I want to remind you and let you know that he's
not done yet. He's not done yet. He wants to
continue to work in us, to move in us, and to
reveal himself to us. God bless you. It's so
good to have you in the house of the Lord today.
I want to add my voice to Pastor Linders and
say thank you to everybody that has served so
diligently and has just done everything that
there is to do around here. You know, there's
room for more, huh? There's a lot of toilets
that need to be cleaned. There's a lot of carpets
that can be vacuumed. There's a lot of solos
that need to be sung. Come on, there's room for
you. There's room for you. Don't show up and
just think, well, you know, everything looks
so good. They've got it all together. They don't
need me. We need you. The church needs you. The
body of Christ needs you. So get connected, get
plugged in. and let God serve you. The Bible
says that where there are no oxen, the stalls
are clean. And that just means where much is
given, much is required. When things are happening,
when revival's happening, there can be some messes.
I walked around last week getting ready for these
concerts. Everybody had gone home. They were
decorating. They were setting up lights. They
were rehearsing. And I came through the sanctuary.
It was late, late, well, probably early in the
morning by then. And I thought, man, there's
some oxen walking around in this place. This
place is a mess. And then just a day or two later,
we showed up for those concerts and everything
looked so incredible. And keep doing what you're
doing because we're seeing revival. And it takes
a lot of work to have revival. Can somebody say
amen? I said it takes a lot of work to have revival
and so we need you and so get plugged in to what
God is doing here at Heaven View and just see
what God will do through you. Can somebody say
amen? I want to talk to you for a few minutes
today on faithfulness. Paul wrote in First Corinthians
four two that it is required of stewards that
they be found faithful. and I don't want to come
today. It's not my intention to bang you over
the head and beat you to death with scripture
and tell you gotta be faithful and you gotta
do more and gotta try harder. That's not my intention
today. My intention is to celebrate your faithfulness.
I've come today to say thank you for those that
are serving and to say thank you to those that
have been found faithful and to encourage you
to remain faithful because I believe with all
my heart, you find it all through the Bible that
favor follows faithfulness. Favor follows faithfulness.
And so I wanna preach to you with the help of
the Lord today about shepherds and seekers. Shepherds
and seekers, why don't you pray with me one more
time. God, let your spirit continue to move through
this house. We feel your glory and we feel your
power. We feel your presence and I pray that
you would reveal yourself in a greater way to
us today. In Jesus' name we pray, everybody said
amen. turn to somebody and give them a high five
and say, stay faithful. God bless you, you may
be seated. Luke chapter two, verse four, I'm
not going to be able to do this scripture, the
justice that brother Patrick Adams does it, but
I will read it to you today. It says, and Joseph
also went up. From Galilee out of the city of
Nazareth unto Judea unto the city of David which
is called Bethlehem because he was the house
Of the house and the lineage of David to be taxed
with Mary his espouse wife being great with child
And so it was that while they were there the
days were accomplished that she should be delivered
And she brought forth her firstborn son and wrapped
him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger
because there was no room for them at the inn.
And there was in the same country shepherds abiding
in the field, keeping watch over their flocks
by night. And lo, the angel of the Lord came
upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round
about them, and they were sore afraid. And the
angel said unto them, fear not, for behold, I
bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall
be to all the people. For unto you is born this
day in the city of David a Savior Which is Christ
the Lord and this shall be a sign unto you you
shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes
lying in a manger and Suddenly there was with
the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising
God and saying glory to God in the highest and
on earth peace Goodwill toward men And it came
to pass as the angels were gone away from them
into the heaven, the shepherd said to one another,
let us now go even unto Bethlehem and see this
thing which has come to pass which the Lord hath
made known unto us. And they came with haste
and found Mary and Joseph and the baby lying
in a manger. And when they had seen it, they
made known abroad the sayings which was told
them concerning this child. And all they that
heard it wondered at those things which were
told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all
of these things and pondered them in her heart.
And the shepherds returned glorifying and praising
God for all the things that they had heard and
seen as it was told unto them. On the night that
changed eternity, heaven did not announce the
birth of the king in a palace, but it was in
a pasture and through a passed down prophecy.
God chose to reveal himself not just to those
who were working, but also to those who were
searching. There were shepherds, common men doing
common work, faithful in the night watch. And
then Matthew chapter two tells us about the wise
men, scholars, men of influence, seekers who
left comfort. They left status and they left
certainty to pursue a promise. Different backgrounds,
different social standings. different journeys,
but the same destination. Because when God robed
himself in flesh, everybody was invited to the
manger. Luke tells us that the shepherds were
abiding in the fields, keeping watch over their
flocks by night. They were faithful in the field.
These shepherds were faithful to their calling.
They were faithful to what they were supposed
to be doing. They weren't praying in the temple.
They weren't attending some type of religious
festival. They weren't really even expecting
some kind of visitation. They were simply working.
Shepherding was not a glamorous duty. In fact,
it was probably pretty It was very dangerous.
It was very lonely, especially in the middle
of the night. And as I read this again this year,
it seemed odd to me that the shepherds were out
in the field in the middle of the night. I began
to look into it somewhat and then I realized
that sometimes they had to be. somewhat of nomadic
travelers. They would have to go and travel to
where the grass was, travel to where the well
-watered pastures were, or really just simply
go find food for the sheep, and wherever that
was, that's where they had to grow, or had to
go, and they didn't really have the privilege
of a fenced -in, protected... pasture so they
would have to venture out into some untamed,
unknown, and possibly unfriendly territory so
that their sheep could be fed. They didn't have
the luxury of checking out. They didn't have
the luxury of punching a clock. And so they had
to remain attentive. They had to remain dedicated.
They had to remain consistent. They had to remain
committed. And it was in the middle of this diligence
that heaven showed up. Hear me today somebody
while everyone else was sleeping an angel appeared
to those who were devoted an angel appeared to
those while everybody else was resting while
Everybody else had their eyes closed and and
they were just catching up They were tired here
were these shepherds in the middle of the field
in the middle of the night and heaven found them
Faithful and heaven showed up to those who were
faithful and those who were diligent. God didn't
interrupt the lazy. God didn't interrupt the
sleeping. God didn't show up to those that were
filled with complacency, but God spoke to men
who were faithful where they were. This apostolic
truth that we preach and that we believe today,
it still stands. It's still true. And if you
want revelation, then be faithful in your calling.
If you want direction, then keep going where
God told you to go and keep doing what God has
told you to do. Continue to be faithful, continue
to be diligent, and heaven will show up, and
there will be revelation, and there will be outpouring,
and there will be salvation, and there will be
miracles. The angels didn't appear to Herod.
Herod was the king, but he did not have an angelic
visitation that night. They didn't appear to.
the religious elite, but they appear to men who
are simply faithful, simply doing their job.
I've come to talk to somebody today that you
may feel like that you're ready to check out
because you feel like you can't find your way
or. You've been working at this so long, you've
been trying so hard for what seems like such
a long time, and you feel like, you know what,
I think I'm ready to just call it quits. I don't
know if I can keep doing what I'm supposed to
be doing. Maybe you don't understand why you
are where you are. So you feel like, you know
what? It's getting dark and I'm getting tired.
I can't keep up the fight anymore. I'm out here
in the middle of the field. It's the middle of
the night. It seems like everybody else has it
going for them. It feels like everybody else
gets arrested. It feels like everybody else doesn't
have a problem. Why me, God? Why am I in the
field in the middle of the night? But I've come
to tell you today, remain diligent. Stay faithful,
keep working, keep trusting because heaven is
on its way. There is an angel that is going to
come and speak to you and God is going to do
something incredible for you. His promise is
going to come to pass if you remain faithful.
Just remain faithful, can somebody say amen?
Maybe you're here today and you find yourself
in unfamiliar territory. God has called you to
a certain thing. God has called you to a specific
duty. Maybe you have even committed to some things
in your life and now you find yourself in uncertain
and unfamiliar territory. But God is coming,
stay faithful. I said God is coming, so stay.
Maybe you've had to fight off the enemy who seems
to attack you at every angle from every side
and you're frustrated and you're tired and you're
weak from the enemy. You've been weakened, you've
been wounded from the onslaught and you think,
you know what, Brother Mark, I've had enough.
It's the middle of the night. There's no light.
I feel like I'm in darkness and I'm trying to
do what I'm supposed to do. I'm trying to continue
to be what I'm supposed to be, but I just can't
handle it anymore. But keep fighting. Stay faithful
because your promise is coming. Oh, come on,
you can do better than that. Maybe this isn't
for you today, but it might be for someone sitting
next to you that you're gonna need to believe
it and you're gonna have to celebrate that the
promise is coming. I said the promise is coming.
I've come to remind that shepherd that feels
like giving up on their calling, giving up on
what God is gonna do in your life because you're
just a shepherd standing out. in the darkness,
but we have some incredible promises in the word
of God. Isaiah wrote in chapter 50 verse 10,
who among you fears the Lord? Who obeys the voice
of his servant? Who walks in darkness and has
no light? Let him trust in the name of the Lord
and rely on his God. I've come to tell you today,
continue trusting, remain diligent. Remain faithful.
It may feel like you're out in the field in the
midnight hour, but God will come through David
said the Lord is my light and he is my salvation
Whom shall I fear? He said his word Is a lamp
unto my feet and a light unto my path. The prophet
Micah said, though I sit in darkness, the Lord
shall be my light. I've come to remind somebody
today, you might be a shepherd out in the field
in the middle of the night, but Jesus will be
your light and his promise will come to pass.
Why don't you put your hands together and shout
if you believe it. I know it's easy to get up
here and preach about it, but I've been there
before. I've sat in my office with my head in
my hands and I've had to whisper this over and
over again until I started to believe it. Though
I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light.
Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my
light. I've sat in the hospital rooms and I've
had to whisper it until I started to believe
it. Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be
my light. I've looked at the bills that have
piled up and I've had to repeat it to myself
until I started to believe it. Those who walk
in darkness and have no light, let him trust
in the name of the Lord and rely upon his God.
I've been there. But the trick is you just can't
stop. You've gotta remain faithful. You've gotta
remain diligent because favor follows faithfulness.
Favor follows faithfulness. I've come to tell
somebody today that Jesus will be revealed to
those that are faithful. Jesus will be revealed
to those that are faithful. When you leave this
place today, and you travel through the neighborhoods
and you see the wrapping paper and you go to
the mall and you see all the decorations. I don't
even know if the mall still decorates, probably
not a bunch of snowflakes and frosties and stuff
like that, but every now and then you'll get
a look at a manger scene. You'll see that nativity
and I want you to be reminded that Jesus will
be revealed to those that remain faithful. As
they sing the Christmas carols, let it be a reminder
to you that Jesus will be revealed to those that
are faithful. So stay faithful, shepherds. Turn
to your neighbor and tell them stay faithful,
shepherd. Come on, look at somebody else and
tell them stay faithful, shepherd. Because Jesus
will be revealed. Your faithfulness is leading
you. right to Jesus. I said your faithfulness
is leading you right to where Jesus is. Matthew
tells us that there were wise men that came from
the east following a star. These were not casual
observers. They were not curious tourists. They
were seekers. They were seekers. They studied,
they traveled. They sacrificed. I found it interesting.
I'd never noticed this before or even thought
about it. This year as I begin to read this account
again, I'll be honest, I knew I had to preach
this week and so I started praying saying, God,
just reveal something to me about this Christmas
story, this message. Is there anything that I've
missed? Is there anything I haven't seen? And
so I read it again. We read it every year and
we read it with the kids, but I read it again
and I began to pray and. As I looked at this,
I thought, I begin to realize and I begin to
read some scriptural texts and what are you calling
those guys that write about the commentaries?
Thank you. And you'll find that tradition in
historical context suggests that these wise men
may have been descendants. of the magi or the
wise men that Daniel was placed over in Babylon
after that he had interpreted King Nebuchadnezzar's
dream. They may have been descendants of those
magicians, those wise men. And when you look
into it, Babylon is due east of Bethlehem. These
wise men from the east. Daniel, while in exile,
the Bible says that he is filled with the Spirit
of God and he left a legacy of revelation in
that foreign land. Generations later, men who
had inherited those writings were still watching
heaven for a sign. Could it be that faithfulness
has farther reaching effects? than what we realize.
Maybe my faithfulness has more to do than just
my pursuit of heaven. It might just be that the
next generation is relying on my faithfulness.
It might just be that my children are relying
on my diligence. It might just be that somebody
that is gonna show up to this sanctuary is relying
on your faithfulness so that they can find where
Jesus is. It might just be that your neighbors
and your coworkers and the people that you come
in contact with are relying on your diligence.
so that they can find where Jesus is. Could it
be that Daniel's faithfulness is what made his
prophecies powerful? I believe it. I believe
that it was his faithfulness that made those
prophecies believable. Daniel could have been
and would have been just another crazy guy saying
all kinds of crazy things if it weren't for the
fact that he was faithful. He was steadfast.
He was diligent He was committed in the face
of the adversary and in the face of all the problems
and and you talk about being a stranger in a
strange land and yet He was committed. He was
faithful. He didn't give up He didn't back down
and so when people saw his commitment and his
diligence and his faithfulness They believed
what he had to say those prophecies they they
held water if you will because he was faithful
Those prophecies were accepted because his faithfulness
was displayed. And so those prophecies were passed
down from generation to generation until finally
600 years later, wise men recounting and recognizing
the prophecies fulfilled, follow a star to Bethlehem
and find this young child named Jesus, the Messiah.
If these wise men were from Babylon, it would
have been about an 800 to a thousand mile journey
over harsh desert terrain following ancient roads
to get to Jerusalem. You know what I noticed?
They didn't stop when the road got rough. They
didn't give up and back down when things got
uncomfortable. They couldn't just jump on easy
jet. and get a nonstop flight with a first -class
seat to Bethlehem. But it was a journey. There
were struggles. They had to be persistent. They
had to be diligent in their pursuit. They had
to be faithful and they didn't quit even though
the journey was long because seekers don't quit.
I said seekers don't quit until they find him.
Seekers of the Messiah don't give up until they
stand at his feet and worship him. I said shepherds
and seekers must remain faithful. The thing that's
amazing about it, the thing that I wanna celebrate
today is that God is a rewarder of those who
diligently seek him. I said I've come today to
celebrate. that God is a rewarder of diligence.
God will respond to faithfulness. If you've been
trudging, if you've been fighting, if you've
been traveling, then keep it up because God is
about to reward you. God is about to send something
your way. There's about to be an angel that is
gonna bring revelation and bring his promise
to pass. In the name of Jesus Hebrews 11 six
says he that cometh to God must believe that
he is And then it says you may be dismissed No
No, it doesn't say that if you're gonna come
to God just believe It says and he's a rewarder
of them that diligently seek him it's not enough
to believe but you've got to seek after It's
not enough just to believe, let me speak to a
young minister here today, a young person, maybe
it's an older minister, maybe it's a lay minister
that you're not so young, I don't know. But you're
wanting to do something for God and you believe
that he's called you, but it's not enough, you've
got to seek him. You've got to work, you've got
to travel, you've got to study, you've got to
pray, you've got to fast, you've got to keep
going, don't give up. Well, God, you can use
me, here I am. We'll keep praying, keep studying,
keep serving, keep finding places to plug in.
Because God rewards the diligent. God rewards
the faithful. It doesn't say anything about the
casual seeker. It doesn't say anything about
God rewarding the occasional seeker. Not the.
the convenience seekers, but the diligent seekers,
like those wise men who diligently sought the
Christ child. I used to think that diligence
simply meant to work hard and to be focused,
but there's more to it than that. It indicates
a level of care or to take delight in the task
at hand. Let me throw this in as a... just a
free Christmas present to you. You'll be more
successful and more fulfilled and happier when
you approach your calling with diligence than
you will if you respond to it with a bitter and
begrudging attitude. And that just doesn't deal
with the call of God and the kingdom of God.
If you go to your job and you're bitter about
it and you're begrudging and you're mumbling
and you're grumbling, that's not gonna help anything.
But if you would go and you'd be diligent, I
sound like my mom. Where are you, Sister Sharon?
There she is. It's coming back. You thought I
wasn't listening. I tried not to, but you pounded
it in there. That belt, boy, I tell you what,
it'll make you recall some stuff. Can somebody
say amen? Ha ha. Yeah. But you know, there's
some things in life that you're just gonna have
to deal with, that if you would just figure it
out and not be so bitter about it, not be so
begrudging about it, then God could say, hey,
look, here's somebody who's faithful. I can work
with this. I can work with faithfulness. She
used to always say, she'd quote it to us when
we were young men, that it served my brother
and I well. Ecclesiastes 9, 10, whatever your
hand finds to do, do with all your might. And
it stuck with me. It served me well. I can't
help it. Pastor makes us park across the street.
When I'm walking over here for church, I can't
help myself when a piece of paper is blown into
the parking lot. And I'll try, you know, the
security cameras, they'll see if I walk past.
So I'll try to just kind of corner eye it and
act like I didn't see it. But then I hear Sister
Sharon. Whatsoever your hands find it I Turn
around I'll pick up the piece of paper I'll come
into the sanctuary. We're being prayed I kind
of pace back and forth during prayer and that
piece of lint on the ground. It's just it's killing
me I can't touch heaven because that that piece
of lint is it's just calling to me and I hear
sister Sharon But you know what it served me
well because I believe that I am where I am today
because God looked at a young man whose mother
and father taught him, be diligent, be faithful.
And I'm not perfect and I don't have it all figured
out, but I believe that God looks and says, I
can do something with somebody who's faithful.
I can work with somebody who is diligent. I can
reveal myself to somebody who's faithful. I can
reveal myself to shepherds and to seekers. Diligence
and faithfulness attracts all of heaven and it
leads to Jesus. The shepherds were diligent in
their responsibilities. The wise men were diligent
in their pursuits and God rewarded both of them.
The shepherds received revelation and the wise
men received confirmation. The shepherds went
away praising and the wise men went away transformed.
I've come to tell somebody today that God does
not reward titles, but he rewards faithfulness.
God doesn't reward status, but he responds to
diligence. If you keep watching in the field,
if you keep following that star, if you keep
praying, even though the answers seem to be delayed,
God will not forget your labor. This is what
I love about the Nativity scene, is that all
were welcome to the manger. This is the beauty
of the incarnation. Those first visitors were
shepherds, and then later the visitors were the
wise men with social status, possibly even kings.
Commoners and royalty, workers and scholars,
the poor and the powerful, they were all kneeling
at the same place. No reserved seating, no special
access, no hierarchy at the manger because when
God manifested himself in flesh, he made a declaration
and it was this, whosoever will may come. Whoever
wants to come to the manger can come to the manger.
Whoever wants revelation can receive it. Whoever
wants to be saved can be saved. Whoever wants
more of my power, whoever wants anointing, it's
available to you. The shepherds had no earthly
goods to give to Jesus. The wise men came bearing
precious and costly gifts and yet they were both
accepted. God didn't care where they came from.
Only that they came. And today the invitation
stays the same. If you'd stand with me. Some
of you here today are shepherds. You're tired,
but you're faithful. You're diligent in doing
what God has asked you to do. Maybe even at times
wondering if anybody sees, but God sees you.
Some of you here are wise men. You're seekers,
you're searching, you're praying, you're studying,
you're longing for clarity. I've come to tell
you today, keep seeking. Because whether you
come from the field or from afar, the Savior's
still found where humility meets hunger. Jesus
is revealed where loyalty meets longing. You'll
find the baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and
laying in a manger right at the spot where devotion
meets desire. So be diligent in your pursuit.
Be relentless in your calling because God is
still a rewarder of them that diligently seek
him. If you're here today and you want more of
God, then as they begin to sing in just a moment,
we're gonna open this altar. I invite you to
reach out to him because hunger always precedes
revelation. that hunger for more of God will
always precede God responding to those that are
hungry. If you've been giving and you're serving
and you're tired, maybe a bit weary, then come
to this altar and worship Him because sacrifice
always precedes encounter. Let me say this today,
there's more to God than just church attendance.
Today you can experience an encounter. I said
today you can experience an encounter. This altar
is like our manger today. No one is turned away.
This altar is open to the wealthy businessman,
but it's also open to the dirty, tired, weary,
worn out shepherd because Jesus is available
to everybody. It doesn't matter where you're
coming from. It doesn't matter what you've experienced.
What matters today is that you come. You don't
have to bring anything to this manger. Just bring
yourself. It's all right if you've lived a lot
of life. It's okay if you've got a late start
in your pursuit of Jesus. It took the wise men
a little while to get there too. I know we set
them up there at the manger scene, but they weren't
there that night. It took them a little bit to
get there. So if you've been traveling a while,
it's okay. If you feel like you're a little bit
late in making it to Jesus, it's okay. You can
still come today. The exciting thing is, is when
you get to Jesus, He'll forgive you of all your
sins. When you get to Jesus, He'll baptize you
in His name. The water is ready. We've got robes.
You don't have to get your clothes all wet. You
can be baptized in the saving name of Jesus Christ
and have the stains of all of those sins washed
away from your life and He'll make you a new
creature today. When you come to this altar and
you come to Jesus, He'll fill you with His Spirit.
He was born in the manger, but He never planned
to stay there. He left the manger and he went
to a cross so that he could live in your heart.
Come to this altar and let him fill you with
the precious gift of the Holy Ghost. As they
begin to sing, this altar is open. Why don't
you come and receive revelation? Why don't you
come today and receive transformation? And you'll
leave this place rejoicing and praising God for
everything that you have experienced. in his
presence. Come on, I'm calling every shepherd.
I'm calling every seeker. Come to this altar.
Open your heart. Lay your life down before the
Lord today and say, God, I know you've got a
promise for me. I know you've got power for me.
I know you've got revelation for me. I know you've
got restoration for me. In Jesus' name we pray.
In Jesus name we pray I'm coming to you today
God Thank You Jesus Thank You Jesus