WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:06.480 You are listening to a message from Southwood Presbyterian Church in Huntsville, Alabama. 00:00:06.980 --> 00:00:09.320 Our passion is to experience and express grace. 00:00:09.339 --> 00:00:12.040 Go to Matthew chapter 1, 4 of them, remember? 00:00:12.560 --> 00:00:12.679 Yep. 00:00:13.480 --> 00:00:15.000 This is one we haven't seen for a while. 00:00:16.120 --> 00:00:21.539 We are looking this Christmas season at the birth of Jesus through the eyes of people 00:00:21.539 --> 00:00:28.420 there in these biblical accounts to help us get a close-up, personal look at what Christmas 00:00:28.420 --> 00:00:31.020 really means in our lives. 00:00:31.060 --> 00:00:35.780 More than sentimental tradition and dizziness, and there's plenty of that. 00:00:36.719 --> 00:00:41.120 This baby is life-changing, world-altering. 00:00:42.500 --> 00:00:50.719 Last week, through Mary's eyes, we saw how Jesus is God's grace reaching down to the undeserving, 00:00:51.320 --> 00:00:57.380 entering into our mess, taking on our weakness to bring us His grace. 00:00:58.420 --> 00:01:01.539 That's a life-changing reality when that happens. 00:01:02.140 --> 00:01:09.280 This morning, we'll look at Joseph's story, and that once again focuses on Jesus. 00:01:10.840 --> 00:01:18.659 Mary's gotten this great news from the angel about this divine pregnancy, but her fiancé 00:01:18.659 --> 00:01:20.540 is not in the loop yet. 00:01:21.299 --> 00:01:22.599 This could be interesting. 00:01:22.599 --> 00:01:29.099 Let's read Matthew 1, beginning at verse 18, God's holy word. 00:01:30.479 --> 00:01:34.000 Now, the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. 00:01:34.819 --> 00:01:39.099 When His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was 00:01:39.099 --> 00:01:41.539 found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 00:01:42.579 --> 00:01:48.639 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce 00:01:48.640 --> 00:01:49.459 her quietly. 00:01:50.780 --> 00:01:54.939 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, 00:01:55.120 --> 00:02:02.060 saying, Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived 00:02:02.060 --> 00:02:04.180 in her is from the Holy Spirit. 00:02:05.240 --> 00:02:12.180 She will bear a son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from 00:02:12.180 --> 00:02:12.979 their sins. 00:02:12.979 --> 00:02:18.719 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, behold, the virgin 00:02:18.719 --> 00:02:25.339 shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel, which means God with 00:02:25.339 --> 00:02:25.739 us. 00:02:27.159 --> 00:02:30.939 When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him. 00:02:31.060 --> 00:02:36.479 He took his wife, but knew her not until she had given birth to a son, and he called His 00:02:36.479 --> 00:02:37.839 name Jesus. 00:02:38.839 --> 00:02:39.899 This is God's word. 00:02:39.979 --> 00:02:40.699 Let's pray together. 00:02:40.699 --> 00:02:51.560 Father, we thank you for sending your son, for the gift of Jesus, for the gift of your 00:02:51.560 --> 00:02:57.439 word, for this account in Joseph's life of the impact of Jesus. 00:02:57.739 --> 00:03:00.739 Would you not just teach us about him? 00:03:00.839 --> 00:03:07.120 Would you help each of us to encounter and experience Jesus this morning? 00:03:07.120 --> 00:03:09.400 We ask it in his name. 00:03:10.480 --> 00:03:10.819 Amen. 00:03:13.360 --> 00:03:20.560 If you ask anyone who lives or works with me, they will tell you that one of the least pleasant 00:03:20.560 --> 00:03:25.360 times to be around me is when my plans get changed. 00:03:26.420 --> 00:03:31.099 No one has ever accused me of being spontaneous or flexible. 00:03:31.099 --> 00:03:38.359 So when life gets interrupted, I often don't respond well. 00:03:40.259 --> 00:03:43.039 One slightly humorous example of this. 00:03:43.759 --> 00:03:48.079 The night I proposed to my now wonderful wife, I had a plan. 00:03:48.919 --> 00:03:56.400 We were driving from Clemson to her hometown, and where when we got there, I had plans to 00:03:56.400 --> 00:04:02.760 go to a park that closed at sundown, and so I was on a tight schedule. 00:04:03.860 --> 00:04:10.759 So when we neared the end of this two-hour drive, and she had the gall to ask to use the 00:04:10.759 --> 00:04:16.620 restroom, I said, no. 00:04:16.620 --> 00:04:16.740 No. 00:04:17.959 --> 00:04:24.699 That idea made me anxious, concerned of how things would work out if we were kind of not 00:04:24.699 --> 00:04:27.560 going to make it on time, and what might happen while we stopped. 00:04:27.639 --> 00:04:28.939 That was not in the plan. 00:04:29.319 --> 00:04:30.300 I said, no. 00:04:30.600 --> 00:04:32.660 No to her house when we drove by her neighborhood. 00:04:32.759 --> 00:04:33.600 You can't stop there. 00:04:33.920 --> 00:04:37.000 No to McDonald's on the side of the road when she asked. 00:04:37.079 --> 00:04:38.240 Nope, not there either. 00:04:38.680 --> 00:04:41.340 No to interrupting my plan. 00:04:42.000 --> 00:04:44.560 She got a restroom only after she got a ring. 00:04:44.560 --> 00:04:51.540 And again, many of you wonder, why did she say yes? 00:04:53.720 --> 00:04:55.000 Good questions. 00:04:56.780 --> 00:05:05.500 For most of us, life has been interrupted on a much larger scale than a restroom stop. 00:05:05.860 --> 00:05:08.519 You can imagine how I handle that. 00:05:08.519 --> 00:05:18.500 When there's a serious disruption, anxiety, confusion, fear, stress, whatever it is that 00:05:18.500 --> 00:05:24.799 you go to, any and all of those might be there for you when life gets interrupted. 00:05:25.939 --> 00:05:29.620 It's funny how you all just all took a deep breath and settled back in. 00:05:29.680 --> 00:05:31.740 It's tense when I don't have a microphone, isn't it? 00:05:31.740 --> 00:05:41.639 We can acknowledge that honestly, and we need to, because in this passage, through Joseph's 00:05:41.639 --> 00:05:45.819 experience, we see a particular kind of interruption. 00:05:46.160 --> 00:05:48.840 It has nothing to do with electronics. 00:05:48.839 --> 00:06:00.500 These interruptions happen in our lives, but all of us experience a particular kind of interruption 00:06:00.500 --> 00:06:01.959 that's in our story this morning. 00:06:02.120 --> 00:06:04.439 It's Jesus showing up. 00:06:05.539 --> 00:06:10.179 And we may not be ready for the change that Jesus brings. 00:06:10.180 --> 00:06:23.120 Christmas means God interrupting our life plans and meeting our deepest need. 00:06:23.480 --> 00:06:29.399 We'll come back to that second part later, but the birth of Jesus is not just a cute nativity 00:06:29.399 --> 00:06:29.879 scene. 00:06:30.180 --> 00:06:34.680 Put yourself in Joseph's shoes for a second, how his life is being interrupted. 00:06:34.860 --> 00:06:37.480 That's where the story begins with Joseph, right? 00:06:37.480 --> 00:06:41.340 Joseph experiencing interruptions. 00:06:42.080 --> 00:06:48.900 Verse 18, when Jesus' mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph before they came together, 00:06:49.060 --> 00:06:53.080 she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 00:06:54.360 --> 00:06:59.800 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce 00:06:59.800 --> 00:07:00.840 her quietly. 00:07:02.379 --> 00:07:05.080 Now, that's not what he had planned. 00:07:05.079 --> 00:07:11.539 Not what he wanted, but he resolved himself to it. 00:07:12.939 --> 00:07:20.379 Joseph's got a budding carpentry business, a small town network of friends, a marriage 00:07:20.379 --> 00:07:22.819 to a young woman arranged and coming soon. 00:07:23.199 --> 00:07:26.339 Life has a clear path forward for Joseph, doesn't it? 00:07:28.079 --> 00:07:30.560 But Mary's pregnancy interrupts. 00:07:30.560 --> 00:07:37.759 We don't know how much explanation Joseph got about the divine nature of it, but he heard 00:07:37.759 --> 00:07:44.340 the pregnancy part for sure, and he does what I often do when my plans get changed. 00:07:45.720 --> 00:07:47.139 I make another plan. 00:07:48.160 --> 00:07:51.480 A plan that minimizes the disruption. 00:07:52.220 --> 00:07:54.660 A reasonable, upstanding plan. 00:07:55.079 --> 00:07:58.120 In this culture, betrothal was such a formal commitment. 00:07:58.120 --> 00:08:00.560 Breaking it off was tantamount to divorce. 00:08:02.019 --> 00:08:05.500 Joseph wants to do right by his fiancée as much as he can. 00:08:05.879 --> 00:08:10.819 Rather than the social shame he could have subjected her to, he's wanting to protect her 00:08:10.819 --> 00:08:15.540 and her family as well as his own honor wherever he can. 00:08:16.500 --> 00:08:21.240 I've got to tell you, that's a good idea as far as plans go. 00:08:21.240 --> 00:08:25.639 From a just man, as the text indicates. 00:08:27.120 --> 00:08:30.019 But God has other ideas. 00:08:31.199 --> 00:08:32.940 Maybe you can relate to this too. 00:08:33.120 --> 00:08:37.360 Boy, I've had a lot of good ideas God didn't go along with. 00:08:38.220 --> 00:08:39.279 You may have had some. 00:08:39.980 --> 00:08:43.200 Plans that seemed thoughtful of others and myself. 00:08:44.279 --> 00:08:49.019 Ways of handling situations I thought God would surely want to do. 00:08:49.019 --> 00:08:56.279 Paths of least resistance that would minimize disruption, avoid shame, soothe potential conflict. 00:08:56.439 --> 00:08:59.139 I mean, it doesn't get much better than that for a guy like me, right? 00:08:59.139 --> 00:09:01.000 You can do all those things in one plan. 00:09:03.319 --> 00:09:08.000 If you want to make God laugh, tell him about your plans, right? 00:09:09.600 --> 00:09:13.000 Noted theologian Woody Allen got that one right. 00:09:13.000 --> 00:09:27.159 God is about to call Joseph to something harder, more painful, and more glorious than he could even imagine in this moment. 00:09:27.259 --> 00:09:35.159 He's going to call him to trust God's sovereign plan over his own good idea. 00:09:35.159 --> 00:09:44.319 And I, for one, need to be honest enough to say how hard it is when God interrupts my new good idea plan too. 00:09:45.860 --> 00:09:49.179 Things are starting to feel a bit unstable here, out of control. 00:09:49.299 --> 00:09:51.319 I just want normalcy back. 00:09:51.500 --> 00:09:54.399 God, I'm trying to do the right thing here, okay? 00:09:54.399 --> 00:09:59.139 And the angel recognizes that fear in Joseph. 00:10:00.559 --> 00:10:01.559 Verse 20. 00:10:02.179 --> 00:10:03.559 What does he say to Joseph? 00:10:04.399 --> 00:10:11.379 Son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife. 00:10:12.139 --> 00:10:14.539 Do not fear, Joseph. 00:10:16.439 --> 00:10:17.620 Don't be afraid. 00:10:18.079 --> 00:10:19.740 And angels say that a lot, don't they? 00:10:19.740 --> 00:10:24.019 Because angels are not little nativity figurines like you may have seen. 00:10:24.100 --> 00:10:25.860 They are warriors of light. 00:10:26.960 --> 00:10:29.299 Messengers from Yahweh himself. 00:10:29.759 --> 00:10:32.600 They're scary when they show up and you don't expect them. 00:10:33.259 --> 00:10:35.000 So they're often saying, do not fear. 00:10:35.139 --> 00:10:38.080 But why is he saying it here? 00:10:38.159 --> 00:10:40.240 It's not, don't be afraid of me, Joseph. 00:10:40.240 --> 00:10:44.379 But don't be afraid to take Mary as your wife. 00:10:44.539 --> 00:10:49.120 He's asking Joseph to involve himself in the scandal in an ongoing way. 00:10:49.120 --> 00:10:51.620 To take more of the shame on himself. 00:10:51.779 --> 00:10:54.919 To make a decision most of his town will not understand. 00:10:55.299 --> 00:10:58.460 Or will explain incorrectly to Joseph's shame. 00:10:59.120 --> 00:11:04.259 Joseph is afraid of the shame he would have to endure. 00:11:05.100 --> 00:11:06.480 He sees this disruption. 00:11:06.799 --> 00:11:10.320 To be honest, he doesn't know how much more lies ahead. 00:11:10.779 --> 00:11:14.120 This child, Jesus, is not just disrupting now, 00:11:14.299 --> 00:11:16.539 but he's going to continue to interrupt. 00:11:16.539 --> 00:11:22.919 He's going to cause this small town carpenter to move his family out of the country 00:11:22.919 --> 00:11:25.959 when they flee for their lives to Egypt. 00:11:26.419 --> 00:11:30.860 He's going to bring confusion into his lives of these first time parents 00:11:30.860 --> 00:11:36.039 when he's at the temple and they expect him to be with them traveling back home. 00:11:36.819 --> 00:11:40.360 Jesus interrupts our lives, doesn't he? 00:11:40.360 --> 00:11:44.740 He enters in and asks us to follow him. 00:11:44.899 --> 00:11:49.519 Saying no to other people and things and saying yes to him. 00:11:50.899 --> 00:11:52.560 Can you relate to those emotions? 00:11:53.460 --> 00:11:53.779 Fear? 00:11:55.120 --> 00:11:55.740 Anxiety? 00:11:56.320 --> 00:11:57.639 Confusion, perhaps? 00:11:58.519 --> 00:12:00.220 When your life is interrupted. 00:12:00.620 --> 00:12:04.980 When God asks you to do something that will cost you. 00:12:04.980 --> 00:12:08.019 That will interrupt your life. 00:12:08.019 --> 00:12:12.460 That will change your very reasonable plans. 00:12:14.440 --> 00:12:18.159 When I considered that this week, my first reaction was, 00:12:18.600 --> 00:12:24.539 yeah, but I've never had an angel show up and command me to do something in a dream. 00:12:24.539 --> 00:12:32.199 But then I remembered a situation when someone who'd wounded me asked to come and talk to me 00:12:32.199 --> 00:12:36.059 to reconcile, to apologize to me. 00:12:36.259 --> 00:12:42.879 And I remember in my hurt, in the stress that had caused that in this situation, 00:12:43.039 --> 00:12:44.500 my thought was no. 00:12:45.659 --> 00:12:52.199 I decided to move on without deep relationship with them. 00:12:52.200 --> 00:12:58.140 And the Holy Spirit kept bringing Ephesians 4 to my mind. 00:12:58.720 --> 00:13:01.560 Bear with each other and forgive one another. 00:13:01.920 --> 00:13:05.020 Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 00:13:06.420 --> 00:13:11.840 God often speaks to us as clearly in his word as he does through angels. 00:13:12.660 --> 00:13:14.020 If we'll listen to it. 00:13:14.960 --> 00:13:15.240 Forgive. 00:13:16.980 --> 00:13:20.400 Yeah, but they don't really understand how this impacted me. 00:13:20.399 --> 00:13:22.679 And I don't know if they'll really change. 00:13:22.759 --> 00:13:25.899 And it could cost me time and reputation to be friends again. 00:13:26.100 --> 00:13:31.279 And it was as though the Holy Spirit just kept nudging my finger back. 00:13:32.240 --> 00:13:35.860 Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 00:13:38.399 --> 00:13:43.000 Joseph didn't have to forgive Mary for a sin here. 00:13:43.000 --> 00:13:51.860 But to restore the relationship, he did have to bear the weight of a shame that wasn't his, 00:13:51.960 --> 00:13:58.139 which is very similar to forgiveness and very costly like forgiveness. 00:13:59.740 --> 00:14:05.940 Is there someone God's calling you to forgive, to restore relationship with? 00:14:05.940 --> 00:14:09.660 But do you know how embarrassing it will be to take him back? 00:14:09.740 --> 00:14:11.220 Do you know how deeply she has hurt me? 00:14:12.720 --> 00:14:16.040 Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 00:14:18.740 --> 00:14:22.620 Joseph's picture of his future family has been thrown off, hasn't it? 00:14:23.460 --> 00:14:25.920 A son who's not mine right now? 00:14:26.000 --> 00:14:26.780 I'm not ready. 00:14:26.880 --> 00:14:27.640 That will be different. 00:14:27.740 --> 00:14:28.580 That will be costly. 00:14:28.720 --> 00:14:29.780 I don't even know all the ways. 00:14:29.779 --> 00:14:36.059 And God has told us to love our neighbors as ourselves. 00:14:36.759 --> 00:14:41.279 Welcome the hurting, marginalized, and oppressed as he does. 00:14:42.500 --> 00:14:46.480 Has he been calling your family perhaps to foster? 00:14:47.839 --> 00:14:49.100 To adopt? 00:14:50.339 --> 00:14:54.779 To welcome another child into your life that you hadn't planned for? 00:14:55.360 --> 00:14:58.659 To welcome a widow into your home? 00:14:58.659 --> 00:15:01.279 To welcome a refugee into your family? 00:15:02.480 --> 00:15:05.240 To move to another country or another neighborhood? 00:15:07.000 --> 00:15:14.279 I don't know specifically how for each of you he might disrupt your perfect family picture. 00:15:15.500 --> 00:15:20.279 But I do know he tells us to love our neighbors as ourselves. 00:15:20.279 --> 00:15:28.740 Not almost as much as we love ourselves and our kids, but as we love ourselves. 00:15:29.620 --> 00:15:37.220 For the sake of his kingdom and the work he is doing in this world, God calls us to give sacrificially. 00:15:38.159 --> 00:15:41.799 When it costs us an ideal Christmas or social status. 00:15:42.639 --> 00:15:44.679 He calls us to obey faithfully. 00:15:45.279 --> 00:15:46.860 When it costs us a promotion. 00:15:46.860 --> 00:15:49.419 He calls us to honor him with our bodies. 00:15:50.200 --> 00:15:51.919 When it costs us a relationship. 00:15:52.740 --> 00:15:55.419 He calls us to trust him. 00:15:56.639 --> 00:15:58.659 When it costs us our plan. 00:15:59.480 --> 00:16:00.980 In the respect of others. 00:16:03.360 --> 00:16:06.360 In different ways, our lives have been interrupted. 00:16:06.360 --> 00:16:11.879 And we have to decide whether heeding God's call is worth the cost. 00:16:12.100 --> 00:16:13.800 Whether we will trust him. 00:16:15.300 --> 00:16:19.220 You feel Joseph's angst again for just a minute before we move on. 00:16:19.620 --> 00:16:25.159 It's there in verse 20 as Joseph considered these things. 00:16:25.320 --> 00:16:27.600 That Greek word is full of emotion. 00:16:28.100 --> 00:16:29.139 Of frustration. 00:16:29.919 --> 00:16:30.360 Of angst. 00:16:31.240 --> 00:16:34.180 He was feeling as he considered this situation. 00:16:34.179 --> 00:16:37.120 He's ready to have the interruption set aside. 00:16:37.459 --> 00:16:40.359 He's finally settled into moving ahead with his plan. 00:16:40.859 --> 00:16:46.500 And God interrupts and calls him to a path of costly obedience. 00:16:47.179 --> 00:16:49.620 For the sake of his kingdom. 00:16:51.079 --> 00:16:57.859 I don't know if my controlling, safe, rut loving personality. 00:16:58.859 --> 00:17:00.059 Could have handled it. 00:17:00.059 --> 00:17:03.219 But Joseph does. 00:17:03.879 --> 00:17:05.559 You know how this story ends, right? 00:17:05.599 --> 00:17:06.279 Let's skip ahead. 00:17:06.379 --> 00:17:07.419 This is quick and simple. 00:17:07.899 --> 00:17:08.799 Verse 24. 00:17:10.240 --> 00:17:13.700 When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him. 00:17:13.759 --> 00:17:16.859 He took his wife, but knew her not until she'd given birth to a son. 00:17:16.899 --> 00:17:18.399 And he called his name Jesus. 00:17:18.960 --> 00:17:24.099 With apparently no hesitation, he wakes up and obeys the angel. 00:17:24.099 --> 00:17:31.159 He faithfully reverses course, marries Mary, demonstrates self-control in the relationship, 00:17:31.379 --> 00:17:34.919 and names the child Jesus as he has been instructed to do. 00:17:38.079 --> 00:17:39.879 Now it's stated briefly. 00:17:41.359 --> 00:17:48.219 But you and I know how difficult that decision of obedience must have been for Joseph. 00:17:48.220 --> 00:17:56.420 Joseph's not going to get a lot of attention in the gospel accounts, but here his big moment ends well. 00:17:56.980 --> 00:18:04.319 God called him into service for the kingdom at great cost to himself, and he obeys as Mary did last week. 00:18:04.319 --> 00:18:11.220 The crux of the passage, then, is why? 00:18:12.899 --> 00:18:21.279 Who or what prompts a guy in his kind of situation with this kind of interruption to be faithful? 00:18:21.579 --> 00:18:23.500 To respond in obedience? 00:18:24.159 --> 00:18:26.859 And if the focus is not Joseph, then who is it? 00:18:28.039 --> 00:18:29.779 That's where we see the turning point. 00:18:29.779 --> 00:18:36.220 The crux of this whole passage is what the angel tells Joseph in his dream, isn't it? 00:18:37.180 --> 00:18:38.680 It's all about Jesus. 00:18:40.019 --> 00:18:49.240 Jesus' presence and his saving mission is the only thing that allows interrupted Joseph to move forward faithfully. 00:18:50.119 --> 00:18:55.460 Knowing God's sovereign plan is not merely to interrupt our lives, 00:18:55.460 --> 00:19:03.039 but truly to meet our deepest need is what enables us to trust him in the disruption. 00:19:04.539 --> 00:19:07.259 Listen into the angel talking to Joseph. 00:19:09.019 --> 00:19:18.299 Joseph, Mary will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins. 00:19:18.299 --> 00:19:22.700 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet. 00:19:23.180 --> 00:19:31.159 Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which means God with us. 00:19:32.700 --> 00:19:38.839 God with us, Joseph, and not to destroy us, but to save us. 00:19:39.659 --> 00:19:41.500 Give him the name Jesus. 00:19:41.500 --> 00:19:45.180 Jesus, Yahweh saves. 00:19:46.259 --> 00:19:56.099 Because finally, the promised one is coming who will do what all the blood of all the bulls and goats for centuries was never able to do. 00:19:56.400 --> 00:20:00.400 He will truly save his people from their sins. 00:20:00.619 --> 00:20:06.880 He'll bring them back into a relationship with their father, the holy God who's been behind the curtain. 00:20:06.880 --> 00:20:13.080 God has come to be with you, Joseph, in this baby. 00:20:13.560 --> 00:20:20.140 And he will save you and many others from your sins. 00:20:21.780 --> 00:20:30.100 See, Joseph, your biggest problem is not this life interruption right now. 00:20:30.099 --> 00:20:40.339 Your biggest problem is not Roman oppression that disrupts your life day in and day out so that you can never have any power or control over your life at all. 00:20:40.980 --> 00:20:51.439 No, your biggest problem is one inside of you that not even your good ideas, your best plans can fix. 00:20:51.440 --> 00:21:03.259 Our culture, and sadly, many churches these days tell us in one form or fashion that our biggest problem is outside of us. 00:21:04.019 --> 00:21:06.500 It's somewhere, something, someone else. 00:21:07.240 --> 00:21:10.660 And the solution is inside of us. 00:21:11.820 --> 00:21:17.019 The gospel says our biggest problem is inside of us. 00:21:17.019 --> 00:21:22.139 Sinful hearts bent away from God and toward ourselves. 00:21:22.139 --> 00:21:25.859 And the solution is outside us. 00:21:26.500 --> 00:21:35.079 God entering into our lives, yes, in a disruptive way to save us from our sins. 00:21:36.059 --> 00:21:39.740 Kids, did you know that's why the baby Jesus came at Christmas? 00:21:40.259 --> 00:21:45.079 It wasn't just so that you could have a fun reason to celebrate an open presence once a year. 00:21:45.139 --> 00:21:45.700 Did you know that? 00:21:45.700 --> 00:21:55.319 Kids, the baby Jesus came at Christmas as a gift from God to you. 00:21:55.480 --> 00:21:57.480 The best gift ever. 00:21:57.580 --> 00:21:59.580 The one you most needed. 00:21:59.980 --> 00:22:04.180 Jesus came to live for you and die for you. 00:22:04.759 --> 00:22:08.140 To pay the penalty for your sins. 00:22:08.259 --> 00:22:09.019 You know what that is? 00:22:09.600 --> 00:22:10.180 Death. 00:22:10.180 --> 00:22:18.320 Jesus came to die and then to heal, to fix your broken relationship with God. 00:22:18.799 --> 00:22:21.360 That you couldn't even know Him or be with Him. 00:22:21.700 --> 00:22:25.259 And Jesus came so that you could be with God forever. 00:22:25.620 --> 00:22:27.019 Do you know John 3.16? 00:22:27.200 --> 00:22:28.820 Any of you ever heard John 3.16? 00:22:30.420 --> 00:22:32.080 Parents, you ever heard John 3.16? 00:22:32.240 --> 00:22:32.799 Oh, okay. 00:22:32.799 --> 00:22:33.599 I knew there were more of you. 00:22:34.659 --> 00:22:36.859 God so loved the world. 00:22:37.000 --> 00:22:41.539 He loved you so much that He gave. 00:22:41.819 --> 00:22:42.619 It's a gift. 00:22:43.619 --> 00:22:47.119 He gave you His only Son. 00:22:47.119 --> 00:22:58.419 That whoever believes in Him would not perish, would not die forever, but would have eternal life, would live forever. 00:22:58.699 --> 00:23:01.099 That's what Christmas is about, kids. 00:23:01.379 --> 00:23:04.199 That's actually why we give gifts to each other. 00:23:04.279 --> 00:23:04.899 Did you know that? 00:23:05.419 --> 00:23:08.859 Why you open presents and get presents for other people? 00:23:08.859 --> 00:23:16.500 It's because we're celebrating the best gift ever that God gave to us. 00:23:18.039 --> 00:23:20.439 That's what we most need. 00:23:23.219 --> 00:23:24.959 That's what we most need. 00:23:25.779 --> 00:23:27.699 You've told your kids that, haven't you? 00:23:27.700 --> 00:23:38.680 But how often, when circumstances get hard in your life, are you convinced that fixing them is what you most need? 00:23:39.559 --> 00:23:47.759 That what you really need is the difficult circumstances to change, the complicated problem to go away, the disruption to disappear. 00:23:47.759 --> 00:23:59.559 God says to Joseph, listen, I'm doing something here bigger than fixing your situation, bigger than dealing with your interruption. 00:24:00.019 --> 00:24:03.220 I'm securing your eternity, Joseph. 00:24:03.859 --> 00:24:04.799 Don't you love that? 00:24:04.900 --> 00:24:08.359 It's a simple but rich statement in his name. 00:24:08.359 --> 00:24:16.839 His primary mission is not to achieve social change, although the good news certainly impacts and transforms society. 00:24:17.759 --> 00:24:24.480 It's not to teach moral reformation, although Jesus certainly helps us know how God created us to live. 00:24:25.619 --> 00:24:26.440 But what? 00:24:27.400 --> 00:24:32.619 To save his people from their sins. 00:24:33.279 --> 00:24:38.379 In fact, it says he will save his people from their sins. 00:24:38.379 --> 00:24:42.559 He never fails to save even when we fail to obey. 00:24:42.559 --> 00:24:48.379 He accomplishes a full and free salvation. 00:24:48.639 --> 00:24:56.559 Not merely the possibility of salvation for some people out there somewhere who might trust him and have their sins forgiven, 00:24:56.879 --> 00:25:04.179 but a certain salvation, complete forgiveness for those people, his people who are close to his heart. 00:25:04.259 --> 00:25:10.460 He brings them back into relationship with his father who has their names written on the palm of his hand. 00:25:10.460 --> 00:25:14.160 And that's what this child does. 00:25:14.779 --> 00:25:24.620 When God moves miraculously to bring his son to the world, to walk and talk and live and die with us, 00:25:25.200 --> 00:25:30.579 he's not just coming to improve your life a bit so you're more comfortable for a few years. 00:25:31.039 --> 00:25:31.620 He's not. 00:25:31.860 --> 00:25:33.000 It's bigger than that. 00:25:33.000 --> 00:25:43.119 He's coming to rescue you from eternal death and give you eternal life to save you from your sins so you're with him forever. 00:25:43.799 --> 00:25:44.779 That's why he comes. 00:25:46.359 --> 00:25:48.079 That's who the baby in the manger is. 00:25:48.079 --> 00:25:51.740 His father faithfully names him Jesus. 00:25:52.839 --> 00:25:59.720 And he so, so faithfully saves his people from their sins. 00:25:59.720 --> 00:26:04.339 So, let me connect the dots here at the end. 00:26:05.420 --> 00:26:09.799 So, Joseph, you can trust me. 00:26:11.640 --> 00:26:15.100 I'm taking care of your deepest need. 00:26:15.600 --> 00:26:20.819 So when I lead you into the uncomfortable circumstance, you can follow me. 00:26:20.819 --> 00:26:30.439 You can bear the cost of restoring relationship with Mary because I am paying the cost to restore relationship with you. 00:26:33.279 --> 00:26:40.519 One Christmas, my grandmother decided that she wasn't well enough to get out and shop for us for Christmas presents. 00:26:40.519 --> 00:26:47.240 So she sent us a check for $500 with a note that said, 00:26:47.879 --> 00:26:52.619 Will, will you get presents for each of the girls and something nice for the whole family? 00:26:53.259 --> 00:26:56.299 So I called my grandmother to thank her for that. 00:26:56.460 --> 00:26:59.639 And she said, can you can you afford to do that? 00:26:59.859 --> 00:27:04.660 Can you afford to get something nice, a nice dress or a new toy for each of the girls? 00:27:04.660 --> 00:27:05.160 Yeah. 00:27:05.160 --> 00:27:06.040 Can you afford to get our girls? 00:27:06.040 --> 00:27:07.960 Yeah. 00:27:10.220 --> 00:27:11.300 Yeah, Grandma. 00:27:12.400 --> 00:27:14.300 We absolutely can. 00:27:15.640 --> 00:27:17.540 Thanks to your generosity. 00:27:18.500 --> 00:27:20.420 Maybe you forgot what you sent us. 00:27:21.880 --> 00:27:30.360 It's not that it costs us nothing to get our girls a gift, but with what you've given us, we can afford it. 00:27:30.359 --> 00:27:40.879 It's not that it costs you nothing to forgive someone else, but with your biggest need taken care of, you can afford it. 00:27:41.240 --> 00:27:44.819 You have the resources of forgiveness to share. 00:27:46.539 --> 00:27:56.319 It's not that it costs you nothing to love your neighbor, but with your family's biggest need taken care of, 00:27:56.319 --> 00:28:01.539 with your family's eternity secured through his gracious love. 00:28:02.879 --> 00:28:04.259 You can afford it. 00:28:05.079 --> 00:28:09.039 You have resources of love to share. 00:28:10.960 --> 00:28:18.279 I hate to admit this, but I need my life and my plans interrupted. 00:28:19.279 --> 00:28:21.599 To deepen my relationship with God. 00:28:21.599 --> 00:28:26.039 To draw me into the glories of his kingdom work. 00:28:26.740 --> 00:28:32.039 I've even hesitantly, I'll admit, started praying for that this week. 00:28:33.079 --> 00:28:34.379 Maybe we all should. 00:28:35.599 --> 00:28:43.079 Oftentimes, it's the interruptions to our lives that allow us to be part of his greatest kingdom progress 00:28:43.079 --> 00:28:46.079 that are actually genuinely painful. 00:28:46.079 --> 00:28:49.460 The circumstances truly disruptive. 00:28:49.619 --> 00:28:53.439 The price of obedience, significantly costly. 00:28:54.960 --> 00:28:56.299 You felt that. 00:28:57.240 --> 00:28:58.919 And God is saying to us, 00:28:59.799 --> 00:29:01.019 you can trust me. 00:29:02.079 --> 00:29:03.960 Look at the baby in the manger. 00:29:04.199 --> 00:29:08.159 I'm with you, and I will never leave you. 00:29:08.419 --> 00:29:12.179 I'm rescuing you so you can be with me forever. 00:29:12.180 --> 00:29:16.620 You can afford to trust me in this pain, too. 00:29:17.140 --> 00:29:19.860 In this sacrifice, too. 00:29:20.519 --> 00:29:24.160 In this interruption, too. 00:29:25.200 --> 00:29:28.180 This table says that same thing. 00:29:28.500 --> 00:29:36.120 This table reminds us that our biggest problem is inside us. 00:29:36.119 --> 00:29:46.079 It's so big, in fact, that the Son of God had to come and give his life in order to deal with it. 00:29:46.179 --> 00:29:48.319 We couldn't handle it ourselves. 00:29:49.519 --> 00:29:55.439 And it also reminds us, this table also reminds us that he has come, 00:29:55.759 --> 00:30:02.159 and he has been the solution from outside of us to deal with our biggest problem. 00:30:02.160 --> 00:30:08.840 That he has met our greatest need in giving his life in our place. 00:30:10.200 --> 00:30:11.720 His blood. 00:30:12.480 --> 00:30:13.500 His body. 00:30:14.340 --> 00:30:17.120 Given for us on the cross. 00:30:17.480 --> 00:30:21.400 So that we can come and talk about our sin, 00:30:21.779 --> 00:30:25.000 and confess our sin in a service like this, 00:30:25.300 --> 00:30:26.759 and rejoice. 00:30:26.759 --> 00:30:32.920 And actually sing, God, make you merry, gentlemen, 00:30:33.299 --> 00:30:35.819 and let nothing you dismay. 00:30:36.099 --> 00:30:37.220 No circumstance. 00:30:37.599 --> 00:30:40.420 Nothing make you afraid. 00:30:41.099 --> 00:30:41.420 Why? 00:30:42.079 --> 00:30:48.779 Because Christ, our Savior, was born and lived and died, 00:30:48.980 --> 00:30:50.119 and so there's hope. 00:30:51.039 --> 00:30:52.440 There's comfort. 00:30:53.759 --> 00:30:54.839 There's joy. 00:30:54.839 --> 00:31:04.000 There's really hard things. 00:31:07.419 --> 00:31:09.459 I can't look at y'all while I talk about this. 00:31:11.379 --> 00:31:13.199 In a lot of your lives right now. 00:31:16.299 --> 00:31:21.059 And there's a really good Savior who loves you. 00:31:21.059 --> 00:31:24.460 If the Father sent him for you, 00:31:24.819 --> 00:31:27.139 how will he not also, along with him, 00:31:27.279 --> 00:31:29.759 graciously give you all things? 00:31:38.519 --> 00:31:40.319 I think I can break it with one hand. 00:31:40.319 --> 00:31:46.259 The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, 00:31:46.399 --> 00:31:46.899 took bread. 00:31:47.939 --> 00:31:48.899 And he broke it. 00:31:49.819 --> 00:31:50.740 Better than I did. 00:31:52.899 --> 00:31:54.839 He gave it to his disciples and said, 00:31:54.960 --> 00:31:55.299 Take. 00:31:56.059 --> 00:31:56.460 Eat. 00:31:57.599 --> 00:31:58.899 This is my body. 00:31:59.799 --> 00:32:00.799 Broken for you. 00:32:01.399 --> 00:32:03.419 Do this in remembrance of me. 00:32:03.420 --> 00:32:06.539 And after supper he took the cup and said, 00:32:06.720 --> 00:32:08.980 This cup is the new covenant in my blood. 00:32:09.340 --> 00:32:11.940 Shed for many for the forgiveness of sins. 00:32:12.400 --> 00:32:14.039 To take care of your biggest problem. 00:32:14.700 --> 00:32:15.340 Drink from it. 00:32:15.840 --> 00:32:16.440 All of you. 00:32:18.180 --> 00:32:19.200 If you know him. 00:32:20.580 --> 00:32:24.279 If he's come to pay the penalty for your sins. 00:32:24.759 --> 00:32:28.080 Come and rejoice in the joy of the gospel. 00:32:28.079 --> 00:32:31.139 If you hear that and it sounds like a good idea, 00:32:31.220 --> 00:32:32.980 but you haven't actually trusted Jesus, 00:32:33.359 --> 00:32:37.339 don't come to these elements that are just a sign of who he is. 00:32:37.639 --> 00:32:39.299 Come and talk to us about Jesus. 00:32:39.759 --> 00:32:41.500 We want you to know Jesus. 00:32:41.699 --> 00:32:43.019 You can still come forward. 00:32:43.119 --> 00:32:43.859 We'll pray with you. 00:32:43.960 --> 00:32:44.639 Talk with you. 00:32:45.919 --> 00:32:47.099 But come to Jesus. 00:32:48.259 --> 00:32:51.699 And know life and fullness of forgiveness in him. 00:32:51.799 --> 00:32:53.339 Let's pray and then we'll come to this table. 00:32:54.579 --> 00:32:55.559 Jesus, thank you. 00:32:55.559 --> 00:33:00.799 For a reminder for us this morning of how great your love is. 00:33:01.700 --> 00:33:05.279 That you would come all the way here to us. 00:33:08.460 --> 00:33:09.740 To live for us. 00:33:10.099 --> 00:33:11.000 That we'd have your record. 00:33:11.159 --> 00:33:12.059 To die for us. 00:33:12.139 --> 00:33:13.440 That you'd take our sins. 00:33:14.139 --> 00:33:16.220 That we might be with you forever. 00:33:16.740 --> 00:33:19.940 Would you use these elements to write that truth on our hearts. 00:33:20.039 --> 00:33:21.839 To remind us and strengthen our faith. 00:33:21.919 --> 00:33:23.000 That we'll believe it again. 00:33:23.339 --> 00:33:24.480 Or for the first time. 00:33:24.480 --> 00:33:26.000 In Jesus name. 00:33:27.039 --> 00:33:27.420 Amen. 00:33:54.480 --> 00:33:55.880 escapes. 00:33:56.620 --> 00:33:56.839 He cares. 00:33:57.039 --> 00:33:57.180 He cares. 00:33:57.819 --> 00:33:57.860 Theyéfono 00:33:58.039 --> 00:33:58.640 and He cares. 00:33:58.860 --> 00:33:59.000 They perceber him 00:33:59.099 --> 00:33:59.559 not well. 00:33:59.579 --> 00:34:00.579 Sheng he cares. 00:34:00.819 --> 00:34:01.819 And he cares. 00:34:11.980 --> 00:34:12.219 Tschendete