You know, sometimes, you're in the right place,
at the right time, doing the right thing, and
maybe, just maybe, God might have something to
say to you. You know, a few months ago, I was
pretty excited. I had a message for this guy,
Zechariah. He's a priest, and you know, the times
whenever you go to someone, that you know is
ready for you. You know that you've got something
for them and that they are so excited and you
are ready to give them exactly what it is that
they've been wanting all this time. This is the
time when He finally was chosen to go and to
light the incense. To finally be in front of
the Holy of Holies. To be able to have the prayers
of the people to rise up to God. He is bringing
the prayers onto God. And then what happens?
I get to go on behalf of God to tell Him, you,
your wife, you're finally going to have a son.
And then he says, what are you talking about?
You know those moments where you've built something
up in your head the whole time, and then all
of a sudden it just lets you down? And you're
trying to look at the person saying, I have just
given you exactly the news that you've always
wanted. And not only that, but that he's actually
going to be pointing out the Messiah, the Son
of God. And he won't even believe me. As I'm
standing right in front of him, I have the halo.
You know, the times whenever a person is at the
right time, the right place, and finally the
right message has come to them, and some people
just don't want to believe it. It's okay. I've
muted him for a while. He should be okay. But
the next person though, Very, very different.
You know, sometimes when you're going to tell
somebody a message, and you know that it's a
great thing, but it's not easy for them to hear.
Here's this young woman that she's betrothed.
She's about to be married. She's about to complete
the marriage to this man that will start this
family with her, and now I have to go and interrupt
her life. I have to go and interrupt everything
because this is a part of God's plan. The thing
about God's plan is that it's amazing, it's beautiful,
but man, it's inconvenient sometimes. So many
things that she must have had in mind. But you
know, the old guy didn't know how to accept the
joy that was right in front of him. But here's
this young girl. who's being told that she is
about to be the mother of the one who has to
come to bring salvation to the people. And instead
of yelling and screaming and crying, I am the
servant of the Lord. Let it be to me according
to your word. What kind of maturity is that?
What kind of faith is that? That this young woman...
who's still at such an early place in life already
knows her life is nothing if it's not following
what God has in mind. But I've got to head over
this way because I've got to go talk to this
guy Joseph. How hard is it going to be that he
is going to be told that his first son won't
even be his? He's not a bad guy. I can only imagine
how hard all of this has been. How many thoughts
have been running through his mind. A person
is living out what God has given them. And all
he sees is that his wife is with someone else's
child. But I have to go to him and ask him, do
not leave her. She needs you. It'll work out.
But don't leave her. Because that's sometimes
the thing about being the right person in the
right place at the right time is because you
have to decide to still be in the right place
at the right time to do what God has in mind.
Kind of sounds a little, yeah, presumptuous.
Fear not. I'm not a Marvel superhero. Okay, let's
try that again. Okay, let me just try to say
it though. Fear not, for behold, I bring you
good news of great joy which will be to all the
people. Yeah, yeah, that's coming out a whole
lot better. Okay, good. We're about to go and
see the shepherds. There's been a lot going on
for the last several months. But we get a chance
to now. We've been practicing with the choir.
It's pretty amazing. I'm a second tenor. I know,
I feel pretty good about that. They always keep
trying to make me a first tenor. It does not
match my vocal range. But the wonderful part
about this though is that we get to go to Shepherds.
Do you know how annoyed it is to have to go off
to talk to kings and queens and all the people
who think that they're better than you? It's
like I'm an angel. What do you think I am? But
shepherds, I love shepherds. Shepherds are the
people who do their work, live out in the field.
They're like the salt of the earth kind of people.
And we get a chance to go to them and let them
be the ones to bring this message into the city.
The city of David was born a child, the Savior,
Christ the Lord. But you know, you oftentimes
are trying to see where this might be, the right
time, the right place. This doesn't look like
the right place. This doesn't look like the place
that the King is going to be. That being off
in this cave, this place where all the animals
are, that we're going to be seeing, that in this
manger, you know, I don't even know if that's
quite what it's going to look like. That kind
of looks a little nicer. That looks like somebody's
pastor broke it last year. But realizing that
in this place, the animals will eat and the shepherds
will often even put the sacrificial lamb up in
this place. This is where we're going to find
a child. But the thing is, when God's plan is
in place, where He decides that's the right place.
I am going to show you exactly how to see the
coming Christ child. But what's wonderful about
this is that it's meant to be getting a message
to all these different people. I need to double
check. We need to get back over to Simeon. He's
been on hold for quite some time. We let him
know a while back that he was going to get to
see the Messiah. Man, he was thrilled. And then
another year came. And another year went. And
year after year. You know those times when you
know that God has something going on in your
life, but you just wish He'd finally show you
what it is? How hard must it be for Him to be
waiting? But more than that, that He's going
to be the one who has to see and proclaim the
Christ child. I don't know if you know what we're
looking at over here. You notice the star that
we've got going on over here? It's fascinating.
Nobody during this time period actually has any
idea what's actually going on out there, but
they can generally see as the planet and as a
star align. But it's going to move in such a
strange pattern that for the next two years...
It's going to still point in exactly the spot
that it needs to be. Because this isn't just
for the people that are right here in the right
place in all of history in the right time. It's
going to be for the people who are not in the
right place. The people who are off in some other
land who didn't even have the opportunity to
physically be here, but they are desperately
going to get here as fast as they can. How many
people would you know that haven't had the chance
to hear this message and need somebody to get
to them as quickly as possible to make sure that
they know it. See, you're in a time and in a
place that is very privileged. You're in a spot
where you have all the information of the world
at your disposal, but it's so easy to wonder
where truth can be found. You're in a place where
all the comforts of the world can come to your
very doorstep not even having to leave to get
a pizza and yet People are so afraid to welcome
God into their very homes or to find their way
to a place to even worship him But with all of
these things that you may see all that there
may be in front of you the right person at the
right time is always in your life because the
right time to know the Messiah is now. So wherever
you may be looking this next year at what your
life may be, it always comes back to this child.
It always comes back to the one to bring us light
and life everlasting. It always comes back to
the one who will sacrifice for you. Because the
wrong people did the wrong thing in the worst
way. But the God who loves you took it and made
it exactly what you need for your salvation.
So you may not have someone special each and
every day coming to bring you a message. But
you do have someone each and every week joyful
at the chance to bring you back to this message
and to the Savior who is the purpose and the
point of it all. So wherever you may be, not
just today, but from here forward, welcome to
the Kingdom of God in Christ Jesus. Amen.