WEBVTT

00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.740
 Please be seated.

00:00:04.259 --> 00:00:05.120
 But don't panic.

00:00:05.320 --> 00:00:07.839
 This is a conclusion, not a sermon, okay?

00:00:10.720 --> 00:00:13.839
 The coming of God's Son into this world

00:00:13.839 --> 00:00:18.780
 is the greatest search and rescue mission of all time.

00:00:19.699 --> 00:00:21.879
 You're familiar with what that is.

00:00:22.760 --> 00:00:26.060
 We've read stories of how the military

00:00:26.060 --> 00:00:28.240
 or a law enforcement agency

00:00:28.239 --> 00:00:31.559
 or other first responders have gone out

00:00:31.559 --> 00:00:35.539
 to search for lost people,

00:00:36.179 --> 00:00:37.920
 maybe lost in the mountains

00:00:37.920 --> 00:00:41.039
 or in the rubble from an earthquake

00:00:41.039 --> 00:00:44.039
 or even at sea.

00:00:45.099 --> 00:00:47.799
 Their mission is to search for and rescue

00:00:47.799 --> 00:00:51.299
 the person or the people who are lost.

00:00:52.299 --> 00:00:55.879
 Their purpose is to seek and save lives.

00:00:55.880 --> 00:00:59.859
 That's why Jesus said He came into the world.

00:01:01.120 --> 00:01:03.320
 He came to carry out, truly,

00:01:04.020 --> 00:01:06.620
 a search and rescue mission

00:01:06.620 --> 00:01:11.760
 that He describes in Luke 19, verse 10 like this.

00:01:12.300 --> 00:01:14.280
 For the Son of Man came to seek

00:01:14.280 --> 00:01:17.079
 and to save the lost.

00:01:17.079 --> 00:01:20.060
 Jesus uses that word lost

00:01:20.060 --> 00:01:24.879
 to describe someone who is spiritually separated from God.

00:01:25.519 --> 00:01:28.099
 He's really talking about someone who is spiritually dead.

00:01:29.500 --> 00:01:34.019
 And a great example of that's how He's using the word

00:01:34.019 --> 00:01:38.140
 is found in His story of the prodigal son.

00:01:38.140 --> 00:01:41.900
 In that story, the father,

00:01:42.700 --> 00:01:45.079
 whose son rebelled and went away,

00:01:45.980 --> 00:01:47.280
 but finally came back,

00:01:47.359 --> 00:01:50.920
 the father describes the son's condition like this.

00:01:51.680 --> 00:01:56.280
 For this my son was dead and is alive again.

00:01:57.120 --> 00:02:01.040
 He was lost and is found.

00:02:01.040 --> 00:02:04.380
 And that gave them reason to celebrate.

00:02:05.480 --> 00:02:09.960
 The Bible says that all of us are separated from God by our sin.

00:02:11.060 --> 00:02:14.520
 That's what it means to say that a person is lost.

00:02:15.319 --> 00:02:17.379
 It means that we're without hope

00:02:17.379 --> 00:02:20.360
 because we cannot save ourselves.

00:02:21.200 --> 00:02:24.920
 We cannot rescue ourselves from this spiritually dead condition.

00:02:24.919 --> 00:02:28.280
 If Jesus had not been born,

00:02:29.139 --> 00:02:31.039
 if there was no Christmas,

00:02:32.060 --> 00:02:34.479
 we would all stand condemned

00:02:34.479 --> 00:02:36.659
 because as the Bible says,

00:02:37.199 --> 00:02:39.759
 all have sinned and come short of the glory of God

00:02:39.759 --> 00:02:44.479
 and the penalty or the wages of sin is death.

00:02:45.799 --> 00:02:47.579
 But the good news this morning

00:02:47.579 --> 00:02:50.279
 that we have heard about

00:02:50.279 --> 00:02:52.259
 through the songs, through the music,

00:02:52.379 --> 00:02:53.159
 through the narration

00:02:53.159 --> 00:02:55.900
 is that Jesus did come.

00:02:57.240 --> 00:03:00.099
 He came to seek and to save the lost.

00:03:03.180 --> 00:03:04.659
 If you're not a Christian

00:03:04.659 --> 00:03:08.219
 and you'll admit to God

00:03:08.219 --> 00:03:10.300
 that you are lost,

00:03:11.460 --> 00:03:12.699
 separated from Him,

00:03:12.699 --> 00:03:16.139
 and you want to be rescued

00:03:16.139 --> 00:03:18.359
 by Jesus Christ,

00:03:19.060 --> 00:03:21.699
 then the way to respond is like this.

00:03:23.159 --> 00:03:24.479
 Turn from your sin.

00:03:25.400 --> 00:03:28.840
 Change your mind about living life your way

00:03:28.840 --> 00:03:29.960
 instead of God's way.

00:03:31.939 --> 00:03:35.060
 Grieve over the fact that you have dishonored God.

00:03:36.159 --> 00:03:37.800
 Repent of your sins, what I'm saying.

00:03:38.800 --> 00:03:40.199
 And then put your faith in Jesus

00:03:40.199 --> 00:03:42.740
 that when He died on the cross,

00:03:43.240 --> 00:03:46.819
 He died as your substitute.

00:03:46.819 --> 00:03:51.459
 Think in terms of when He died on the cross,

00:03:51.560 --> 00:03:54.239
 God placed your sin on Him.

00:03:55.560 --> 00:03:58.400
 And He suffered the pain,

00:03:58.539 --> 00:03:59.259
 the punishment

00:03:59.259 --> 00:04:02.780
 of being separated from God.

00:04:03.740 --> 00:04:04.639
 That's why He cried out,

00:04:04.699 --> 00:04:05.560
 My God, my God,

00:04:05.639 --> 00:04:06.919
 why have you forsaken me?

00:04:07.979 --> 00:04:10.159
 Because God had turned away from Him

00:04:10.159 --> 00:04:13.299
 as He bore our sin.

00:04:14.799 --> 00:04:16.079
 Put your faith in Jesus

00:04:16.079 --> 00:04:17.740
 as your Savior.

00:04:18.819 --> 00:04:20.319
 Call upon Him to save you.

00:04:21.839 --> 00:04:23.600
 Surrender your life

00:04:23.600 --> 00:04:25.360
 to Him as your Lord,

00:04:25.439 --> 00:04:26.719
 as your ultimate leader.

00:04:28.579 --> 00:04:29.279
 The Scripture says

00:04:29.279 --> 00:04:30.819
 that whoever will call upon the name of the Lord

00:04:30.819 --> 00:04:31.939
 will be saved.

00:04:33.259 --> 00:04:34.439
 Now, if you are a Christian,

00:04:34.519 --> 00:04:36.220
 and I know that most in this room are,

00:04:36.220 --> 00:04:41.360
 thank God for demonstrating His grace

00:04:41.360 --> 00:04:42.860
 and His love

00:04:42.860 --> 00:04:46.300
 by sending Jesus into this world

00:04:46.300 --> 00:04:51.500
 on this seek and saving mission.

00:04:52.620 --> 00:04:55.140
 What we all need to do as Christians this morning

00:04:55.140 --> 00:04:56.120
 as we leave here

00:04:56.120 --> 00:04:58.480
 is to join with our Lord,

00:04:59.480 --> 00:05:02.260
 join with Him on this search and rescue mission

00:05:02.260 --> 00:05:05.000
 by sharing the good news

00:05:05.000 --> 00:05:07.199
 of why Jesus came

00:05:07.199 --> 00:05:09.819
 and how anyone who will

00:05:09.819 --> 00:05:12.759
 can know Him as Savior and Lord.

00:05:13.519 --> 00:05:14.600
 Would you pray with me?

00:05:15.139 --> 00:05:15.519
 Father,

00:05:16.959 --> 00:05:21.660
 Father, help us in this room

00:05:21.660 --> 00:05:23.680
 as your people

00:05:23.680 --> 00:05:26.600
 to understand

00:05:26.600 --> 00:05:29.680
 that it is our responsibility

00:05:29.680 --> 00:05:32.500
 to share this good news

00:05:32.500 --> 00:05:34.959
 and be a part of

00:05:34.959 --> 00:05:36.199
 your

00:05:36.199 --> 00:05:38.699
 search

00:05:38.699 --> 00:05:39.860
 and rescue

00:05:39.860 --> 00:05:41.019
 mission.

00:05:43.459 --> 00:05:44.180
 And Father,

00:05:44.339 --> 00:05:45.540
 if there is anyone in this room

00:05:45.540 --> 00:05:46.480
 who is not a Christian,

00:05:47.480 --> 00:05:50.800
 work in their mind,

00:05:50.959 --> 00:05:52.000
 their heart right now

00:05:52.000 --> 00:05:53.240
 to cause them to see

00:05:53.240 --> 00:05:54.259
 their need,

00:05:55.139 --> 00:05:56.680
 their lost condition.

00:05:56.680 --> 00:05:59.840
 so work in them

00:05:59.840 --> 00:06:02.100
 to cause them

00:06:02.100 --> 00:06:04.459
 to put their faith

00:06:04.459 --> 00:06:05.620
 and trust in Jesus,

00:06:06.420 --> 00:06:07.680
 to call upon Him

00:06:07.680 --> 00:06:08.500
 for salvation.

00:06:10.319 --> 00:06:11.439
 Help that man

00:06:11.439 --> 00:06:11.860
 or woman

00:06:11.860 --> 00:06:12.600
 or young person

00:06:12.600 --> 00:06:13.120
 to know

00:06:13.120 --> 00:06:15.660
 that a service

00:06:15.660 --> 00:06:17.960
 that celebrates

00:06:17.960 --> 00:06:20.000
 the coming of Jesus

00:06:20.000 --> 00:06:21.079
 into this world

00:06:21.079 --> 00:06:23.259
 to seek and save

00:06:23.259 --> 00:06:24.120
 the lost.

00:06:25.199 --> 00:06:26.800
 This is the best service

00:06:26.800 --> 00:06:27.419
 for them

00:06:27.419 --> 00:06:29.839
 to be saved in.

00:06:31.000 --> 00:06:32.459
 So work right now

00:06:32.459 --> 00:06:34.319
 to call that person

00:06:34.319 --> 00:06:36.019
 to trust Jesus

00:06:36.019 --> 00:06:38.719
 and we come

00:06:38.719 --> 00:06:39.459
 to you, Father,

00:06:40.060 --> 00:06:41.139
 in Jesus' name.

00:06:41.719 --> 00:06:42.039
 Amen.

00:06:42.039 --> 00:06:42.139
 Amen.

00:06:42.139 --> 00:06:42.219
 Amen.