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Christmas Day Service · Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

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Well, we're going to begin our worship this morning by singing to God's praise.
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We're going to sing from Psalm 40.
0:08
Our service has a slightly different order to it this morning,
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the same as we had for the Summer Holiday Club service,
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where there's singings and readings interspersed throughout the service.
0:20
And we're going to begin by singing the words of Psalm 40, verse 1 to,
0:25
in a double, verse 5.
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I waited for the Lord my God and patiently did bear.
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At length to me he did incline my voice and cry to hear.
0:35
We'll sing from verse 1 down to the end of double, verse 5, to God's praise.
0:43
I waited for the Lord my God
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Unpensibly did bear.
0:58
I waited for the Lord my voice and cry to hear.
1:17
He took me from a fearful bed
1:27
And from the mighty clay
1:35
He put a new song in my life
1:40
And on the rock he set my feet
1:45
He put a new song in my life
1:53
He put a new song in my life
2:00
He put a new song in my life
2:04
Our God to magnify
2:12
Many shall see it
2:19
And shall fear
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And on the Lord rely
2:27
O blessed is the man who's trust
2:43
Upon the Lord rely
2:44
Upon the Lord rely
2:50
Respecting not the kind or such
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As turn aside to light
3:10
O Lord my God
3:17
O many are
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The wonders
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Thou hast done
3:29
Thy gracious hope
3:36
To us were far
3:40
Above all thoughts are gone
3:50
And the Lord
3:52
An order none can wreck on them
4:01
Till the effect declare
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And speak of them
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My root day more
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Than can be numbered are
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Let's come to God in prayer.
4:34
Let us pray.
4:35
Our Father in heaven as we come
4:42
Together this day to lift up our hearts
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And praise to you
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And to come and worship
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And adore our Saviour
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The Lord Jesus Christ.
4:52
We thank you for all that you have done for us.
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We thank you Lord that we are blessed
4:58
And we can say that your name is praised
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In our midst here
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For you are God and there is no other.
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And we know Lord that we are an impatient people in so many ways.
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Our patience is so often Lord on a short string at times as we would say.
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But we thank you Lord that you teach us to wait patiently upon you.
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And we pray Lord that you will give us that patience.
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Give us that patience even as we worship you this day.
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To have ears to hear.
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To be able to still ourselves in your presence.
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And to know Lord that you are with us.
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That you are in the midst to bless.
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We do thank you for your word and how it encourages us.
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It is a word of life.
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It is a word that reminds us of what the psalmist has been saying as we've sung.
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And we pray that you will help us to taste and see anew of the goodness of God through Jesus Christ.
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May you bless us together as families and friends as we gather together here today.
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May your blessing be over us as a people.
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Every home and family we represent.
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Lord we pray that you will pour down your spirit upon us.
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Gathered here and also those who will tune in online as well.
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We thank you Lord for one another.
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We thank you for the gift of prayer.
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And even at such a time as this Lord when there is so much joy around us.
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And so many lives and people.
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We know too Lord the many sadness.
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Much sadness in people's hearts.
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And the many sorrows that there are around us as well.
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How even in this past week in our own congregation.
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We have lost many loved ones.
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And many families have been touched by grief.
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We pray Lord your comfort, your blessing and your peace upon them.
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We pray for us all Lord as we reflect back over this year.
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And even maybe many years.
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We thank you that the promise is that you will be with us.
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And may we know that promise more and more real.
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Day by day and moment by moment.
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Bless your people far and wide today as many gather to worship you.
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We pray Lord that you will be with each one of your people.
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That they will know you Lord.
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And whatever goes on in their hearts.
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And whatever is happening in their lives far and wide.
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That they will know that you are with them.
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And that they would know Lord truly that you are God.
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And with you on our side there is no one who can defeat us.
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So we pray that you will build your church up.
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That your kingdom will come in power.
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And teach us always to pray.
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And to look to you.
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And to wait upon you for all things.
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So Lord continue with us now.
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Guide us and keep us.
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And pardon us in all our sins.
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As we ask all things.
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In Jesus precious name.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Well as we come to worship God today.
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Is there any better place we could be.
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Than to gather around God's word together.
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To share singing praises together to him.
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And to come and hear what his word has to say to us.
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It's Christmas day.
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And so when we think about the theme of our service today.
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I'm sure everybody will have something in mind.
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As to what the service is going to be about.
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Maybe certain things come to mind today.
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Especially among the young folks.
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If you're thinking.
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I wonder what the minister will be preaching on today.
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It's Christmas day.
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So there's bound to be some mention of things like.
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Presents being given.
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The birth of Jesus.
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That's got to be mentioned in there somewhere.
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Doesn't it?
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There'll be all the obvious answers.
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But when we think about coming together today.
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And to think about the birth of Jesus.
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When it makes us think about lots of different things.
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And we're going to read a few different passages.
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Where we're going to read about.
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Not just the birth of Jesus.
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But the life of Jesus.
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We think of.
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Maybe characters in the Bible.
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Characters you've heard.
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Maybe mentioned.
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In these last few weeks.
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If you've been doing things in school.
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About the Christmas story.
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You'll be thinking about Mary and Joseph.
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You'll be thinking about.
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The place where Jesus was born.
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He was born in Bethlehem.
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You'll be thinking about the shepherds.
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Who were out watching their sheep by night.
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And how the angels appeared to them.
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Or maybe the wise men.
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Who came.
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Bearing gifts.
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There's all kinds of things we can think about.
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When it comes to thinking about the Christmas story.
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But do we miss the point sometimes?
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That's the key question.
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Do we think of God's promise to his people?
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A promise given through the likes of Isaiah.
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In the Old Testament.
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Who spoke of the child who would be born.
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Into this world.
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And the purpose for which he would come.
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The promise of God sending a saviour.
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And to see Jesus born into this world.
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Is the fulfilment of that promise.
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To do so.
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We must think about his birth.
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How he came into this world.
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But we have to think about more than that too.
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We have to think about his life.
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How he lived.
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And what he did for us.
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In his life.
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Here on earth.
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It's more than just.
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About the birth.
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Of Jesus.
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And that's what we're going to see today.
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As we go through a number of different readings.
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Together.
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You receive many different gifts.
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At this time of year.
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I'm sure.
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I'm sure you're all.
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Up excited this morning.
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To see what you got.
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But some people.
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Very often.
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They give pets.
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At this time of year.
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And you often see an advert.
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When it comes to talking about pets.
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Being given.
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At Christmas time.
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And it's really giving us.
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A warning.
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When they say.
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A dog is for life.
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Not just.
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For Christmas.
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Maybe you've heard that said before.
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A dog is for life.
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Not just for Christmas.
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Because a dog.
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Or any pet.
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Can be exciting.
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When you first receive it.
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And it can give you great joy.
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But then.
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As the days.
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And the weeks go past.
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Maybe you're into January.
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And February.
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And raining outside.
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It's windy.
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Your parents are saying.
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Well you wanted that dog.
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You've got to take it out.
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For a walk.
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And you're starting to get scunnered.
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With this dog.
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Because of what he has.
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You have to do.
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To look after him.
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And so there's this warning.
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About having a pet.
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Not just for a few days.
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Around Christmas.
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But for life.
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But for life.
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Well the same is true.
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When it comes to Jesus.
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We can so often enjoy.
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The Christmas time.
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And a few days.
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Around Christmas.
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When everything's great.
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And everything's wonderful.
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We get gifts.
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We get holidays.
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We're able to relax.
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And enjoy good food.
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We have all of these things.
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But then as the days go past.
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The weeks go past.
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What happens to the presents.
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Things.
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They soon get forgotten about.
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They get put to one side.
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The food is all gone.
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You're back into work.
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You're back into school.
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All of these things.
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And we forget.
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The main reason.
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For this time of year.
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And for all time of year.
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Is to remember that God gave his son.
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The Lord Jesus Christ.
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Not just for Christmas.
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But for life.
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And for all our days.
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That's the reason.
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That's the reason.
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He gave him.
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It's not just about the child.
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In the manger.
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That we so often see.
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It's about the child.
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Who grew.
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Who grew into his teenage years.
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Who grew into a man.
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And who served his father.
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All his days.
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And ultimately.
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Who gave his life.
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For all his people.
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Imagine.
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If all that people remembered about you.
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Was your birth.
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And that was it.
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Imagine if that was all.
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That you ever heard from people.
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For the rest of your days.
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Nobody remembered you growing up.
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Nobody remembered your first birthday.
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No one remembered you becoming a teenager.
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No one remembered you passing your exams.
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Or passing your driving test.
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No one sent you a card.
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On your 21st birthday.
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No one got in touch.
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When you turned 40.
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70.
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80.
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90.
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It all went quiet.
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Nobody was in touch.
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Imagine.
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If you were just forgotten.
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About.
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It would be quite sad.
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Wouldn't it?
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Well imagine.
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If all we think of Jesus is.
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It's great he was born.
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Because it gives us.
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A holiday time.
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It gives us a time for presents.
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And to enjoy.
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Lots of food.
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We make the most of these things.
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We enjoy these things.
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And there's nothing wrong with them.
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In and of themselves.
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But today.
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There's a warning for us too.
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Not to forget.
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The Savior.
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Who was born.
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And the promise.
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Of a Savior.
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And so we're going to look at.
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Three stages.
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Of the life of Jesus.
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Together today.
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Together today.
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We're going to look at.
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His birth.
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We're going to look at.
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His childhood.
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And then we're going to look at.
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His ministry.
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When he was older.
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We're going to see.
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The reason why God sent.
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His son.
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Into this world.
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Our first reading is then.
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In Luke's gospel.
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All our readings.
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Are going to be in Luke's gospel.
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But scattered throughout.
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The gospel of Luke.
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And our first reading is in Luke.
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Chapter two.
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And we're going to read.
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That verse eight.
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Luke chapter two.
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And at verse eight.
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We're going to read.
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From verse eight to 14.
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And in the same region.
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There were shepherds.
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Out in the field.
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Keeping watch.
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Over their flock.
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By night.
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And an angel of the Lord.
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Appeared to them.
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And the glory of the Lord.
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Shone around them.
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And they were filled.
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With fear.
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Fear.
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And the angel said to them.
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Fear not.
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For behold.
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I bring you good news.
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Of great joy.
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That will be for all the people.
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For unto you.
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Is born this day.
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In the city of David.
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A savior.
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Who is Christ.
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The Lord.
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And this will be a sign for you.
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You will find a baby.
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Wrapped in swaddling clothes.
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And lying in a manger.
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And suddenly.
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There was.
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There was.
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With the angel.
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A multitude.
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Of the heavenly host.
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Praising God.
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And saying.
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Glory to God.
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In the highest.
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And on earth.
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Peace.
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Among those.
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With whom.
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He is pleased.
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Jesus.
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This is perhaps.
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Maybe one of the most.
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Commonly read.
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Passages.
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At Christmas time.
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When we read here.
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Of the shepherds.
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Who were told.
16:44
This.
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Great news.
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Of a savior.
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Born.
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For this world.
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I bring you.
16:51
Good news.
16:52
Of great joy.
16:53
That will be.
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For all the people.
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For unto you.
16:56
Is born this.
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Day.
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In the city of David.
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A savior.
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Who is Christ.
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The Lord.
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And just think of these words.
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A savior.
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Who is Christ.
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The Lord.
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It's a time of year.
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When you may be here.
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Many Christmas carols.
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Being sung.
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You probably may be sung.
17:14
Some.
17:15
Yourselves.
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Over the last number.
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Of weeks.
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And maybe you've got.
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Your own favorite.
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Christmas carol.
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That you like to hear.
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Or sing along to.
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More than once.
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Or twice.
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A day.
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And so many of these carols.
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They tell us.
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The story.
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Of the birth.
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Of Jesus.
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But they remind us.
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To.
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Who he really.
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Is.
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If you think of.
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A carol.
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Such as.
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Away in a manger.
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Speaks about.
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The little.
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Lord.
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Jesus.
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The Lord.
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Jesus.
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Hark.
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The herald.
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Angels sing.
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Glory to.
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The newborn.
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King.
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There's all these words.
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That are put in there.
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That remind us.
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Who this.
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Jesus is.
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He is.
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Lord.
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He is.
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King.
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And he has come.
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As one of them.
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Goes on to say.
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Peace.
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Peace on earth.
18:09
And mercy.
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Mild.
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The purpose.
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For which.
18:13
God sent.
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His son.
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Into this world.
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That God.
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And sinners.
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Be reconciled.
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They be brought.
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Back.
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Together.
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So we have all these.
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Words.
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That come together.
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And it's the words.
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That we have here.
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A savior.
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Who is Christ.
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Who is Lord.
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It brings the message.
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Of the gospel.
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To us.
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This is what we read.
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In these.
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Verses.
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Before us.
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The gospel.
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But it's a time of year too.
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And even throughout the year.
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We see it more and more.
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When people try to.
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To come away.
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From the message.
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Of the gospel.
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And even at this time of year.
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They're trying to change.
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Even what this time of year.
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Is called.
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So instead of calling it.
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Christmas time.
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It's called.
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The fest of season.
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Or the winter fest.
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People are trying to change.
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The name of it.
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Take it away.
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From being more.
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Christian.
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And.
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A couple of years ago.
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A few years ago.
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Now.
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In London.
19:13
There was a primary school.
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Head teacher.
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That wanted to change.
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The words.
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In some of the carols.
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In case they caused.
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Offence.
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Little Lord Jesus.
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Was to be changed.
19:25
To baby boy.
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Jesus.
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In a way.
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In a manger.
19:30
Jesus.
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Our savior.
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Was to be changed.
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To Jesus.
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The baby.
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Born.
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In another one.
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The new king.
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Born.
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Today.
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Was to be changed.
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To a baby.
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Born.
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Today.
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And you see.
19:45
What they're trying to do.
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Little by little.
19:47
Just taking out.
19:48
The important words.
19:49
Describing.
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Who Jesus is.
19:51
Christ.
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Lord.
19:53
Savior.
19:54
All of these words.
19:55
Being taken away.
19:56
But there was one mother.
19:58
Who stood up to this.
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And she said.
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You cannot start changing.
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These words.
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Words.
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If he was just.
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A baby boy.
20:06
Named Jesus.
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There wouldn't be this.
20:08
Time of year.
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In the first place.
20:10
He is our Lord.
20:12
And savior.
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He is king.
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Of kings.
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And that is.
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The whole point.
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The people are becoming.
20:20
More and more.
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Afraid of.
20:22
Offending people.
20:24
Of causing offense.
20:26
Towards people.
20:27
So they want to try.
20:28
And change these names.
20:30
So subtly.
20:31
But the gospel.
20:33
Is so much more.
20:34
Than just.
20:35
A baby.
20:36
Boy.
20:37
Or little baby.
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Jesus.
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For we read here.
20:42
He is.
20:43
Christ.
20:44
The Lord.
20:46
This baby.
20:47
In the manger.
20:48
Was more than just that.
20:50
He is Christ.
20:51
The Lord.
20:52
And as you read.
20:54
Of the shepherds.
20:55
Here.
20:56
They were afraid.
20:57
When they saw.
20:58
This host.
20:59
Of angels.
21:00
Up here.
21:01
They were in the field.
21:02
Keeping watch.
21:03
Over their flock.
21:04
And the angel.
21:05
Appeared.
21:06
With this good news.
21:07
To them.
21:08
And they were afraid.
21:09
But.
21:10
The angel said.
21:11
Fear not.
21:12
Fear not.
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The angel.
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Speaks them.
21:17
And he shares.
21:18
This message.
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To them.
21:20
A message.
21:21
That people.
21:22
Have been waiting.
21:23
Thousands.
21:24
And here.
21:25
The shepherds.
21:26
Hear this.
21:27
Wonderful.
21:28
News.
21:29
The angel.
21:30
Tells them.
21:31
That the hope.
21:32
Of the world.
21:33
Has come.
21:34
Imagine.
21:35
I'm sure.
21:36
Many of you.
21:37
Have been counting down.
21:38
The days.
21:39
To Christmas.
21:40
Many of you.
21:41
Maybe had an advent calendar.
21:42
Eating the sweets.
21:43
One by one.
21:44
Each day.
21:45
Did any of you.
21:47
Go ahead.
21:48
A few days.
21:49
One chocolate.
21:50
For that day.
21:51
Just wasn't enough.
21:52
So what's the harm.
21:53
I'll take.
21:54
Tomorrow's as well.
21:55
Maybe even the day.
21:56
After two.
21:57
And you end up.
21:58
You almost eat.
21:59
The whole advent calendar.
22:00
In one sitting.
22:01
You don't have patience.
22:02
Well.
22:03
The angels.
22:05
Are here.
22:06
Speaking about.
22:07
A people.
22:08
Who are waiting.
22:09
For a savior.
22:10
Not just for a few days.
22:11
Or even a few years.
22:12
Or even a few hundred years.
22:14
But for thousands of years.
22:15
The bible.
22:16
Was telling them.
22:17
That a savior.
22:18
Was to come.
22:19
And hear the shepherds.
22:20
Hearing.
22:21
This good news.
22:22
He has come.
22:24
And who is it?
22:26
It is the son.
22:28
Of God.
22:29
What a promise.
22:30
We have.
22:31
In this child.
22:32
Who was born.
22:33
He is Christ.
22:35
The Lord.
22:36
Someone once said.
22:39
A thousand times.
22:40
In history.
22:41
A baby.
22:42
Has become.
22:43
A king.
22:44
A king.
22:45
But only once.
22:46
In history.
22:47
Did a king.
22:48
Become.
22:49
A baby.
22:50
But this baby.
22:51
Was Christ.
22:52
The Lord.
22:54
What a wonderful promise.
22:57
We have.
22:58
That Christ.
22:59
Came into this world.
23:01
He was born into this world.
23:03
Christ.
23:05
The Lord.
23:07
But before we.
23:08
Go on to our next part.
23:09
We're going to sing.
23:10
Another psalm.
23:11
To God's praise.
23:12
To God's praise.
23:13
We're going to sing.
23:14
Psalm 62.
23:15
It's in the Scottish Psalter.
23:18
Page 294.
23:27
Psalm 62.
23:28
On page.
23:29
294.
23:30
We're going to sing.
23:32
Verse 5.
23:33
To verse 8.
23:37
And again.
23:38
This psalm reminds us.
23:39
At verse 5.
23:40
Of waiting.
23:41
Upon the Lord.
23:42
But knowing.
23:43
The hope that he gives.
23:44
My soul.
23:45
Wait thou with patience.
23:46
Upon thy God alone.
23:48
On him dependeth.
23:49
All my hope.
23:50
And expectation.
23:52
We'll sing from verse 5.
23:54
To verse 8.
23:56
To God's praise.
23:57
On him.
23:58
Please.
23:59
Please.
24:00
Please.
24:01
My soul.
24:02
Wait thou with patience.
24:03
Upon thy God alone.
24:06
On him.
24:07
On him.
24:08
Dependeth all my hope.
24:09
And expectation.
24:11
The only might.
24:12
The only might.
24:14
Salvation.
24:15
The only might.
24:16
Salvation.
24:17
The only might.
24:19
Salvation.
24:20
Is.
24:21
And my strong.
24:22
The only might.
24:24
Is.
24:25
Is.
24:26
Is.
24:27
Is.
24:29
Is.
24:30
The only.
24:32
Is.
24:34
Is.
24:35
The only my salvation is, and my strong rock is He.
24:53
He only has my sure defense, I shall not move thee.
25:11
In God my glory, grace it is, and my salvation sure.
25:30
In God the rock, it is of my strength, my refuge most secure.
25:49
If He complains your confidence, and Him continually,
26:08
before Him pour me out your heart, God is our refuge time.
26:28
Amen.
26:58
As we read here in this passage.
27:00
So we're going to read from verse 41 down to verse 52.
27:05
Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the Passover.
27:10
And when he was 12 years old, they went up according to custom.
27:16
When the feast was ended, as they were returning,
27:19
the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem.
27:23
His parents did not know it, but supposing him to be in the group,
27:26
they went a day's journey.
27:29
But then they began to search for him among their relatives and acquaintances.
27:35
And when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching for him.
27:40
After three days, they found him in the temple,
27:44
sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.
27:49
And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.
27:53
When his parents saw him, they were astonished.
27:57
And his mother said to him,
27:59
Son, why have you treated us so?
28:01
Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress.
28:06
He said to them,
28:07
Why were you looking for me?
28:10
Did you not know that I must be in my father's house?
28:14
And they did not understand the saying that he spoke to them.
28:17
And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them.
28:23
And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart.
28:28
And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.
28:35
Well, children, have you ever been in a situation,
28:41
and maybe even the adults you can look back in your life and you think of this,
28:45
have you been in a situation where you got a row from your parents
28:48
for making a mess,
28:51
only for them to realize that you were making something special for them.
28:58
And their tune has to change a little bit.
29:01
For example, maybe your parents have walked into the kitchen.
29:07
And what meets them as they walk into the kitchen is flour absolutely everywhere.
29:12
Eggs broken on the floor.
29:15
Milk dripping off the worktops.
29:18
And they're about to lose the plot and start shouting
29:21
when all of a sudden you bring out a nice cake.
29:26
I've made this for you.
29:28
And you have to sort of backtrack a little bit.
29:32
They've been making something special.
29:34
Okay, there's been mess involved in it,
29:37
but they were making something special.
29:43
Well, as we read on in the life of Jesus here,
29:48
this part we've read in the Gospel of Luke
29:50
is such a special passage for us.
29:54
It's the only account we have of Jesus
29:57
in between being born and beginning his public ministry.
30:03
He began his ministry, as it were, at the age of about 30.
30:08
But here he is at the age of 12.
30:12
And what is he doing?
30:15
Well, we are told here that he is about his father's business.
30:20
That he must be in the father's house.
30:25
But it seems at first, as it were,
30:28
that Jesus is being a bad boy.
30:32
They've come to Jerusalem for the Passover.
30:35
They would do this every year.
30:38
But as they are making their way back from Jerusalem,
30:41
going back to their home,
30:43
there will be a big crowd of them.
30:44
And the parents, Jesus' parents,
30:48
are walking along with this crowd.
30:49
And they think that Jesus is there with them,
30:52
among the crowd,
30:54
playing with the other children, maybe.
30:56
But after a day's travel,
30:59
so they've gone a fair distance,
31:00
they realize that he's not there.
31:03
And so they go back to Jerusalem.
31:05
And they're hunting for him.
31:07
And they're trying to find him.
31:09
And it's taking them days to find him.
31:11
And you can imagine the worry.
31:14
Any child who's missing a parent is going to be anxious,
31:17
wondering where they are,
31:19
afraid of what might have happened to him.
31:23
It says,
31:24
after three days, in verse 46,
31:27
they found him in the temple.
31:30
And you can sense that they're frustrated,
31:33
and there's a sense of anger.
31:35
Although they were amazed at what they saw, too.
31:37
It says in verse 46,
31:39
when his parents saw them, they were astonished.
31:41
And his mother said to him,
31:42
Son, why have you treated us so?
31:46
Why have you done this to us?
31:47
We've been so worried about you.
31:49
We've been hunting for you.
31:53
But when they find him,
31:55
in the midst of wanting to rebuke him,
31:59
Jesus turns to them and says something wonderful,
32:02
something special.
32:03
He says,
32:05
I must be in my father's house.
32:09
Or,
32:10
I must be about my father's business,
32:13
is another translation of that.
32:16
He is no ordinary child.
32:20
He is the son of God,
32:22
who is growing in wisdom and knowledge and stature.
32:26
And that is the wonder of what he says to them.
32:30
Here,
32:31
I must be about my father's business.
32:38
At this point,
32:39
we read, too,
32:40
that the parents,
32:41
they didn't fully understand,
32:43
in verse 50,
32:44
they didn't understand the saying that he spoke to them.
32:48
And it's almost like Luke is putting up a sign for us here.
32:54
He's saying,
32:55
stop.
32:56
Stop everything that you're doing.
32:59
Wait a moment,
33:00
and just listen to what I have to say to you.
33:05
So in the midst of everything that we're seeing around us just now,
33:10
when you're seeing flashing lights everywhere,
33:12
and signs up everywhere around us,
33:15
there's this sign for us, too,
33:17
where the gospel is saying to us,
33:19
stop.
33:21
Just stop where you are.
33:23
Do you really understand what this is all about?
33:26
Do you really understand what this life,
33:29
what this world is all about?
33:31
Constantly rushing around and looking for answers for this,
33:35
that,
33:35
and the next thing.
33:36
The gospel is saying,
33:38
stop.
33:40
Stop and just listen for a moment.
33:44
And isn't it good for us to be able today
33:46
just to stop,
33:48
to come here and just sit for a few moments,
33:52
worship God together,
33:54
or to tune in online and hear the gospel proclaimed,
33:58
just to stop for a moment,
34:01
and to think to ourselves today,
34:03
do we understand what we're doing?
34:05
Do we fully appreciate what we have in the person of Jesus Christ?
34:12
Do we realize why he came?
34:15
It's more than just the birth of a child.
34:19
This is the son of God about his father's business.
34:23
And so today,
34:26
stop often.
34:28
Stop regular today,
34:30
tomorrow and every day,
34:31
and just think about what God has done for us
34:33
through Jesus Christ.
34:36
Here,
34:37
we are taught
34:38
why he came.
34:40
We are taught
34:41
he came to be about
34:43
the father's business,
34:45
to do all that the father had sent him
34:47
for into this world,
34:49
to live,
34:51
to teach,
34:52
to show himself for who he is,
34:55
the son of God,
34:57
but ultimately,
34:58
to give himself.
35:00
So stop today.
35:04
Stop often.
35:05
Even as you go home today,
35:07
or as you have your Christmas meal,
35:08
whether it's today or tomorrow,
35:10
whenever you have it together,
35:12
as you offer up thanks,
35:14
stop.
35:14
Stop.
35:15
Stop and think
35:17
about all we have to be thankful for.
35:19
As you open your gifts,
35:21
your presence today,
35:22
stop.
35:23
Stop for a moment and think.
35:26
Why do we have all this?
35:28
What's the greatest gift that we have?
35:31
That God sent his son
35:33
into this world
35:35
and give thanks to him
35:36
that he speaks to us
35:38
and he teaches us
35:39
that he was about
35:41
the father's business.
35:43
That he came into this world
35:45
for sinners
35:46
such as we are.
35:50
So stop.
35:52
Stop and remember
35:53
what God has done for us
35:55
through his son,
35:57
born,
35:59
who grew up
35:59
as a child in this world
36:01
and at 12 years old
36:02
seemed to cause his parents
36:04
so much distress.
36:07
But actually,
36:08
he told them something wonderful.
36:10
He showed them something wonderful.
36:12
He said,
36:13
I am here
36:14
to be about
36:15
my father's business.
36:20
Well,
36:20
our final reading
36:22
is further on
36:23
in the Gospel of Luke
36:24
in Luke chapter 19.
36:27
And this reading
36:28
just reminds us
36:30
what the father's business is.
36:34
Luke chapter 19
36:36
and at verse 1.
36:42
We read down
36:43
to verse 10.
36:44
Jesus,
36:47
he entered Jericho
36:49
and was passing through.
36:51
And there was a man
36:51
named Zacchaeus.
36:53
He was a chief tax collector
36:55
and was rich.
36:57
And he was seeking
36:58
to see who Jesus was.
37:01
But on account of the crowd,
37:02
he could not
37:03
because he was small
37:04
of stature.
37:06
So he ran on ahead
37:07
and climbed up
37:08
into a sigamore tree
37:09
to see him.
37:10
For he was about
37:11
to pass that way.
37:14
And when Jesus
37:14
came to the place,
37:15
he looked up
37:16
and said to him,
37:17
Zacchaeus,
37:19
hurry and come down
37:20
for I must stay
37:21
at your house today.
37:23
So he hurried
37:24
and came down
37:25
and received him joyfully.
37:27
And when they saw it,
37:29
they all grumbled.
37:31
He has gone in
37:32
to be a guest
37:32
of a man
37:33
who is a sinner.
37:35
And Zacchaeus
37:35
stood and said
37:36
to the Lord,
37:37
Behold, Lord,
37:38
half of my goods
37:39
I give to the poor.
37:42
And if I have defrauded
37:43
anyone of anything,
37:44
I restore it fourfold.
37:47
And Jesus said to him,
37:49
Today salvation
37:50
has come to this house,
37:52
since he also
37:53
is a son of Abraham.
37:55
For the Son of Man
37:56
came to seek
37:57
and to save the lost.
38:03
We jump forward now
38:05
a number of years
38:06
in the life of Jesus
38:07
to when he was
38:09
about 33 years old.
38:11
This is not long
38:13
before he went
38:14
to the cross.
38:16
And we read that
38:17
in Luke's Gospel,
38:19
chapter 3,
38:19
verse 23,
38:21
that when Jesus
38:22
began his public ministry,
38:24
as it were,
38:25
going around the people
38:26
and we start to hear
38:27
about his ministry,
38:28
he was about
38:29
the age of 30.
38:32
And he ministered
38:32
in this world
38:33
for three years
38:35
before the crucifixion.
38:38
And here he is
38:39
and he meets
38:40
a man called
38:41
Zacchaeus.
38:44
And Zacchaeus
38:45
was someone
38:46
who, as we read here,
38:47
was a man
38:48
who would have
38:48
pretty much everything
38:49
that he needed
38:50
or wanted in life.
38:52
He was rich.
38:54
He was feared
38:55
by many.
38:56
He had power
38:57
and authority.
38:59
But what we see
39:00
of Zacchaeus
39:01
here
39:02
is that there was
39:03
something missing.
39:05
He knew
39:06
that there was
39:07
something missing.
39:10
And today,
39:11
in all that we get,
39:13
and maybe
39:14
we receive
39:15
many different things
39:16
in these days,
39:18
and we think
39:18
we're so blessed,
39:20
we're so fortunate,
39:21
and we are
39:21
in so many ways.
39:24
But do we still think,
39:25
well,
39:25
there's still
39:26
something missing.
39:29
There's still
39:29
something
39:30
I am needing.
39:33
Well,
39:33
here in this passage,
39:35
we are being
39:35
told what it is.
39:38
We see here
39:39
the very reason
39:40
why Jesus
39:41
came into this world,
39:43
why he was
39:43
born into this world.
39:46
The child
39:46
who we so often
39:47
reflect on
39:48
at this time of year,
39:49
who grew into a boy
39:50
who was about
39:51
his father's business,
39:53
who became a man
39:54
to fulfill
39:55
all the promises
39:56
of Scripture.
39:58
It says
39:59
in verse 10,
40:00
for the Son of Man
40:01
came
40:02
to seek
40:03
and to save
40:05
the lost.
40:07
It's sometimes
40:08
said of people,
40:09
they were born
40:11
for that.
40:12
You can see it
40:13
in so many
40:14
different parts
40:15
of life.
40:16
Some people
40:16
are said of,
40:17
they're said of them,
40:18
they're just
40:19
a born leader.
40:21
They have that gift,
40:22
just born
40:23
to lead.
40:25
Others
40:25
are just
40:26
born
40:26
for maybe
40:27
a certain sport.
40:28
It's said
40:29
they were just
40:29
born to do that,
40:31
whether it's
40:31
play football
40:32
or any other sport.
40:35
Others
40:35
had said
40:36
they were just
40:36
born to sing.
40:39
Others
40:39
born to care,
40:41
born to teach.
40:43
We're born
40:44
to do many
40:44
different things.
40:47
But why
40:48
was Jesus
40:49
born?
40:51
Why did
40:51
Jesus
40:51
come into
40:53
this world?
40:53
Well,
40:54
we're told
40:54
there
40:55
in verse
40:56
10.
40:57
Jesus,
40:58
the Son
40:59
of Man,
41:00
came into
41:00
this world
41:01
to seek
41:02
and to save
41:03
the lost.
41:05
And Zacchaeus
41:06
was one
41:07
such person.
41:09
He was
41:09
lost.
41:11
In many
41:11
ways,
41:12
he maybe
41:12
had so much
41:13
in this life,
41:15
and yet
41:15
at the same
41:16
time,
41:17
he was
41:17
lost.
41:19
There was
41:19
something
41:19
missing
41:20
in his
41:21
life.
41:23
But the
41:23
more he
41:24
heard about
41:24
Jesus,
41:26
the more
41:26
he wanted
41:26
to see
41:27
this man.
41:29
And it
41:29
wasn't to
41:30
come and
41:30
see the
41:31
child born
41:32
in the
41:32
manger,
41:33
but it
41:34
was to
41:34
come and
41:34
see the
41:35
Son of
41:36
God
41:36
fulfilling
41:37
all the
41:38
promises
41:38
for which
41:39
God had
41:40
sent him
41:40
into this
41:41
world,
41:41
to be a
41:42
savior of
41:43
this world,
41:44
to fulfill
41:45
those words
41:46
that we read
41:47
before in
41:48
the Gospel
41:48
of Luke,
41:49
when the
41:50
birth of
41:50
Jesus is
41:51
told.
41:51
And the
41:52
angel appeared
41:53
and said,
41:54
fear not,
41:54
for behold,
41:55
I bring you
41:55
good news
41:56
of great
41:57
joy that
41:58
will be
41:58
for all
41:58
the people.
42:00
For unto
42:00
you is
42:00
born this
42:01
day in
42:01
the city
42:02
of David
42:02
a savior
42:03
who is
42:04
Christ the
42:05
Lord for
42:06
all people,
42:08
for all
42:08
who will
42:09
hear,
42:09
for all
42:10
who will
42:10
seek,
42:11
for all
42:11
who will
42:11
come to
42:12
him,
42:13
he is a
42:13
savior.
42:14
And so
42:15
here in
42:15
this later
42:17
passage in
42:17
Luke,
42:18
we're reminded
42:18
through
42:19
Zacchaeus
42:20
the reason
42:21
why he
42:22
came,
42:23
to seek
42:24
and to
42:25
save the
42:26
lost.
42:29
His
42:29
appointment
42:30
with Zacchaeus
42:31
was planned
42:32
by God.
42:34
This would
42:35
be the
42:35
moment when
42:36
Jesus would
42:37
call him
42:38
down and
42:39
say salvation
42:40
has come to
42:41
this household
42:42
today.
42:44
And the
42:44
wonder of
42:45
the Gospel
42:46
is that
42:46
today is
42:48
an appointment
42:48
for us
42:49
all to
42:49
come and
42:50
hear this
42:51
good news
42:51
once again.
42:54
And of
42:54
all the
42:54
gifts you
42:55
receive today
42:56
or in
42:56
these days,
42:58
the greatest
42:59
gift is the
42:59
offer of
43:00
the Gospel
43:00
to come
43:02
and see
43:03
this Christ,
43:05
the Son
43:05
of Man
43:06
who came
43:07
to seek
43:08
and to
43:09
save
43:10
the lost.
43:12
I'm sure
43:13
many of
43:13
you,
43:14
young ones
43:15
maybe especially
43:15
and older
43:16
ones I'm
43:16
sure too,
43:17
you had
43:17
your Christmas
43:18
list,
43:19
the things
43:20
that you
43:20
wanted to
43:22
receive at
43:22
this time.
43:24
There would
43:24
be all kinds
43:25
of things
43:25
on that
43:26
list.
43:28
And maybe
43:28
you've
43:28
ticked them
43:29
off,
43:29
maybe you've
43:30
got them
43:30
all,
43:32
but maybe
43:32
you still
43:33
think there's
43:34
still something
43:35
missing.
43:37
And in your
43:37
life you'll
43:38
go on maybe
43:39
thinking no
43:39
matter what
43:40
you get,
43:41
the gifts
43:41
of this
43:42
world,
43:42
you're still
43:43
thinking there's
43:44
still something
43:45
missing.
43:46
Maybe you're
43:47
growing old
43:48
now yourself,
43:49
30s,
43:50
40s,
43:50
50s,
43:51
70s,
43:51
90s,
43:52
and you're
43:53
still thinking
43:54
there's still
43:55
something missing.
43:57
What is it?
44:00
It's Christ.
44:02
Because if you
44:03
don't have
44:04
him,
44:05
there's still
44:05
something missing
44:06
and always
44:07
will be.
44:09
But the
44:09
good news
44:10
of the
44:10
gospel is
44:11
that God
44:13
sent his
44:13
son into
44:15
this world,
44:16
born as a
44:17
child,
44:18
as the
44:19
saviour of
44:19
the world,
44:20
grew as a
44:21
child,
44:22
as a child
44:22
about his
44:23
father's
44:24
business.
44:25
And as we
44:25
see as a
44:26
man,
44:27
the father's
44:28
business was
44:28
to seek
44:29
and to
44:30
save the
44:31
lost.
44:33
And he
44:34
saved through
44:35
his death.
44:38
He was
44:38
born to
44:40
die.
44:41
That's the
44:42
reason why
44:43
Jesus was
44:43
born into
44:44
this world,
44:45
to die
44:46
and give
44:47
his life
44:48
that we
44:49
might live.
44:50
So today,
44:52
may we be
44:52
blessed by
44:53
the gospel.
44:55
May we
44:55
hear his
44:56
words and
44:57
see that he
44:58
has come to
44:59
seek and
45:00
to save
45:01
the lost.
45:03
And may we
45:03
know salvation
45:04
coming to
45:06
our households
45:06
today through
45:08
the power
45:08
of his
45:09
gospel.
45:11
May God
45:11
bless his
45:12
word to
45:13
us.
45:13
Let's just
45:14
join our
45:14
hearts in
45:15
prayer.
45:18
Our
45:18
father in
45:19
heaven,
45:19
we rejoice
45:20
in the
45:21
good news
45:21
offered to
45:22
all people
45:23
to hear
45:24
those great
45:25
words that
45:25
unto you is
45:26
born this
45:27
day a
45:27
saviour who
45:28
is Christ
45:29
the Lord.
45:30
And may we
45:31
come to
45:31
know Christ
45:32
as our
45:33
Lord,
45:33
even as
45:34
Zacchaeus
45:35
came to
45:35
know it
45:35
for himself,
45:37
that power
45:37
of salvation
45:38
that came
45:39
to his
45:40
house and
45:41
to his
45:41
heart.
45:42
We pray,
45:43
Lord, that
45:43
you will
45:43
bless us
45:44
by your
45:45
presence today
45:46
and bless
45:46
us in our
45:47
seeking of
45:48
you, that
45:49
our eyes
45:49
will be
45:50
filled with
45:51
the glory
45:51
of God
45:52
in seeing
45:53
Jesus Christ.
45:55
Lord, that
45:55
one thing
45:56
missing, may
45:57
we receive it
45:58
and receive it
45:59
joyfully.
46:00
So guide us
46:01
and help
46:01
as we pray
46:02
in Jesus'
46:03
name.
46:03
Amen.
46:06
We're going
46:07
to conclude
46:08
our time
46:09
by singing
46:09
again to
46:10
God's
46:10
praise.
46:11
Psalm 40,
46:12
but in the
46:13
Singed Psalms,
46:15
Psalm 40,
46:17
in the Singed
46:17
Psalms at
46:18
verse 13,
46:20
page 51
46:21
of the
46:22
Psalm books.
46:25
Psalm 40
46:26
at verse 13,
46:27
Be pleased,
46:28
O Lord,
46:29
to rescue
46:30
me.
46:30
O Lord,
46:30
come quickly
46:31
to my
46:32
aid.
46:32
May all
46:33
who seek
46:33
to take
46:34
my life
46:34
with shame
46:35
and turmoil
46:36
be repaid.
46:38
Verse 17,
46:39
Yet I am
46:39
poor and
46:40
in great
46:40
need.
46:41
Lord,
46:41
think on
46:41
me,
46:42
I humbly
46:42
pray.
46:43
You are
46:43
my Savior
46:44
and my
46:45
help.
46:45
Come,
46:46
O my
46:46
God,
46:47
do not
46:47
delay.
46:48
We'll
46:49
sing these
46:49
four verses
46:50
to God's
46:51
praise.
46:51
Praise.
46:54
We
46:55
praise,
46:56
O Lord,
46:58
to
46:59
rest
47:00
to him.
47:02
O Lord,
47:04
come quickly
47:06
to my
47:10
aid.
47:11
May all
47:14
who seek
47:15
to take
47:17
my life
47:20
with shame
47:22
and terror
47:25
will be
47:26
repaid.
47:28
May all
47:32
who
47:33
caught
47:34
my
47:36
overthrown
47:38
turn
47:40
back
47:42
distress
47:43
away
47:45
again.
47:47
May those
47:51
whom
48:08
feel
48:09
down
48:10
Ben
48:11
God,
48:11
who
48:12
seek
48:14
you
48:15
face
48:16
face, be joyful in your all their days.
48:27
Let those who love salvation stay, exalted be the Lord always.
48:46
Yet I am blue and in great need, Lord, take on me my humbly prayer.
49:06
You are my Savior and my help.
49:17
Come, O my God, do not delay.
49:25
Amen.
49:27
After the benediction, I'll go to the main door.
49:31
Now may grace, mercy, and peace from God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit rest upon and
49:37
abide with you all, no one forevermore.
49:40
Amen.
50:07
Amen.