WEBVTT

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 What has Christmas cost you so far?

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 Many of us will say, too much.

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 And I'm sure some will say, way too much

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 when the credit card bill comes in.

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 When we think about the cost of Christmas,

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 as I just asked the question,

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 I'm assuming that most of us think in terms of what it costs,

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 in terms of the gifts we've bought.

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 Maybe some trips you have or will take.

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 Our decorations, food, and all these kind of things.

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 Well, I want us to take a few minutes this morning

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 to think about the cost of Christmas in a different way.

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 You know, the real story of Christmas is found in the Bible,

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 and it's all about the coming of Jesus into this world,

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 the birth of God's Son.

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 When we think about the first Christmas,

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 or what the Bible teaches us about the coming of Jesus,

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 we find that it was very costly.

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 It was first costly to Mary.

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 I want you to think with me.

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 The cost of Christmas for Mary.

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 It cost her her reputation in a big way.

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 Look at what the Scripture says in Matthew chapter 1.

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 Now, the angel coming to Mary and announcing her

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 that God had chosen her to be the mother of Jesus

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 is found in Luke chapter 1.

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 Matthew 1 tells us about the problem

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 that that immediately caused.

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 Now, the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way.

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 When His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph,

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 before they came together,

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 she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit.

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 And her husband Joseph, being a just man

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 and unwilling to put her to shame,

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 resolved to divorce her quietly.

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 Now, you think these are real people.

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 Young woman, 16, 17 years old maybe.

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 Joseph, a little bit older.

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 They're more than what we consider to be engaged.

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 It was a legally binding betrothal.

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 And it was serious to break it.

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 That's why the word divorce is used here.

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 Well, when Mary first told Joseph the situation,

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 he didn't believe her.

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 Would you?

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 It's beyond belief.

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 No one would.

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 And so, he was a good man

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 because he didn't just explode in rage.

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 Look at what the Scripture says.

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 He was a just man, righteous man,

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 and unwilling to put her to shame.

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 And so, he resolved to divorce her quietly.

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 In his mind, she had been unfaithful.

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 He was not going to marry her,

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 but he was going to honorably part ways.

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 Well, it took a supernatural intervention of an angel

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 to change Joseph's mind,

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 to convince him that Mary had not been unfaithful.

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 Look at it.

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 The next two verses, verses 20 and 21.

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 But as he considered these things,

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 behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream,

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 saying, Joseph, son of David,

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 do not fear to take Mary as your wife,

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 for that which is conceived in her

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 is from the Holy Spirit.

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 She will bear a son,

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 and you shall call his name Jesus,

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 for he will save his people from their sins.

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 Joseph believed the angel.

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 No one else would have,

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 because no one else received the supernatural revelation.

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 In the eyes of everyone except Joseph,

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 Mary was an immoral woman.

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 And so for Mary to be chosen by God

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 for this most special work,

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 bearing his son,

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 it ruined her reputation.

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 And she knew it from the get-go.

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 Well, how did she respond?

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 Well, look with me if you would.

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 It'll be on the screen.

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 Luke chapter 1, verse 38.

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 Luke 1, 38.

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 Now the story of God coming to her,

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 the angel telling her she'd been chosen,

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 is before this verse.

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 And after he said all this,

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 this is how Mary responded.

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 Behold, I am the servant of the Lord.

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 Let it be to me according to your word.

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 She finds out she's been chosen by God.

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 to miraculously conceive baby Jesus in her womb.

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 And her response to such a public scandal,

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 she trusted God.

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 I am the server of the Lord.

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 Let it be to me according to your word.

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 She willingly accepted God's call

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 to be the mother of Jesus,

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 even though it would cost her publicly dearly.

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 But what I want us to see here is

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 she was willing to pay that high cost

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 to be faithful to do God's will.

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 Mary was the first to discover

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 how costly Christmas can be.

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 But she was not alone.

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 Look next, the cost of Christmas for Joseph.

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 It was costly to him in several ways.

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 First, it cost Joseph his reputation

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 just as well as Mary.

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 Same reasons.

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 But also it cost Joseph social relationships,

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 job security, financial stability,

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 because shortly after Jesus was born,

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 he had to leave home.

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 He had to leave where he worked,

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 his carpentry business,

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 and go to a foreign place.

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 Look at how the scripture describes this

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 in Matthew chapter 2.

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 An angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream

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 and said,

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 Rise, take the child and his mother,

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 and flee to Egypt,

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 and remain there until I tell you,

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 for Herod is about to search for the child

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 to destroy him.

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 And he rose and took the child and his mother by night

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 and departed to Egypt.

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 Joseph acted on what God told him.

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 Just like Mary,

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 he was willing to pay the cost of obeying God.

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 Look back now at how Joseph responded to the angel

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 when the angel told him all about Mary

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 and the child she had conceived.

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 Look at how Joseph responded.

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 When Joseph woke from sleep,

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 he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him.

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 He took his wife,

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 but knew her not until she had given birth to a son.

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 And he called his name Jesus.

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 The first Christmas was costly

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 to both Mary and Joseph.

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 But I want us to understand,

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 it was even more costly for Jesus.

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 Look at the cost of Christmas for Jesus.

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 Before he ever came into this world,

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 the Son of God had always existed.

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 It's a mystery.

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 We can't really wrap our minds around the fact

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 that God exists,

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 our one God exists as three persons,

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 Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

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 Jesus left the glory of heaven

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 that he had always enjoyed

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 with the Father and the Spirit

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 to come into this world to save us.

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 Paul describes that in Philippians chapter 2.

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 Look at it.

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 He's actually writing to this church

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 about how they need to humble themselves,

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 serve one another,

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 and he gives Jesus as the example.

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 Have this mind among yourselves,

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 which is yours in Christ Jesus,

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 who, though he was in the form of God,

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 did not count equality with God

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 a thing to be grasped

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 or a thing to be held on to,

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 but emptied himself

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 by taking the form of a servant,

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 being born in the likeness of men,

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 and being found in human form,

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 he humbled himself

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 by becoming obedient to the point of death,

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 even death on a cross.

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 To come into this world,

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 Jesus laid aside the glory

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 he had always experienced and enjoyed

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 in heaven as the Son.

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 He didn't cease to become God

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 when he came into this world.

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 He just became man,

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 the God-man,

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 but he had to lay aside

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 some of the honor and the glory

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 that he had known in heaven.

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 But I want you to note

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 in the scripture you see on the screen there,

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 he did that for a purpose.

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 Jesus was born to die

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 for sinful people like you and me

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 so that we could be forgiven,

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 made right with God,

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 become a child of God.

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 But you know,

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 what Jesus has done

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 in coming to the world to save us,

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 dying on the cross as he did,

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 we have to respond to that.

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 We've got to respond by

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 admitting that we are sinful people,

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 we've offended God,

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 we've rebelled against him,

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 and we need a Savior.

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 No one's ever going to become a Christian

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 until they sense that need

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 and are willing to change their mind

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 about how they're living.

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 Admit their sin,

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 turn from it,

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 and put their trust in Jesus

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 and him alone

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 for their salvation.

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 Have you done that?

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 Have you called upon Jesus to save you?

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 Is he truly the Lord of your life

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 as you are celebrating his birth this year?

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 Christmas was truly costly to Jesus.

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 In fact,

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 the coming of Jesus has always been costly

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 for everyone associated with Jesus.

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 That leads to one question

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 that we need to answer.

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 What has Christmas cost you?

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 Christmas means Christ has come.

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 And when Christ comes into our lives

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 as our Lord and Savior,

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 it will cost us something.

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 And that's something that Jesus talked about,

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 taught, explained on many occasions

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 as you read through the Gospels.

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 Here's a good summary

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 of the kind of things Jesus talked about,

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 costly commitment.

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 It's from Luke chapter 9.

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 And he said to all,

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 If anyone would come after me,

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 let him deny himself

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 and take up his cross daily

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 and follow me.

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 For whoever would save his life

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 will lose it.

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 But whoever loses his life

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 for my sake

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 will save it.

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 Jesus calls each one of us

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 who call ourselves his follower,

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 every one of us

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 who calls ourselves a Christian,

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 Jesus calls us to costly commitment.

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 And in our country today,

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 such commitment

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 is becoming even more costly

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 all the time.

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 If you believe that the Bible

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 is truly the Word of God,

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 the perfect, without error,

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 Word of God,

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 and that it is

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 the authority

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 for what you should believe

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 and how you should live,

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 you may pay a price for that

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 in today's world.

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 In some settings.

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 For some people,

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 maybe in a home.

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 For some where you work.

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 For some around the people

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 that you call friends.

00:13:37.320 --> 00:13:42.320
 For many years,

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 Chick-fil-A

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 has publicly stated

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 that their business

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 was built on

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 biblical principles.

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 A few years ago,

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 they openly supported

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 traditional

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 biblical marriage

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 and they did it

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 in a positive way.

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 They got some flack

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 for that.

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 And Dan Cathy,

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 their CEO,

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 son of the founder,

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 Truett,

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 he emphasized,

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 we do believe

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 in biblical values,

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 traditional,

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 biblical marriage.

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 But we don't discriminate

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 against anyone

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 who doesn't believe that.

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 We don't fire people

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 who don't believe

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 what we believe.

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 And we certainly don't

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 prohibit everybody

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 from coming to Chick-fil-A.

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 We are open

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 to all people.

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 We hold the biblical values,

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 but we embrace people

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 and we want to serve people.

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 And Cathy and Chick-fil-A

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 was commended,

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 have been,

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 for having such a stance.

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 But over the last few months,

00:14:56.800 --> 00:14:57.899
 several stories

00:14:57.899 --> 00:14:59.320
 from multiple sources

00:14:59.320 --> 00:15:00.259
 have reported

00:15:00.259 --> 00:15:02.279
 that the Chick-fil-A

00:15:02.279 --> 00:15:02.939
 organization

00:15:02.939 --> 00:15:04.100
 has backed off

00:15:04.100 --> 00:15:05.639
 their strong commitment

00:15:05.639 --> 00:15:07.919
 to biblical values.

00:15:09.379 --> 00:15:10.460
 They have apparently

00:15:10.460 --> 00:15:11.419
 decided to be

00:15:11.419 --> 00:15:13.159
 more politically correct

00:15:13.159 --> 00:15:15.700
 and not offend

00:15:15.700 --> 00:15:17.080
 liberal groups

00:15:17.080 --> 00:15:18.980
 who oppose

00:15:18.980 --> 00:15:20.100
 biblical values.

00:15:21.100 --> 00:15:23.000
 According to several reports,

00:15:23.059 --> 00:15:23.899
 and I know a lot of you

00:15:23.899 --> 00:15:24.840
 are familiar with this,

00:15:25.559 --> 00:15:26.000
 Chick-fil-A

00:15:26.000 --> 00:15:27.059
 will no longer support

00:15:27.059 --> 00:15:28.620
 evangelical organizations

00:15:28.620 --> 00:15:29.960
 like the Salvation Army

00:15:29.960 --> 00:15:31.360
 and the Fellowship

00:15:31.360 --> 00:15:32.440
 of Christian Athletes

00:15:32.440 --> 00:15:34.700
 because these organizations

00:15:34.700 --> 00:15:36.399
 affirm biblical values

00:15:36.399 --> 00:15:37.299
 such as

00:15:37.299 --> 00:15:39.340
 traditional marriage.

00:15:40.460 --> 00:15:41.019
 Chick-fil-A

00:15:41.019 --> 00:15:42.120
 will now support

00:15:42.120 --> 00:15:44.120
 more liberal organizations

00:15:44.120 --> 00:15:46.200
 that are

00:15:46.200 --> 00:15:48.600
 LGBT friendly.

00:15:50.600 --> 00:15:51.940
 It appears

00:15:51.940 --> 00:15:53.600
 that Chick-fil-A

00:15:53.600 --> 00:15:54.139
 has chosen

00:15:54.139 --> 00:15:54.960
 to be more concerned

00:15:54.960 --> 00:15:55.320
 about

00:15:55.320 --> 00:15:57.720
 pleasing people.

00:15:58.620 --> 00:15:59.519
 and making

00:15:59.519 --> 00:16:00.360
 profits

00:16:00.360 --> 00:16:01.740
 instead of

00:16:01.740 --> 00:16:02.759
 pleasing God

00:16:02.759 --> 00:16:04.639
 and paying the cost

00:16:04.639 --> 00:16:06.899
 of being unfaithful

00:16:06.899 --> 00:16:08.200
 or being

00:16:08.200 --> 00:16:09.120
 faithful.

00:16:09.960 --> 00:16:10.220
 Now,

00:16:10.460 --> 00:16:11.200
 I don't want you

00:16:11.200 --> 00:16:11.659
 to misinterpret

00:16:11.659 --> 00:16:12.759
 these comments.

00:16:13.759 --> 00:16:14.759
 I'm not throwing

00:16:14.759 --> 00:16:15.539
 rocks

00:16:15.539 --> 00:16:17.200
 at Chick-fil-A.

00:16:18.120 --> 00:16:19.720
 I'm not advocating

00:16:19.720 --> 00:16:21.019
 boycotting

00:16:21.019 --> 00:16:21.659
 Chick-fil-A.

00:16:22.159 --> 00:16:23.259
 Where in the world

00:16:23.259 --> 00:16:24.019
 would you eat?

00:16:24.019 --> 00:16:27.360
 Be careful

00:16:27.360 --> 00:16:27.899
 when you say

00:16:27.899 --> 00:16:28.200
 you're going

00:16:28.200 --> 00:16:28.960
 to boycott

00:16:28.960 --> 00:16:29.960
 this company

00:16:29.960 --> 00:16:30.879
 or that company.

00:16:31.480 --> 00:16:32.600
 You'll starve

00:16:32.600 --> 00:16:33.019
 to death.

00:16:33.820 --> 00:16:35.039
 You'll walk.

00:16:35.700 --> 00:16:36.340
 You won't have

00:16:36.340 --> 00:16:36.960
 electricity.

00:16:37.700 --> 00:16:38.300
 You won't have

00:16:38.300 --> 00:16:38.960
 a telephone,

00:16:39.279 --> 00:16:39.759
 smartphone.

00:16:40.320 --> 00:16:40.940
 If you're going

00:16:40.940 --> 00:16:41.960
 to start boycotting

00:16:41.960 --> 00:16:43.100
 organizations,

00:16:43.320 --> 00:16:43.820
 businesses,

00:16:43.820 --> 00:16:44.919
 because they don't

00:16:44.919 --> 00:16:45.639
 adhere to

00:16:45.639 --> 00:16:47.180
 Christian values.

00:16:48.180 --> 00:16:49.019
 The reason

00:16:49.019 --> 00:16:49.940
 I'm singling

00:16:49.940 --> 00:16:51.019
 out Chick-fil-A

00:16:51.019 --> 00:16:53.000
 is because

00:16:53.000 --> 00:16:54.680
 since their

00:16:54.679 --> 00:16:55.399
 founding,

00:16:56.539 --> 00:16:56.919
 they have

00:16:56.919 --> 00:16:58.500
 publicly stated

00:16:58.500 --> 00:17:00.859
 we adhere

00:17:00.859 --> 00:17:01.779
 to biblical

00:17:01.779 --> 00:17:02.519
 principles,

00:17:02.739 --> 00:17:04.240
 biblical values.

00:17:05.279 --> 00:17:06.279
 But under

00:17:06.279 --> 00:17:06.980
 the pressure

00:17:06.980 --> 00:17:08.419
 of today's

00:17:08.419 --> 00:17:10.539
 liberal groups,

00:17:11.220 --> 00:17:13.240
 they have

00:17:13.240 --> 00:17:14.240
 changed.

00:17:16.240 --> 00:17:17.539
 They have

00:17:17.539 --> 00:17:19.519
 compromised.

00:17:19.519 --> 00:17:20.019
 compromised.

00:17:23.019 --> 00:17:24.680
 It's hard

00:17:24.680 --> 00:17:26.160
 not to

00:17:26.160 --> 00:17:26.740
 compromise

00:17:26.740 --> 00:17:28.779
 in today's

00:17:28.779 --> 00:17:29.339
 world.

00:17:31.639 --> 00:17:31.900
 And so

00:17:31.900 --> 00:17:32.759
 before we

00:17:32.759 --> 00:17:36.079
 pompously

00:17:36.079 --> 00:17:38.599
 explode

00:17:38.599 --> 00:17:39.799
 against Chick-fil-A,

00:17:40.799 --> 00:17:42.339
 let's make

00:17:42.339 --> 00:17:43.440
 sure that we

00:17:43.440 --> 00:17:44.079
 are not

00:17:44.079 --> 00:17:45.019
 compromising

00:17:45.019 --> 00:17:46.680
 in our

00:17:46.680 --> 00:17:47.220
 commitment

00:17:47.220 --> 00:17:47.980
 to Christ,

00:17:47.980 --> 00:17:49.900
 in order

00:17:49.900 --> 00:17:50.539
 to avoid

00:17:50.539 --> 00:17:51.279
 paying the

00:17:51.279 --> 00:17:52.019
 cost

00:17:52.019 --> 00:17:54.240
 of being

00:17:54.240 --> 00:17:54.680
 faithful.

00:17:56.740 --> 00:17:57.579
 Ask yourself

00:17:57.579 --> 00:17:58.299
 this question.

00:17:59.140 --> 00:17:59.860
 How have I

00:17:59.860 --> 00:18:00.620
 shown my

00:18:00.620 --> 00:18:01.440
 willingness to

00:18:01.440 --> 00:18:01.880
 pay the

00:18:01.880 --> 00:18:03.779
 price required

00:18:03.779 --> 00:18:05.059
 to be

00:18:05.059 --> 00:18:05.700
 obedient to

00:18:05.700 --> 00:18:05.980
 God?

00:18:07.339 --> 00:18:08.559
 We can see

00:18:08.559 --> 00:18:09.720
 how Mary

00:18:09.720 --> 00:18:10.420
 paid the

00:18:10.420 --> 00:18:10.740
 price.

00:18:10.799 --> 00:18:11.220
 It cost her

00:18:11.220 --> 00:18:11.720
 reputation.

00:18:12.559 --> 00:18:13.039
 It cost

00:18:13.039 --> 00:18:14.420
 Joseph social

00:18:14.420 --> 00:18:15.079
 standing,

00:18:15.440 --> 00:18:16.680
 financial security.

00:18:16.680 --> 00:18:17.680
 it cost

00:18:17.680 --> 00:18:18.360
 Jesus the

00:18:18.360 --> 00:18:19.039
 glory and

00:18:19.039 --> 00:18:20.519
 honor of

00:18:20.519 --> 00:18:20.920
 heaven.

00:18:23.240 --> 00:18:24.400
 Are you

00:18:24.400 --> 00:18:26.080
 willing to

00:18:26.080 --> 00:18:27.120
 say yes

00:18:27.120 --> 00:18:28.420
 to whatever

00:18:28.420 --> 00:18:29.180
 it is God

00:18:29.180 --> 00:18:30.279
 calls you to

00:18:30.279 --> 00:18:31.120
 do or to

00:18:31.120 --> 00:18:31.960
 take a stand

00:18:31.960 --> 00:18:32.560
 upon?

00:18:33.680 --> 00:18:34.740
 In your

00:18:34.740 --> 00:18:35.500
 relationships,

00:18:36.940 --> 00:18:38.539
 in your

00:18:38.539 --> 00:18:39.060
 work,

00:18:40.060 --> 00:18:41.240
 among the

00:18:41.240 --> 00:18:41.840
 people that

00:18:41.840 --> 00:18:43.180
 you associate

00:18:43.180 --> 00:18:43.759
 with?

00:18:43.759 --> 00:18:43.799
 faith.

00:18:45.519 --> 00:18:45.680
 You know,

00:18:45.740 --> 00:18:46.220
 the key to

00:18:46.220 --> 00:18:46.900
 making this

00:18:46.900 --> 00:18:47.180
 kind of

00:18:47.180 --> 00:18:47.759
 commitment is

00:18:47.759 --> 00:18:48.720
 found in

00:18:48.720 --> 00:18:49.180
 what Jesus

00:18:49.180 --> 00:18:49.759
 said about

00:18:49.759 --> 00:18:50.319
 us taking

00:18:50.319 --> 00:18:51.200
 our cross,

00:18:51.599 --> 00:18:52.019
 taking up

00:18:52.019 --> 00:18:52.460
 our cross

00:18:52.460 --> 00:18:52.940
 daily.

00:18:53.420 --> 00:18:53.819
 That means

00:18:53.819 --> 00:18:54.440
 we've got to

00:18:54.440 --> 00:18:55.400
 die to

00:18:55.400 --> 00:18:56.299
 self in

00:18:56.299 --> 00:18:56.759
 terms of

00:18:56.759 --> 00:18:58.339
 always having

00:18:58.339 --> 00:18:59.200
 it my way.

00:19:00.660 --> 00:19:01.379
 We've got to

00:19:01.379 --> 00:19:02.599
 die to my

00:19:02.599 --> 00:19:03.299
 comfort,

00:19:04.299 --> 00:19:05.779
 doing just

00:19:05.779 --> 00:19:06.879
 what I want

00:19:06.879 --> 00:19:07.180
 to do,

00:19:07.259 --> 00:19:07.799
 when I want

00:19:07.799 --> 00:19:08.319
 to do it.

00:19:09.640 --> 00:19:10.500
 It also means

00:19:10.500 --> 00:19:10.859
 we've got to

00:19:10.859 --> 00:19:11.519
 learn to trust

00:19:11.519 --> 00:19:11.980
 God.

00:19:11.980 --> 00:19:12.019
 God,

00:19:12.640 --> 00:19:13.180
 that His

00:19:13.180 --> 00:19:13.680
 way is not

00:19:13.680 --> 00:19:14.039
 only the

00:19:14.039 --> 00:19:14.819
 right way,

00:19:14.920 --> 00:19:15.160
 but it's

00:19:15.160 --> 00:19:15.779
 the best

00:19:15.779 --> 00:19:17.799
 way for

00:19:17.799 --> 00:19:18.460
 us as His

00:19:18.460 --> 00:19:18.860
 children.

00:19:20.620 --> 00:19:21.099
 And if we

00:19:21.099 --> 00:19:21.660
 trust God

00:19:21.660 --> 00:19:22.160
 like this,

00:19:22.860 --> 00:19:23.519
 we will

00:19:23.519 --> 00:19:24.240
 obey Him,

00:19:25.579 --> 00:19:26.940
 even if it

00:19:26.940 --> 00:19:27.779
 does cost

00:19:27.779 --> 00:19:29.779
 us our

00:19:29.779 --> 00:19:30.400
 reputation,

00:19:31.880 --> 00:19:33.740
 some social

00:19:33.740 --> 00:19:34.380
 standing,

00:19:35.900 --> 00:19:36.420
 financial

00:19:36.420 --> 00:19:37.240
 security,

00:19:38.240 --> 00:19:39.420
 or what we

00:19:39.420 --> 00:19:40.319
 consider earthly

00:19:40.319 --> 00:19:41.200
 glory.

00:19:41.980 --> 00:19:43.339
 Christmas

00:19:43.339 --> 00:19:43.980
 means that

00:19:43.980 --> 00:19:44.799
 Christ has

00:19:44.799 --> 00:19:45.180
 come.

00:19:45.279 --> 00:19:45.620
 He's come

00:19:45.620 --> 00:19:46.019
 into this

00:19:46.019 --> 00:19:46.460
 world.

00:19:47.660 --> 00:19:48.160
 But let me

00:19:48.160 --> 00:19:48.720
 ask you,

00:19:50.240 --> 00:19:50.900
 has Jesus

00:19:50.900 --> 00:19:53.160
 Christ come

00:19:53.160 --> 00:19:53.920
 into your

00:19:53.920 --> 00:19:56.960
 life as

00:19:56.960 --> 00:19:58.920
 Savior and

00:19:58.920 --> 00:19:59.700
 the reigning

00:19:59.700 --> 00:20:01.220
 Lord of

00:20:01.220 --> 00:20:01.779
 your life?

00:20:03.240 --> 00:20:04.099
 And final

00:20:04.099 --> 00:20:07.079
 thought, is

00:20:07.079 --> 00:20:08.759
 there room in

00:20:08.759 --> 00:20:09.519
 your heart

00:20:09.519 --> 00:20:10.500
 right now?

00:20:10.500 --> 00:20:13.879
 For God to

00:20:13.879 --> 00:20:16.160
 write His

00:20:16.160 --> 00:20:19.660
 story for

00:20:19.660 --> 00:20:20.859
 you and

00:20:20.859 --> 00:20:21.700
 where you are

00:20:21.700 --> 00:20:22.379
 right now,

00:20:23.379 --> 00:20:26.720
 even if it

00:20:26.720 --> 00:20:27.359
 comes at a

00:20:27.359 --> 00:20:28.220
 very high

00:20:28.220 --> 00:20:28.940
 cost.

00:20:29.940 --> 00:20:30.720
 Let's pray

00:20:30.720 --> 00:20:31.059
 together.

00:20:31.059 --> 00:20:32.720
 Father,

00:20:32.720 --> 00:20:35.759
 help us to

00:20:35.759 --> 00:20:36.399
 take seriously

00:20:36.399 --> 00:20:37.019
 the fact that

00:20:37.019 --> 00:20:38.079
 the coming of

00:20:38.079 --> 00:20:38.799
 Jesus is

00:20:38.799 --> 00:20:39.539
 costly,

00:20:40.480 --> 00:20:41.240
 always has

00:20:41.240 --> 00:20:41.559
 been,

00:20:42.200 --> 00:20:42.940
 always will

00:20:42.940 --> 00:20:43.240
 be.

00:20:44.559 --> 00:20:45.319
 Help us,

00:20:45.559 --> 00:20:45.940
 Father, to be

00:20:45.940 --> 00:20:48.339
 willing to

00:20:48.339 --> 00:20:48.919
 make the

00:20:48.919 --> 00:20:49.919
 wholehearted

00:20:49.919 --> 00:20:53.240
 commitment to

00:20:53.240 --> 00:20:54.539
 trust and

00:20:54.539 --> 00:20:55.839
 obey you,

00:20:55.839 --> 00:20:57.439
 faithfully

00:20:57.439 --> 00:20:59.279
 follow Jesus

00:20:59.279 --> 00:21:00.939
 wherever that

00:21:00.939 --> 00:21:02.759
 may lead and

00:21:02.759 --> 00:21:03.459
 whatever that

00:21:03.459 --> 00:21:04.339
 may cost.

00:21:05.779 --> 00:21:06.039
 And let's

00:21:06.039 --> 00:21:06.459
 just in an

00:21:06.459 --> 00:21:06.939
 attitude of

00:21:06.939 --> 00:21:07.480
 prayer right

00:21:07.480 --> 00:21:08.559
 now, listen

00:21:08.559 --> 00:21:09.220
 to the Lord

00:21:09.220 --> 00:21:10.720
 and respond to

00:21:10.720 --> 00:21:11.759
 Him as we

00:21:11.759 --> 00:21:12.220
 know He wants

00:21:12.220 --> 00:21:12.539
 us to.

00:21:13.319 --> 00:21:14.279
 I'd be happy to

00:21:14.279 --> 00:21:14.799
 pray with you

00:21:14.799 --> 00:21:15.159
 here at the

00:21:15.159 --> 00:21:16.119
 front if that

00:21:16.119 --> 00:21:17.240
 would be helpful

00:21:17.240 --> 00:21:17.859
 to you right

00:21:17.859 --> 00:21:18.119
 now.

00:21:19.159 --> 00:21:19.779
 And I

00:21:19.779 --> 00:21:21.099
 strongly want

00:21:21.099 --> 00:21:21.559
 to encourage

00:21:21.559 --> 00:21:23.019
 you, don't

00:21:23.019 --> 00:21:23.559
 let this

00:21:23.559 --> 00:21:24.720
 Christmas season

00:21:24.720 --> 00:21:25.299
 pass.

00:21:25.839 --> 00:21:27.559
 without

00:21:27.559 --> 00:21:29.599
 coming to

00:21:29.599 --> 00:21:30.139
 know Jesus

00:21:30.139 --> 00:21:30.679
 as your

00:21:30.679 --> 00:21:31.579
 Lord and

00:21:31.579 --> 00:21:32.199
 your Savior

00:21:32.199 --> 00:21:34.299
 and making

00:21:34.299 --> 00:21:35.059
 Him first

00:21:35.059 --> 00:21:35.939
 and foremost

00:21:35.939 --> 00:21:37.879
 in your life.

00:21:38.519 --> 00:21:39.199
 Let's pray

00:21:39.199 --> 00:21:39.799
 and respond

00:21:39.799 --> 00:21:40.259
 to the Lord.