WEBVTT

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 As a minister, I have lots of opportunities to talk with people about spiritual things or philosophical things, things that aren't exactly about weather or politics.

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!

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 Because my body, well, it just doesn't heal as quickly as it used to. And, you know, a half an hour or 45 minutes, rather, on a massage table without phones and conversations can lead to a really interesting topics of conversation.

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 And in this conversation, we ended up talking, myself and the gentleman that was trying to put my body back together, we talked about all sorts of different bits about the spiritual world.

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 Is there a spiritual world? If so, can we get access to it? And if we get access to it, are we getting access to a good portion of the spiritual world or a very scary portion of the spiritual world?

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 Well, this gentleman was not very religious. A lot of more questions than he had answers. And to be honest, I have a lot of questions as well.

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 But it was a really interesting conversation because that is not an isolated conversation I had.

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 I have conversations, not every day, but often enough where it seems that the here and the now, the material world that we live in, it's not enough for people.

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 There's a desire for more, a desire for something transcendent, a desire for something that is eternal and big and magnificent.

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 So how do we get access to it? Is this just simply the function of religion? In our conversation that I had with this gentleman, we ended up talking a lot about hallucinogens.

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 Is that the way that we access the spiritual world? Is there a heaven? A paradise? Some kind of celestial utopian existence out there for us to experience?

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 And how do we make sure that we get there?

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 Maybe the biggest, the bigger underlying question is this.

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 Why does the desire of heaven seem to be, and whatever heaven looks like, whatever vision that might be,

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 why is that a pretty ubiquitous desire?

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 That spans time and culture and regions and languages.

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 So as we explore these questions, and I'm putting forward to that, it is a universal question.

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 Let's focus on the third of our four songs for the Savior recorded in the gospel according to St. Luke.

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 Luke's gospel account is a very thorough investigation of the birth, the life and ministry, and then the death and resurrection of Jesus.

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 It was written by a physician to this man named Theophilus.

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 And it was written in such a way that it is, I mean, we can't say it's like a scientific biography,

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 but Luke wrote it in such a way that there is kind of caked into it proof texts or footnotes or endnotes.

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 So that it's not just a story that he made up.

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 Anyways, the first song, there's four of these songs.

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 The first song is by Mary, the mother of Jesus, and she magnifies the Lord.

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 Mary is a nobody from Nowheresville, okay?

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 She is a peasant woman from Nazareth, very unimportant town.

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 The second song is by Zacharias.

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 Now, Zacharias is this elderly priest.

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 He is a somebody.

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 He's a religious and cultural elite.

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 He lives in Jerusalem.

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 Jerusalem happens to be a very important city.

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 And he blesses the Lord.

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 Both of these early songs have to do with God sending to earth this child that would be the Savior.

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 Now we get into our third song.

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 The third song is not on the lips of a peasant woman, nor on the lips of a priestly elderly man,

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 or on the lips of anybody for that matter.

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 Instead, we find that it is an angelic song.

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 And the question for us to ask is, will this instance of this angelic song shed any light on this question about the hereafter,

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 about eternity, about what we seem to be all after?

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 So we'll take a few minutes this morning and contemplate both the story and the song of the angels in Luke chapter 2.

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 And we're just going to take a few minutes.

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 We're going to look at the shepherd's point of view and then the angel's point of view.

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 If you have a Bible, you can follow along with me.

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 If you don't, that's okay.

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 I'll read the section chapter 2 of Luke's gospel starting in the 8th verse.

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 And this is what it says.

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 I'll pause there.

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 Why the shepherds?

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 There are a few different comments to make, but I'll share just two.

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 The first is this.

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 Throughout the Bible, there is a pattern of God meeting people where they are at.

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 Not in giant palaces, not in very public spaces, but often in the jobs that people are working at, in secluded places.

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 And sometimes they are alone.

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 So an instance that might come to mind is Moses.

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 He is tending a flock when the Lord visits him in a burning bush.

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 He was the great emancipator of Israel, but before that he was a simple shepherd.

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 The second, Gideon, before he was Israel's great deliverer and judge, he was secretly threshing wheat in a winepress when the Lord visited him.

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 And finally, the third example that I'll give is Elisha.

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 He was a great prophet.

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 He came after the prophet Elijah, and he was plowing a field when the Lord visited him.

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 In all these cases, the Lord had met these people where they were at.

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 Again, not in prestigious venues or in public places, but where they worked in their day-to-day.

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 I think it tells us something remarkable about the God of the Bible,

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 that this transcendent Lord who is the eternal creator,

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 who is high and above all things, who spoke creation into existence.

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 He descends to meet people in the mundane and the regular,

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 rather than commanding them up to unreachable heights, inaccessible to mere mortals.

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 He visits us.

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 He doesn't say, come visit me.

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 I think it tells us what we know deep down.

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 Namely, that we also desire a divine visitation,

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 but unfortunately have no way of achieving it or earning it or acquiring it

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 or somehow getting on some kind of vehicle to take us up into the heavens.

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 Whereas, throughout scripture and history,

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 whenever human beings have tried to bring heaven to earth,

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 what they end up doing is making earth into a kind of hell.

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 If you can think of tyrants and leaders,

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 whether they are on the right or the left,

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 that have this utopian vision for the world,

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 what often happens is a dystopian nightmare.

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 But this text, more importantly than that,

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 tells us that the character of this all-perfect, all-powerful,

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 all-knowing, all-present, uncreated creator God,

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 his character is mercy and love.

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 He understands our humble estate.

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 He meets us exactly where we are

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 because he desires to redeem what has been abandoned,

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 to recover what has been lost,

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 to fix and to mend what has been broken.

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 That is the very character of God.

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 You cannot divorce mercy and love

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 and a redeeming heart from the one true created God.

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 And this is the very core, the crux of the good news,

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 which Christians call what we call the gospel.

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 The heart of the good news is that all fear is dispelled

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 and in its stead, great joy is brought.

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 And it is brought about by a child who had been born,

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 who is the Savior and Christ and the Lord.

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 Now we're going to touch on those three titles,

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 Savior, Christ, and Lord, in a bit,

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 but just keep that in the back of your mind.

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 The second point about the shepherds.

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 Throughout the Bible, the role of a shepherd was depicted favorably.

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 We read a portion of scripture that spoke of God shepherding his people

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 and God raising up shepherds to shepherd his people.

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 You can think again of Moses.

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 He was shepherding his father-in-law's flock.

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 Israel's greatest king, King David,

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 he himself was a shepherd.

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 And most importantly, throughout scripture,

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 the Lord himself is likened to a shepherd.

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 However, by the time of the first century,

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 some historical documents attest that

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 the vocation of a shepherd fell into disrepute.

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 Shepherds were viewed as untrustworthy,

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 especially because they were not participants

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 in the communal or cultic life of the nation.

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 They didn't celebrate the holidays.

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 They didn't celebrate the Sabbaths.

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 They were untrustworthy.

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 In fact, their testimony was not valid in a court of law.

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 Some scholars liken them to like a step up from lepers.

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 If you know anything about lepers in the Bible times or in ancient times,

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 they are the bottom rung, the bottom rung of society.

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 It's hard to think of a connection here in Canada

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 to somebody like the shepherds.

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 But think of somebody that is low class,

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 working poor, socially outcast, dispossessed, distrusted.

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 It is therefore remarkable that the birth announcement of the Savior,

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 Christ the Lord,

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 the one who would rescue all mankind

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 from their sins, from their hopelessness,

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 from their inability to transcend this mortal life,

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 it was first declared to a group of people

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 whose testimony couldn't be trusted.

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 And, not only that, but it was proclaimed to them at night.

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 If you're coming up with a fantastic PR campaign,

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 this isn't what you do.

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 This is not a wise strategy for good PR.

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 But it is a wise strategy if the gospel is for the marginalized

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 and also the C-suite executive

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 and everyone in between.

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 Why?

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 Because the good news being for all people,

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 which we read about in chapter 2,

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 is for the marginalized

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 in such a way that all people should see themselves

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 as shepherds in a spiritual sense.

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 Those that are far from God,

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 far from their fellow man,

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 people that in a very real way

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 have minimal to no hope

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 to better their lot in life.

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 That is why the shepherds are uniquely crucial

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 as the first recipients of the gospel.

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 Their need is obvious.

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 And they receive the gospel

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 the proper way with great joy.

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 And I'll say really quickly,

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 the shepherds seem noble here.

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 It's a good possibility

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 that the shepherds were not noble people.

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 We think of shepherds tending the flock.

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 It's maybe a bit romantic in our minds.

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 But almost certainly they stunk.

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 They didn't have polite speech.

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 They didn't maybe know how to work a room

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 or to interact with polite society.

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 Nevertheless,

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 it wasn't so much of who they were

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 or how they acted,

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 but how they received.

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 And they received this good news with great joy.

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 That's the shepherds.

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 So let's take a look at the angels.

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 After announcing the good news

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 of the birth of the Christ child,

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 there was one angel,

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 the angel of the Lord.

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 The angel, it says,

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 is joined by a host of angels,

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 verse 13,

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 which means that they were countless.

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 One commentator suggested

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 or imagined every angel

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 that had ever existed

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 showed up in the night sky.

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 Whether it was that or something else,

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 maybe a contingent of angels,

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 the point is,

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 there were many.

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 And that they reflected the very light of heaven

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 and they began to sing.

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 And here is where our third song

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 for the Savior is found.

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 Verse 14.

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 Glory to God in the highest

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 and on earth peace

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 among those with whom he is pleased.

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 Here's the thing about angels.

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 Okay?

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 In the Bible,

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 in the Old Testament

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 or the Hebrew Bible,

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 angels appeared to humanity

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 at God's command.

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 Sometimes they were relaying a message

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 or maybe they were assisting humans

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 in various ways.

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 They were on special assignment from heaven.

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 And when they completed their divine task,

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 they returned to heaven afterwards.

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 So although it would have been

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 quite an experience for these shepherds,

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 it was not the only time

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 angelic visitation was recorded in Scripture.

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 Okay?

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 You read through the Old Testament,

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 you see angels kind of popping up here and there.

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 Sometimes it's very clear they're angels,

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 sometimes it's more mysterious,

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 like they're kind of these superhumans.

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 Because anyways,

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 you'll see them all throughout the Old Testament.

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 What was special about this angelic visitation, though,

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 is that there is no other record in the Bible

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 of angels worshipping on earth.

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 They warn, they guard,

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 they intervene, they protect,

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 but they do not worship and sing on earth.

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 They sing in heaven,

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 they glorify God in heaven,

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 but not on earth.

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 Why is this significant?

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 Significant because the angels are supposed

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 to sing God's praises in his presence.

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 But they're on earth,

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 presumably where God is not there.

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 God is in heaven,

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 they are on earth,

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 and yet they are praising God

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 in a location where he is not to be found.

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 So either they are breaking protocol,

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 or God himself is truly present

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 in some kind of way on earth.

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 See, in the Bible,

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 the Christ,

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 or the Messiah,

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 Christ is,

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 some of you may know this,

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 maybe some of you have forgotten,

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 maybe some of you do not know,

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 Christ is a title,

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 not so much a last name.

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 It is the Greek term

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 for a Hebrew title

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 that merely means anointed one.

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 Somebody who would

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 be anointed by God

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 to carry out redemption.

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 This Messiah,

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 or this Christ,

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 would rescue God's people

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 from their troubled lives

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 and troubled hearts.

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 So using the term as Savior

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 and Christ

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 was very fitting for Jesus.

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 However,

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 if you remember,

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 the angel calls

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 this child Jesus

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 Savior,

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 Christ,

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 and Lord.

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 Throughout the Bible,

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 the term Lord

00:17:30.600 --> 00:17:31.700
 is only used

00:17:31.700 --> 00:17:33.080
 when referring to God himself.

00:17:34.019 --> 00:17:34.900
 It would seem

00:17:34.900 --> 00:17:35.720
 that the angels

00:17:35.720 --> 00:17:36.580
 are singing

00:17:36.580 --> 00:17:38.000
 on earth

00:17:38.000 --> 00:17:38.960
 because the child

00:17:38.960 --> 00:17:39.800
 born in Bethlehem

00:17:39.800 --> 00:17:40.700
 is more than some

00:17:40.700 --> 00:17:41.660
 anointed Savior.

00:17:42.340 --> 00:17:43.860
 He is God incarnate,

00:17:44.080 --> 00:17:44.900
 God himself.

00:17:46.040 --> 00:17:46.779
 Jesus Christ,

00:17:46.860 --> 00:17:47.240
 the Lord,

00:17:47.340 --> 00:17:48.340
 is the one true

00:17:48.340 --> 00:17:49.540
 God,

00:17:49.660 --> 00:17:50.140
 literally,

00:17:50.440 --> 00:17:51.660
 enfleshed,

00:17:52.140 --> 00:17:53.500
 fully man

00:17:53.500 --> 00:17:54.240
 and fully God.

00:17:54.240 --> 00:17:55.779
 So when Christ,

00:17:55.859 --> 00:17:56.740
 the transcendent God,

00:17:56.859 --> 00:17:58.359
 comes to mortal man,

00:17:59.079 --> 00:17:59.700
 the spiritual

00:17:59.700 --> 00:18:01.599
 breaks into the natural

00:18:01.599 --> 00:18:02.859
 and the result

00:18:02.859 --> 00:18:03.799
 is nothing less

00:18:03.799 --> 00:18:04.700
 than peace.

00:18:05.539 --> 00:18:06.240
 The angels,

00:18:06.380 --> 00:18:07.319
 they are glorifying God.

00:18:07.420 --> 00:18:07.660
 Why?

00:18:07.799 --> 00:18:08.519
 Because he has brought

00:18:08.519 --> 00:18:10.420
 peace on earth.

00:18:11.339 --> 00:18:11.859
 A heavenly,

00:18:12.120 --> 00:18:12.880
 divine peace.

00:18:13.440 --> 00:18:14.680
 Peace towards mankind

00:18:14.680 --> 00:18:16.140
 not because mankind

00:18:16.140 --> 00:18:18.039
 did good by God

00:18:18.039 --> 00:18:18.920
 but because God

00:18:18.920 --> 00:18:19.980
 is doing good

00:18:19.980 --> 00:18:20.640
 to mankind.

00:18:20.640 --> 00:18:24.740
 God's peace

00:18:24.740 --> 00:18:25.280
 and pleasure

00:18:25.280 --> 00:18:26.660
 rests upon all those

00:18:26.660 --> 00:18:27.960
 that recognize

00:18:27.960 --> 00:18:28.620
 that there are,

00:18:28.980 --> 00:18:29.720
 that they are

00:18:29.720 --> 00:18:30.759
 in no better spot

00:18:30.759 --> 00:18:31.420
 than a lonely,

00:18:31.840 --> 00:18:32.700
 a lowly shepherd.

00:18:33.200 --> 00:18:34.140
 Or maybe,

00:18:34.300 --> 00:18:35.060
 or maybe,

00:18:36.060 --> 00:18:37.820
 no better

00:18:37.820 --> 00:18:38.680
 than a wayward sheep.

00:18:38.680 --> 00:18:43.279
 I'll wrap it up

00:18:43.279 --> 00:18:43.720
 with this.

00:18:44.779 --> 00:18:45.100
 You see,

00:18:45.160 --> 00:18:45.620
 the question

00:18:45.620 --> 00:18:47.240
 about the spiritual world

00:18:47.240 --> 00:18:48.980
 gaining access

00:18:48.980 --> 00:18:49.539
 to heaven

00:18:49.539 --> 00:18:50.460
 is less about,

00:18:50.840 --> 00:18:52.259
 I would humbly put forward,

00:18:52.360 --> 00:18:52.940
 is less about

00:18:52.940 --> 00:18:54.039
 transcending

00:18:54.039 --> 00:18:55.000
 this mortal life

00:18:55.000 --> 00:18:56.560
 and more about

00:18:56.560 --> 00:18:57.720
 knowing the God

00:18:57.720 --> 00:18:58.400
 of peace

00:18:58.400 --> 00:18:59.160
 who created

00:18:59.160 --> 00:18:59.820
 this life.

00:19:01.140 --> 00:19:01.980
 Which means

00:19:01.980 --> 00:19:02.820
 knowing God

00:19:02.820 --> 00:19:04.160
 in a very personal way.

00:19:04.960 --> 00:19:05.560
 It involves

00:19:05.560 --> 00:19:06.940
 accessing him,

00:19:07.779 --> 00:19:08.600
 being with him,

00:19:08.680 --> 00:19:09.880
 being close

00:19:09.880 --> 00:19:10.660
 to our creator.

00:19:12.120 --> 00:19:12.580
 It means

00:19:12.580 --> 00:19:13.080
 a return

00:19:13.080 --> 00:19:14.080
 to a state

00:19:14.080 --> 00:19:14.920
 without sin.

00:19:15.460 --> 00:19:16.160
 One of the reasons

00:19:16.160 --> 00:19:17.160
 why we open up

00:19:17.160 --> 00:19:18.100
 Lessons and Carols

00:19:18.100 --> 00:19:19.480
 not with a gospel reading

00:19:19.480 --> 00:19:20.720
 but from Genesis

00:19:20.720 --> 00:19:21.440
 chapter 3

00:19:21.440 --> 00:19:23.400
 because it highlights

00:19:23.400 --> 00:19:24.440
 the fall of man

00:19:24.440 --> 00:19:25.720
 where man chose

00:19:25.720 --> 00:19:28.060
 our forefathers,

00:19:28.779 --> 00:19:31.680
 chose to glorify ourselves

00:19:31.680 --> 00:19:33.100
 rather than glorify God

00:19:33.100 --> 00:19:34.779
 and all of the problems

00:19:34.779 --> 00:19:35.840
 that ensued

00:19:35.840 --> 00:19:36.580
 as a result.

00:19:36.579 --> 00:19:42.480
 It means

00:19:42.480 --> 00:19:43.659
 a return

00:19:43.659 --> 00:19:45.460
 to that state

00:19:45.460 --> 00:19:46.819
 where sin

00:19:46.819 --> 00:19:47.639
 was not known

00:19:47.639 --> 00:19:48.259
 to us.

00:19:49.059 --> 00:19:49.599
 A state

00:19:49.599 --> 00:19:50.279
 without war

00:19:50.279 --> 00:19:51.259
 and without pride,

00:19:52.259 --> 00:19:53.759
 without bravado,

00:19:54.439 --> 00:19:55.240
 without envy

00:19:55.240 --> 00:19:55.899
 or greed

00:19:55.899 --> 00:19:56.559
 or gluttony

00:19:56.559 --> 00:19:57.240
 or sloth

00:19:57.240 --> 00:19:58.159
 or lust

00:19:58.159 --> 00:19:59.460
 or unrighteous wrath.

00:19:59.460 --> 00:20:01.579
 to want the things

00:20:01.579 --> 00:20:02.140
 of God

00:20:02.140 --> 00:20:03.680
 without God

00:20:03.680 --> 00:20:04.120
 himself

00:20:04.120 --> 00:20:04.940
 is to miss

00:20:04.940 --> 00:20:05.420
 the point

00:20:05.420 --> 00:20:06.160
 and that's why

00:20:06.160 --> 00:20:07.279
 I think

00:20:07.279 --> 00:20:08.660
 we struggle

00:20:08.660 --> 00:20:09.799
 to articulate

00:20:09.799 --> 00:20:11.100
 what we truly want,

00:20:11.200 --> 00:20:12.220
 this transcendence,

00:20:12.660 --> 00:20:14.279
 when what we truly want

00:20:14.279 --> 00:20:16.000
 is the transcendent one.

00:20:16.000 --> 00:20:19.019
 to transcend

00:20:19.019 --> 00:20:19.740
 this world

00:20:19.740 --> 00:20:20.440
 without being

00:20:20.440 --> 00:20:20.960
 with God

00:20:20.960 --> 00:20:21.940
 is not a destiny

00:20:21.940 --> 00:20:23.079
 that will give us peace.

00:20:24.140 --> 00:20:24.940
 God knew this

00:20:24.940 --> 00:20:25.900
 and so he came

00:20:25.900 --> 00:20:26.400
 to earth

00:20:26.400 --> 00:20:28.039
 and he united

00:20:28.039 --> 00:20:29.279
 himself to us

00:20:29.279 --> 00:20:30.180
 in the person

00:20:30.180 --> 00:20:30.920
 of Jesus Christ

00:20:30.920 --> 00:20:31.940
 so that in doing so

00:20:31.940 --> 00:20:34.940
 that God would

00:20:34.940 --> 00:20:36.559
 do what only

00:20:36.559 --> 00:20:37.359
 he could do,

00:20:38.359 --> 00:20:40.140
 bring mankind

00:20:40.140 --> 00:20:41.380
 into his presence.

00:20:41.380 --> 00:20:44.800
 You see,

00:20:45.240 --> 00:20:46.220
 Christ himself

00:20:46.220 --> 00:20:48.380
 isn't just this baby

00:20:48.380 --> 00:20:49.300
 in a manger

00:20:49.300 --> 00:20:51.140
 but is the promise

00:20:51.140 --> 00:20:51.680
 of God

00:20:51.680 --> 00:20:52.540
 to all mankind

00:20:52.540 --> 00:20:54.400
 that death

00:20:54.400 --> 00:20:55.240
 would be conquered,

00:20:55.980 --> 00:20:56.540
 that sin

00:20:56.540 --> 00:20:57.340
 would be conquered,

00:20:57.940 --> 00:20:58.720
 that vice

00:20:58.720 --> 00:20:59.520
 would be conquered,

00:20:59.640 --> 00:21:00.980
 that every evil force

00:21:00.980 --> 00:21:01.640
 that oppresses

00:21:01.640 --> 00:21:02.760
 and friends,

00:21:02.900 --> 00:21:03.520
 they exist,

00:21:04.020 --> 00:21:04.740
 it would be conquered

00:21:04.740 --> 00:21:06.740
 and that grace

00:21:06.740 --> 00:21:07.400
 and love

00:21:07.400 --> 00:21:08.140
 and kindness

00:21:08.140 --> 00:21:08.800
 and mercy

00:21:08.800 --> 00:21:09.680
 would be extended

00:21:09.680 --> 00:21:10.320
 to those

00:21:10.320 --> 00:21:11.360
 who are hopeless

00:21:11.359 --> 00:21:11.459
 and helpless.

00:21:13.839 --> 00:21:14.699
 The Savior

00:21:14.699 --> 00:21:15.240
 and Lord

00:21:15.240 --> 00:21:16.219
 Jesus Christ

00:21:16.219 --> 00:21:17.039
 born of man

00:21:17.039 --> 00:21:17.919
 yet fully God

00:21:17.919 --> 00:21:18.419
 was wrapped

00:21:18.419 --> 00:21:19.839
 in swaddling cloths

00:21:19.839 --> 00:21:22.719
 and laid

00:21:22.719 --> 00:21:23.679
 in a wooden

00:21:23.679 --> 00:21:24.839
 feeding trough,

00:21:24.899 --> 00:21:25.319
 a manger,

00:21:25.579 --> 00:21:26.199
 yet he was not

00:21:26.199 --> 00:21:27.439
 destined for a wooden

00:21:27.439 --> 00:21:28.099
 trough

00:21:28.099 --> 00:21:29.319
 but a wooden cross

00:21:29.319 --> 00:21:31.919
 and through

00:21:31.919 --> 00:21:33.079
 his sacrificial death

00:21:33.079 --> 00:21:33.539
 those

00:21:33.539 --> 00:21:34.799
 who are united

00:21:34.799 --> 00:21:35.579
 to him

00:21:35.579 --> 00:21:36.500
 by faith

00:21:36.500 --> 00:21:37.599
 trusting in what

00:21:37.599 --> 00:21:38.319
 he has done

00:21:38.319 --> 00:21:39.559
 in his salvation

00:21:39.559 --> 00:21:41.240
 they will be

00:21:41.240 --> 00:21:42.039
 where he is

00:21:42.039 --> 00:21:42.759
 for eternity

00:21:42.759 --> 00:21:43.220
 and friends

00:21:43.220 --> 00:21:43.819
 this means

00:21:43.819 --> 00:21:45.539
 we do have a hope

00:21:45.539 --> 00:21:46.519
 that transcends

00:21:46.519 --> 00:21:47.180
 this life

00:21:47.180 --> 00:21:51.620
 and will satisfy us

00:21:51.620 --> 00:21:52.339
 for eternity

00:21:52.339 --> 00:21:53.160
 because we will be

00:21:53.160 --> 00:21:53.759
 with the one

00:21:53.759 --> 00:21:55.380
 whom our heart

00:21:55.380 --> 00:21:56.420
 truly desires.

00:21:56.420 --> 00:22:00.519
 for those of us

00:22:00.519 --> 00:22:01.259
 in the Christian faith

00:22:01.259 --> 00:22:01.900
 remember that

00:22:01.900 --> 00:22:02.620
 Christ Jesus

00:22:02.620 --> 00:22:03.759
 he visited

00:22:03.759 --> 00:22:04.400
 you

00:22:04.400 --> 00:22:05.440
 when you were

00:22:05.440 --> 00:22:06.200
 still in darkness

00:22:06.200 --> 00:22:06.820
 when you were

00:22:06.820 --> 00:22:08.740
 like a shepherd

00:22:08.740 --> 00:22:09.720
 alienated

00:22:09.720 --> 00:22:10.580
 in the dark

00:22:10.580 --> 00:22:12.920
 alone

00:22:12.920 --> 00:22:16.220
 and at war

00:22:16.220 --> 00:22:17.180
 with God

00:22:17.180 --> 00:22:18.039
 and fellow man

00:22:18.039 --> 00:22:19.980
 God did not

00:22:19.980 --> 00:22:20.539
 just give you

00:22:20.539 --> 00:22:21.380
 a ticket to heaven

00:22:21.380 --> 00:22:22.400
 but a seat

00:22:22.400 --> 00:22:23.220
 at his table

00:22:23.220 --> 00:22:24.120
 and for those

00:22:24.120 --> 00:22:24.640
 that might be

00:22:24.640 --> 00:22:25.300
 outside of the

00:22:25.299 --> 00:22:25.839
 Christian faith

00:22:25.839 --> 00:22:26.480
 consider that

00:22:26.480 --> 00:22:27.079
 the one true

00:22:27.079 --> 00:22:27.419
 God

00:22:27.419 --> 00:22:28.700
 he is eager

00:22:28.700 --> 00:22:29.519
 to be found

00:22:29.519 --> 00:22:30.119
 by you

00:22:30.119 --> 00:22:31.519
 he is not

00:22:31.519 --> 00:22:32.259
 far away

00:22:32.259 --> 00:22:32.720
 he is not

00:22:32.720 --> 00:22:33.319
 playing hard

00:22:33.319 --> 00:22:33.839
 to get

00:22:33.839 --> 00:22:35.839
 he has

00:22:35.839 --> 00:22:36.940
 condescended

00:22:36.940 --> 00:22:37.960
 he has lowered

00:22:37.960 --> 00:22:38.480
 himself

00:22:38.480 --> 00:22:40.259
 to the very

00:22:40.259 --> 00:22:41.759
 lowest place

00:22:41.759 --> 00:22:42.899
 to visit us

00:22:42.899 --> 00:22:44.599
 and he urges

00:22:44.599 --> 00:22:45.099
 you

00:22:45.099 --> 00:22:46.059
 he urges me

00:22:46.059 --> 00:22:46.639
 this morning

00:22:46.639 --> 00:22:48.079
 to have eyes

00:22:48.079 --> 00:22:48.599
 to see

00:22:48.599 --> 00:22:50.180
 that he truly

00:22:50.180 --> 00:22:51.220
 has visited

00:22:51.220 --> 00:22:52.220
 mankind.

00:22:52.220 --> 00:23:10.559
 up

00:23:10.559 --> 00:23:10.559


00:23:10.559 --> 00:23:10.559


00:23:10.559 --> 00:23:10.559


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