WEBVTT

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And now would you open the Word of God with me

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please to the second chapter of the Gospel of

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Luke. Many western nations celebrate Christmas

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today on December 25th. As we look back in history,

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it seems as though the first celebration of the

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birth of Christ took place about 98 A .D. It

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was not until the fourth century, however, that

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the date was fixed that we celebrate Christmas

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on. Just when Jesus was actually born, we do

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not know. The shepherds were out in the fields

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keeping watch over their flocks, so it must have

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been during the months that that was possible,

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and during the winter that is not possible in

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the Holy Land. The Eastern Orthodox churches

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celebrate Christmas on January the 6th, as you

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may be aware. But most of our people in the United

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States celebrate Christmas on this weekend. Sadly,

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we have to confess also that the celebration

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of Christmas is largely secularized in our society.

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Even the religious aspects of it seem to have

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little genuine meaning to most people. Many people

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sing the carols, and one can even hear large

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crowds of people sing through the Messiah, and

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yet they have no real understanding, in many

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cases, of what they're singing. We would probably

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agree that Christmas doesn't mean to the world

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what it should. But the question I want to look

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at this morning is, what should Christmas mean

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to the world? from the Bible's perspective. We've

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talked about the meaning of Christmas to God

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the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit,

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the angels, and today we come to the world. What

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does Christmas mean to the world, or what should

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it mean as far as the Bible is concerned? We'll

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begin to uncover the answer here in Luke chapter

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2, where we have two statements, each of them

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given by important persons around the Christmas

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story. The first one, an angel. In verse 10,

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the angel said to them, the shepherds, do not

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be afraid, for behold I bring you good news of

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a great joy which shall be for all the people.

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For today in the city of David there has been

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born for you a Savior who is Christ the Lord.

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Notice that the angel says that the Savior was

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born for them, but the angel also said that this

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is a great joy. It is good news for all the people.

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We take that in the broadest possible sense.

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Not just all of the Jewish people, but all of

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the peoples of the world. And then if you would

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look further into the chapter to the 30th verse,

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we have part of the statement of Simeon. He says,

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For my eyes have seen thy salvation. which thou

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hast prepared in the presence of all peoples,

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a light of revelation to the Gentiles, and the

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glory of thy people Israel. And his father and

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mother were amazed at the things which were being

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said about him. And Simeon blessed them and said

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to Mary his mother, Behold, this child is appointed

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for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and

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for a sign to be opposed. and a sword will pierce

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even your own soul, to the end that thoughts

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from many hearts may be revealed." To the world,

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it seems to me that Christmas ought to have at

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least three strands of meaning. The first one

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is that salvation is possible. As the world considers

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Christmas, the first thing that it ought to mean

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is this. that because of Christmas, salvation

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is possible. We, ourselves, must never get tired

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of hearing this good news. God knew what the

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world needed, and he provided it. Dr. John Egan,

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who is pastor of Grace Church, Edina, wrote recently,

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What is the reason Jesus came to the world? What

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is it our world was most in need of? If the answer

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was better housing, God would have sent a real

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estate developer. If the answer was an improved

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financial system, God would have sent an economist.

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If the answer was a more effective government

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system, God would have sent a politician. If

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the answer was a greater vision of the cosmos,

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God would have sent a space scientist. If the

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answer was a more effective legal system, God

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would have sent a lawyer. If the answer was more

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religion, God would have sent a religious guru.

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If the answer was a healthier environment, God

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would have sent an environmental engineer. What

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is it our world was most in need of? The answer

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is a Savior. That is what the world was and is

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today most in need of. A Savior who would rescue

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us from our sin and restore our union with God.

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A Savior whose mission was so wonderfully accomplished

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that we who belong to the family of God no longer

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stand in any condemnation before the Lord. Praise

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the Lord. That's what the world needed. A Savior,

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and that is what God provided. Simeon says it

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this way, My eyes have seen thy salvation, which

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thou hast prepared. God prepared or God ordained

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this salvation of which Simeon speaks. It is

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not accidental. It is providential. God took

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deliberate action on his part to rescue sinners.

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And apart from his action, there is no hope for

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the sinner. Apart from God's divine intervention,

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the world is lost. We must keep in mind that

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mankind is not merely defective and in need of

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correction. Mankind is not merely diseased and

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in need of healing. But mankind is dead in trespasses

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and sins and needs resurrection. That truth is

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beautifully illustrated in an Old Testament story,

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and I invite you to open to the Old Testament

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this morning to the book of Jonah and the second

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chapter. If you have a Bible like mine, it's

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on page 1378. The book of Jonah and the second

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chapter. You know, don't you, the story of Jonah.

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how that he was thrown out of the ship and was

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then swallowed by a great fish that God had prepared

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just for that purpose. And for three days and

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three nights he was in the belly of that fish.

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You say that's one northerner I would like to

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have caught. Yes, so would a lot of fishermen.

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I don't know what kind of a fish it was, whether

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a whale or some large kind of shark, but whatever

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fish it was that God especially prepared, it

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was able to ingest Jonah without doing much damage

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to him. And inside of the belly of that fish,

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God kept Jonah alive. Now he was as good as dead.

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but he did not die. And from inside that fish

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Jonah prayed to God. And the second chapter contains

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that prayer. Jonah prayed to the Lord his God

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from the stomach of the fish and he said, I called

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out of my distress to the Lord and he answered

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me. Jonah seems here in this prayer, though he

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is right now in the belly, the stomach of the

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fish. He seems to realize that God is going to

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deliver him, that he is not dead and God has

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a reason for keeping him alive. And so as he

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prays, he places himself beyond this experience.

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You'll notice this as he prays. He already says,

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God answered me. I cried for help from the depth

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of Sheol, that is the realm of the dead. He sees

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himself as good as dead. Thou didst hear my voice,

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for thou hast cast me into the deep, into the

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heart of the seas, and the current engulfed me.

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All thy breakers and billows passed over me.

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So I said, I have been expelled from thy sight.

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Nevertheless, I will look again toward thy holy

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temple. Water encompassed me to the point of

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death. The great deep engulfed me. Weeds were

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wrapped around my head. I descended to the roots

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of the mountains. The earth with its bars was

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around me forever. But thou hast brought up my

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life from the pit, O Lord my God. While I was

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fainting away, I remembered the Lord, and my

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prayer came to thee into thy holy temple. Those

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who regard vain idols forsake their faithfulness

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But I will sacrifice to thee with a voice of

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thanksgiving that which I have vowed I will pay

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Salvation is from the Lord What an amazing picture

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and illustration we have in the Old Testament

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Of what Christmas ought to mean to the world

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it means salvation is possible If there had been

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no babe born in a manger there could be no Christ

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crucified on a cross. So as the world thinks

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of Christmas, let it first think of this. The

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salvation is now possible. Salvation is of the

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Lord. The world is dead in trespasses and sins.

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But God, who is rich in mercy and in grace, intervened

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in sending His Son into the world. And returning

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once more to our text in Luke, we see that salvation

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is prepared in the presence of all peoples. All

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peoples. It embraces all of mankind. Salvation

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is provided for all peoples without regard to

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race, color, or heritage. A light to the Gentiles

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and the glory of the people of Israel. Salvation

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is provided for all people, for all have sinned.

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All are in the darkness, the misery and the slavery

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of sin. God has prepared salvation for all peoples

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because He loves all peoples. Without exception

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and without distinction, God loves all the world.

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And so today, because of Christmas, the birth

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of the babe, his sinless life, his substitutionary

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death, his glorious resurrection. Because of

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that work of God, salvation is possible for anyone

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who will call upon him and be saved. I want to

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be extremely clear about this. The babe in the

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manger cannot save, but the fact is neither can

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the Christ who still hangs on a cross. It is

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the resurrected, risen Christ who was born, who

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lived, who died as a sacrifice, and who is raised

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from the dead. It is that Christ that saves.

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And that is the Christ who with open arms invites

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you to come today and appeals to you to turn

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to Him, believe in Him, and to be saved. I don't

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know what your heritage is. I don't know about

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your religious background. I don't know the guilt

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that may hang over your soul today, or that sense

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of being lost. It may be that you find yourself

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quite well satisfied with who you are, but that

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pride is a barrier between you and God. But this

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much I do know that God loves you. And this day

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that we celebrate on Christmas proves it, because

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He sent the sun. that he might become the Savior

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of the world, and that includes you. What a wonderful

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Christmas this would be if on this day you would

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receive God's Christmas gift to you, the risen

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Christ who will save. But as the world thinks

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of Christmas, there's another strand of meaning

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that I think that needs to be involved, not as

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pleasant as the first. For as the world thinks

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of Christmas, it must also understand that Christmas

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means judgment is inevitable. Judgment is the

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only alternative for those who put aside God's

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provision for sin. The birth of the sinless man

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who is also God provides a qualified Savior but

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also a qualified judge who can and will deal

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absolute justice to humanity. There is no other

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one in all of the history of the world or the

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events to come who is able to provide perfect

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justice but Jesus Christ. None other is so qualified.

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morally or positionally to act as judge. But

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Christ is qualified. He is in the first place

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free from guilt of any personal sin. Therefore,

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He can act as a judge. And secondly, He has been

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given authority by God the Father to be the judge.

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So morally and positionally, Jesus Christ is

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qualified to be the judge of all men. As we think

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about Christmas today and what it means to the

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world, let us remember that it means judgment

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is inevitable. In verse 34 of our text in Luke

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chapter 2, we see this stated. Simeon says, Behold,

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this child is appointed for the fall and rise

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of many. in Israel, and for a sign to be opposed

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to the end that thoughts from many hearts may

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be revealed." Jesus Christ is appointed by God

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to be the exposer of the thoughts of many hearts.

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Norval Geldenhuis in his Commentary on Luke says

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this regarding the text that we're looking at

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just now. After this, he addresses Mary, and

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for the first time in the Gospel history, the

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coming struggle and suffering are referred to.

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He's talking about the sword that will pierce

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Mary's soul as she sees her son crucified. Geldenhuis

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goes on to say, Jesus, Simeon declares, will

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be like a stone over which some will trip and

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fall and perish. but by which others will be

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enabled to arise and be saved. In order to fall

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it must be assumed that a person is first standing.

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So these words mean that those who imagine themselves

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to be strong and high, who rely on their own

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merit and power, will come to woeful ruin and

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undoing, because in their pride they do not realize

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their own need and doom. and do not take refuge

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in Christ. But the humble ones, those who bend

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low at his feet with confession of sin and faith

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in him, will be raised up by his mighty arm to

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eternal life. The Lord Jesus Christ, who was

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born into the world on that first Christmas,

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is the rock of salvation for those who believe

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on him. But he is the stone of stumbling. to

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those who reject Him or neglect Him. He is for

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the fall of those who turn from Him, that their

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thoughts, their hearts might be exposed. Now

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God already knows what is in our hearts. He knows

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the secrets within each of us. But one day, if

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we do not come first to the Savior and be forgiven

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of those things, one day we shall stand before

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Him and the true condition the true bias of every

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heart will be exposed before all by this Judge.

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Salvation is possible. But judgment is inevitable

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because of Christmas. How Satan would like to

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have avoided the birth of the Christ. It would

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have meant release for him from his own condemnation.

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But, alas, the Savior was born and judgment is

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inevitable, because now one is qualified and

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appointed to be the judge of all men. Your sins

00:19:06.269 --> 00:19:10.970
and mine must at some point be dealt with. They

00:19:10.970 --> 00:19:13.750
will be dealt with either now at the foot of

00:19:13.750 --> 00:19:17.690
the cross by our repentance and faith in Christ,

00:19:18.269 --> 00:19:20.890
or they will be dealt with one day at the court

00:19:20.890 --> 00:19:25.240
of God. before the great white throne at the

00:19:25.240 --> 00:19:29.240
judgment. Christmas means that God has provided

00:19:29.240 --> 00:19:33.019
a Savior and to neglect that Savior that God

00:19:33.019 --> 00:19:37.140
has provided or to reject Him assures one of

00:19:37.140 --> 00:19:44.220
judgment. So let our joy on this Christmas be

00:19:44.220 --> 00:19:47.599
tempered by this fact that to the world Christmas

00:19:47.599 --> 00:19:53.710
also means the inevitability of judgment. But

00:19:53.710 --> 00:19:56.809
finally, we return to a happier theme as we think

00:19:56.809 --> 00:20:01.029
about what Christmas means to the world. It means

00:20:01.029 --> 00:20:06.490
that restoration is predictable. In the Gospel

00:20:06.490 --> 00:20:08.690
of Luke, turn back a page if you're in chapter

00:20:08.690 --> 00:20:13.569
2, and look in chapter 1. In fact, if you have

00:20:13.569 --> 00:20:17.549
a Bible like mine, you turn back two pages. And

00:20:17.549 --> 00:20:22.940
in verse 31 of Luke 1, we see these words. the

00:20:22.940 --> 00:20:27.039
angel Gabriel speaking here to Mary. Behold you

00:20:27.039 --> 00:20:31.059
will conceive in your womb and bear a son and

00:20:31.059 --> 00:20:36.160
you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and

00:20:36.160 --> 00:20:39.539
will be called the son of the Most High and the

00:20:39.539 --> 00:20:43.299
Lord God will give him the throne of his father

00:20:43.299 --> 00:20:47.400
David and he will reign over the house of Jacob

00:20:47.400 --> 00:20:53.549
forever and his kingdom. will have no end. The

00:20:53.549 --> 00:20:55.789
third meaning of Christmas to the world is this,

00:20:55.930 --> 00:20:59.829
that restoration is predictable. The kingdom

00:20:59.829 --> 00:21:04.430
that was promised to David will be given. The

00:21:04.430 --> 00:21:07.509
covenant privileges will be restored to his people.

00:21:08.289 --> 00:21:13.210
The promises will be fulfilled to Israel. The

00:21:13.210 --> 00:21:17.150
birth and the eventual exaltation of Christ,

00:21:17.950 --> 00:21:23.500
the Son of Adam, guarantees that all that the

00:21:23.500 --> 00:21:26.839
first Adam, our Father lost when he fell into

00:21:26.839 --> 00:21:32.740
sin, will be restored to him and to his race

00:21:32.740 --> 00:21:38.700
by the last Adam. The coming of the Savior, His

00:21:38.700 --> 00:21:40.960
entrance into the world, the first Christmas

00:21:40.960 --> 00:21:45.240
means that restoration of all things will happen

00:21:45.240 --> 00:21:50.569
one day, not that all will participate. For those

00:21:50.569 --> 00:21:54.849
who reject the Savior cannot participate. But

00:21:54.849 --> 00:21:59.269
there is a glorious day coming. A golden age

00:21:59.269 --> 00:22:04.170
upon this world. An age not based upon humanity,

00:22:05.210 --> 00:22:09.630
upon human renaissance, but an age based upon

00:22:09.630 --> 00:22:14.109
the reign of the Savior, the Son of God. The

00:22:14.109 --> 00:22:17.670
one who is the Son of the Most High. The one

00:22:17.670 --> 00:22:21.539
who is the Son of David. He will reign over the

00:22:21.539 --> 00:22:25.779
house of Jacob and over the world and his kingdom

00:22:25.779 --> 00:22:32.039
will have no end. To the world Christmas means

00:22:32.039 --> 00:22:36.299
the eventual establishment of peace on earth

00:22:36.299 --> 00:22:40.460
to the nations of the world. Turn back with me

00:22:40.460 --> 00:22:43.119
please to Isaiah chapter 9 as we see a prophecy

00:22:43.119 --> 00:22:55.599
of this. Isaiah chapter 9 verses 6 and 7 this

00:22:55.599 --> 00:23:02.980
familiar text which says for a child will be

00:23:02.980 --> 00:23:09.920
born to us a son will be given to us in those

00:23:09.920 --> 00:23:13.480
two clauses you find Bethlehem and Calvary linked

00:23:13.480 --> 00:23:20.160
together the child born the manger scene, a son

00:23:20.160 --> 00:23:25.859
given the scene at the cross. And the government

00:23:25.859 --> 00:23:30.240
will rest on his shoulders, and his name will

00:23:30.240 --> 00:23:34.559
be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal

00:23:34.559 --> 00:23:39.559
Father, Prince of Peace. And there will be no

00:23:39.559 --> 00:23:43.359
end to the increase of his government or of peace

00:23:43.359 --> 00:23:46.380
on the throne of David and over his kingdom.

00:23:46.619 --> 00:23:50.359
to establish it and to uphold it with justice

00:23:50.359 --> 00:23:54.480
and righteousness. From then on and forevermore,

00:23:55.019 --> 00:23:57.440
the zeal of the Lord of Hosts will accomplish

00:23:57.440 --> 00:24:02.000
this." There are not a few people who spiritualize

00:24:02.000 --> 00:24:05.619
these words away and say that somehow this reign

00:24:05.619 --> 00:24:08.559
that is promised occurs only in the heart of

00:24:08.559 --> 00:24:10.619
the believer and that's all it will ever be.

00:24:11.460 --> 00:24:13.920
How wrong are those people who interpret Scripture

00:24:13.920 --> 00:24:17.910
in that way, at least in my opinion? The zeal

00:24:17.910 --> 00:24:21.789
of the Lord of hosts will fulfill literally what

00:24:21.789 --> 00:24:25.250
this says. And that is that this one who is the

00:24:25.250 --> 00:24:27.869
wonderful counselor, the mighty God, the eternal

00:24:27.869 --> 00:24:31.049
Father, the Prince of Peace will one day rule

00:24:31.049 --> 00:24:33.829
and the government of the world will rest upon

00:24:33.829 --> 00:24:37.710
the authority of his shoulders. And with righteousness

00:24:37.710 --> 00:24:42.029
and justice he will reign over the earth. And

00:24:42.029 --> 00:24:45.049
that kingdom which the Bible says will be for

00:24:45.049 --> 00:24:49.480
a thousand years. will stretch then on into eternity.

00:24:50.420 --> 00:24:53.839
After a thousand years, it will go on and on

00:24:53.839 --> 00:24:59.799
and on forever and ever. What does Christmas

00:24:59.799 --> 00:25:02.819
mean to the world? It means that restoration

00:25:02.819 --> 00:25:09.180
is predictable. All that our father Adam lost

00:25:09.180 --> 00:25:15.759
for us when he fell into sin. The last Adam Jesus

00:25:15.759 --> 00:25:21.519
Christ has restored to us and more and more For

00:25:21.519 --> 00:25:25.420
not only will we reign over the earth But in

00:25:25.420 --> 00:25:27.640
Jesus Christ we will reign with him over his

00:25:27.640 --> 00:25:30.799
universe Over his new creation the new heaven

00:25:30.799 --> 00:25:34.000
the new earth What a future for those who are

00:25:34.000 --> 00:25:36.700
the children of God. That's what Christmas means

00:25:36.700 --> 00:25:39.859
to the world Restoration that is predictable

00:25:39.859 --> 00:25:45.609
But that restoration of all things awaits His

00:25:45.609 --> 00:25:50.289
second coming. For linked together in this text

00:25:50.289 --> 00:25:53.390
of just two verses that we've read, we have the

00:25:53.390 --> 00:25:56.470
first coming and the second coming. The first

00:25:56.470 --> 00:26:00.170
coming when He was born and was given as a sacrifice,

00:26:01.630 --> 00:26:04.730
as God's only Son. That whoever would believe

00:26:04.730 --> 00:26:07.950
on Him might be saved. The second coming when

00:26:07.950 --> 00:26:11.470
He will return to the earth to assume His position

00:26:11.470 --> 00:26:17.630
as King. However, even now, the Savior is able

00:26:17.630 --> 00:26:21.509
to restore the ruined lives of sinners who will

00:26:21.509 --> 00:26:25.210
receive Him. He will one day restore all things,

00:26:25.269 --> 00:26:27.789
but, my friend, He can enter your life today

00:26:27.789 --> 00:26:31.829
and put it back together. He is able to come

00:26:31.829 --> 00:26:35.049
into your heart and to remove the guilt and the

00:26:35.049 --> 00:26:39.009
shame of your sin. He is able to take out that

00:26:39.009 --> 00:26:42.869
pride that is so ugly and heinous before God.

00:26:44.009 --> 00:26:47.150
He is able to cleanse and to wash away those

00:26:47.150 --> 00:26:51.150
things that plague your mind, your memory. He

00:26:51.150 --> 00:26:54.349
is able to give you a new heart of righteousness.

00:26:55.789 --> 00:26:59.529
He is able to restore you today if you will call

00:26:59.529 --> 00:27:04.809
upon Him. Will you do that? Salvation is possible.

00:27:05.569 --> 00:27:08.970
It's now up to you. God's done His part. Heaven

00:27:08.970 --> 00:27:11.529
can do no more. It's your part now. What will

00:27:11.529 --> 00:27:14.829
you do to receive it? But remember this, judgment

00:27:14.829 --> 00:27:19.089
is inevitable if you reject it. Judgment is inevitable.

00:27:19.950 --> 00:27:23.089
Let Him restore you today. Let Him restore you

00:27:23.089 --> 00:27:29.289
and save you. Let's pray. Our heads are bowed,

00:27:29.309 --> 00:27:33.430
our eyes are closed. I wonder if there is someone

00:27:33.430 --> 00:27:36.509
here on this Christmas Sunday who would say,

00:27:36.529 --> 00:27:42.289
Pastor, today, today I want to receive God's

00:27:42.289 --> 00:27:46.740
gift. I want that new heart. I want restoration.

00:27:47.000 --> 00:27:50.680
I want forgiveness. I want the salvation that

00:27:50.680 --> 00:27:55.000
is possible. I want to flee from the judgment

00:27:55.000 --> 00:27:59.119
that's inevitable. And I receive the Savior in

00:27:59.119 --> 00:28:01.920
my heart as an act of faith. Right now I place

00:28:01.920 --> 00:28:06.099
my faith in the Savior. My trust is in Him alone

00:28:06.099 --> 00:28:08.619
for my salvation. Would you lift your hand and

00:28:08.619 --> 00:28:12.900
put it down? We're not going to have a come forward

00:28:12.900 --> 00:28:16.319
invitation today. This is the invitation But

00:28:16.319 --> 00:28:18.700
I invite you if you've not received Christ before

00:28:18.700 --> 00:28:23.180
to do it today on this Christmas Sunday Be sure

00:28:23.180 --> 00:28:25.119
that I see it lift your hand and then put it

00:28:25.119 --> 00:28:34.640
down as there one All those of us who have done

00:28:34.640 --> 00:28:38.940
that how we can rejoice how we can rejoice on

00:28:38.940 --> 00:28:41.880
this Christmas Sunday Lord, thank you that there

00:28:41.880 --> 00:28:44.980
is joy to the world because the Lord has come.

00:28:46.660 --> 00:28:49.160
And we would pray that earth would receive her

00:28:49.160 --> 00:28:53.839
King. May that day come soon when Jesus will

00:28:53.839 --> 00:28:58.779
return and establish his kingdom. Fill us with

00:28:58.779 --> 00:29:03.859
the joy of Christmas today and all that it means

00:29:03.859 --> 00:29:07.970
to us who are the children of God. And this we

00:29:07.970 --> 00:29:10.910
pray in the name of that Savior who was born

00:29:10.910 --> 00:29:15.630
and who died and rose again, even our Lord Jesus.

00:29:15.950 --> 00:29:20.569
Amen. I'd like for us to sing just a verse as

00:29:20.569 --> 00:29:23.529
the choir comes back up as we sing the number

00:29:23.529 --> 00:29:28.769
170, Joy to the World, the Lord is Come. Just

00:29:28.769 --> 00:29:30.789
a verse or two of this and then we're going to

00:29:30.789 --> 00:29:33.670
close as we traditionally do with every one of

00:29:33.670 --> 00:29:36.880
us singing the hallelujah chorus. So would you

00:29:36.880 --> 00:29:41.220
stand with me please as we sing? Joy to the World,

00:29:41.380 --> 00:29:42.200
170.