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God With Us | Pastor Daniel Batarseh · Bible Study with Pr. Daniel Batarseh | Verse by Verse Series | Maranatha Bible Church - Chicago

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What an honor it is to be able to celebrate our Lord and
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savior. What a precious privilege and
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Grace for us to be able to gather together around one
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common desire. Hoping that's the exalt, the
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person of Jesus Christ, we did it in song and now we will do it
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in the hearing and the proclamation and prayerfully in
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the obedience to the word of God.
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I hope you have your Bibles tonight because I encourage you
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to turn with me in your copy of God's word and the gospel of
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Matthew chapter 1. What a day to be a Christian.
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Let's pray. One more time, shall we?
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Louis, thank you. We thank you that in so much
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Darkness, we can sense your light.
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We thank you that as we are surrounded by so much chaos and
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confusion, we sense, you're anchoring, peace, we feel
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secure, we feel hopeful and Lord in this moment tonight we pray
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that you would only intensify that that sense of glory.
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Lord, we already admit that we will fail and attempting to
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describe your beauty. Your majesty in your wisdom.
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But we ask that with our limited language and our limited
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capacity to understand that you would work in our hearts and our
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minds and our you would help us. See Christ.
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Christ incarnate Christ, and coming into this world to rescue
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men. We pray Lord, that there would
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be Redemption tonight, that there'd be genuine salvation,
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that there will be even Revival Lord.
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We pray that this Christmas weekend would serve as a Revival
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that you would rejuvenate our faith and our devotion.
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Going into the new year, with new mandates, with new
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standards, with a new way of life lore, we need a fresh touch
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from Even a fresh touch Lord Kill lukewarmness Tonight,
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destroy unbelief, rescue us from any sin that has dominance over
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us. And Lord, we just pray that you
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would be exalted. You would be exalted Lord, we do
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not take it for granted that we are in a church building
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tonight. We are extremely grateful
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grateful for people that want to be here.
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Grateful for people that are not afraid of sickness.
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Help us help us remain Fearless in a fearful time.
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In Jesus name we pray. Amen. the gospel of Matthew
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chapter 1, beginning in verse 18, we read Now, the birth of
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Jesus Christ, took place in this way.
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When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph before they
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came together, she was found to be with child from the Holy
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Spirit and her husband. Joseph being a just man and
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unwilling to put her to shame resolved to divorce her quietly.
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But as he considered these things behold, an angel of the
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Lord appeared to him in a dream saying Joseph, son of David do
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not fear to take Mary as your wife for that which is Even in
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her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son and you
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shall call his name Jesus for. He will save his people, from
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their sins. All this took place to fulfill
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what the Lord had spoken. By the prophet.
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Behold, the Virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and
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they shall call his name Emmanuel.
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Don't answer audibly. But how many babies do you think
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are born worldwide every single day?
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Please do answer audibly. If you guessed close to 400,000,
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you're right. There are three hundred.
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And eighty-five thousand babies, born World ride every single
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day. By midnight tonight, there will
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be close to 400,000 children entering into this world.
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And what's amazing about that though it is a large number, it
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does not diminish, the intrinsic value that each child carries
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and it does not dilute the almost miraculous event of a
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baby that was inhabiting. Another humans womb for nine
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months, all for sudden comes comes into this world flesh and
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blood. So innocent so vulnerable, so
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dependent. and it causes us to wonder even though it is so
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common, it still causes us to be an odd because such a thing
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points to a Divine architect, And there is no doubt that when
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we when we realize and contemplate conception and we
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realize and contemplate the birth of a child, it is
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extraordinary. And as extraordinary as every
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single birth of a child maybe even though there may be close
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to 400,000 a day, there is still one birth that surpasses them
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all There is one birth that stands out in all of history and
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it is the birth of a person named Jesus of Nazareth.
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As Christians, we do not merely observe the birth of Jesus
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Christ. As we do, our fellow loved ones,
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many cultures, including our own take time, and effort to invest
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in the birthday of another, to show them how much we appreciate
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and love them. And how grateful we are that
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they are present with us today but recognizing the birth of
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Jesus Christ demands so much more than mere appreciation.
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It is much more significant than that because his arrival, 2,000
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years ago, goes beyond him, just making an impression on certain
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Hearts during his lifetime. Oh, yes, it does.
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The arrival of Christ into this world demands, more than just
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some songs demands more than just an attendance demands true
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heartfelt worship. True worship a surrendered life.
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a sense of Inward bowing down continually, as we reflect on
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the fact that God became a man because this birth 2,000 years
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ago, impacts the Eternal destinations of those who choose
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to believe in him. There is no other birth like
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that, there is no other man like this.
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The birth of Jesus Christ is not disconnected from his Redemptive
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plan for Humanity. In fact, it is an integral part
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for salvation to even be a possibility for us.
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And tonight, as we gathered together, I want to contemplate,
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I want to just consider three elements of the birth of Jesus
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Christ. Number one, the men of his
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birth. Number two, the reason for his
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birth and number three, the Fulfillment of his birth.
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And so we read in verse 18 down to verse 20, as you heard the
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manner of the birth of the Lord. Jesus Christ.
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After spending 17 whole versus to describe the human genealogy
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of Jesus Matthews spends half. Of one verse to tell us about
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his divine origins. This author inspired by the
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spirit of God had to give necessary real estate to tell us
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exactly where Jesus Christ came from in a legal sense.
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To prove that he was in fact, that link to the davidic Royal
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line. But then when it comes to his
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eternal nature, We were merely told that he was conceived by
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the Holy Spirit, it reminds us of the brevity of the creation
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account, doesn't it? I always tell people.
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It's amazing how much attention is given to a structure called
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The Tabernacle? Close to 50 chapters in the
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whole Bible is about a building that we don't even relate to.
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And yet, one and a half chapters are given to us concerning
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creation. That doesn't really satisfy the
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Curious. Mind, does it, but it's by
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Divine Design. And as we come here, we realize
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that so much is given to the fact that Jesus Christ, which is
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important concerning his Humanity, his historical
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background, not as much as given.
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There's not much expansion given to the fact that this is God
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becoming man. How little detail is given to us
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about how that process went about, just like, how we would
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want to know how did God create everything from nothing?
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We want to know, you gave his one and I have chapters and you
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give it as 50 chapters of a building with every measurement
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that we don't even need any more in the New Covenant.
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Here we are. We're told God became man
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conceived by the Holy Spirit. Well how, how does that take
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place? It's a mystery.
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It's the mystery of the Incarnation and if you sit on it
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long enough, if you if you give your attention to it, more than
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just your verse of the day, you'll find yourself wandering
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into amazing imaginations. Better in light with scripture.
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You know, when a baby is born, the loved ones and the parents
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celebrate New Life. Something that wasn't or someone
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that wasn't now is. And that's the miracle of of a
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birth. That's the miracle of conception
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and we praise God for his wisdom, that he orchestrated
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Humanity to flourish in this way.
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But in light of the birth of Christ, we don't celebrate New
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Life. We celebrate the Fact, that God
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always was. He always existed.
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He didn't become someone as some would falsely suggest this God
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who was the king and still is the king of glory.
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The Ancient of Days, the beginning in the end, he became
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a boy. You don't celebrate, Jesus
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coming into existence, he always did exist.
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We celebrate the fact that he wrapped himself with flesh and
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blood I think about it longer, and you realize, That the God
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who created Mary? is now the God who would be
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carried in Mary's arms, And it was Charles Spurgeon who said?
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Now wonder you Angels. The infinite has become an
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infant. Think about it longer and you
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realize that he who holds the systems of the universe and the
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structure of our globe. Would one day be nurtured by two
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imperfect parents? And this God, by the power of
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His word would have his little fingers held by a young virgin
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girl. And would be dependent upon the
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milk. That would come from her
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breasts. Deep meditation on this truth
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will humble us. Because as you reflect on a you
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are be holding a humble God. And though we are not giving
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much information about the process.
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How this went about how Jesus was fully God, fully, man, truly
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God, truly man, there's a ceiling in our mind to even get
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to the foothills of such a thought All we are told by God's
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wisdom, is that he was conceived by the Holy Spirit and in God's
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perfect wisdom, that is sufficient for every reader to
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be totally convinced that this Jesus of Nazareth.
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Was sinless. Though he was quietly woven in
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the womb of Mary. Being fashioned to be as human
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as any of us yet without the lacing of sin that we all
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inherit at Birth. What?
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Matthew by this spirit is saying, yes, he is human, but he
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is not corrupt with Adam sinned. The Holy Spirit himself,
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constructed him fashioned him designed him.
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And yes, this king of glory. At one point became an embryo.
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Why is understanding what we read in verse 18 down to verse
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20? Why is this important?
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Why is this detail? So crucial?
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And how does it relate to us? Well, let me tell you this, the
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conception and the birth of Jesus Christ was not a
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supernatural, stunt void of purpose.
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In fact, it was a necessary execution in order to secure or
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even make possible your Redemption and mind.
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Why? Because the Life of Christ was
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substitutionary, In other words, the sinlessness of Jesus didn't
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just stand in contrast to our sinfulness, no more than that.
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It is the Perfection his Perfection that becomes our
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Perfection upon the transfer of faith.
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You see the righteousness that God demands is only found in the
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possession of Christ person. There is no other life that will
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satisfy God's righteous demands other than the person of Jesus
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Christ. And this is important because
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that Perfection found in Christ ever since he gave his first
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cry, as a human to the moment where he hung his head and gave
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his final breath. All of that, Perfection from
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beginning to end becomes, H becomes the possession of the
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Soul. Who Realizes that he needs the
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transferable Obedience of the Lord Jesus Christ.
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And when you come into Faith to Jesus Christ, when you give
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yourself to him, what happens is that as you stand before God
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with his record, you stand before God as though, you live
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the life of Christ. In other words, the fact that he
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was perfect from the moment that he entered into this world, to
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the moment that he exited this world, everything in between
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that a spotless and blameless record now has your name on it.
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Upon faith. And so Christ being born of the
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Holy Spirit was in just something to show that God can
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make a child without the intimacy of a man and a woman it
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was the ingredient that was necessary for you to even have a
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chance to stand before a holy God.
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And we see here that Jesus was born of the holy spirit, being a
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crucial pillar to the Christian faith.
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You can't be a Christian if you don't believe this.
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But consider the Practical truth behind it.
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We are told in verse 18 of the birth of Jesus Christ took place
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in this way and Matthew what he's doing here, he's giving
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Joseph's perspective on this event, he's giving Joseph's
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perspective on this event. When his mother Mary had been
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betrothed engaged to Joseph before they came together.
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She was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit.
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So, there was a moment where Joseph realized something about
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his fiancee, she's pregnant and we didn't get married yet.
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Before they came together now you and I know that this
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pregnancy was inspired by the hand of God, Joseph didn't know
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it at the moment. In fact, his mind went to what
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your mind would go to. If you were surprised with such
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a news, she was unfaithful to me.
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She was unfaithful to me. And and this suspicion would
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follow Mary and not just follow Mary.
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The gospel tells us that it would follow Jesus, and his
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critics, and the Skeptics. And his enemies would even use
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this to scorn him and to mock him and to ridicule him.
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So this woman here had a reputation.
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Somehow word got around that Mary got pregnant and she didn't
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marry Joseph yet. And Joseph finds out for
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himself, and I almost makes you think, doesn't it?
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Why did God do it in this way? Why did God do it in such a way
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that he put Mary in a position to even be questioned to even be
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a target of slander. And gossip could not have got
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done it any other way? Well, we already heard one
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reason why he did it this way. But I believe God Is providing a
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principal for all generations. The core principle is the
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theological pillar of the sinlessness of Jesus but I look
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at this and I realize that Mary is an example.
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An illustration that there is a high price to be used by God.
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You want to be used by God? You want to be an instrument for
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God's service? Great.
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Maybe you already know it, maybe you don't let me remind you.
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There is a price to pay. And this Sumerian gods eyes and
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all the host of the Angel. Armies was highly favored, was
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blessed. The face of God shined on her
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with great. Great, great favor.
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But if you want to be used by God, you want God's hand to be
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on your life, you want God to use you for great things, you
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want God to launch you into something. realize that as his
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face will shine upon, you other phases will shun you You ready
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to be judged, you're ready to be misunderstood you ready?
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As you're trying to Faithfully serve, God, for people to gossip
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and slander. You and to even hate you and
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mock, you and even criticize you of doing something that you
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never did. You want that?
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You want to be used by Ghana? Well, we think about this, and
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we have romanticized this right with the nice and tivity scene
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and it's beautiful Know, This Woman, This Woman paid a price,
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this woman almost lost her marriage and her obedience to
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God. There's a high price to be used
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by the Lord, but you read Mary and you never see her
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complaining about it. You never see.
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You're trying to defend yourself.
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You never see, you're trying to retaliate.
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You know why? Because who cares?
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What men says when God has his light on you and his favor on
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you and his hand upon you, when you know that your life is
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pleasing your lord. Say what you want?
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But this is more about Joseph's perspective, the marries and we
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re here that Joseph comes, he learns this news and we are told
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but he was a just man. And the nasb.
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It uses the word righteous. He was a righteous man.
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He was a righteous man. And his righteousness was proven
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in this way that when he had figure it out, when he was told
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that this was This was taking place that something happened
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with Mary. He decided that he's going to
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make this as private as possible.
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He made a decision that, although he could not marry her,
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he would not scandalize her. He would not embarrass her.
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He would not expose her. and I read that and I realized
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something very, very important if you go with the translation
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that says righteous When you come to the New Testament after
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you finish the Old Testament Library, the first book is
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Matthew and the first chapter is what we're covering today.
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And in the first time in the New Testament Library, you, and I
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see the word righteous attributed to a man's actions.
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The first mention of righteousness and connection to
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a man and his conduct has to do with a decision, not to shame
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somebody. In their sin, A person who knew
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how to graciously handle the failures of others.
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A person who in love. Decided to cover sin.
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Instead of expose it and amplify it and spread it Joseph doesn't
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seek revenge here. Joseph doesn't try to hurt Mary
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even though he's a man, he's definitely hurt in this moment
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because his mind is not is not seeing the supernatural behind
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this. He's seeing the humanity of it,
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and so, this man realizes what's going on here?
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But he chooses, because he's a righteous man.
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To keep it as low-key as possible to just move on with
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his life. If you and I want an indicator
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tonight of where we stand in terms of reflecting God's
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character, can I encourage you to ask this question to
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yourself, what do I do when I find out about somebody sin?
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What do I do when somebody send against me?
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What is my reflex when I've been wronged?
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Righteousness is connected to a decision.
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Not to further hurt someone who might have hurt you.
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And you know what's amazing about this as somebody commented
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I thought it was great. Imagine the embarrassment that
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Joseph would have felt if he had publicized what Mary had done.
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Apparently only to realize that he was wrong.
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Only to realize that all of that was actually God's doing what a
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wise man, what a wise man, he chose to keep it as private as
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possible and although this man was not the actual father of the
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Lord Jesus Christ, he was the legal father.
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And I believe that he serves as an illustration of the attitude
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of Jesus Christ, who would soon be born in his household.
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Which brings us to our next point.
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We covered the manner of his birth.
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Now we consider the reason for his birth.
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We are told in verse 21 After an angel of the Lord clarifies to
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Joseph. About what is really happening
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with Mary? We are told she will bear a son
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and you shall call his name Jesus.
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Why for he will save his people from their sins.
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He did not come to shame. His people in their sins.
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He came to save his people from their sins.
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And we see that, even the verses prior to this, with the
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genealogy, you know, this that Christ intentionally links
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himself with four different women who did not have the most
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impressive resumes and our Bibles.
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Most of them are connected with idolatry.
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Many of them are connected with sexual sin, unfaithfulness and
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even perversion And yet Jesus from another world chose to
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include them in this. Why?
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Because he wants to even say through his genealogy, I did not
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come to shame people in their sin but to save them and I'm not
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afraid to associate my name with them.
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Not because I condone it, but I've come to rescue people like
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this. And what's amazing here, is that
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often times when we read this verse, we immediately recognized
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that when the Angels said this, that Jesus would come become a
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man, and by becoming a man, he would receive the guilt of man's
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sin. Be the object of God's Wrath and
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then cancel the record of any of those who would give themselves
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tin. But listen, if that's that's how
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you understand. This verse, you have limited the
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saving power of Jesus Christ. What I mean by that, if you
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think that what this Angel is saying is that Jesus came to
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remove the the debt and the legal demands that your
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transgression and mind call for, you have limited, the saving
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plan of Jesus Christ. And oftentimes, when we present
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the gospel, that's what we tell people Christ will come.
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Any race. Your record true.
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Hallelujah. Amen.
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But if this verse only meant that then perhaps the word that
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would have been used this. For he will forgive his people
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from their sins. Does it say that?
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No, Does it include that absolutely and again.
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Hallelujah. Amen.
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But he says he will save them from their sins.
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Save them from their sins. Save them from what will fill in
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the blank. For, he will save his people
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from the Love of Money. He will save his people from
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anger and hatred. He will save his people from
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pride and arrogance. He will save his people from
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jealousy and envy. He will save his people from
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idolatry selfishness self-exalting worship.
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He will save his people from actual sin reigning and ruling
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over your life. That's a complete gospel.
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That's the purchase of Christ. That there is a present reality
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to his saving work and not just some future thing that we hope
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for you saying, what do you mean?
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I mean this when the angel says he will come and save it does
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not mean that he will just cancel our sin but he also
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cleanse our hearts that precious blood on the beam of that cross
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on the hill of Calvary does not just go into heaven and be
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sprinkled upon an altar. That would give us entrance into
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Glory that precious blood floods, the soul, And makes it
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white as snow. And I've said it before, and
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I'll say it again, that if you claim that Jesus Christ has
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saved you, but Jesus Christ, did not change you then.
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Jesus Christ did not save you. He didn't He didn't there is no
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way. You cannot tell me that this
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blood has been applied to your life and your priorities haven't
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changed. And your passions haven't
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changed and your attitude towards sin, hasn't changed and
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your love for righteousness hasn't been enhanced.
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Hasn't been made alive, how can it be?
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Because we've been told something about the saving work
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of Jesus, he will save his people from their sins.
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Is there any ambiguity? There?
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Is there any ifs and buts? It's a promise.
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In other words, if we've claimed that he has saved us but there
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is no changing in us, then somebody's a liar.
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Somebody is a liar. I'm going to go with Jesus being
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truthful. And I will not diminish, the
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power of the Gospel to accommodate, what, people are
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comfortable with this idea that I can claim that Jesus Is My
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Savior, but I can be hesitant with my obedience to him.
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No such thing. This gospel says that he will
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save you from their sins. And what's amazing here, it says
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that you shall call his name, Jesus, that was a command that
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was an instruction. You have to make sure that Mary
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calls this son Jesus. The Greek form of the Hebrew
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word named Joshua, Joshua, which means Yahweh is salvation.
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And those before this moment, who have bore the name through
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their name testify, God is the one who truly brings Deliverance
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all but when Bore the name. He was not testifying to God.
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Being the deliverer. He was testifying.
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I myself. Am the god who delivers?
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Yahweh is salvation. I am Yahweh.
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But it's amazing here because you know, the story of Joshua,
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I'm sure. That wonderful Israel leader
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that led the people into the promised land that led them into
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the goodness of God, the Deliverance of God, the place
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where he purchased for them to dwell.
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And I believe that the reason why Jesus more than just the
29:40
definition of them and I believe Jesus was associated with the
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name Joshua because you and I have the right to parallel the
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leadership characteristics of Joshua of old and the Jesus, who
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is our savior, what do I mean by that?
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Think about it. This way, Joshua was the man
29:59
that God chose to lead the people into the promises of God.
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To lead the people to know, Victory to lead, the people to
30:08
be exactly where God wanted them to be and how did how did Joshua
30:12
do that? Was it instantaneous, was it
30:16
just one step over into the Jordan River and everything was
30:19
just into the hands of the Israelites, or was it what you
30:22
see in the Book of Joshua that step by step bit by bit corner
30:28
by Corner stronghold? After strangled, it was a
30:31
process of seeing the people led by him.
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To know, victory. And the Joshua of the New
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Covenant, the captain of our Salvation leads us in the same
30:41
way when he saves us from our sins how when you choose to be
30:45
led by the Lord Jesus Christ, he leads you the same way Joshua
30:48
LED Israel step by step. He empowers you, he provides the
30:54
wisdom. He provides the encouragement to
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pull down strongholds like Jericho, and to see greater
31:01
dominance over sin to No Greater righteousness and Holiness.
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No greater transformation to know the greater promises that
31:09
have been purchased by Christ. He is the greater Joshua and
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that's how he saves the same way Joshua led the people into the
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goodness of God to the will of God.
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And so why do I bring that up? Because I'm not here to guilt
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you? That if you have not been
31:26
transfigured into christlikeness, the moment you
31:28
became a Christian and you're not a Christian, no.
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You just put your hand in the hand of Christ and you let him
31:34
lead, you step by step. And you are more like Christ
31:37
than you were two years ago. And you were more like Christ
31:40
more in love with Christ and you were five years ago.
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And what is that called? That's called Jesus saving you
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saving you day by day, week by week month by month year by
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year. It's a process.
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And that's an encouragement. But then, we come, as we cover
31:59
the manner of his birth. And the reason of his birth to
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the Fulfillment of his birth, we are told here in verse 22, all
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this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the
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prophet. You and I tonight are looking
32:15
back, thousands of years ago, how Jesus became a man.
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But there is a time when there are people anticipating the
32:22
birth of the Messiah. Looking forward wondering when
32:26
it would be that the Messiah, the anointed one with would come
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and rescue the nation of Israel. And Matthew takes Liberty
32:36
because he is led by the Holy Spirit to inform us.
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That Jesus Christ is the satisfaction of that prophetic
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declaration. And that declaration is very
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clear. That God would become a man and
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he would dwell with man, he would actually breathe the same
32:55
air as man, and he would eat the same food as man and he would
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know the same weaknesses as man, and he would actually feel the
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Temptations and the pole of man. But never succumbing to it.
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Jesus Christ fulfills it but the meaning of this name tells us so
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much more than just the Glorious mystery of God, becoming a man
33:17
and it tells us so much more that God when he says something,
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he will accomplish it, even if he said it hundreds of years
33:22
ago, it means so much more than that speaks of his heart.
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Emmanuel God With Us. God With Us showing us what that
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God was willing to be with us. God was willing to leave.
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A place where he received perfect worship and perfect
33:47
reverence. To come into this world to be
33:51
questioned and doubted and even mocked and spat.
33:55
Upon God With Us. God willing to leave the
33:59
hallways of Heavens Holiness to travel through the slums of a
34:04
sinful Dark World. God With Us.
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Willing to reach down and to grab our hand from the muck and
34:16
the mire and pull us out. Instead of looking down and
34:20
saying you find your way to get to me because I'm too holy to go
34:24
down there. God With Us.
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You're saying, why? God with us because God wants us
34:35
to be with him. God entered into time and lived
34:42
33 years. So that if you would believe on
34:44
him, you would enter Heaven and live with him forever.
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God was born of a virgin so that you would be born again.
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God was willing. To come into time.
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When before this moment, he supervised time he was above
35:04
time, he chose to enter into time so that he can make a
35:11
transaction with humanity and that you would have a security
35:15
know that I'm escaping time, and I'm going to be with him for
35:18
eternity, God With Us. And although Jesus Christ
35:23
fulfilled Isaiah's prophecy of the Incarnation that that yes
35:28
God actually came and he planted his feet on the earth and more
35:32
than that. He actually had to learn how to
35:33
walk and learn how to talk and he developed in wisdom.
35:38
And he grew in stature though that prophecies fulfilled the
35:42
experience of what the name means is yet to be known.
35:47
Is yet to be experienced God With Us?
35:50
Yes, we celebrated 2000 years ago, but God is still waiting to
35:54
be with us. This is not the only place where
35:59
we are. Told that God dwelt with man.
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I'm reading this and I'm closing here in Revelation. 21 verse 1
36:06
and 3. You don't have to turn there.
36:08
I'm just going to read it. Then I saw a new Heaven and a
36:13
new Earth for the first Heaven. And the first Earth had passed
36:17
away. And the sea was no more.
36:20
And I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of
36:24
Heaven, from God prepared as a bride adorned for her husband,
36:28
and I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, behold, The
36:33
Dwelling Place of God is with men.
36:37
He will dwell with them and they will be his people and God
36:42
himself will be with them as their God.
36:46
God With Us. God came into this world.
36:53
So that one day you would be with him.
36:56
But that's not a universal promise, it's not a universal
37:01
application. Some would like to comfort
37:03
themselves and thinking that Jesus is so loving that you
37:06
don't have to believe in him, or you can have a different name
37:08
for him, where you can celebrate and recognize who he is in your
37:11
own way, and he will still accept you.
37:13
Isn't that nice? He's too precious and holy for
37:17
that to even be an idea. He's too glorious and Majestic
37:22
for you to make him equal with Allah.
37:26
Or with Buddha. Or anybody else that claims to
37:31
be divine or to be a prophet of a different God?
37:35
He's too precious, he's too Mighty, he's too loving, he's
37:40
too true. He is exclusive.
37:43
He is transcendent. He is perfect.
37:45
He is above and beyond and all those names that I just
37:48
mentioned, and the ones that I forgot to mention will bow their
37:50
knee to him. There's only one way.
37:59
And shame on anybody that would suggest otherwise after God has
38:02
done so much to make that way possible.
38:07
Those who would even entertain the thought that there is a
38:09
different way, have to answer to the God, who chose to come into
38:13
the womb of a virgin girl and lived there for nine months.
38:17
And to be born of that woman. And to succumb to all the things
38:22
that limit us. To be a servant unto, man.
38:29
And to be a sacrifice on a cross.
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I'm here to remind you for those who are watching and those who
38:36
might be here, who don't know, maybe never heard what I'm
38:39
saying. There's only one way. and if you
38:42
don't go through that way, there is no way and the only way for
38:44
you is eternal hell judgment. And I will not apologize for
38:51
that after my God has done so much to get a hold of you.
38:56
And to get a hold of me. We should not apologize for the
39:00
gospel. We should not be ashamed of the
39:02
Gospel. We should not try to diminish
39:06
the exclusivity of the Gospel. Tonight in this covid stricken
39:11
world. Where whether or not you can
39:15
even go to a restaurant the way you desires determined by
39:17
somebody else, all you thought you were Sovereign over your
39:19
life, huh? Now, you have to wear something
39:23
over your mouth all the time. And soon enough you might have
39:27
to put something into your body if you want to live regularly as
39:30
you once knew. Let this be a lesson that as
39:33
much as you thought that you were in control, you're not in
39:35
control. And if you're not in control of
39:37
this life, I can guarantee you this.
39:38
You're not going to be in control of where you go on the
39:40
next one. All of those that we think are
39:45
so proud and intellectually Giants.
39:51
They will look like babies when they stand before Christ.
39:57
They will look like little children begging for mercy, when
40:01
they stand before, the one who gave them a chance to repent and
40:05
believe, but they mock the idea. But tonight you're here.
40:11
Tonight, you're here. Remind me.
40:14
Did we have Christmas in person last year?
40:17
Did we? My memory is not serving me,
40:19
right? Well there are places in this
40:22
world right now because of what's Happening.
40:24
They can't meet in person and here you are God by his grace
40:28
and mercy allows you to hear the gospel one more time.
40:30
You probably heard it from your mom 1000 times.
40:34
You probably heard it in a wanna a billion times probably heard
40:37
in Sunday School. You probably heard it from your
40:40
friend, maybe you've never heard it.
40:41
Maybe this is like your fourth time hearing it.
40:43
Maybe this is your first time hearing it.
40:45
But let me tell you this, God is so just and holy.
40:47
He has every right to damn a man after hearing it once and
40:50
refusing it Time is short. We're not here to sing Jingle
40:58
Bells. There's a mission.
41:02
There's a serious mission. You think this world is all we
41:04
have. You think that the ultimate
41:06
thing in life is for you to create your little Utopia here
41:09
in America? Now, you're headed for eternity.
41:14
You're headed for eternity in God is sending off the fireworks
41:18
to get your attention. This world will never know.
41:21
Peace. This world with all the mines
41:25
combined will never be able to create what Christ will only be
41:29
able to usher in. And so as a Ministry, we have a
41:35
duty to tell you, whether you're uncomfortable, 29, thought you
41:38
were, just going to hold a fake candle and sing.
41:40
Some nice songs. We're going to do that in a
41:42
moment, it's going to be wonderful, but more importantly,
41:45
I want to tell you and make sure that your soul is secure in the
41:48
hands of a gracious God Do you know Christ?
41:54
Do you know the saving work of? Have you been saved?
42:00
Have you repented? And believed on him, have you
42:02
made a decision to say? I need his obedience to be my
42:06
obedience. I need his life to represent my
42:08
life. I need my sin to be covered by
42:10
his blood. Did you make that choice?
42:14
If not, what are you waiting for?
42:16
I always ask this question and I'll ask it to you tonight.
42:20
What's holding you back from following Jesus Christ.
42:23
Are you angry at him tonight? Did you have expectations that
42:27
he would do something? And because he hasn't performed
42:30
it. He's not worthy.
42:32
He's not worthy for your life to be surrendered to him.
42:36
Let me tell you this, are you better at managing your own
42:38
life? Are you more Sovereign and wise
42:40
than he Do you love your sin tonight so much?
42:45
You'd be amazed to know how many people are going to be going to
42:47
Services whether in virtual reality world or in person.
42:54
Who love the world. Who loved the world?
42:59
Who love the toys of this world and the experiences of this
43:03
world and the sensuality of this world, they can't give it up.
43:09
They will disappoint you if they haven't already.
43:13
And they will not deliver you and you will be able to never
43:16
know a peace that only Christ can offer, you will not know his
43:19
satisfaction, a wholeness that only Jesus can supply.
43:23
You were created for his glory and unless you live for his
43:27
glory you will always feel incomplete.
43:32
Cuz you are not operating by the design manual for your life.
43:37
You've created your own manual and you're trying to make it
43:40
work and it will never work. Do you believe that you can
43:44
attain your own righteousness tonight?
43:47
Do you believe that your performance will persuade God?
43:51
Are you relying upon what a priest said over your life?
43:57
Are you relying over what, some man said that if you just repeat
44:01
a simple magical prayer, then you're in.
44:05
Or is your confidence based on what Christ said and his
44:07
Apostles and His prophets have said?
44:10
Does your heart testify and isn't in line with what
44:12
scripture says? Because this is the final
44:14
Authority. On that day, this will be upheld
44:19
and this will be the very thing that will hold us accountable.
44:22
So, this is your testimony. Does your faith align with this?
44:26
And this will tell you that you can never attain your own
44:29
righteousness. And that you must Surrender Your
44:34
pursuit of perfection. And receive Christ Perfection by
44:40
the transaction of repentance and belief.
44:43
Have you done that? Tonight's your night?
44:49
And if you respond to this tonight, it will be the best
44:51
gift you will ever receive. I don't care what you're getting
44:55
for this Christmas. All of that will rot all of that
45:00
is susceptible to being stolen tarnished and as you know,
45:05
easily replaceable by the newest next year, but this gift, as
45:10
Paul says is inexpressible, you can't even communicate how
45:15
wonderful it is. Where are those Christians that
45:18
can say Christ in me and inexpressible Glory?
45:25
I make that invitation to you tonight to receive the gift of
45:28
Jesus Christ that you would say. Yes, I want to be saved.
45:32
Yes, I want to be delivered. Yes, I want to know that I have
45:36
eternal life. What are you waiting?
45:37
For my friend. It's not going to get any better
45:41
any time soon. And so I admonish you I plead
45:45
with you may not like me, you may feel like this is intense
45:49
but I have a mandate to make sure that every person in this
45:53
place mask or no mask that your heart is washed in the blood of
45:57
Christ. And one day, we will see him.
46:04
And one day, we will realize every sermon, including this
46:08
sermon tonight, fail to describe him fell.
46:11
So short to declare how glorious and wonderful he is but we
46:17
submit the words that have been declared tonight into the hands
46:20
of a wise and gracious, King who is able to save even with
46:24
stammering lips, The heart, who's willing to Humble
46:29
themselves and say I need this Jesus.
46:32
Would you bow your heads with me tonight?
46:52
Well, we thank you for the Incarnation.
46:57
We thank you that you've done a unique work in that blessed
47:01
young woman. Were God chose to come and to be
47:09
fashion by the Holy Spirit. To be a Jewish boy.
47:17
That would be greater than a teacher greater than a prophet
47:19
greater than a milk Miracle Worker, but our atonement.
47:26
Although that work will never be repeated Lord.
47:28
We ask that you would make Christ real in all of us.
47:32
That you would make Christ live in our hearts.
47:39
Lord, we thank you for the piercing light.
47:43
Of this gospel truth. As we feel the darkness, only
47:47
getting thicker above us. We thank You, O Lord that this
47:53
joy that you deposit in a soul, cannot be taken by anything or
47:57
anyone. And we pray God that even one in
48:00
here who doesn't know you would make that decision to know you
48:04
and to be known by you. That if there's anything that
48:08
they heard tonight, that there is a God, who loves me and who
48:12
came himself, he didn't send an angel, he didn't send a prophet.
48:16
He came himself to rescue me and we pray.
48:21
Lord, that we would all sense that rescue.
48:24
We would all be reminded that we have been saved by by grace.
48:30
It's too low. We worship you tonight.
48:33
We worship you for our salvation and we pray o, God, that you
48:36
would only add to the Celebration tonight.
48:40
Because a soul would come to Christ.
48:42
Only, you can make that happen. Lord, we step back and we say
48:45
there's only so much we can say so much, we can declare so much.
48:50
We can try to prove your Holy Spirit has to do the work to
48:54
save a heart and we submit that to you tonight.
48:57
Not just in this church, but in churches, all across this world
49:00
have your way have your way in Jesus name we pray.
49:05
Amen. Can we stand and Worship the
49:07
Lord together?