WEBVTT

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 It was 1857 when John Hopkins first published the carol that we know as We Three Kings.

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 It became a classic carol.

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 Perhaps you sung it at some point.

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 I don't think we sang it in our congregational singing,

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 but perhaps you have reflected on it at some point this month.

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 It walks us through the details of this particular text,

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 but there are a couple of discrepancies with the hymn that are worth noting.

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 The first one being that the men, the journeymen in this particular story, were not kings.

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 It's not who they were.

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 It's a different word that's used to describe that we translate as wise men.

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 Really, the word is magi.

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 They weren't kingly figures per se.

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 So that's the first discrepancy.

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 The other is that it's really unlikely that there were only three of them.

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 There probably were actually much more than just three.

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 But both of these notes in the carol, it comes from the emphasis on the three gifts

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 that they open up and give to the baby Jesus or the toddler Jesus,

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 however old he might have been at the time that they arrived.

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 There were three of them, gold and frankincense and myrrh.

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 And so John Hopkins associates these men as being kings

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 because the gifts that were given were very, very valuable.

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 They were extremely valuable, actually.

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 So valuable that these are the kind of things that would have really only belonged to or been given to kings.

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 And so he associates these men, perhaps they're kings.

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 The reason he says that there might be three of them is because there were three gifts.

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 And of course, we know that we can think that through and understand that that's not exactly what the text says.

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 Could have been three.

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 Probably was a lot more than that, actually, at this particular moment.

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 So there's some discrepancies in the carol, not to ruin it for you.

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 But though it may be a bit off, there are at least two kings in this text.

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 One was obsessed with preserving his power, going so far as to even execute all the male children,

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 two and under, in Bethlehem, in the region around Bethlehem,

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 just in his attempt to preserve his own position of authority and power over the people.

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 The other one couldn't have been more different than that.

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 The other king in this text is the one that Paul would later say in Philippians chapter 2,

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 did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, a thing to hold on to at all costs,

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 but instead humbled himself, became a servant, was made in the likeness of men.

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 One murdered innocent people to maintain his place,

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 while the other one, the truly innocent one, laid down his life for the guilty.

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 Mark, after church last Sunday, came up and he told me a joke, and I found it funny,

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 especially coming from Mark.

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 He had a great joke, and he said,

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 what's the difference between Santa and Jesus?

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 I really don't know what's the difference.

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 And he said, he said,

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 Santa brings gifts to all the people who are nice.

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 Jesus brings his gift to all the people who are naughty.

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 And that's exactly true, isn't it?

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 That's really what the gospel is.

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 Herod, on one hand, he murders innocent people in order to preserve his power.

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 Jesus, one with God the Father and God the Spirit,

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 leaves the throne of heaven, takes on humanity,

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 suffers in our place,

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 not for the nice ones and the ones who did all the good things this year.

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 He actually did that for sinners,

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 for the naughty ones.

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 And as we'll see throughout our study,

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 one of these kings brought tremendous trouble.

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 One of them actually brought exceedingly great joy.

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 Now here's the approach I want to take to the passage.

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 I think there's three potential responses to the advent of the Christ,

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 to the birth of the King.

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 Three potential responses to Jesus that are revealed or exposed in this particular text.

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 Each one has a distinct outcome,

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 but only one of them results in true and lasting joy.

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 And I want us to take a few minutes to consider each of these responses.

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 And in the process of doing that,

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 examine our own hearts to see which one of these responses most characterizes our own.

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 Here's the first one.

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 We want to look at those who are threatened by the King.

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 Those who are threatened by the King.

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 This comes in the first four verses.

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 I know we've read it twice already,

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 but it's just my habit to keep reading it.

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 So let's just read those four verses again.

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 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the King,

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 wise men from the east came to Jerusalem saying,

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 Where is he who has been born King of the Jews?

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 We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.

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 And when Herod the King heard this,

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 he was troubled and all Jerusalem with him.

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 So he assembled all the chief priests and scribes,

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 inquiring of them where the Christ was to be born.

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 Herod the Great is how we know this man historically.

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 He ruled over Israel for about 40 years under the authority of Rome.

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 And he's really known for two things.

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 He's known for building tremendous buildings.

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 He had all kinds of fortresses.

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 He's responsible for even the amazing architectural achievement

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 that was the temple in Jerusalem for the Jews at that particular time.

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 And he's known for that.

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 He's regarded for the things that he built.

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 The other thing that he's known for is murdering anyone that he saw as a threat to his own power.

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 He was a murderous man.

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 In fact, he was personally responsible for the murder of hundreds,

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 if not thousands, of individuals,

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 including his wife, his mother-in-law,

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 which maybe some of you could understand.

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 Three of his sons,

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 all because he felt like they were a threat to his own power.

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 This was his legacy, really, of his own time.

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 And he knew that.

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 He knew it so intently that he ordered and arranged

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 that hundreds of the notable men in Israel and Jerusalem

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 be gathered in the Hippodrome on the day that his own death was announced

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 so that in Jerusalem the people would weep

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 rather than celebrate on the day of his death.

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 That's what he was known for.

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 He knew it.

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 He was a vile man, a wicked man,

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 ruthlessly taking the lives of others that he perceived as threatening.

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 Well, it's no surprise then that Herod was troubled

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 when he heard that this group of magi from the east were in town

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 and the thing that they were asking for

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 was the birthplace of this new king of the Jews.

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 Herod hears that and he says,

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 Wait a minute.

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 I'm the king of the Jews.

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 Who is this that they're looking for that they say is the new king of the Jews?

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 And it's also no surprise that everyone else in Jerusalem was troubled

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 by what Herod might have done as a result of this inquiry.

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 Notice what the text says.

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 Herod is troubled.

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 And because Herod is troubled, everyone else in Jerusalem is troubled too

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 because they know what he's capable of.

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 And certainly those worries and troubling thoughts were warranted.

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 And so this section, these first four verses,

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 they really show us the first of our three responses.

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 And it's this.

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 Herod says,

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 Those who are threatened by the king are full of trouble.

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 They're troubled by him.

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 Now Herod's response actually reveals the credibility of Jesus' threat.

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 If he didn't think that Jesus could indeed be one who would dethrone him,

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 there would have been no reason for him to do what he did.

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 He legitimately perceived Jesus as a threat.

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 And he immediately understood that the one the wise men were searching for was not just any child.

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 He understood enough about the Jewish scriptures to know they're asking about the child,

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 the one who would actually be capable of dethroning him.

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 That's why he gathers all the experts.

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 It's not the experts that come to Herod and say,

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 This might be the Christ.

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 Let's look at the scriptures and see what they say.

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 It's Herod that goes to the experts.

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 And he says,

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 Tell me, where is it that the Christ has been said to be born in the scriptures?

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 If what the wise men suggested was true,

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 this baby was a genuine threat to Herod's rule.

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 And so his response to that threat was to eliminate it at all cost.

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 That was his goal.

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 Now, the application of this is not just limited to rulers of nations,

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 of counties and cities or whatever it may be.

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 This isn't just about politics here.

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 Those who are determined to be the supreme ruler of their own lives

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 will always find Jesus to be a threat.

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 Always.

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 And the insistence on Jesus as Messiah will always be troubling.

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 It will always upset them.

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 The demand of his lordship and of his kingship over each and every one of us

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 will be something that they deny and reject vehemently.

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 Think about this for just a moment.

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 It's not hard to see it.

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 Consider the secularist for just a moment.

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 Have you ever wondered why they carry so much vitriol so often

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 towards something that they insist isn't actually true?

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 There are so many more crazy things to believe in this world than the Christian religion.

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 And yet, talk of Jesus is the thing that they routinely label even as dangerous.

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 Some going so far as to write that to put your faith as a Christian before your children

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 is tantamount to child abuse in some occasions.

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 Why such hatefulness toward this?

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 If it's not true, why make such a big fuss about it?

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 And I think the answer for that, at least in some sense,

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 must be the same that it was for Herod.

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 Jesus is a threat to our personal kingdom.

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 And when we have a threat to our own personal autonomy,

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 a threat to our own personal kingdom,

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 our reaction is to eliminate that threat at all costs.

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 But it's not just secularists here.

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 That's not the only thing that we see.

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 What about those who attempt to blend somehow the rule of Jesus

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 with their own personal autonomy and their own rule over their life?

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 They're just as troubled by the insistence of the Scripture on the things of Christ.

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 They don't mind coming alongside and being religious to some extent,

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 but in order to do that, they have to dethrone Jesus to some extent,

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 primarily by rejecting and denying any of Jesus' teachings

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 that they feel are intolerable

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 or go against what it is that they truly want out of their lives.

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 He becomes a threat.

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 So they must bring the threat down.

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 And what do we find by this?

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 Those who are threatened by the King,

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 they really have no joy.

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 There's no real joy in their life

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 because any time Jesus comes up, it troubles them.

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 It's painful for them.

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 It's frustrating for them.

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 They are utterly troubled in heart.

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 But that's not the only response we see here.

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 We see the extreme response of Herod,

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 those who are threatened by the Christ.

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 Secondly, we see those who are indifferent to the King.

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 Those who are indifferent.

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 Look at verse 5.

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 The chief priest and the scribes told Herod in Bethlehem of Judea,

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 for so it's written of the prophet,

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 by the prophet,

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 and you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,

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 from you shall come a ruler

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 who will shepherd my people, Israel.

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 So the religious leaders here,

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 they reveal the second potential response,

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 which is indifference.

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 Think about the men that Herod has gathered.

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 They knew the scriptures better than anybody else in Israel.

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 And they immediately knew the right answer

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 to Herod's question.

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 As soon as he brings them in and he says,

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 where is it that the scriptures say

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 the Christ is to be born?

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 I would imagine they were all,

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 perhaps in unison, said,

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 Bethlehem.

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 This is what Micah says.

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 This is, it must be Bethlehem.

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 But what's fascinating about their response

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 is not that they knew the answer.

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 What's fascinating about their response

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 is that they did nothing about

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 the possibility

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 that the Christ might have come.

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 Think about this.

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 What was the purpose in them studying the scriptures?

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 In order to learn who God is,

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 in order to live a life that was pleasing to God,

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 they're all looking for this coming Savior

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 and King and Messiah.

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 And now these men have come.

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 They're troubling the whole city now

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 because they're saying,

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 we saw this supernatural sign.

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 We think that the Messiah is here.

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 Where might we find him?

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 They know the answer.

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 And then they did nothing.

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 Nothing.

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 We're not even told of a routine inquiry

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 into the suggestion of the wise men.

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 These men traveled perhaps hundreds of miles

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 over many months to visit this child.

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 And the spiritual leaders in Jerusalem,

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 they couldn't make a six-mile walk

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 to Bethlehem just to ask around?

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 You know, if they had,

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 I wonder who they might have come across.

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 Maybe they had come across

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 that group of shepherds

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 who on the night of Jesus' birth

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 just happened to be out in the field

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 and had this amazing experience

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 with the heavenly host

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 who immediately rushed in

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 and found this baby in a manger

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 and worshiped him.

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 Maybe they would have found those men

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 and those men may have given

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 a little credibility

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 to what even the wise men had said.

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 Maybe they had bumped into a few others

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 who said, yeah,

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 we heard about this thing.

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 It's really quite amazing.

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 We're not sure what to think about it.

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 We don't see anything about that.

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 Douglas Sean O'Donnell says it this way.

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 What is surprising

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 is that they did nothing with the answer.

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 Unlike these foreigners

00:15:48.740 --> 00:15:50.939
 who traversed afar

00:15:50.939 --> 00:15:52.559
 over field and mountain,

00:15:52.820 --> 00:15:54.500
 moor and fountain,

00:15:55.179 --> 00:15:56.960
 these religious experts

00:15:56.960 --> 00:15:58.299
 pushed their buzzer,

00:15:58.960 --> 00:15:59.980
 won their prize,

00:16:00.539 --> 00:16:02.299
 and went back to bury their heads

00:16:02.299 --> 00:16:03.200
 in the Word of God.

00:16:03.919 --> 00:16:04.899
 As Paul put it,

00:16:05.840 --> 00:16:07.500
 they were always learning

00:16:07.500 --> 00:16:10.639
 and never able to arrive

00:16:10.639 --> 00:16:12.460
 at a knowledge of the truth.

00:16:13.519 --> 00:16:15.659
 They were as indifferent to Jesus

00:16:15.659 --> 00:16:17.539
 as the priest and Levite

00:16:17.539 --> 00:16:20.159
 were to the bruised and battered man

00:16:20.159 --> 00:16:21.740
 in the parable of a good Samaritan.

00:16:22.519 --> 00:16:24.360
 That's really what's intriguing here,

00:16:24.399 --> 00:16:24.699
 isn't it?

00:16:25.759 --> 00:16:28.039
 It's not what the leaders did.

00:16:28.100 --> 00:16:29.319
 It's what they didn't do.

00:16:30.079 --> 00:16:31.339
 Which brings to life

00:16:31.339 --> 00:16:32.620
 something that John says

00:16:32.620 --> 00:16:34.219
 at the beginning of his gospel.

00:16:34.360 --> 00:16:35.939
 In John chapter 1 and verse 11,

00:16:36.039 --> 00:16:36.399
 he says,

00:16:36.819 --> 00:16:38.559
 Jesus came to his own

00:16:38.559 --> 00:16:40.019
 and his own

00:16:40.019 --> 00:16:42.099
 did not receive him.

00:16:44.219 --> 00:16:45.899
 Now, of the three responses

00:16:45.899 --> 00:16:47.139
 as we're thinking through

00:16:47.139 --> 00:16:48.759
 potential applications

00:16:48.759 --> 00:16:49.639
 for our own lives,

00:16:50.079 --> 00:16:51.379
 of the three responses

00:16:51.379 --> 00:16:52.000
 we're covering,

00:16:52.500 --> 00:16:53.759
 this is the one that I think

00:16:53.759 --> 00:16:54.699
 is the most common.

00:16:55.539 --> 00:16:56.979
 I think it's probably the one

00:16:56.979 --> 00:16:57.599
 that most of us

00:16:57.599 --> 00:16:58.619
 will be familiar with.

00:16:58.620 --> 00:17:01.500
 Because churches like ours

00:17:01.500 --> 00:17:03.919
 are absolutely full of people

00:17:03.919 --> 00:17:04.880
 just like this.

00:17:06.839 --> 00:17:08.019
 People that can answer

00:17:08.019 --> 00:17:08.819
 all the trivia

00:17:08.819 --> 00:17:10.160
 about who Jesus is.

00:17:10.240 --> 00:17:10.759
 They can tell you

00:17:10.759 --> 00:17:11.359
 where he was born.

00:17:11.460 --> 00:17:12.779
 They can maybe even point you

00:17:12.779 --> 00:17:13.920
 and connect all the dots

00:17:13.920 --> 00:17:15.279
 that Matthew begins to connect

00:17:15.279 --> 00:17:16.460
 in his gospel.

00:17:16.680 --> 00:17:18.119
 But when you really get to know them

00:17:18.119 --> 00:17:19.319
 and you begin to talk to them,

00:17:19.380 --> 00:17:20.200
 you find out that

00:17:20.200 --> 00:17:21.420
 the truth of Christ

00:17:21.420 --> 00:17:22.500
 and the potential

00:17:22.500 --> 00:17:23.779
 of this gospel message

00:17:23.779 --> 00:17:25.940
 has really had no real impact

00:17:25.940 --> 00:17:26.680
 on their lives.

00:17:26.680 --> 00:17:29.920
 They know all the things,

00:17:30.279 --> 00:17:32.100
 but it doesn't really

00:17:32.100 --> 00:17:33.259
 mean anything to them.

00:17:33.320 --> 00:17:34.799
 It hasn't done anything

00:17:34.799 --> 00:17:36.259
 in them.

00:17:38.299 --> 00:17:39.460
 They're basically

00:17:39.460 --> 00:17:41.320
 indifferent.

00:17:43.160 --> 00:17:45.100
 And those who are relatively

00:17:45.100 --> 00:17:46.580
 indifferent to Jesus,

00:17:47.259 --> 00:17:49.240
 they're not troubled by him

00:17:49.240 --> 00:17:50.820
 the way Herod is troubled by him.

00:17:50.820 --> 00:17:52.019
 They're not troubled by him

00:17:52.019 --> 00:17:52.860
 in the same way

00:17:52.860 --> 00:17:54.180
 that people who feel

00:17:54.180 --> 00:17:55.539
 the immediate threat

00:17:55.539 --> 00:17:57.399
 that Jesus imposes

00:17:57.399 --> 00:17:59.559
 to their own personal life.

00:18:00.779 --> 00:18:01.579
 After all,

00:18:01.659 --> 00:18:02.940
 they generally do

00:18:02.940 --> 00:18:03.759
 most of the things

00:18:03.759 --> 00:18:04.579
 that good Christians

00:18:04.579 --> 00:18:05.440
 are supposed to do.

00:18:06.399 --> 00:18:07.000
 But,

00:18:07.399 --> 00:18:09.539
 they've never truly experienced

00:18:10.240 --> 00:18:11.180
 the joy

00:18:11.180 --> 00:18:13.500
 of knowing him either.

00:18:17.559 --> 00:18:18.159
 Generally,

00:18:18.539 --> 00:18:20.440
 they're content with that.

00:18:21.399 --> 00:18:22.779
 They do the things,

00:18:22.920 --> 00:18:23.779
 they say the prayers,

00:18:23.779 --> 00:18:25.139
 they attend the services,

00:18:25.139 --> 00:18:27.639
 they do good works,

00:18:27.700 --> 00:18:28.539
 they do their best

00:18:28.539 --> 00:18:29.440
 and they try their hardest,

00:18:29.579 --> 00:18:30.980
 but there's really not been

00:18:30.980 --> 00:18:32.359
 any joy to be found

00:18:32.359 --> 00:18:33.240
 in Christ for them.

00:18:34.039 --> 00:18:34.319
 Why?

00:18:35.480 --> 00:18:36.379
 Because basically,

00:18:36.539 --> 00:18:37.039
 they're indifferent.

00:18:37.839 --> 00:18:38.779
 They know the things,

00:18:39.099 --> 00:18:40.420
 but they don't know him.

00:18:41.940 --> 00:18:42.639
 But what's to come

00:18:42.639 --> 00:18:43.259
 of these people?

00:18:44.359 --> 00:18:44.539
 Well,

00:18:44.559 --> 00:18:45.539
 if you go to chapter 3

00:18:45.539 --> 00:18:46.519
 and you start to read

00:18:46.519 --> 00:18:47.319
 a little bit of

00:18:47.319 --> 00:18:48.500
 John the Baptist,

00:18:48.680 --> 00:18:49.779
 you'll see John the Baptist

00:18:49.779 --> 00:18:50.660
 referred to them

00:18:50.660 --> 00:18:52.060
 as chaff,

00:18:52.720 --> 00:18:54.840
 an empty shell

00:18:54.840 --> 00:18:57.120
 that only appears

00:18:57.120 --> 00:18:58.000
 for a season

00:18:58.000 --> 00:18:59.620
 to be the real thing.

00:19:01.000 --> 00:19:01.900
 And John said,

00:19:02.019 --> 00:19:02.519
 ultimately,

00:19:02.700 --> 00:19:04.019
 they'll face Jesus' judgment.

00:19:04.759 --> 00:19:05.840
 Look at Matthew 3,

00:19:05.940 --> 00:19:06.460
 verse 12.

00:19:07.080 --> 00:19:08.000
 John says this,

00:19:09.000 --> 00:19:10.740
 Jesus' winnowing fork

00:19:10.740 --> 00:19:12.160
 is in his hand.

00:19:12.240 --> 00:19:13.540
 This is an agriculture

00:19:13.540 --> 00:19:14.200
 illustration.

00:19:14.360 --> 00:19:15.259
 His winnowing fork

00:19:15.259 --> 00:19:16.080
 is in his hand

00:19:16.079 --> 00:19:17.439
 and he will clear

00:19:17.439 --> 00:19:18.579
 his threshing floor.

00:19:19.039 --> 00:19:20.199
 He will gather

00:19:20.199 --> 00:19:21.759
 his wheat into the barn,

00:19:22.059 --> 00:19:23.740
 but the chaff

00:19:23.740 --> 00:19:25.359
 he will burn

00:19:25.359 --> 00:19:27.639
 with unquenchable fire.

00:19:30.220 --> 00:19:31.579
 Those who are threatened

00:19:31.579 --> 00:19:32.220
 by Jesus

00:19:32.220 --> 00:19:33.879
 and those who are

00:19:33.879 --> 00:19:35.059
 indifferent to Jesus

00:19:35.059 --> 00:19:37.139
 have very different

00:19:37.139 --> 00:19:38.939
 dispositions toward him,

00:19:39.539 --> 00:19:41.000
 but ultimately,

00:19:41.220 --> 00:19:42.619
 they face the same fate.

00:19:42.619 --> 00:19:47.899
 they don't experience

00:19:47.899 --> 00:19:48.419
 the joy

00:19:48.419 --> 00:19:49.639
 of eternal salvation.

00:19:51.159 --> 00:19:51.739
 Rather,

00:19:51.879 --> 00:19:52.559
 they must

00:19:52.559 --> 00:19:53.659
 settle

00:19:53.659 --> 00:19:55.000
 for whatever

00:19:55.000 --> 00:19:56.079
 fleeting moments

00:19:56.079 --> 00:19:56.779
 of happiness

00:19:56.779 --> 00:19:57.539
 they're privileged

00:19:57.539 --> 00:19:58.719
 to experience now.

00:20:00.359 --> 00:20:01.599
 But there is something

00:20:01.599 --> 00:20:02.339
 far better

00:20:02.339 --> 00:20:03.479
 than this for us,

00:20:03.599 --> 00:20:04.879
 which brings us

00:20:04.879 --> 00:20:06.359
 to the final response.

00:20:06.899 --> 00:20:07.559
 There are those

00:20:07.559 --> 00:20:08.279
 who are threatened

00:20:08.279 --> 00:20:08.959
 by the king.

00:20:09.359 --> 00:20:10.139
 There are those

00:20:10.139 --> 00:20:10.939
 who are indifferent

00:20:10.939 --> 00:20:11.839
 to the king

00:20:11.839 --> 00:20:13.359
 finally there are

00:20:13.359 --> 00:20:14.240
 those who come

00:20:14.240 --> 00:20:16.000
 and genuinely

00:20:16.000 --> 00:20:18.779
 worship the king.

00:20:19.939 --> 00:20:20.819
 Verse 7,

00:20:20.899 --> 00:20:21.480
 Herod summoned

00:20:21.480 --> 00:20:22.519
 the wise men secretly.

00:20:23.079 --> 00:20:23.959
 He ascertained

00:20:23.959 --> 00:20:24.279
 from them

00:20:24.279 --> 00:20:24.959
 what time the star

00:20:24.959 --> 00:20:25.500
 had appeared

00:20:25.500 --> 00:20:26.740
 and he sent them

00:20:26.740 --> 00:20:27.439
 to Bethlehem

00:20:27.439 --> 00:20:27.679
 saying,

00:20:27.839 --> 00:20:28.559
 Go and search

00:20:28.559 --> 00:20:29.299
 for the child

00:20:29.299 --> 00:20:30.399
 and when you found him

00:20:30.399 --> 00:20:31.699
 come and let me know

00:20:31.699 --> 00:20:33.399
 so I can worship him too.

00:20:34.639 --> 00:20:35.299
 After listening

00:20:35.299 --> 00:20:35.859
 to the king

00:20:35.859 --> 00:20:36.679
 they went on their way

00:20:36.679 --> 00:20:37.879
 and behold the star

00:20:37.879 --> 00:20:39.459
 that they had seen

00:20:39.459 --> 00:20:40.039
 when it rose

00:20:40.039 --> 00:20:41.179
 it went before them again

00:20:41.180 --> 00:20:42.560
 until it rested

00:20:42.560 --> 00:20:43.360
 over the place

00:20:43.360 --> 00:20:44.420
 where the child was.

00:20:45.700 --> 00:20:46.400
 And when they saw

00:20:46.400 --> 00:20:46.980
 this star

00:20:46.980 --> 00:20:48.740
 they rejoiced

00:20:48.740 --> 00:20:49.600
 exceedingly

00:20:49.600 --> 00:20:51.420
 with great joy.

00:20:53.279 --> 00:20:54.279
 Not because of

00:20:54.279 --> 00:20:55.440
 the star itself

00:20:55.440 --> 00:20:57.920
 but because of

00:20:57.920 --> 00:20:58.560
 what the star

00:20:58.560 --> 00:20:59.680
 was leading them to

00:20:59.680 --> 00:21:00.299
 at least what they

00:21:00.299 --> 00:21:01.560
 believed the star

00:21:01.560 --> 00:21:02.460
 was leading them to.

00:21:03.900 --> 00:21:05.200
 And going into the house

00:21:05.200 --> 00:21:06.039
 they saw the child

00:21:06.039 --> 00:21:06.840
 with Mary his mother

00:21:06.840 --> 00:21:08.060
 and what did they do?

00:21:08.200 --> 00:21:08.960
 They fell down

00:21:08.960 --> 00:21:10.120
 and they worshipped him.

00:21:11.680 --> 00:21:12.340
 They opened

00:21:12.340 --> 00:21:12.900
 their treasures.

00:21:13.819 --> 00:21:14.759
 They offered him gifts

00:21:14.759 --> 00:21:16.539
 gold and frankincense

00:21:16.539 --> 00:21:18.059
 and murder.

00:21:18.680 --> 00:21:19.299
 It's quite a different

00:21:19.299 --> 00:21:20.559
 reaction from the other two.

00:21:21.980 --> 00:21:22.900
 Let's talk for just

00:21:22.900 --> 00:21:23.600
 a moment again

00:21:23.600 --> 00:21:24.900
 about who these men were.

00:21:25.960 --> 00:21:26.960
 Wise men translates

00:21:26.960 --> 00:21:28.000
 a Greek word

00:21:28.000 --> 00:21:29.180
 that we would say

00:21:29.180 --> 00:21:30.279
 is magi

00:21:30.279 --> 00:21:32.299
 which is linguistically

00:21:32.299 --> 00:21:33.840
 connected to magic

00:21:33.840 --> 00:21:35.180
 or magician

00:21:35.180 --> 00:21:36.680
 that kind of gives us

00:21:36.680 --> 00:21:37.500
 an understanding

00:21:37.500 --> 00:21:39.340
 of what these men

00:21:39.340 --> 00:21:39.920
 were like.

00:21:40.560 --> 00:21:42.060
 The term initially

00:21:42.060 --> 00:21:43.779
 referred to those

00:21:43.779 --> 00:21:44.860
 in Persia

00:21:44.860 --> 00:21:46.620
 who were experts

00:21:46.620 --> 00:21:47.740
 in Persian

00:21:47.740 --> 00:21:49.060
 and Babylonian mysteries.

00:21:49.900 --> 00:21:50.360
 Eventually

00:21:50.360 --> 00:21:51.039
 it took on

00:21:51.039 --> 00:21:52.039
 a broader meaning

00:21:52.039 --> 00:21:53.200
 and really was used

00:21:53.200 --> 00:21:54.000
 to refer to

00:21:54.000 --> 00:21:55.320
 people who were

00:21:55.320 --> 00:21:56.340
 immersed in

00:21:56.340 --> 00:21:57.259
 magic

00:21:57.259 --> 00:21:58.539
 or astrology

00:21:58.539 --> 00:21:59.940
 the interpretation

00:21:59.940 --> 00:22:01.100
 of dreams

00:22:01.100 --> 00:22:03.820
 studies of sacred

00:22:03.820 --> 00:22:04.420
 writings

00:22:04.420 --> 00:22:05.779
 and so on.

00:22:05.779 --> 00:22:06.700
 A good biblical

00:22:06.700 --> 00:22:07.160
 parallel

00:22:07.160 --> 00:22:07.660
 if you're looking

00:22:07.660 --> 00:22:08.240
 to see

00:22:08.240 --> 00:22:08.759
 who would these

00:22:08.759 --> 00:22:09.420
 people match

00:22:09.420 --> 00:22:10.039
 at other places

00:22:10.039 --> 00:22:10.559
 in the Bible

00:22:10.559 --> 00:22:11.359
 you might go

00:22:11.359 --> 00:22:11.680
 to the book

00:22:11.680 --> 00:22:12.299
 of Exodus

00:22:12.299 --> 00:22:13.399
 and you see

00:22:13.399 --> 00:22:14.319
 the sorcerers

00:22:14.319 --> 00:22:14.879
 who Pharaoh

00:22:14.879 --> 00:22:16.299
 used to mimic

00:22:16.299 --> 00:22:17.619
 the works

00:22:17.619 --> 00:22:18.240
 and the powers

00:22:18.240 --> 00:22:18.799
 of Moses.

00:22:19.240 --> 00:22:20.559
 This would probably

00:22:20.559 --> 00:22:21.920
 be somewhat

00:22:21.920 --> 00:22:22.859
 in line

00:22:22.859 --> 00:22:24.700
 with the background

00:22:24.700 --> 00:22:25.619
 of these men

00:22:25.619 --> 00:22:27.339
 and of course

00:22:27.339 --> 00:22:28.220
 perhaps coming

00:22:28.220 --> 00:22:29.619
 from the Babylonian

00:22:29.619 --> 00:22:30.700
 era

00:22:30.700 --> 00:22:32.279
 where they were

00:22:32.279 --> 00:22:32.960
 introduced to the

00:22:32.960 --> 00:22:33.519
 things of the

00:22:33.519 --> 00:22:34.299
 Hebrew beliefs.

00:22:34.299 --> 00:22:35.359
 So the identity

00:22:35.359 --> 00:22:36.059
 of these men

00:22:36.059 --> 00:22:36.539
 is unique

00:22:36.539 --> 00:22:37.240
 in the incarnation

00:22:37.240 --> 00:22:37.919
 narrative.

00:22:39.220 --> 00:22:40.980
 They were Gentiles

00:22:40.980 --> 00:22:42.619
 whose lives

00:22:42.619 --> 00:22:43.259
 were linked

00:22:43.259 --> 00:22:43.859
 to things

00:22:43.859 --> 00:22:46.440
 that are expressly

00:22:46.440 --> 00:22:46.879
 forbidden

00:22:46.879 --> 00:22:47.599
 in the scriptures.

00:22:48.339 --> 00:22:49.419
 Yet they're

00:22:49.419 --> 00:22:49.859
 the ones

00:22:49.859 --> 00:22:50.639
 in the story

00:22:50.639 --> 00:22:52.440
 who ultimately

00:22:52.440 --> 00:22:53.339
 experienced

00:22:53.339 --> 00:22:54.220
 the joy

00:22:54.220 --> 00:22:55.339
 that came

00:22:55.339 --> 00:22:56.079
 with the advent

00:22:56.079 --> 00:22:56.879
 of the Christ.

00:22:57.960 --> 00:22:58.819
 Now many people

00:22:58.819 --> 00:22:59.440
 believe that

00:22:59.440 --> 00:23:00.180
 their interest

00:23:00.180 --> 00:23:00.799
 in the Hebrew

00:23:00.799 --> 00:23:01.220
 scriptures

00:23:01.220 --> 00:23:02.660
 is the lasting

00:23:02.660 --> 00:23:03.519
 result of

00:23:03.519 --> 00:23:04.440
 Daniel's

00:23:04.440 --> 00:23:05.339
 influence

00:23:05.339 --> 00:23:06.380
 in Babylon.

00:23:06.600 --> 00:23:06.880
 You remember

00:23:06.880 --> 00:23:07.980
 Daniel ruled

00:23:07.980 --> 00:23:08.660
 as a Hebrew

00:23:08.660 --> 00:23:09.860
 over Babylon

00:23:09.860 --> 00:23:11.079
 and even Persia

00:23:11.079 --> 00:23:11.839
 with King Darius

00:23:11.839 --> 00:23:12.539
 for many,

00:23:12.680 --> 00:23:12.920
 many,

00:23:12.920 --> 00:23:13.740
 many years

00:23:13.740 --> 00:23:15.220
 and his influence

00:23:15.220 --> 00:23:16.120
 was certainly

00:23:16.120 --> 00:23:17.039
 lasting there

00:23:17.039 --> 00:23:17.440
 and perhaps

00:23:17.440 --> 00:23:18.019
 that's how

00:23:18.019 --> 00:23:18.579
 they became

00:23:18.579 --> 00:23:19.420
 familiar

00:23:19.420 --> 00:23:20.220
 with the Hebrew

00:23:20.220 --> 00:23:20.660
 Bible

00:23:20.660 --> 00:23:21.140
 and some

00:23:21.140 --> 00:23:21.860
 of the prophecies

00:23:21.860 --> 00:23:22.539
 that are in it.

00:23:23.400 --> 00:23:24.600
 But their reason

00:23:24.600 --> 00:23:25.299
 for looking

00:23:25.299 --> 00:23:26.940
 for and following

00:23:26.940 --> 00:23:27.720
 a star

00:23:27.720 --> 00:23:29.440
 is not actually

00:23:29.440 --> 00:23:30.079
 very clear

00:23:30.079 --> 00:23:30.779
 in the scriptures.

00:23:31.779 --> 00:23:32.600
 Most people

00:23:32.600 --> 00:23:33.339
 suggest that

00:23:33.339 --> 00:23:34.100
 it probably

00:23:34.100 --> 00:23:35.079
 came from

00:23:35.079 --> 00:23:36.700
 Balaam's prophecy

00:23:36.700 --> 00:23:37.279
 in Numbers

00:23:37.279 --> 00:23:38.140
 chapter 24

00:23:38.140 --> 00:23:39.319
 which says this,

00:23:39.480 --> 00:23:40.200
 I see him

00:23:40.200 --> 00:23:41.240
 but not now,

00:23:41.380 --> 00:23:42.220
 I behold him

00:23:42.220 --> 00:23:43.000
 but not near,

00:23:43.380 --> 00:23:44.200
 a star

00:23:44.200 --> 00:23:44.940
 shall come out

00:23:44.940 --> 00:23:45.380
 of Jacob

00:23:45.380 --> 00:23:46.759
 and a scepter

00:23:46.759 --> 00:23:47.539
 shall rise

00:23:47.539 --> 00:23:48.240
 out of Israel.

00:23:48.720 --> 00:23:49.259
 Now there's

00:23:49.259 --> 00:23:49.900
 no doubt

00:23:49.900 --> 00:23:50.980
 that Balaam's prophecy

00:23:50.980 --> 00:23:51.720
 has to do

00:23:51.720 --> 00:23:52.980
 with the forthcoming

00:23:52.980 --> 00:23:53.500
 Messiah.

00:23:54.180 --> 00:23:54.940
 But it's not

00:23:54.940 --> 00:23:55.880
 entirely clear

00:23:55.880 --> 00:23:56.840
 if the star

00:23:56.840 --> 00:23:57.320
 that Balaam

00:23:57.320 --> 00:23:57.840
 talks about

00:23:57.840 --> 00:23:58.120
 is meant

00:23:58.120 --> 00:23:58.620
 to be taken

00:23:58.620 --> 00:23:59.260
 literally here.

00:23:59.380 --> 00:24:00.380
 I'm not so sure

00:24:00.380 --> 00:24:00.960
 that it is.

00:24:01.060 --> 00:24:01.980
 I guess it's possible.

00:24:02.660 --> 00:24:03.080
 Many people

00:24:03.080 --> 00:24:04.060
 have suggested that

00:24:04.060 --> 00:24:04.960
 but the text

00:24:04.960 --> 00:24:06.040
 doesn't tell us that.

00:24:07.060 --> 00:24:07.960
 Now here's my hang up.

00:24:09.000 --> 00:24:09.380
 Matthew

00:24:09.380 --> 00:24:11.780
 is very much

00:24:11.780 --> 00:24:12.500
 concerned

00:24:12.500 --> 00:24:14.420
 with notating

00:24:14.420 --> 00:24:15.840
 when something

00:24:15.840 --> 00:24:16.680
 in the narrative

00:24:16.680 --> 00:24:18.860
 actually fulfills

00:24:18.860 --> 00:24:19.660
 an Old Testament

00:24:19.660 --> 00:24:20.260
 prophecy.

00:24:20.720 --> 00:24:21.180
 He does it

00:24:21.180 --> 00:24:21.860
 at least

00:24:21.860 --> 00:24:23.260
 six different times

00:24:23.260 --> 00:24:23.780
 in the first

00:24:23.780 --> 00:24:24.500
 three chapters

00:24:24.500 --> 00:24:25.440
 alone

00:24:25.440 --> 00:24:26.279
 of his gospel.

00:24:26.940 --> 00:24:27.700
 But he doesn't

00:24:27.700 --> 00:24:28.319
 do it here.

00:24:29.700 --> 00:24:30.359
 And the reason

00:24:30.359 --> 00:24:30.960
 I think

00:24:30.960 --> 00:24:32.000
 is because

00:24:32.000 --> 00:24:32.839
 they're searching

00:24:32.839 --> 00:24:33.700
 for a star

00:24:33.700 --> 00:24:34.240
 and noticing

00:24:34.240 --> 00:24:34.759
 of a star

00:24:34.759 --> 00:24:35.660
 I don't think

00:24:35.660 --> 00:24:36.259
 actually had

00:24:36.259 --> 00:24:37.119
 anything to do

00:24:37.119 --> 00:24:38.140
 with prophecy

00:24:38.140 --> 00:24:38.640
 at all.

00:24:39.960 --> 00:24:40.640
 These men

00:24:40.640 --> 00:24:41.480
 were probably

00:24:41.480 --> 00:24:42.740
 astrologers.

00:24:43.359 --> 00:24:43.700
 They were

00:24:43.700 --> 00:24:44.660
 stargazers.

00:24:44.839 --> 00:24:45.799
 They interpreted

00:24:45.799 --> 00:24:47.240
 life and events

00:24:47.240 --> 00:24:49.140
 and future things

00:24:49.140 --> 00:24:49.759
 on the basis

00:24:49.759 --> 00:24:50.460
 of the movements

00:24:50.460 --> 00:24:51.220
 of the stars

00:24:51.220 --> 00:24:51.880
 and the planets

00:24:51.880 --> 00:24:52.559
 much like

00:24:52.559 --> 00:24:54.059
 astrologers might do

00:24:54.059 --> 00:24:55.079
 today.

00:24:55.919 --> 00:24:56.859
 But they were

00:24:56.859 --> 00:24:57.819
 also for some

00:24:57.819 --> 00:24:59.019
 reason compelled

00:24:59.019 --> 00:25:00.539
 by the Hebrew

00:25:00.539 --> 00:25:00.960
 scriptures.

00:25:01.960 --> 00:25:02.960
 So they've got

00:25:02.960 --> 00:25:03.919
 this life

00:25:03.919 --> 00:25:05.200
 in paganism

00:25:05.200 --> 00:25:05.899
 that they live

00:25:05.899 --> 00:25:06.960
 out but then

00:25:06.960 --> 00:25:07.839
 they've also got

00:25:07.839 --> 00:25:08.700
 somehow this

00:25:08.700 --> 00:25:09.839
 fascination

00:25:09.839 --> 00:25:10.419
 with the Hebrew

00:25:10.419 --> 00:25:11.059
 scripture that

00:25:11.059 --> 00:25:11.619
 talks about

00:25:11.619 --> 00:25:12.819
 a coming Messiah

00:25:12.819 --> 00:25:13.539
 and king

00:25:13.539 --> 00:25:14.579
 and these two

00:25:14.579 --> 00:25:15.240
 things start to

00:25:15.240 --> 00:25:16.159
 collide together.

00:25:16.659 --> 00:25:17.899
 So God then

00:25:17.899 --> 00:25:19.720
 supernaturally

00:25:19.720 --> 00:25:21.039
 I think that's

00:25:21.039 --> 00:25:22.039
 clear in the text

00:25:22.039 --> 00:25:22.839
 certainly Matthew

00:25:22.839 --> 00:25:23.600
 believes this is

00:25:23.600 --> 00:25:24.299
 a supernatural

00:25:24.299 --> 00:25:24.779
 event.

00:25:24.779 --> 00:25:26.120
 He sends a star

00:25:26.120 --> 00:25:26.880
 that grabs

00:25:26.880 --> 00:25:27.579
 their attention

00:25:27.579 --> 00:25:28.880
 they associate

00:25:28.880 --> 00:25:29.600
 it somehow

00:25:29.600 --> 00:25:30.039
 with this

00:25:30.039 --> 00:25:30.740
 coming Messiah

00:25:30.740 --> 00:25:31.700
 and they pack

00:25:31.700 --> 00:25:32.299
 up their bags

00:25:32.299 --> 00:25:32.759
 and they head

00:25:32.759 --> 00:25:33.460
 toward Jerusalem.

00:25:34.400 --> 00:25:35.259
 It takes them

00:25:35.259 --> 00:25:35.799
 however long

00:25:35.799 --> 00:25:36.259
 it takes to

00:25:36.259 --> 00:25:36.660
 get there

00:25:36.660 --> 00:25:37.620
 and eventually

00:25:37.620 --> 00:25:38.140
 they get there

00:25:38.140 --> 00:25:38.759
 not having seen

00:25:38.759 --> 00:25:39.440
 the star again

00:25:39.440 --> 00:25:39.940
 and then after

00:25:39.940 --> 00:25:40.700
 this conversation

00:25:40.700 --> 00:25:41.220
 with Herod

00:25:41.220 --> 00:25:42.839
 suddenly the star

00:25:42.839 --> 00:25:43.700
 that they had

00:25:43.700 --> 00:25:44.480
 noticed before

00:25:44.480 --> 00:25:45.620
 appears again.

00:25:45.900 --> 00:25:46.460
 There's something

00:25:46.460 --> 00:25:47.360
 supernatural

00:25:47.359 --> 00:25:49.559
 happening in that

00:25:49.559 --> 00:25:52.819
 and what I think

00:25:52.819 --> 00:25:53.779
 is happening here

00:25:53.779 --> 00:25:55.919
 is a demonstration

00:25:55.919 --> 00:25:58.099
 of God's

00:25:58.099 --> 00:25:59.839
 sovereign work

00:25:59.839 --> 00:26:01.799
 to bring even

00:26:01.799 --> 00:26:03.159
 the most unlikely

00:26:03.159 --> 00:26:03.819
 of people

00:26:03.819 --> 00:26:05.099
 to Christ.

00:26:05.859 --> 00:26:06.919
 I think that's

00:26:06.919 --> 00:26:07.500
 what's happening

00:26:07.500 --> 00:26:07.859
 here.

00:26:09.279 --> 00:26:10.539
 God may even

00:26:10.539 --> 00:26:11.339
 use elements

00:26:11.339 --> 00:26:12.439
 of our sin

00:26:12.439 --> 00:26:14.019
 and confusion

00:26:14.019 --> 00:26:15.419
 to draw us

00:26:15.419 --> 00:26:16.159
 to himself

00:26:16.160 --> 00:26:17.580
 and in the case

00:26:17.580 --> 00:26:18.620
 of these men

00:26:18.620 --> 00:26:20.120
 it resulted

00:26:20.120 --> 00:26:21.519
 in the experience

00:26:21.519 --> 00:26:23.360
 of exceedingly

00:26:23.360 --> 00:26:25.759
 great joy.

00:26:27.259 --> 00:26:27.740
 Now isn't this

00:26:27.740 --> 00:26:28.980
 a marvelous truth

00:26:28.980 --> 00:26:29.500
 of how God

00:26:29.500 --> 00:26:30.480
 works in our lives?

00:26:31.140 --> 00:26:31.720
 Many of you

00:26:31.720 --> 00:26:32.340
 may have a

00:26:32.340 --> 00:26:33.360
 similar testimony.

00:26:33.860 --> 00:26:34.300
 You didn't come

00:26:34.300 --> 00:26:34.740
 to Christ

00:26:34.740 --> 00:26:35.340
 because you were

00:26:35.340 --> 00:26:36.160
 looking for Christ

00:26:36.160 --> 00:26:37.500
 you came to Christ

00:26:37.500 --> 00:26:38.380
 because something

00:26:38.380 --> 00:26:38.960
 in your life

00:26:38.960 --> 00:26:39.560
 wasn't right

00:26:39.560 --> 00:26:40.279
 and the Lord

00:26:40.279 --> 00:26:41.240
 used that thing

00:26:41.240 --> 00:26:42.040
 that wasn't right

00:26:42.040 --> 00:26:42.779
 to put you

00:26:42.779 --> 00:26:43.740
 in just the right

00:26:43.740 --> 00:26:44.800
 place where somebody

00:26:44.800 --> 00:26:45.380
 introduced you

00:26:45.380 --> 00:26:45.940
 to the gospel

00:26:45.940 --> 00:26:46.440
 or you came

00:26:46.440 --> 00:26:46.900
 to a church

00:26:46.900 --> 00:26:47.259
 service

00:26:47.259 --> 00:26:48.200
 or something

00:26:48.200 --> 00:26:48.640
 happened

00:26:48.640 --> 00:26:49.140
 and the Lord

00:26:49.140 --> 00:26:49.720
 was actually

00:26:49.720 --> 00:26:50.960
 using the error

00:26:50.960 --> 00:26:51.740
 of your life

00:26:51.740 --> 00:26:52.900
 the confusion

00:26:52.900 --> 00:26:53.700
 of your life

00:26:53.700 --> 00:26:54.420
 to get you

00:26:54.420 --> 00:26:55.140
 to the truth

00:26:55.140 --> 00:26:56.299
 and I think

00:26:56.299 --> 00:26:56.820
 that's what he's

00:26:56.820 --> 00:26:57.440
 doing with these

00:26:57.440 --> 00:26:57.840
 men.

00:26:58.180 --> 00:26:58.840
 He's drawing

00:26:58.840 --> 00:26:59.400
 them even

00:26:59.400 --> 00:26:59.980
 with their own

00:26:59.980 --> 00:27:00.480
 deception

00:27:00.480 --> 00:27:01.519
 so that he

00:27:01.519 --> 00:27:02.279
 might get them

00:27:02.279 --> 00:27:03.220
 to the truth

00:27:03.220 --> 00:27:04.360
 of the person

00:27:04.360 --> 00:27:05.559
 of Christ.

00:27:06.400 --> 00:27:07.519
 It's amazing.

00:27:08.799 --> 00:27:09.000
 Now

00:27:09.000 --> 00:27:10.600
 the Magi

00:27:10.600 --> 00:27:11.640
 they weren't

00:27:11.640 --> 00:27:12.019
 threatened

00:27:12.019 --> 00:27:12.820
 by Christ.

00:27:12.819 --> 00:27:14.500
 they were

00:27:14.500 --> 00:27:15.019
 humbled

00:27:15.019 --> 00:27:15.819
 by Christ.

00:27:17.599 --> 00:27:18.339
 They weren't

00:27:18.339 --> 00:27:18.659
 indifferent

00:27:18.659 --> 00:27:19.339
 to Christ.

00:27:20.259 --> 00:27:21.000
 If they were

00:27:21.000 --> 00:27:21.639
 coming from

00:27:21.639 --> 00:27:22.379
 the regions

00:27:22.379 --> 00:27:23.500
 near Babylon

00:27:23.500 --> 00:27:24.000
 like they

00:27:24.000 --> 00:27:24.639
 we think

00:27:24.639 --> 00:27:24.980
 they might

00:27:24.980 --> 00:27:25.480
 have come

00:27:25.480 --> 00:27:26.299
 we're looking

00:27:26.299 --> 00:27:27.159
 at an 800

00:27:27.159 --> 00:27:28.159
 mile journey

00:27:28.159 --> 00:27:29.519
 perhaps on foot

00:27:29.519 --> 00:27:30.759
 many months

00:27:30.759 --> 00:27:31.299
 to actually

00:27:31.299 --> 00:27:32.179
 get to Jerusalem

00:27:32.179 --> 00:27:32.740
 and then

00:27:32.740 --> 00:27:33.919
 perhaps a few

00:27:33.919 --> 00:27:34.599
 weeks longer

00:27:34.599 --> 00:27:35.079
 before they

00:27:35.079 --> 00:27:35.599
 actually figured

00:27:35.599 --> 00:27:35.960
 out to go

00:27:35.960 --> 00:27:36.740
 to Bethlehem

00:27:36.740 --> 00:27:37.139
 or whatever

00:27:37.139 --> 00:27:37.960
 the case

00:27:37.960 --> 00:27:38.279
 may have

00:27:38.279 --> 00:27:38.599
 been.

00:27:38.599 --> 00:27:39.959
 Jesus

00:27:39.959 --> 00:27:40.359
 and his

00:27:40.359 --> 00:27:40.619
 family

00:27:40.619 --> 00:27:41.079
 for some

00:27:41.079 --> 00:27:41.259
 reason

00:27:41.259 --> 00:27:41.699
 are still

00:27:41.699 --> 00:27:42.219
 there

00:27:42.219 --> 00:27:43.899
 and they

00:27:43.899 --> 00:27:44.439
 come in.

00:27:44.619 --> 00:27:45.199
 This is

00:27:45.199 --> 00:27:46.099
 tremendous

00:27:46.099 --> 00:27:46.859
 effort.

00:27:47.879 --> 00:27:48.659
 That's not

00:27:48.659 --> 00:27:49.379
 indifference.

00:27:50.399 --> 00:27:50.939
 It's effort

00:27:50.939 --> 00:27:51.759
 to get to

00:27:51.759 --> 00:27:52.179
 the truth

00:27:52.179 --> 00:27:52.879
 to get to

00:27:52.879 --> 00:27:53.559
 this Christ

00:27:53.559 --> 00:27:54.459
 King

00:27:54.459 --> 00:27:56.119
 and when

00:27:56.119 --> 00:27:56.579
 they get

00:27:56.579 --> 00:27:56.919
 there

00:27:56.919 --> 00:27:58.279
 there's no

00:27:58.279 --> 00:27:58.839
 indifference

00:27:58.839 --> 00:27:59.199
 in their

00:27:59.199 --> 00:27:59.740
 reaction.

00:28:00.399 --> 00:28:00.980
 There's

00:28:00.980 --> 00:28:01.399
 tremendous

00:28:01.399 --> 00:28:02.199
 sacrifice

00:28:02.199 --> 00:28:02.679
 in their

00:28:02.679 --> 00:28:03.179
 reaction.

00:28:04.519 --> 00:28:05.139
 Gold

00:28:05.139 --> 00:28:06.019
 frankincense

00:28:06.019 --> 00:28:06.599
 and myrrh

00:28:06.599 --> 00:28:07.659
 people have

00:28:07.659 --> 00:28:08.219
 tried to make

00:28:08.220 --> 00:28:08.819
 some connections

00:28:08.819 --> 00:28:09.039
 there.

00:28:09.140 --> 00:28:09.680
 Some symbolic

00:28:09.680 --> 00:28:10.120
 connections

00:28:10.120 --> 00:28:10.720
 perhaps there's

00:28:10.720 --> 00:28:11.500
 some the text

00:28:11.500 --> 00:28:12.100
 doesn't tell us

00:28:12.100 --> 00:28:12.319
 that.

00:28:12.579 --> 00:28:12.980
 I think these

00:28:12.980 --> 00:28:13.420
 were gifts

00:28:13.420 --> 00:28:14.039
 meant for a

00:28:14.039 --> 00:28:14.279
 king.

00:28:14.440 --> 00:28:15.039
 This was an

00:28:15.039 --> 00:28:15.600
 acknowledgement

00:28:15.600 --> 00:28:16.160
 that they

00:28:16.160 --> 00:28:16.680
 believed in

00:28:16.680 --> 00:28:17.240
 that moment.

00:28:17.680 --> 00:28:19.059
 This child

00:28:19.059 --> 00:28:20.579
 is the king

00:28:20.579 --> 00:28:21.400
 who is said

00:28:21.400 --> 00:28:22.019
 to come

00:28:22.019 --> 00:28:23.360
 and they

00:28:23.360 --> 00:28:24.079
 sacrifice

00:28:24.079 --> 00:28:24.779
 tremendous

00:28:24.779 --> 00:28:25.420
 wealth

00:28:25.420 --> 00:28:26.140
 and they

00:28:26.140 --> 00:28:26.700
 get on their

00:28:26.700 --> 00:28:27.160
 hands and

00:28:27.160 --> 00:28:27.519
 knees

00:28:27.519 --> 00:28:28.240
 and they

00:28:28.240 --> 00:28:28.759
 worship

00:28:28.759 --> 00:28:30.380
 the child.

00:28:31.240 --> 00:28:31.680
 It's tremendous

00:28:31.680 --> 00:28:32.160
 faith.

00:28:33.600 --> 00:28:34.480
 They came

00:28:34.480 --> 00:28:35.039
 to Jesus

00:28:35.039 --> 00:28:35.920
 based on their

00:28:35.920 --> 00:28:37.000
 faith in what

00:28:37.000 --> 00:28:37.680
 the Bible

00:28:37.680 --> 00:28:38.160
 said.

00:28:38.700 --> 00:28:39.000
 Sound

00:28:39.000 --> 00:28:39.400
 familiar?

00:28:40.079 --> 00:28:40.420
 If you're

00:28:40.420 --> 00:28:40.559
 going to

00:28:40.559 --> 00:28:40.860
 come to

00:28:40.860 --> 00:28:41.360
 Jesus at

00:28:41.360 --> 00:28:41.779
 some point

00:28:41.779 --> 00:28:42.059
 you're going

00:28:42.059 --> 00:28:42.360
 to come

00:28:42.360 --> 00:28:43.140
 because the

00:28:43.140 --> 00:28:43.740
 Bible says

00:28:43.740 --> 00:28:44.180
 so.

00:28:45.259 --> 00:28:46.220
 They come

00:28:46.220 --> 00:28:46.880
 because they've

00:28:46.880 --> 00:28:47.980
 been enamored

00:28:47.980 --> 00:28:48.600
 at some point

00:28:48.600 --> 00:28:48.900
 with the

00:28:48.900 --> 00:28:49.200
 Hebrew

00:28:49.200 --> 00:28:49.559
 scriptures

00:28:49.559 --> 00:28:49.980
 with the

00:28:49.980 --> 00:28:50.319
 Bible.

00:28:50.860 --> 00:28:50.940
 They

00:28:50.940 --> 00:28:51.539
 worshipped

00:28:51.539 --> 00:28:51.860
 at his

00:28:51.860 --> 00:28:52.339
 feet in

00:28:52.339 --> 00:28:52.839
 recognition

00:28:52.839 --> 00:28:53.360
 that he

00:28:53.360 --> 00:28:53.759
 is the

00:28:53.759 --> 00:28:54.299
 true king

00:28:54.299 --> 00:28:54.900
 and Messiah

00:28:54.900 --> 00:28:55.819
 and through

00:28:55.819 --> 00:28:56.620
 this encounter

00:28:56.620 --> 00:28:57.039
 with the

00:28:57.039 --> 00:28:57.920
 Christ they

00:28:57.920 --> 00:28:58.860
 experienced a

00:28:58.860 --> 00:28:59.960
 joy that no

00:28:59.960 --> 00:29:00.539
 one else in

00:29:00.539 --> 00:29:01.000
 this text

00:29:01.000 --> 00:29:01.539
 understood.

00:29:02.900 --> 00:29:03.339
 Herod never

00:29:03.339 --> 00:29:03.860
 had this

00:29:03.860 --> 00:29:04.420
 joy.

00:29:05.120 --> 00:29:05.640
 At least at

00:29:05.640 --> 00:29:06.360
 this moment

00:29:06.360 --> 00:29:07.380
 the Jews in

00:29:07.380 --> 00:29:07.839
 Jerusalem

00:29:08.220 --> 00:29:08.640
 didn't

00:29:08.640 --> 00:29:09.519
 experience this

00:29:09.519 --> 00:29:09.880
 joy.

00:29:11.079 --> 00:29:11.480
 No the

00:29:11.480 --> 00:29:12.420
 Gentile

00:29:12.420 --> 00:29:13.680
 magic

00:29:13.680 --> 00:29:14.640
 stargazers

00:29:14.640 --> 00:29:16.339
 from Babylon

00:29:16.339 --> 00:29:17.279
 they were the

00:29:17.279 --> 00:29:19.039
 ones who

00:29:19.039 --> 00:29:19.900
 experienced the

00:29:19.900 --> 00:29:20.180
 joy.

00:29:21.839 --> 00:29:22.500
 So let me ask you

00:29:22.500 --> 00:29:23.000
 a question.

00:29:25.000 --> 00:29:25.799
 Are you a

00:29:25.799 --> 00:29:26.079
 sinner?

00:29:26.079 --> 00:29:26.400
 Are you a

00:29:26.400 --> 00:29:26.160
 sinner?

00:29:26.160 --> 00:29:30.140
 here to

00:29:30.140 --> 00:29:30.759
 examine your

00:29:30.759 --> 00:29:34.320
 life and the

00:29:34.320 --> 00:29:35.240
 truth outs for

00:29:35.240 --> 00:29:36.340
 you would you

00:29:36.340 --> 00:29:36.840
 just have to

00:29:36.840 --> 00:29:40.240
 say maybe

00:29:40.240 --> 00:29:40.820
 there's people

00:29:40.820 --> 00:29:41.320
 worthy of

00:29:41.320 --> 00:29:41.820
 salvation.

00:29:42.200 --> 00:29:42.900
 I'm not one

00:29:42.900 --> 00:29:43.200
 of them.

00:29:44.360 --> 00:29:45.160
 I match

00:29:45.160 --> 00:29:45.740
 probably a

00:29:45.740 --> 00:29:46.060
 little more

00:29:46.060 --> 00:29:47.480
 closely to

00:29:47.480 --> 00:29:48.200
 these men in

00:29:48.200 --> 00:29:48.519
 the way that

00:29:48.519 --> 00:29:48.980
 I've lived my

00:29:48.980 --> 00:29:49.300
 life.

00:29:50.840 --> 00:29:51.600
 Maybe you're

00:29:51.600 --> 00:29:52.180
 the one that in

00:29:52.180 --> 00:29:52.980
 your family if

00:29:52.980 --> 00:29:53.440
 people were to

00:29:53.440 --> 00:29:54.040
 come over at

00:29:54.040 --> 00:29:54.640
 Christmas and

00:29:54.640 --> 00:29:55.020
 they were to

00:29:55.020 --> 00:29:56.080
 say okay this

00:29:56.080 --> 00:29:56.620
 is the one in

00:29:56.620 --> 00:29:57.300
 our family who's

00:29:57.300 --> 00:29:58.000
 probably going to

00:29:58.000 --> 00:29:59.120
 be most likely to

00:29:59.120 --> 00:30:00.040
 want to think about

00:30:00.040 --> 00:30:00.720
 Christ and talk

00:30:00.720 --> 00:30:01.560
 about Christ and

00:30:01.560 --> 00:30:02.780
 be impacted by the

00:30:02.780 --> 00:30:03.620
 gospel and read Luke

00:30:03.620 --> 00:30:04.540
 chapter 2 before we

00:30:04.540 --> 00:30:05.180
 open up our

00:30:05.180 --> 00:30:05.800
 presents or whatever

00:30:05.800 --> 00:30:06.520
 the thing is that

00:30:06.520 --> 00:30:07.180
 we do.

00:30:07.440 --> 00:30:08.440
 You're the last one

00:30:08.440 --> 00:30:09.000
 that they would say

00:30:09.000 --> 00:30:09.500
 would do it.

00:30:11.500 --> 00:30:12.380
 Well I've got good

00:30:12.380 --> 00:30:13.240
 news for you in

00:30:13.240 --> 00:30:15.020
 this text because

00:30:15.020 --> 00:30:16.759
 these men they were

00:30:16.759 --> 00:30:17.840
 the last ones in all

00:30:17.840 --> 00:30:18.720
 the Christmas story

00:30:18.720 --> 00:30:19.860
 that we would have

00:30:19.860 --> 00:30:21.900
 ever expected would

00:30:21.900 --> 00:30:22.600
 have come to a

00:30:22.599 --> 00:30:23.519
 saving knowledge of

00:30:23.519 --> 00:30:24.319
 Christ and the

00:30:24.319 --> 00:30:26.480
 gospel and yet

00:30:26.480 --> 00:30:26.899
 it's them.

00:30:29.779 --> 00:30:30.699
 This text has

00:30:30.699 --> 00:30:31.599
 great news for all

00:30:31.599 --> 00:30:33.659
 of us that the

00:30:33.659 --> 00:30:36.079
 joy of Jesus is

00:30:36.079 --> 00:30:38.319
 offered to all who

00:30:38.319 --> 00:30:40.039
 will come to him

00:30:40.039 --> 00:30:43.000
 and worship him.

00:30:44.439 --> 00:30:45.419
 Let me conclude

00:30:45.419 --> 00:30:45.939
 this way.

00:30:47.539 --> 00:30:49.139
 All sorts of things

00:30:49.140 --> 00:30:50.680
 can contribute to

00:30:50.680 --> 00:30:52.500
 both our troubling

00:30:52.500 --> 00:30:54.540
 experiences and

00:30:54.540 --> 00:30:55.340
 even our happy

00:30:55.340 --> 00:30:56.960
 experiences in life.

00:30:58.640 --> 00:31:00.300
 Only one thing

00:31:00.300 --> 00:31:02.200
 though can actually

00:31:02.200 --> 00:31:03.300
 bring us genuine

00:31:03.300 --> 00:31:06.480
 joy and that's

00:31:06.480 --> 00:31:06.920
 Jesus.

00:31:07.460 --> 00:31:08.500
 He's the only one.

00:31:10.500 --> 00:31:12.000
 The joy that he

00:31:12.000 --> 00:31:14.080
 brings though it

00:31:14.080 --> 00:31:15.280
 doesn't come merely

00:31:15.280 --> 00:31:16.020
 because of his

00:31:16.020 --> 00:31:16.640
 birth.

00:31:17.020 --> 00:31:17.860
 It doesn't come

00:31:17.859 --> 00:31:18.899
 merely because of

00:31:18.899 --> 00:31:19.479
 his existence.

00:31:20.559 --> 00:31:21.539
 It actually

00:31:21.539 --> 00:31:22.879
 ultimately comes

00:31:22.879 --> 00:31:24.579
 through his death

00:31:24.579 --> 00:31:25.299
 on the cross.

00:31:26.399 --> 00:31:27.279
 That's where the

00:31:27.279 --> 00:31:28.259
 joy comes from.

00:31:29.979 --> 00:31:32.019
 The basis of our

00:31:32.019 --> 00:31:33.219
 joy as Christians

00:31:33.219 --> 00:31:36.259
 is Christ's

00:31:36.259 --> 00:31:38.139
 joy in making

00:31:38.139 --> 00:31:39.099
 an atonement

00:31:39.099 --> 00:31:40.759
 for our sins.

00:31:41.919 --> 00:31:43.059
 Consider Hebrews

00:31:43.059 --> 00:31:44.379
 chapter 12.

00:31:45.259 --> 00:31:46.000
 The writer says

00:31:46.000 --> 00:31:46.839
 we are to look

00:31:46.839 --> 00:31:48.439
 to Jesus who

00:31:48.439 --> 00:31:49.220
 is the founder

00:31:49.220 --> 00:31:50.299
 and perfecter

00:31:50.299 --> 00:31:51.099
 of our faith

00:31:51.099 --> 00:31:52.740
 who for the

00:31:52.740 --> 00:31:54.279
 joy that was

00:31:54.279 --> 00:31:55.819
 set before him

00:31:55.819 --> 00:31:57.839
 endured the

00:31:57.839 --> 00:31:58.500
 cross

00:31:58.500 --> 00:32:00.279
 despising the

00:32:00.279 --> 00:32:01.059
 shame and is

00:32:01.059 --> 00:32:01.799
 seated at the

00:32:01.799 --> 00:32:02.619
 right hand of the

00:32:02.619 --> 00:32:03.319
 throne of God.

00:32:04.059 --> 00:32:04.480
 In other words

00:32:04.480 --> 00:32:04.980
 the writer of

00:32:04.980 --> 00:32:05.740
 Hebrews is saying

00:32:05.740 --> 00:32:07.500
 the death and

00:32:07.500 --> 00:32:08.259
 resurrection of

00:32:08.259 --> 00:32:09.639
 Jesus he pursued

00:32:09.639 --> 00:32:10.619
 that willingly

00:32:10.619 --> 00:32:12.679
 as a pursuit of

00:32:12.679 --> 00:32:13.399
 joy.

00:32:13.400 --> 00:32:15.580
 joy was going to

00:32:15.580 --> 00:32:16.540
 come to him

00:32:16.540 --> 00:32:17.860
 as a result of

00:32:17.860 --> 00:32:18.620
 him laying down

00:32:18.620 --> 00:32:19.220
 his life in

00:32:19.220 --> 00:32:19.700
 this way.

00:32:20.040 --> 00:32:20.360
 And then the

00:32:20.360 --> 00:32:21.160
 writer follows it

00:32:21.160 --> 00:32:21.660
 up in the next

00:32:21.660 --> 00:32:22.220
 verse and he

00:32:22.220 --> 00:32:23.700
 says so consider

00:32:23.700 --> 00:32:25.120
 Jesus who

00:32:25.120 --> 00:32:26.420
 endured from

00:32:26.420 --> 00:32:27.440
 sinners such

00:32:27.440 --> 00:32:29.019
 hostility against

00:32:29.019 --> 00:32:31.620
 himself so that

00:32:31.620 --> 00:32:33.840
 he says you may

00:32:33.840 --> 00:32:34.860
 not grow weary

00:32:34.860 --> 00:32:36.120
 or faint-hearted.

00:32:36.460 --> 00:32:37.380
 Well what's the

00:32:37.380 --> 00:32:38.180
 opposite of weary

00:32:38.180 --> 00:32:38.820
 and faint-hearted?

00:32:38.819 --> 00:32:40.179
 I would say joy

00:32:40.179 --> 00:32:40.759
 is probably a

00:32:40.759 --> 00:32:41.099
 pretty good

00:32:41.099 --> 00:32:41.859
 description of

00:32:41.859 --> 00:32:43.359
 the antonym

00:32:43.359 --> 00:32:43.679
 there.

00:32:44.740 --> 00:32:45.179
 What is the

00:32:45.179 --> 00:32:45.859
 writer saying?

00:32:46.879 --> 00:32:48.939
 Our joy comes

00:32:48.939 --> 00:32:49.700
 from the cross

00:32:49.700 --> 00:32:49.960
 and the

00:32:49.960 --> 00:32:51.659
 resurrection and

00:32:51.659 --> 00:32:52.939
 so does Christ's

00:32:52.939 --> 00:32:53.200
 joy.

00:32:54.439 --> 00:32:55.939
 His joy comes

00:32:55.939 --> 00:32:57.819
 from saving us

00:32:57.819 --> 00:32:59.539
 through his cross

00:32:59.539 --> 00:33:00.879
 and resurrection.

00:33:01.200 --> 00:33:01.919
 It's amazing.

00:33:02.359 --> 00:33:03.039
 He said it all

00:33:03.039 --> 00:33:04.019
 sounds so great.

00:33:04.359 --> 00:33:04.879
 How can I

00:33:04.879 --> 00:33:05.639
 actually have this

00:33:05.639 --> 00:33:06.000
 joy?

00:33:06.359 --> 00:33:06.899
 How can I

00:33:06.899 --> 00:33:07.759
 experience the

00:33:07.759 --> 00:33:08.139
 joy?

00:33:08.819 --> 00:33:09.779
 Well the

00:33:09.779 --> 00:33:10.460
 scriptures tell

00:33:10.460 --> 00:33:11.960
 us that the

00:33:11.960 --> 00:33:13.039
 joy of salvation

00:33:13.039 --> 00:33:14.559
 is not something

00:33:14.559 --> 00:33:15.480
 you can earn.

00:33:16.099 --> 00:33:16.720
 You don't hit a

00:33:16.720 --> 00:33:17.619
 button or go to a

00:33:17.619 --> 00:33:18.179
 certain amount of

00:33:18.179 --> 00:33:19.579
 services or do

00:33:19.579 --> 00:33:20.439
 certain amount of

00:33:20.439 --> 00:33:21.139
 religious things.

00:33:21.460 --> 00:33:23.879
 It's a gift that

00:33:23.879 --> 00:33:24.799
 has to be received

00:33:24.799 --> 00:33:25.659
 and the Bible says

00:33:25.659 --> 00:33:26.539
 that we receive

00:33:26.539 --> 00:33:28.059
 that gift through

00:33:28.059 --> 00:33:29.700
 faith in Jesus.

00:33:30.539 --> 00:33:32.799
 By our faith he

00:33:32.799 --> 00:33:34.039
 transforms our

00:33:34.039 --> 00:33:34.619
 lives.

00:33:35.759 --> 00:33:36.639
 He redeems our

00:33:36.639 --> 00:33:37.439
 souls and he

00:33:37.439 --> 00:33:38.179
 brings us this

00:33:38.179 --> 00:33:38.480
 joy.

00:33:38.819 --> 00:33:39.980
 And I'll show

00:33:39.980 --> 00:33:40.159
 you.

00:33:40.379 --> 00:33:40.939
 First Peter

00:33:40.939 --> 00:33:41.700
 chapter one

00:33:41.700 --> 00:33:43.579
 verse eight

00:33:43.579 --> 00:33:44.399
 says this.

00:33:45.399 --> 00:33:46.460
 Though you have

00:33:46.460 --> 00:33:47.359
 not seen him

00:33:47.359 --> 00:33:49.279
 you love him.

00:33:50.679 --> 00:33:51.480
 Ever thought

00:33:51.480 --> 00:33:51.960
 about that?

00:33:52.939 --> 00:33:53.679
 Ever experienced

00:33:53.679 --> 00:33:54.779
 a true affection

00:33:54.779 --> 00:33:56.019
 for Jesus who is

00:33:56.019 --> 00:33:56.700
 someone that you've

00:33:56.700 --> 00:33:57.519
 never actually even

00:33:57.519 --> 00:33:58.399
 seen before?

00:33:59.759 --> 00:34:00.819
 Though you do not

00:34:00.819 --> 00:34:02.159
 see him you love

00:34:02.159 --> 00:34:02.359
 him.

00:34:02.720 --> 00:34:03.480
 Though you do not

00:34:03.480 --> 00:34:05.039
 now see him you

00:34:05.039 --> 00:34:05.740
 believe in him.

00:34:05.740 --> 00:34:08.320
 and you rejoice

00:34:08.320 --> 00:34:11.000
 with a joy that

00:34:11.000 --> 00:34:12.579
 is inexpressible

00:34:12.579 --> 00:34:14.239
 and filled with

00:34:14.239 --> 00:34:14.780
 glory.

00:34:16.059 --> 00:34:16.980
 Obtaining the

00:34:16.980 --> 00:34:18.900
 outcome of your

00:34:18.900 --> 00:34:20.260
 faith which he

00:34:20.260 --> 00:34:20.980
 says is the

00:34:20.980 --> 00:34:22.039
 salvation of your

00:34:22.039 --> 00:34:22.420
 soul.

00:34:25.119 --> 00:34:26.280
 This joy of

00:34:26.280 --> 00:34:27.320
 salvation is not

00:34:27.320 --> 00:34:28.239
 something you earn

00:34:28.239 --> 00:34:29.179
 by doing your best

00:34:29.179 --> 00:34:29.719
 and trying your

00:34:29.719 --> 00:34:30.039
 hardest.

00:34:30.039 --> 00:34:30.239
 forgiveness.

00:34:30.239 --> 00:34:31.759
 It's something you

00:34:31.759 --> 00:34:34.239
 receive by coming

00:34:34.239 --> 00:34:35.139
 to the king,

00:34:37.440 --> 00:34:38.360
 worshiping at his

00:34:38.360 --> 00:34:41.099
 feet, trusting by

00:34:41.099 --> 00:34:43.099
 faith in who he is

00:34:43.099 --> 00:34:44.739
 and what he's done to

00:34:44.739 --> 00:34:45.480
 save your soul.

00:34:45.480 --> 00:34:47.980
 Now you can fight

00:34:47.980 --> 00:34:49.000
 against the truth

00:34:49.000 --> 00:34:51.079
 and feel miserably

00:34:51.079 --> 00:34:53.000
 troubled at the

00:34:53.000 --> 00:34:54.039
 threat that Jesus

00:34:54.039 --> 00:34:55.240
 poses to your life

00:34:55.240 --> 00:34:55.880
 and it is a

00:34:55.880 --> 00:34:56.860
 legitimate threat.

00:34:58.940 --> 00:35:00.039
 You can also

00:35:00.039 --> 00:35:01.240
 remain indifferent

00:35:01.240 --> 00:35:03.599
 searching for

00:35:03.599 --> 00:35:04.420
 meaning and

00:35:04.420 --> 00:35:05.539
 happiness and all

00:35:05.539 --> 00:35:06.699
 sorts of things but

00:35:06.699 --> 00:35:08.360
 always ending up

00:35:08.360 --> 00:35:09.480
 empty in the end.

00:35:10.079 --> 00:35:10.780
 We all know what

00:35:10.780 --> 00:35:11.340
 that's like.

00:35:11.460 --> 00:35:12.039
 We've been there.

00:35:12.159 --> 00:35:12.699
 We've experienced

00:35:12.699 --> 00:35:13.159
 that.

00:35:13.159 --> 00:35:15.179
 You can continue

00:35:15.179 --> 00:35:16.000
 in your indifference

00:35:16.000 --> 00:35:17.039
 and that experience

00:35:17.039 --> 00:35:17.719
 will continue the

00:35:17.719 --> 00:35:18.399
 way that it is.

00:35:19.679 --> 00:35:20.779
 But if you will

00:35:20.779 --> 00:35:22.259
 come by faith and

00:35:22.259 --> 00:35:23.299
 worship the king,

00:35:25.339 --> 00:35:26.559
 you too will

00:35:26.559 --> 00:35:28.599
 know this

00:35:28.599 --> 00:35:30.420
 inexpressible joy

00:35:30.420 --> 00:35:32.440
 that comes from

00:35:32.440 --> 00:35:33.679
 knowing Jesus as

00:35:33.679 --> 00:35:34.599
 Lord and Savior.

00:35:36.599 --> 00:35:37.619
 And I know if

00:35:37.619 --> 00:35:38.239
 you're here and

00:35:38.239 --> 00:35:39.279
 you're not a

00:35:39.279 --> 00:35:40.059
 believer, you're not

00:35:40.059 --> 00:35:40.839
 even sure if you're

00:35:40.839 --> 00:35:41.460
 a believer, you're

00:35:41.460 --> 00:35:42.819
 trying to sort

00:35:42.820 --> 00:35:43.340
 things out.

00:35:43.700 --> 00:35:45.000
 Let me just say,

00:35:45.059 --> 00:35:45.700
 I'm glad you're

00:35:45.700 --> 00:35:46.160
 here.

00:35:47.600 --> 00:35:48.320
 And I want you to

00:35:48.320 --> 00:35:49.360
 keep coming until

00:35:49.360 --> 00:35:50.019
 you get it sorted

00:35:50.019 --> 00:35:50.519
 out.

00:35:51.420 --> 00:35:52.260
 And when you keep

00:35:52.260 --> 00:35:53.059
 coming to the word

00:35:53.059 --> 00:35:54.019
 and seeing it's

00:35:54.019 --> 00:35:54.600
 good that you're

00:35:54.600 --> 00:35:55.200
 here, it's good

00:35:55.200 --> 00:35:56.260
 that you're thinking

00:35:56.260 --> 00:35:57.019
 and it's good that

00:35:57.019 --> 00:35:57.620
 you're listening.

00:35:59.000 --> 00:35:59.980
 But if you're here

00:35:59.980 --> 00:36:01.059
 and you don't know

00:36:01.059 --> 00:36:03.720
 him, it's hard for

00:36:03.720 --> 00:36:04.660
 me to explain

00:36:04.660 --> 00:36:05.580
 anything other than

00:36:05.580 --> 00:36:06.440
 what I've just said.

00:36:08.519 --> 00:36:09.380
 Faith comes by

00:36:09.380 --> 00:36:09.840
 hearing.

00:36:10.840 --> 00:36:11.700
 Hearing comes by

00:36:11.699 --> 00:36:12.519
 the word of God

00:36:12.519 --> 00:36:14.039
 and joy comes

00:36:14.039 --> 00:36:14.679
 by the faith.

00:36:15.579 --> 00:36:15.960
 Now you've

00:36:15.960 --> 00:36:16.659
 already got part

00:36:16.659 --> 00:36:17.319
 of that out of

00:36:17.319 --> 00:36:17.659
 the way.

00:36:19.079 --> 00:36:19.779
 You've heard the

00:36:19.779 --> 00:36:20.319
 word of God.

00:36:22.419 --> 00:36:23.199
 You can come

00:36:23.199 --> 00:36:23.919
 back to it again

00:36:23.919 --> 00:36:24.679
 and again to

00:36:24.679 --> 00:36:25.339
 understand the

00:36:25.339 --> 00:36:26.179
 gospel message as

00:36:26.179 --> 00:36:26.799
 clearly as you

00:36:26.799 --> 00:36:27.659
 possibly can.

00:36:27.980 --> 00:36:28.899
 You've heard it.

00:36:29.639 --> 00:36:30.719
 What's left is for

00:36:30.719 --> 00:36:31.699
 you to believe it.

00:36:32.899 --> 00:36:33.579
 And when you

00:36:33.579 --> 00:36:34.879
 believe it, you'll

00:36:34.879 --> 00:36:35.779
 feel the joy of

00:36:35.779 --> 00:36:36.000
 it.

00:36:36.000 --> 00:36:38.239
 And I hope that

00:36:38.239 --> 00:36:38.739
 you will do

00:36:38.739 --> 00:36:39.039
 that.

00:36:39.820 --> 00:36:40.619
 That you won't

00:36:40.619 --> 00:36:41.260
 waste another

00:36:41.260 --> 00:36:41.860
 moment of your

00:36:41.860 --> 00:36:43.360
 life feeling

00:36:43.360 --> 00:36:44.179
 threatened or

00:36:44.179 --> 00:36:44.900
 indifferent to

00:36:44.900 --> 00:36:45.320
 Jesus.

00:36:46.760 --> 00:36:47.920
 But that you'll

00:36:47.920 --> 00:36:49.340
 accept the joy

00:36:49.340 --> 00:36:50.400
 that he desires

00:36:50.400 --> 00:36:51.199
 to give you.

00:36:52.099 --> 00:36:53.179
 That was his

00:36:53.179 --> 00:36:54.239
 joy to provide

00:36:54.239 --> 00:36:55.239
 for you.

00:36:56.059 --> 00:36:56.900
 And come to

00:36:56.900 --> 00:36:57.519
 him in faith.

00:36:57.519 --> 00:36:58.039
 Well,

00:36:58.039 --> 00:36:59.000
 that was

00:36:59.000 --> 00:36:59.519
 goodNINGNINGNING

00:36:59.519 --> 00:36:59.519


00:36:59.519 --> 00:36:59.519