WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:06.339 You are listening to a message from Southwood Presbyterian Church in Huntsville, Alabama. 00:00:06.839 --> 00:00:09.359 Our passion is to experience and express grace. 00:00:10.000 --> 00:00:10.500 Join us. 00:00:12.439 --> 00:00:16.620 We join me in prayer praising this King who has come. 00:00:17.960 --> 00:00:23.480 King Jesus, the wonders of your love amaze us tonight. 00:00:23.480 --> 00:00:32.880 We praise you for being a King who did not cling to the glory and the comfort and the privilege that he had, 00:00:33.600 --> 00:00:41.200 but loved us so much that he came to be born, loved us enough to give us hope, to give us life. 00:00:41.939 --> 00:00:50.100 Oh, Jesus, we praise you for all the many gifts that you give us out of the abundance of your glory and grace. 00:00:50.100 --> 00:00:54.880 We pray tonight as we especially celebrate your birth, 00:00:55.079 --> 00:01:01.300 as even brothers and sisters of ours around the world are waking up already on Christmas morning, 00:01:01.700 --> 00:01:04.040 celebrating, praising your name. 00:01:04.519 --> 00:01:11.560 As churches gather around this city, would in each of those places the name of Jesus be praised? 00:01:11.740 --> 00:01:14.299 Would light break into darkness? 00:01:14.579 --> 00:01:19.240 Would hope come to those who are hurting and grieving and mourning? 00:01:20.099 --> 00:01:25.839 Jesus, in each of our hearts, would we prepare room for you? 00:01:26.280 --> 00:01:37.459 Not a corner, but a place where the King would come and reign and rule and shed his love abroad in our hearts 00:01:37.459 --> 00:01:45.019 that we would worship you and love you and trust you, especially tonight. 00:01:45.019 --> 00:01:48.200 Jesus, do that work in us. 00:01:48.200 --> 00:01:50.119 Come to our hearts. 00:01:50.979 --> 00:01:52.500 We ask it in your name. 00:01:53.319 --> 00:01:53.840 Amen. 00:01:55.780 --> 00:02:01.739 Before we look at God's word together for a few minutes, we're going to sing one more song tonight. 00:02:01.939 --> 00:02:07.099 It is a bit less familiar to most of us than some of the ones that we have sung tonight, 00:02:07.099 --> 00:02:11.199 but our kids taught it to us a couple of weeks ago. 00:02:11.359 --> 00:02:16.959 Kids, many of you sang at Hark the Herald with Miss Kristen and Miss Veronica, 00:02:17.359 --> 00:02:18.459 sang It's About the Cross. 00:02:18.539 --> 00:02:19.280 You can clap for them. 00:02:19.340 --> 00:02:20.840 They were fantastic when they sang. 00:02:21.419 --> 00:02:27.280 If some of you are here tonight, would y'all come up and stand on the stairs and help us learn it? 00:02:27.340 --> 00:02:29.759 Because your parents don't know it as well as you do. 00:02:30.139 --> 00:02:32.240 Will you come up here with me and help us sing? 00:02:33.240 --> 00:02:37.680 Mr. DJ and Miss Lindsay are going to sing too, but y'all come up here and stand on the stairs with me, okay? 00:02:38.820 --> 00:02:39.740 Can you line up here? 00:02:40.360 --> 00:02:41.219 Right here, Alex. 00:02:41.800 --> 00:02:42.420 Right up here. 00:02:42.540 --> 00:02:42.980 There you go. 00:02:43.060 --> 00:02:43.900 Oh, you going with your dad? 00:02:45.300 --> 00:02:46.080 All right, here you go. 00:02:47.240 --> 00:02:47.700 Spread out. 00:02:47.740 --> 00:02:48.620 You can stand up. 00:02:48.760 --> 00:02:49.580 Can y'all stand up? 00:02:51.160 --> 00:02:51.480 Perfect. 00:02:51.840 --> 00:02:52.140 Okay. 00:02:52.540 --> 00:02:54.240 And a few of you over here too, okay? 00:02:56.700 --> 00:02:57.520 There you go. 00:02:59.480 --> 00:03:00.300 They're ready, DJ. 00:03:00.300 --> 00:03:02.500 Let's stand and sing with them. 00:03:02.500 --> 00:03:03.680 Thank you. 00:03:17.300 --> 00:03:22.760 Step out, that ranger, where the baby lay. 00:03:23.400 --> 00:03:29.660 It's not all about the angels who sang for him that day. 00:03:29.659 --> 00:03:35.719 It's not just about the shepherds or the bright and shining star. 00:03:36.879 --> 00:03:42.359 It's not all about the wise men who traveled from afar. 00:03:43.620 --> 00:03:45.859 It's about the cross. 00:03:47.019 --> 00:03:49.659 It's about my sin. 00:03:50.579 --> 00:03:56.639 About how Jesus came to be born once, that we could be born again. 00:03:56.639 --> 00:04:02.639 It's about the stone that was rolled away. 00:04:03.859 --> 00:04:08.239 That you and I could have real life someday. 00:04:09.739 --> 00:04:12.459 It's about the cross. 00:04:12.460 --> 00:04:14.460 It's about the cross. 00:04:16.460 --> 00:04:18.460 It's about the cross. 00:04:18.519 --> 00:04:18.840 It's about the cross. 00:04:18.840 --> 00:04:20.900 It's about the cross. 00:04:23.680 --> 00:04:29.519 It's not just about the presence underneath the tree. 00:04:29.519 --> 00:04:35.740 It's not all about the feeling that the season brings to me. 00:04:35.740 --> 00:04:42.479 It's not just about coming home to be with those you love. 00:04:42.719 --> 00:04:48.919 It's not all about the beauty in the snow I'm dreaming of. 00:04:48.920 --> 00:04:51.920 It's about the cross. 00:04:51.920 --> 00:04:52.960 It's about the cross. 00:04:52.960 --> 00:04:55.400 It's about my sin. 00:04:56.660 --> 00:05:02.960 It's about how Jesus came to be born once, we could be born again. 00:05:03.240 --> 00:05:08.920 It's about the stone that was rolled away. 00:05:08.920 --> 00:05:10.920 It's about the cross. 00:05:10.920 --> 00:05:15.920 It's about the cross. 00:05:15.920 --> 00:05:19.920 It's about the cross. 00:05:19.920 --> 00:05:23.920 It's about the cross. 00:05:23.920 --> 00:05:28.920 Beginning of the story is wonderful and great. 00:05:28.920 --> 00:05:32.860 It's the ending that can save you. 00:05:32.860 --> 00:05:35.860 That's why we celebrate. 00:05:36.860 --> 00:05:39.860 It's about the cross. 00:05:39.860 --> 00:05:42.860 It's about my sin. 00:05:42.860 --> 00:05:49.860 It's about how Jesus came to be born once, we could be born again. 00:05:49.860 --> 00:05:55.860 It's about God's love nailed to a tree. 00:05:55.860 --> 00:06:02.860 It's about every drop of blood that flowed from Him when it should have been me. 00:06:02.860 --> 00:06:08.860 It's about the stone that was rolled away. 00:06:08.860 --> 00:06:14.860 You and I have real life someday. 00:06:14.860 --> 00:06:20.860 But you and I could have real life someday. 00:06:20.860 --> 00:06:27.860 Someday, it's about the cross. 00:06:27.860 --> 00:06:33.860 It's about the cross. 00:06:33.860 --> 00:06:42.860 Thank you. 00:06:42.860 --> 00:06:45.860 Thank you, kids, so much. 00:06:45.860 --> 00:06:47.860 Thank you for helping us sing. 00:06:47.860 --> 00:06:48.860 You may be seated. 00:06:48.860 --> 00:07:08.860 It's easier for them to find you on their way back. 00:07:08.860 --> 00:07:12.860 I love reading the story of that first Christmas. 00:07:12.860 --> 00:07:19.860 The angel, the angels, the shepherds, the baby who's born. 00:07:19.860 --> 00:07:22.860 And I love to remember, kids, thank you. 00:07:22.860 --> 00:07:29.860 Thank you not just for helping us sing, but for helping us to remember what that first Christmas was about. 00:07:29.860 --> 00:07:33.860 It's about the cross, isn't it? 00:07:33.860 --> 00:07:34.860 It's about the cross, isn't it? 00:07:34.860 --> 00:07:35.860 It's about the cross. 00:07:35.860 --> 00:07:36.860 It's about the cross, isn't it? 00:07:36.860 --> 00:07:38.860 It's about the cross. 00:07:38.860 --> 00:07:39.860 It's about the cross. 00:07:39.860 --> 00:07:45.860 But not to die meaninglessly, not hopelessly. 00:07:45.860 --> 00:07:51.860 No, to give his life, to give us life. 00:07:51.860 --> 00:07:53.860 That's why Jesus came, right? 00:07:53.860 --> 00:07:57.860 That's why Christmas. 00:07:57.860 --> 00:08:03.060 Welcome tonight, especially to those of you who haven't been with us through this month of December. 00:08:03.360 --> 00:08:06.340 That's what we've been talking about here on Sundays. 00:08:06.720 --> 00:08:13.460 What Jesus tells us about the reasons why he came to be born. 00:08:14.160 --> 00:08:23.379 When we say that Christmas is about the cross, we don't mean that it is the only thing that Jesus came to do. 00:08:23.379 --> 00:08:35.879 But we do mean that it is the absolutely essential culmination of everything that Jesus came to do. 00:08:36.620 --> 00:08:48.559 We've heard Jesus through this Advent season answer the reason for Christmas by saying he came to fulfill all the Old Testament promises and demands. 00:08:48.559 --> 00:08:59.539 To live an obedient life and then to fulfill one specific demand for others that death was required for disobedience. 00:09:01.119 --> 00:09:09.299 He said he came to seek and to save the lost and that required him going all the way to the cross to rescue us and bring us home. 00:09:09.299 --> 00:09:11.819 He came to do his father's will. 00:09:12.419 --> 00:09:18.000 The king who rightfully could have done anything he wanted said what? 00:09:19.000 --> 00:09:28.559 Not my will, but yours be done time and time again at every turn, including to his death. 00:09:30.039 --> 00:09:33.659 He came, we heard this morning, to announce the true kingdom. 00:09:33.659 --> 00:09:42.620 Where the true king doesn't demand that you give your life for him, but gives his life first for you. 00:09:44.019 --> 00:09:53.139 See, none of these reasons for Christmas, reasons Jesus came, can be accomplished fully without this one. 00:09:53.139 --> 00:10:02.279 One verse tonight, Mark 10, verse 45, Jesus speaking to his disciples. 00:10:04.139 --> 00:10:14.980 The Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many. 00:10:15.860 --> 00:10:22.580 Tonight we'll see ultimately that Jesus came to give his life, to give us life. 00:10:22.580 --> 00:10:25.180 In other words, it's about the cross. 00:10:26.580 --> 00:10:37.340 In fact, any statement of Jesus' purpose in coming that misses the cross misses Jesus' heart. 00:10:38.139 --> 00:10:42.420 And you'd be surprised at how common that is today, even in the church. 00:10:43.080 --> 00:10:49.000 If you asked a bunch of pastors around Huntsville to tell you why Jesus came, 00:10:49.000 --> 00:10:52.100 some will tell you that it was to show us how to live. 00:10:52.740 --> 00:10:54.799 Oh, and he did a great job of that. 00:10:55.840 --> 00:10:59.720 Others will tell you that he came to help us know what God's love is like. 00:10:59.879 --> 00:11:02.279 And that is so important, isn't it? 00:11:02.340 --> 00:11:05.179 For us to know what God's love is like. 00:11:05.759 --> 00:11:09.919 Still others would tell you that he came to upend social norms. 00:11:10.080 --> 00:11:11.539 And he certainly did that. 00:11:12.120 --> 00:11:13.299 It wasn't less than that. 00:11:13.299 --> 00:11:21.000 But if any of our answers stop there, we stop short of what Jesus says is essential, 00:11:21.000 --> 00:11:24.219 at the heart of why he came. 00:11:24.939 --> 00:11:32.479 In fact, the very most exemplary, loving, revolutionary thing that Jesus ever did was to go to the cross, 00:11:32.479 --> 00:11:38.299 which accomplished way more than any one of those reasons indicates. 00:11:39.299 --> 00:11:41.179 He was born to die. 00:11:41.179 --> 00:11:44.899 It's why he entered the world. 00:11:45.219 --> 00:11:48.279 To ransom captive Israel, right? 00:11:49.519 --> 00:11:55.379 The idea behind that word ransom is the payment of a price. 00:11:55.759 --> 00:12:00.899 To pay a price to set free someone who is captive. 00:12:01.579 --> 00:12:03.439 That's what Jesus came to do. 00:12:03.439 --> 00:12:08.859 Jesus says he came to give his life as a ransom for many. 00:12:08.860 --> 00:12:11.419 To set us free. 00:12:11.620 --> 00:12:13.600 To give us life. 00:12:15.399 --> 00:12:18.899 Now, some of you are thinking, ransom, that's cool. 00:12:19.320 --> 00:12:24.379 We're at least going to get a good kidnapping story with ransom demands. 00:12:24.480 --> 00:12:26.960 And that's going to keep me awake for a few minutes at least. 00:12:27.100 --> 00:12:27.960 This will be cool. 00:12:28.820 --> 00:12:29.200 Sorry. 00:12:30.960 --> 00:12:34.240 Others of you have been in church enough times to start thinking, 00:12:34.240 --> 00:12:35.779 Oh, I know where this is going. 00:12:35.779 --> 00:12:37.000 C.S. Lewis. 00:12:38.120 --> 00:12:39.879 The traitor Edmund. 00:12:41.379 --> 00:12:50.279 Aslan, king of Narnia, who will give his life in the place of the traitor to set the traitor free. 00:12:50.759 --> 00:12:52.379 Great story, but no. 00:12:52.379 --> 00:12:57.299 Still, others of you have been at Southwood enough times to think, 00:12:57.879 --> 00:13:02.039 Oh, he's going to tell the story about the two brothers in the quicksand. 00:13:02.580 --> 00:13:09.080 Where the older brother gives his life to put his younger brother on his shoulders 00:13:09.080 --> 00:13:11.779 so his head can reach above the quicksand. 00:13:11.779 --> 00:13:15.939 To give life the only way that his younger brother can live. 00:13:16.440 --> 00:13:18.879 Tempting, but wrong again. 00:13:18.879 --> 00:13:23.259 I'm not going to talk about any of those great images tonight. 00:13:23.559 --> 00:13:23.740 Ha! 00:13:25.659 --> 00:13:32.740 Tonight, I want to tell you about Ladder 3 Fire Company in New York City. 00:13:34.480 --> 00:13:41.179 After planes crashed into the Twin Towers on 9-11 22 years ago now, can you believe that? 00:13:41.179 --> 00:13:49.039 The Ladder 3 Fire Company radioed in to ask to be sent to the towers. 00:13:50.000 --> 00:13:55.779 Some of them had just finished an overnight shift and gotten off and were headed home to safety, 00:13:55.779 --> 00:14:01.279 but instead jumped back in to head directly toward danger. 00:14:02.620 --> 00:14:04.319 Nearly certain death. 00:14:05.639 --> 00:14:06.159 Why? 00:14:06.159 --> 00:14:16.799 Well, they knew that thousands were stuck, trapped, hopeless, and facing death in those towers. 00:14:17.860 --> 00:14:22.719 And the purpose of their existence as a fire company was to serve. 00:14:22.719 --> 00:14:28.279 In this case, even to give their lives, to give others life. 00:14:28.279 --> 00:14:38.459 Time and time again, they entered the North Tower, directing, dragging, carrying people out to safety, to life. 00:14:39.799 --> 00:14:41.259 And then back in again. 00:14:43.000 --> 00:14:47.459 Knowing that eventually, at some point, that tower would collapse. 00:14:47.460 --> 00:14:55.139 And 11 of them would give their lives to give life to many others. 00:14:55.480 --> 00:14:59.780 A high price, for sure, to get others to freedom. 00:15:00.900 --> 00:15:02.620 But one they willingly paid. 00:15:05.019 --> 00:15:14.580 The Son of Man, that's the Bible's name for the divine, eternal King and Judge of all. 00:15:14.580 --> 00:15:44.560 The Son of Man, that's the Bible's name for the divine, 00:15:44.559 --> 00:15:52.919 separated from God all the way back to the Garden of Eden when our rebellion first separated us from this true King. 00:15:53.019 --> 00:15:54.379 We call that sin. 00:15:55.379 --> 00:16:03.619 And we have been longing for real, fulfilling life that He provides, but we've been unable to find our way back. 00:16:04.079 --> 00:16:08.179 God's people were longing for ransom, right? 00:16:08.179 --> 00:16:14.279 Ransom, captive Israel, mourning in lonely exile. 00:16:15.159 --> 00:16:15.919 Lonely? 00:16:16.739 --> 00:16:20.359 But there were thousands of them in exile together. 00:16:20.479 --> 00:16:20.879 Lonely? 00:16:22.879 --> 00:16:25.000 They were separated from God. 00:16:26.599 --> 00:16:29.079 That's true loneliness. 00:16:29.080 --> 00:16:32.300 All of life for generations. 00:16:32.300 --> 00:16:36.879 They've been living, missing what they were most created for. 00:16:37.100 --> 00:16:38.879 The heart of true life. 00:16:39.300 --> 00:16:40.500 To know God. 00:16:40.840 --> 00:16:42.340 To talk with Him. 00:16:42.500 --> 00:16:44.520 To taste His grace. 00:16:44.639 --> 00:16:46.100 To share His love. 00:16:46.360 --> 00:16:47.500 They've been missing Him. 00:16:47.500 --> 00:16:55.279 Paul tells us in the New Testament that our condition because of our persistent nature, 00:16:55.840 --> 00:17:01.360 because of our stubborn commitment to sin, to wanting things our way, 00:17:01.879 --> 00:17:06.660 to want to rule ourselves rather than bow to the true King, 00:17:07.359 --> 00:17:15.420 our condition is that we live without hope because we're without God in the world. 00:17:15.420 --> 00:17:18.680 That is the definition of without hope. 00:17:18.980 --> 00:17:20.720 We exhaust ourselves, don't we? 00:17:20.880 --> 00:17:27.160 Running all over this world seeking life, hoping there's true life somewhere to be found, 00:17:27.259 --> 00:17:33.140 but we are stuck, trapped in a building that is going down with no way to free ourselves. 00:17:34.740 --> 00:17:35.300 Hopeless. 00:17:36.940 --> 00:17:41.340 To give us hope, God had to come. 00:17:41.339 --> 00:17:47.059 He had to break in to rescue us, and that's exactly what we celebrate at Christmas. 00:17:47.220 --> 00:17:47.899 Rejoice! 00:17:48.379 --> 00:17:55.599 Emmanuel, God with us has come to thee, O Israel. 00:17:56.799 --> 00:18:03.439 He came and on the cross once and for all dealt with the sin that was separating us from God, 00:18:03.799 --> 00:18:06.679 keeping us away from that true life. 00:18:07.019 --> 00:18:10.480 He was pierced for our transgressions. 00:18:10.480 --> 00:18:14.400 He was crushed for our iniquities. 00:18:15.220 --> 00:18:22.120 God laid upon him the iniquity, the sin of us all. 00:18:22.579 --> 00:18:27.180 The King gave his life to give us life. 00:18:28.519 --> 00:18:29.860 That's why we sing at Christmas, 00:18:30.299 --> 00:18:32.519 let earth receive her King. 00:18:32.799 --> 00:18:36.420 He comes to make his blessings flow far as the curse is found. 00:18:36.740 --> 00:18:37.960 Drive the curse back. 00:18:37.960 --> 00:18:41.180 We sing glory to the newborn King. 00:18:41.519 --> 00:18:44.240 God and sinners reconciled. 00:18:44.340 --> 00:18:50.360 The ones who were separate and couldn't get back, brought back together again through the blood of Jesus. 00:18:50.799 --> 00:18:51.940 Who is this? 00:18:53.100 --> 00:18:59.960 The God who lives forever, now hangs there, dying, and yet reigns everlastingly. 00:18:59.960 --> 00:19:00.960 Everlastingly. 00:19:02.519 --> 00:19:15.200 The one who could have continued living in complete safety, willingly entered danger and certain death to give his life, to give us life. 00:19:15.200 --> 00:19:18.259 That's what he tells us in John 10. 00:19:18.259 --> 00:19:23.840 He came that we might have life and have it abundantly. 00:19:24.220 --> 00:19:28.759 As he, the good shepherd, lays down his life for us. 00:19:28.920 --> 00:19:33.299 He leads us out of the rubble of our sin into life with God. 00:19:33.380 --> 00:19:35.620 Remember, that is where abundant life is. 00:19:35.840 --> 00:19:36.779 That's where it's found. 00:19:36.920 --> 00:19:39.799 It's in relationship with God himself. 00:19:39.799 --> 00:19:46.579 Because, see, what happens in a story someone once wrote that I won't talk about tonight. 00:19:46.579 --> 00:19:55.740 When a willing victim is killed in a traitor's stead, the table would crack and death itself would start working backward. 00:19:56.220 --> 00:19:58.879 Our King does not stay dead, does he? 00:19:59.399 --> 00:20:01.180 He rises from the grave. 00:20:01.180 --> 00:20:07.500 It's about the stone that was rolled away so that you and I could have real life someday. 00:20:08.080 --> 00:20:12.840 Jesus conquers death so that he lives and we live. 00:20:13.039 --> 00:20:15.440 And now we know that abundant life, right? 00:20:15.660 --> 00:20:18.900 Life with God today and forever. 00:20:19.680 --> 00:20:20.900 No longer stuck. 00:20:21.840 --> 00:20:23.039 We're set free. 00:20:23.960 --> 00:20:25.620 No longer hopeless. 00:20:26.420 --> 00:20:28.700 Now full of hope. 00:20:28.700 --> 00:20:30.960 No longer dead. 00:20:31.920 --> 00:20:33.080 Alive. 00:20:33.519 --> 00:20:34.080 Truly. 00:20:35.340 --> 00:20:36.299 Abundantly. 00:20:37.140 --> 00:20:37.740 Forever. 00:20:38.660 --> 00:20:40.480 Alive with God. 00:20:42.220 --> 00:20:43.620 Why Christmas? 00:20:45.140 --> 00:20:56.559 The Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many. 00:20:56.559 --> 00:21:02.539 The King came to give his life, to give us life. 00:21:04.159 --> 00:21:05.599 It's about the cross. 00:21:07.399 --> 00:21:14.339 So really nothing could be more Christmassy than the Lord's Supper, could it? 00:21:14.339 --> 00:21:17.059 That's why he was born. 00:21:18.419 --> 00:21:20.119 He knew where he was headed. 00:21:21.079 --> 00:21:31.359 As Jesus approached the very culmination of why he came into the world, on the night that he was betrayed to his death, he took bread. 00:21:31.359 --> 00:21:33.719 And he broke it. 00:21:34.619 --> 00:21:36.279 And he gave it to his disciples. 00:21:37.240 --> 00:21:42.199 As I, ministering in his name, give this bread to you, he said, take and eat. 00:21:42.419 --> 00:21:44.959 This is my body, given for you. 00:21:45.299 --> 00:21:47.579 Do this in remembrance of me. 00:21:47.579 --> 00:21:51.539 In the same way, after supper, he took the cup. 00:21:52.339 --> 00:21:58.819 He said, this cup is the new covenant in my blood, shed for many for the forgiveness of sins. 00:21:59.279 --> 00:22:01.059 Drink from it, all of you. 00:22:01.339 --> 00:22:10.740 For as often as you eat this bread and you drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. 00:22:10.740 --> 00:22:19.640 When we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim the Lord's death. 00:22:20.579 --> 00:22:39.120 The bad news, that if your sin was the only sin ever committed, it would require the death of the Son of God in your place for that sin to be forgiven and for you to know life again. 00:22:39.119 --> 00:22:56.879 And we proclaim the good news, that if you were the only sinner in the entire world, the King, the Son of God, would willingly come and give his life for you because of his great love. 00:22:57.419 --> 00:22:59.439 That's how much he loves you. 00:22:59.959 --> 00:23:06.779 This table proclaims his life and death and resurrection for you. 00:23:06.779 --> 00:23:23.500 If that is your hope, if that's why you are here, what you see before you at this table, a Savior who has given his life for you, then know that this is a table set by the Lord himself who came to give his life as a ransom for many. 00:23:23.599 --> 00:23:24.960 It's not Southwood's table. 00:23:25.180 --> 00:23:26.940 It's not a Presbyterian table. 00:23:27.180 --> 00:23:28.680 It's Jesus' table. 00:23:28.680 --> 00:23:39.880 And if he is yours and you celebrate him and you're united to his body, come and eat with us and celebrate how much he loves us. 00:23:41.920 --> 00:23:46.840 I know that always there are many with us for whom that's not their story. 00:23:47.180 --> 00:23:50.200 I bet that's especially true on Christmas Eve. 00:23:50.200 --> 00:24:09.819 If that's not what you see here, if that's not your understanding of who Jesus is, if you're really not sure what you think about Jesus yet, perhaps, or maybe your version of Jesus is more the good teacher Jesus who said and did lots of good things, 00:24:09.819 --> 00:24:18.220 but not so much the Jesus who gave his life and rose from the dead to be your only hope of life. 00:24:18.299 --> 00:24:27.179 If that's not the Jesus in whom you place your hope, then we'd invite you not to partake of the elements of this sacrament tonight. 00:24:28.319 --> 00:24:31.799 We'd invite you still to come up to these tables with us. 00:24:31.960 --> 00:24:37.159 As we gather in groups around the table, we're going to be praying together with every group. 00:24:37.160 --> 00:24:39.180 We'd love to be able to pray with you. 00:24:39.600 --> 00:24:43.019 Or if you're more comfortable, you can remain in your seats. 00:24:43.120 --> 00:24:44.300 That is certainly fine. 00:24:44.600 --> 00:24:51.660 But know that what we would like most to invite you to is not to a table, but to a Savior. 00:24:52.440 --> 00:24:59.560 To a substitute who will stand in your place, who will die for you, who will live for you, who will never stop loving you. 00:24:59.620 --> 00:25:03.779 We delight to share more of him with you this Christmas. 00:25:03.779 --> 00:25:07.279 Let me pray and then we'll come celebrate together. 00:25:09.500 --> 00:25:17.759 Jesus, at this table that reminds us of your purpose, that you came to give your life to give us life, would you fill us with joy? 00:25:18.579 --> 00:25:28.500 Would very common elements like bread and wine do in our hearts by your Spirit a very special thing? 00:25:28.500 --> 00:25:30.960 Would they remind us of your love? 00:25:31.059 --> 00:25:32.299 Would they strengthen our faith? 00:25:32.579 --> 00:25:41.220 Would they grow our zeal for you and your kingdom and for the good news of Christmas to be known and embraced by everyone we know and embrace? 00:25:43.180 --> 00:25:50.400 Bless us as we gather around this table together and eat with you, our Father, our Son, our Spirit. 00:25:50.400 --> 00:25:52.740 We ask in your name, Jesus. 00:25:53.560 --> 00:25:53.880 Amen. 00:25:55.080 --> 00:25:58.600 For more information, visit us online at southwood.org.