WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.300 And the angel of the Lord suddenly said before them, 00:00:03.379 --> 00:00:05.120 and the glory of the Lord shone around them, 00:00:05.160 --> 00:00:06.400 and they were terribly frightened. 00:00:07.679 --> 00:00:09.279 But the angel said to them, do not be afraid, 00:00:09.380 --> 00:00:13.300 for behold, I bring you good news of great joy. 00:00:14.419 --> 00:00:17.620 In Greek, the word actually means massive or mega. 00:00:18.620 --> 00:00:19.699 It will be for all the people. 00:00:19.820 --> 00:00:21.240 For today in the city of David, 00:00:21.379 --> 00:00:22.800 there has been born for you a Savior 00:00:22.800 --> 00:00:26.820 who is Christ the Lord. 00:00:26.820 --> 00:00:30.060 You know, every time I read this passage, 00:00:30.160 --> 00:00:31.359 I get totally overwhelmed. 00:00:31.480 --> 00:00:34.780 Every time I think about what Christmas really is about, 00:00:35.079 --> 00:00:38.759 I get emotional and I get choked up 00:00:38.759 --> 00:00:41.859 to think about what it really means and why we're here. 00:00:41.980 --> 00:00:44.100 You know, I think it's incredible that right now, 00:00:45.379 --> 00:00:47.519 throughout all the world, 00:00:47.659 --> 00:00:49.299 in thousands and hundreds of countries, 00:00:49.560 --> 00:00:50.700 through thousands of languages, 00:00:50.939 --> 00:00:53.880 men and women and kiddos come together 00:00:53.880 --> 00:00:56.280 and they celebrate the birth of a baby boy 00:00:56.280 --> 00:01:01.399 who is born to bring joy to everyone. 00:01:02.579 --> 00:01:03.980 I mean, when we read this, 00:01:04.060 --> 00:01:06.079 we're actually reading the very first sermon, 00:01:07.159 --> 00:01:08.840 the very first Christmas sermon 00:01:08.840 --> 00:01:11.760 that was given by the angels 2,000 years ago. 00:01:11.840 --> 00:01:15.120 It's about this birth of this little Jewish boy 00:01:15.120 --> 00:01:19.540 who would grow up to be Savior of the world 00:01:19.540 --> 00:01:24.240 and bring joy to all men. 00:01:25.760 --> 00:01:28.660 C.S. Lewis and J.R. Tolkien in their writings, 00:01:29.560 --> 00:01:33.500 they talked about joy over and over and over. 00:01:33.580 --> 00:01:35.320 They were infatuated with joy. 00:01:35.920 --> 00:01:37.360 Tolkien, you know, he's written the author, 00:01:37.460 --> 00:01:39.160 he's the author of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. 00:01:40.020 --> 00:01:41.480 And as he tried to define joy, 00:01:41.580 --> 00:01:45.740 he said it's this feeling that we cannot comprehend truly. 00:01:45.739 --> 00:01:48.140 He said joy is a deep, deep-seated longing 00:01:48.140 --> 00:01:50.500 that's embedded in each of us. 00:01:51.359 --> 00:01:52.979 And his joy sends us on a journey. 00:01:54.000 --> 00:01:55.739 And we go on this journey to find this object 00:01:55.739 --> 00:01:59.259 which will perfectly fulfill our longing. 00:02:00.599 --> 00:02:03.179 The longing, he said, can be expressed in many ways. 00:02:03.259 --> 00:02:04.840 For many of us, we try to attain joy 00:02:04.840 --> 00:02:08.060 by fulfilling this longing, by acquiring objects. 00:02:08.060 --> 00:02:13.259 Some of these objects become precious to us. 00:02:14.460 --> 00:02:16.360 Some of us try to get joy through relationships 00:02:16.360 --> 00:02:18.340 and through security and through control 00:02:18.340 --> 00:02:20.379 and through approval and through wealth 00:02:20.379 --> 00:02:21.920 and through power and through love. 00:02:22.759 --> 00:02:27.520 But the question is, once we attain these things, 00:02:28.120 --> 00:02:30.759 often in large amounts, 00:02:31.599 --> 00:02:35.980 do they really fulfill that deep, deep longing inside of us? 00:02:35.979 --> 00:02:38.799 Or do we feel empty 00:02:38.799 --> 00:02:42.919 and try to figure out other ways to feel that longing? 00:02:43.000 --> 00:02:44.039 Do we go on other journeys? 00:02:45.000 --> 00:02:45.879 I mean, in The Hobbit, 00:02:46.019 --> 00:02:49.259 Tolkien writes about this idea of true joy. 00:02:49.979 --> 00:02:52.839 And he said true joy is found in home. 00:02:53.359 --> 00:02:54.879 And this idea of being home 00:02:54.879 --> 00:02:56.859 and being in a place where you need to be 00:02:56.859 --> 00:02:58.959 and where you belong, where everybody knows you, 00:02:59.199 --> 00:03:00.899 it's the story, it's the theme of The Hobbit 00:03:00.899 --> 00:03:02.419 and The Lord of the Rings. 00:03:02.419 --> 00:03:04.780 And at least 18 times in The Hobbit, 00:03:05.339 --> 00:03:08.179 we see that Bilbo longs for home. 00:03:09.379 --> 00:03:10.539 He longs for the shire. 00:03:11.419 --> 00:03:12.859 I mean, the dwarves, you know what they long for? 00:03:12.899 --> 00:03:15.299 They long for gold and they long for this mountain 00:03:15.299 --> 00:03:16.939 they go into in their kingdom. 00:03:17.039 --> 00:03:18.479 The elves, you know what they long for? 00:03:18.759 --> 00:03:21.319 They long for this land far away across the ocean, 00:03:21.500 --> 00:03:23.399 this gray haven, this place where, 00:03:23.839 --> 00:03:26.359 actually gray haven translates means heaven. 00:03:26.360 --> 00:03:28.560 And they're longing for these things 00:03:28.560 --> 00:03:30.320 and they said, if we can just get there, 00:03:30.380 --> 00:03:33.700 if we can just get this, we'll have joy. 00:03:34.520 --> 00:03:37.000 I don't want to give away next year's episode 00:03:37.000 --> 00:03:39.300 of The Hobbit. 00:03:41.300 --> 00:03:42.520 But spoiler alert, 00:03:43.840 --> 00:03:46.460 once Bilbo and the dwarves get home, 00:03:47.540 --> 00:03:48.520 it's not the same. 00:03:50.060 --> 00:03:51.680 It's not the joy that they had hoped for, 00:03:51.720 --> 00:03:53.140 it's not the thing that they had longed for, 00:03:53.139 --> 00:03:55.479 it doesn't fill them completely 00:03:55.479 --> 00:03:58.799 because home has changed. 00:03:58.919 --> 00:04:00.839 They have changed. 00:04:02.059 --> 00:04:03.179 And Tolkien writes his way 00:04:03.179 --> 00:04:06.099 because he wanted us to discover in his writings 00:04:06.099 --> 00:04:10.639 that our true home isn't here. 00:04:11.619 --> 00:04:14.239 But our true home is heaven. 00:04:15.119 --> 00:04:16.680 And the longing that we feel, 00:04:16.800 --> 00:04:19.099 this angst that we feel as we walk through our days 00:04:19.099 --> 00:04:21.120 all the time trying to find joy, 00:04:21.120 --> 00:04:23.100 he says it's never going to be 00:04:23.100 --> 00:04:24.340 totally, truly satisfied. 00:04:25.540 --> 00:04:26.720 In fact, the only way that it's going to be 00:04:26.720 --> 00:04:28.019 totally and truly satisfied 00:04:28.019 --> 00:04:31.639 is in a relationship with the one who created us, 00:04:33.079 --> 00:04:35.040 in a relationship with God. 00:04:36.340 --> 00:04:38.459 I mean, Tolkien ultimately wanted us to see 00:04:38.459 --> 00:04:39.800 that the only way to find true joy, 00:04:39.899 --> 00:04:42.399 the only way to find a lasting, deep, 00:04:42.600 --> 00:04:43.819 soul-satisfying joy, 00:04:44.120 --> 00:04:45.959 the only way to find Christmas joy 00:04:45.959 --> 00:04:48.860 is to go to the place that we were made for, 00:04:48.860 --> 00:04:52.439 to return to the place that we were made for. 00:04:53.360 --> 00:04:55.759 You're not made for earth. 00:04:57.199 --> 00:04:59.180 You were made for someplace else, 00:04:59.400 --> 00:05:00.800 Tolkien wanted us to understand. 00:05:01.500 --> 00:05:03.300 And the only way we could find this true joy 00:05:03.300 --> 00:05:06.280 is if we found the one who made us 00:05:06.280 --> 00:05:10.740 God, our creator. 00:05:10.740 --> 00:05:14.240 And so we celebrate Christmas 00:05:14.240 --> 00:05:17.259 this time where God sends a Savior. 00:05:18.379 --> 00:05:21.360 He sends a Savior to show us himself. 00:05:22.660 --> 00:05:26.680 And he sends a Savior to show us the way home. 00:05:28.319 --> 00:05:29.759 In Christmas, in Jesus, 00:05:30.300 --> 00:05:32.540 God has given each one of us a firm path, 00:05:32.600 --> 00:05:34.939 a firm foundation on which we can stand, 00:05:35.160 --> 00:05:37.079 a foundation that we never have to doubt in. 00:05:37.079 --> 00:05:39.039 It's a foundation where we know 00:05:39.039 --> 00:05:41.680 that we will find true and lasting joy. 00:05:42.779 --> 00:05:44.879 I mean, Christmas is about God sending us a Savior. 00:05:45.459 --> 00:05:46.519 And this Savior, listen to this, 00:05:46.740 --> 00:05:50.219 this Savior promises to save us from something. 00:05:50.919 --> 00:05:52.599 He promises to save us from our sin. 00:05:52.699 --> 00:05:56.299 He promises to save us from the effects of sin in our life. 00:05:56.360 --> 00:05:58.139 And so we stand on this foundation of Jesus. 00:05:59.120 --> 00:06:00.259 And now on Christmas, 00:06:00.759 --> 00:06:02.479 when we talk about God, 00:06:02.539 --> 00:06:03.399 when we talk to God, 00:06:03.439 --> 00:06:05.000 we can talk to him as our heavenly father. 00:06:05.000 --> 00:06:08.180 Father, we can talk to God as our heavenly father 00:06:08.180 --> 00:06:10.959 in spite of everything that we've done wrong, 00:06:12.160 --> 00:06:14.060 in spite of all the attempts we've tried to do 00:06:14.060 --> 00:06:15.500 in finding joy in other places, 00:06:15.839 --> 00:06:16.740 in spite of our weaknesses, 00:06:16.899 --> 00:06:17.899 in spite of our sin. 00:06:19.600 --> 00:06:21.180 Christmas is about finding joy 00:06:21.180 --> 00:06:24.040 in the one who created us. 00:06:24.720 --> 00:06:26.279 This is the season that we're reminded 00:06:26.279 --> 00:06:28.800 that joy comes from God. 00:06:29.600 --> 00:06:31.680 Now you're gonna leave here in every other faith, 00:06:31.819 --> 00:06:32.680 every other religion, 00:06:32.860 --> 00:06:33.860 every other philosophy, 00:06:33.860 --> 00:06:35.819 every other thing around you 00:06:35.819 --> 00:06:37.439 is gonna tell you that you're gonna find joy 00:06:37.439 --> 00:06:38.600 and this is how you find it. 00:06:39.280 --> 00:06:41.000 This is how you find God. 00:06:42.319 --> 00:06:43.780 But in Christmas, God says, 00:06:43.920 --> 00:06:44.620 I'm God, 00:06:45.080 --> 00:06:46.840 I love you. 00:06:48.120 --> 00:06:50.740 And I've come down to find you. 00:06:52.620 --> 00:06:55.100 And I've come down to give you lasting joy 00:06:55.100 --> 00:06:58.939 in a relationship with me. 00:06:58.939 --> 00:07:01.379 I mean, this is the season that we're reminded 00:07:01.379 --> 00:07:03.899 that God has drawn close to us. 00:07:05.160 --> 00:07:06.600 God has drawn close to us, 00:07:06.800 --> 00:07:08.579 those of us who've drawn away. 00:07:09.939 --> 00:07:11.519 Those of us who've been drawn away 00:07:11.519 --> 00:07:14.259 by other precious things, 00:07:14.379 --> 00:07:15.279 by our selfishness, 00:07:15.379 --> 00:07:16.220 by our control, 00:07:16.339 --> 00:07:17.079 by our pride, 00:07:17.480 --> 00:07:18.600 by our self-righteousness, 00:07:18.939 --> 00:07:19.939 by our self-reliance. 00:07:20.199 --> 00:07:21.500 This is the season that we're reminded 00:07:21.500 --> 00:07:24.319 that God has drawn close to us. 00:07:24.319 --> 00:07:27.079 This is the season that we're reminded 00:07:27.079 --> 00:07:29.959 that we cannot negotiate our sin anymore with God. 00:07:30.839 --> 00:07:31.620 I don't know if you're like me, 00:07:31.659 --> 00:07:33.219 but sometimes I try to negotiate my sin 00:07:33.219 --> 00:07:34.519 and get some things off 00:07:34.519 --> 00:07:35.860 because maybe it wasn't really that bad. 00:07:36.139 --> 00:07:36.839 But this is the season 00:07:36.839 --> 00:07:39.659 where we cannot negotiate our sin anymore 00:07:39.659 --> 00:07:44.500 because God has ended all the negotiation. 00:07:45.779 --> 00:07:47.639 All the negotiation ended at a manger 00:07:47.639 --> 00:07:50.000 that will become a cross one day 00:07:50.000 --> 00:07:53.699 and your sin and my sin 00:07:53.699 --> 00:07:58.199 have been forgiven in Jesus Christ. 00:07:59.379 --> 00:08:02.519 For behold, I bring you good news of great joy 00:08:02.519 --> 00:08:05.180 for unto us is born a son, 00:08:06.480 --> 00:08:07.540 for unto us, 00:08:08.740 --> 00:08:09.660 for unto Tobin, 00:08:11.139 --> 00:08:12.139 for unto you 00:08:12.139 --> 00:08:15.019 is born a Savior. 00:08:16.300 --> 00:08:18.699 I mean, this Savior brings us joy 00:08:18.699 --> 00:08:19.759 and it's the kind of joy 00:08:19.759 --> 00:08:21.579 that you and I can walk through our world 00:08:21.579 --> 00:08:23.219 and even though our workplace 00:08:23.219 --> 00:08:24.519 and even though our family 00:08:24.519 --> 00:08:25.939 and even though our life 00:08:25.939 --> 00:08:26.979 and even though the world 00:08:26.979 --> 00:08:28.420 is out of control, 00:08:29.479 --> 00:08:31.959 this joy tells us 00:08:31.959 --> 00:08:33.340 that everything can be good 00:08:33.340 --> 00:08:36.259 between you and God. 00:08:37.340 --> 00:08:38.679 That we can be a people 00:08:38.679 --> 00:08:39.639 who we can trust 00:08:39.639 --> 00:08:41.279 that God is in control of our life 00:08:41.279 --> 00:08:43.059 no matter what happens. 00:08:43.759 --> 00:08:45.059 Not because of what we've done. 00:08:47.039 --> 00:08:48.439 Not because of what we haven't done. 00:08:49.700 --> 00:08:51.140 But because of what God 00:08:51.140 --> 00:08:53.460 has done for us. 00:08:54.920 --> 00:08:56.400 My hope for each of us 00:08:56.400 --> 00:08:57.259 this Christmas Day 00:08:57.259 --> 00:08:58.220 is that we would consider 00:08:58.220 --> 00:08:59.300 the words of the angels. 00:09:00.360 --> 00:09:01.580 That we would surrender 00:09:01.580 --> 00:09:03.120 our attempts to find joy 00:09:03.120 --> 00:09:04.640 in our own lives 00:09:04.640 --> 00:09:05.560 and our own things. 00:09:06.320 --> 00:09:08.220 That we'd invite Jesus Christ 00:09:08.220 --> 00:09:10.100 into our life. 00:09:10.840 --> 00:09:12.200 That we would allow Him 00:09:12.200 --> 00:09:13.660 to give us true joy. 00:09:14.800 --> 00:09:15.840 That we'd allow Him 00:09:15.840 --> 00:09:17.080 to give us true rest. 00:09:17.720 --> 00:09:18.780 That we'd understand 00:09:18.780 --> 00:09:20.800 that the meaning of joy 00:09:20.800 --> 00:09:23.100 that our home, 00:09:24.040 --> 00:09:25.019 that our Creator 00:09:25.019 --> 00:09:27.379 is not here. 00:09:29.160 --> 00:09:30.220 And God is sending 00:09:30.220 --> 00:09:31.399 His Son Jesus today 00:09:31.399 --> 00:09:33.420 to remind us of that. 00:09:34.600 --> 00:09:35.740 And our prayer is 00:09:35.740 --> 00:09:36.399 as a church 00:09:36.399 --> 00:09:37.740 that we would remember that 00:09:37.740 --> 00:09:39.900 and that we would cling to that 00:09:39.900 --> 00:09:42.280 as we walk through these days. 00:09:42.279 --> 00:09:43.759 Let's pray. 00:09:45.059 --> 00:09:46.039 Father, we thank You 00:09:46.039 --> 00:09:46.620 for this day. 00:09:47.919 --> 00:09:49.579 We come to You this season 00:09:49.579 --> 00:09:50.879 in this moment of reflection 00:09:50.879 --> 00:09:51.860 and we just thank You 00:09:51.860 --> 00:09:52.720 for this celebration. 00:09:52.720 --> 00:09:56.540 we realize that all of us today 00:09:56.540 --> 00:09:57.820 come to You 00:09:57.820 --> 00:09:59.300 with the same need. 00:09:59.580 --> 00:10:01.519 We all have the exact same need. 00:10:01.620 --> 00:10:02.500 We need a Savior. 00:10:03.940 --> 00:10:06.639 We all desperately need forgiveness. 00:10:07.960 --> 00:10:10.000 We all are desperately seeking 00:10:10.000 --> 00:10:11.720 for joy and meaning 00:10:11.720 --> 00:10:12.980 and purpose in life. 00:10:13.720 --> 00:10:15.220 We all need mercy, 00:10:15.820 --> 00:10:16.200 grace, 00:10:16.980 --> 00:10:17.519 compassion. 00:10:19.000 --> 00:10:20.540 And so this season right now, 00:10:20.539 --> 00:10:21.519 right here, 00:10:21.980 --> 00:10:23.339 we come before You 00:10:23.339 --> 00:10:24.579 and we just worship You. 00:10:25.819 --> 00:10:27.319 And we know that all these things 00:10:27.319 --> 00:10:28.079 are found 00:10:28.079 --> 00:10:30.319 in a little baby Jewish boy 00:10:30.319 --> 00:10:32.219 born in a manger 00:10:32.219 --> 00:10:34.799 who shows us the path 00:10:34.799 --> 00:10:35.719 to the true home, 00:10:36.599 --> 00:10:38.759 who shows us what true joy is, 00:10:39.379 --> 00:10:40.459 who reminds us 00:10:40.459 --> 00:10:41.959 that You are with us all the time, 00:10:42.539 --> 00:10:44.159 who will never let us go. 00:10:45.179 --> 00:10:45.860 And it's Wednesday 00:10:45.860 --> 00:10:46.599 that manger 00:10:46.599 --> 00:10:48.899 is transformed into a cross. 00:10:48.899 --> 00:10:51.039 And in that cross, 00:10:51.120 --> 00:10:52.199 the fulfillment of Christmas 00:10:52.199 --> 00:10:54.079 is complete. 00:10:55.740 --> 00:10:57.279 Father, I pray for some of us in here 00:10:57.279 --> 00:10:58.980 who haven't even started the journey yet. 00:10:59.759 --> 00:11:01.659 I pray that just this Christmas season, 00:11:01.759 --> 00:11:02.980 they would think about that message, 00:11:03.120 --> 00:11:04.340 they would think about joy, 00:11:04.740 --> 00:11:06.159 and they would ask themselves 00:11:06.159 --> 00:11:06.879 an honest question, 00:11:06.939 --> 00:11:07.759 do I feel that? 00:11:07.840 --> 00:11:09.240 Am I experiencing that in my life? 00:11:09.279 --> 00:11:10.959 What does it really mean to have joy? 00:11:11.019 --> 00:11:11.919 And what I've been looking for 00:11:11.919 --> 00:11:13.039 to have joy, 00:11:13.139 --> 00:11:13.879 whatever that is, 00:11:13.939 --> 00:11:15.279 my title, 00:11:15.419 --> 00:11:16.000 my profession, 00:11:16.139 --> 00:11:16.579 my job, 00:11:16.659 --> 00:11:17.100 my family, 00:11:17.100 --> 00:11:17.740 my relationships, 00:11:17.860 --> 00:11:18.519 whatever it is, 00:11:19.220 --> 00:11:20.860 is that truly satisfying me? 00:11:22.240 --> 00:11:23.420 And I pray that they would think 00:11:23.420 --> 00:11:24.200 of this little baby 00:11:24.200 --> 00:11:24.800 in the manger 00:11:24.800 --> 00:11:27.800 who came to bring us back to You. 00:11:28.920 --> 00:11:30.220 And they would ask questions 00:11:30.220 --> 00:11:31.000 of their friends 00:11:31.000 --> 00:11:33.659 of why they find joy in Jesus. 00:11:35.300 --> 00:11:36.519 Father, I pray for the rest of us 00:11:36.519 --> 00:11:38.000 who have gone on the journey, 00:11:38.340 --> 00:11:39.480 and we have been traveling 00:11:39.480 --> 00:11:40.740 for a long time, 00:11:40.779 --> 00:11:41.399 for many of us, 00:11:41.420 --> 00:11:41.940 and we wonder 00:11:41.940 --> 00:11:43.000 when You're going to come back. 00:11:43.080 --> 00:11:43.639 We wonder 00:11:43.639 --> 00:11:45.160 why things are so terrible, 00:11:45.159 --> 00:11:45.839 and we wonder 00:11:45.839 --> 00:11:47.179 what we have to do 00:11:47.179 --> 00:11:48.240 or what we haven't done. 00:11:48.959 --> 00:11:50.399 And I pray for those of us 00:11:50.399 --> 00:11:51.399 here like that, 00:11:51.480 --> 00:11:52.139 that we would realize 00:11:52.139 --> 00:11:53.279 that You've done everything, 00:11:54.279 --> 00:11:55.759 that we can come to You 00:11:55.759 --> 00:11:56.539 this Christmas, 00:11:57.279 --> 00:11:57.980 again, 00:11:58.079 --> 00:11:59.299 not because of what we've done 00:11:59.299 --> 00:12:00.860 and not because of 00:12:00.860 --> 00:12:01.600 what we haven't done, 00:12:02.500 --> 00:12:03.459 but we can come to You 00:12:03.459 --> 00:12:03.919 this Christmas 00:12:03.919 --> 00:12:05.439 because of what Your Son has done. 00:12:06.459 --> 00:12:07.439 And so we come to You 00:12:07.439 --> 00:12:08.199 as Your people, 00:12:09.000 --> 00:12:10.139 and we trust You. 00:12:10.139 --> 00:12:12.659 We worship You, 00:12:13.580 --> 00:12:14.699 and we ask You 00:12:14.699 --> 00:12:16.159 to make our joy complete 00:12:16.159 --> 00:12:18.360 and bring us home. 00:12:19.519 --> 00:12:20.539 Father, we love You, 00:12:20.899 --> 00:12:21.939 and we pray these things 00:12:21.939 --> 00:12:22.919 in Your Son, Jesus Christ, 00:12:23.019 --> 00:12:23.539 holy name. 00:12:24.319 --> 00:12:24.720 Amen.