WEBVTT 00:00:00.140 --> 00:00:14.300 Father, for many of us here, maybe for everybody who's here in person and for many of the people who are watching this online, either right live or later on, the Christmas story is very familiar to us. 00:00:15.919 --> 00:00:22.559 And Father, sometimes when a story is really familiar to us, it loses its charm, loses its power. 00:00:23.460 --> 00:00:29.359 And so, Father, we know that that can happen, and maybe it has and is happening in some of our lives. 00:00:30.339 --> 00:00:39.460 We ask that the Holy Spirit would do that supernatural work that only you can do, that you would bring this story home to us afresh, with power. 00:00:40.000 --> 00:00:43.880 And we ask this in the name of Jesus, your Son and our Savior. Amen. 00:00:44.399 --> 00:00:45.219 Please be seated. 00:00:53.219 --> 00:00:58.159 I don't get to preach at funerals very much anymore, and I'm not complaining about this, by the way. 00:00:58.159 --> 00:01:01.599 It's a good thing not to preach at funerals too often. 00:01:02.500 --> 00:01:10.700 But one of the things I do at funerals, when it comes time for me to say a few words, and I always make sure that I say a few words. 00:01:10.700 --> 00:01:15.340 We don't just sort of do the liturgy and have people talk about how great the person was, etc. 00:01:16.040 --> 00:01:18.719 When it comes time to speak, I always do something. 00:01:18.820 --> 00:01:24.460 Usually I'll acknowledge the many different worldviews that are present, the historic religions, 00:01:24.719 --> 00:01:28.300 the people who would say that they definitely have nothing to do with religion or spirituality. 00:01:28.640 --> 00:01:31.120 I acknowledge that we're all different people in the room. 00:01:31.120 --> 00:01:36.980 And then I say, I would just like to take a couple of moments and just share with you my hope as a Christian in the face of death. 00:01:37.960 --> 00:01:40.260 And then I go off and I do that. 00:01:40.420 --> 00:01:47.480 I take five, I take eight or nine or ten minutes, and I just share what my hope is as a Christian in the face of death. 00:01:47.980 --> 00:01:49.600 I'm doing something a little bit similar here. 00:01:49.599 --> 00:01:56.899 Not that it's a death tonight, although some of us might be feeling that it's very death-like with this gray zone lockdown, 00:01:57.280 --> 00:02:00.500 which begins one minute after midnight on Friday. 00:02:01.399 --> 00:02:06.959 And with all of our different senses of loss that many, many people have. 00:02:07.780 --> 00:02:13.939 But I just want to share to you and to those of you who are participating online that Jesus changes everything. 00:02:14.479 --> 00:02:15.199 He really does. 00:02:15.199 --> 00:02:21.719 And it's not just, you know, you might say, well, that's fine, George. 00:02:21.780 --> 00:02:23.780 There's lots of people who change things for me. 00:02:23.839 --> 00:02:25.219 You know, I met a man. 00:02:25.299 --> 00:02:25.819 I met a woman. 00:02:26.039 --> 00:02:26.919 I had a baby. 00:02:27.379 --> 00:02:30.560 I, you know, C.S. Lewis has changed everything for me. 00:02:30.799 --> 00:02:33.539 Derrida, Foucault, they've changed everything for me. 00:02:33.620 --> 00:02:35.179 Marx, whatever. 00:02:36.239 --> 00:02:39.280 But it's not just that Jesus changes everything for me. 00:02:39.280 --> 00:02:47.000 It's that what really makes Jesus special and unique for me is that he died on the cross and he rose again. 00:02:47.240 --> 00:02:48.920 That changes everything. 00:02:50.159 --> 00:02:57.840 There's been many, many times throughout my early years as a Christian where I came close to walking away from the Christian faith. 00:02:57.840 --> 00:03:03.240 And actually, one of the things which will often keep me there, I'm sure in heaven I'll find out that it had nothing to do with me. 00:03:03.319 --> 00:03:10.280 I'll probably find out that there was some little old lady in my church who had a sense from God that George was weak and she was praying for me. 00:03:10.599 --> 00:03:12.879 And it had nothing whatsoever to do with me. 00:03:14.060 --> 00:03:15.659 It was all that little old lady. 00:03:15.960 --> 00:03:18.980 If you're that little old lady, you pray for me and for other people. 00:03:19.159 --> 00:03:20.860 You don't know how important it is. 00:03:21.319 --> 00:03:22.280 But it's one of the things I would say. 00:03:22.280 --> 00:03:23.219 I'm rambling a bit. 00:03:23.280 --> 00:03:23.680 That's fine. 00:03:23.680 --> 00:03:28.159 One of the things I would say to shut-ins, you know, is that one of the powerful things that they can do is pray for people. 00:03:28.960 --> 00:03:31.819 Because a lot of people today don't have time to pray. 00:03:32.260 --> 00:03:33.580 And who knows? 00:03:33.700 --> 00:03:42.260 It will only be in heaven that you will discover just how much was accomplished in the church and in missions and in people's lives by your simple prayers for people. 00:03:43.560 --> 00:03:45.700 Anyway, I digress. 00:03:46.040 --> 00:03:50.939 One of the things that would often just keep me back was the fact that Jesus just, it really is. 00:03:50.939 --> 00:03:55.460 There's so much evidence that Jesus rose from the dead. 00:03:56.240 --> 00:04:00.719 And if he really did rise from the dead, then that really does change everything. 00:04:00.719 --> 00:04:05.520 Because we know that death is that great enemy that defeats everybody. 00:04:06.300 --> 00:04:07.259 It defeated Buddha. 00:04:07.460 --> 00:04:08.560 It defeated Muhammad. 00:04:08.860 --> 00:04:10.400 It defeats everybody. 00:04:10.599 --> 00:04:20.100 It defeats the greatest, the most famous actor, the most powerful athlete, the richest man or woman on the planet. 00:04:20.100 --> 00:04:21.780 It defeats everyone. 00:04:22.740 --> 00:04:32.640 And if Jesus really did say that he was going to die a very particular way that he couldn't arrange, and if he really did die on that cross, and that's what history would say. 00:04:33.280 --> 00:04:39.840 And if on the third day, even the greatest skeptics of the Christian faith acknowledge that the tomb is empty and that the body was never found. 00:04:39.839 --> 00:04:57.739 Obviously, they have problems with the next bit, which is that all of the historical data points to the fact that Jesus appeared to many, many people in many different times and places over a period of 40 days to prove not that he had somehow survived death, but that he had defeated death. 00:04:57.740 --> 00:05:05.220 And part of the thing which is so powerful about that is that it's not just that Jesus did this random thing. 00:05:05.780 --> 00:05:12.379 When I was doing something online with Dig and Delve the apologetics thing, the guy that I was doing it with, I said, 00:05:12.379 --> 00:05:20.779 if I pulled out a gun and shot Ben in the head and then he died, and three days later he came back to life, that would just be weird. 00:05:20.939 --> 00:05:25.779 It would just be something, one of those random things that just happens that nobody can really figure out. 00:05:25.779 --> 00:05:32.979 But part of the thing which is so remarkable about Jesus, it's because of Jesus' resurrection that I'm a Christian, 00:05:33.859 --> 00:05:38.179 and it means that everything in his life starts to become very, very different and important. 00:05:38.279 --> 00:05:46.659 But it's that Jesus' resurrection takes place in the context of this overarching story that explains human existence so well. 00:05:46.660 --> 00:05:54.939 And it takes place in the context of writings, holy writings from the Jewish people and from the early Christians. 00:05:55.120 --> 00:05:59.100 It is so profound in its insight about the human condition. 00:06:00.180 --> 00:06:05.140 Ecclesiastes is vastly wiser than postmodernism. 00:06:05.500 --> 00:06:08.140 It's a source of unending insight. 00:06:08.300 --> 00:06:12.220 The book of Job, the prophetic parts of Amos, 00:06:12.220 --> 00:06:16.980 and you think about how prophetic books like that inspired the civil rights movement. 00:06:18.340 --> 00:06:22.340 Let justice roll down like rivers, like a river, mighty river. 00:06:22.940 --> 00:06:27.940 And it's in this context of this, all these teachings that are so wise and so profound, 00:06:28.460 --> 00:06:33.840 and this overarching story, it's in that context that Jesus died and rose from the dead. 00:06:34.420 --> 00:06:35.800 And so it is for us. 00:06:35.800 --> 00:06:40.800 And that overarching story has a deep beauty about it and a deep... 00:06:42.960 --> 00:06:48.139 Once you enter into it and you understand it's not just about Jesus defeating death, 00:06:48.199 --> 00:06:54.480 it has such profound emotional resonance with people in terms of what it says about the human condition 00:06:54.480 --> 00:06:56.720 and what it says about human hope. 00:06:58.000 --> 00:07:02.420 And so it's within that context I just want to say a few more words about the Christmas story. 00:07:02.420 --> 00:07:08.900 And just to refresh your memory, it goes like this, the one that we're looking at tonight, 00:07:09.000 --> 00:07:12.660 which is Matthew 1, verses 18 to 25. 00:07:14.020 --> 00:07:18.060 And in Matthew 1, verses 18 to 25, it says this, 00:07:18.580 --> 00:07:24.860 Now the birth of Jesus took place in this way when his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph 00:07:24.860 --> 00:07:26.060 before they came together. 00:07:26.580 --> 00:07:28.840 She was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 00:07:28.839 --> 00:07:34.259 And her mother and her husband Joseph, being a just man and willing to put her to shame, 00:07:34.519 --> 00:07:35.959 resolved to divorce her quietly. 00:07:36.859 --> 00:07:41.179 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, 00:07:41.899 --> 00:07:45.559 Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, 00:07:46.059 --> 00:07:49.439 for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 00:07:50.120 --> 00:07:52.819 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, 00:07:53.439 --> 00:07:55.639 for he will save his people from their sins. 00:07:55.639 --> 00:07:59.919 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet. 00:08:00.719 --> 00:08:05.919 Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, 00:08:06.500 --> 00:08:09.199 which means God with us. 00:08:09.819 --> 00:08:13.719 When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him. 00:08:13.779 --> 00:08:18.079 He took his wife, but knew her not until she had given birth to a son, 00:08:18.439 --> 00:08:20.219 and he called his name Jesus. 00:08:20.220 --> 00:08:20.380 Jesus. 00:08:22.160 --> 00:08:24.160 We're going to show a video just in a moment. 00:08:24.260 --> 00:08:30.020 The first video, I interspersed my few words with three little videos that we'll watch. 00:08:30.880 --> 00:08:35.740 I'm just going to really talk a little bit about the powerful emotional idea of dwelling, 00:08:36.120 --> 00:08:40.720 that Jesus is Emmanuel, that he came to dwell with us. 00:08:41.240 --> 00:08:43.759 But before we do that, this short little movie, I think, 00:08:43.820 --> 00:08:47.540 helps us to enter into these very, very simple words of Scripture 00:08:47.540 --> 00:08:48.920 in a very good and powerful way. 00:08:48.919 --> 00:08:51.439 If you look up at the screen. 00:08:54.740 --> 00:08:58.419 If you could put up the first point, Andrew, that would be really good. 00:08:59.879 --> 00:09:04.779 You were made to dwell at peace, in joy, with the triune God and others. 00:09:05.459 --> 00:09:11.799 You were made to dwell at peace, in joy, with the triune God and others. 00:09:11.799 --> 00:09:17.359 I'm not recommending this movie, but if you watch the movie Palm Springs, 00:09:17.459 --> 00:09:20.379 I can't remember if it's on Amazon Prime or on Netflix. 00:09:21.079 --> 00:09:25.679 It actually, it provides, it's a story about this man and then eventually a woman 00:09:25.679 --> 00:09:29.259 who continually relived the same day over and over and over again. 00:09:30.039 --> 00:09:34.459 That no matter what they do, if they try to drive away far, 00:09:34.620 --> 00:09:37.539 as soon as they fall asleep, they wake up the next morning, they relive the day. 00:09:37.539 --> 00:09:41.679 If they kill themselves, they wake up the next day and they relive the day. 00:09:42.459 --> 00:09:45.639 It's actually sort of an idea that many people in our culture find is a very, 00:09:46.019 --> 00:09:48.759 and many different religions find is a very powerful idea, 00:09:48.860 --> 00:09:52.819 this type of the idea of this cycle of life, of this recurrence. 00:09:53.439 --> 00:09:57.179 But as it's shown in Palm Springs in a very, very powerful way, 00:09:57.240 --> 00:10:00.199 what it creates is despair and meaninglessness. 00:10:00.200 --> 00:10:04.940 And on the other hand, there are many ways that we understand the world, 00:10:05.100 --> 00:10:09.540 that while we came as a result of just blind chants through undirected, 00:10:09.900 --> 00:10:13.600 first there was just all the blind chants that created all the matter in the universe 00:10:13.600 --> 00:10:16.280 and put it in planets and suns and galaxies. 00:10:17.140 --> 00:10:22.160 And for some reason, there was eventually some different chants that created life, 00:10:22.240 --> 00:10:25.720 and life progressed and developed the strong eating the weak. 00:10:26.600 --> 00:10:29.300 But it's all just blind chants and the strong eating the weak. 00:10:29.299 --> 00:10:31.479 And then we came about and we now live. 00:10:32.279 --> 00:10:37.939 And if that's the origin of human existence, it's a very, very bleak type of origin. 00:10:38.120 --> 00:10:41.919 And it really ultimately means that there's an origin where there is no meaning to life. 00:10:42.859 --> 00:10:46.559 The most that you can maybe say is if love happens to please you, then do love. 00:10:46.620 --> 00:10:48.939 If joy happens to make it, then do joy. 00:10:49.279 --> 00:10:50.379 Do the best you can. 00:10:50.459 --> 00:10:55.000 Maybe consume as much as you can or love as much as you can or do whatever it is. 00:10:55.000 --> 00:10:59.960 But at the end of the day, you came completely and utterly randomly and you died. 00:11:00.179 --> 00:11:01.480 When you die, you go to nothing. 00:11:02.080 --> 00:11:03.659 And that's the story of human life. 00:11:04.659 --> 00:11:07.299 The Bible presents a very, very different picture. 00:11:07.480 --> 00:11:10.279 And the reason I trust and believe the Bible is, as I said earlier, 00:11:10.379 --> 00:11:12.639 is because Jesus rose from the dead. 00:11:12.639 --> 00:11:18.679 And Jesus came within the context of the scriptures and said he fulfilled the scriptures. 00:11:18.679 --> 00:11:21.019 And he is the one who helps understand the scriptures. 00:11:21.759 --> 00:11:26.799 And if he actually is able to defeat death, then I think it's very, very important that 00:11:26.799 --> 00:11:28.559 this story be considered. 00:11:28.740 --> 00:11:33.100 That, in fact, maybe it's true that this big story of the Bible is the true story. 00:11:33.100 --> 00:11:38.779 And in the true story of the Bible, we're not a result of blind chance or we're not as a result 00:11:38.779 --> 00:11:43.399 of some cosmic catastrophe as in many of the religions of the world when at first there 00:11:43.399 --> 00:11:48.580 was just a oneness and somehow or another a breaking apart of the oneness happened and 00:11:48.580 --> 00:11:53.080 our entire human existence is to have rebirth and rebirth until we merge once again with the 00:11:53.080 --> 00:11:56.960 one and we lose our identity, which is actually just another way of describing death. 00:11:56.960 --> 00:12:03.580 But the Bible paints a picture that, in fact, human beings were created out of the fullness 00:12:03.580 --> 00:12:10.100 of the love and joy and beauty and glory of the triune God and that he made human beings 00:12:10.100 --> 00:12:12.379 to be in his image, to be fruitful and multiply. 00:12:13.320 --> 00:12:17.759 He made us to subdue the earth, to love each other. 00:12:18.320 --> 00:12:20.920 And he made us so that we would dwell with him in peace. 00:12:21.800 --> 00:12:26.800 There's this wonderful image of what was lost in the beginning of Genesis 3 where it 00:12:26.799 --> 00:12:31.740 describes how God would come down to walk in the garden with Adam and Eve in the cool 00:12:31.740 --> 00:12:32.139 of the day. 00:12:33.199 --> 00:12:37.919 And it's sort of only as it's in the context of the loss that we describe this because it 00:12:37.919 --> 00:12:45.059 happens after the fall when that great dwelling with and in peace and joy is lost. 00:12:47.459 --> 00:12:52.859 And God sees that we have brought evil into the world by seeking to become gods ourselves, 00:12:52.860 --> 00:12:56.919 that we seeking to become gods, in fact, actually don't become gods. 00:12:56.919 --> 00:12:58.940 What we discover is death and evil. 00:13:00.080 --> 00:13:03.300 And what we discover is corruption and fall. 00:13:04.379 --> 00:13:09.940 And God acts to prevent that from completely and utterly unraveling because the fact of the 00:13:09.940 --> 00:13:15.039 matter is, is that from all eternity, the Father is loved, the Son is loved, the Holy Spirit 00:13:15.039 --> 00:13:15.539 is loved. 00:13:15.539 --> 00:13:17.259 And he loves you. 00:13:17.759 --> 00:13:18.919 And he loves me. 00:13:20.500 --> 00:13:24.539 And so he made a promise that one day he would dwell again with his people. 00:13:25.559 --> 00:13:30.419 And he began to give them promises of how he would come and fix that which they could 00:13:30.419 --> 00:13:35.139 not fix, that he would once again come and dwell with his people. 00:13:35.139 --> 00:13:41.600 And that's what we see here, that God, after centuries and centuries of promises by prophets, 00:13:42.279 --> 00:13:47.340 by different stories that try to communicate what God was really like and what God was not 00:13:47.340 --> 00:13:53.360 like, and stories of covenants and his desire and his heart that there would be this time 00:13:53.360 --> 00:13:57.879 when in our very depth of our being, there would be a healing of the very depth of our being 00:13:57.879 --> 00:14:01.179 that we could dwell with God again and he could dwell with us. 00:14:01.179 --> 00:14:03.620 God is keeping his promise. 00:14:04.719 --> 00:14:08.539 And so we have here a prophecy of almost 700 years being fulfilled. 00:14:09.399 --> 00:14:15.919 And what God does is he comes to be with us in a very special way. 00:14:16.419 --> 00:14:21.759 Let's watch, just pause in this, our sermon, and watch yet another short, cute, cutesy little 00:14:21.759 --> 00:14:24.059 video about what Jesus was like. 00:14:31.179 --> 00:14:37.079 And in the same region, there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their 00:14:37.079 --> 00:14:37.879 flock by night. 00:14:38.399 --> 00:14:42.620 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them. 00:14:42.899 --> 00:14:44.959 And they were filled with great fear. 00:14:45.319 --> 00:14:50.539 And the angel said to them, fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will 00:14:50.539 --> 00:14:51.719 be for all the people. 00:14:52.679 --> 00:14:57.899 For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a savior who is Christ the Lord. 00:14:57.899 --> 00:15:00.179 And this will be a sign for you. 00:15:00.179 --> 00:15:00.199 And this will be a sign for you. 00:15:00.199 --> 00:15:03.379 You will find a king wearing a magnificent crown. 00:15:05.899 --> 00:15:08.220 No, dad, that's not it. 00:15:09.059 --> 00:15:09.759 Oh, really? 00:15:10.500 --> 00:15:11.659 Let me try it again. 00:15:12.980 --> 00:15:18.079 For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a savior who is Christ the Lord. 00:15:18.519 --> 00:15:20.500 And this will be a sign for you. 00:15:21.259 --> 00:15:24.139 You'll find a powerful, well-trained soldier. 00:15:24.460 --> 00:15:26.240 No, dad, you did it again. 00:15:26.460 --> 00:15:27.259 That's not right. 00:15:28.080 --> 00:15:28.559 Okay. 00:15:28.779 --> 00:15:29.759 How about this? 00:15:30.159 --> 00:15:31.700 And this will be a sign for you. 00:15:32.000 --> 00:15:34.379 You will find a democratically elected president. 00:15:35.179 --> 00:15:35.659 What? 00:15:36.039 --> 00:15:36.519 No. 00:15:37.259 --> 00:15:39.279 A trendy motivational speaker. 00:15:41.340 --> 00:15:42.419 No way. 00:15:42.759 --> 00:15:43.939 A big tech CEO. 00:15:45.059 --> 00:15:46.600 A movie star. 00:15:47.600 --> 00:15:48.860 Time-traveling cyborg. 00:15:50.919 --> 00:15:52.720 No, no, none of those are right. 00:15:52.840 --> 00:15:55.039 The Shepherds, we couldn't find any of those. 00:15:55.039 --> 00:15:57.179 Okay, then, little Miss Know-It-All. 00:15:57.539 --> 00:15:58.719 What did they find? 00:16:01.419 --> 00:16:07.699 For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a savior who is Christ the Lord. 00:16:07.700 --> 00:16:09.759 And this will be a sign for you. 00:16:09.759 --> 00:16:15.340 You will find a baby wrapped in swatting cloths and lying in a manger. 00:16:15.420 --> 00:16:16.460 Oh, that's right. 00:16:16.560 --> 00:16:17.440 A baby. 00:16:18.240 --> 00:16:19.680 Does that even make sense? 00:16:19.800 --> 00:16:21.759 A baby is totally helpless. 00:16:21.759 --> 00:16:28.000 Yeah, but if Jesus didn't come as a baby, then he would have known what it was like to grow up. 00:16:28.220 --> 00:16:29.059 Ah, but wait. 00:16:29.620 --> 00:16:31.240 Why did he have to grow up? 00:16:33.159 --> 00:16:34.120 That's easy. 00:16:34.319 --> 00:16:35.279 To save us. 00:16:35.419 --> 00:16:40.080 Ah, well then that means that the best part about Christmas is... 00:16:40.080 --> 00:16:40.900 The baby. 00:16:41.259 --> 00:16:42.700 Right, the baby. 00:16:44.620 --> 00:16:47.700 Oh, well, I guess it's time you get some sleep. 00:16:48.160 --> 00:16:49.840 We got a big day ahead of us tomorrow. 00:16:50.040 --> 00:16:52.500 No, we're not done with the story. 00:16:53.600 --> 00:16:55.980 Okay, just a little longer. 00:16:55.980 --> 00:17:25.380 One of the things that's just so wonderful about the big story of the Bible 00:17:25.380 --> 00:17:28.960 is that human beings don't desire to be homeless. 00:17:30.240 --> 00:17:32.280 We desire to have a place where we can dwell. 00:17:33.180 --> 00:17:37.460 And we desire that we can dwell in a place where there's safety, where there's beauty, 00:17:37.720 --> 00:17:43.560 where you feel at one sort of with where you're living and with one with the universe. 00:17:43.880 --> 00:17:44.760 That's what we desire. 00:17:45.420 --> 00:17:50.560 And the Bible makes that clear that that is part of every human being's, in a sense, 00:17:50.640 --> 00:17:54.460 very deep longing and a knowledge that something has been lost. 00:17:54.460 --> 00:17:58.460 And one of the things which is so wonderful about the Christmas story is, 00:17:58.700 --> 00:18:00.579 just as it was put in that short little movie, 00:18:01.440 --> 00:18:04.460 is that Jesus came among us fully human. 00:18:04.740 --> 00:18:07.880 God, the Son of God, comes to dwell among us, 00:18:08.559 --> 00:18:12.620 being just as helpless as every one of us was when we began, 00:18:12.759 --> 00:18:14.740 which was as a zygote in our mother's womb. 00:18:15.400 --> 00:18:17.759 And going through that nine months of birth, 00:18:17.819 --> 00:18:19.640 or a little bit less if you were premature, 00:18:19.640 --> 00:18:22.800 or a little bit longer if the birth was delayed. 00:18:23.759 --> 00:18:27.000 And then to have all of that helplessness. 00:18:28.140 --> 00:18:31.200 One of the things which causes so much problem in the world 00:18:31.200 --> 00:18:35.160 is that we feel that people make decisions about us 00:18:35.160 --> 00:18:38.620 or have views about us without ever identifying with us. 00:18:38.619 --> 00:18:43.199 You know, if just a few blocks from here, 00:18:43.279 --> 00:18:46.579 if you were to walk around the different parts of Ottawa, 00:18:46.799 --> 00:18:48.479 especially if you walk around Centre Town, 00:18:49.239 --> 00:18:51.259 one of the things which you see throughout all of that 00:18:51.259 --> 00:18:53.079 is that businesses are shuttered. 00:18:54.000 --> 00:18:55.699 Many, many, many businesses close. 00:18:55.799 --> 00:18:58.759 I went to the mall, one of the biggest and most popular malls, 00:18:58.799 --> 00:19:00.199 for the first time in a while the other day. 00:19:00.219 --> 00:19:01.939 And I was surprised to see in that mall 00:19:01.939 --> 00:19:05.059 how many stores were shuttered, actually. 00:19:05.059 --> 00:19:08.599 And you can well imagine that many of those business people would say, 00:19:08.720 --> 00:19:10.899 I wonder if those people making these decisions 00:19:10.899 --> 00:19:12.599 about how to handle things, 00:19:13.059 --> 00:19:15.379 do they know what it's like to be a small business person? 00:19:15.960 --> 00:19:18.299 Do they know what it's like to work those long hours? 00:19:20.079 --> 00:19:21.980 And it must make it very hard for them 00:19:21.980 --> 00:19:24.759 if they have a sense that the person making those decisions 00:19:24.759 --> 00:19:26.039 doesn't identify with them. 00:19:26.779 --> 00:19:28.679 Think of all of the problems we have 00:19:28.679 --> 00:19:32.240 with racial tension in our country. 00:19:32.240 --> 00:19:35.500 And I'm sure that there are many, many of them, 00:19:35.700 --> 00:19:37.059 people who would say, 00:19:37.120 --> 00:19:39.500 you know what, if those people like George 00:19:39.500 --> 00:19:41.480 were making these statements about things, 00:19:41.880 --> 00:19:43.779 it would be very, very different 00:19:43.779 --> 00:19:47.839 if he had to walk in my situation 00:19:47.839 --> 00:19:49.900 just for a week, just for a month, 00:19:50.480 --> 00:19:52.460 just to actually see what it's like 00:19:52.460 --> 00:19:54.319 to be in my skin. 00:19:54.319 --> 00:19:57.839 And I'm sure there are many people 00:19:57.839 --> 00:20:02.480 who complain about the way gays and lesbians 00:20:02.480 --> 00:20:04.700 and others are treated in our culture, 00:20:04.839 --> 00:20:06.299 thinking that for the rest of the culture, 00:20:06.379 --> 00:20:08.939 those who don't go along with some of the things, 00:20:09.019 --> 00:20:10.179 many of the things that they want, 00:20:10.439 --> 00:20:12.579 think that if they just actually were able 00:20:12.579 --> 00:20:14.720 to really enter into our experience 00:20:14.720 --> 00:20:17.099 and see what it was like from our point of view, 00:20:18.119 --> 00:20:19.240 how things would be different. 00:20:19.240 --> 00:20:22.220 One of the things which is so powerful 00:20:22.220 --> 00:20:23.599 about the gospel is that 00:20:23.599 --> 00:20:25.460 it's not true of Muhammad, 00:20:25.640 --> 00:20:26.880 it's not really true of Buddha, 00:20:26.960 --> 00:20:28.079 who grew up rich 00:20:28.079 --> 00:20:30.480 and thought that the secret was to end desire, 00:20:31.200 --> 00:20:32.960 but that Jesus really did 00:20:32.960 --> 00:20:34.700 completely and utterly identify 00:20:34.700 --> 00:20:37.180 in all of human weakness and frailty 00:20:37.180 --> 00:20:40.620 that he entered into the world as one of us. 00:20:40.680 --> 00:20:41.740 In fact, he didn't come 00:20:41.740 --> 00:20:44.279 and he wasn't born in the emperor's household 00:20:44.279 --> 00:20:45.940 or anything like that. 00:20:45.940 --> 00:20:47.779 He was born in a conquered people 00:20:47.779 --> 00:20:50.960 in a relatively unimportant, 00:20:51.259 --> 00:20:52.900 conquered part of the universe 00:20:52.900 --> 00:20:55.559 and he lived a lower working class life 00:20:55.559 --> 00:20:58.680 and he lived completely among us, 00:20:58.880 --> 00:21:02.500 but he dwelt among us to save us. 00:21:03.160 --> 00:21:05.059 You see, if you could put up the next point, Andrew, 00:21:05.700 --> 00:21:07.820 the triune God cannot dwell with you 00:21:07.820 --> 00:21:08.880 without saving you. 00:21:09.720 --> 00:21:11.380 That's the great big mystery. 00:21:11.380 --> 00:21:14.400 I mean, how could you or I, 00:21:15.460 --> 00:21:18.020 with our pride, our vanity, our envy, 00:21:18.560 --> 00:21:22.060 our lusts, our jealousies, 00:21:22.620 --> 00:21:25.820 our desire for power, for recognition, 00:21:26.640 --> 00:21:28.920 our lack of forgiveness, 00:21:30.000 --> 00:21:33.660 our concern with material things, 00:21:34.620 --> 00:21:37.120 our concern with our own glory, 00:21:37.119 --> 00:21:41.799 I mean, even the most holy Christian 00:21:41.799 --> 00:21:44.019 often wants God just to leave them alone. 00:21:44.859 --> 00:21:46.079 How could it ever be 00:21:46.079 --> 00:21:47.799 that even the most holy human being 00:21:47.799 --> 00:21:48.959 could dwell with God, 00:21:49.319 --> 00:21:50.619 with God as God, 00:21:51.859 --> 00:21:53.519 when we are so rebellious 00:21:53.519 --> 00:21:54.639 and broken and bent? 00:21:55.739 --> 00:21:57.479 But Jesus came and dwelt among us 00:21:57.479 --> 00:21:58.259 and he lived the life 00:21:58.259 --> 00:22:00.139 that we could not live ourselves. 00:22:00.779 --> 00:22:02.699 He suffered the trials and temptations 00:22:02.699 --> 00:22:04.219 that we suffer only without sin. 00:22:04.220 --> 00:22:07.819 And then he comes and he dies in our place. 00:22:08.680 --> 00:22:10.380 I mean, he even identifies with us 00:22:10.380 --> 00:22:12.880 to the very, very point of experiencing death, 00:22:12.980 --> 00:22:14.460 but his death isn't random. 00:22:14.620 --> 00:22:16.039 Death could have no hold on him. 00:22:16.980 --> 00:22:18.600 He dies out of love for you. 00:22:20.120 --> 00:22:23.200 And he dies in a sacrifice. 00:22:24.900 --> 00:22:26.920 In a sense, saying to you or me 00:22:26.920 --> 00:22:28.339 that when we put our trust in him, 00:22:28.440 --> 00:22:30.839 that the death that we deserved, 00:22:30.940 --> 00:22:31.519 he would die. 00:22:32.160 --> 00:22:33.799 And the life that we could never live, 00:22:33.799 --> 00:22:35.980 he offers to us in exchange. 00:22:37.399 --> 00:22:39.879 And so it is that he dies upon the cross 00:22:39.879 --> 00:22:41.079 and rises from the dead. 00:22:41.859 --> 00:22:43.319 And so the arch of the story is 00:22:43.319 --> 00:22:44.980 that God creates everything good. 00:22:45.659 --> 00:22:47.419 We human beings bring in evil 00:22:47.419 --> 00:22:49.059 and death and rebellion. 00:22:49.440 --> 00:22:51.960 God goes through this lengthy period of promise, 00:22:52.659 --> 00:22:53.879 culminating in Jesus, 00:22:54.059 --> 00:22:55.299 God keeping his promise. 00:22:55.940 --> 00:22:58.319 And that by the death and resurrection of Jesus, 00:22:58.460 --> 00:23:00.399 when we put our faith and trust in him, 00:23:00.539 --> 00:23:02.879 he really does come and dwell within us. 00:23:02.880 --> 00:23:04.220 In a way, 00:23:06.480 --> 00:23:08.560 well, if you could put up the final point, Andrew, 00:23:08.620 --> 00:23:09.840 that would be very helpful. 00:23:10.060 --> 00:23:12.600 Jesus, Emmanuel, saved you to dwell with him 00:23:12.600 --> 00:23:14.760 and others into eternity. 00:23:16.560 --> 00:23:20.020 Jesus actually does come and dwell with you 00:23:20.020 --> 00:23:21.840 when you put your faith and trust in him, 00:23:21.880 --> 00:23:23.440 and he dwells with you into eternity. 00:23:24.260 --> 00:23:27.080 The very, very final chapter of the Bible, 00:23:27.220 --> 00:23:29.540 which describes the very, very final time, 00:23:29.539 --> 00:23:32.019 because the way the flow of the story goes 00:23:32.019 --> 00:23:33.559 is that God makes all things good. 00:23:33.879 --> 00:23:35.700 Death and evil enters into the world. 00:23:35.839 --> 00:23:37.119 There's this time of promise. 00:23:37.279 --> 00:23:37.920 Jesus comes. 00:23:38.039 --> 00:23:39.139 He rises from the dead. 00:23:39.659 --> 00:23:41.859 We live in this time period of what's called 00:23:41.859 --> 00:23:43.099 the already, not yet. 00:23:43.559 --> 00:23:45.500 We have Jesus dwelling within us. 00:23:45.639 --> 00:23:46.619 In the midst of our sin, 00:23:46.740 --> 00:23:48.299 we were made right with God, 00:23:48.299 --> 00:23:52.559 but he slowly works in those who have put their trust 00:23:52.559 --> 00:23:54.519 and faith in him as Savior and Lord 00:23:54.519 --> 00:23:57.000 to begin to fit us for heaven and for all eternity. 00:23:57.559 --> 00:24:00.119 And then there will come the time when Jesus will return, 00:24:00.259 --> 00:24:01.259 and when he returns, 00:24:01.779 --> 00:24:05.180 this entire order will be capsed away and swept away, 00:24:05.259 --> 00:24:07.980 and a brand new heaven and earth will be created. 00:24:07.980 --> 00:24:11.460 And the end of the story is that we will dwell with God 00:24:11.460 --> 00:24:12.640 and he will dwell with us. 00:24:12.860 --> 00:24:15.819 Listen to what it says in the book of Revelation, 00:24:16.480 --> 00:24:19.680 chapter 21, verses 3 and 4. 00:24:21.039 --> 00:24:22.740 After Jesus is returned, 00:24:23.799 --> 00:24:29.759 and I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 00:24:30.980 --> 00:24:34.440 Behold, the dwelling place of God is with human beings, 00:24:34.539 --> 00:24:35.559 with man and with woman. 00:24:35.559 --> 00:24:38.519 He will dwell with them and they will be his people, 00:24:38.799 --> 00:24:41.659 and God himself will be with them as their God. 00:24:42.139 --> 00:24:44.799 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, 00:24:45.000 --> 00:24:46.480 and death shall be no more, 00:24:46.599 --> 00:24:48.039 neither there shall there be mourning, 00:24:48.179 --> 00:24:50.379 nor crying, nor pain anymore, 00:24:50.700 --> 00:24:53.319 for the former things have passed away. 00:24:54.220 --> 00:24:56.940 See, Jesus Emmanuel saved you to dwell with him 00:24:56.940 --> 00:24:58.500 and others into eternity. 00:24:58.799 --> 00:25:00.700 And when you put your faith and trust in him, 00:25:01.119 --> 00:25:02.519 that is the end of your story. 00:25:02.519 --> 00:25:06.680 He's with you and dwells with you now 00:25:06.680 --> 00:25:08.259 as you go into lockdown. 00:25:08.619 --> 00:25:10.339 He's with you and dwells with you now 00:25:10.339 --> 00:25:12.160 as you experience times of loneliness 00:25:12.160 --> 00:25:15.139 or as you experience times of great joy, 00:25:15.839 --> 00:25:18.299 comfort in having a friendly voice 00:25:18.299 --> 00:25:21.079 that knocks a friendly person who knocks on the door 00:25:21.079 --> 00:25:23.559 or a friendly person who calls you up. 00:25:24.200 --> 00:25:26.480 He's with you in the lonely hours of the night. 00:25:27.119 --> 00:25:28.799 He's worth you if you're sick. 00:25:29.059 --> 00:25:30.240 He's with you if you're healthy. 00:25:30.240 --> 00:25:32.859 When you put your faith and trust in Jesus, 00:25:33.019 --> 00:25:34.539 he is with you and dwells with you 00:25:34.539 --> 00:25:36.779 and will never leave you and will never abandon you. 00:25:38.259 --> 00:25:41.319 And you and I will be weak many, many, many times, 00:25:41.539 --> 00:25:45.339 but our hope and confidence is not our strength but Jesus 00:25:45.339 --> 00:25:47.559 because he is the strong and mighty one 00:25:47.559 --> 00:25:49.420 who has defeated sin and defeated death. 00:25:50.259 --> 00:25:52.200 It's not my grip on him that matters. 00:25:52.339 --> 00:25:53.559 It's his grip on me 00:25:53.559 --> 00:25:55.960 because my grip is very weak, 00:25:56.120 --> 00:25:57.880 but his is very strong. 00:25:57.880 --> 00:26:02.340 And as I hold his hand and he holds my hand, 00:26:02.540 --> 00:26:05.100 he changes me and will change me. 00:26:05.160 --> 00:26:07.140 And one day I will see him face to face 00:26:07.140 --> 00:26:08.200 and I will be like him, 00:26:08.420 --> 00:26:12.720 able to dwell with God at peace and in joy with others 00:26:12.720 --> 00:26:14.520 in the new heaven and the new earth. 00:26:15.580 --> 00:26:17.800 And that is what Jesus asks of you 00:26:17.800 --> 00:26:20.080 is to humble yourself and come to him. 00:26:20.780 --> 00:26:22.660 He comes to bring you peace. 00:26:22.760 --> 00:26:24.100 He comes to bring you joy. 00:26:24.200 --> 00:26:25.640 He comes to bring you healing. 00:26:25.640 --> 00:26:28.640 He comes to fit you for heaven. 00:26:29.540 --> 00:26:31.520 He comes to walk with you in your day 00:26:31.520 --> 00:26:34.060 and to promise to never leave you or forsake you. 00:26:35.420 --> 00:26:38.759 He knows your true good and your true end. 00:26:39.380 --> 00:26:41.480 And all his words, even the hardest ones, 00:26:41.560 --> 00:26:42.940 are words that ultimately 00:26:42.940 --> 00:26:47.140 are moving you towards that true good 00:26:47.140 --> 00:26:48.200 and that true end. 00:26:48.200 --> 00:26:52.759 Just want to finish with watching this wonderful short 00:26:52.759 --> 00:26:55.680 telling of the story in spoken word. 00:26:55.960 --> 00:26:57.480 And then we'll stand and pray. 00:26:57.480 --> 00:26:57.580 Amen. 00:26:57.579 --> 00:27:08.079 Why? 00:27:10.079 --> 00:27:10.759 Why? 00:27:13.039 --> 00:27:15.639 Why did Jesus come to earth? 00:27:17.220 --> 00:27:20.839 Why forsake the majesty and fellowship of heaven? 00:27:20.839 --> 00:27:21.919 Why? 00:27:22.179 --> 00:27:24.959 Exchanging a palace for a stable. 00:27:25.799 --> 00:27:28.720 Immortal comforts for a feeding trough. 00:27:29.819 --> 00:27:33.359 And robes of glory for the feeble body of an infant. 00:27:35.240 --> 00:27:37.059 An unparalleled irony. 00:27:37.619 --> 00:27:40.039 This supreme unrivaled nobility 00:27:40.039 --> 00:27:43.720 experiencing absolute and total humility. 00:27:43.720 --> 00:27:50.480 Our sovereign God, Emmanuel, as a baby 00:27:50.480 --> 00:27:55.200 He didn't come to heap shame upon sinners 00:27:55.200 --> 00:27:57.900 Or to judge and cast out the impious 00:27:57.900 --> 00:28:01.299 But to break bread with those called unrighteous 00:28:01.299 --> 00:28:06.120 He didn't come to illuminate every mystery of the cosmos 00:28:06.120 --> 00:28:08.220 Or to enlighten the intellectual 00:28:08.220 --> 00:28:12.480 But to fulfill the testimony of prophets clothed in rags 00:28:12.480 --> 00:28:16.200 He didn't come to elevate a single nation 00:28:16.200 --> 00:28:19.640 Or to advocate a particular political affiliation 00:28:19.640 --> 00:28:24.420 He came because He saw you broken in need of salvation 00:28:24.420 --> 00:28:28.279 He saw you lost and abandoned 00:28:28.279 --> 00:28:31.920 Crying out, surrounded by deaf ears 00:28:31.920 --> 00:28:33.360 Fighting through the tears 00:28:33.360 --> 00:28:36.279 But beaten down by the torments of this world 00:28:36.279 --> 00:28:39.680 And unable to bear your distress 00:28:39.680 --> 00:28:42.180 He renounced His eternal throne 00:28:42.180 --> 00:28:43.620 Walked the earth 00:28:43.620 --> 00:28:45.019 Bored the stripes 00:28:45.019 --> 00:28:46.360 Accepted the nails 00:28:46.360 --> 00:28:48.620 And gave up His last breath 00:28:48.620 --> 00:28:52.340 So that you could receive the breath of life 00:28:52.340 --> 00:28:58.900 Our God 00:28:58.900 --> 00:29:03.299 Our holy, infinite God 00:29:03.299 --> 00:29:05.740 Beheld your pain 00:29:05.740 --> 00:29:05.779 Behold your pain 00:29:05.779 --> 00:29:08.940 Perceived your heart 00:29:08.940 --> 00:29:13.680 And determined that your soul was worth dying for 00:29:13.680 --> 00:29:16.559 From the manger 00:29:16.559 --> 00:29:18.379 To the cross 00:29:18.379 --> 00:29:20.180 To the empty tomb 00:29:20.180 --> 00:29:24.620 It is all a story of profound love 00:29:24.620 --> 00:29:29.180 Of a Savior who rescued His children from darkness 00:29:29.180 --> 00:29:31.519 Of a blameless king 00:29:31.519 --> 00:29:34.700 Who declared that no sacrifice was too great 00:29:34.700 --> 00:29:36.960 For the sake of His beloved creation 00:29:36.960 --> 00:29:43.900 Why did Jesus come to earth? 00:29:45.640 --> 00:29:47.400 He came for you 00:29:47.400 --> 00:29:54.040 I invite you just to stand 00:29:54.040 --> 00:29:55.240 Let's bow our heads in prayer 00:29:55.240 --> 00:30:04.860 Father, we thank you for Jesus 00:30:04.860 --> 00:30:09.580 You know the different states of affairs that we're in tonight 00:30:09.580 --> 00:30:11.720 Maybe some of us pretty happy and healthy 00:30:11.720 --> 00:30:15.160 Some of us may be struggling with silent illnesses 00:30:15.160 --> 00:30:16.799 Or worries 00:30:16.799 --> 00:30:19.000 Some missing people 00:30:19.000 --> 00:30:21.640 Some of us looking forward to the people we will see tomorrow 00:30:21.640 --> 00:30:23.120 Or tonight 00:30:23.120 --> 00:30:26.380 Father, you know the different states of affairs we're in 00:30:26.380 --> 00:30:28.100 And we give you thanks and praise 00:30:28.100 --> 00:30:29.160 That you are a big God 00:30:29.160 --> 00:30:30.700 And that Jesus is a big Savior 00:30:30.700 --> 00:30:33.500 And that He can walk and does walk 00:30:33.500 --> 00:30:35.900 With each one who puts their faith and trust in Him 00:30:35.900 --> 00:30:37.440 That He will never let us go 00:30:37.440 --> 00:30:40.759 And Father, we open ourselves to you this evening 00:30:40.759 --> 00:30:42.860 You know what our true and deepest need is 00:30:42.860 --> 00:30:46.440 And we invite you to come and move in us 00:30:46.440 --> 00:30:48.080 In our true and deepest need 00:30:48.080 --> 00:30:49.580 We hold nothing back 00:30:49.580 --> 00:30:52.559 But ask you, Father, sovereignly 00:30:52.559 --> 00:30:53.860 In your loving wisdom 00:30:53.860 --> 00:30:58.080 To come and move with power 00:30:58.080 --> 00:30:59.140 With gentle power 00:30:59.140 --> 00:31:01.680 At our point of deepest need 00:31:01.680 --> 00:31:05.140 And we ask that you help us to 00:31:05.140 --> 00:31:07.120 Once again fall in love with the story 00:31:07.119 --> 00:31:08.439 And fall in love with your Son 00:31:08.439 --> 00:31:11.019 And help us, Father 00:31:11.019 --> 00:31:12.339 Rather than turning to idols 00:31:12.339 --> 00:31:15.699 Or despair 00:31:15.699 --> 00:31:18.119 To pour out our hearts to you 00:31:18.119 --> 00:31:20.259 In both our joys and our sorrows 00:31:20.259 --> 00:31:22.279 And we ask this in the name of Jesus 00:31:22.279 --> 00:31:23.479 Your Son and our Savior 00:31:23.479 --> 00:31:24.439 Amen