WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.140 Let's pray. 00:00:04.080 --> 00:00:11.919 Father, many of us have just spent our entire life celebrating Christmas. 00:00:12.380 --> 00:00:16.120 We have no memory of a time that we didn't celebrate Christmas. 00:00:17.440 --> 00:00:24.920 And Father, it can lose its wonder and its mystery and even its grip on us. 00:00:25.620 --> 00:00:28.379 And you know that, Father. You know that about us. 00:00:28.379 --> 00:00:33.780 And so we ask, Lord, that the Holy Spirit would bring these words deeply into our hearts. 00:00:34.500 --> 00:00:40.679 That amidst the ways that we will celebrate today and over the next few days and all the other ways that we've celebrated. 00:00:41.739 --> 00:00:50.219 That the wonder of Jesus and who he is and the wonder of the cradle that led to a life, that led to the cross, that led to the grave. 00:00:51.500 --> 00:00:55.939 That that would be brought home to our hearts in a deep way. 00:00:55.939 --> 00:01:00.000 And we ask this in the name of Jesus, your Son and our Savior. Amen. 00:01:00.799 --> 00:01:01.679 Please be seated. 00:01:01.679 --> 00:01:16.239 It's, I've been thinking a little bit about darkness and over the last little while. 00:01:16.739 --> 00:01:22.299 And I guess I've been really struck by two things that have been in the newspaper just recently. 00:01:22.299 --> 00:01:26.340 And I have to, of course, qualify all of this, that it's in the newspaper. 00:01:26.659 --> 00:01:29.179 So I don't know if the reports are accurate. 00:01:29.620 --> 00:01:31.679 I'm just going by the newspaper accounts. 00:01:32.099 --> 00:01:34.060 And so that's just a very important caveat. 00:01:34.060 --> 00:01:43.299 And the first one is those eight girls, 12, I think some of them were as young as 12 and the oldest were 16, 00:01:44.120 --> 00:01:52.420 that met on social media and met somewhere in Toronto area, I believe, and killed a homeless man. 00:01:53.480 --> 00:01:55.300 And I've thought about that a fair bit. 00:01:55.299 --> 00:02:05.620 It's just, it's really, you know, it illustrates how, like in our culture, we want to maybe try to psychoanalyze that. 00:02:05.719 --> 00:02:10.960 And maybe they haven't said anything about the ethnic or cultural backgrounds or, you know, 00:02:10.979 --> 00:02:16.359 whether the kids had been traumatized by abusive dads or had been from a war zone. 00:02:16.360 --> 00:02:29.360 And maybe if that eventually came out, our natural inclination as a culture is to try to figure out some type of biological or sociological ways to explain something, 00:02:30.200 --> 00:02:33.860 which is just part of the evil of it. 00:02:33.940 --> 00:02:36.780 It just seems to be just so willful and random. 00:02:37.080 --> 00:02:42.040 Like it wasn't as if he attacked one of them and they sprang to that person. 00:02:42.220 --> 00:02:44.680 They just seem to think, let's just kill a guy. 00:02:44.680 --> 00:02:55.099 And it really reveals that, you know, at the end of the day, our culture doesn't want to acknowledge that there's just this mystery of evil. 00:02:55.680 --> 00:02:57.500 That evil is a bit of a mystery. 00:02:58.760 --> 00:03:02.180 And it's a mystery that frightens us. 00:03:03.879 --> 00:03:07.700 You know, and it's an evil that we type to deny. 00:03:07.879 --> 00:03:12.159 The other thing that's, and I've just been thinking about this since I'd missed it in the news. 00:03:12.159 --> 00:03:14.199 I think it's Thursday. 00:03:14.939 --> 00:03:16.539 It was in, I've discovered about Thursday. 00:03:16.639 --> 00:03:17.280 I went and looked it up. 00:03:17.439 --> 00:03:25.960 And this, according to the paper, this principle that basically just assumed at a local elementary school here in Ottawa that kid, 00:03:26.079 --> 00:03:29.900 and in effect what she did is just that kids were fundamentally basically good, 00:03:30.419 --> 00:03:32.859 that there should be no consequences to their action. 00:03:32.960 --> 00:03:34.139 There should be no discipline. 00:03:34.139 --> 00:03:37.899 That everything should be completely and utterly kid-centered. 00:03:38.799 --> 00:03:43.959 And that there just should be nothing, like nothing to limit them or constrain them. 00:03:44.059 --> 00:03:48.199 They should, we as adults, the teachers just needed to listen. 00:03:48.199 --> 00:03:52.679 And, and, and, and by the way, it seems as if, at least from the press releases, 00:03:52.679 --> 00:03:56.239 as if the school boards think this is a very, very good way to do that, 00:03:56.299 --> 00:03:57.699 and they haven't disciplined the principal. 00:03:57.699 --> 00:04:06.139 But the result was that kids didn't go to class, and bullies terrorized younger kids. 00:04:07.199 --> 00:04:15.120 And, and teachers that wanted to bring some accountability to this or stop it got functionally fired. 00:04:15.120 --> 00:04:25.759 Like, so on one hand, we have this evil, and we have this other idea that we don't want to, 00:04:25.819 --> 00:04:31.019 we don't want to face the fact that there's this darkness, this evil that's in the world. 00:04:31.540 --> 00:04:35.439 Like I mentioned last night that, I mean, and this isn't anything new, 00:04:35.560 --> 00:04:38.280 that it appears reporting, once again, according to news reports, 00:04:38.279 --> 00:04:46.739 that Russia uses indiscriminate bombing and, and raping as a means to try to control the Ukrainian people. 00:04:46.739 --> 00:04:51.019 And if you followed what happened in Middle East for decades, 00:04:52.479 --> 00:04:59.739 the entire structure of Palestinian, well, it's just they, they target civilians. 00:05:00.139 --> 00:05:02.679 Like they target civilians. 00:05:02.680 --> 00:05:06.480 Not just accidentally, they, they do it on purpose. 00:05:09.560 --> 00:05:13.360 And, you know, if we think about it at all for, for a moment, 00:05:14.300 --> 00:05:16.199 if we have any type of self-reflection, 00:05:16.879 --> 00:05:22.500 every single one of us, there's a mystery of evil and darkness within every single one of us. 00:05:22.980 --> 00:05:26.420 Like not all the time, maybe for some of us it feels like all the time. 00:05:26.420 --> 00:05:35.020 But, you know, our friend or somebody just says a very kind word or nice word to us 00:05:35.020 --> 00:05:39.379 and we do, we say something back to them that's snarky or puts them down. 00:05:40.620 --> 00:05:47.200 Or we, we have a chance to be generous or helpful and, and we, we just knowingly don't do it. 00:05:48.220 --> 00:05:51.620 Or we have an opportunity to be more forgiving or more loving 00:05:51.620 --> 00:05:54.720 and it's as if we come up to that and then we just walk away from it. 00:05:54.720 --> 00:05:59.260 And there's not, and afterwards we might say it's because of this or because of that or because of that. 00:05:59.320 --> 00:06:04.540 But the fact of the matter is, is that there's just parts of us that just do bad things. 00:06:05.020 --> 00:06:06.260 We just do them. 00:06:08.940 --> 00:06:11.700 And yeah, maybe sometimes we could psychoanalyze them 00:06:11.700 --> 00:06:13.580 and sometimes we could say there's context. 00:06:13.700 --> 00:06:17.660 But the fact of the matter is that if you were at all self-reflective, 00:06:17.660 --> 00:06:21.760 you know that there is something that is dark and chooses evil within you. 00:06:21.759 --> 00:06:26.399 Now this might seem like a very odd thing to talk about on Christmas morning, 00:06:26.759 --> 00:06:33.339 but actually the gospel text is going to talk about it in a way which brings great hope. 00:06:33.839 --> 00:06:37.319 In fact, in a way that if you are present or watching 00:06:37.319 --> 00:06:39.699 and you don't call yourself a follower of Jesus, 00:06:40.439 --> 00:06:45.019 I, I would hope that by the end of it, you want it to be true. 00:06:45.159 --> 00:06:47.560 Your mind might still think it's impossible to be true, 00:06:47.560 --> 00:06:51.139 but that you actually could see it and say, I'd love that to be true. 00:06:52.019 --> 00:06:53.720 Now we're going to be looking at very abstract things. 00:06:53.819 --> 00:06:56.699 And before we go any further, we want to get the details of the story straight. 00:06:56.780 --> 00:06:58.620 So if we, we're going to watch a short little video 00:06:58.620 --> 00:07:04.959 called The Wrong Christmas that'll just get the fundamental parts of the story straight up for us. 00:07:17.560 --> 00:07:29.339 And in the same region, there were shepherds out in the field, 00:07:29.879 --> 00:07:31.740 keeping watch over their flock by night. 00:07:32.459 --> 00:07:34.319 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, 00:07:34.500 --> 00:07:36.459 and the glory of the Lord shone around them. 00:07:36.660 --> 00:07:38.800 And they were filled with great fear. 00:07:39.160 --> 00:07:40.860 And the angel said to them, Fear not, 00:07:41.000 --> 00:07:43.980 for behold, I bring you good news of great joy 00:07:43.980 --> 00:07:45.560 that will be for all the people. 00:07:45.560 --> 00:07:50.180 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, 00:07:50.579 --> 00:07:51.780 who is Christ the Lord. 00:07:52.060 --> 00:07:54.019 And this will be a sign for you. 00:07:54.319 --> 00:07:57.240 You will find a king wearing a magnificent crown. 00:07:59.840 --> 00:08:02.079 No, Dad, that's not it. 00:08:02.920 --> 00:08:03.639 Oh, really? 00:08:04.399 --> 00:08:05.540 Let me try it again. 00:08:06.860 --> 00:08:10.540 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, 00:08:10.840 --> 00:08:11.980 who is Christ the Lord. 00:08:12.220 --> 00:08:14.379 And this will be a sign for you. 00:08:14.379 --> 00:08:18.060 You will find a powerful, well-trained soldier. 00:08:18.360 --> 00:08:20.139 No, Dad, you did it again. 00:08:20.339 --> 00:08:21.159 That's not right. 00:08:21.959 --> 00:08:23.659 Okay, how about this? 00:08:24.040 --> 00:08:25.579 And this will be a sign for you. 00:08:25.920 --> 00:08:28.279 You will find a democratically elected president. 00:08:28.939 --> 00:08:30.360 What? No. 00:08:31.159 --> 00:08:33.200 A trendy motivational speaker. 00:08:34.980 --> 00:08:36.259 No way. 00:08:36.259 --> 00:08:37.840 A big tech CEO. 00:08:38.919 --> 00:08:40.500 A movie star. 00:08:41.460 --> 00:08:42.779 Time-traveling cyborg. 00:08:44.720 --> 00:08:46.639 No, no, none of those are right. 00:08:46.759 --> 00:08:48.960 The shepherds, we couldn't find any of those. 00:08:49.299 --> 00:08:51.100 Okay, then, little Miss Noah doll. 00:08:51.439 --> 00:08:52.639 What did they find? 00:08:52.639 --> 00:08:59.939 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, 00:09:00.500 --> 00:09:01.639 who is Christ the Lord. 00:09:02.159 --> 00:09:03.699 And this will be a sign for you. 00:09:04.059 --> 00:09:09.279 You will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger. 00:09:09.360 --> 00:09:10.419 Oh, that's right. 00:09:10.480 --> 00:09:11.379 A baby. 00:09:12.240 --> 00:09:13.620 Does that even make sense? 00:09:13.779 --> 00:09:15.699 A baby is totally helpless. 00:09:15.700 --> 00:09:18.620 Yeah, but if Jesus didn't come as a baby, 00:09:19.160 --> 00:09:22.000 then he would have known what it was like to grow up. 00:09:22.220 --> 00:09:23.020 Ah, but wait. 00:09:23.560 --> 00:09:25.220 Why did he have to grow up? 00:09:27.100 --> 00:09:28.080 That's easy. 00:09:28.300 --> 00:09:29.240 To save us. 00:09:29.400 --> 00:09:34.060 Ah, well then that means that the best part about Christmas is... 00:09:34.060 --> 00:09:34.860 The baby. 00:09:35.220 --> 00:09:36.680 Right, the baby. 00:09:38.600 --> 00:09:41.660 Oh, well, I guess it's time you get some sleep. 00:09:42.120 --> 00:09:43.820 We got a big day ahead of us tomorrow. 00:09:43.820 --> 00:09:46.540 No, we're not done with the story. 00:09:47.580 --> 00:09:50.020 Okay, just a little longer. 00:09:52.180 --> 00:09:57.120 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host 00:09:57.120 --> 00:10:00.500 praising God and saying glory to God in the highest 00:10:00.500 --> 00:10:04.240 and on earth peace among those with whom he was. 00:10:04.240 --> 00:10:17.639 One of the things which is so wonderful and powerful about the Christian faith 00:10:17.639 --> 00:10:19.799 is that not only there's very simple stories, 00:10:20.700 --> 00:10:25.740 but at the same time those stories are connected to very profound 00:10:25.740 --> 00:10:30.419 and beautiful and wise and true ideas. 00:10:30.419 --> 00:10:34.419 And in fact, you know, we're going to read John 1 verses... 00:10:34.419 --> 00:10:36.719 If you have your Bibles, you can turn to John chapter 1. 00:10:36.799 --> 00:10:38.479 We're going to begin reading it in a moment. 00:10:39.419 --> 00:10:45.339 But if Jesus hadn't risen from the dead, 00:10:45.459 --> 00:10:48.579 if the grave hadn't been empty, we wouldn't know anything about Jesus. 00:10:48.759 --> 00:10:50.879 He would have just been one of the hundreds of thousands of people 00:10:50.879 --> 00:10:52.199 who died by crucifixion. 00:10:52.819 --> 00:10:53.679 Completely irrelevant. 00:10:53.679 --> 00:10:58.439 And even if Jesus had risen from the dead, 00:10:58.779 --> 00:11:02.279 if he had risen from the dead and it was just like a random event, 00:11:02.679 --> 00:11:07.219 like Louise rose from the dead or I rose from the dead or something like that, 00:11:07.259 --> 00:11:08.339 that would just be weird. 00:11:09.219 --> 00:11:12.219 But the fact is that the resurrection, 00:11:12.859 --> 00:11:15.359 his death upon the cross and his resurrection 00:11:15.359 --> 00:11:20.019 was connected to this long story and series of writings. 00:11:20.019 --> 00:11:23.620 And it was connected to these very, very, very profound ideas. 00:11:24.419 --> 00:11:28.939 And it's because of that that we recognize that... 00:11:28.939 --> 00:11:30.559 I mean, that's why these things are written, 00:11:30.679 --> 00:11:33.539 because it's not just some, like, random weird thing. 00:11:33.639 --> 00:11:37.059 It's connected to these centuries of prophecies 00:11:37.059 --> 00:11:40.340 and these profound and wise ideas. 00:11:41.120 --> 00:11:42.620 And as I've shared before, 00:11:43.379 --> 00:11:46.759 they are, in fact, the basis of human rights. 00:11:46.919 --> 00:11:48.299 They are the basis of justice. 00:11:48.299 --> 00:11:52.379 They are the basis of the dignity of human beings. 00:11:52.679 --> 00:11:54.599 They are the basis for science. 00:11:55.259 --> 00:11:56.779 These are very profound ideas, 00:11:56.899 --> 00:11:58.759 and it's within this very big context 00:11:58.759 --> 00:12:01.379 that we have Jesus dying and rising from the dead, 00:12:01.519 --> 00:12:04.559 and then people looking back and thinking about Jesus 00:12:04.559 --> 00:12:05.399 and what he taught, 00:12:05.559 --> 00:12:07.139 and then telling the story. 00:12:07.259 --> 00:12:09.719 And out of all of the ways that the story of Jesus was told, 00:12:09.799 --> 00:12:11.120 there's four ancient biographies. 00:12:11.279 --> 00:12:15.139 John is the one who most nests this story 00:12:15.139 --> 00:12:16.359 and these profound ideas. 00:12:16.360 --> 00:12:19.399 So let's listen to how he begins the story of Jesus. 00:12:20.060 --> 00:12:21.840 Chapter 1, verse 1 of John. 00:12:22.740 --> 00:12:24.080 In the beginning was the Word, 00:12:24.720 --> 00:12:26.480 and the Word was with God, 00:12:27.100 --> 00:12:28.360 and the Word was God. 00:12:29.480 --> 00:12:31.820 He was in the beginning with God. 00:12:32.700 --> 00:12:34.700 All things were made through him, 00:12:35.240 --> 00:12:38.120 and without him was not anything made that was made. 00:12:38.940 --> 00:12:40.060 In him was life, 00:12:40.059 --> 00:12:43.759 and the life was the light of men, 00:12:43.759 --> 00:12:44.859 of the human race. 00:12:45.159 --> 00:12:46.839 The light shines in the darkness, 00:12:47.500 --> 00:12:49.199 and the darkness is not overcoming. 00:12:50.279 --> 00:12:52.939 Now, you see there a little bit for a moment 00:12:52.939 --> 00:12:54.979 why I was reflecting upon darkness, 00:12:55.139 --> 00:12:56.699 and we're going to get back to it in a moment, 00:12:56.879 --> 00:12:58.859 because part of our deep hope 00:12:58.859 --> 00:13:02.799 is that on one hand there's darkness within us 00:13:02.799 --> 00:13:04.779 that we don't want light to shine into it. 00:13:05.379 --> 00:13:07.479 But really, for those of us 00:13:07.479 --> 00:13:11.000 who've had our darkness exposed by the true light, 00:13:11.459 --> 00:13:13.339 there is nothing more freeing 00:13:13.339 --> 00:13:15.620 than having the darkness exposed 00:13:15.620 --> 00:13:17.259 and dealt with by the true light. 00:13:17.500 --> 00:13:19.000 Like, we don't want it, 00:13:19.419 --> 00:13:20.500 but after it's happened, 00:13:20.719 --> 00:13:22.779 we're very deeply grateful that it's happened. 00:13:23.500 --> 00:13:26.339 And it also expresses this profound hope 00:13:26.339 --> 00:13:29.459 that the darkness within us won't consume us, 00:13:29.559 --> 00:13:32.059 that the darkness in the world won't win, 00:13:32.299 --> 00:13:34.539 that there is, in fact, a darkness in the world, 00:13:34.539 --> 00:13:35.819 but there is a true light 00:13:35.819 --> 00:13:39.139 that will never be overcome by the darkness. 00:13:40.120 --> 00:13:41.399 But let's look just again, 00:13:41.480 --> 00:13:42.360 just before to get that, 00:13:42.419 --> 00:13:43.120 just very briefly. 00:13:43.220 --> 00:13:44.480 Look at verse 1 again. 00:13:45.039 --> 00:13:46.240 In the beginning was the Word, 00:13:46.319 --> 00:13:47.459 and the Word was with God, 00:13:47.500 --> 00:13:48.419 and the Word was God. 00:13:48.740 --> 00:13:49.579 You know, it's very interesting. 00:13:49.819 --> 00:13:52.000 I was thinking about this week again, 00:13:52.000 --> 00:13:54.460 and, you know, 00:13:55.159 --> 00:13:58.480 so scientists have put different things out, 00:13:58.580 --> 00:14:00.340 hoping that if there's aliens out there, 00:14:00.440 --> 00:14:02.500 they'll hear our messages 00:14:02.500 --> 00:14:03.960 or they'll see something. 00:14:04.799 --> 00:14:06.899 And it would be interesting to figure out 00:14:06.899 --> 00:14:09.820 how scientists try to come up with something 00:14:09.820 --> 00:14:10.559 that's language 00:14:10.559 --> 00:14:14.200 that an alien would recognize as language. 00:14:14.419 --> 00:14:17.539 And I'm sure there's some type of an intentional pattern 00:14:17.539 --> 00:14:19.580 that can't be random. 00:14:19.779 --> 00:14:21.019 It can't just be noise. 00:14:21.019 --> 00:14:25.500 And so it's the very, very same thing here. 00:14:25.600 --> 00:14:26.879 Like, our brightest scientists 00:14:26.879 --> 00:14:30.460 are trying to figure out the same type of things 00:14:30.460 --> 00:14:33.199 that John uses 2,000 years earlier 00:14:33.199 --> 00:14:33.960 to describe, 00:14:35.079 --> 00:14:37.000 to try to begin to describe the Trinity 00:14:37.000 --> 00:14:38.419 and who Jesus is. 00:14:39.079 --> 00:14:41.199 And it's very clever if you think about it. 00:14:41.279 --> 00:14:42.639 If you were to go up 00:14:42.639 --> 00:14:44.860 and you were to be God's advisor, 00:14:45.000 --> 00:14:45.919 and God said to you, 00:14:45.919 --> 00:14:48.360 I want to try to communicate in simple language 00:14:48.360 --> 00:14:50.819 something about who Jesus is 00:14:50.819 --> 00:14:52.379 and the reality of the Trinity. 00:14:52.779 --> 00:14:55.159 And I want you to try to do it in such a way 00:14:55.159 --> 00:14:58.519 that the Politburo in China, 00:15:00.039 --> 00:15:03.199 that a semi-nomadic bushman in the, 00:15:03.559 --> 00:15:06.799 or semi-nomadic tribes people in the Kalahari, 00:15:06.799 --> 00:15:15.039 that they'll all be able to grasp it. 00:15:16.659 --> 00:15:18.839 And you'd go, wow, like, that's quite a task. 00:15:19.139 --> 00:15:20.519 And then he says, oh, and by the way, 00:15:20.579 --> 00:15:22.120 it has to be something that will work, 00:15:22.179 --> 00:15:23.539 like, in the second century, 00:15:23.539 --> 00:15:25.459 and it has to be something that will work 00:15:25.459 --> 00:15:26.339 in every century. 00:15:26.340 --> 00:15:29.420 And you'd think, wow, that's really quite a task. 00:15:31.040 --> 00:15:35.139 But what John says is he uses word. 00:15:36.680 --> 00:15:37.200 Word. 00:15:38.060 --> 00:15:39.920 Human beings use words. 00:15:40.720 --> 00:15:42.980 A word shows intention. 00:15:43.840 --> 00:15:45.340 It shows a desire to communicate. 00:15:45.560 --> 00:15:47.019 It shows a desire to connect. 00:15:49.080 --> 00:15:50.379 It sends a message. 00:15:51.639 --> 00:15:52.540 It's personal. 00:15:53.759 --> 00:15:55.019 And you could go on and on and on 00:15:55.019 --> 00:15:55.879 and just reflect it. 00:15:55.879 --> 00:15:57.980 And for those of you who are musicians or poets, 00:15:58.059 --> 00:15:58.799 you could probably write, 00:15:59.100 --> 00:16:01.299 or philosophers or theologians, 00:16:01.419 --> 00:16:02.820 you could write a long type of things 00:16:02.820 --> 00:16:05.740 about how brilliant it was 00:16:05.740 --> 00:16:07.279 to try to communicate something 00:16:07.279 --> 00:16:08.879 about the nature of the Trinity. 00:16:09.320 --> 00:16:11.720 That there's, and that's how we look at it again. 00:16:11.860 --> 00:16:12.860 First one, in the beginning, 00:16:13.039 --> 00:16:14.860 that's before there's anything, 00:16:15.059 --> 00:16:17.779 before the Big Bang was the Word. 00:16:18.500 --> 00:16:20.179 And then the Word was with God. 00:16:20.279 --> 00:16:21.940 And the original language, the word with, 00:16:22.100 --> 00:16:24.179 there's more than two different ways, 00:16:24.179 --> 00:16:25.639 but there's two different words 00:16:25.639 --> 00:16:27.879 that can, in the original language, 00:16:27.979 --> 00:16:28.859 communicate with. 00:16:29.399 --> 00:16:32.599 One would be that I've put this cup with a table, 00:16:32.799 --> 00:16:34.339 that two impersonal objects. 00:16:35.799 --> 00:16:37.339 And the other word is, 00:16:37.699 --> 00:16:39.519 Louise is with me at the service 00:16:39.519 --> 00:16:41.500 of two persons. 00:16:41.739 --> 00:16:43.519 And the word which is used here for with 00:16:43.519 --> 00:16:46.679 is not the word to say that the cup is with the table, 00:16:46.679 --> 00:16:49.299 but is the way of expressing that Louise is with me 00:16:49.299 --> 00:16:50.179 or I am with Louise. 00:16:51.059 --> 00:16:53.699 It's communicating that the word 00:16:53.699 --> 00:16:56.079 is a person who's with God, 00:16:56.139 --> 00:16:56.819 who's a person. 00:16:58.559 --> 00:16:59.759 The word is God, 00:17:00.259 --> 00:17:01.539 and the word was with God, 00:17:01.659 --> 00:17:02.719 and the word was God. 00:17:03.299 --> 00:17:04.559 And then again, he says it again, 00:17:04.639 --> 00:17:05.339 verse two, look at that. 00:17:05.659 --> 00:17:07.359 He was in the beginning with God. 00:17:07.940 --> 00:17:09.579 Just to make sure we understand it, 00:17:09.599 --> 00:17:10.440 it's all very simple. 00:17:11.259 --> 00:17:12.579 All things that were made, 00:17:12.700 --> 00:17:14.500 all things were made through him, 00:17:14.500 --> 00:17:18.240 and without him was not anything made that was made. 00:17:19.339 --> 00:17:21.779 In him was life, 00:17:22.420 --> 00:17:26.299 and the life was the light of humanity. 00:17:27.460 --> 00:17:29.440 The light shines in the darkness, 00:17:29.579 --> 00:17:31.160 and the darkness has not overcome it. 00:17:31.640 --> 00:17:34.640 Claire, if you could put up that little image for me. 00:17:35.740 --> 00:17:37.539 So once again, as with last night, 00:17:38.299 --> 00:17:41.000 the church gave me permission to hire 00:17:41.000 --> 00:17:44.160 the most expensive graphic designers imaginable 00:17:44.160 --> 00:17:45.279 to come up with this image. 00:17:45.380 --> 00:17:47.100 We spent tens of thousands of dollars, 00:17:47.660 --> 00:17:48.480 as you can tell. 00:17:49.300 --> 00:17:51.960 And you just look at this for a second. 00:17:52.120 --> 00:17:53.380 Just like it's one of the things, 00:17:53.460 --> 00:17:55.380 even if you get nothing else other than this diagram, 00:17:55.540 --> 00:17:56.540 just to puzzle over. 00:17:58.180 --> 00:17:59.720 You think about it for a second, 00:17:59.880 --> 00:18:01.700 how human thought works, 00:18:01.820 --> 00:18:04.460 and what our longings and yearnings are like. 00:18:05.700 --> 00:18:08.019 And I think if you think about this for a moment, 00:18:08.019 --> 00:18:09.019 in these very simple categories 00:18:09.620 --> 00:18:11.560 that the Gospel of John has given here, 00:18:12.200 --> 00:18:13.420 you'd come to the conclusion 00:18:13.420 --> 00:18:14.320 that you might say, 00:18:14.380 --> 00:18:15.380 you know, I'm an agnostic, 00:18:15.620 --> 00:18:16.700 or I'm a Muslim, 00:18:16.820 --> 00:18:17.539 or I'm a Buddhist, 00:18:18.640 --> 00:18:20.880 or I'm just a secular person. 00:18:21.580 --> 00:18:23.880 I'm just a person who likes to go to drag shows. 00:18:23.980 --> 00:18:25.380 Like, I'm just a secular person. 00:18:26.380 --> 00:18:28.400 But if you understand this, 00:18:28.779 --> 00:18:29.519 you'd say, you know what, 00:18:29.519 --> 00:18:30.820 I don't know if Christianity is true, 00:18:30.940 --> 00:18:31.660 but you know what, 00:18:31.700 --> 00:18:32.320 for the first time, 00:18:32.360 --> 00:18:33.200 I wish it was true. 00:18:33.920 --> 00:18:35.940 Because look at what he does. 00:18:36.140 --> 00:18:37.220 There's two different ways 00:18:37.220 --> 00:18:38.539 to think about things. 00:18:38.539 --> 00:18:39.740 It's like, you look at B, 00:18:40.480 --> 00:18:43.700 and B is that life exists, 00:18:44.099 --> 00:18:46.039 but it's not connected to light. 00:18:47.420 --> 00:18:48.700 And that's, in a sense, 00:18:49.559 --> 00:18:53.779 like what secularism is in many, many ways, 00:18:53.859 --> 00:18:55.359 that we have life that's created 00:18:55.359 --> 00:18:56.659 in one particular, 00:18:57.119 --> 00:18:59.259 you know, through evolutionary processes. 00:18:59.940 --> 00:19:02.180 But it's not connected to light. 00:19:02.180 --> 00:19:04.859 It's not connected to insight or revelation. 00:19:04.859 --> 00:19:06.899 You can have life without light. 00:19:07.559 --> 00:19:08.859 I mean, animals have life, 00:19:08.979 --> 00:19:09.879 but don't have light. 00:19:10.019 --> 00:19:11.879 They don't have an ability to understand, 00:19:12.039 --> 00:19:12.539 to discern, 00:19:12.759 --> 00:19:14.959 to see into the mystery of reality, 00:19:15.139 --> 00:19:16.259 into the mystery of themselves. 00:19:17.359 --> 00:19:18.479 They're just animals. 00:19:18.759 --> 00:19:20.000 And many people in our culture 00:19:20.000 --> 00:19:21.039 struggle with the idea 00:19:21.039 --> 00:19:22.119 that really, at the end of the day, 00:19:22.159 --> 00:19:23.539 a human being is just an animal. 00:19:24.559 --> 00:19:25.819 In fact, even not that, 00:19:25.899 --> 00:19:27.399 we're just a clump of cells. 00:19:28.500 --> 00:19:30.419 And consider for a second number, 00:19:30.939 --> 00:19:31.899 you know, C. 00:19:31.900 --> 00:19:31.980 C. 00:19:33.660 --> 00:19:35.560 That's this idea that there is light, 00:19:35.780 --> 00:19:36.960 that there is ways to see 00:19:36.960 --> 00:19:38.620 and understand everything, 00:19:38.759 --> 00:19:41.000 but it's not connected to life. 00:19:41.740 --> 00:19:43.019 Because at the end of the day, 00:19:43.740 --> 00:19:45.460 we all die. 00:19:46.740 --> 00:19:47.980 And part of the tragedy 00:19:47.980 --> 00:19:49.080 of being a human being 00:19:49.080 --> 00:19:50.140 is that we have the light 00:19:50.140 --> 00:19:51.440 to understand that 00:19:51.440 --> 00:19:53.140 everything will just end in death. 00:19:53.280 --> 00:19:54.660 And life is just something 00:19:54.660 --> 00:19:56.560 that's borrowed for a short season. 00:19:56.960 --> 00:19:58.360 And for some human beings, 00:19:58.420 --> 00:20:00.220 a very, very, very short season. 00:20:00.220 --> 00:20:02.360 And then at the end of the day, 00:20:03.019 --> 00:20:03.559 you die. 00:20:04.799 --> 00:20:05.700 And then consider 00:20:05.700 --> 00:20:07.640 the most despairing of all, 00:20:07.799 --> 00:20:09.940 which is the letter D. 00:20:11.920 --> 00:20:12.980 That, you know, 00:20:13.000 --> 00:20:13.740 at the end of the day, 00:20:15.160 --> 00:20:15.440 you know, 00:20:15.480 --> 00:20:16.980 if you were to really take 00:20:16.980 --> 00:20:18.660 evolutionary theory 00:20:18.660 --> 00:20:20.240 and the naturalism 00:20:20.240 --> 00:20:21.299 which creates it, 00:20:22.400 --> 00:20:24.559 at the end of the day, 00:20:25.140 --> 00:20:27.680 you can't really believe 00:20:27.680 --> 00:20:28.580 there is such a thing 00:20:28.580 --> 00:20:29.700 as mind or reason. 00:20:30.980 --> 00:20:32.299 You believe things 00:20:32.299 --> 00:20:33.000 just because 00:20:33.000 --> 00:20:34.299 that's just the processes 00:20:34.299 --> 00:20:35.259 that have led you 00:20:35.259 --> 00:20:36.120 to think. 00:20:36.380 --> 00:20:37.259 The cognitions 00:20:37.259 --> 00:20:38.980 are just mental events 00:20:38.980 --> 00:20:39.620 that happen 00:20:39.620 --> 00:20:41.460 inside of you 00:20:41.460 --> 00:20:42.160 that are caused 00:20:42.160 --> 00:20:42.900 by physical 00:20:42.900 --> 00:20:44.500 and other types of events. 00:20:44.799 --> 00:20:45.700 And they're just, 00:20:46.060 --> 00:20:46.680 they just, 00:20:47.080 --> 00:20:48.519 they're not really connected 00:20:48.519 --> 00:20:49.180 to the real. 00:20:50.180 --> 00:20:51.200 And at the end of the day, 00:20:51.259 --> 00:20:51.940 we all die. 00:20:52.539 --> 00:20:53.060 And in fact, 00:20:53.100 --> 00:20:53.720 the matter is, 00:20:53.759 --> 00:20:54.660 is that given that 00:20:54.660 --> 00:20:55.960 there's just matter in motion, 00:20:55.960 --> 00:20:56.840 there's not really 00:20:56.840 --> 00:20:58.120 any fundamental difference 00:20:58.120 --> 00:20:59.480 between life and death. 00:21:01.259 --> 00:21:02.420 If you think about it 00:21:02.420 --> 00:21:03.340 in terms of, 00:21:03.360 --> 00:21:03.559 you know, 00:21:03.620 --> 00:21:05.519 philosophical types of things, 00:21:05.700 --> 00:21:06.440 at the end, 00:21:07.880 --> 00:21:09.519 in the Eastern religions, 00:21:11.440 --> 00:21:12.279 light is, 00:21:12.660 --> 00:21:13.299 or conscious, 00:21:13.980 --> 00:21:15.440 moral conscience 00:21:15.440 --> 00:21:16.660 and mental insight 00:21:16.660 --> 00:21:17.480 is something that 00:21:17.480 --> 00:21:19.100 is a bit of an illusion 00:21:19.100 --> 00:21:20.400 because everything 00:21:20.400 --> 00:21:21.220 is just one. 00:21:22.380 --> 00:21:22.960 And when everything 00:21:22.960 --> 00:21:23.680 is just one, 00:21:23.759 --> 00:21:24.559 it's not really 00:21:24.559 --> 00:21:25.779 any different than death. 00:21:25.960 --> 00:21:29.259 But we as human beings, 00:21:29.700 --> 00:21:30.700 what do we really hope? 00:21:30.759 --> 00:21:31.960 We really hope for A. 00:21:32.860 --> 00:21:33.920 We really hope 00:21:33.920 --> 00:21:34.860 that life 00:21:34.860 --> 00:21:36.519 is connected to light, 00:21:37.440 --> 00:21:39.019 that life is good, 00:21:39.400 --> 00:21:40.579 that it's a value, 00:21:40.799 --> 00:21:41.400 that it's something 00:21:41.400 --> 00:21:42.360 to be celebrated, 00:21:42.539 --> 00:21:43.279 that it's right 00:21:43.279 --> 00:21:43.920 to celebrate 00:21:43.920 --> 00:21:44.960 the birth of a baby 00:21:44.960 --> 00:21:46.380 and to celebrate birthdays. 00:21:47.640 --> 00:21:49.279 And that there is 00:21:49.279 --> 00:21:50.360 such a thing as light, 00:21:50.500 --> 00:21:51.299 there is such a thing 00:21:51.299 --> 00:21:51.860 as insight, 00:21:52.019 --> 00:21:52.920 and that these two things 00:21:52.920 --> 00:21:53.500 are connected. 00:21:53.680 --> 00:21:54.720 They're not at war 00:21:54.720 --> 00:21:55.460 with each other, 00:21:55.460 --> 00:21:55.960 they're not 00:21:55.960 --> 00:21:58.059 sort of two random things 00:21:58.059 --> 00:21:59.240 that might come together, 00:21:59.779 --> 00:22:01.940 just like two random cars 00:22:01.940 --> 00:22:03.079 that meet at an intersection 00:22:03.079 --> 00:22:04.440 and have a traffic accident. 00:22:04.579 --> 00:22:05.579 They're not just random, 00:22:05.720 --> 00:22:06.380 that there must be 00:22:06.380 --> 00:22:08.059 something connected to life 00:22:08.059 --> 00:22:09.340 that's connected to light. 00:22:10.600 --> 00:22:12.779 And that's what we long for. 00:22:13.840 --> 00:22:14.920 And then look again 00:22:14.920 --> 00:22:15.660 at verse four. 00:22:16.360 --> 00:22:17.420 In him was life, 00:22:17.960 --> 00:22:18.940 and the life 00:22:18.940 --> 00:22:20.200 was the light 00:22:20.200 --> 00:22:21.299 of men. 00:22:21.299 --> 00:22:24.799 The light shines 00:22:24.799 --> 00:22:25.539 in the darkness, 00:22:25.879 --> 00:22:26.460 and the darkness 00:22:26.460 --> 00:22:27.919 has not overcome it. 00:22:29.899 --> 00:22:30.339 Now, 00:22:30.519 --> 00:22:31.859 this is going to make 00:22:31.859 --> 00:22:33.299 a very profound story 00:22:33.299 --> 00:22:36.079 about who is in the cradle. 00:22:36.440 --> 00:22:36.899 And to help us 00:22:36.899 --> 00:22:37.619 to understand, 00:22:38.319 --> 00:22:39.039 we're going to watch 00:22:39.039 --> 00:22:39.980 another mini-movie, 00:22:40.519 --> 00:22:41.240 The Silence 00:22:41.240 --> 00:22:42.000 and the Fury. 00:22:42.000 --> 00:23:06.779 It was that silent night 00:23:06.779 --> 00:23:08.559 when the stars 00:23:08.559 --> 00:23:09.639 turned their gaze 00:23:09.639 --> 00:23:10.940 to marvel at the earth, 00:23:12.059 --> 00:23:14.539 when the heavens 00:23:14.539 --> 00:23:15.779 gathered breathless 00:23:15.779 --> 00:23:17.279 round a lowly stable, 00:23:18.279 --> 00:23:21.480 when a young mother 00:23:21.480 --> 00:23:23.019 wept tears of worship 00:23:23.019 --> 00:23:25.000 falling on the baby 00:23:25.000 --> 00:23:25.920 in her arms, 00:23:25.920 --> 00:23:29.400 and the song 00:23:29.400 --> 00:23:30.039 of the earth 00:23:30.039 --> 00:23:31.580 arose in Bethlehem, 00:23:32.380 --> 00:23:33.720 soft as the tender 00:23:33.720 --> 00:23:35.039 beating of his heart. 00:23:36.720 --> 00:23:38.320 And all was calm, 00:23:39.240 --> 00:23:40.900 all was bright. 00:23:42.440 --> 00:23:43.539 Yet could this be 00:23:43.539 --> 00:23:45.140 the same God of Abraham, 00:23:45.560 --> 00:23:47.220 the conqueror of Israel, 00:23:47.779 --> 00:23:48.720 this baby, 00:23:49.279 --> 00:23:50.600 this fragile life? 00:23:51.800 --> 00:23:53.200 Is this child 00:23:53.200 --> 00:23:54.240 the one who burned 00:23:54.240 --> 00:23:55.779 his name in rapture, 00:23:55.920 --> 00:23:58.220 across the gasping skies? 00:23:58.960 --> 00:23:59.960 Whose voice spoke 00:23:59.960 --> 00:24:00.680 the oceans 00:24:00.680 --> 00:24:01.960 into crashing rhythms? 00:24:02.920 --> 00:24:04.340 Who crafted the mountains 00:24:04.340 --> 00:24:05.259 into guardians 00:24:05.259 --> 00:24:06.340 of the firmament? 00:24:07.460 --> 00:24:08.800 Whose hand ignited 00:24:08.800 --> 00:24:10.500 the thirst of the deserts 00:24:10.500 --> 00:24:12.080 and the warring surge 00:24:12.080 --> 00:24:13.400 of the elemental hosts? 00:24:14.160 --> 00:24:15.220 Who breathed life 00:24:15.220 --> 00:24:16.080 from dust? 00:24:17.039 --> 00:24:18.779 Broke the oppressor's rule, 00:24:19.259 --> 00:24:20.360 scattered the chains 00:24:20.360 --> 00:24:21.960 of his people like sand, 00:24:22.460 --> 00:24:23.240 and led them 00:24:23.240 --> 00:24:24.100 through the wilderness 00:24:24.100 --> 00:24:25.680 with the pillar of flame? 00:24:25.920 --> 00:24:27.840 Is this child 00:24:27.840 --> 00:24:29.140 the one whose presence 00:24:29.140 --> 00:24:29.960 billowed thunderous 00:24:30.480 --> 00:24:31.940 on Sinai's peak? 00:24:32.680 --> 00:24:34.440 Who surrounded Job 00:24:34.440 --> 00:24:35.759 with the roaring wind, 00:24:36.480 --> 00:24:36.960 stood defiant 00:24:37.539 --> 00:24:39.019 in the raging furnace, 00:24:39.740 --> 00:24:40.580 wrote judgment 00:24:40.580 --> 00:24:41.800 against tyrants, 00:24:42.279 --> 00:24:43.580 emblazed on the lips 00:24:43.580 --> 00:24:44.460 of the prophets, 00:24:45.160 --> 00:24:46.779 scorching history's pages 00:24:46.779 --> 00:24:47.680 with the fury 00:24:47.680 --> 00:24:48.480 of his might? 00:24:48.480 --> 00:24:48.980 God's death, 00:24:48.980 --> 00:24:51.660 could this be the same God 00:24:51.660 --> 00:24:52.720 who chose to come 00:24:52.720 --> 00:24:54.519 as the vulnerable king, 00:24:55.440 --> 00:24:56.500 setting his throne 00:24:56.500 --> 00:24:58.200 on straw and manger, 00:24:59.519 --> 00:25:01.240 drawing forth the tears 00:25:01.240 --> 00:25:02.140 of shepherds, 00:25:03.339 --> 00:25:04.420 receiving the gifts 00:25:04.420 --> 00:25:05.880 of wandering travelers, 00:25:06.980 --> 00:25:08.440 his fame unknown 00:25:08.440 --> 00:25:09.420 in this world? 00:25:09.420 --> 00:25:10.759 God's death, 00:25:10.759 --> 00:25:11.279 God's death, 00:25:11.279 --> 00:25:11.800 God's death, 00:25:11.800 --> 00:25:12.420 God's death, 00:25:12.420 --> 00:25:12.880 God's death, 00:25:12.880 --> 00:25:13.200 God's death, 00:25:13.200 --> 00:25:13.580 God's death, 00:25:13.580 --> 00:25:13.880 God's death, 00:25:13.880 --> 00:25:14.779 God's death, 00:25:14.779 --> 00:25:16.000 He is Jesus, 00:25:17.000 --> 00:25:18.759 the one who thunders 00:25:18.759 --> 00:25:19.700 through the heavens, 00:25:20.160 --> 00:25:20.980 yet whispers 00:25:20.980 --> 00:25:22.140 to our hearts, 00:25:22.539 --> 00:25:25.180 who reigns victorious, 00:25:25.860 --> 00:25:26.640 yet bows 00:25:26.640 --> 00:25:27.779 to serve the broken. 00:25:29.180 --> 00:25:30.320 He is God 00:25:30.320 --> 00:25:31.100 in the fury, 00:25:32.060 --> 00:25:33.460 God in the silence. 00:25:33.460 --> 00:25:36.819 He holds this mystery 00:25:36.819 --> 00:25:38.660 balanced in His hands, 00:25:39.539 --> 00:25:40.920 holds our questions 00:25:40.920 --> 00:25:42.779 till they lose their need, 00:25:43.840 --> 00:25:45.319 until all we see 00:25:45.319 --> 00:25:47.640 is Him. 00:25:52.279 --> 00:25:53.620 Jumping ahead a little bit, 00:25:53.840 --> 00:25:54.980 but many of you know this, 00:25:55.380 --> 00:25:57.140 that this whole beginning bit, 00:25:57.240 --> 00:25:58.160 the first five verses, 00:25:58.299 --> 00:25:59.200 is going to culminate 00:25:59.200 --> 00:26:00.120 in verse 14, 00:26:00.279 --> 00:26:01.460 where John will say 00:26:01.460 --> 00:26:03.380 the Word became flesh. 00:26:04.340 --> 00:26:06.340 And it's making this claim 00:26:06.340 --> 00:26:07.259 that in the cradle 00:26:07.259 --> 00:26:09.579 was the Word. 00:26:10.840 --> 00:26:12.319 And on the cross, 00:26:12.740 --> 00:26:14.059 there was the Word. 00:26:15.480 --> 00:26:17.319 And it's also in this video 00:26:17.319 --> 00:26:18.420 very helpfully saying 00:26:18.420 --> 00:26:19.319 that this Word 00:26:19.319 --> 00:26:21.640 is part of a bigger story. 00:26:22.299 --> 00:26:23.579 It's not just God, 00:26:23.759 --> 00:26:25.220 but it's a story 00:26:25.220 --> 00:26:27.440 that began thousands of years 00:26:27.440 --> 00:26:29.140 before the birth of the Word. 00:26:29.380 --> 00:26:30.720 Let's look at verse 6 00:26:30.720 --> 00:26:31.980 of John chapter 1. 00:26:33.460 --> 00:26:35.680 There was a man sent from God 00:26:35.680 --> 00:26:36.799 whose name was John. 00:26:37.559 --> 00:26:38.840 He came as a witness, 00:26:39.519 --> 00:26:41.720 to bear witness about the light, 00:26:42.120 --> 00:26:44.579 that all might believe through Him. 00:26:45.079 --> 00:26:45.200 Right? 00:26:45.299 --> 00:26:45.779 So now, 00:26:46.200 --> 00:26:48.140 one of the ways to describe 00:26:48.140 --> 00:26:50.220 this word is light. 00:26:50.340 --> 00:26:51.200 That's another name 00:26:51.200 --> 00:26:52.200 for Jesus. 00:26:52.420 --> 00:26:52.819 Light. 00:26:53.380 --> 00:26:54.940 When you see the cradle, 00:26:55.200 --> 00:26:56.519 you're seeing light 00:26:56.519 --> 00:26:58.299 entering our fallen world. 00:26:58.299 --> 00:27:00.279 when you see the cross, 00:27:00.740 --> 00:27:01.919 you're seeing light 00:27:01.919 --> 00:27:04.119 dying for darkness. 00:27:04.980 --> 00:27:05.619 And then verse 8, 00:27:05.919 --> 00:27:07.139 He was not the light, 00:27:07.639 --> 00:27:09.180 but came to bear witness 00:27:09.180 --> 00:27:09.980 about the light. 00:27:10.799 --> 00:27:11.500 And one of the things, 00:27:11.599 --> 00:27:12.359 if you go on to read 00:27:12.359 --> 00:27:13.700 the rest of the Gospel of John, 00:27:14.099 --> 00:27:14.720 and if you read 00:27:14.720 --> 00:27:16.099 the other ancient biographies 00:27:16.099 --> 00:27:16.599 of Jesus, 00:27:16.779 --> 00:27:17.680 you'll see that Jesus 00:27:17.680 --> 00:27:18.599 makes the claim 00:27:18.599 --> 00:27:21.379 that John was the last 00:27:21.379 --> 00:27:22.119 of the prophets, 00:27:23.019 --> 00:27:24.379 that he is the greatest 00:27:24.379 --> 00:27:25.059 of the prophets. 00:27:25.059 --> 00:27:26.000 And the reason he is 00:27:26.000 --> 00:27:26.919 the greatest of the prophets 00:27:26.919 --> 00:27:27.779 is actually going to come 00:27:27.779 --> 00:27:29.519 a little bit later on, 00:27:29.539 --> 00:27:30.440 if you go on and read 00:27:30.440 --> 00:27:31.619 another 20 or so verses 00:27:31.619 --> 00:27:32.639 in the Gospel of John, 00:27:32.740 --> 00:27:33.460 is that, 00:27:33.460 --> 00:27:34.299 you know, 00:27:34.359 --> 00:27:34.599 John, 00:27:34.799 --> 00:27:36.720 Jesus in John chapter 12 00:27:36.720 --> 00:27:37.740 says that Isaiah, 00:27:38.139 --> 00:27:40.279 over 700 years before Jesus, 00:27:40.460 --> 00:27:42.319 that Isaiah saw Jesus' glory 00:27:42.319 --> 00:27:43.779 and spoke of it. 00:27:43.859 --> 00:27:44.740 We talked about, 00:27:44.819 --> 00:27:46.399 we read that in Isaiah chapter 9. 00:27:46.839 --> 00:27:49.139 But Isaiah sees it in some ways. 00:27:49.220 --> 00:27:49.960 He sees a word, 00:27:50.039 --> 00:27:50.779 he sees a vision 00:27:50.779 --> 00:27:53.460 700 plus years before. 00:27:53.460 --> 00:27:55.380 But John, 00:27:55.940 --> 00:27:57.259 out of all of the prophets, 00:27:57.759 --> 00:27:58.660 John is the one 00:27:58.660 --> 00:28:00.380 who's standing there one day 00:28:00.380 --> 00:28:03.660 and he watches Jesus come by 00:28:03.660 --> 00:28:06.120 and he points to Jesus 00:28:06.120 --> 00:28:06.700 and says, 00:28:06.860 --> 00:28:07.980 behold the Lamb of God 00:28:07.980 --> 00:28:08.680 who takes away 00:28:08.680 --> 00:28:09.519 the sin of the world. 00:28:11.700 --> 00:28:11.819 Like, 00:28:12.039 --> 00:28:12.319 that's, 00:28:12.480 --> 00:28:13.200 you see that guy there? 00:28:13.480 --> 00:28:14.480 You see that guy there? 00:28:14.579 --> 00:28:15.440 He still has a little bit 00:28:15.440 --> 00:28:16.680 of tabouli in his beard. 00:28:17.100 --> 00:28:18.799 He missed after lunch. 00:28:20.100 --> 00:28:20.920 You see that guy? 00:28:20.920 --> 00:28:21.320 That, 00:28:21.400 --> 00:28:22.680 that's the Lamb of God 00:28:22.680 --> 00:28:23.259 who takes away 00:28:23.259 --> 00:28:23.940 the sin of the world. 00:28:24.100 --> 00:28:24.400 That's, 00:28:24.519 --> 00:28:25.640 that's the one 00:28:25.640 --> 00:28:27.960 who God shouts from heaven, 00:28:28.220 --> 00:28:29.960 this is my beloved son 00:28:29.960 --> 00:28:31.320 with whom I am well pleased. 00:28:31.580 --> 00:28:33.700 That's him right there. 00:28:35.460 --> 00:28:36.100 That's the, 00:28:36.100 --> 00:28:37.060 the claim 00:28:37.060 --> 00:28:37.920 that 00:28:37.920 --> 00:28:41.560 John the Apostle 00:28:41.560 --> 00:28:42.480 is making about 00:28:42.480 --> 00:28:43.259 John the Baptist. 00:28:44.519 --> 00:28:45.539 And it's not just 00:28:45.539 --> 00:28:46.240 that we have these, 00:28:46.320 --> 00:28:46.779 remember I said 00:28:46.779 --> 00:28:47.180 at the beginning, 00:28:47.279 --> 00:28:47.940 maybe you don't, 00:28:47.940 --> 00:28:49.559 that we have these 00:28:49.559 --> 00:28:51.039 like very profound ideas 00:28:51.039 --> 00:28:52.100 and so the life and death 00:28:52.100 --> 00:28:53.080 and resurrection of Jesus 00:28:53.080 --> 00:28:53.720 are connected 00:28:53.720 --> 00:28:54.860 to these profound ideas 00:28:54.860 --> 00:28:56.080 but it's not just ideas, 00:28:56.519 --> 00:28:58.019 it's a profound story 00:28:58.019 --> 00:29:00.100 and it's a very important story 00:29:00.100 --> 00:29:01.160 because, 00:29:02.240 --> 00:29:02.539 well actually, 00:29:02.640 --> 00:29:03.740 if you could put up the slide 00:29:03.740 --> 00:29:04.940 the true and greater story, 00:29:05.000 --> 00:29:05.940 that would be very helpful. 00:29:06.100 --> 00:29:06.580 Once again, 00:29:06.640 --> 00:29:07.600 you can see that I, 00:29:08.000 --> 00:29:09.440 we hired the same group 00:29:09.440 --> 00:29:10.519 of graphic designers 00:29:10.519 --> 00:29:11.320 to come up with 00:29:11.320 --> 00:29:13.299 a cutting edge design 00:29:13.299 --> 00:29:15.879 and I think I, 00:29:16.000 --> 00:29:17.019 the one I have up there, 00:29:18.339 --> 00:29:18.480 yeah, 00:29:18.519 --> 00:29:18.779 I didn't, 00:29:18.859 --> 00:29:20.099 I didn't put chapter numbers. 00:29:20.220 --> 00:29:21.000 This is in a sense 00:29:21.000 --> 00:29:22.659 the story of the world. 00:29:23.180 --> 00:29:24.659 It's the story of the Bible 00:29:24.659 --> 00:29:25.099 and the, 00:29:25.159 --> 00:29:26.079 and the Bible claims 00:29:26.079 --> 00:29:27.399 this is the true story 00:29:27.399 --> 00:29:28.480 of the world. 00:29:28.680 --> 00:29:29.619 It's the true story 00:29:29.619 --> 00:29:30.359 of the universe 00:29:30.359 --> 00:29:31.799 that you have 00:29:31.799 --> 00:29:32.919 all those, 00:29:33.240 --> 00:29:34.000 however you want 00:29:34.000 --> 00:29:34.819 to understand it, 00:29:34.859 --> 00:29:35.960 you have all these eons 00:29:35.960 --> 00:29:36.879 and you have God 00:29:36.879 --> 00:29:38.119 having a good creation 00:29:38.119 --> 00:29:39.200 and that's chapter one 00:29:39.200 --> 00:29:39.619 and two. 00:29:40.099 --> 00:29:41.200 It comes out of the fact 00:29:41.200 --> 00:29:42.299 that the triune God, 00:29:42.299 --> 00:29:43.440 the word was with God 00:29:43.440 --> 00:29:44.619 and the word was God 00:29:44.619 --> 00:29:45.440 and together 00:29:45.440 --> 00:29:46.859 they made everything that is 00:29:46.859 --> 00:29:48.299 and they made everything that is 00:29:48.299 --> 00:29:49.159 and it's very good. 00:29:49.279 --> 00:29:50.500 That's the first two chapters 00:29:50.500 --> 00:29:51.460 of the book of Genesis 00:29:51.460 --> 00:29:52.599 and then you have the fall. 00:29:53.139 --> 00:29:53.960 This is where evil 00:29:53.960 --> 00:29:55.919 enters into our world 00:29:55.919 --> 00:29:57.440 and evil is a type of absence. 00:29:57.720 --> 00:29:58.960 It's a type of a brokenness. 00:29:59.139 --> 00:30:02.099 It's a type of a shielding the light 00:30:02.099 --> 00:30:03.419 so that the light can't, 00:30:03.500 --> 00:30:03.839 in a sense, 00:30:03.960 --> 00:30:05.279 or at least they think foolishly 00:30:05.279 --> 00:30:06.180 that it can't penetrate 00:30:06.180 --> 00:30:08.299 and it touches everything 00:30:08.299 --> 00:30:09.039 in a human being 00:30:09.039 --> 00:30:09.500 and some, 00:30:09.619 --> 00:30:10.180 even if it's just 00:30:10.180 --> 00:30:11.299 the tiniest of ways 00:30:11.299 --> 00:30:12.240 and sometimes in very, 00:30:12.359 --> 00:30:13.240 very deep ways 00:30:13.240 --> 00:30:14.460 that there is now 00:30:14.460 --> 00:30:16.000 this part within us 00:30:16.000 --> 00:30:17.539 that is bent, 00:30:17.700 --> 00:30:18.440 that's broken, 00:30:18.779 --> 00:30:20.379 that's dark 00:30:20.379 --> 00:30:22.000 and it touches everything 00:30:22.000 --> 00:30:22.839 about what it means 00:30:22.839 --> 00:30:23.859 to be a human being 00:30:23.859 --> 00:30:25.279 and that God, 00:30:25.759 --> 00:30:27.279 seeing our great need, 00:30:28.659 --> 00:30:30.419 right back in Genesis 3, 00:30:30.659 --> 00:30:31.960 he makes the promise 00:30:31.960 --> 00:30:34.539 that we cannot fix ourselves 00:30:34.539 --> 00:30:36.139 so he is going to provide 00:30:36.139 --> 00:30:37.799 a means by which 00:30:37.799 --> 00:30:39.019 we can be, 00:30:40.259 --> 00:30:40.519 you know, 00:30:40.579 --> 00:30:41.720 we've broken ourselves 00:30:41.720 --> 00:30:42.859 by trying to be God 00:30:42.859 --> 00:30:44.099 and that still fundamentally 00:30:44.099 --> 00:30:45.639 describes human experience 00:30:45.639 --> 00:30:48.099 that we act at different times 00:30:48.099 --> 00:30:48.920 as if we're God 00:30:48.920 --> 00:30:50.460 and that's a profound brokenness. 00:30:50.599 --> 00:30:51.379 It's a profound, 00:30:52.099 --> 00:30:54.399 it leads to all sorts of evil. 00:30:54.559 --> 00:30:56.159 It leads to failure 00:30:56.159 --> 00:30:57.079 to do what we should 00:30:57.079 --> 00:30:58.119 and it leads to doing 00:30:58.119 --> 00:30:58.940 what we shouldn't 00:30:58.940 --> 00:31:01.240 and God sees 00:31:01.240 --> 00:31:02.460 that we can't fix ourselves 00:31:02.460 --> 00:31:03.320 so he promises 00:31:03.320 --> 00:31:04.779 and prepares the means 00:31:04.779 --> 00:31:05.960 by which God 00:31:05.960 --> 00:31:07.380 will come into our world 00:31:07.380 --> 00:31:09.000 and fix what we cannot 00:31:09.000 --> 00:31:09.880 fix of ourselves 00:31:09.880 --> 00:31:10.860 and that's in a sense, 00:31:11.279 --> 00:31:12.860 it begins with Genesis 3 00:31:12.860 --> 00:31:13.440 at the end 00:31:13.440 --> 00:31:14.160 and it goes right 00:31:14.160 --> 00:31:15.299 to the end of Malachi. 00:31:15.559 --> 00:31:16.559 It's the time of promise 00:31:16.559 --> 00:31:17.299 and preparation 00:31:17.299 --> 00:31:18.500 and in a sense, 00:31:18.620 --> 00:31:20.259 it ends with John the Baptist 00:31:20.259 --> 00:31:22.019 and when John the Baptist 00:31:22.019 --> 00:31:23.240 points at Jesus 00:31:23.240 --> 00:31:23.900 and says, 00:31:24.000 --> 00:31:25.160 you see that guy there? 00:31:25.620 --> 00:31:26.380 He's the one 00:31:26.380 --> 00:31:27.540 that God the Father said, 00:31:27.840 --> 00:31:29.180 this is my beloved son, 00:31:29.640 --> 00:31:29.900 you know, 00:31:30.100 --> 00:31:31.120 listen to him. 00:31:31.740 --> 00:31:33.140 This is the Lamb of God 00:31:33.140 --> 00:31:33.920 who will take away 00:31:33.920 --> 00:31:34.660 the sin of the world. 00:31:34.800 --> 00:31:35.779 This is the one 00:31:35.779 --> 00:31:36.880 that prophets 00:31:36.880 --> 00:31:38.080 have been prophesying 00:31:38.080 --> 00:31:40.360 about for centuries 00:31:40.360 --> 00:31:41.140 and centuries 00:31:41.140 --> 00:31:41.840 and centuries. 00:31:42.080 --> 00:31:43.160 2,000 years 00:31:43.160 --> 00:31:44.279 they've been prophesying, 00:31:44.380 --> 00:31:45.180 1,400 years 00:31:45.180 --> 00:31:46.440 they've been prophesying 00:31:46.440 --> 00:31:47.560 that this is the one, 00:31:47.880 --> 00:31:48.680 this is the one 00:31:48.680 --> 00:31:50.040 and his name is Jesus 00:31:50.040 --> 00:31:51.960 and so when we see the cradle 00:31:51.960 --> 00:31:53.320 and we see his life 00:31:53.320 --> 00:31:54.340 and we see the cross, 00:31:54.339 --> 00:31:55.500 this is God's 00:31:55.500 --> 00:31:56.819 keeping his promise. 00:31:57.019 --> 00:31:57.839 This is the end 00:31:57.839 --> 00:31:59.379 of preparation has come 00:31:59.379 --> 00:32:01.000 and God has provided 00:32:01.000 --> 00:32:02.119 the means by which 00:32:02.119 --> 00:32:02.799 human beings 00:32:02.799 --> 00:32:03.699 can be made right 00:32:03.699 --> 00:32:04.220 with him 00:32:04.220 --> 00:32:06.699 and then after Jesus 00:32:06.699 --> 00:32:08.000 we are in the time 00:32:08.000 --> 00:32:08.500 right now, 00:32:08.599 --> 00:32:09.379 we are in what they call 00:32:09.379 --> 00:32:10.299 the last days 00:32:10.299 --> 00:32:11.199 and I describe it 00:32:11.199 --> 00:32:12.519 as the already not yet 00:32:12.519 --> 00:32:14.339 and it's the already not yet 00:32:14.339 --> 00:32:15.379 because on one hand 00:32:15.379 --> 00:32:16.279 when you put your faith 00:32:16.279 --> 00:32:17.059 and trust in Jesus 00:32:17.059 --> 00:32:17.859 as we're going to see 00:32:17.859 --> 00:32:18.399 in a moment, 00:32:19.299 --> 00:32:20.480 he gives us the right 00:32:20.480 --> 00:32:21.919 to become God's children 00:32:21.920 --> 00:32:22.840 and Jesus, 00:32:23.300 --> 00:32:25.539 Jesus' death 00:32:25.539 --> 00:32:26.800 is a purification 00:32:26.800 --> 00:32:27.880 for our sins, 00:32:28.180 --> 00:32:29.680 we now belong to him, 00:32:29.759 --> 00:32:30.720 we become his children 00:32:30.720 --> 00:32:32.080 by adoption and grace, 00:32:32.460 --> 00:32:34.019 we have the Holy Spirit 00:32:34.019 --> 00:32:35.460 present in our lives 00:32:35.460 --> 00:32:36.920 and so on one hand 00:32:36.920 --> 00:32:38.160 we have the already 00:32:38.160 --> 00:32:39.420 of what is going to be 00:32:39.420 --> 00:32:40.360 the final thing 00:32:40.360 --> 00:32:41.440 but on the other hand 00:32:41.440 --> 00:32:42.620 it's still the not yet 00:32:42.620 --> 00:32:43.880 because the not yet 00:32:43.880 --> 00:32:45.700 won't come until Jesus returns 00:32:45.700 --> 00:32:46.880 and that is both 00:32:46.880 --> 00:32:47.880 the end of all things 00:32:47.880 --> 00:32:48.420 and the beginning 00:32:48.420 --> 00:32:49.279 of all things 00:32:49.279 --> 00:32:51.359 and this is the true story 00:32:51.359 --> 00:32:52.000 of the universe, 00:32:52.279 --> 00:32:53.019 it's the story 00:32:53.019 --> 00:32:53.700 of the Bible 00:32:53.700 --> 00:32:55.480 and it's very important 00:32:55.480 --> 00:32:57.539 because we live our lives 00:32:57.539 --> 00:32:58.220 in Canada 00:32:58.220 --> 00:32:59.579 as if we are characters 00:32:59.579 --> 00:33:01.119 in the movie Inception 00:33:01.119 --> 00:33:03.500 and many of you 00:33:03.500 --> 00:33:04.200 maybe haven't seen 00:33:04.200 --> 00:33:05.099 that movie Inception 00:33:05.099 --> 00:33:06.000 but it's a movie 00:33:06.000 --> 00:33:07.000 from Christopher Nolan 00:33:07.000 --> 00:33:08.200 about 12 years ago, 00:33:08.660 --> 00:33:10.039 it's a very fascinating movie 00:33:10.039 --> 00:33:11.220 and some of you 00:33:11.220 --> 00:33:11.899 have seen it, 00:33:13.899 --> 00:33:15.259 you know there's a big debate 00:33:15.259 --> 00:33:15.960 about the end 00:33:15.960 --> 00:33:17.019 which I'm not going 00:33:17.019 --> 00:33:17.639 to enter into 00:33:17.640 --> 00:33:18.880 but what the movie 00:33:18.880 --> 00:33:19.360 is about 00:33:19.360 --> 00:33:19.960 is the movie 00:33:19.960 --> 00:33:20.440 is about 00:33:20.440 --> 00:33:21.920 entering into dreams 00:33:21.920 --> 00:33:23.660 and using dreams 00:33:23.660 --> 00:33:24.580 to change things 00:33:24.580 --> 00:33:26.500 in people's consciousness 00:33:26.500 --> 00:33:28.440 and so they have 00:33:28.440 --> 00:33:29.040 this device 00:33:29.040 --> 00:33:29.720 that they can enter 00:33:29.720 --> 00:33:30.440 into a dream 00:33:30.440 --> 00:33:32.080 and the fellow 00:33:32.080 --> 00:33:33.800 is trying to explain 00:33:33.800 --> 00:33:34.560 to a young woman 00:33:34.560 --> 00:33:35.420 who has this ability 00:33:35.420 --> 00:33:36.140 to do it 00:33:36.140 --> 00:33:38.259 like what is a dream 00:33:38.259 --> 00:33:39.120 and how do you know 00:33:39.120 --> 00:33:39.960 whether you're in a dream 00:33:39.960 --> 00:33:40.759 or not in a dream 00:33:40.759 --> 00:33:41.440 and one of the ways 00:33:41.440 --> 00:33:42.360 that they describe 00:33:42.360 --> 00:33:42.759 that you know 00:33:42.759 --> 00:33:43.420 you're in a dream 00:33:43.420 --> 00:33:44.440 and you think about it 00:33:44.440 --> 00:33:45.300 in fact my daughter 00:33:45.300 --> 00:33:45.860 was telling me 00:33:45.860 --> 00:33:46.400 about a dream 00:33:46.400 --> 00:33:47.440 she had last night 00:33:47.440 --> 00:33:49.160 and in a dream 00:33:49.160 --> 00:33:50.360 we're just there 00:33:50.360 --> 00:33:54.299 we don't know 00:33:54.299 --> 00:33:55.700 how we got in that house 00:33:55.700 --> 00:33:56.480 we don't know 00:33:56.480 --> 00:33:57.320 you know 00:33:57.320 --> 00:33:59.279 why we have goats 00:33:59.279 --> 00:34:00.600 we don't know 00:34:00.600 --> 00:34:02.480 why we're doing things 00:34:02.480 --> 00:34:03.039 all of a sudden 00:34:03.039 --> 00:34:03.799 we're just there 00:34:03.799 --> 00:34:05.080 and all of a sudden 00:34:05.080 --> 00:34:05.900 it's just over 00:34:05.900 --> 00:34:07.559 and there's in a sense 00:34:07.559 --> 00:34:08.099 no beginning 00:34:08.099 --> 00:34:08.800 and no end 00:34:08.800 --> 00:34:11.519 and that fundamentally 00:34:11.519 --> 00:34:13.619 is what secular Canada 00:34:13.619 --> 00:34:14.340 is like 00:34:14.340 --> 00:34:17.660 we have no real beginning 00:34:17.660 --> 00:34:18.760 and if that actually 00:34:18.760 --> 00:34:19.620 if you think about it 00:34:19.620 --> 00:34:20.400 a lot of the stuff 00:34:20.400 --> 00:34:20.980 that's going on 00:34:20.980 --> 00:34:21.780 around identity 00:34:21.780 --> 00:34:22.920 and identity politics 00:34:22.920 --> 00:34:24.380 on one hand 00:34:24.380 --> 00:34:25.460 there's one aspect 00:34:25.460 --> 00:34:26.079 of our culture 00:34:26.079 --> 00:34:26.760 that wants to try 00:34:26.760 --> 00:34:27.579 to trace everything 00:34:27.579 --> 00:34:28.220 back to 00:34:28.220 --> 00:34:29.620 being some type 00:34:29.620 --> 00:34:30.440 of mechanistic 00:34:30.440 --> 00:34:32.420 mechanistic product 00:34:32.420 --> 00:34:33.420 of our race 00:34:33.420 --> 00:34:35.860 just as 00:34:35.860 --> 00:34:36.280 you know 00:34:36.280 --> 00:34:37.059 a few years ago 00:34:37.059 --> 00:34:37.539 it used to be 00:34:37.539 --> 00:34:38.160 that you trace 00:34:38.160 --> 00:34:38.880 everything back 00:34:38.880 --> 00:34:39.640 to whether your mother 00:34:39.640 --> 00:34:40.100 treated you 00:34:40.100 --> 00:34:40.600 the right way 00:34:40.600 --> 00:34:41.200 or the wrong way 00:34:41.200 --> 00:34:41.880 and that could explain 00:34:41.880 --> 00:34:42.740 all your problems 00:34:42.740 --> 00:34:43.380 and there's always 00:34:43.380 --> 00:34:44.119 been that aspect 00:34:44.119 --> 00:34:44.519 of us 00:34:44.519 --> 00:34:45.400 of trying to discover 00:34:45.400 --> 00:34:46.400 something to explain 00:34:46.400 --> 00:34:47.539 the darkness within us 00:34:47.539 --> 00:34:48.079 and the darkness 00:34:48.079 --> 00:34:48.539 of the world 00:34:48.539 --> 00:34:49.380 but at the end of the day 00:34:49.380 --> 00:34:50.680 it doesn't work 00:34:50.680 --> 00:34:52.599 because evil is a mystery 00:34:52.599 --> 00:34:54.119 we just choose it 00:34:54.119 --> 00:34:56.860 and only this bigger story 00:34:56.860 --> 00:34:57.539 of the fall 00:34:57.539 --> 00:34:58.480 explains it 00:34:58.480 --> 00:35:00.539 but for most of us 00:35:00.539 --> 00:35:00.840 we just 00:35:00.840 --> 00:35:01.740 it's as if we have 00:35:01.740 --> 00:35:02.140 no beginning 00:35:02.140 --> 00:35:03.220 we're just there 00:35:03.220 --> 00:35:04.760 and we don't think about 00:35:04.760 --> 00:35:06.400 evolution 00:35:06.400 --> 00:35:07.900 we don't think about 00:35:07.900 --> 00:35:08.640 what comes next 00:35:08.640 --> 00:35:09.920 we just have this present 00:35:09.920 --> 00:35:12.039 and the Bible 00:35:12.039 --> 00:35:13.099 gives us 00:35:13.099 --> 00:35:13.880 the true story 00:35:13.880 --> 00:35:14.400 of the world 00:35:14.400 --> 00:35:15.380 and what the Bible 00:35:15.380 --> 00:35:16.059 says is that 00:35:16.059 --> 00:35:17.039 every single one of us 00:35:17.039 --> 00:35:17.900 when we are born 00:35:17.900 --> 00:35:19.079 every one of us 00:35:19.079 --> 00:35:19.659 we were born 00:35:19.659 --> 00:35:20.800 in the already not yet 00:35:20.800 --> 00:35:23.019 and this is where we are 00:35:23.019 --> 00:35:25.180 like in a sense 00:35:25.180 --> 00:35:25.880 if I was able 00:35:25.880 --> 00:35:26.500 to be put 00:35:26.500 --> 00:35:27.659 a little arrow 00:35:27.659 --> 00:35:28.539 about where are you 00:35:28.539 --> 00:35:28.760 you know 00:35:28.760 --> 00:35:29.320 like in a mall 00:35:29.320 --> 00:35:29.840 where are you 00:35:29.840 --> 00:35:31.760 that little dot 00:35:31.760 --> 00:35:32.860 would point to right here 00:35:32.860 --> 00:35:34.139 we're in the already not yet 00:35:34.139 --> 00:35:36.860 and so when I'm born 00:35:36.860 --> 00:35:38.780 I'm born as one 00:35:38.780 --> 00:35:40.900 who comes into a story 00:35:40.900 --> 00:35:43.380 that begins with a good creation 00:35:43.380 --> 00:35:45.300 that has the fall 00:35:45.300 --> 00:35:46.260 and I am implicated 00:35:46.260 --> 00:35:46.920 in the fall 00:35:46.920 --> 00:35:48.580 there is a darkness 00:35:48.580 --> 00:35:49.440 and an evil 00:35:49.440 --> 00:35:50.260 and a brokenness 00:35:50.260 --> 00:35:50.960 and a privation 00:35:50.960 --> 00:35:52.000 that touches everything 00:35:52.000 --> 00:35:53.180 that is within me 00:35:53.180 --> 00:35:54.820 and I cannot fix myself 00:35:54.820 --> 00:35:56.720 and it is just there 00:35:56.720 --> 00:35:58.540 and there has been a time 00:35:58.540 --> 00:35:59.820 of promise and preparation 00:35:59.820 --> 00:36:01.480 which I can read about 00:36:01.480 --> 00:36:02.540 and I can hear about 00:36:02.540 --> 00:36:03.420 when I read the Bible 00:36:03.420 --> 00:36:05.220 and there has been God's 00:36:05.220 --> 00:36:07.160 keeping his promise 00:36:07.159 --> 00:36:08.539 and ending his preparation 00:36:08.539 --> 00:36:09.960 and providing a means 00:36:09.960 --> 00:36:11.219 by which we can become 00:36:11.219 --> 00:36:12.339 God's children 00:36:12.339 --> 00:36:13.299 by adoption of grace 00:36:13.299 --> 00:36:14.079 and that's Jesus 00:36:14.079 --> 00:36:15.779 and we live here 00:36:15.779 --> 00:36:16.799 in the already and not yet 00:36:16.799 --> 00:36:17.500 and we don't know 00:36:17.500 --> 00:36:18.719 if maybe even before 00:36:18.719 --> 00:36:19.960 the end of this service 00:36:19.960 --> 00:36:20.960 the end of all things 00:36:20.960 --> 00:36:21.899 will come with the return 00:36:21.899 --> 00:36:22.359 of Jesus 00:36:22.359 --> 00:36:24.000 and it's the end of all things 00:36:24.000 --> 00:36:24.879 the judging of the living 00:36:24.879 --> 00:36:25.279 and the dead 00:36:25.279 --> 00:36:26.139 and then there's the beginning 00:36:26.139 --> 00:36:26.779 of the new heaven 00:36:26.779 --> 00:36:27.399 and the new earth 00:36:27.399 --> 00:36:28.279 it is both the end 00:36:28.279 --> 00:36:28.859 and the beginning 00:36:28.859 --> 00:36:30.440 and every single one of us 00:36:30.440 --> 00:36:31.539 the meaning of our life 00:36:31.539 --> 00:36:32.539 is that we are born 00:36:32.539 --> 00:36:33.980 in the already not yet 00:36:33.980 --> 00:36:36.119 and in every single human being 00:36:36.119 --> 00:36:38.159 there comes a fork in the road 00:36:38.159 --> 00:36:39.300 and because God 00:36:39.300 --> 00:36:40.240 is a gracious God 00:36:40.240 --> 00:36:41.119 he doesn't just give us 00:36:41.119 --> 00:36:41.820 one fork 00:36:41.820 --> 00:36:43.280 because after we choose 00:36:43.280 --> 00:36:44.679 the wrong fork in the road 00:36:44.679 --> 00:36:45.800 he gives us another fork 00:36:45.800 --> 00:36:46.480 and another fork 00:36:46.480 --> 00:36:47.159 and another fork 00:36:47.159 --> 00:36:47.860 and another fork 00:36:47.860 --> 00:36:49.619 because his desire is 00:36:49.619 --> 00:36:50.820 that we will realize 00:36:50.820 --> 00:36:51.780 that if we continue 00:36:51.780 --> 00:36:52.699 in our way 00:36:52.699 --> 00:36:53.860 our end will be 00:36:53.860 --> 00:36:54.740 God's judgment 00:36:54.740 --> 00:36:57.519 and his desire for us 00:36:57.519 --> 00:36:59.280 is God desires 00:36:59.280 --> 00:37:00.500 not the death of a sinner 00:37:00.500 --> 00:37:01.519 but rather that he would 00:37:01.519 --> 00:37:02.619 turn from his wickedness 00:37:02.619 --> 00:37:03.139 and live 00:37:03.139 --> 00:37:04.880 and time and time again 00:37:04.880 --> 00:37:05.759 even today 00:37:05.759 --> 00:37:06.880 even at this moment 00:37:06.880 --> 00:37:08.000 I am saying 00:37:08.000 --> 00:37:09.179 there's a fork in the road 00:37:09.179 --> 00:37:11.839 and God is calling you 00:37:11.839 --> 00:37:13.099 to choose that fork 00:37:13.099 --> 00:37:14.960 that involves turning 00:37:14.960 --> 00:37:16.500 from 00:37:16.500 --> 00:37:18.219 you've spent your life 00:37:18.219 --> 00:37:19.940 keeping God at a distance 00:37:19.940 --> 00:37:21.239 and turning your back to him 00:37:21.239 --> 00:37:22.519 and God is calling you 00:37:22.519 --> 00:37:23.659 to stop 00:37:23.659 --> 00:37:25.440 to turn 00:37:25.440 --> 00:37:27.380 to lay down your sword 00:37:27.380 --> 00:37:27.940 and shield 00:37:27.940 --> 00:37:29.799 and to kneel 00:37:29.800 --> 00:37:34.060 and to say to Jesus 00:37:34.060 --> 00:37:34.900 not go away 00:37:34.900 --> 00:37:35.440 but come 00:37:35.440 --> 00:37:37.480 and when you do that 00:37:37.480 --> 00:37:38.180 he will come 00:37:38.180 --> 00:37:40.640 and the end of your story 00:37:40.640 --> 00:37:43.240 is one 00:37:43.240 --> 00:37:45.120 where the father 00:37:45.120 --> 00:37:46.180 smiles at you 00:37:46.180 --> 00:37:48.820 and says 00:37:48.820 --> 00:37:51.960 you are the one 00:37:51.960 --> 00:37:53.220 who accepted my son 00:37:53.220 --> 00:37:54.340 I have loved you 00:37:54.340 --> 00:37:55.440 with an everlasting 00:37:55.440 --> 00:37:56.500 and eternal love 00:37:56.500 --> 00:37:57.980 and I am so glad 00:37:57.980 --> 00:37:59.199 that you have come 00:37:59.199 --> 00:38:00.000 to be with me 00:38:00.000 --> 00:38:01.219 and welcome 00:38:01.219 --> 00:38:02.440 into my new creation 00:38:02.440 --> 00:38:09.400 why does Jesus do this? 00:38:09.460 --> 00:38:10.260 he does it for love 00:38:10.260 --> 00:38:11.219 let's look at another 00:38:11.219 --> 00:38:12.340 short mini movie 00:38:12.340 --> 00:38:13.300 the spoken word 00:38:13.300 --> 00:38:13.760 Christmas 00:38:13.760 --> 00:38:19.480 why? 00:38:19.480 --> 00:38:22.159 why 00:38:22.159 --> 00:38:25.119 why 00:38:25.119 --> 00:38:25.960 did Jesus 00:38:25.960 --> 00:38:27.099 come to earth 00:38:27.099 --> 00:38:29.280 why 00:38:29.280 --> 00:38:30.599 forsake the majesty 00:38:30.599 --> 00:38:31.500 and fellowship 00:38:31.500 --> 00:38:32.260 of heaven 00:38:32.260 --> 00:38:34.460 exchanging 00:38:34.460 --> 00:38:35.340 a palace 00:38:35.340 --> 00:38:36.360 for a stable 00:38:36.360 --> 00:38:38.760 immortal comforts 00:38:38.760 --> 00:38:40.139 for a feeding trough 00:38:40.139 --> 00:38:41.880 and robes 00:38:41.880 --> 00:38:42.519 of glory 00:38:42.519 --> 00:38:43.380 for the feeble 00:38:43.380 --> 00:38:43.860 body 00:38:43.860 --> 00:38:44.840 of an infant 00:38:44.840 --> 00:38:47.940 an unparalleled 00:38:47.940 --> 00:38:48.480 irony 00:38:48.480 --> 00:38:50.119 this supreme 00:38:50.119 --> 00:38:51.460 unrivaled nobility 00:38:51.460 --> 00:38:53.360 experiencing absolute 00:38:53.360 --> 00:38:54.199 and total 00:38:54.199 --> 00:38:55.159 humility 00:38:55.159 --> 00:38:58.300 our sovereign God 00:38:58.300 --> 00:38:59.740 Emmanuel 00:38:59.740 --> 00:39:01.900 as a baby 00:39:01.900 --> 00:39:04.800 he didn't come 00:39:04.800 --> 00:39:05.760 to heap shame 00:39:05.760 --> 00:39:06.639 upon sinners 00:39:06.639 --> 00:39:07.900 or to judge 00:39:07.900 --> 00:39:08.559 and cast out 00:39:08.559 --> 00:39:09.320 the impious 00:39:09.320 --> 00:39:10.740 but to break bread 00:39:10.740 --> 00:39:11.900 with those called 00:39:11.900 --> 00:39:12.740 unrighteous 00:39:12.740 --> 00:39:14.940 he didn't come 00:39:14.940 --> 00:39:15.840 to illuminate 00:39:15.840 --> 00:39:16.719 every mystery 00:39:16.719 --> 00:39:17.559 of the cosmos 00:39:17.559 --> 00:39:18.820 or to enlighten 00:39:18.820 --> 00:39:19.659 the intellectual 00:39:19.659 --> 00:39:20.860 but to fulfill 00:39:20.860 --> 00:39:21.599 the testimony 00:39:21.599 --> 00:39:22.420 of prophets 00:39:22.420 --> 00:39:23.900 clothed in rags 00:39:23.900 --> 00:39:26.159 he didn't come 00:39:26.159 --> 00:39:26.719 to elevate 00:39:26.719 --> 00:39:27.639 a single nation 00:39:27.639 --> 00:39:28.759 or to advocate 00:39:28.759 --> 00:39:29.519 a particular 00:39:29.519 --> 00:39:31.059 political affiliation 00:39:31.059 --> 00:39:32.299 he came because 00:39:32.299 --> 00:39:33.139 he saw you 00:39:33.139 --> 00:39:34.119 broken 00:39:34.119 --> 00:39:35.880 in need of salvation 00:39:35.880 --> 00:39:38.360 he saw you 00:39:38.360 --> 00:39:38.880 lost 00:39:38.880 --> 00:39:39.740 and abandoned 00:39:39.740 --> 00:39:41.539 crying out 00:39:41.539 --> 00:39:42.260 surrounded 00:39:42.260 --> 00:39:43.400 by deaf ears 00:39:43.400 --> 00:39:44.180 fighting through 00:39:44.180 --> 00:39:44.820 the tears 00:39:44.820 --> 00:39:45.860 but beaten down 00:39:45.860 --> 00:39:46.800 by the torments 00:39:46.800 --> 00:39:47.760 of this world 00:39:47.760 --> 00:39:49.680 and unable 00:39:49.680 --> 00:39:50.320 to bear 00:39:50.320 --> 00:39:51.160 your distress 00:39:51.160 --> 00:39:52.519 he renounced 00:39:52.519 --> 00:39:53.680 his eternal throne 00:39:53.680 --> 00:39:55.079 walked the earth 00:39:55.079 --> 00:39:56.519 bore the stripes 00:39:56.519 --> 00:39:57.820 accepted the nails 00:39:57.820 --> 00:39:58.880 and gave up 00:39:58.880 --> 00:40:00.079 his last breath 00:40:00.079 --> 00:40:01.240 so that you 00:40:01.240 --> 00:40:02.320 could receive 00:40:02.320 --> 00:40:03.079 the breath 00:40:03.079 --> 00:40:03.880 of life 00:40:03.880 --> 00:40:10.380 our God 00:40:10.380 --> 00:40:12.779 our holy 00:40:12.779 --> 00:40:14.799 infinite God 00:40:14.799 --> 00:40:17.239 beheld your pain 00:40:17.239 --> 00:40:18.900 perceived 00:40:18.900 --> 00:40:20.440 your heart 00:40:20.440 --> 00:40:22.299 and determined 00:40:22.299 --> 00:40:23.539 that your soul 00:40:23.539 --> 00:40:25.179 was worth dying for 00:40:25.179 --> 00:40:28.059 from the manger 00:40:28.059 --> 00:40:29.880 to the cross 00:40:29.880 --> 00:40:31.700 to the empty tomb 00:40:31.700 --> 00:40:33.840 it is all 00:40:33.840 --> 00:40:34.599 a story 00:40:34.599 --> 00:40:35.420 of profound 00:40:35.420 --> 00:40:36.200 love 00:40:36.200 --> 00:40:38.119 of a savior 00:40:38.119 --> 00:40:39.000 who rescued 00:40:39.000 --> 00:40:39.700 his children 00:40:39.700 --> 00:40:40.700 from darkness 00:40:40.700 --> 00:40:42.619 of a blameless 00:40:42.619 --> 00:40:43.039 king 00:40:43.039 --> 00:40:44.099 who declared 00:40:44.099 --> 00:40:45.240 that no sacrifice 00:40:45.240 --> 00:40:46.220 was too great 00:40:46.220 --> 00:40:47.039 for the sake 00:40:47.039 --> 00:40:47.720 of his beloved 00:40:47.720 --> 00:40:48.539 creation 00:40:48.539 --> 00:40:54.500 why did Jesus 00:40:54.500 --> 00:40:55.400 come to earth 00:40:55.400 --> 00:40:58.000 he came 00:40:58.000 --> 00:40:58.539 for you 00:40:58.539 --> 00:41:05.320 as we bring 00:41:05.320 --> 00:41:05.920 things to a 00:41:05.920 --> 00:41:06.219 close 00:41:06.219 --> 00:41:06.980 mindful of that 00:41:06.980 --> 00:41:07.579 let's listen 00:41:07.579 --> 00:41:08.159 to the last 00:41:08.159 --> 00:41:08.840 few words 00:41:08.840 --> 00:41:09.739 of John's 00:41:09.739 --> 00:41:10.699 introduction 00:41:10.699 --> 00:41:11.920 to the 00:41:11.920 --> 00:41:12.840 biography 00:41:12.840 --> 00:41:13.460 of Jesus 00:41:13.460 --> 00:41:14.619 verse 9 00:41:14.619 --> 00:41:16.500 the true light 00:41:16.500 --> 00:41:18.019 which gives 00:41:18.019 --> 00:41:18.940 light to everyone 00:41:18.940 --> 00:41:20.179 was coming 00:41:20.179 --> 00:41:20.840 into the world 00:41:20.840 --> 00:41:21.619 that's why 00:41:21.619 --> 00:41:22.279 John the Baptist 00:41:22.279 --> 00:41:22.800 was here 00:41:22.800 --> 00:41:23.460 to prepare 00:41:23.460 --> 00:41:24.679 people 00:41:24.679 --> 00:41:25.599 for the fact 00:41:25.599 --> 00:41:26.420 that the true light 00:41:26.420 --> 00:41:27.000 was going to 00:41:27.000 --> 00:41:27.960 actually enter 00:41:27.960 --> 00:41:29.059 into our world 00:41:29.059 --> 00:41:30.960 he was in the world 00:41:30.960 --> 00:41:31.639 verse 10 00:41:31.639 --> 00:41:33.019 in other words 00:41:33.019 --> 00:41:34.000 he actually did come 00:41:34.000 --> 00:41:35.019 and in a moment 00:41:35.019 --> 00:41:35.500 you'll see 00:41:35.500 --> 00:41:36.320 if you were to go back 00:41:36.320 --> 00:41:37.240 and read John 1 00:41:37.240 --> 00:41:38.360 that moment 00:41:38.360 --> 00:41:39.820 that first moment 00:41:39.820 --> 00:41:40.400 where Jesus 00:41:40.400 --> 00:41:41.320 where John says 00:41:41.320 --> 00:41:42.260 look at that guy there 00:41:42.260 --> 00:41:43.360 that's the lamb of God 00:41:43.360 --> 00:41:43.920 that takes away 00:41:43.920 --> 00:41:44.699 the sin of the world 00:41:44.699 --> 00:41:45.699 that's who he is 00:41:45.699 --> 00:41:46.159 right there 00:41:46.159 --> 00:41:48.579 he was in the world 00:41:48.579 --> 00:41:49.139 verse 10 00:41:49.139 --> 00:41:49.599 and the world 00:41:49.599 --> 00:41:50.720 was made through him 00:41:50.720 --> 00:41:51.639 just to be clear 00:41:51.639 --> 00:41:53.259 and yet the world 00:41:53.259 --> 00:41:55.559 did not know him 00:41:55.559 --> 00:42:00.099 he came to his own 00:42:00.099 --> 00:42:01.940 and his own people 00:42:01.940 --> 00:42:02.940 did not receive him 00:42:02.940 --> 00:42:03.739 that's that time 00:42:03.739 --> 00:42:04.480 of preparation 00:42:04.480 --> 00:42:05.279 and promise 00:42:05.279 --> 00:42:07.379 but verse 12 00:42:07.379 --> 00:42:08.239 this is now 00:42:08.239 --> 00:42:09.059 talking about 00:42:09.059 --> 00:42:09.960 Jesus 00:42:09.960 --> 00:42:11.219 and the already 00:42:11.219 --> 00:42:11.779 not yet 00:42:11.779 --> 00:42:12.440 those of us 00:42:12.440 --> 00:42:13.420 look what it says 00:42:13.420 --> 00:42:13.940 verse 12 00:42:13.940 --> 00:42:14.759 but to all who did 00:42:14.759 --> 00:42:15.420 receive him 00:42:15.420 --> 00:42:17.420 who believed in his name 00:42:17.420 --> 00:42:19.599 that's how we become 00:42:19.599 --> 00:42:20.059 a Christian 00:42:20.059 --> 00:42:21.700 we receive him 00:42:21.700 --> 00:42:23.380 into us 00:42:23.380 --> 00:42:24.340 we believe 00:42:24.340 --> 00:42:25.579 we trust in him 00:42:25.579 --> 00:42:27.039 and receive him 00:42:27.039 --> 00:42:28.079 inside 00:42:28.079 --> 00:42:29.579 verse 12 00:42:29.579 --> 00:42:30.420 but to all who did 00:42:30.420 --> 00:42:31.079 receive him 00:42:31.079 --> 00:42:32.320 who believed in his name 00:42:32.320 --> 00:42:34.760 he gave the right 00:42:34.760 --> 00:42:36.000 to become 00:42:36.000 --> 00:42:37.780 the children of God 00:42:37.780 --> 00:42:39.840 the adopted child 00:42:39.840 --> 00:42:41.880 of the triune God 00:42:41.880 --> 00:42:43.940 how were we born 00:42:43.940 --> 00:42:45.240 into this 00:42:45.240 --> 00:42:46.880 not of blood 00:42:46.880 --> 00:42:48.440 nor of the will 00:42:48.440 --> 00:42:49.140 of the flesh 00:42:49.140 --> 00:42:50.599 in other words 00:42:50.599 --> 00:42:51.500 it's not something 00:42:51.500 --> 00:42:52.079 natural 00:42:52.079 --> 00:42:53.619 it's not something 00:42:53.619 --> 00:42:54.220 that comes 00:42:54.220 --> 00:42:55.519 out of my will 00:42:55.519 --> 00:42:56.920 nor is it something 00:42:56.920 --> 00:42:57.599 social 00:42:57.599 --> 00:42:58.559 the will of man 00:42:58.559 --> 00:42:59.800 that's bestowed upon us 00:42:59.800 --> 00:43:00.400 the only way 00:43:00.400 --> 00:43:01.119 that we have that 00:43:01.119 --> 00:43:01.800 is of God 00:43:01.800 --> 00:43:03.300 God gives it 00:43:03.300 --> 00:43:04.700 God's accomplished it 00:43:04.700 --> 00:43:06.119 verse 14 00:43:06.119 --> 00:43:06.820 and the word 00:43:06.820 --> 00:43:07.680 became flesh 00:43:07.680 --> 00:43:08.840 and dwelt among us 00:43:08.840 --> 00:43:09.640 and we have seen 00:43:09.640 --> 00:43:10.280 his glory 00:43:10.280 --> 00:43:12.640 glory as the only 00:43:12.640 --> 00:43:13.800 son from the father 00:43:13.800 --> 00:43:15.740 full of grace 00:43:15.739 --> 00:43:17.079 and truth 00:43:17.079 --> 00:43:19.559 that is the gospel 00:43:19.559 --> 00:43:22.399 we're going to watch 00:43:22.399 --> 00:43:23.719 one more mini movie 00:43:23.719 --> 00:43:24.399 and then I'll ask you 00:43:24.399 --> 00:43:24.899 to stand 00:43:24.899 --> 00:43:25.459 and we'll close 00:43:25.459 --> 00:43:25.939 in prayer 00:43:25.940 --> 00:43:32.840 and while they were there 00:43:32.840 --> 00:43:34.280 the time came 00:43:34.280 --> 00:43:34.720 for the baby 00:43:34.720 --> 00:43:35.240 to be born 00:43:35.240 --> 00:43:37.740 she gave birth 00:43:37.740 --> 00:43:38.579 to her firstborn 00:43:38.579 --> 00:43:39.539 a son 00:43:39.539 --> 00:43:41.380 and she wrapped him 00:43:41.380 --> 00:43:42.200 in cloths 00:43:42.200 --> 00:43:42.940 and placed him 00:43:42.940 --> 00:43:44.119 in a manger 00:43:44.119 --> 00:43:45.619 because there was 00:43:45.619 --> 00:43:46.240 no room for them 00:43:46.240 --> 00:43:46.679 in the inn 00:43:46.679 --> 00:43:49.460 where does the 00:43:49.460 --> 00:43:51.200 creator of the universe 00:43:51.200 --> 00:43:52.079 send his son 00:43:52.079 --> 00:43:53.940 where does the 00:43:53.940 --> 00:43:55.280 prince of peace 00:43:55.280 --> 00:43:56.400 make his entrance 00:43:56.400 --> 00:43:59.099 a barn 00:43:59.099 --> 00:44:01.220 a stable 00:44:01.220 --> 00:44:03.059 a manger 00:44:03.059 --> 00:44:04.000 of all places 00:44:04.000 --> 00:44:06.340 certainly no place 00:44:06.340 --> 00:44:07.079 fit for a king 00:44:07.079 --> 00:44:09.039 but then again 00:44:09.039 --> 00:44:11.480 this was no ordinary king 00:44:11.480 --> 00:44:20.200 the savior is born 00:44:20.200 --> 00:44:21.119 in a stable 00:44:21.119 --> 00:44:22.920 so there are animals 00:44:22.920 --> 00:44:24.139 and uh 00:44:24.139 --> 00:44:25.400 animal stuff 00:44:25.400 --> 00:44:26.559 manure 00:44:26.559 --> 00:44:27.400 mud 00:44:27.400 --> 00:44:29.059 a pitiful place 00:44:29.059 --> 00:44:29.699 for a human 00:44:29.699 --> 00:44:31.380 much less 00:44:31.380 --> 00:44:32.219 the king of kings 00:44:32.219 --> 00:44:34.219 so 00:44:34.219 --> 00:44:36.139 why 00:44:36.139 --> 00:44:38.159 why would he do that 00:44:38.159 --> 00:44:43.059 because 00:44:43.059 --> 00:44:44.500 the shepherd 00:44:44.500 --> 00:44:45.960 was coming 00:44:45.960 --> 00:44:46.960 to care for his sheep 00:44:46.960 --> 00:44:49.119 to make a way 00:44:49.119 --> 00:44:49.779 for his sheep 00:44:49.779 --> 00:44:50.739 and that's what 00:44:50.739 --> 00:44:51.619 shepherds do 00:44:51.619 --> 00:44:52.940 they 00:44:52.940 --> 00:44:53.980 live where the sheep 00:44:53.980 --> 00:44:54.279 are 00:44:54.279 --> 00:44:56.119 they eat where they eat 00:44:56.119 --> 00:44:57.339 and they sleep 00:44:57.339 --> 00:44:58.019 where they sleep 00:44:58.019 --> 00:45:01.359 and this will be 00:45:01.359 --> 00:45:02.199 a sign to you 00:45:02.199 --> 00:45:03.739 you will find the babe 00:45:03.739 --> 00:45:04.759 wrapped in cloths 00:45:04.759 --> 00:45:05.960 and lying in a manger 00:45:05.960 --> 00:45:07.880 you ever thought 00:45:07.880 --> 00:45:08.619 about that sign 00:45:08.619 --> 00:45:10.940 sign for what 00:45:10.940 --> 00:45:13.900 maybe 00:45:13.900 --> 00:45:14.900 it is a sign 00:45:14.900 --> 00:45:15.880 that Jesus 00:45:15.880 --> 00:45:16.579 is accessible 00:45:16.579 --> 00:45:17.259 to everyone 00:45:17.260 --> 00:45:20.200 maybe it's a sign 00:45:20.200 --> 00:45:20.680 that 00:45:20.680 --> 00:45:21.220 the God 00:45:21.220 --> 00:45:21.620 who owns 00:45:21.620 --> 00:45:22.040 the cattle 00:45:22.040 --> 00:45:23.260 on a thousand hills 00:45:23.260 --> 00:45:24.200 can relate 00:45:24.200 --> 00:45:25.200 to a homeless person 00:45:25.200 --> 00:45:26.660 that God 00:45:26.660 --> 00:45:27.280 will have nothing 00:45:27.280 --> 00:45:27.740 to do 00:45:27.740 --> 00:45:29.080 with the social 00:45:29.080 --> 00:45:29.580 status 00:45:29.580 --> 00:45:30.040 of mankind 00:45:30.040 --> 00:45:32.560 either way 00:45:32.560 --> 00:45:33.840 it's a sign 00:45:33.840 --> 00:45:34.760 for all of us 00:45:34.760 --> 00:45:35.680 to go 00:45:35.680 --> 00:45:36.100 and do 00:45:36.100 --> 00:45:36.700 likewise 00:45:36.700 --> 00:45:38.640 you see 00:45:38.640 --> 00:45:39.020 later 00:45:39.020 --> 00:45:40.540 Paul would write 00:45:40.540 --> 00:45:41.140 these words 00:45:41.140 --> 00:45:42.600 that you should 00:45:42.600 --> 00:45:43.220 have the same 00:45:43.220 --> 00:45:43.680 attitude 00:45:43.680 --> 00:45:44.940 as Jesus Christ 00:45:44.940 --> 00:45:46.200 who being 00:45:46.200 --> 00:45:46.960 in the nature 00:45:46.960 --> 00:45:47.500 God 00:45:47.500 --> 00:45:48.880 did not consider 00:45:48.880 --> 00:45:49.539 equality 00:45:49.539 --> 00:45:50.280 with God 00:45:50.280 --> 00:45:51.559 something to be grasped 00:45:51.559 --> 00:45:53.579 but he humbled himself 00:45:53.579 --> 00:45:55.639 he made himself 00:45:55.639 --> 00:45:56.139 nothing 00:45:56.139 --> 00:45:57.860 becoming a servant 00:45:57.860 --> 00:46:00.400 becoming a human 00:46:00.400 --> 00:46:01.619 likeness 00:46:01.619 --> 00:46:04.320 creator 00:46:04.320 --> 00:46:05.639 who had been served 00:46:05.639 --> 00:46:06.840 since before the dawn 00:46:06.840 --> 00:46:07.400 of time 00:46:07.400 --> 00:46:08.559 stepped out of heaven 00:46:08.559 --> 00:46:10.159 to become a servant 00:46:10.159 --> 00:46:12.760 who does that 00:46:12.760 --> 00:46:15.460 the God 00:46:15.460 --> 00:46:17.420 who's laid in a manger 00:46:17.420 --> 00:46:19.920 a messy 00:46:19.920 --> 00:46:21.140 feeding trough 00:46:21.140 --> 00:46:22.280 yeah 00:46:22.280 --> 00:46:24.380 why such a messy place 00:46:24.380 --> 00:46:26.340 because he came 00:46:26.340 --> 00:46:27.500 to save messy people 00:46:27.500 --> 00:46:32.099 so 00:46:32.099 --> 00:46:33.599 that first Christmas 00:46:33.599 --> 00:46:35.099 was dirty 00:46:35.099 --> 00:46:36.159 grimy 00:46:36.159 --> 00:46:36.920 filthy 00:46:36.920 --> 00:46:39.480 it was messy 00:46:39.480 --> 00:46:41.659 but 00:46:41.659 --> 00:46:43.179 thank God 00:46:43.179 --> 00:46:44.099 it was 00:46:44.099 --> 00:46:46.380 because without it 00:46:46.380 --> 00:46:48.599 what a mess 00:46:48.599 --> 00:46:49.260 we'd be in 00:46:49.260 --> 00:46:54.039 I want to invite you 00:46:54.039 --> 00:46:54.539 to stand 00:46:54.539 --> 00:46:55.179 and close 00:46:55.179 --> 00:46:56.000 in closing 00:46:56.000 --> 00:46:58.099 let's pray 00:46:58.099 --> 00:47:04.360 father we give you 00:47:04.360 --> 00:47:05.340 thanks and praise 00:47:05.340 --> 00:47:06.480 that in Christ 00:47:06.480 --> 00:47:07.440 we can have hope 00:47:07.440 --> 00:47:09.000 that in Christ 00:47:09.000 --> 00:47:09.579 we know 00:47:09.579 --> 00:47:10.599 that the darkness 00:47:10.599 --> 00:47:11.480 will not overcome 00:47:11.480 --> 00:47:12.079 the light 00:47:12.079 --> 00:47:13.380 that death 00:47:13.380 --> 00:47:14.800 will not win 00:47:14.800 --> 00:47:15.840 that life 00:47:15.840 --> 00:47:16.480 will win 00:47:16.480 --> 00:47:18.440 that you know us 00:47:18.440 --> 00:47:19.260 in all of our 00:47:19.260 --> 00:47:20.239 particularity 00:47:20.239 --> 00:47:21.179 and all of 00:47:21.179 --> 00:47:22.280 those parts of us 00:47:22.280 --> 00:47:23.260 that are very good 00:47:23.260 --> 00:47:24.619 and bright and shiny 00:47:24.619 --> 00:47:25.340 and those parts 00:47:25.340 --> 00:47:26.539 that are very very dark 00:47:26.539 --> 00:47:28.340 and from which we look away 00:47:28.340 --> 00:47:29.860 you even see 00:47:29.860 --> 00:47:31.220 when we get so fascinated 00:47:31.220 --> 00:47:32.120 with the light 00:47:32.120 --> 00:47:33.680 of our accomplishments 00:47:33.680 --> 00:47:34.579 that it becomes 00:47:34.579 --> 00:47:35.880 a darkness of pride 00:47:35.880 --> 00:47:36.820 and narcissism 00:47:36.820 --> 00:47:38.920 and you knew all these things 00:47:38.920 --> 00:47:39.980 until you came 00:47:39.980 --> 00:47:42.079 to be born in a manger 00:47:42.079 --> 00:47:44.079 to live amongst us 00:47:44.079 --> 00:47:45.579 to die on a cross 00:47:45.579 --> 00:47:47.039 to taste all there is 00:47:47.039 --> 00:47:48.019 to taste of death 00:47:48.019 --> 00:47:49.579 to defeat sin 00:47:49.579 --> 00:47:50.119 and death 00:47:50.119 --> 00:47:52.380 and hell itself 00:47:52.380 --> 00:47:53.920 and your death 00:47:53.920 --> 00:47:54.679 and resurrection 00:47:54.679 --> 00:47:55.900 and we thank you 00:47:55.900 --> 00:47:56.699 that you did it all 00:47:56.699 --> 00:47:57.659 out of love for us 00:47:57.659 --> 00:47:59.340 and we ask father 00:47:59.340 --> 00:48:00.940 that you would help 00:48:00.940 --> 00:48:02.019 to make this gospel 00:48:02.019 --> 00:48:02.960 this good news 00:48:02.960 --> 00:48:04.559 more real to us 00:48:04.559 --> 00:48:05.099 at a deeper 00:48:05.099 --> 00:48:05.940 and deeper level 00:48:05.940 --> 00:48:07.159 that it might be 00:48:07.159 --> 00:48:07.780 the story 00:48:07.780 --> 00:48:08.780 that we live out of 00:48:08.780 --> 00:48:10.539 that we might know 00:48:10.539 --> 00:48:11.579 that the end 00:48:11.579 --> 00:48:12.320 of our story 00:48:12.320 --> 00:48:12.759 in you 00:48:12.759 --> 00:48:14.139 is to be welcomed 00:48:14.139 --> 00:48:15.019 by our father 00:48:15.019 --> 00:48:15.519 in heaven 00:48:15.519 --> 00:48:16.860 and that this is his world 00:48:16.860 --> 00:48:18.659 that you hear our prayers 00:48:18.659 --> 00:48:20.940 that you want us 00:48:20.940 --> 00:48:21.900 to have more light 00:48:21.900 --> 00:48:22.539 and life 00:48:22.539 --> 00:48:24.500 as we walk 00:48:24.500 --> 00:48:25.619 day by day 00:48:25.619 --> 00:48:26.679 until he returns 00:48:26.679 --> 00:48:27.840 or until we see you 00:48:27.840 --> 00:48:28.960 face to face in death 00:48:28.960 --> 00:48:31.059 father grant us this hope 00:48:31.059 --> 00:48:32.019 make it deep within 00:48:32.019 --> 00:48:33.599 and we ask these things 00:48:33.599 --> 00:48:34.519 in the name of Jesus 00:48:34.519 --> 00:48:35.679 your son and our savior 00:48:35.679 --> 00:48:36.880 amen