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Christmas Was NOT The End Of The Story! · Bible Tract Echoes Podcast

• 0:00
  [SPEAKER_01]: Hey friend, welcome back once again to Bible Tract Echoes.
• 0:03
  [SPEAKER_01]: I'm Mike McCurray, your host.
• 0:05
  [SPEAKER_01]: I'm so grateful.
• 0:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: You've chosen to join me for this, the Friday, the 5th, the final broadcast in something of a short series.
• 0:14
  [SPEAKER_01]: As we've walked through and looked at, Acts chapter 1 in verse 1, here at the beginning of the book of Acts.
• 0:22
  [SPEAKER_01]: Maybe you've been with us all week.
• 0:23
  [SPEAKER_01]: Maybe this is the first time you've tuned in during this series either way.
• 0:27
  [SPEAKER_01]: I'm glad you're here.
• 0:28
  [SPEAKER_01]: over the last several days we've explored what it means to be prepared, to be prayed up, to be present, and to be purposeed.
• 0:39
  [SPEAKER_01]: So that we can finish the work God has called us to do.
• 0:44
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yesterday we stepped back into what we call Luke's gospel to consider what Jesus actually began, because while Acts chapter 1 verse 1 reminds us that the earthly ministry of Jesus was not a conclusion, but at the beginning I think it would be wise to get a little context especially at this time to get some context on this fact.
• 1:09
  [SPEAKER_01]: We're going to bring this journey to a close here.
• 1:12
  [SPEAKER_01]: by lifting our eyes, by looking at something that I believe is wonderfully encouraging and deeply challenging.
• 1:18
  [SPEAKER_01]: Here's the thought here's a thing.
• 1:21
  [SPEAKER_01]: Christmas was not the end of the story.
• 1:24
  [SPEAKER_01]: Not even close.
• 1:25
  [SPEAKER_01]: So let me read again our anchor text for this week, Acts chapter 1 verse 1, the former treaties have I made.
• 1:36
  [SPEAKER_01]: Otheophilus of all that Jesus began both to do and teach.
• 1:42
  [SPEAKER_01]: You know, everything Luke wrote about Bethlehem Nazareth Galilee Calvary
• 1:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: was just the beginning of what Jesus came to accomplish.
• 1:55
  [SPEAKER_01]: Today on this final broadcast of the week, I want to show you from scripture how the coming of Christ was not just this sentimental, a finish line meant to sell in the Tivity Sense.
• 2:07
  [SPEAKER_01]: No, not at all.
• 2:09
  [SPEAKER_01]: It was the starting point of a mission that continued.
• 2:12
  [SPEAKER_01]: Through his death, his resurrection, his ascension, and then continues on into where you and I live today and ultimately his return.
• 2:23
  [SPEAKER_01]: Realize again, Christmas was not the end because Jesus existed before.
• 2:27
  [SPEAKER_01]: Let's start with some foundational.
• 2:29
  [SPEAKER_01]: We touched on this yesterday, but I want to go back to it again, just to make sure we lay a good foundation.
• 2:34
  [SPEAKER_01]: Jesus didn't begin in Bethlehem.
• 2:37
  [SPEAKER_01]: in the beginning was the word John 1 one says, and the word was with God and the word was God.
• 2:44
  [SPEAKER_01]: The same was in the beginning with God, all things were made by him and without him was not anything made that was made.
• 2:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: Before shepherds saw angels, before wisemen follow the star, before Mary laid him in a manger, he was already the eternal word.
• 3:00
  [SPEAKER_01]: co-equal co-eternal with a father, so when he took on flesh and new chapter 2, it was not the start of his existence.
• 3:07
  [SPEAKER_01]: It was the beginning and continuation of his existence in mission.
• 3:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: Philippians 2 verse 5 said this, let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who being in the form of God thought it not robbery to be equal with God.
• 3:22
  [SPEAKER_01]: But made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men.
• 3:28
  [SPEAKER_01]: The incarnation of Jesus Christ was the eternal son stepping into time, into flesh, into our story, not to be admired and amanger, but to be followed to a cross.
• 3:43
  [SPEAKER_01]: Realized Christmas was not the end because he came with a purpose.
• 3:47
  [SPEAKER_01]: I challenged you earlier this week about your purpose, but realized Jesus had a purpose.
• 3:52
  [SPEAKER_01]: The angel told Joseph, exactly why Christ came, Matthew 21, and she shall bring forth a son and now shall call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins.
• 4:05
  [SPEAKER_01]: Born to die as the song says, Jesus didn't come to entertain the masses.
• 4:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: Not strictly to inspire them, not only to bless them, but to save them.
• 4:17
  [SPEAKER_01]: Luke 211, the angel said for unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior which is Christ the Lord, a Savior.
• 4:26
  [SPEAKER_01]: Deliver, Redeemer, the manger was in a destination it was a launching pad, Christ's birth pointage straight toward his life.
• 4:35
  [SPEAKER_01]: His life points straight toward the cross, the cross pointed toward the tomb, his tomb pointed toward the resurrection.
• 4:44
  [SPEAKER_01]: Realizes well, Christmas wasn't the end of the story because he, Jesus, didn't stand our earth.
• 4:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: After Christ lived, sentlessly, died sacrificially, rose evictoriously,
• 4:55
  [SPEAKER_01]: He has sent it back to the Father.
• 4:58
  [SPEAKER_01]: Acts 1, verse 9, and when he had spoken these things, while they beheld he was taken up and a cloud received him out of their sight, and while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in one of peril, which also said, he meant of gallantly, why stand ye gazing up in heaven?
• 5:15
  [SPEAKER_01]: This same Jesus, which is taken up from you, into heaven shall so come and like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
• 5:22
  [SPEAKER_01]: His ascension is kind of, we'll say, a bridge between what he began and what he continues.
• 5:28
  [SPEAKER_01]: Christmas wasn't the end.
• 5:29
  [SPEAKER_01]: Well, we were back up.
• 5:30
  [SPEAKER_01]: Creation wasn't the end.
• 5:33
  [SPEAKER_01]: Christmas wasn't the end.
• 5:34
  [SPEAKER_01]: The cross wasn't the end.
• 5:36
  [SPEAKER_01]: Resurrection, not the end.
• 5:38
  [SPEAKER_01]: But the ascension was dire.
• 5:41
  [SPEAKER_01]: It was the start of, let's say, his heavenly ministry as our advocate.
• 5:46
  [SPEAKER_01]: intercessor, and coming king.
• 5:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: Christmas was not the end because he's still working today.
• 5:54
  [SPEAKER_01]: Hebrews 2.9 says, but we see Jesus who has made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death and it continues on for it became him for whom are all things and by whom are all things and bringing many sons unto glory.
• 6:08
  [SPEAKER_01]: Christ is still bringing people to himself.
• 6:10
  [SPEAKER_01]: He's still calling, still saving, still transferring, still building his church, still reaching the lost, who believers like you and me, and that's why DTI, the ministry I get to direct, the parent ministry of Bible check echoes, everything he began to loop.
• 6:26
  [SPEAKER_01]: everything he continued in the book of Acts, he intends to bring in completion, bring two completion in your heart and mind.
• 6:33
  [SPEAKER_01]: I read it yesterday, but Philippians 1-6, being confident of this very thing that he, which I'm going to be going to work in you, will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.
• 6:43
  [SPEAKER_01]: Christmas, we could maybe say launched the work in this, at least in this microcosm, Calvary secured the work, maybe pentacost,
• 6:56
  [SPEAKER_01]: Realize, from more than 80 years at Bible tracks in corporate, in this same vein, we have watched God use simple gospel tracks, a small piece of paper, yes, millions of them, but small pieces of paper, to touch hearts that we may never personally meet.
• 7:15
  [SPEAKER_01]: And each one of those testimonies of God's grace, the hundreds of people that have let us know they accepted Christ just this year alone, tells us, Jesus is still working.
• 7:25
  [SPEAKER_01]: The story began instilling and folding, and you and I praise God, get to play a role.
• 7:33
  [SPEAKER_01]: All week long, we've been learning what it means to cooperate with Christ in the mission to begin.
• 7:41
  [SPEAKER_01]: We said, I said, you got to be prepared, rooted in God's word.
• 7:45
  [SPEAKER_01]: You got to be prayed up in touch with heaven.
• 7:48
  [SPEAKER_01]: What a joy it is to enter into His gates.
• 7:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yes, with things giving, into His courts, with praise, but you realize what that means, we get to come to Christ and enter the throne where grace, through prayer.
• 7:59
  [SPEAKER_01]: You got to be present, faithful, where God has planted you.
• 8:02
  [SPEAKER_01]: You got to be purpose-resolved, not to quit.
• 8:05
  [SPEAKER_01]: but why?
• 8:07
  [SPEAKER_01]: Why?
• 8:07
  [SPEAKER_01]: Because the mission that began in Bethlehem and continued through Calvary now runs through you.
• 8:15
  [SPEAKER_01]: The work price began.
• 8:17
  [SPEAKER_01]: The work they apostles continued.
• 8:18
  [SPEAKER_01]: The work that is shaped every century since that work is not finished.
• 8:22
  [SPEAKER_01]: The job is not done and God desires to accomplish part of it through your life.
• 8:29
  [SPEAKER_01]: Realize that Christmas was not the end because Jesus is coming again.
• 8:33
  [SPEAKER_01]: Revelation 118, Jesus says, I am He that liveeth and was dead and behold, I am alive forevermore.
• 8:41
  [SPEAKER_01]: That's not the language of somebody, that's not the verbage somebody uses when they've closed the books, when the story's over.
• 8:48
  [SPEAKER_01]: That's the announcement of a living, raining, returning savior.
• 8:54
  [SPEAKER_01]: Just as surely as angels sang at his first coming, a trumpet's going to sound at a second.
• 9:00
  [SPEAKER_01]: just as surely as shepherds knelt before a manger, every knee will bow before his throne.
• 9:08
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yes, wise men sought him, but there's going to come a day when the whole world will see him.
• 9:15
  [SPEAKER_01]: Christmas was the beginning, but his next appearance will not be a humiliation.
• 9:21
  [SPEAKER_01]: It will be an exaltation.
• 9:25
  [SPEAKER_01]: So here's a question for you.
• 9:27
  [SPEAKER_01]: If Christmas wasn't the end of the story,
• 9:29
  [SPEAKER_01]: If Acts 1 was not the end of the story, what part is God asking you to play in the story?
• 9:35
  [SPEAKER_01]: He's still writing.
• 9:38
  [SPEAKER_01]: Don't leave your Bible together dust as if the work is done.
• 9:43
  [SPEAKER_01]: Don't sit back prayerless as if the mission is completed.
• 9:47
  [SPEAKER_01]: Don't assume your best days of serving the Lord have to be behind you.
• 9:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: The angels didn't say it is finished.
• 9:54
  [SPEAKER_01]: Jesus said that about salvation not about service.
• 10:02
  [SPEAKER_01]: Forgiveness, oh, that's finished.
• 10:04
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's available to all.
• 10:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: Redemption, secured.
• 10:08
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yep, salvation settled, aha.
• 10:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: But the story of what God wants to do with and through you is still being written.
• 10:16
  [SPEAKER_01]: Think about this friend.
• 10:18
  [SPEAKER_01]: There's a coworker that needs the gospel.
• 10:21
  [SPEAKER_01]: a neighbor who needs encouragement, a prodigal who needs prayer, a church that needs your presence, a family that might need your leadership.
• 10:32
  [SPEAKER_01]: Christmas wasn't the end, two to agree it was the opening chapter.
• 10:37
  [SPEAKER_01]: The resurrection was not the end.
• 10:38
  [SPEAKER_01]: It may have been a turning point.
• 10:42
  [SPEAKER_01]: The ascension wasn't the end.
• 10:43
  [SPEAKER_01]: No, it was just continuation.
• 10:45
  [SPEAKER_01]: And at this moment right now, it could be the beginning of a chapter that you'll begin writing in your obedience.
• 10:55
  [SPEAKER_01]: And perhaps, maybe you're listening to Dave right now in your outside the story.
• 10:59
  [SPEAKER_01]: You've admired Jesus' birth, but you've never trusted his death.
• 11:03
  [SPEAKER_01]: You appreciate the season, but you don't know the Savior.
• 11:07
  [SPEAKER_01]: Friend, he can't arrest you, you.
• 11:10
  [SPEAKER_01]: Romans 10, 13, for who's so ever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
• 11:15
  [SPEAKER_01]: You can accept Christ as your Savior today.
• 11:20
  [SPEAKER_01]: Let today be the start, not the end of your story, which Jesus, I pray, friend, that this is not the last time that I get to speak to you, but maybe it could be the first time that you speak to me.
• 11:32
  [SPEAKER_01]: I'm going to give you my cell number, you can text me at this number, okay?
• 11:36
  [SPEAKER_01]: I'd love to hear from you.
• 11:37
  [SPEAKER_01]: If you have a question, especially about the gospel, but really about anything we've talked about today or this week, from a Christian or maybe you say, I'm not a Christian.
• 11:45
  [SPEAKER_01]: I don't identify that way, but I'd love to hear from you.
• 11:49
  [SPEAKER_01]: You can text me at 309, 3167240.
• 11:55
  [SPEAKER_01]: Again, that's 309, 3167240.
• 12:03
  [SPEAKER_01]: I want to thank you so much for joining me today for Bible Tract Echoes and for walking with me through this five part series Monday through Friday.
• 12:13
  [SPEAKER_01]: If the Lord has stirred your heart this week, I'd love to hear from you.
• 12:17
  [SPEAKER_01]: You can't text me 3-0-9-3-1-6-7-2-4-0, but the announcer will be on in just a moment to tell you all about other ways that you can reach out to us and you can visit us at BibleTractSink.org-B-I-B-L-E.
• 12:31
  [SPEAKER_01]: K-R-A-C-T-S, I-N-C.org, you can order free gospel tracks in more ministry resources, but I wish to remember, as we go our separate ways for just a few moments, Christmas is not the end of the story.
• 12:47
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's just the beginning of the greatest story ever told.
• 12:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: Until next time, I am Mike McCurray, thank you for listening to Bible Track Echoes, keep serving, keep witnessing, keep trusting him because the job is not.
• 13:01
  [SPEAKER_01]: finished.
• 13:02
  [SPEAKER_01]: Have a great day for his glory.
• 13:05
  [SPEAKER_01]: I look forward to talking you soon.
• 13:07
  [SPEAKER_01]: God bless.
• 13:16
  [SPEAKER_00]: Thank you for tuning in to Bible Tract Echoes, the radio ministry of Bible Tracts Incorporated.
• 13:23
  [SPEAKER_00]: Want to see our gospel tracks and other resources?
• 13:26
  [SPEAKER_00]: Visit us online at BibleTracksink.org that's BibleTracksink.org or follow us on social media to learn how you can partner with this ministry.
• 13:40
  [SPEAKER_00]: Thanks again for listening.
• 13:42
  [SPEAKER_00]: May the Lord richly bless you as you live for him.