The Mystery of the Birth of Christ

[0:01] Welcome. Thank you for choosing to listen to this spirit-filled word by David Entry. When you catch a word, you have caught God. May you catch a word today that will cause God to change your story.

[0:13] Be blessed. Reading from Luke chapter 2. And it came to pass from verse 1, and it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed.

[0:27] And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria. And all went to be taxed, everyone into his own city.

[0:38] And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, onto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem.

[0:52] Because he was of the house and lineage of David. To be taxed with Mary, his espoused wife. Being great with child.

[1:03] And it was. And so it was. While they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth the firstborn son, her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

[1:27] And there were in the same country, shepherds abiding in the fields, keeping watch over their flocks by night. And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone around about them.

[1:42] And they were so afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

[1:54] For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you. You shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

[2:08] And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of heavenly hosts, praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest and on earth.

[2:19] Peace, goodwill toward men. And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, let us now go even unto Bethlehem and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord has made known unto us.

[2:46] Here ends the reading of God's holy word. There's nobody here who was not born. For many years, millions and billions of people are always born. Every time people are born.

[2:59] People are born and people die. Once you are born, you will die. The reason why people die is because they were born. So the reason why you are born is to live and then you die.

[3:12] Some die early, some die later. But everybody dies because everybody was born. So that explains one of the reasons why Jesus died.

[3:24] Why? Because he was born. Everybody dies because everybody is born. Nothing is permanent on this earth. So many people have been born.

[3:35] So what is the big deal about the birth of Jesus? Yeah, his dying is important. But what's the big deal about his birth? Is it because angels came to sing?

[3:47] Not just that, but angels came to sing. Who sang when you were born? I have to think about it before I said it. Some of us, me, I know, I didn't get a choir, even a choir to sing.

[4:03] Lest alone, Bible said, a host of heaven. They joined the angel who brought the announcement. And they joined the angel and they raised their voice and they said, glory be to God. Glory to God in the highest.

[4:14] And on earth, what? Peace. Wow. On earth, peace. Goodwill. Goodwill is benevolent.

[4:27] So benevolent. God's benevolent love towards men. Goodwill. Will. Volition. Voluntary. Will. Bene good.

[4:37] Goodwill to men. Men who have sinned against God. Goodwill to men. Goodwill to men. We were running away from God. It's evidenced in Genesis chapter 3. When God showed up in the garden.

[4:48] Adam, where are you? He said, I heard your voice. And I ran and I hid myself. From that time, man has always been running away from God. That's why people say, me, I don't do church.

[4:58] Because you are running away from God. Why you see someone in the present and say, I'm an atheist. It's because you are running away from God. Because being atheist is not natural. Oh, you do understand what I mean?

[5:11] It's not natural. There are some things you must be taught to do. There are so many things you have to be taught to do. Being atheist is not natural. Why is it not natural? Because reason tells you there is God.

[5:23] When you sit down quietly and you observe things, there's something beyond us. Up to now, you know, no scientist has been able to hit the end of the galaxies. This heaven is foul.

[5:37] You can go and go and be traveling for billions of years and still not arrive. So is there no end? So those who have been asking, so who made God? First of all, ask, where does the heaven end?

[5:48] Because it looks like, you see, we think in finite terms because we are finite. So if you are going to, in this room, the room has an end. This country has borders, right?

[6:03] It has borders. Land has boundaries. The shores tell you where the land ends, where the sea ends. Everything. We live in a world of confinement.

[6:15] So when you think about, I don't know why people don't think about that one. Think, you can't even, so, does that mean it doesn't go, it doesn't end? Where is it going? Where is it going?

[6:27] Somebody will say, oh, it's going to heaven, God's place. Where is, ah, it's God there. So the one in Australia, when he points heaven, it's your, you are pointing to the, so now where is it going?

[6:39] So as the, ah, the earth rotates and goes round, heaven is here, but you see, it's going round, but in the evening it's there. So it, when, the one who went up at 3 p.m. and the other one who went up at 5 p.m., they will end up at different locations because that, ah, that's basic size, isn't it?

[6:59] But there's no end. We don't like that one. We want to ask who gave birth to God. There's no end. Because we are so finite. It's not everything we can comprehend. One of the things that people try to understand is, but why are you saying God is God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit?

[7:12] What's your problem? Did you make him? He chose him to make himself like that. What is your problem? But it can be three. He has made himself three in one. He's one. Three, three persons, sorry. Three persons, one God.

[7:24] No, that cannot be. Why can't that be? Because it doesn't make sense. If that's for you. But there are a lot of things that won't make sense. So somebody was asked, a certain great teacher was asked.

[7:35] So how can I enjoy heaven when I see my mother in hell? Maybe she didn't get born again. Okay. And she goes, how can you be enjoying heaven when you see your loved one in hell burning?

[7:48] How can you enjoy heaven? Oh, you actually see. Now we understand in human terms, finite terms. But when we die and we are in the presence of God, our understanding will be glorified.

[8:00] So we'll understand better. Suddenly you begin to give God glory for your auntie burning in hell. Not that you are celebrating.

[8:11] But her burning in hell shows the justice of God. Suddenly your focus comes on, wow, God, you deserve all the glory.

[8:22] You deserve all the glory. You see, but when you are on earth, your understanding is different. This story we just read, God chose to come on earth.

[8:32] Why did he choose to come on earth? That's why he created the earth. Because he wanted to come on earth. Oh, so heaven was not good enough for him. Heaven was good enough for him. But based on his plan, he wanted to create a people whom he would put himself in.

[8:46] So, Genesis 1, 26, God made man. Very important. God said, let us make man. That thing is if you move away from that, Christmas will not make sense. Easter will not make sense.

[8:58] Christianity will not make sense. The Bible will not make sense. If you move away from that. Say, okay, God created six days. He created the whole earth. What's your problem about that? How long did it take for coronavirus to spread around the whole country and the whole world?

[9:12] So, God created the heavens in six days. But the main thing is, he created man. Some people don't like it. Sometimes when you're officiating wedding, you know, there are unbelievers who come around. And then when you read that scripture where it says that, and God, the side of Adam made, and then opens that and took out a rape and formed a woman out of it.

[9:33] A social construct doesn't really celebrate that. But when you are reading, sometimes you know that somebody is thinking, how can you tell me that? How can you believe that? How can you tell me that? You know, there are people who tell you, but how can you believe something like this?

[9:45] How can you believe something like this? How can you believe something like this? But they believe their father is their father. How can you believe something like this? How can you believe something like this? How did you know your date of birth? How did you? Were you there? Can you prove to me that you have brains?

[9:57] Have you ever seen your brains? Or they said that everybody has got it, so you believe it? Don't you see your head shape? Okay, so those people whose head is as big as mine.

[10:09] Dream doesn't mean we have more brains. There are other people whose head might be like, who? Somebody. You know, there are people who have small brains, but they are professors. A small head. And there are people who have big brains.

[10:23] Big head. Oh, big head. Big head. And they can't get a job. Because it's not the size of your head that determines.

[10:34] Jesus Christ was born on a certain day. Why? What is exceptional about his birth? Now, when he was born, it is the Genesis story.

[10:45] Because God created man in his image. There is a way God can identify with man. So much so that people will not even realize that God has also become like that.

[10:56] So, God, man is the sin that distorted the core image of God in man. But God made man such a way that he, when he comes like a man, people won't see the difference between man and God.

[11:10] Why was that day Jesus was born a glorious day? Because that day, according to Isaiah chapter 9 verse 6, said unto us a child is born.

[11:23] Unto us. Shall we all read the aloud from the screen? Let's go. If you can see the screen. Let's go. Come on to us a child is born. Please, I like it when you read the aloud. Is that okay? Okay, you can keep your mask on by reading it aloud.

[11:35] Alright, let's go. Come on to us a child is born. Come on to us a child is born. And the government will be upon his shoulder. And his name will be called the wonderful counselor.

[11:48] Mighty God, everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Ah, what are you talking about? Said unto us a child is born. That child who was born in the manger was not just a child.

[12:03] He was a given son. For God so. This is not a normal child. He looks so normal that you have to be told he's not normal before you realize he's not normal.

[12:14] In a manger, God chose to come in a manger in that small way. That's also another story. But a child is born. Ah, ah. Every spectrum of human living, he passed through it.

[12:26] One point in time, God was a fetus. He started out as a fetus and yet God. Then, one day, this, this, you know, fetus is not a full human being. Fetus is not a full human being.

[12:36] But when the fullness of time comes, the fetus, as one is now ready to be a human being, is born. And a human being shows up. And that human being, divinity, can you imagine?

[12:48] Divinity has, that thing is very strange. Divinity has wrapped himself in humanity. Humanity. So, when you look at it, you will never see anything that is not humanity.

[12:59] You see 100% humanity. But it takes a certain revelation to realize that this humanity is the creator himself. The entire heaven, entire God has now become one.

[13:11] No wonder angels have to come and announce and sing. Because people will know that. People will not know. What's going on in that? That's why he was born in the Magi. And people there who were in the, they didn't come and look for him.

[13:22] After some months, some Magi. They normally call them wise men. But they are Magi. M-A-G-I. Magi. They reach stars.

[13:33] And they realize that somebody has been born whose presence is moving the stars. It's affecting the stars. It's not the stars, horoscope, stars determining your future.

[13:46] No, but this one, the child was determining the movement of the stars. Somebody has been born. So, these guys, they read the stars. They were trained. And they realize that even those who are not on the side of God, they knew something has changed.

[14:00] They said, no, we have to find this person. Wherever this person is. Because somebody significant has arrived. While people are still having Bethlehem, nice time. People who read stars and they can see the movement.

[14:13] That is why the arrival of Jesus changed dating system. Whether they like it or not. Whether they like it or not. They can change AD. AD.

[14:23] After the death of Christ. I know Domino. They can change it to a common era. It still doesn't change anything. You can't change the timing. So, you can actually call it something else.

[14:35] It still started. It was before Christ. So, he actually, his arrival divided time. His arrival.

[14:45] I mean, this is not an ordinary person. This is not an ordinary person. He was born. And when you read the story we just read, it gave dates. It gave specific season. So, that when you check the history books, you'll find out that there was Arrhenius, the governor.

[15:00] He actually lived. And he was ruling in that territory. It mentions so that you don't think it was just somebody plucked something and made something up. He made mentions of political figures.

[15:10] It is in your Bible. It said this census first took place. Whilst Quirinius was governor of Syria. Check the Syrian history. You'll find out there was a time Quirinius was governor.

[15:23] And when you check it, it was when the calendar times began to change. It was that time the guy was. Yeah. So, this is history. Politics. Everything is there.

[15:34] It's documented. If you care to know history. Jesus' arrival is historic. Because he was a real human being. Do you know, have you ever seen anyone who doesn't have a date of birth? No.

[15:45] He might not know. But he does. Is that not true? Because death definitely was the day you were born. So, if Jesus is also God came as a human being, there must be a day he was born.

[15:58] Because date of birth in certain traditions has never been for documentation. That's why we need date of birth. Now, everything about your credit is your name and date of birth. So, it points directly to you.

[16:11] And you know what? But really, in the past, when they were not doing all these things, they were not keeping the date of birth. But they know this guy was born around this time. God, when he chose to come on earth, Bible says that in the fullness of time, there's so many things that led to the arrival of God on earth.

[16:27] What is the story about Christmas? The story about Christmas is God became us. God became us.

[16:38] That is what makes it unique. God. What is man? That you should choose to. I want to be like man. And you see, some people will say he wasn't fully man.

[16:56] He was just partially man. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. He was hundred. That's why he was born in the Benja. And do you know how he cried? Think Jesus, when he was born, he was crying.

[17:06] He cried. Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh. No, no, no, no. He wouldn't cry. How would he cry? Why would God cry? Why would God cry? Why? And then Mary would give him milk.

[17:21] Then he would be quiet. Then now he was unsettled. Then Mary would help him to be. All the spectrum of human living, he experienced it. And from Isaiah, he said, this son that has been given, this child that is born, is actually a son.

[17:36] When we say he's a son of God, we don't mean like he's a grown up boy. It means that he's of God. He and God are one. So this child that was born is a son that is given.

[17:48] And this son that is given, he and God are one. So he, Isaiah, years before Jesus was born, he went on to say that, and his name, the name, and his name will be called Wonderful.

[17:59] A child born and they call him Wonderful. Is that all? Counselor. Ah, ah. The third one is a serious one. What's his name? Mighty God. I don't know how Joel, Joel West's Bible put it.

[18:11] Because you can't escape this one. He's called Mighty God. They might say maybe a big God. They might have to find a way, because they are gods, you see. One of the top gods.

[18:24] Mighty God. And the son, this child that was born is an everlasting father. What kind of child is this? But this is not everlasting father.

[18:36] I said, that's what he is. Everlasting father. He's the prince of peace. They will tell you, come on, do you believe in this? Yes. Yes. And then he said, upon his shoulders, the next verse.

[18:47] He says that, for, of the increase of his government and peace, there will be no end. That means, that means that if you are in Christ, his government doesn't reign in your life until a certain time.

[18:58] So he said, it's okay, now you are in charge. No. The increase upon the, of the increase of his government, there's no end. And there's no end to his peace as well. If you are in, of the increase of his government and peace, there is no end.

[19:13] When you are working with him, you don't run out of peace. A lot of commotion can be going on around you. But there is something, there is something. There is something about God.

[19:23] How many of you have experienced this before? Since when you became born again, there was a time maybe you went through something. That before you were born again, if you had gone through that, it would have been turbulent. But you are born again and you go through something.

[19:35] And this, it's different. You, you, inside of you, how many of you have experienced something like that before? May I submit to you, I'm about to throw something strong into.

[19:46] To a Christian, there's nothing like a tragedy. To a Christian, what's a tragedy? God is in the details. So then when something happens to you, that happens to others, which is a tragedy.

[19:58] When it happens to you, God is in the details. It is working. God is working something. God is doing something. God is programmed. Now, to the Christian, there is nothing like a tragedy. It is nothing like a tragedy.

[20:12] Look at the way Jesus died. Was it not a tragedy? When you look at it in human terms, that was quite tragic. How they killed him. In fact, on the road of Emmaus, the guys were contemplating this.

[20:24] And they were saying, how we thought he was the one to save Israel. But how they killed him. Oh, how sad. Oh, how sad. Oh, how sad. But it wasn't a tragedy.

[20:35] It was actually divine programming. It's planned. It's planned. So, may I digress to say this, Christian.

[20:45] When you go through anything in life, the reason why you are not down and out is because God is holding you. God is holding you. God is holding you. When something happens that you can't comprehend, that is the hardest thing.

[20:59] Remember, thank God you have him. Thank God. Thank God you have God. I think you should clap for Jesus. Thank God you have God. Why?

[21:10] Because of the increase of his government and peace, there shall be no end. He says that upon the throne of David and over his kingdom to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward.

[21:35] Even forever. He said that God's zeal will perform. You know, God has zeal. Zeal means eagerness. God. So, Jesus is coming.

[21:46] Let me say something. We have the... When we talk about God's law, okay? God's law. We have the purposive, based on his purpose, law of God.

[21:58] And then we have the natural law of God. Purpose. Purposive law of God. And what? Purpose. Purpose. Purpose. Purpose. Purpose.

[22:08] Purpose. Purpose. So, when we talk about the law of God, we have natural laws. When we talk about natural laws, how many of you have heard that phrase before? Natural law. And what comes to mind? Natural law. Morality. Okay.

[22:19] Someone said gravity, so I wasn't sure whether that is morality. Yeah. Gravity or morality. Natural law. Yes. Gravity. What comes to mind? Natural law.

[22:30] Laws of nature. Practically. Laws of... When they say natural law, what comes to mind is what? Laws of nature. Like the way I came down. Natural laws are... When we talk...

[22:41] Usually, people, what comes to mind is law of nature. But when we talk about God's natural law, we are not talking about laws of nature. When we talk about God's purposive law, you know God told Abraham to kill Isaac?

[22:52] Do you know that God told the Jews to... When they are coming to worship, they should sacrifice bull? Those were part of the laws of God. But those laws were based on certain purposes.

[23:06] And those laws, as long as those purposes were not needed, the laws could change. Ah, you're getting it. But when God told Abraham to kill Isaac, sacrifice Isaac, he hadn't given them a law, God shall not kill.

[23:18] At that time, it was God's purposive law, you can do that. But later, when he gave them, God shall not kill, it was also a purposive law. But there are other laws that are based on the character of God, the nature of God, which will never change.

[23:31] It doesn't matter whether the times change or not. There are some things that God, because he's holy God, he cannot take. Adultery is not based on time. It's based on his nature.

[23:41] Are you guys seeing what I'm saying? And so, when Jesus arrived, God has decreed, nothing can change it, because it is part of his nature. His nature is that God is a savior.

[23:54] God is a savior. He wanted to save humanity. He wanted to save us more than we want to be saved. It's part of his nature. His natural law is that God is a savior.

[24:05] So, the angel said unto you in the city of David, a savior, I like the way they use the capitalized, italized word. He said, in the city of David, a savior has been born.

[24:15] What? Or who is the savior? Which is called, it's Luke chapter, when the angel was announcing from verse 11 somewhere there is born to you this day in the city of David, what?

[24:28] A savior. Who is Christ the Lord? The angel said this to the shepherds. Those shepherds were blessed. Yeah. A savior has been born. Now, nothing, watch this, there was nothing on earth that could stop the savior from being born.

[24:44] Nothing could stop that. Nothing. When the, can you imagine, do you know where Jesus would have been born? If everything has been normal, he would have been born in Nazareth.

[24:55] Because that's where his mother and father were living. God sent, and Luke chapter 1 verse 26, he sent an angel to a city called Nazareth. Mary was living in Galilee named Nazareth.

[25:07] But there was a prophecy that the savior, when God is coming, he will be born in Bethlehem. So they were living peacefully. And the man's business was booming. Why would you live?

[25:18] But there came, one ruler made a decision that, you know, it's not just like vaccination, like, okay, everybody, no. Made a decision.

[25:28] Everybody, you have to be counted. We have to number everybody, know where everybody was born. So he passed the law, but God was behind it. Right? You see? And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, from Rome, headquarters of the then world.

[25:45] A decree went out that what? That all the world, the world, that means the then known world. All the world should be registered. Because of that, everybody, go back to your hometown.

[25:57] You are an immigrant. Go, go, go, go. You can't come back. Yes. Those days when you go, you can come back. He said, so you see, migration has always been a human thing.

[26:14] Never look down on somebody because it's a migrant. Migration has, and God has actually used migration a lot in the days of Daniel, in the days of Joseph. Joseph, that wouldn't have happened outside of immigration.

[26:27] God moved them. He wanted these people. Migration is a good thing. God has always used migrants. Ask me. Look at me. Go. Ah. Shout hallelujah.

[26:39] Hallelujah. Check the scriptures. It's been the order. God has, in fact, in the early days, when they were attacking the church, they were scattered. Chapter 8, verse 1, 2, 3, or chapter 9, verse 1.

[26:51] Chapter 8. They were scattered. And when those who scattered abroad preached everywhere, they went. That's how the gospel spread. They were migrants somewhere, but thank God for migration.

[27:03] Well, scattered went everywhere preaching the word. They were persecuted. And persecution made them scattered. But God liked the scattering because he spread the word.

[27:16] So Caesar Augustus made a decree. Everybody must go and be registered. So Joseph, too. He has to go. But because he was then engaged, the lady must follow him.

[27:29] And look at the time that the decree came. Watch this. Joseph also went out from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth. Jesus would have been born there. But prophecy said he would not be born there.

[27:40] He said, Oh, little town of Bethlehem. How still is he the light? He said, Bethlehem. That thing must happen. But Jesus is called Jesus Christ, not of Bethlehem.

[27:53] He's a Nazarene. He grew up in Nazareth. He grew up in Nazareth. Like some of us, we grew up in Peckham. Croydon. You know, somewhere.

[28:04] Mima or something like that. Bethlehem. Wow. So he also went out of Nazareth into Judea to a city of David, which is called Bethlehem.

[28:19] Because that's where he came from. And look at the next verse. That's it. And to be registered with Mary. His betrothed engaged wife. It's very interesting. Engagement doesn't make you a wife, please.

[28:30] Don't look at this and say, I'm engaged. So I'm a wife. Engagement doesn't make you a wife. But in those days, when you are engaged, you are almost like a wife. Apart from, yeah, ability, ability to conceive by the man who has engaged you.

[28:47] Because it was not allowed. You can't consummate the marriage because it's not full marriage. However, you are considered a wife. That's why a whole angel has to appear to Joseph and say, don't put your wife away.

[28:57] In Matthew chapter 1, verse 18 and 19. Or it's 19 and 20. An angel had to appear. He said, don't put her away. For that thing that is... He said, but while you thought about this thing, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream saying, Joseph, son of David, now I pray to take Mary, your wife.

[29:15] But he says that she was espoused. Those times espousal is similar to wifeal. It's a word.

[29:25] It's a word. It's a word. Those times espousal is very similar to almost being a wife. But you are not a full-blown wife. And so, when Joseph was leaving Nazareth to Bethlehem to be registered, he had to go with his wife, espoused.

[29:41] That's why I said he's betrothed. Betrothed. That is not full wife yet. So, he went with his espoused wife. Where is it?

[29:51] Okay. Now, they went there to be registered with Mary. Who was pledged to be married? Oh, this is an IV thing. Who was with the child?

[30:05] Who asked Joseph? Whose child is he? And you know what Joseph would say? What has that got to do with you? What has that got to do with you? Like you are going to buy fuel and someone is at the filling station. And, Petro, instead of your pay, he said, no, excuse me, whose car are you driving?

[30:17] Hey. What? So, you who said that fuel? What has that got to do with you? She was with child. But look at the next verse.

[30:28] It looks like it's coincidence. Whilst they were there, the days were completed for her to deliver. Whilst they were dead. How come? How come?

[30:39] It happened. That decree. And I'm telling you, Caesar Augustus never knew Mary. He didn't know they existed. How come he made the law from Rome? And it was having an impact in Bethlehem.

[30:52] Watch this. It wasn't rather, rather. It was something was about to happen in Bethlehem. It was influencing decisions in Rome. Because if Caesar Augustus had not met that rule, there was no way they would have gone to Bethlehem.

[31:05] But according to the prophets, that it might be fulfilled by that which was said by the prophets. Hallelujah. That it might be fulfilled by that which was spoken by the prophets. You are not a prophet if you are not pointing to Jesus.

[31:21] Anybody in the Old Testament who claimed to be a prophet, they must be Jesus found in their mouth. Because I thought this, the spirit and the core, the essence of prophecy is the testimony of Jesus.

[31:33] According to Revelation chapter something, 19 verse 6 or so. Yeah. So, the prophets, that it might be fulfilled. I think Matthew chapter 2 picks on it.

[31:44] It speaks about that it might be fulfilled. Because the prophets have said it, it might be fulfilled. So, what we are doing here, the reason why we celebrate Christmas is not like, oh, Jesus never said we celebrate his birth.

[31:59] But his birth is one of the greatest mysteries. When God chose to identify, listen, if I want to identify with you, I won't go certain levels. But God went so much to becoming a fetus, to becoming a baby, to be born and becoming a child, becoming a boy, to grow up normal stages, because he wants to experience every spectrum of human living.

[32:23] So, when he is representing us, according to Hebrews chapter 2, verse 17, so he can be properly merciful. So, then you have somebody in heaven who has experienced, he says that, therefore, in all things, he had to be made like us.

[32:39] In all, how many things? Including childhood. Because you want to identify people. You don't want to, you don't have to now also become a baby.

[32:51] You don't have control. To the extent that he was depending on Joseph. Pastor Frank, in Matthew chapter 2, when Herod wanted to kill Jesus, God didn't speak to Mary.

[33:04] He spoke to, because you needed a man around. He spoke to Joseph. He said, take, he never said, take your son. Joseph was never dressed as the father of Jesus. Never once in the Bible.

[33:16] He said, take the mother and the child, or the woman and his son. He says that, now, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, arise, take the young child and his mother.

[33:31] Not yours. It's not your child, but this mother. Joseph was a just man so much that God could, caretaker. Yeah. Caretaker. Sometimes, caretakers behave like the school is for, especially academics.

[33:45] Joseph was just a caretaker. So God went to him, take the child and his mother. Get them out of here. Because Herod won't kill him. Jesus couldn't move.

[33:58] Because he was a child. Children don't make decisions on their own. Can you imagine, mighty father, counselor, prince of peace, everlasting God, was lying down. And Joseph had to carry them.

[34:09] Let's go to Egypt. Run away. Joseph said, hey, at night. I'm sure they got up at night. They got Uber. Let's go. They went. So by the time Herod showed up, they had already escaped.

[34:24] But Herod's will die. When Herod died, the same angel appeared to him, verse 17 or 18 or so, appeared to Joseph again. Not Mary. Not Mary. Most of you think because you are mother, you are everything.

[34:42] Don't chop the father away. God, there are some things God would not speak to the mother about. Now, you see. Don't use social norms to bully godly thinking. Mothers, there's a Jewish proverb which says that because God cannot be everywhere, he gave mothers.

[34:59] How about that? That's cool. Some of you, I know you didn't understand. You think it's rocket science. Can I say that again? There's a Jewish proverb.

[35:09] I'm not saying it's Bible. Okay. That because God cannot be everywhere, he gave mothers. Is it not true in your case? Oh. Okay. Most of us, our mothers are like God.

[35:21] They've been a blessing. They've been. Do I have a witness here? That's why Mother's Day is more celebrated than Father's Day. It's true. It's true.

[35:34] Ah. A mother is a blessing. Oh. But please, let's not confuse it. There is some things that must come from the father. And there are roles which fathers play.

[35:46] Father play. Don't play strength. For you to meet your death. Joseph didn't father Jesus. But even that, God needed Joseph to be present.

[35:58] Because of the special thing he was doing in the child. Please. Don't fight your father. Don't be upset. If he had known, he had heard the story of Joseph, he would have done better.

[36:12] It's you. Let me add this. Stop complaining about what has happened to you. Somebody said, I've been abused when I was a child. I went through so much.

[36:22] And I don't understand why God, if there is God. Why could I have, how could he have let this happen to me? Excuse me. You are so important. That your personal experience determines whether there is God or not.

[36:34] Forget about yourself. You are too important. You don't matter like that. Your personal, small personal challenge, that is not what determines whether there is God or not.

[36:46] And secondly, what happens to you is not as important as what is happening inside you. When God comes and he's judging you, he's dealing with you, he's not dealing with you because of what happens to you. But what is going on inside you.

[36:57] Who you really are on the inside. Stop focusing on what they have done to you. And start focusing on who they are. They're through you. They're through you. They're through you. They're through you. They're through you.

[37:07] Hey, I'm preaching now. I feel like preaching. Please rise to your feet. Let's close. Wow.

[37:22] For unto us, a child is born. Unto us, a son is given. He has to be like us in every way. So he can represent us and have mercy on us appropriately.

[37:35] That's why he allowed himself to be a baby. And that baby was almighty God. Reduced himself into a human baby.

[37:46] That is a mystery. How did God do it? Remains a mystery. A baby crying. Yeah. Yeah. Cosmic events were happening. Stars were moving.

[37:57] We're affected by the baby's positioning. Angels were moving. Everything was moving. But he was so much like human beings. Human beings didn't realize God had come. They didn't realize.

[38:09] But it's nice to know that he was so much like you. So he can identify with you. You might look very ordinary. But you are not. Because he also was ordinary. That's why Christmas is your story.

[38:23] It's your story. It's your story. It's your story. Thank you for listening to this message by David Entry.

[38:35] When God speaks, works show. And the works will surely show in your life. To hear more from David Entry, follow him on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and subscribe to Karis Church on YouTube.

[38:49] Don't forget to share and subscribe to our podcast so you're always up to date. Be blessed. Thank you.