> 00:34:35.920 taken away my disgrace. The Lord has done this 00:34:35.920 --> 00:34:40.639 for me. What is she saying? The Lord sees me, 00:34:40.780 --> 00:34:44.340 and he's working on my behalf. The Lord sees 00:34:44.340 --> 00:34:47.409 me. I don't know where you are today. I don't 00:34:47.409 --> 00:34:49.389 know how far you think you are away from God. 00:34:49.530 --> 00:34:52.550 I don't know how given up of hope you are. I 00:34:52.550 --> 00:34:54.429 don't know how far past hope you are. I don't 00:34:54.429 --> 00:34:56.010 know what struggles you have. I don't know how 00:34:56.010 --> 00:34:58.110 dark it is for you, but I need you to know this, 00:34:58.150 --> 00:35:03.849 that God sees you today. The good news declares 00:35:03.849 --> 00:35:07.650 it. The good news declares that he sees every 00:35:07.650 --> 00:35:11.510 tear you cry, every moment your mind wanders, 00:35:11.510 --> 00:35:17.030 he sees you. And then the next part, she says, 00:35:17.070 --> 00:35:19.170 in these days, he has shown his favor. That word 00:35:19.170 --> 00:35:23.250 favor is grace, right? It's a reminder that God, 00:35:23.309 --> 00:35:26.730 good news reminds us that God is for us. You 00:35:26.730 --> 00:35:30.670 know, God's for you today. I don't mean just, 00:35:30.690 --> 00:35:32.630 I don't just mean like, I kind of like that person. 00:35:33.329 --> 00:35:39.289 He is for you and for your good. And he is working 00:35:39.289 --> 00:35:41.969 on your behalf right now, even though you can't 00:35:41.969 --> 00:35:45.300 see it or feel it. Right, there's a story after 00:35:45.300 --> 00:35:48.260 story after story in the Bible, right, in the 00:35:48.260 --> 00:35:50.280 scriptures that we get. There's story after story 00:35:50.280 --> 00:35:53.139 after story in our church family of what? Of 00:35:53.139 --> 00:35:55.559 people who go, man, I did not deserve this, but 00:35:55.559 --> 00:36:00.179 by grace, I got it. Why? Because God's for you. 00:36:01.599 --> 00:36:07.139 And his grace will not run out. There is a cross 00:36:07.139 --> 00:36:09.760 that is stained red and an empty tomb for all 00:36:09.760 --> 00:36:12.800 of eternity that proves that God is for you today. 00:36:16.590 --> 00:36:20.110 And I don't care how bad you think you are. I 00:36:20.110 --> 00:36:23.989 know how good God is. And his good is always 00:36:23.989 --> 00:36:28.929 better than your bad. So he wins. His grace doesn't 00:36:28.929 --> 00:36:33.489 run out. And he has taken away my disgrace among 00:36:33.489 --> 00:36:35.869 the people. End of the story is found in verse 00:36:35.869 --> 00:36:39.010 39. Mary finds out she's pregnant. At that time, 00:36:39.030 --> 00:36:42.230 Mary got ready and hurried. If you're not sure 00:36:42.230 --> 00:36:44.429 who Mary is, let me catch you up. Mother of Jesus. 00:36:44.530 --> 00:36:47.179 There we go. At that time, Mary, no, I'm being 00:36:47.179 --> 00:36:49.340 serious. Like sometimes we throw out names and 00:36:49.340 --> 00:36:51.500 we don't know who they are. At that time, Mary, 00:36:51.659 --> 00:36:54.179 who was pregnant with Jesus, got ready and hurried 00:36:54.179 --> 00:36:57.539 to a town in the hill country of Judea where 00:36:57.539 --> 00:37:00.079 she entered Zechariah's home and greeted Elizabeth. 00:37:00.860 --> 00:37:03.619 When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby 00:37:03.619 --> 00:37:06.880 leaped in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with 00:37:06.880 --> 00:37:10.219 the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice, she exclaimed, 00:37:10.219 --> 00:37:14.059 blessed, blessed. Are you among women? And blessed 00:37:14.059 --> 00:37:18.559 is the child you will bear. But why am I so favored? 00:37:18.659 --> 00:37:21.400 Why am I so covered in grace that the mother 00:37:21.400 --> 00:37:25.119 of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the 00:37:25.119 --> 00:37:27.280 sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby 00:37:27.280 --> 00:37:31.860 in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who 00:37:31.860 --> 00:37:35.340 believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises 00:37:35.340 --> 00:37:41.769 to her. Verse 41 captured this part. was filled. 00:37:41.829 --> 00:37:44.250 When the greeting happened, Elizabeth was filled 00:37:44.250 --> 00:37:46.710 with the Holy Spirit. What good news tells us, 00:37:46.730 --> 00:37:50.849 what good news reminds us, is that God is near. 00:37:51.510 --> 00:37:57.090 God's near. How near? That she is filled with 00:37:57.090 --> 00:37:58.769 the Holy Spirit, which means that she is filled 00:37:58.769 --> 00:38:03.230 with God. Right? That's how close, that the very 00:38:03.230 --> 00:38:07.309 breath, it's a reminder. That how close does 00:38:07.309 --> 00:38:10.409 God want to get? How close the nearness of God 00:38:10.409 --> 00:38:12.329 in Christmas? We see it because he becomes a 00:38:12.329 --> 00:38:14.730 baby. It gets even better because as you follow 00:38:14.730 --> 00:38:17.829 scriptures, it ends up with God living in you. 00:38:18.389 --> 00:38:22.010 And that's the hope of glory, right? That God 00:38:22.010 --> 00:38:24.969 would live in you and be so close as your breath 00:38:24.969 --> 00:38:29.170 today. Good news reminds us that he is near. 00:38:29.309 --> 00:38:33.840 Now, okay, God hears. That's what good news does. 00:38:33.880 --> 00:38:36.460 It declares to us that God hears us. Good news 00:38:36.460 --> 00:38:41.360 declares that he sees you today. That you're 00:38:41.360 --> 00:38:45.460 not just in a crowd. You're not just lost. Good 00:38:45.460 --> 00:38:50.860 news declares that he is for us today. And good 00:38:50.860 --> 00:38:55.179 news reminds us he is near today. So here's my 00:38:55.179 --> 00:38:57.579 question for you. Remember, I'm coaching you 00:38:57.579 --> 00:39:04.820 today. Who in your life Who in your life? Holy 00:39:04.820 --> 00:39:07.880 Spirit, put names on our mind right now. Who 00:39:07.880 --> 00:39:11.079 in your life needs to know that God hears them 00:39:11.079 --> 00:39:14.300 today? Who in your life needs to know that God 00:39:14.300 --> 00:39:16.739 sees them today? Who in your life needs to know 00:39:16.739 --> 00:39:19.420 that God is for them today? And who in your life 00:39:19.420 --> 00:39:29.019 today needs to know that God is near? If anyone 00:39:29.019 --> 00:39:32.210 came to mind, You need to pick up an invitation 00:39:32.210 --> 00:39:37.909 and on your way out, write their name. Will you 00:39:37.909 --> 00:39:40.969 come to hear some good news? Why? Because we 00:39:40.969 --> 00:39:43.210 know that the good news will what? Let them know 00:39:43.210 --> 00:39:45.610 he hears them, he sees them, he's for them, and 00:39:45.610 --> 00:39:49.269 he's near them. And so you're on mission, church, 00:39:49.409 --> 00:39:53.710 because Christmas is not about us. It's not about 00:39:53.710 --> 00:39:57.110 us. We've got a kingdom mission in front of us. 00:39:57.819 --> 00:40:01.059 and people that need good news in our community. 00:40:02.000 --> 00:40:05.199 And we have the privilege by a simple invite 00:40:05.199 --> 00:40:07.460 of going, will you come hear some good news? 00:40:07.539 --> 00:40:09.739 And would you be reminded of those things? Would 00:40:09.739 --> 00:40:13.380 you maybe see them for the first time? And so 00:40:13.380 --> 00:40:14.960 who is it that God put on your mind? Let me pray 00:40:14.960 --> 00:40:18.619 for you. God, we thank you today for Jesus. We 00:40:18.619 --> 00:40:20.860 thank you for the good news of Jesus. We thank 00:40:20.860 --> 00:40:29.230 you for the Savior, our Savior. God, we are grateful 00:40:29.230 --> 00:40:31.949 people. God, out of our gratitude, Holy Spirit, 00:40:32.030 --> 00:40:37.969 would you bring faces and names to mind? Holy 00:40:37.969 --> 00:40:41.750 Spirit, would you give us courage to step out 00:40:41.750 --> 00:40:47.989 and invite somebody to come along with us to 00:40:47.989 --> 00:40:54.690 hear the good news of Jesus? You are the one 00:40:54.690 --> 00:40:58.610 who changes everything. through the power of 00:40:58.610 --> 00:41:02.889 your death and burial and resurrection. And so 00:41:02.889 --> 00:41:05.409 we thank you for hearing us. We thank you for 00:41:05.409 --> 00:41:08.070 seeing us. We thank you for being for us. We 00:41:08.070 --> 00:41:11.389 thank you that you are near as our breath today. 00:41:12.650 --> 00:41:15.769 We are grateful people and everybody said, amen.