Christmas - It Is No Secret What God Can Do

[0:00] The Streets of Nazareth When I am tempted to repine that such a lowly lot is mine, there comes to me a voice which saith, Mine were the streets of Nazareth, so mean, so common and unrefined, and he the monarch of mankind, yet patiently he travaileth those narrow streets of Nazareth.

[0:28] It may be I shall never rise to place of fame beneath the skies, but in straight and ways till death narrowest streets of Nazareth.

[0:41] But if through heaven's arch I tread and therefore get to bow my head, oh, may I hear the voice which saith, Mine were the streets of Nazareth.

[0:55] Ian was in the Air Force when we were younger, and we were posted to Cyprus.

[1:09] My mum and dad had come over for a holiday, and we were going to go camping up Trudus Mountains, and we were so excited. We borrowed a tent from the scouts that were there, a huge tent, and off the six of us went.

[1:23] It was wonderful, weather was wonderful, Trudus Mountains were beautiful. We set up the tent, which was in separate wee compartments, so there was one for the children, one for my mum and dad, and Ian and I were stuck at the mouth.

[1:36] When we get in and settled, it took us a while, much hilarity, and then in the darkness my mum said, Aby, I don't like being here, can we change with Jean and Ian? So then us and the kids and everybody else moved round about, and we get settled again, and we were tired, and we tried to sleep.

[1:54] Except the ground up Cyprus and Trudus Mountains was just quite rocky. It wasn't rocks, but there was lots of rocks, and nobody slept really very well, and the kids were all over the place.

[2:06] Anyway, we got up in the morning, that was really uncomfortable. But even worse, if you can remember, Cyprus potatoes were covered in a red dust. So were we. We were covered from head to foot.

[2:18] We'd been sleeping on it, and just it was a mess. But we loved camping. Trudus Mountains were beautiful, but most uncomfortable, and to crown it all, we'd heard shooting and guns during the night, which was unusual, and we now know it was the start of the trouble in Cyprus.

[2:35] But we had a ball, despite never sleeping. That, I would say, was my most uncomfortable bed. Did you ever have a security blanket or comforter?

[2:48] I never had a security blanket as a child. I can remember my grandchildren having it. But if I look back over my life, I have to say that the one time I would have what I would term a security blanket would have been when Ian and I lost our son for five years.

[3:03] There'd been a family school. She'd left his wife, went to someone else, and then disappeared from our, well, horizon, can I say. And for five years, I spent the time crying on the phone.

[3:16] I couldn't cry outside a lot, because life goes on, and it always does. But whenever it became too much for me, I would phone Ian, who was in the Middle East working, and I would just cry, sometimes for as much as an hour.

[3:29] And Ian just understood and let me cry. Perhaps not a true comforter the way God is the God of all comfort, but he was then, and I would still say he is now.

[3:41] He's my comforter here on earth. What is your favourite part of the Christmas story? In Genesis 1, it said, And God created.

[3:56] In Mark 1, it says, And the word was made flesh. And the best part of the nativity, or rather, not the best part, but the actual heart-gut-wrenching part, is that the God who was there creating the world came as a tiny, tiny baby into our world when he stepped into it.

[4:19] We sing a song that's called There Was a Moment in Time, and in that moment, baby Jesus was born to Mary and Joseph, although they didn't really have much to do with it. It was God that created him.

[4:31] But he was there as a tiny, tiny, helpless baby, could do nothing for himself, and yet he was the one who was there to throw the stars into space. When I think of that, that's absolutely marvellous.

[4:44] And to me, out of scripture, that, apart from Calvary, is the most gut-wrenching part for me, the most amazing part for me, the fact that how much he loved me and the world, that he came as a tiny, helpless babe.

[5:03] Are you sure, Cameron? Thank you. Thank you very much, girls. Well, Grace is going to read the passage from Luke 2, which they were singing, the angels telling the shepherds what God wanted them to know, and all of us, what he wants us to know.

[5:25] Thanks, Grace. In those days, Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world.

[5:37] This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria, and everyone went to his own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem, the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.

[6:00] He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son.

[6:19] She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.

[6:36] An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, Do not be afraid.

[6:50] I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David, a Saviour has been born to you.

[7:02] He is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign to you. You will find a babe wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.

[7:14] And suddenly, a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favour rests.

[7:31] When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.

[7:46] So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph and the baby who was lying in the manger. And when they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child.

[8:02] And all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart.

[8:15] The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

[8:26] Amen. On Sunday morning, our student pastor, Cal Morrison, was preaching. And as Cal was preaching, the words came of the song we're going to sing.

[8:40] It's not a carol, but I think it was of the Lord. There is no secret what God can do. What he's done for others, he can do for you.

[8:52] How many of you know that? Oh, you must be older than this. That's really good. So Grace and I recorded this on Monday night with Cameron's help with the organ, me with the guitar.

[9:05] Just look at the words there's only two verses of it. But that is my point this evening, friends. It's not a secret anymore. How many Christmases have you been through?

[9:16] It can't be a secret anymore what God has done for you. It's your response now that matters. It's not a secret anymore. What he's done for millions over the centuries, he can do for you.

[9:32] Let's stand as we sing it. I want to ask you a question, friends. Do you realize how much you matter to God?

[9:50] Do you realize how much you matter to him? Do you realize how much it matters to him that he matters to you?

[10:10] Do you realize as a human being the gift of life you and I were given? We were made in God's image and likeness.

[10:21] Now that's not the case with your cat and your dog and your goldfish and your budgie. Human beings are the only creatures in the planet that are made in the image of God.

[10:36] We are creatures but we are not animals. And all the music and all the lovely words of the birth of Jesus Christ are all about the fact that he is not just a man a male.

[11:02] Now if like me you have come to know the Lord by his grace I was 22 when I became a Christian you would have found me dead in church before that. I now know that I matter to him and I now know that it matters to him that he matters to me but I also now know and every Christian here will know this that what matters to God should matter to us.

[11:32] and that's why God in his divine way gave us the Bible. It is the light of God's word that awakens us to who we are what we are why we don't behave the way we should what the problem is and what the solution is.

[12:03] God has always been solution orientated. He gives us a solution and that solution is not a church it's not a denomination it's a person and that person is his son.

[12:20] Do you realize that we matter so much to God that God so loved this world and still does that he gave his one and only son that whoever believes in him and what he did will never perish but have everlasting life.

[12:47] Now I know you've been to many Christmases many services as I say before I was a Christian you wouldn't have found me in a Christmas service I wasn't interested you could keep God for as I'm concerned I had more fun than that but do you appreciate friends that in the world in which we're in today where the attitude is coming out of antichrist ungodliness and philosophies that don't want to recognize God at all people less and less don't appreciate how much they matter to God but do you do you know how much you matter to him do you know how much you matter to the

[13:59] Savior grace read for us this lovely passage of Luke 2 the message to the shepherds from the angels don't be afraid don't be afraid don't be afraid I bring you and the girls were singing about this good news that will cause great joy for all the people today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you he is the Messiah the Lord and tells them they will find the babe in swaddling clothes a Savior that's how the angels explain the Lord a Savior a rescuer what do we need rescued from he is a

[15:06] Savior from sin sinners need forgiven God has provided the person he is the means whereby our souls are cleansed and we are forgiven because he gave his life in our place and the blood of the lamb the shepherds they've never heard anything like this probably but the angels they are the messengers from God and isn't it striking did you notice when Grace was reading the shepherds know that the message is not from the angels the shepherds say let us go to Bethlehem and see this thing that the

[16:13] Lord has made known to us not the angels not the angels the Lord himself has made it known through the angels that they may be led to the place of his birth do you recognize that do you recognize friends in the message of Christmas the angels don't send you the message of Jesus it's God himself the angels are just spiritual messengers spiritual servants they're not human they're not divine they're messengers but the one born in Bethlehem he's greater than any angel and one with the father in heaven and every word he said and every act he said were the fathers fathers

[17:18] I don't know how many of you are familiar with the northeast of Scotland the fishing villages in fact Peter Head was on the news at lunchtime fishermen are very wealthy people fishing the sea has made many very wealthy people in the northeast of Scotland but you know what all those fishermen have in common a terrible fear of the sea because virtually every one of them have families that have been lost family members sons fathers cousins brothers and there are some quite recently and some of them still today after decades of fishing off Scotland in the ocean feel nauseated up to 24 hours before they have to go out because they know the sea can turn like that and drown them all now they have all that wealth but they're terrified of going on the sea they never lose that fear it's not that way with God

[18:49] God doesn't want us to be frightened of him after all the kindness he's given you in your life whatever age you may be he doesn't want us to be frightened of him he wants us to trust him have faith in him through his son that's how much we matter to him before our day comes when like these young men in the fishing boats who suddenly find they can't get back before your day is over Christmas is about a saviour coming he's not a visitor to Bethlehem he's coming to die for me and you the fact that we don't have him in our life if you're not his tonight he just hates the thought that you're lost and that's why he came to redeem the lost this is what Christmas is all about we should never be separating it from Easter

[20:10] I appeal to you tonight we may never meet again you don't know the next hour is going to hold and neither do I but I appeal to you to think of how much we matter to God that he should give his one and only son to take the punishment for sin on in crucifixion in Golgotha the hell of the skull those horrible thing to be crucified in our place under God's wrath death so that we could be forgiven that's why he came it's not about the baby in Bethlehem that's only the beginning of this great event and the wonderful thing about it is as this life that you live now and

[21:20] I live which is a gift eternal life is also a gift you can't learn it you can't earn it you put your trust in Jesus God's Holy Spirit enters your life and he starts preparing you for glory the good work he begins in you the promises he will bring to completion on the day of Jesus Christ isn't that the most amazing thing to me as a Christian knowing how I have sinned in my life and even now as a Christian I know I can run to him who is my refuge and strength and very present help in time of trouble I appeal to you tonight and this Christmas realize how important you are to God realize that it's important to God that he's important to you if you don't have this relationship you're separated from him whereas to those who trust him

[22:29] Romans chapter 8 says nothing in heaven or earth can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus nothing but you need to touch base with God and kind of just there was a lady on a train who started a conversation with a gentleman who happened to sit on the other table you know there's a table at the train looking out the window and eventually the discussion went to church oh you go to church to do I go to church and then as they began to reveal kind of church when they went how they went when they went so on the lady said I need to get off at the next stop but I have to tell you something my friend before I leave going by what you've told me

[23:37] I wouldn't call it Christianity your religion is a two word religion mine's is one yours is do religion mine's is done because Jesus said on the cross it is finished and friends that's why he came he came to take our place and the father has blessed millions across the earth in Israel and among the Gentiles who have realized apart from Christ they can do nothing and whether you be young or whatever decade you're living in

[24:38] I tell you personally in my own testimony and from this passage that Grace read to us take note of how measurably you matter to God it is not his will for anyone to perish that's what the Bible says and that's why he gave his lovely son and that's why his lovely son came and took our place he said Jesus said no one takes my life from me I lay it down of my own accord and that's why the father loves me there is a bridge being laid down between our bank and God's bank that will take you right across into fellowship with God that bridge is his son I am the way and the truth and the life and no one comes to the father but through me please consider it's not too late you haven't a clue what the next hour holds for you how you matter to

[25:56] God and how it matters to him that he matters to you for when that happens then what matters to him matters to you and you walk with God for the rest of your days and you are blessed beyond understanding please I say to you tonight it's not a secret anymore what God can do there it is in the acronym on the screen gospel God our savior proclaims eternal life thanks Stephen for putting that up that acronym tells us the word of God is calling us to come to him but it's through the savior born in Bethlehem by no other means and that was why the savior when coming to Calvary said when I am lifted up talking about his crucifixion

[27:03] I will draw all men unto me I pray God will draw you he will draw you to no one else but his son and through him and the cleansing and the forgiveness from the father you're back in God's hand that's how much you matter that's how much you matter let's have a moment for prayer thank you father it is no longer a secret what God can do and what you've done for others you would do for anyone here if they turn to you in all honesty in repentance and faith then your beloved son's blood would be applied to that soul sins would be forgiven they'd be clothed in his righteousness reconciled to you and adopted into your family as a child of

[28:23] God oh on this Christmas Eve father thank you for reminding us of these matters help us no more to be perplexed like the shepherds but more like Simeon to be aware of who your son is a light to the Gentiles and for the glory of Israel dear father thank you for this time together we pray your blessing on every family represented here and for your glory we pray thank you that you've made us in your image and that you long for us to return thank you for your long suffering mercies in Jesus precious name Amen you