I'm not sure that it makes a lot of difference, but I'm trying to get my watch where I can see it.
! Let's begin with prayer.
Our Father God, this morning as we open Your Word, we're mindful that it is settled in the heavens, that it is truth.
It is that which is profitable that the man of God may be completely furnished for all good work.
It is the word of life.
It is the means whereby we are, first of all, convicted of our sin
and drawn to recognize that there is no remedy in ourselves or in our efforts
and drawn by Your grace to the cross and understanding that apart from You, we have no good.
We're thankful that we have the Word in hand and that it is the focal point of our attention this morning,
both in our singing, that woven through all the songs that we have sung is the beauty of the Scriptures,
that as we listen to our pastor pray that we can hear the Word of God resonate in the truth of the prayer.
And then as we take this Word in hand, we're reminded of the fact that it will last forever.
We come with frailty, with ambitions and affections that are so easily distracted,
and yet with confidence in the enabling of the Spirit of God that this morning we who are Your children
would enjoy the privilege of Your work in our lives,
that we would have You open the Word, that we would see wonderful truths there,
and that, frankly, we would grow to be more like the Lord Jesus Christ
and that our ambitions and affections would be focused on eternity rather than here.
We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.
I want you to turn your Bibles this morning to Luke chapter 2.
Luke chapter 2.
And as you are going there,
I would venture that there are a number of you that,
as we look at this passage this morning,
would say,
Oh, I've heard that before.
I remember that was one of the passages
that we read on an annual basis
on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning
when our family would get together.
And it's a passage that's very familiar to you.
I have to tell you that when something is very familiar,
there is a natural inclination to kind of,
I've heard that before, ain't no big deal,
and let it set aside.
And I would appeal to you that you don't go there.
That's not right.
When the Word of God is opened,
the children of God
should be actively engaged in appealing to the Spirit
who indwells the believer to say this,
Lord, open your Word
that it might have an effect on me
and that my heart might be warmed
by the beauty of who you are
and what you've done for me.
And that as a result of my attention
to the Word of God,
that I would grow in my love for the Lord Jesus Christ
and my understanding of the mission
that you've called me here for.
And I would appeal to you
that you who know Christ
consciously and deliberately do that.
I think we can multitask,
so let me read
and you pray with your eyes open.
Now that's complicated,
but let's give it a shot, okay?
Luke chapter 2, beginning there in verse 1.
In those days a decree went out
from Caesar Augustus
that all the world should be registered.
This was the first registration
when Quirinius was governor of Syria
and all went to be registered,
each to his own town.
And Joseph also went up from Galilee,
from the town of Nazareth,
to Judea, to the city of David,
which is called Bethlehem,
because he was of the house and lineage of David,
to be registered with Mary,
his betrothed, who was with child.
And while they were there,
the time came for her to give birth.
And she gave birth to her firstborn son
and wrapped him in swaddling clothes
and laid him in the manger,
because there was no place for them in the inn.
And in the same region,
there were shepherds out in the field
keeping watch over their flocks by night.
And an angel of the Lord appeared to them,
and the glory of the Lord shone around them,
and they were filled with fear.
And the angel said to them,
Fear not,
for behold, I bring you good news of great joy
that will be for all the people.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David
a Savior who is Christ the Lord.
And this will be a sign for you.
You will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes
and lying in a manger.
I want us to look at this passage,
and as we start into the text,
the first thing that I ask that you pay attention to
is the setting,
because setting is important.
And I want you to recognize
that in the early verses that we've looked at,
particularly 1 through 7,
that the Scripture gives us
quite a bit of practical historical detail.
We know who ordered the registration.
We know who the governor of Syria was.
We know why Joseph and Mary went from
the place that they were living at that time
to Bethlehem,
and we know where Jesus was born.
Not the exact location,
but we know that he was born in a manger.
There's a little one over there, right there.
So we know the details.
And so I want you to think with me
just for a moment
about how carefully the Lord sees to it
that we are given all the information we need
to understand the particulars of this moment.
The Bible is actually quite generous
with factual and historical information
that is easily double-checked.
How many of you as parents have learned
that when your children come up from the basement
and there's been a little bit of tussle down there
and you ask them what happened,
the first giveaway that you need to drill down
pretty seriously is when they say,
nothing.
or not much.
The fact of the matter is
is that generally when there is a conscious
and deliberate focus on not giving information,
it's because the information that might be forthcoming
ends up being indicting.
And so one of the things that I want you
to appreciate about the Scripture
is that the Scripture is profoundly careful
to give you an abundance of information
information that you can actually check.
I remember at one point in my earlier days
having a person giving me the Pearl of Great Price.
Pearl of Great Price.
Does anybody know what that book is?
It is one of the trilogy of Mormon Scriptures
and I remember reading about the Lemonites
and the whatever else
and how there was this wonderful,
fantastical community developed out in the Southwest.
And the only difficulty with the entire story
is that there is no evidence whatever of its existence.
That's not the way it is with the Bible.
When the Bible says something, it can be checked.
Now at one point when archaeology
was kind of developing as a discipline
and an academic skill,
there was a time when people would say,
well, we don't have any record of, you know,
and they would generally speak in their ignorance
and their lack of understanding
and then slowly, sure enough,
someone would find evidence of,
well, there was a Caesar Augustus.
Lo and behold, just because we didn't know about him
here in the Midwest doesn't mean he didn't exist.
And there was an order
that taxation should take place
and everybody should be registered.
You can understand why they would do that.
They want to know how many people
to expect some money from.
And we also know who the governor of Syria was
and all these little details.
And so here, while we have over the years
many individuals who have tried to undermine
the authority of Scripture
by undermining the reality of its accuracy,
God has never backed away
from telling us what we need to know.
In fact, this is one of the things
that I really do like about our God.
He doesn't hide what we need to know
or what is helpful to us.
And I want you to recognize this morning
as you sit here under the teaching
of the Word of God,
no one will ever be able to say
in eternity,
I didn't know better.
The fact of the matter is,
is I was to my,
let me see how I say this right.
My wife says I say it wrong.
Endocrinology, am I right?
Kendra, where are you?
Wave at me so I get it right.
I went to my doctor.
How's that?
And my doctor was explaining,
just a wealth of medical information
and she was advising me on something
to do with my disease.
And I thought, I didn't know that before.
And if I had known that,
probably would have changed some things
earlier on in life
and probably lived to be a little,
maybe another six months.
Who knows?
You know, so the Bible can't be accused
of not giving us all the information we need.
And if you're sitting there
wondering about,
how does the story end?
What should I be doing today?
We find here just an illustration
of the fact that the Bible
goes out of its way
to tell us all that we need.
And so in addition to the historical facts,
I want you to recognize
that what we're dealing with here
is that we find that God chose
to bring this announcement
of the coming of His Savior,
our Savior, His Son, the Messiah.
He made the announcement to shepherds.
Now we have kind of idealized shepherds.
We think shepherds are the sweetest
and nicest thing ever going
and you're going to see shepherds tonight
that are going to be scared to death
when three lovely angels,
I think, is it three or four?
I don't know.
But anyway, they're going to come out
and they're, behold,
I'll give you a good tiding.
The shepherds are going to fall down.
It's well dramatized.
But I got to tell you,
in real life,
shepherds were not the kind of individuals
that you would have called on
if you wanted to make
an important announcement.
And the reason for that is this,
is that shepherds
were generally very unreliable,
irresponsible,
and disrespected bunch.
So much so that in Israel at the time
in which this announcement was made,
as a general rule,
shepherds were not allowed
to be witnesses in court.
Now that tells you something, doesn't it?
Generally, you know that
when you want someone to witness in court,
what you're looking for
is someone who has an adequate reputation
that their words should be believed.
Shepherds had such a lousy reputation
that it was generally,
hey, we're not just a shepherd
to tell us anything.
Let it go.
And so here, God comes,
and He gives the announcement
of sending His Son, the Messiah,
to shepherds.
Ask yourself the question,
why would God do that?
Is that a fair question?
Why would God send the message
of the coming of His Son
to shepherds in principle?
Why didn't He choose
the religious leaders of the day?
Why didn't He emblazon it
in the sky,
right over the horizon
of Jerusalem in particular?
Hello out there,
my Savior, my Son has come.
He is the Savior.
You better listen to Him.
Now by the way,
how many of you know
that the second time He comes
is going to be much more
undeniably clear, right?
The first time,
without fanfare,
sews up to the shepherds,
and you have to ask yourself
the question,
why would God do it this way?
Well, let me give you
a little hint
as to His purposes.
Turn over in your Bible,
if you will,
to 1 Corinthians 1.
1 Corinthians 1,
verse 27 through 31.
Here is the apostle
teaching the believers in Corinth
some of the basic principles
about God in His dealing with us.
There in verse 27,
he says,
but God chose what is foolish
in the world to shame the wise.
He chose what is weak in the world
to shame the strong.
God chose what is low
and despised in the world,
even things that are not,
to bring to nothing things that are,
so that no human being
may boast in the presence of God.
And because of Him,
you are in Christ Jesus,
who became to us wisdom from God,
righteousness and sanctification
and redemption,
so that as it is written,
let the one who boasts
boast in God.
I want you to think with me
just for a moment
why God chose to use the shepherds
is because He wanted carefully
for no other focus
to be attached to the information
other than on the news
of Christ's coming Himself,
and that was it.
He didn't want people arriving
and saying,
aren't you glad I have come
to give you this wonderful news,
and I am expected and appreciated,
and here I am.
You know, it's like,
no, shepherds were the ones
who were told.
Another interesting detail
of God's work
in announcing Christ's birth
is that the event,
ultimately, got lost.
And what I mean by that
is that it had some momentary traction
in the history of Israel,
but it soon faded off the page.
Turn, if you will,
you're there in 1 Corinthians,
go back to Matthew for a moment,
I want you to look
at Matthew chapter 2.
Let me read the passage to you
so you can follow with me here.
Now, after Jesus was born
in Bethlehem in Judea
in the days of Herod,
the king, behold,
wise men from the east
came to Jerusalem.
Now, what happened first?
Shepherds, wise men.
Shepherds.
And the announcement
of the shepherds
got kind of what?
Oh yeah, so what?
No big deal.
Shepherds.
They said,
here come the wise men,
saying,
where is he who has been born
king of the Jews?
For we saw his star
when it rose
and have come to worship him.
When Herod the king heard this,
he was troubled.
And by the way,
when Herod was troubled,
guess what happened
to everybody who was near him?
They got troubled.
Understandably.
It's a little bit like
the despot
over there in North Korea.
When he has a cold,
there are lots of people
that die as a result of it.
He is not a happy man
to be around.
Herod was like that.
And so here we find
that Herod was troubled
and all of Jerusalem
with him.
And as a result
of his concern
or his fear
of someone else
taking his place,
he had just a whole,
two years and under,
slaughtered.
The children,
the men,
the boys.
And so the thing
that I want you to recognize
as you're thinking
about the story
of Christmas
is here is
the Lord Jesus arriving,
born of a virgin,
born in a manger.
And the fact of the matter
is is that
most everything
that happened
was just kind of
looked over
and passed over
and people did not
pay much attention to it.
It reminds me
of what we read
over in John chapter 1.
Let's go there
just for a moment
to frame that thought
in our minds.
John chapter 1
verse 10.
He was in the world
and the world
was made through him
yet the world
did not know him.
He was in the world.
The world was made
through him
and yet
the fact of the matter is
the world
did not know him.
Even though the announcement
was made,
even though the wise men came,
at the end of the day
the coming of our Lord Jesus
was something
that was largely overlooked
by almost everyone
that heard the news.
Without his background
I want to dive into the text
and think about it
a little more carefully
because the news
that is given there
is truly spectacular
and has application
to each of us
here this morning.
Go back, if you will,
to Luke chapter 2
and pick up with me there
what we read in verse 9.
And the angel
and an angel
of the Lord
appeared to them
and the glory of the Lord
shone around them
and they were filled
with fear.
A little sidebar.
And I don't know about you
but I recognize
certain patterns.
I'm old enough
to see it happen
periodically.
Every five to ten years
someone decides
that it's appropriate
to write a book
about having been in heaven
or having seen God directly.
And very popular
and people make a lot
of money doing it.
90 minutes in heaven
da da da
you know
the little boy etc.
By the way
he recanted that
in case you didn't know.
But the idea
is that you see God
and you know
kind of get all
caught up in this
and we don't find
that illustration
in scripture.
Any individual
who has come face to face
with angelic announcement
generally pretty terrified
by it.
And here are the angels
the glory of the Lord
shone around them
and they were filled
with fear.
And the angel said
to them
fear not
for behold
I bring you
good news
of great joy
that will be
for all the people.
I want you to listen
to this encouragement
that the angel brings
to the shepherds
there in the field.
You can understand
the terrifying
experience that they have
but listen to what
he says.
He says
I bring you
good news
of great joy
that will be
for all the people.
I want you to think
about the exceptional news
that good news.
I'm not here to give you
a great deal
of Greek
but the word
that is used there
is the word
from which we get
the word gospel.
Euangelion
and it was a word
that was often used
I shouldn't say often
but it was generally
used to give
political
and exceptional
announcements
unbelievably exceptional
announcements.
Case in point
when the empire
saving battle
had been won
by one of the
Roman generals
that was called
good news.
It had political
ramifications
and it was
something that
kind of
changed the dynamics.
You could imagine
that if we
heard
on April
15th
that all
of our taxes
had been
forgiven
for the year
how many of you
would say
good news?
Would you say that?
Huh?
I'm not just
talking about
your federal taxes
I'm talking about
your city taxes
and blah blah blah
all the way
down
it's like
yes!
Well
the word
was used
to refer
to exceptional
moments
in history
when something
of tremendous
value
and import
had happened
and so here's
the angel
says
I have got
good news
for you.
It's interesting
actually
that there was
a stone carving
found somewhere
in Turkey
in which
the following
was written
about Caesar
Augustus.
Now who's
Caesar Augustus?
Hello?
in the text
here we go
okay
and so
here's what we read
since providence
this is what was
on the stone carving
since providence
which has ordered
all things
and is deeply
interested in our life
has set
in most perfect
order by giving
us Augustus
whom she filled
with virtue
that he might
benefit mankind
sending him
as a savior
both for us
and for our
descendants
that he might
end war
isn't that a nice
thought
he might end
war
and arrange
all things
and since
he
Caesar
by his
appearance
surpassing
all previous
benefactors
and not even
leaving to
posterity
any hope
of surpassing
what he's done
now how is that
for kind of
waxing eloquent
right
and not even
leaving to
posterity
there will
never be
someone
even
anywhere
close
to being
as good
as him
right
okay
and since
the birthday
of the god
Augustus
was the beginning
of the good
tidings
that's the word
euangelio
okay
since
the birthday
of the god
Augustus
was the beginning
of good
tidings
for the world
that came
by reason
of him
now who's
this talking
about
a guy
who's
dust
today
who did
very little
to make
any difference
in anybody's
life
and here
boy that's
whoever the
speech writer
or poet
was that did
this did a good
job
you know it's
like oh man
exceptional news
you read that
and you think
who are they
talking about
they're talking
about a man
the angel
says
I've got
really good
news
good news
now the second
thing that the
angel said
he says
first it's
good news
but he said
and you mark
what it says
there
it says
that is of
great joy
the word
is talking
about something
that is
very emotionally
charged
the idea
is that
the news
was of
such a nature
that just
hearing it
brought on
an emotional
surge
I saw
a picture
last week
of a group
of workers
somewhere in
North Carolina
that over
the years
had pooled
their money
for lottery
tickets
don't
don't do
that
okay
but the
the picture
was of
all these
people hugging
each other
and just
crying
they were
overwhelmed
with the
prospect
I think
they won
18 or
whatever
million dollars
and here
they were
we're so
happy
you know
and they
were just
beside
themselves
with the
enthusiasm
for the
good news
the emotion
here's the
angel
the angel
says
I am
bringing you
good news
that is
of great
joy
let me ask
you a
question
how many
of you
remember
what you
felt like
after you
prayed and
asked Christ
to be your
savior and
you sensed
the freedom
and the
forgiveness
of having
all of your
sins taken
away
do you
remember
that
I was a
little boy
and I can
still remember
what it was
to listen to
my dad
having devotions
in our
family over
there in
India
and I
had been
in growing
conviction
for the
blackness
and darkness
of my
heart
and I
reached the
point where
I was
absolutely
despairing
of my
heart's
condition
and I
remember
breaking
down and
crying
in devotions
and my
dad said
what's
wrong
and I
shared the
burden of
my soul
and he
asked my
mom to
take me
into the
room
and she
explained
the gospel
further to
me
and I
can remember
praying
and asking
Christ to
save me
and I
can remember
the incredible
sense of
having my
sins forgiven
that's
great news
and great
news of
unbelievable
joy
and so
here's the
angel who
brings
exceptional
news
the angel
who brings
this emotional
news but also
the angel that
brings this
news about the
fact that this
is valuable for
the whole world
listen to what it
says in the
passage it
says here
today is born
I bring you
good news of
great joy that
will be for
all the
people
all the
people
not just for
the people there
in Bethlehem
not just for the
people there in
Jerusalem
not just for the
people in the
nation of
Israel but
good news for
all of the
people all
across the
world
will you turn
with me just
for a moment
back to a
passage in
Genesis chapter
12
go back
there if you
will
Genesis chapter
12
take a look
at that
text
in Genesis
chapter 12
we find
God giving
the Abrahamic
covenant to
Abraham and
listen to what
he has to
say
verse 3
I will bless
those who
bless you
and him who
dishonors you
I will curse
and in you
all the
families of
the earth
shall be
blessed
how is that
because through
Abraham's seed
would come
the savior
of the world
the one who
God would
send to be
our savior
and the one
who God
would send
to die for
us and to
pay the penalty
for our sins
that we might
have salvation
through his
finished work
and that was
the good news
that the angel
brought valuable
not only to
shepherds but
valuable to the
entire world
that's one of the
reasons why we
engage in
missions work
isn't that right
we want other
people to know
the good news
we want other
people to know
the blessing of
complete forgiveness
for all of their
sins and it is
woven in to our
daily life and to
our prayer and to
our interest
what is it that
I can do to
draw attention to
the need that
only Jesus can
answer and to
Jesus who is the
solution for the
deepest needs of
every man
well let's look at
the cause for the
great joy going
back there to
Luke chapter 2
mark what it says
there for here's
the reason for
unto you is born
this day in the
city of David a
savior who is
Christ the Lord
as you think about
the cause for
great joy I want
you to recognize
first of all God
keeps his promises
God keeps his
promises when he
says for unto you
is born this day
in the city of
David a savior who
is Christ the Lord
God has kept his
promise I want you
to think with me
just for a moment
don't need to turn
to it but go back
if you will in
your thinking back
to Genesis chapter
3 after Adam and
Eve sinned God
comes on and
speaks with them
and what does he
promise the day
is coming when
the one who will
bruise Satan's
head will come
and that is the
first reference to
the fact that God
would provide a
savior who would
come through flesh
to be our
redeemer and so
here we have woven
into the very
beginning of the
gospel testimony
the Bible's record
of the work of God
on behalf of
fallen mankind
we find God
says I will send
a savior who
will come by
birth and he is
going to be a
blessing and the
one who redeems
you woven
throughout the
Old Testament
record over and
over again there
are little illusions
little statements
made about the fact
that the day is
coming when God
would send the
Messiah and he
would be born of a
virgin Mary over
there in Isaiah
and the picture
plays out for us
such that when
Herod asked so
where is he going
to be born they
could identify his
fact the fact that
he was going to be
born in the city of
Bethlehem and
recognize this is
according to
prophecy so I want
you to recognize
that if God can be
trusted to keep his
promise in the past
will he keep his
promise in the future
what's the answer
how many of you are
trusting his promises
today or are
profoundly anxious
living a life that
is not resting upon
the certainty of what
he has done and what
he has promised to do
God calls us as his
people in particular to
be people who live in
the light of his
promises who live in
the light of the
certainty of his
return I want you to
recognize something else
we find that God
provided a savior in
the passage it says
unto you is born this
day in the city of
David a savior who is
Christ the Lord
last week had the
opportunity to talk
with several individuals
just the course of
having lunch with them
and not not individuals
who part of our
fellowship and in the
course of conversation
we pretty much finished
up the meal and I say
let me ask you a
question they had
shared that they go to
church every Sunday
morning every Sunday
morning I said so let
me ask you a question
if you were to die
how many of you know
this question is coming
right if you were to
die tonight and God
were to ask you why he
should let you into
heaven what would you
say now we're talking
about people who had
already confessed we go
to church every Sunday
morning never miss I
said so God asked you
why he should let you
in what would you say
there are actually four
sitting there and one
who had already told me
they didn't go to
church at all he young
guy he said to the two
older guys he said that's
a good question yeah I
said so what would you
say one guy says I I
don't know I don't know
what I would say I'm
trying my best how many
of you really think
you're trying your best
look up at me and say
I'm trying my best
don't raise your hand
okay you're not in that
crowd the other guy says
I I don't know what to
say so they had just
also told me about their
their families and their
wife and I said so your
wife and you get married
in the church and as
you're walking down after
the ceremony your wife
says to you are we
married and you say I
don't know I don't know
I said I got to tell you
something about the God
that I know he is very
clear about the things I
need to know and the
scriptures make it
undeniably clear that I
can't save myself and
that God sent his son to
be my savior so when we
think about that little
word savior I want you
to recognize several
truths about that for one
it tells us that we have a
need for help from
outside ourselves do you
follow that why do I need
a savior because I can't do
it myself
the second fact that I want
you to focus on here is
that the reality of the
truth is that there is a
cancer on the soul of every
living person that makes it
impossible for them to save
themselves
sin has so corrupted our mind
and our logic that even in the
best of our deeds there is a
tincture that is deeply
offensive to God and there is
no work of righteousness that
any man may do that will ever
endure him to God you cannot
save yourself and the thing
that I want you to recognize
here is that this fact of
salvation that God makes very
clear in this passage is a
salvation that is certain
because of who has done the
work listen to the verse
again it says for unto you is
born this day in the city of
David a savior who is Christ
the Lord I love the fact that
woven into the beauty of the
gospel is the absolute
certainty of the eternal
destiny of the one who believes
in Lord Jesus why not because
man saves himself but but
salvation is the work of God
and here is the angel declaring
to those poor shepherds I want
to tell you something that God
has sent his son to be the
savior of the world one other
thing that I want you to mark
here in this passage is that God
has taken on human flesh verse
12 and this will be a sign for
you you will find a baby wrapped
in swaddling clothes and lying in a
manger you know I think I think
something this fantastic tends to
stretch our mind to the point that
we just kind of zone out and
don't really think about it very
often God the infinite holy creator
of this universe chose to take upon
himself human flesh and to be among
us to live to suffer to die and if
the reality of Christ becoming flesh in
the incarnation is not one that kind
of first of all just kind of overwhelms
you and then secondly just fills you
with thanksgiving my appeal to you
would be this that you need to think
more carefully about that fact God in
his love for us and in his sensitivity
to our frailty was willing to send his
son to come here and live on this earth
and to die and to rise again and for
all eternity to abide and dwell in
flesh with us so as we look at this
passage in closing I want you to
recognize that this tells us a
historical fact of about 2,000 some
years ago right it's a fact God sent
his son the Lord Jesus Christ in keeping
with promises he had made centuries
millenniums in the past and we who sit
here today who know the Lord Jesus
Christ have the blessing of being able
to celebrate look forward to his birth and
and just celebrate that fact with with
confidence and joy in the fact that we
who know Christ have had all our sins
forgiven and we are looking forward to
eternity when we are going to see him
face to face
I have no doubt there are some of you
here today that don't know Christ you
may have grown up in a church you may
have been like me and had a good
devotional life your parents read the
Bible to you you heard the Sunday
school stories but the fact the matter
is is you've never come to grips with
the sin in your heart and you've never
asked Christ to be your Savior I would
be remiss if this morning in the face of
the sweetness of the gospel I did not
plead with you to confess your sins and
believe on the Lord Jesus Christ in whom
alone is salvation you see the reason
Jesus came is because we can't save
ourselves and all you have in front of
you is the undeniable record of your
inability to do that which is of
eternal significance you can't change
who you are but God sent his son the
Lord Jesus Christ to pay the penalty for
your sins and to grant you salvation
through faith in him and I would plead
with you you do that now let's bow our
heads and pray our precious father we
are thankful this morning for the
sweetness of the gospel that makes it
clear to us that you sent the Lord
Jesus Christ to be our Savior he came
here to this earth he lived among us he
died for our sins and rose again that
all who believe in him might have
everlasting life and I would plead with
you this morning that those of us who are
here today that know Christ would have
our hearts lifted up and encouraged to
recognize you have done a great thing for
us that we could not do that our thank you
to you is live a life that is marked by
holiness in my humility by a genuine
affection and interest in the well-being of
those who don't know the Lord Jesus Christ
and those who are part of the family of
God I pray for those that are here today
that do not know you some who have grown
up in homes where they've heard the
Bible they've heard the scriptures they
have had Sunday school in Awana and the
fact of the matter is is their hearts are
stone cold to you this morning because
they've never come to faith I would plead
with you that you and your mercy would
draw them to the cross that they would
confess their sins and believe on Christ
that they would humble themselves and cry
out for salvation today I ask this in
Jesus name amen