WEBVTT 00:00:00.460 --> 00:00:05.700 Okay, well if you are here for the first time, we're visiting family members here. 00:00:05.879 --> 00:00:10.560 I just want to say my name is Tobin Miller and I'm one of the pastors here. 00:00:10.620 --> 00:00:11.380 I'm a teaching pastor. 00:00:12.140 --> 00:00:14.120 I actually do really like Australia. 00:00:15.580 --> 00:00:23.219 So anything that comes across like, wow, he really, you know, the Australians pay me every week just so I can pick on them. 00:00:23.699 --> 00:00:25.240 I think, I'm not sure. 00:00:26.260 --> 00:00:28.460 And they pick on Texas, so that's good. 00:00:28.460 --> 00:00:30.359 Hey, so Merry Christmas. 00:00:31.760 --> 00:00:32.480 Wow, good. 00:00:32.520 --> 00:00:32.820 That's good. 00:00:32.859 --> 00:00:33.140 That's good. 00:00:33.439 --> 00:00:34.579 So I love this time of year. 00:00:35.039 --> 00:00:35.899 I love the trees. 00:00:36.020 --> 00:00:37.219 I love the smell. 00:00:37.380 --> 00:00:39.100 Our house has a tree. 00:00:39.439 --> 00:00:44.039 If it's not live, we spray, you know, the pine smell everywhere because we love the decorations. 00:00:44.840 --> 00:00:49.260 And it's just something about just the festivities and the candles and the lights. 00:00:49.600 --> 00:00:53.359 And so we put up this really special nativity scene in our house. 00:00:53.659 --> 00:00:55.060 And so I think I brought a picture of that. 00:00:55.700 --> 00:00:56.500 There you go. 00:00:56.500 --> 00:00:58.780 So you have baby Jesus. 00:00:58.780 --> 00:01:02.280 And then you have Jose or Joseph. 00:01:03.160 --> 00:01:05.739 And then you have Maria or Malia, Mary. 00:01:06.159 --> 00:01:08.400 And then you have angel, right? 00:01:08.659 --> 00:01:14.420 So you know the world is okay when you can do the nativity scene and Diet Coke, right? 00:01:14.420 --> 00:01:19.439 It means something is good happening in the world and God is working there. 00:01:19.980 --> 00:01:23.560 But actually, so, yeah, my wife wouldn't let me put that up. 00:01:23.859 --> 00:01:26.180 So anyway, we have events and parties. 00:01:26.460 --> 00:01:28.960 And I love just going to the parties. 00:01:29.359 --> 00:01:36.079 And, you know, it's interesting when you're a pastor and you go to Christmas parties, people always kind of take, they don't know what to do with a pastor, right? 00:01:36.099 --> 00:01:37.219 They don't know what to do at all. 00:01:37.219 --> 00:01:41.019 So we were actually, I think we haven't had a free night in two and a half weeks. 00:01:41.060 --> 00:01:42.379 We've been out at parties meeting people. 00:01:42.840 --> 00:01:45.200 And so last night we were at this amazing party with our neighbors. 00:01:45.920 --> 00:01:48.039 They are not churchgoers yet. 00:01:48.239 --> 00:01:49.659 We continue to pray for them. 00:01:50.039 --> 00:01:53.379 And it's so funny because when I go there, they know what I do. 00:01:53.460 --> 00:01:53.819 We talk. 00:01:53.900 --> 00:01:54.840 Our kids hang out and play. 00:01:54.840 --> 00:02:01.980 And there was probably 100 people, literally 100 people at least at one time and probably 50 kids and Santa Claus came. 00:02:02.400 --> 00:02:09.740 And so the host, who's our next-door neighbor, and he always gives me a hard time, he always introduces me as this is our next-door neighbor, Tobin. 00:02:10.060 --> 00:02:11.800 And so he did it again last night, you know. 00:02:11.840 --> 00:02:16.420 And it's just one of those things that's weird because it was his best friend he'd known since like seventh grade. 00:02:16.939 --> 00:02:20.379 And so we're talking and it gets up to the first question, you know, that they always ask. 00:02:20.439 --> 00:02:22.840 Guys, whenever guys interact, they always ask the one question. 00:02:22.920 --> 00:02:23.580 And what's the first question? 00:02:24.540 --> 00:02:25.320 What do you do, right? 00:02:25.360 --> 00:02:28.600 Because guys can't live without knowing how we know what we do. 00:02:29.380 --> 00:02:30.940 That's kind of how we define ourselves. 00:02:31.480 --> 00:02:33.380 And so this guy said, what do you do? 00:02:33.480 --> 00:02:36.700 And he's with the British Council teaching in Thailand. 00:02:37.100 --> 00:02:38.740 And I said, oh, I'm a pastor. 00:02:39.260 --> 00:02:42.480 And that reaction, you always kind of people kind of step back, you know, and they don't know. 00:02:42.780 --> 00:02:48.000 Even when it's Christmas because it's supposed to be, you know, religious, you know, they're going to a rugby game. 00:02:48.340 --> 00:02:49.240 So I'm a pastor. 00:02:49.320 --> 00:02:52.300 And he looked at me and he just was fumbling with words. 00:02:52.360 --> 00:02:52.900 Like, what do I say? 00:02:52.900 --> 00:02:57.140 You know, and I just, we talked. 00:02:57.200 --> 00:02:59.719 And he goes, so how many days a week do you work? 00:03:00.700 --> 00:03:02.659 Do you just work on Sunday? 00:03:03.800 --> 00:03:06.759 And I think, well, you know, people are drinking and there's alcohol. 00:03:06.920 --> 00:03:09.939 People are just, and so I said, yeah, you know, and the great thing is I only work three hours. 00:03:10.879 --> 00:03:12.219 So I just work three hours on Sunday. 00:03:12.280 --> 00:03:13.460 And the rest of the week I just play. 00:03:13.620 --> 00:03:14.080 It's goof off. 00:03:14.120 --> 00:03:15.379 It's the best job in the world. 00:03:15.379 --> 00:03:17.719 And he just kind of looked at me like, you know. 00:03:18.139 --> 00:03:23.900 And then, so when I went on for a while longer, people were hanging out and people started getting more drunk. 00:03:24.019 --> 00:03:26.199 And they come up again and ask me, you know, what do we do? 00:03:26.280 --> 00:03:27.699 And so this time I thought I'd do something different. 00:03:27.819 --> 00:03:29.519 And the guy came up and said, what do you do? 00:03:29.539 --> 00:03:30.240 And I looked at it. 00:03:30.259 --> 00:03:31.120 I started thinking, what should I do? 00:03:31.180 --> 00:03:32.960 Because I want to try to engage with this guy. 00:03:33.319 --> 00:03:37.039 And I said, I work for the most powerful and richest person in the world. 00:03:37.039 --> 00:03:40.060 Because we do, right? 00:03:40.400 --> 00:03:40.979 God, right? 00:03:41.479 --> 00:03:42.319 But I didn't tell him that. 00:03:42.659 --> 00:03:46.639 And so he looked at me and he's like, the most powerful and richest person. 00:03:46.699 --> 00:03:47.759 He's a little drunk, right? 00:03:48.199 --> 00:03:50.780 And he's just all his mind. 00:03:51.399 --> 00:03:55.219 And he says, you know, so tell me, who is that? 00:03:55.259 --> 00:03:58.459 And I told him, I said, I could tell you, but then I have to kill you. 00:03:59.959 --> 00:04:04.500 And he looked at me like, and for some reason I didn't see him the rest of the night. 00:04:04.500 --> 00:04:07.159 Like, he just kind of disappeared. 00:04:07.259 --> 00:04:08.159 I don't know what happened. 00:04:08.699 --> 00:04:11.780 So, but you know, you have to have fun as a pastor because, you know, 00:04:11.800 --> 00:04:13.340 it's always one of those things that you don't know. 00:04:13.680 --> 00:04:17.839 And we've been going to plays and I'm always watching when I talk to them, 00:04:17.860 --> 00:04:19.819 what's going on in their heads, what's going on in their hearts, 00:04:19.860 --> 00:04:22.600 and wondering what they're thinking in the midst of all this stuff. 00:04:23.079 --> 00:04:25.620 And so we went to KK had a play Wednesday night. 00:04:25.620 --> 00:04:30.339 And it was just amazing to see, I think it's our 25th Christmas play, Nativity scene. 00:04:30.839 --> 00:04:33.199 And it's always amazing to me how at the end of the plays, 00:04:33.199 --> 00:04:40.120 you can always bring Santa Claus and Rudolph and some kind of Beatles music into the Nativity scene. 00:04:40.180 --> 00:04:42.740 Because at the end, there's always Santa Claus, there's always Rudolph, 00:04:42.920 --> 00:04:45.019 and for some reason the Beatles are there. 00:04:45.680 --> 00:04:50.860 But one of the most memorable ones we had was a while back and was Kip and Rebecca's play. 00:04:51.360 --> 00:04:56.099 And Kip was his shepherd and Rebecca was Mary and she took Mary very seriously. 00:04:56.100 --> 00:04:59.220 And we went and we watched the play and it was really good. 00:04:59.400 --> 00:05:05.120 And at the end, we all just took a break and we went to eat and eat cookies and drink. 00:05:05.420 --> 00:05:08.879 And I was just walking around to school and so I thought I would go back into the Nativity scene. 00:05:08.920 --> 00:05:12.700 So I went back in to the Nativity scene and there's a little trough there and there's a little baby, 00:05:13.040 --> 00:05:14.300 plastic baby Jesus there. 00:05:15.020 --> 00:05:18.020 And Kip was there and he was with another boy and they're talking to each other. 00:05:18.019 --> 00:05:23.859 And all of a sudden this little boy reaches into the manger and he picks up baby Jesus by the legs. 00:05:24.159 --> 00:05:25.699 And he kind of holds him upside down. 00:05:26.439 --> 00:05:29.240 And he looks at Kip and he goes, so what do we do with the baby now? 00:05:30.379 --> 00:05:33.019 What do we do with baby Jesus now? 00:05:34.139 --> 00:05:39.719 And I'm watching this and I'm like, wow, this is deep theology, isn't it? 00:05:40.740 --> 00:05:45.959 I mean, I'm being taught deep theology by a seven-year-old because he's grabbing Jesus 00:05:45.959 --> 00:05:51.139 and he's kind of asking the million-dollar question, what do we do with Jesus when the play's over? 00:05:53.339 --> 00:05:54.519 What do we do with him? 00:05:54.639 --> 00:05:56.899 You know, is he relevant in our lives? 00:05:57.180 --> 00:05:57.879 What's next? 00:05:57.959 --> 00:06:01.839 And I think that some of us in here right now who aren't Christ followers yet, 00:06:01.879 --> 00:06:03.740 and you're here and you're being dragged here by friends 00:06:03.740 --> 00:06:06.139 and maybe you're just wondering why you're even here, 00:06:06.159 --> 00:06:07.979 and you're probably asking that same question, right? 00:06:08.560 --> 00:06:10.599 You're listening to things, you're watching things, 00:06:10.699 --> 00:06:15.179 you're watching a crazy Texan talk about people getting drunk at parties and things like that. 00:06:15.180 --> 00:06:17.519 And you're probably thinking, what do I do with Jesus? 00:06:17.680 --> 00:06:19.040 How does he fit into my life? 00:06:19.720 --> 00:06:21.680 What role should he have here? 00:06:22.220 --> 00:06:25.259 And I think that there's probably some of us here on the journey right now. 00:06:25.340 --> 00:06:25.959 We're on a journey. 00:06:26.139 --> 00:06:31.379 We've come to faith, and we're still probably wondering what we do with the baby Jesus. 00:06:32.660 --> 00:06:34.120 I mean, it's the million-dollar question, right? 00:06:34.720 --> 00:06:37.000 I mean, what do I do with Jesus in my job? 00:06:38.379 --> 00:06:40.060 And what do I do with Jesus in my home? 00:06:40.060 --> 00:06:45.100 And what do I do with Jesus out playing and at the rugby games? 00:06:45.139 --> 00:06:46.680 And what do I do with Jesus moment by moment? 00:06:47.040 --> 00:06:49.360 Is he relevant to my life at all? 00:06:49.620 --> 00:06:55.340 Does having Jesus, the baby with me, Christ with me, does he change me? 00:06:56.560 --> 00:07:01.519 Do I act differently than my colleagues because I have Christ in my heart? 00:07:01.560 --> 00:07:03.819 And I think that's the million-dollar question, 00:07:04.379 --> 00:07:07.699 and I think that's what these passages are about. 00:07:07.699 --> 00:07:14.019 The passages are about God coming in and engaging us and pursuing us, 00:07:14.180 --> 00:07:18.099 pursuing us and showing us his glory and speaking to us. 00:07:18.259 --> 00:07:21.180 And you know, the Bible says that God's speaking to us all the time. 00:07:22.959 --> 00:07:27.319 You're walking around his creation, and he's talking to you. 00:07:27.379 --> 00:07:28.240 He's speaking to you. 00:07:28.319 --> 00:07:30.099 He's showing you his glory. 00:07:30.199 --> 00:07:31.839 He's showing you that he's in control. 00:07:32.300 --> 00:07:35.439 He's asking you to trust him. 00:07:35.439 --> 00:07:38.920 And I think that sometimes we just don't hear that 00:07:38.920 --> 00:07:41.100 because we don't know what we're to do with the baby. 00:07:41.180 --> 00:07:43.240 We don't know how he fits into our life. 00:07:44.759 --> 00:07:47.279 And so what I want to do, or what I'm hoping to do, 00:07:48.199 --> 00:07:49.100 or what I plan to do, 00:07:49.160 --> 00:07:53.959 is I wanted just to look at a couple people who received Christ, 00:07:54.040 --> 00:07:55.120 but they didn't receive Christ. 00:07:56.399 --> 00:07:58.339 So the first week we talked about the shepherds 00:07:58.339 --> 00:07:59.920 and what they did when they received Christ. 00:07:59.980 --> 00:08:02.040 And they received Christ, and they went out, and they were evangelists. 00:08:02.060 --> 00:08:02.980 They were the first evangelists, 00:08:02.980 --> 00:08:05.420 and they were the nobodies that heard the greatest news ever. 00:08:06.240 --> 00:08:08.360 And last week we talked about Mary and Joseph, 00:08:08.520 --> 00:08:10.160 and we talked about what they did, you know, 00:08:10.200 --> 00:08:12.500 and the question we had, the challenge was, 00:08:12.860 --> 00:08:13.720 are we going to trust God? 00:08:13.780 --> 00:08:15.580 Are we going to trust God, or are we not going to trust God? 00:08:16.120 --> 00:08:17.520 And that's what they did with this. 00:08:17.840 --> 00:08:20.220 And what I want to look at today is just really briefly 00:08:20.220 --> 00:08:23.460 three people or three groups of people 00:08:23.460 --> 00:08:27.420 who I think God was speaking to. 00:08:27.500 --> 00:08:28.640 He showed himself to them. 00:08:28.939 --> 00:08:30.000 He was there in their world, 00:08:30.000 --> 00:08:31.620 but they said no. 00:08:32.919 --> 00:08:36.720 And I think that these three people actually are all of us. 00:08:37.759 --> 00:08:38.679 Because if we're honest, 00:08:38.779 --> 00:08:40.799 we're going to see ourselves in each one of these people 00:08:40.799 --> 00:08:42.860 even after we've started the journey. 00:08:43.899 --> 00:08:45.679 And I think that there's probably these type of people 00:08:45.679 --> 00:08:46.860 who are in your office today. 00:08:48.159 --> 00:08:49.220 And there are probably these type of people 00:08:49.220 --> 00:08:50.659 who are in your home today. 00:08:51.480 --> 00:08:52.379 There's probably these type of people 00:08:52.379 --> 00:08:54.120 that you're going to run into at work today. 00:08:54.220 --> 00:08:54.700 They're struggling. 00:08:54.879 --> 00:08:56.539 They're hearing God speak, 00:08:56.539 --> 00:08:58.039 but they don't know what to do with him. 00:08:58.779 --> 00:09:00.120 And so I want to look at just the innkeeper, 00:09:00.319 --> 00:09:01.439 and I want to look at the priests, 00:09:01.620 --> 00:09:02.899 and the scribes, 00:09:02.980 --> 00:09:03.879 and the people of Jerusalem. 00:09:04.299 --> 00:09:05.379 And I want to look at Herod. 00:09:06.099 --> 00:09:07.199 All three of these things, 00:09:07.319 --> 00:09:07.839 these people, 00:09:07.939 --> 00:09:09.539 these groups of people God spoke to, 00:09:09.579 --> 00:09:13.439 and all of them responded in an unfavorable way. 00:09:14.419 --> 00:09:17.860 And I want to see what we can learn from these people. 00:09:18.419 --> 00:09:20.500 And think about what does it mean for us as we go out. 00:09:20.539 --> 00:09:22.319 And so the first one is just the innkeeper. 00:09:22.439 --> 00:09:23.639 We don't know much about the innkeeper. 00:09:23.740 --> 00:09:24.480 He's in Luke 2. 00:09:24.480 --> 00:09:27.320 All we know is that when he was there, 00:09:27.680 --> 00:09:29.300 he's confronted by a young man 00:09:29.300 --> 00:09:30.920 and a very, very pregnant young girl, 00:09:31.320 --> 00:09:32.360 and he turns him away. 00:09:32.440 --> 00:09:33.100 He says no. 00:09:33.159 --> 00:09:33.980 He actually says in Greek, 00:09:34.120 --> 00:09:36.360 there's no suitable space for you. 00:09:37.860 --> 00:09:38.899 Now to be fair, 00:09:39.500 --> 00:09:40.580 you know, the census had happened. 00:09:40.740 --> 00:09:42.399 Caesar had put this census out, 00:09:42.440 --> 00:09:44.399 so everybody had to go to their hometown. 00:09:45.000 --> 00:09:46.100 I mean, it was like a circus. 00:09:46.860 --> 00:09:48.759 Bethlehem used to be a sleepy little village 00:09:48.759 --> 00:09:49.560 of about 300, 00:09:49.820 --> 00:09:51.899 and now there's like 3,000 to 5,000 people there. 00:09:51.899 --> 00:09:54.819 So from 300 to 3,000 to 5,000. 00:09:55.240 --> 00:09:58.360 I mean, Jerusalem, probably 80,000 normally, 00:09:58.720 --> 00:09:59.799 but when the Sabbath's happened, 00:09:59.879 --> 00:10:01.840 it's up to 1.5 million people. 00:10:02.259 --> 00:10:03.539 So it's crazy. 00:10:03.740 --> 00:10:04.299 It's chaotic. 00:10:05.459 --> 00:10:07.699 And so this innkeeper probably was just, 00:10:08.019 --> 00:10:10.480 he probably had the business opportunity of his life 00:10:10.480 --> 00:10:14.200 because his customers went from 300 people 00:10:14.200 --> 00:10:15.899 to 3,000 to 5,000 people, 00:10:16.480 --> 00:10:18.320 and we don't know much about him. 00:10:18.360 --> 00:10:21.120 All we know is that she came to him in labor, 00:10:21.480 --> 00:10:23.340 and he turned her away. 00:10:24.639 --> 00:10:26.100 Now, if I were to share this story, 00:10:26.159 --> 00:10:27.500 even today in the Middle East, 00:10:28.000 --> 00:10:30.399 saying that I saw it happen in another village next door, 00:10:30.759 --> 00:10:32.180 everybody would be incredulous. 00:10:32.300 --> 00:10:33.200 They would say that's impossible. 00:10:33.300 --> 00:10:34.200 That would never happen. 00:10:34.700 --> 00:10:35.820 You're making that up. 00:10:35.820 --> 00:10:38.000 That is because there's these rules. 00:10:38.140 --> 00:10:39.900 The rules of culture and customs 00:10:39.900 --> 00:10:41.980 were so strong in Eastern cultures 00:10:41.980 --> 00:10:44.160 that you had these strict guidelines 00:10:44.160 --> 00:10:45.220 on how you treated people. 00:10:46.080 --> 00:10:46.900 You had these strict guidelines 00:10:46.900 --> 00:10:47.900 on how you treated people in need, 00:10:47.940 --> 00:10:49.040 and even foreigners, 00:10:49.220 --> 00:10:51.800 and to turn away someone who's in desperate need. 00:10:52.100 --> 00:10:53.220 She's about to deliver a baby. 00:10:53.580 --> 00:10:54.940 I mean, that would just never happen. 00:10:55.060 --> 00:10:55.760 I mean, you think about it. 00:10:55.760 --> 00:10:56.660 She goes into a stable, 00:10:57.140 --> 00:10:58.360 and if we were in Hong Kong, 00:10:58.420 --> 00:10:59.020 we were put in a stable, 00:10:59.080 --> 00:10:59.460 we'd be going, 00:10:59.580 --> 00:11:01.460 okay, so where's the hand sanitizer? 00:11:02.000 --> 00:11:03.120 Are there little things around here 00:11:03.120 --> 00:11:04.220 that we can sanitize our hands? 00:11:04.220 --> 00:11:07.740 But there's no hand sanitizer in a stable. 00:11:09.060 --> 00:11:12.560 And so this innkeeper just says no. 00:11:14.279 --> 00:11:15.660 Now, we don't know a lot about the inn. 00:11:15.820 --> 00:11:16.340 In the Greek, 00:11:16.420 --> 00:11:18.580 it actually could be a massive building 00:11:18.580 --> 00:11:20.000 with 20 to 30 beds, 00:11:20.060 --> 00:11:20.940 or it could actually be 00:11:20.940 --> 00:11:22.560 just a small little bed and breakfast, 00:11:22.720 --> 00:11:23.379 or it could actually be 00:11:23.379 --> 00:11:26.580 just a small little room on top of a house. 00:11:27.660 --> 00:11:29.040 But all we know from the passages 00:11:29.040 --> 00:11:30.300 and from historians 00:11:30.300 --> 00:11:32.759 is that he didn't show any hospitality. 00:11:34.220 --> 00:11:36.100 He didn't comfort them. 00:11:36.160 --> 00:11:37.259 He didn't help them. 00:11:37.379 --> 00:11:39.379 And the result that we learn from this 00:11:39.379 --> 00:11:42.300 is that he missed God speaking to him. 00:11:44.100 --> 00:11:45.460 Some of the early historians, 00:11:45.620 --> 00:11:46.360 when they read this 00:11:46.360 --> 00:11:46.940 and they went back 00:11:46.940 --> 00:11:47.899 and they look at these places, 00:11:48.060 --> 00:11:49.060 they actually used the words 00:11:49.060 --> 00:11:50.240 that he was preoccupied. 00:11:52.040 --> 00:11:53.200 Some of the early church fathers, 00:11:53.320 --> 00:11:54.879 they were writing like 10, 20 years 00:11:54.879 --> 00:11:56.060 after this happened. 00:11:56.460 --> 00:11:57.019 They just said, 00:11:57.100 --> 00:11:57.879 well, he was just busy. 00:11:57.980 --> 00:11:59.660 He was preoccupied. 00:11:59.659 --> 00:12:02.179 And I've been thinking about that. 00:12:04.240 --> 00:12:05.699 How many of you in here today are busy? 00:12:09.740 --> 00:12:12.719 How many of us are preoccupied this month? 00:12:12.959 --> 00:12:14.980 I mean, my schedule is crazy. 00:12:15.139 --> 00:12:16.759 I mean, if I were to look at your schedule 00:12:16.759 --> 00:12:17.699 and we could compare them, 00:12:17.959 --> 00:12:18.939 I'm sure that we would say 00:12:18.939 --> 00:12:21.459 that we all were very, very busy. 00:12:23.139 --> 00:12:24.120 And sometimes we, 00:12:24.299 --> 00:12:25.319 I use this terminology, 00:12:25.579 --> 00:12:26.220 hurry sickness, 00:12:26.379 --> 00:12:27.740 because I think it's really applicable 00:12:27.740 --> 00:12:28.419 to Hong Kong. 00:12:28.460 --> 00:12:29.379 We have hurry sickness. 00:12:30.039 --> 00:12:31.419 And we're running from place to place. 00:12:31.639 --> 00:12:33.279 And these things we're doing this month, 00:12:33.440 --> 00:12:35.680 they're not bad things, are they? 00:12:36.200 --> 00:12:37.360 I mean, they're not evil things. 00:12:37.399 --> 00:12:39.779 They're just things that keep us busy. 00:12:39.980 --> 00:12:41.340 They're things like work 00:12:41.340 --> 00:12:43.659 and kiddos and friends 00:12:43.659 --> 00:12:44.680 and studies 00:12:44.680 --> 00:12:46.100 and shopping 00:12:46.100 --> 00:12:47.620 and school performances 00:12:47.620 --> 00:12:48.879 and office parties 00:12:48.879 --> 00:12:50.080 and social gatherings 00:12:50.080 --> 00:12:51.580 and church stuff 00:12:51.580 --> 00:12:52.480 and vacations 00:12:52.480 --> 00:12:53.960 and extra projects 00:12:53.960 --> 00:12:55.159 and end-of-the-year travels 00:12:55.159 --> 00:12:56.659 and family meals. 00:12:56.659 --> 00:12:57.600 And again, 00:12:57.679 --> 00:12:59.799 if we looked at these calendars, 00:12:59.879 --> 00:13:01.179 if we looked at our lives, 00:13:02.579 --> 00:13:03.419 we'd probably say 00:13:03.419 --> 00:13:04.699 none of those things are bad. 00:13:06.199 --> 00:13:07.539 But if we brought them all together, 00:13:07.620 --> 00:13:08.139 we would just say 00:13:08.139 --> 00:13:10.879 that we are incredibly busy. 00:13:13.179 --> 00:13:13.939 And I realized 00:13:13.939 --> 00:13:15.500 as I walked through Hong Kong 00:13:15.500 --> 00:13:16.519 during this season 00:13:16.519 --> 00:13:19.579 that often I miss God 00:13:19.579 --> 00:13:21.720 speaking to me 00:13:21.720 --> 00:13:25.500 because I'm preoccupied 00:13:25.500 --> 00:13:28.120 with other things. 00:13:30.840 --> 00:13:32.320 What are you preoccupied with? 00:13:35.580 --> 00:13:36.720 What were you thinking about 00:13:36.720 --> 00:13:38.340 before you came into this service? 00:13:40.620 --> 00:13:41.440 What's going to take up 00:13:41.440 --> 00:13:42.420 the majority of your time 00:13:42.420 --> 00:13:43.120 when you leave 00:13:43.120 --> 00:13:44.240 this next week? 00:13:44.240 --> 00:13:47.259 I mean, 00:13:47.299 --> 00:13:47.919 all we know is 00:13:47.919 --> 00:13:48.539 this innkeeper, 00:13:48.720 --> 00:13:49.759 he was incredibly busy 00:13:49.759 --> 00:13:51.060 and he was incredibly 00:13:51.060 --> 00:13:52.159 preoccupied. 00:13:53.080 --> 00:13:54.139 He was incredibly 00:13:54.139 --> 00:13:56.480 overwhelmed 00:13:56.480 --> 00:13:57.460 with hurry sickness 00:13:57.460 --> 00:13:58.600 during this time 00:13:58.600 --> 00:14:00.620 and he couldn't focus 00:14:00.620 --> 00:14:01.299 on Christ. 00:14:03.200 --> 00:14:04.180 He couldn't focus 00:14:04.180 --> 00:14:04.639 on the message. 00:14:04.759 --> 00:14:05.299 He couldn't focus 00:14:05.299 --> 00:14:07.120 on God speaking to him. 00:14:08.379 --> 00:14:09.220 He didn't hear 00:14:09.220 --> 00:14:10.080 God's voice 00:14:10.080 --> 00:14:11.120 and sometimes 00:14:11.120 --> 00:14:12.139 that's the problem 00:14:12.139 --> 00:14:14.220 that I have also. 00:14:17.000 --> 00:14:17.759 How about you? 00:14:20.439 --> 00:14:21.519 Are you going to slow down 00:14:21.519 --> 00:14:22.720 this holiday season? 00:14:25.220 --> 00:14:25.439 I mean, 00:14:25.460 --> 00:14:26.360 usually when I ask people, 00:14:26.439 --> 00:14:26.939 they usually say, 00:14:27.039 --> 00:14:27.139 well, 00:14:27.179 --> 00:14:27.960 it's incredibly busy 00:14:27.960 --> 00:14:28.399 but it'll get 00:14:28.399 --> 00:14:29.860 not busy later on, 00:14:29.899 --> 00:14:31.460 just a special time. 00:14:33.019 --> 00:14:34.039 But when I realized 00:14:34.039 --> 00:14:34.720 in Hong Kong 00:14:34.720 --> 00:14:35.659 and in the world today 00:14:35.659 --> 00:14:36.259 that it's always 00:14:36.259 --> 00:14:38.460 just special time, 00:14:40.759 --> 00:14:41.319 the message 00:14:41.319 --> 00:14:42.100 of Christmas 00:14:42.100 --> 00:14:42.600 the message 00:14:42.600 --> 00:14:43.200 of the baby, 00:14:43.320 --> 00:14:43.620 the message 00:14:43.620 --> 00:14:44.200 of the manger 00:14:44.200 --> 00:14:45.440 is that God 00:14:45.440 --> 00:14:46.200 is always 00:14:46.200 --> 00:14:47.519 speaking to us. 00:14:49.460 --> 00:14:50.139 He's always 00:14:50.139 --> 00:14:51.300 going before us. 00:14:51.340 --> 00:14:51.720 He's always 00:14:51.720 --> 00:14:52.600 taking care of us. 00:14:52.659 --> 00:14:53.259 He always wants 00:14:53.259 --> 00:14:53.840 to show us 00:14:53.840 --> 00:14:54.360 something about 00:14:54.360 --> 00:14:54.960 his character 00:14:54.960 --> 00:14:55.320 and about 00:14:55.320 --> 00:14:55.860 our relationship 00:14:55.860 --> 00:14:56.320 with him 00:14:56.320 --> 00:14:59.259 but we're too busy. 00:15:02.519 --> 00:15:03.279 The next group 00:15:03.279 --> 00:15:03.940 of people I think 00:15:03.940 --> 00:15:04.639 that stick out 00:15:04.639 --> 00:15:05.379 to me over and over 00:15:05.379 --> 00:15:05.680 and I think 00:15:05.680 --> 00:15:06.440 this is amazing 00:15:06.440 --> 00:15:06.779 because even 00:15:06.779 --> 00:15:07.379 as I read it, 00:15:07.500 --> 00:15:08.820 it's hard for me 00:15:08.820 --> 00:15:09.399 to get my head around. 00:15:09.740 --> 00:15:10.420 It's the priest 00:15:10.419 --> 00:15:11.259 and the scribes 00:15:11.259 --> 00:15:12.259 and the people 00:15:12.259 --> 00:15:12.819 in Jerusalem. 00:15:13.139 --> 00:15:13.259 You know, 00:15:13.299 --> 00:15:14.519 Jerusalem's sole purpose 00:15:14.519 --> 00:15:15.620 was to worship God. 00:15:16.519 --> 00:15:16.740 I mean, 00:15:16.759 --> 00:15:17.439 the temple there 00:15:17.439 --> 00:15:18.120 and all the people 00:15:18.120 --> 00:15:18.620 around it, 00:15:19.039 --> 00:15:20.299 most of the people's 00:15:20.299 --> 00:15:21.000 sole purpose 00:15:21.000 --> 00:15:22.599 was to do things 00:15:22.599 --> 00:15:23.199 within the temple 00:15:23.199 --> 00:15:24.079 that would worship 00:15:24.079 --> 00:15:24.579 the Lord 00:15:24.579 --> 00:15:25.360 and prepare 00:15:25.360 --> 00:15:26.379 for his second coming 00:15:26.379 --> 00:15:28.399 because they all knew 00:15:28.399 --> 00:15:29.319 he was going to come again. 00:15:30.419 --> 00:15:31.219 And so like 80% 00:15:31.219 --> 00:15:31.919 of the inhabitants, 00:15:32.139 --> 00:15:32.860 their whole responsibility 00:15:32.860 --> 00:15:33.379 is to take care 00:15:33.379 --> 00:15:33.799 of the temple, 00:15:34.159 --> 00:15:34.839 prepare for the Lord, 00:15:34.959 --> 00:15:35.519 worship the Lord, 00:15:35.799 --> 00:15:36.679 allow people's worship 00:15:36.679 --> 00:15:37.120 to happen 00:15:37.120 --> 00:15:39.659 and they're there 00:15:39.659 --> 00:15:41.919 but they're not there. 00:15:43.500 --> 00:15:43.739 I mean, 00:15:43.759 --> 00:15:44.939 they knew all the prophecies. 00:15:45.059 --> 00:15:46.479 They knew for 400 years 00:15:46.479 --> 00:15:47.099 there's been darkness, 00:15:47.239 --> 00:15:47.899 there's been silence 00:15:47.899 --> 00:15:48.779 and God hasn't spoken. 00:15:49.099 --> 00:15:49.799 They've been waiting. 00:15:50.519 --> 00:15:52.959 When the king comes, 00:15:53.059 --> 00:15:53.299 Herod, 00:15:53.339 --> 00:15:53.879 and he asks him 00:15:53.879 --> 00:15:54.379 where is he going 00:15:54.379 --> 00:15:54.839 to be born? 00:15:55.199 --> 00:15:55.339 I mean, 00:15:55.379 --> 00:15:56.539 they rip it off like that. 00:15:56.620 --> 00:15:57.159 Micah 5, 00:15:57.259 --> 00:15:57.919 blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. 00:15:58.279 --> 00:15:58.659 I mean, 00:15:58.659 --> 00:15:59.319 they know they've been 00:15:59.319 --> 00:16:00.279 studying for 400 years 00:16:00.279 --> 00:16:01.240 because they're waiting 00:16:01.240 --> 00:16:02.819 to hear God 00:16:02.820 --> 00:16:05.360 but they're waiting 00:16:05.360 --> 00:16:08.020 to hear a different God 00:16:08.020 --> 00:16:09.640 or a different God 00:16:09.640 --> 00:16:10.500 to speak to them 00:16:10.500 --> 00:16:13.460 and they miss Christ 00:16:13.460 --> 00:16:14.540 coming into the world. 00:16:14.720 --> 00:16:16.260 They miss his voice 00:16:16.260 --> 00:16:17.140 talking to them. 00:16:18.260 --> 00:16:19.080 It's amazing. 00:16:19.300 --> 00:16:20.220 You think about this. 00:16:20.280 --> 00:16:20.920 These wise men, 00:16:20.960 --> 00:16:21.600 we don't know how many 00:16:21.600 --> 00:16:22.060 they were. 00:16:22.460 --> 00:16:23.240 Maybe there's three 00:16:23.240 --> 00:16:23.980 like the story. 00:16:24.060 --> 00:16:25.000 Maybe there's 50 of them. 00:16:25.220 --> 00:16:25.780 All we know is 00:16:25.780 --> 00:16:28.300 that they were very gifted. 00:16:28.840 --> 00:16:29.680 The words actually mean 00:16:29.680 --> 00:16:30.800 that they were great leaders, 00:16:31.800 --> 00:16:32.800 not scholars, 00:16:32.900 --> 00:16:33.940 they're just great leaders 00:16:33.940 --> 00:16:34.860 and they came from the east, 00:16:34.940 --> 00:16:35.520 maybe Persia, 00:16:35.680 --> 00:16:36.879 and they come into Jerusalem 00:16:36.879 --> 00:16:37.960 and they're expecting 00:16:37.960 --> 00:16:39.220 everybody's worshiping 00:16:39.220 --> 00:16:40.160 this new king. 00:16:40.280 --> 00:16:41.020 Everybody knows 00:16:41.020 --> 00:16:41.740 about the new king. 00:16:42.160 --> 00:16:42.780 Everybody's ready 00:16:42.780 --> 00:16:43.500 for the new king 00:16:43.500 --> 00:16:44.760 because that's the whole purpose 00:16:44.760 --> 00:16:45.379 of God's people 00:16:45.379 --> 00:16:46.340 is to prepare their hearts 00:16:46.340 --> 00:16:46.960 for the new king 00:16:46.960 --> 00:16:48.060 and they come in there 00:16:48.060 --> 00:16:48.780 and they ask the question, 00:16:48.900 --> 00:16:49.600 well, where's the king? 00:16:50.620 --> 00:16:51.420 Where's Emmanuel? 00:16:52.320 --> 00:16:53.560 And no one can answer them. 00:16:55.420 --> 00:16:55.600 I mean, 00:16:55.700 --> 00:16:56.880 and the passage doesn't say 00:16:56.880 --> 00:16:58.140 they go to Herod first. 00:16:58.200 --> 00:16:58.900 They actually go to Herod 00:16:58.900 --> 00:16:59.600 near the end 00:16:59.600 --> 00:17:00.520 of their journey 00:17:00.520 --> 00:17:02.080 and so you can imagine 00:17:02.080 --> 00:17:02.720 these wise men, 00:17:02.720 --> 00:17:03.560 they're looking for Jesus 00:17:03.560 --> 00:17:04.799 just like people 00:17:04.799 --> 00:17:06.460 in your office 00:17:06.460 --> 00:17:09.380 or in your home 00:17:09.380 --> 00:17:09.940 and they're looking 00:17:09.940 --> 00:17:11.019 and they're asking questions 00:17:11.019 --> 00:17:11.640 and where's Christ 00:17:11.640 --> 00:17:12.539 and what does he mean to you 00:17:12.539 --> 00:17:13.299 and where is he 00:17:13.299 --> 00:17:14.160 because we've seen these things 00:17:14.160 --> 00:17:15.200 and we want to be 00:17:15.200 --> 00:17:16.180 a part of these things 00:17:16.180 --> 00:17:18.500 but the people of God, 00:17:18.579 --> 00:17:19.579 the people who should have known, 00:17:19.700 --> 00:17:21.240 the people who knew everything, 00:17:21.559 --> 00:17:23.539 they didn't know. 00:17:25.600 --> 00:17:26.519 They didn't answer. 00:17:26.519 --> 00:17:28.379 I mean, 00:17:28.420 --> 00:17:29.180 the amazing thing to me 00:17:29.180 --> 00:17:29.980 about this whole passage 00:17:29.980 --> 00:17:30.680 is that none of them 00:17:30.680 --> 00:17:31.519 even went to look 00:17:31.519 --> 00:17:32.519 for Jesus being born. 00:17:33.980 --> 00:17:34.200 You know, 00:17:34.240 --> 00:17:35.980 Bethlehem is only five miles 00:17:35.980 --> 00:17:36.740 away from Jerusalem. 00:17:36.839 --> 00:17:37.379 If you go with us 00:17:37.379 --> 00:17:38.440 to Israel next year, 00:17:38.599 --> 00:17:39.920 you can walk part of it 00:17:39.920 --> 00:17:41.220 and if you're going 00:17:41.220 --> 00:17:42.619 from Jerusalem to Bethlehem, 00:17:42.680 --> 00:17:43.359 it's all downhill 00:17:43.359 --> 00:17:44.339 because everybody knows 00:17:44.339 --> 00:17:44.940 you go up the hill 00:17:44.940 --> 00:17:45.460 to Jerusalem 00:17:45.460 --> 00:17:47.079 and so it would have been 00:17:47.079 --> 00:17:47.879 just an easy walk 00:17:47.879 --> 00:17:48.379 five miles. 00:17:48.460 --> 00:17:48.819 On a horse, 00:17:48.859 --> 00:17:49.420 you would have got there 00:17:49.420 --> 00:17:50.139 in less than an hour 00:17:50.140 --> 00:17:52.580 but the priests 00:17:52.580 --> 00:17:53.440 and the religious people, 00:17:53.580 --> 00:17:55.200 they didn't send anybody. 00:17:55.320 --> 00:17:55.900 They didn't even send 00:17:55.900 --> 00:17:56.800 their scribes 00:17:56.800 --> 00:17:58.080 or their interns. 00:17:58.259 --> 00:17:59.660 They just don't go 00:17:59.660 --> 00:18:01.660 and you know, 00:18:01.740 --> 00:18:02.600 in all of Jerusalem 00:18:02.600 --> 00:18:03.140 at that time, 00:18:03.180 --> 00:18:04.660 there's 1.5 million people. 00:18:05.060 --> 00:18:05.940 There's only two people 00:18:05.940 --> 00:18:06.480 the Bible says 00:18:06.480 --> 00:18:07.580 who are even looking for Jesus. 00:18:09.259 --> 00:18:10.300 There's this little old lady 00:18:10.300 --> 00:18:12.120 from a very wealthy family 00:18:12.120 --> 00:18:14.140 and her husband died 00:18:14.140 --> 00:18:15.240 and she's been a widow 00:18:15.240 --> 00:18:15.900 for a long time. 00:18:15.960 --> 00:18:16.540 Her name is Anna 00:18:16.540 --> 00:18:18.060 and she's been in the temple 00:18:18.060 --> 00:18:19.040 just waiting for Christ, 00:18:19.140 --> 00:18:19.800 waiting for Christ, 00:18:19.799 --> 00:18:20.379 waiting for Christ. 00:18:20.440 --> 00:18:21.159 She's a prophetess. 00:18:22.000 --> 00:18:23.000 She's teaching God's word 00:18:23.000 --> 00:18:23.480 to the people 00:18:23.480 --> 00:18:25.379 and there's this little old man, 00:18:25.480 --> 00:18:25.839 Simeon 00:18:25.839 --> 00:18:27.359 and these two old people, 00:18:27.480 --> 00:18:28.079 they're the only people 00:18:28.079 --> 00:18:28.899 in all of Jerusalem 00:18:28.899 --> 00:18:30.579 that are waiting for Christ 00:18:30.579 --> 00:18:32.899 because everybody else, 00:18:33.059 --> 00:18:34.379 they're waiting 00:18:34.379 --> 00:18:35.299 for something else. 00:18:38.639 --> 00:18:40.099 No one goes to see 00:18:40.099 --> 00:18:41.500 the baby being born. 00:18:42.700 --> 00:18:43.559 You're going to learn later 00:18:43.559 --> 00:18:44.159 when we go back 00:18:44.159 --> 00:18:45.519 and study the gospels 00:18:45.519 --> 00:18:45.919 more and more 00:18:45.919 --> 00:18:47.500 that what Christ says 00:18:47.500 --> 00:18:48.220 about these people 00:18:48.220 --> 00:18:49.220 is that they are just too 00:18:49.220 --> 00:18:51.120 too religious. 00:18:53.000 --> 00:18:54.000 That the people in the temple, 00:18:54.160 --> 00:18:55.120 they were caught up in rituals 00:18:55.120 --> 00:18:56.039 and the people in the temple 00:18:56.039 --> 00:18:57.079 were caught up in self-help 00:18:57.079 --> 00:18:57.880 and the people in the temple 00:18:57.880 --> 00:18:58.700 were caught up 00:18:58.700 --> 00:19:00.240 in working out their salvation 00:19:00.240 --> 00:19:02.059 and they were so caught up 00:19:02.059 --> 00:19:03.400 in doing the right thing 00:19:03.400 --> 00:19:06.460 that they miss God. 00:19:09.039 --> 00:19:10.059 Did you hear what I said? 00:19:10.059 --> 00:19:12.019 They were so caught up 00:19:12.019 --> 00:19:13.079 doing the right thing 00:19:13.079 --> 00:19:16.480 that they miss Christ. 00:19:18.720 --> 00:19:19.899 My worry is that 00:19:19.899 --> 00:19:20.879 for many of us 00:19:20.879 --> 00:19:22.960 in our lives today 00:19:22.960 --> 00:19:25.539 that that's true of us. 00:19:27.779 --> 00:19:28.899 Especially as pastors 00:19:28.899 --> 00:19:31.159 and staff people. 00:19:32.299 --> 00:19:33.039 Sometimes we can get 00:19:33.039 --> 00:19:34.179 so consumed and focused 00:19:34.179 --> 00:19:35.220 on doing Sunday 00:19:35.220 --> 00:19:36.000 and doing studies 00:19:36.000 --> 00:19:37.319 and helping people move along 00:19:37.319 --> 00:19:39.220 that we want to do 00:19:39.220 --> 00:19:39.899 the right thing 00:19:39.899 --> 00:19:42.419 but we miss Christ. 00:19:44.740 --> 00:19:45.960 And he's speaking to us 00:19:45.960 --> 00:19:46.980 and he's talking to us 00:19:46.980 --> 00:19:47.720 and these people 00:19:47.720 --> 00:19:49.559 they wanted a different God. 00:19:49.659 --> 00:19:50.399 They wanted a God 00:19:50.399 --> 00:19:51.799 who was victorious. 00:19:51.980 --> 00:19:52.579 They wanted a God 00:19:52.579 --> 00:19:53.259 who was powerful. 00:19:53.399 --> 00:19:54.079 They wanted a God 00:19:54.079 --> 00:19:54.899 who was a king. 00:19:54.980 --> 00:19:55.539 They wanted a God 00:19:55.539 --> 00:19:56.200 who was in power. 00:19:56.480 --> 00:19:57.019 They wanted a God 00:19:57.019 --> 00:19:57.639 who was in control. 00:19:57.939 --> 00:19:58.480 They wanted a God 00:19:58.480 --> 00:19:59.379 who was going to give them wealth. 00:19:59.700 --> 00:20:00.259 They wanted a God 00:20:00.259 --> 00:20:00.799 who was going to give them 00:20:00.799 --> 00:20:01.879 their best life now. 00:20:02.619 --> 00:20:03.839 And so when this baby's born 00:20:03.839 --> 00:20:05.220 they have no place 00:20:05.220 --> 00:20:05.759 for a baby. 00:20:05.879 --> 00:20:06.599 They have no place 00:20:06.599 --> 00:20:07.419 for a sacrifice. 00:20:07.799 --> 00:20:08.619 They have no place 00:20:08.619 --> 00:20:09.839 for a relationship. 00:20:10.019 --> 00:20:10.579 They have no place 00:20:10.579 --> 00:20:11.220 for grace. 00:20:12.119 --> 00:20:12.839 Jesus doesn't fit 00:20:12.839 --> 00:20:14.799 into the religious people's schedule 00:20:14.799 --> 00:20:18.220 because you can't control 00:20:18.220 --> 00:20:20.000 Christ. 00:20:21.939 --> 00:20:23.119 And sometimes in church 00:20:23.119 --> 00:20:25.519 we want to control everything. 00:20:27.259 --> 00:20:28.339 Does that make sense? 00:20:29.559 --> 00:20:30.819 You struggle with that? 00:20:32.279 --> 00:20:32.919 I do. 00:20:34.699 --> 00:20:35.319 I mean at the end of the day 00:20:35.319 --> 00:20:35.899 I can get done 00:20:35.899 --> 00:20:36.759 and I've done all my things 00:20:36.759 --> 00:20:37.539 I needed to do 00:20:37.539 --> 00:20:39.119 and I say oh I feel so good 00:20:39.119 --> 00:20:39.799 about myself 00:20:39.799 --> 00:20:40.879 but then I realize 00:20:40.879 --> 00:20:42.240 that I didn't spend any time 00:20:42.240 --> 00:20:43.019 talking to God. 00:20:45.519 --> 00:20:46.419 I didn't spend any time 00:20:46.419 --> 00:20:46.899 praying. 00:20:48.519 --> 00:20:49.299 I didn't spend any time 00:20:49.299 --> 00:20:50.279 reading God's word. 00:20:51.959 --> 00:20:53.220 I didn't listen to his voice 00:20:53.220 --> 00:20:54.019 talking to me. 00:20:54.839 --> 00:20:55.399 I mean he's talking 00:20:55.399 --> 00:20:56.240 to you right now. 00:20:57.699 --> 00:20:58.500 He talks to you 00:20:58.500 --> 00:20:59.019 through creation. 00:20:59.159 --> 00:20:59.599 He talks to you 00:20:59.599 --> 00:21:00.099 through his word. 00:21:00.220 --> 00:21:00.720 He talks to you 00:21:00.720 --> 00:21:02.379 through his spirit 00:21:02.379 --> 00:21:03.059 inside of you. 00:21:03.059 --> 00:21:03.639 He talks to you 00:21:03.639 --> 00:21:04.339 to other people. 00:21:05.099 --> 00:21:05.679 Maybe he's talking 00:21:05.679 --> 00:21:07.359 to you through me. 00:21:08.119 --> 00:21:09.019 I hope so. 00:21:10.779 --> 00:21:11.279 But sometimes 00:21:11.279 --> 00:21:12.000 we can become 00:21:12.000 --> 00:21:12.619 so religious 00:21:12.619 --> 00:21:13.859 and so worried 00:21:13.859 --> 00:21:14.759 about the externals 00:21:14.759 --> 00:21:15.819 that we forget 00:21:15.819 --> 00:21:16.519 the relationship 00:21:16.519 --> 00:21:17.639 and this passage says 00:21:17.639 --> 00:21:19.519 that Jesus Christmas 00:21:19.519 --> 00:21:20.960 is about a relationship 00:21:20.960 --> 00:21:22.279 with our Savior 00:21:22.279 --> 00:21:22.839 and Lord 00:21:22.839 --> 00:21:23.819 and relationships 00:21:23.819 --> 00:21:24.440 are messy 00:21:24.440 --> 00:21:27.720 and they take time. 00:21:27.720 --> 00:21:30.559 they take a long time 00:21:30.559 --> 00:21:32.319 and in Hong Kong 00:21:32.319 --> 00:21:33.380 we want things done quickly 00:21:33.380 --> 00:21:35.920 but you can't do anything 00:21:35.920 --> 00:21:36.880 quickly with Jesus 00:21:36.880 --> 00:21:39.420 because he's not going 00:21:39.420 --> 00:21:40.400 to fit into our box. 00:21:43.400 --> 00:21:44.420 So what is your relationship 00:21:44.420 --> 00:21:45.079 with Christ? 00:21:49.079 --> 00:21:50.279 If I were to take a snapshot 00:21:50.279 --> 00:21:51.440 right now 00:21:51.440 --> 00:21:53.820 here's you 00:21:53.820 --> 00:21:54.880 and here's Christ 00:21:54.880 --> 00:21:56.559 or here's God 00:21:56.559 --> 00:21:57.500 and here's you 00:21:57.500 --> 00:21:59.480 where would the circle be? 00:22:01.559 --> 00:22:02.720 Where would the dot be? 00:22:04.340 --> 00:22:05.320 Would the dot be close 00:22:05.320 --> 00:22:05.720 to the circle? 00:22:07.140 --> 00:22:08.039 Would the dot be inside 00:22:08.039 --> 00:22:08.400 the circle? 00:22:10.980 --> 00:22:11.759 Sometimes the circle 00:22:11.759 --> 00:22:12.180 and the dot 00:22:12.180 --> 00:22:13.100 can be right beside each other 00:22:13.100 --> 00:22:13.680 they can be doing 00:22:13.680 --> 00:22:14.580 all the right things 00:22:14.580 --> 00:22:15.019 perfectly 00:22:15.019 --> 00:22:17.879 but we miss God 00:22:17.879 --> 00:22:20.639 and that's what happened 00:22:20.639 --> 00:22:21.539 to these people 00:22:21.539 --> 00:22:23.339 and you're going to read 00:22:23.339 --> 00:22:24.039 about that later on 00:22:24.039 --> 00:22:24.519 in the Gospels 00:22:24.519 --> 00:22:25.339 because Jesus always 00:22:25.339 --> 00:22:26.019 goes back to them 00:22:26.019 --> 00:22:26.940 and talks about their heart 00:22:26.940 --> 00:22:27.519 their heart 00:22:27.519 --> 00:22:28.079 their heart 00:22:28.079 --> 00:22:28.940 not outwardly 00:22:28.940 --> 00:22:29.500 their heart 00:22:29.500 --> 00:22:30.039 their heart 00:22:30.039 --> 00:22:30.579 their heart 00:22:30.579 --> 00:22:33.019 the last person 00:22:33.019 --> 00:22:33.859 that we're going to look at 00:22:33.859 --> 00:22:34.220 is just 00:22:34.220 --> 00:22:35.980 King Herod 00:22:35.980 --> 00:22:37.660 and he's a very 00:22:37.660 --> 00:22:38.359 interesting person 00:22:38.359 --> 00:22:39.980 he says here 00:22:39.980 --> 00:22:40.619 that when he heard 00:22:40.619 --> 00:22:41.099 this news 00:22:41.099 --> 00:22:42.099 in Matthew 2-3 00:22:42.099 --> 00:22:43.420 he was troubled 00:22:43.420 --> 00:22:44.900 the word in Greek 00:22:44.900 --> 00:22:45.580 actually means 00:22:45.580 --> 00:22:46.560 that he was agitated 00:22:46.560 --> 00:22:48.180 he was angry 00:22:48.180 --> 00:22:49.340 he was on the edge 00:22:49.340 --> 00:22:49.820 of panic 00:22:49.820 --> 00:22:51.039 he was stirred up 00:22:51.039 --> 00:22:52.860 he had rage 00:22:52.860 --> 00:22:54.220 I mean 00:22:54.220 --> 00:22:54.840 what we know 00:22:54.840 --> 00:22:55.580 from historians 00:22:55.580 --> 00:22:57.320 is that Herod 00:22:57.320 --> 00:22:58.140 was this 00:22:58.140 --> 00:23:00.240 amazing ruler 00:23:00.240 --> 00:23:01.000 he was brilliant 00:23:01.000 --> 00:23:02.060 he was shrewd 00:23:02.060 --> 00:23:03.440 he was a great 00:23:03.440 --> 00:23:04.519 financier 00:23:04.519 --> 00:23:05.600 he was resourceful 00:23:05.600 --> 00:23:06.160 he was a capable 00:23:06.160 --> 00:23:06.759 diplomat 00:23:06.759 --> 00:23:08.680 but he was a crazy man 00:23:08.680 --> 00:23:10.279 I mean 00:23:10.279 --> 00:23:11.080 he called himself 00:23:11.080 --> 00:23:11.980 Lord and King 00:23:11.980 --> 00:23:12.980 he didn't want 00:23:12.980 --> 00:23:13.819 any other lords 00:23:13.819 --> 00:23:14.279 and kings 00:23:14.279 --> 00:23:14.839 in his world 00:23:14.839 --> 00:23:15.740 and so when he heard 00:23:15.740 --> 00:23:16.259 this news 00:23:16.259 --> 00:23:17.160 even though Jesus 00:23:17.160 --> 00:23:18.000 was still a baby 00:23:18.000 --> 00:23:20.579 he knew that his kingship 00:23:20.579 --> 00:23:21.099 was threatened 00:23:21.099 --> 00:23:23.400 he knew that his authority 00:23:23.400 --> 00:23:24.140 was going to be threatened 00:23:24.140 --> 00:23:25.140 he knew that he could 00:23:25.140 --> 00:23:26.120 no longer be king 00:23:26.120 --> 00:23:27.259 if there was another king 00:23:27.259 --> 00:23:28.059 because another king 00:23:28.059 --> 00:23:28.599 was going to come 00:23:28.599 --> 00:23:29.360 and he was going to 00:23:29.360 --> 00:23:30.240 take over everything 00:23:30.240 --> 00:23:32.120 his heart 00:23:32.120 --> 00:23:32.819 his mind 00:23:32.819 --> 00:23:33.319 his soul 00:23:33.319 --> 00:23:34.000 everything 00:23:34.000 --> 00:23:35.120 and that drew 00:23:35.120 --> 00:23:36.779 Herod into a rage 00:23:36.779 --> 00:23:37.539 and he just was 00:23:37.539 --> 00:23:38.319 out of control 00:23:38.319 --> 00:23:39.640 because he was so fearful 00:23:39.640 --> 00:23:41.440 of losing control 00:23:41.440 --> 00:23:43.440 because he wanted 00:23:43.440 --> 00:23:44.320 to call the shots 00:23:44.320 --> 00:23:46.740 he wanted to decide 00:23:46.740 --> 00:23:47.220 how he was going 00:23:47.220 --> 00:23:47.960 to use his resources 00:23:47.960 --> 00:23:49.120 he wanted to understand 00:23:49.120 --> 00:23:50.880 and plan out his future 00:23:50.880 --> 00:23:54.580 he wanted to be king 00:23:54.580 --> 00:23:58.200 you know I realize 00:23:58.200 --> 00:23:59.160 as I think about that 00:23:59.160 --> 00:24:00.080 that's me 00:24:00.080 --> 00:24:04.180 maybe it's a lot 00:24:04.180 --> 00:24:04.800 of you in here 00:24:04.799 --> 00:24:08.419 that if we're honest 00:24:08.419 --> 00:24:10.299 we live our lives 00:24:10.299 --> 00:24:10.859 like we're 00:24:10.859 --> 00:24:11.819 the only king 00:24:11.819 --> 00:24:14.419 we don't have room 00:24:14.419 --> 00:24:15.240 for another king 00:24:15.240 --> 00:24:17.599 and then when the other king 00:24:17.599 --> 00:24:18.259 speaks to us 00:24:18.259 --> 00:24:18.879 in those quiet 00:24:18.879 --> 00:24:19.980 gentle moments 00:24:19.980 --> 00:24:21.500 we get all frustrated 00:24:21.500 --> 00:24:22.159 and flustered 00:24:22.159 --> 00:24:24.399 and we want to get busy again 00:24:24.399 --> 00:24:25.460 because somehow 00:24:25.460 --> 00:24:26.019 the busyness 00:24:26.019 --> 00:24:27.039 prevents us from hearing 00:24:27.039 --> 00:24:28.819 the true king 00:24:28.819 --> 00:24:29.940 speaking to us 00:24:29.940 --> 00:24:32.359 I mean Herod 00:24:32.359 --> 00:24:34.099 is like many of us 00:24:34.099 --> 00:24:35.119 we don't want to 00:24:35.119 --> 00:24:36.799 give in 00:24:36.799 --> 00:24:38.039 we don't want to listen 00:24:38.039 --> 00:24:38.899 because we're fearful 00:24:38.899 --> 00:24:39.379 that we're going 00:24:39.379 --> 00:24:40.119 to lose control 00:24:40.119 --> 00:24:43.500 we're fearful 00:24:43.500 --> 00:24:44.039 that God's going 00:24:44.039 --> 00:24:44.339 to tell us 00:24:44.339 --> 00:24:44.819 to do something 00:24:44.819 --> 00:24:45.459 that's radical 00:24:45.459 --> 00:24:47.240 we're fearful 00:24:47.240 --> 00:24:47.699 that God's going 00:24:47.699 --> 00:24:48.059 to say hey 00:24:48.059 --> 00:24:49.259 go here and do that 00:24:49.259 --> 00:24:50.539 God's going to say 00:24:50.539 --> 00:24:51.519 hey give all that up 00:24:51.519 --> 00:24:52.759 hey do these things 00:24:52.759 --> 00:24:53.699 and we have this 00:24:53.699 --> 00:24:54.439 incredible amount 00:24:54.439 --> 00:24:55.240 of fear in our life 00:24:55.240 --> 00:24:56.159 and because of that 00:24:56.159 --> 00:24:57.559 we don't trust God 00:24:57.559 --> 00:24:58.259 at all 00:24:58.259 --> 00:25:01.419 but the story 00:25:01.419 --> 00:25:01.939 of Christmas 00:25:01.939 --> 00:25:02.759 is the story 00:25:02.759 --> 00:25:04.180 of trust 00:25:04.180 --> 00:25:05.920 in God 00:25:05.920 --> 00:25:06.900 speaking to us 00:25:06.900 --> 00:25:08.420 and talking to us 00:25:08.420 --> 00:25:10.160 so the question 00:25:10.160 --> 00:25:10.859 I have to ask us 00:25:10.859 --> 00:25:11.700 is what do you fear 00:25:11.700 --> 00:25:18.379 what is there right now 00:25:18.379 --> 00:25:19.000 that you fear 00:25:19.000 --> 00:25:22.279 if you were asked 00:25:22.279 --> 00:25:22.879 to give it up 00:25:22.879 --> 00:25:23.920 what would that thing be 00:25:23.920 --> 00:25:24.680 that you don't want 00:25:24.680 --> 00:25:25.500 to give up 00:25:25.500 --> 00:25:26.019 what is the thing 00:25:26.019 --> 00:25:27.420 that controls your life 00:25:27.420 --> 00:25:29.779 what is it 00:25:29.779 --> 00:25:34.220 the message 00:25:34.220 --> 00:25:34.879 of Christmas 00:25:34.879 --> 00:25:35.700 the message 00:25:35.700 --> 00:25:36.460 of Christ 00:25:36.460 --> 00:25:36.920 the message 00:25:36.920 --> 00:25:37.539 of the gospel 00:25:37.539 --> 00:25:37.940 the message 00:25:37.940 --> 00:25:38.440 of grace 00:25:38.440 --> 00:25:38.859 is that 00:25:38.859 --> 00:25:40.180 Christ has come 00:25:40.180 --> 00:25:41.660 to relieve us 00:25:41.660 --> 00:25:42.399 of those fears 00:25:42.399 --> 00:25:44.799 he's come 00:25:44.799 --> 00:25:45.339 to relieve us 00:25:45.339 --> 00:25:45.819 of the darkness 00:25:45.819 --> 00:25:46.259 he's come 00:25:46.259 --> 00:25:47.000 to relieve us 00:25:47.000 --> 00:25:47.879 of our worry 00:25:47.879 --> 00:25:48.700 and our shame 00:25:48.700 --> 00:25:49.420 and our guilt 00:25:49.420 --> 00:25:50.759 because all those 00:25:50.759 --> 00:25:51.740 things we hold on to 00:25:51.740 --> 00:25:52.319 all those things 00:25:52.319 --> 00:25:53.000 we grab on to 00:25:53.000 --> 00:25:53.519 all those things 00:25:53.519 --> 00:25:54.039 we own 00:25:54.039 --> 00:25:55.279 they actually 00:25:55.279 --> 00:25:57.119 kill us 00:25:57.119 --> 00:26:01.359 they send us 00:26:01.359 --> 00:26:01.939 into darkness 00:26:01.939 --> 00:26:05.559 so we've seen 00:26:05.559 --> 00:26:06.359 these three characters 00:26:06.359 --> 00:26:06.879 we've seen 00:26:06.879 --> 00:26:07.859 the innkeeper 00:26:07.859 --> 00:26:08.799 he is too busy 00:26:08.799 --> 00:26:09.339 we've seen 00:26:09.339 --> 00:26:10.299 the scribes 00:26:10.299 --> 00:26:10.679 and the priests 00:26:10.679 --> 00:26:11.319 they are too religious 00:26:11.319 --> 00:26:11.799 we've seen 00:26:11.799 --> 00:26:12.379 Herod 00:26:12.379 --> 00:26:13.099 he is too fearful 00:26:13.099 --> 00:26:13.779 of losing control 00:26:13.779 --> 00:26:14.379 in his life 00:26:14.379 --> 00:26:16.739 and if we're honest 00:26:16.739 --> 00:26:17.359 the Bible says 00:26:17.359 --> 00:26:18.000 that all three 00:26:18.000 --> 00:26:18.639 of these people 00:26:18.639 --> 00:26:19.379 they encompass 00:26:19.379 --> 00:26:21.199 all of us 00:26:21.199 --> 00:26:23.459 and they encompass 00:26:23.459 --> 00:26:24.619 all of our condition 00:26:24.619 --> 00:26:26.579 that the human condition 00:26:26.579 --> 00:26:27.339 is that 00:26:27.339 --> 00:26:30.699 the passages 00:26:30.699 --> 00:26:31.199 at the beginning 00:26:31.199 --> 00:26:31.939 are in Isaiah 00:26:31.939 --> 00:26:33.379 and I know 00:26:33.379 --> 00:26:33.619 it's 00:26:33.619 --> 00:26:34.480 I put them in there 00:26:34.480 --> 00:26:34.839 because I think 00:26:34.839 --> 00:26:36.119 it sets up 00:26:36.119 --> 00:26:36.699 everything 00:26:36.699 --> 00:26:37.740 the passages 00:26:37.740 --> 00:26:38.119 in Isaiah 00:26:38.119 --> 00:26:38.919 say this 00:26:38.919 --> 00:26:40.699 our condition 00:26:40.699 --> 00:26:41.339 is darkness 00:26:41.339 --> 00:26:43.519 this darkness 00:26:43.519 --> 00:26:44.419 surrounds us 00:26:44.419 --> 00:26:45.220 this darkness 00:26:45.220 --> 00:26:46.779 is in us 00:26:46.779 --> 00:26:51.139 over 200 times 00:26:51.139 --> 00:26:51.980 the Bible says 00:26:51.980 --> 00:26:52.779 that darkness 00:26:52.779 --> 00:26:55.359 is in our lives 00:26:55.359 --> 00:26:57.359 darkness 00:26:57.359 --> 00:26:57.599 and the way 00:26:57.599 --> 00:26:58.379 we define darkness 00:26:58.379 --> 00:26:58.899 is it says 00:26:58.899 --> 00:26:59.419 the Bible says 00:26:59.419 --> 00:27:00.500 darkness is a life 00:27:00.500 --> 00:27:01.039 or a picture 00:27:01.039 --> 00:27:01.599 of a life 00:27:01.599 --> 00:27:02.299 without God 00:27:02.299 --> 00:27:03.899 or darkness 00:27:03.899 --> 00:27:04.500 is a picture 00:27:04.500 --> 00:27:05.000 of a life 00:27:05.000 --> 00:27:05.559 that God 00:27:05.559 --> 00:27:06.539 is not in control 00:27:06.539 --> 00:27:08.199 so you can be 00:27:08.199 --> 00:27:08.619 in the darkness 00:27:08.619 --> 00:27:09.519 if you don't know God 00:27:09.519 --> 00:27:10.299 and you can be 00:27:10.299 --> 00:27:10.679 in the darkness 00:27:10.679 --> 00:27:11.479 if God is not 00:27:11.479 --> 00:27:11.819 in control 00:27:11.819 --> 00:27:12.259 of your life 00:27:12.259 --> 00:27:12.979 but either one 00:27:12.979 --> 00:27:13.459 of those things 00:27:13.459 --> 00:27:14.099 basically says 00:27:14.099 --> 00:27:14.740 that we walk 00:27:14.740 --> 00:27:15.279 in darkness 00:27:15.279 --> 00:27:25.660 I see the darkness 00:27:25.660 --> 00:27:26.200 in my life 00:27:26.200 --> 00:27:29.440 you know 00:27:29.440 --> 00:27:29.839 in my life 00:27:29.839 --> 00:27:30.339 when I struggle 00:27:30.339 --> 00:27:31.139 with shame 00:27:31.139 --> 00:27:33.500 fear 00:27:33.500 --> 00:27:36.039 greed 00:27:36.039 --> 00:27:38.079 pride 00:27:38.079 --> 00:27:40.139 deceit 00:27:40.139 --> 00:27:42.139 anger 00:27:42.139 --> 00:27:44.279 coveting 00:27:44.279 --> 00:27:47.579 I don't know 00:27:47.579 --> 00:27:47.940 how you hear 00:27:47.940 --> 00:27:48.639 the pastor 00:27:48.639 --> 00:27:49.160 saying that 00:27:49.160 --> 00:27:49.759 but that's 00:27:49.759 --> 00:27:51.119 my condition 00:27:51.119 --> 00:27:53.779 I said it once 00:27:53.779 --> 00:27:54.279 I'll say it again 00:27:54.279 --> 00:27:54.639 I'm probably 00:27:54.639 --> 00:27:55.399 the most broken 00:27:55.399 --> 00:27:56.279 person in here 00:27:56.279 --> 00:27:58.579 darkness 00:27:58.579 --> 00:27:59.839 is around us 00:27:59.839 --> 00:28:01.579 and sometimes 00:28:01.579 --> 00:28:02.299 if we're not careful 00:28:02.299 --> 00:28:02.720 the darkness 00:28:02.720 --> 00:28:04.319 can control us 00:28:04.319 --> 00:28:06.319 and sometimes 00:28:06.319 --> 00:28:06.819 when I hear 00:28:06.819 --> 00:28:07.359 things like 00:28:07.359 --> 00:28:08.519 somebody got in trouble 00:28:08.519 --> 00:28:09.879 or something 00:28:09.879 --> 00:28:10.980 happened to other people 00:28:10.980 --> 00:28:12.639 all of a sudden 00:28:12.639 --> 00:28:13.240 inside of me 00:28:13.240 --> 00:28:14.620 I feel satisfied 00:28:14.620 --> 00:28:15.339 and justified 00:28:15.339 --> 00:28:15.940 and better 00:28:15.940 --> 00:28:16.620 about myself 00:28:16.620 --> 00:28:19.000 I don't know 00:28:19.000 --> 00:28:19.319 if you've ever 00:28:19.319 --> 00:28:19.740 done that 00:28:19.740 --> 00:28:22.579 the Bible 00:28:22.579 --> 00:28:22.920 calls that 00:28:22.920 --> 00:28:23.339 darkness 00:28:23.339 --> 00:28:26.519 I came home 00:28:26.519 --> 00:28:27.200 last week 00:28:27.200 --> 00:28:28.099 and I was 00:28:28.099 --> 00:28:29.019 in a bad mood 00:28:29.019 --> 00:28:30.519 I mean 00:28:30.519 --> 00:28:31.059 I was in a really 00:28:31.059 --> 00:28:31.420 bad mood 00:28:31.420 --> 00:28:32.120 I got so angry 00:28:32.120 --> 00:28:32.559 at the kids 00:28:32.559 --> 00:28:33.000 because the house 00:28:33.000 --> 00:28:33.640 was such a mess 00:28:33.640 --> 00:28:34.579 and I started 00:28:34.579 --> 00:28:35.620 just really going 00:28:35.620 --> 00:28:36.019 after them 00:28:36.019 --> 00:28:36.900 just getting on them 00:28:36.900 --> 00:28:37.620 and then Christina 00:28:37.620 --> 00:28:38.200 came alongside 00:28:38.200 --> 00:28:39.259 and she tried 00:28:39.259 --> 00:28:39.779 to defuse 00:28:39.779 --> 00:28:40.259 the situation 00:28:40.259 --> 00:28:40.660 and I just 00:28:40.660 --> 00:28:41.180 got angry 00:28:41.180 --> 00:28:41.600 at her 00:28:41.600 --> 00:28:44.360 and I hurt 00:28:44.360 --> 00:28:44.660 her 00:28:44.660 --> 00:28:46.860 really badly 00:28:46.860 --> 00:28:47.820 in my words 00:28:47.820 --> 00:28:52.160 I walked 00:28:52.160 --> 00:28:52.660 out of there 00:28:52.660 --> 00:28:54.080 and I walked 00:28:54.080 --> 00:28:54.620 back into my 00:28:54.620 --> 00:28:54.860 bedroom 00:28:54.860 --> 00:28:55.320 and I'm thinking 00:28:55.320 --> 00:28:55.799 to myself 00:28:55.799 --> 00:28:56.140 and sometimes 00:28:56.140 --> 00:28:56.539 I feel like 00:28:56.539 --> 00:28:57.080 Charlie Brown 00:28:57.080 --> 00:28:57.400 because you know 00:28:57.400 --> 00:28:57.799 Charlie Brown 00:28:57.799 --> 00:28:58.380 walks around 00:28:58.380 --> 00:28:59.080 and sometimes 00:28:59.080 --> 00:28:59.680 when things happen 00:28:59.680 --> 00:29:00.220 all he can say 00:29:00.220 --> 00:29:00.840 is good grief 00:29:00.840 --> 00:29:03.019 and I said 00:29:03.019 --> 00:29:03.380 good grief 00:29:03.380 --> 00:29:04.060 to myself 00:29:04.060 --> 00:29:04.759 and I said 00:29:04.759 --> 00:29:05.279 okay what do I do 00:29:05.279 --> 00:29:05.660 now 00:29:05.660 --> 00:29:06.920 I mean what 00:29:06.920 --> 00:29:07.539 should I do 00:29:07.539 --> 00:29:08.100 right now 00:29:08.099 --> 00:29:10.179 and this 00:29:10.179 --> 00:29:10.639 little voice 00:29:10.639 --> 00:29:11.379 inside my head 00:29:11.379 --> 00:29:11.779 said these 00:29:11.779 --> 00:29:12.000 things 00:29:12.000 --> 00:29:12.519 it said to me 00:29:12.519 --> 00:29:12.980 you know 00:29:12.980 --> 00:29:13.500 you can be a 00:29:13.500 --> 00:29:13.759 man 00:29:13.759 --> 00:29:16.119 you can be 00:29:16.119 --> 00:29:16.579 the spiritual 00:29:16.579 --> 00:29:16.879 leader 00:29:16.879 --> 00:29:18.699 you can go 00:29:18.699 --> 00:29:18.980 out and 00:29:18.980 --> 00:29:19.439 apologize 00:29:19.439 --> 00:29:19.799 everybody 00:29:19.799 --> 00:29:20.419 you can tell 00:29:20.419 --> 00:29:20.639 everybody 00:29:20.639 --> 00:29:20.939 that you're 00:29:20.939 --> 00:29:21.299 sorry 00:29:21.299 --> 00:29:22.679 you can tell 00:29:22.679 --> 00:29:22.839 everybody 00:29:22.839 --> 00:29:23.179 you're being 00:29:23.179 --> 00:29:23.519 sorry 00:29:23.519 --> 00:29:24.219 for being 00:29:24.219 --> 00:29:24.579 selfish 00:29:24.579 --> 00:29:25.079 you can tell 00:29:25.079 --> 00:29:25.399 everybody 00:29:25.399 --> 00:29:26.159 that you're 00:29:26.159 --> 00:29:26.980 sorry for 00:29:26.980 --> 00:29:27.459 being wrong 00:29:27.459 --> 00:29:27.899 you can tell 00:29:27.899 --> 00:29:28.119 everybody 00:29:28.119 --> 00:29:28.439 that you're 00:29:28.439 --> 00:29:29.119 preoccupied 00:29:29.119 --> 00:29:29.459 you can tell 00:29:29.459 --> 00:29:29.759 everybody 00:29:29.759 --> 00:29:30.099 that you're 00:29:30.099 --> 00:29:30.579 self-centered 00:29:30.579 --> 00:29:31.299 you can tell 00:29:31.299 --> 00:29:31.559 everybody 00:29:31.559 --> 00:29:31.859 Tobin 00:29:31.859 --> 00:29:32.079 you're 00:29:32.079 --> 00:29:32.419 stubborn 00:29:32.419 --> 00:29:33.019 you can tell 00:29:33.019 --> 00:29:33.279 everybody 00:29:33.279 --> 00:29:34.059 sometimes 00:29:34.059 --> 00:29:34.439 you become 00:29:34.439 --> 00:29:34.819 mean 00:29:34.819 --> 00:29:35.459 you can 00:29:35.459 --> 00:29:35.899 apologize 00:29:35.899 --> 00:29:36.299 to them 00:29:36.299 --> 00:29:36.719 now 00:29:36.719 --> 00:29:36.959 you know 00:29:36.959 --> 00:29:37.219 I thought 00:29:37.220 --> 00:29:40.279 to myself, I thought, man, I don't like that voice. 00:29:41.839 --> 00:29:43.019 I don't like that voice at all. 00:29:45.079 --> 00:29:47.900 But the passage says that's God. 00:29:50.339 --> 00:29:51.519 God's speaking to us. 00:29:52.779 --> 00:29:54.860 And he's trying to bring us out of the darkness. 00:29:55.039 --> 00:29:57.440 He's trying to show us what it means to live without him. 00:30:00.839 --> 00:30:02.319 You can't share that with anybody, okay? 00:30:03.600 --> 00:30:04.620 I'm just trying to be honest. 00:30:04.619 --> 00:30:08.839 But the Bible says that there's darkness all around us. 00:30:08.899 --> 00:30:09.599 There's darkness in me. 00:30:09.699 --> 00:30:10.459 There's darkness in you. 00:30:10.659 --> 00:30:11.739 There's darkness in the world. 00:30:12.299 --> 00:30:14.059 And you know, the reason I'm talking about this, 00:30:14.079 --> 00:30:16.799 and you're going, why the heck is he talking about darkness during Christmas? 00:30:17.079 --> 00:30:17.819 And this is the reason. 00:30:17.879 --> 00:30:19.699 The reason is I don't think you can understand Christmas 00:30:19.699 --> 00:30:20.579 until you understand the darkness. 00:30:23.679 --> 00:30:25.879 You can never understand how good it is 00:30:25.879 --> 00:30:27.219 until you understand how bad it is. 00:30:28.939 --> 00:30:30.919 If you don't understand the darkness inside of you, 00:30:30.979 --> 00:30:32.159 if you don't understand the darkness around you, 00:30:32.159 --> 00:30:34.579 if you don't understand the lostness of people without Christ, 00:30:34.739 --> 00:30:35.819 and they walk in darkness, 00:30:36.000 --> 00:30:37.759 then you're never going to go to them and share with them 00:30:37.759 --> 00:30:39.179 the greatest news that you ever have. 00:30:40.019 --> 00:30:41.859 Because you're going to think, well, it's not really that bad. 00:30:42.759 --> 00:30:43.819 And they're going to be okay. 00:30:44.599 --> 00:30:46.359 But the passage says that we walk in darkness, 00:30:46.439 --> 00:30:48.239 and this darkness is called sin. 00:30:49.179 --> 00:30:51.019 And this sin separates us from God. 00:30:52.319 --> 00:30:55.239 And sin is a massive deal to God. 00:30:55.399 --> 00:30:56.239 Did you guys know that? 00:30:58.139 --> 00:30:59.639 Sin is a massive deal to God. 00:31:00.640 --> 00:31:03.240 And I think the innkeeper and the religious people in Herod, 00:31:03.400 --> 00:31:05.259 the reason they didn't continually run to God, 00:31:05.340 --> 00:31:06.580 the reason they didn't continually go to God, 00:31:06.640 --> 00:31:07.780 the reason they didn't go find a baby 00:31:07.780 --> 00:31:09.740 is because they didn't know what kind of trouble they were in. 00:31:09.740 --> 00:31:15.700 I think that's true of us. 00:31:17.460 --> 00:31:18.880 The reason we say I became a Christian, 00:31:18.960 --> 00:31:20.380 but we don't ever talk to God anymore, 00:31:20.440 --> 00:31:21.079 we don't read the Bible, 00:31:21.279 --> 00:31:23.559 we just forget what it meant to become a Christian. 00:31:24.299 --> 00:31:26.160 We forgot the darkness that we escaped from. 00:31:26.220 --> 00:31:27.559 We forgot what Christ did on the cross. 00:31:27.640 --> 00:31:29.880 We forgot the cost of freeing us from the darkness. 00:31:29.880 --> 00:31:33.580 And the scripture says that we are to be people of God 00:31:33.580 --> 00:31:36.580 who remembers grace over and over and over. 00:31:36.820 --> 00:31:38.040 And as we remember God's grace, 00:31:38.300 --> 00:31:39.320 as we remember his goodness, 00:31:39.620 --> 00:31:41.900 as we remember everything he's done for us, 00:31:42.880 --> 00:31:45.560 we escape the darkness. 00:31:45.559 --> 00:31:49.379 And we enter into the light. 00:31:51.339 --> 00:31:52.819 But the reason we don't do that, 00:31:52.899 --> 00:31:53.919 the reason we think this way, 00:31:53.980 --> 00:31:56.879 the reason that we worry about these things, 00:31:56.940 --> 00:31:58.500 the reason that we don't hear God's voice 00:31:58.500 --> 00:32:02.460 is because we don't want to lose control of our lives. 00:32:07.659 --> 00:32:08.940 And so we walk in darkness. 00:32:08.940 --> 00:32:15.620 The message of Christmas is this. 00:32:17.519 --> 00:32:18.420 God looked down. 00:32:19.680 --> 00:32:20.539 And you and me were like, 00:32:22.980 --> 00:32:24.500 and we didn't even see God, 00:32:24.580 --> 00:32:25.539 we didn't even want God, 00:32:25.620 --> 00:32:26.539 we didn't even want to come to him. 00:32:26.600 --> 00:32:27.900 If we knew God was over there in a stable 00:32:27.900 --> 00:32:28.700 like everybody else did, 00:32:28.740 --> 00:32:30.279 we'd say, that's great, but I'm not going there. 00:32:31.700 --> 00:32:32.759 And God came down. 00:32:33.559 --> 00:32:34.519 And what's amazing to me, 00:32:34.559 --> 00:32:36.380 he didn't just come down and give us a new philosophy, 00:32:36.519 --> 00:32:38.900 he didn't give us this new self-help plan, 00:32:38.940 --> 00:32:40.200 he didn't give us this new body, 00:32:40.259 --> 00:32:41.980 he just, he comes down and he gives us a baby. 00:32:42.059 --> 00:32:43.100 He gives us a relationship. 00:32:44.740 --> 00:32:46.799 And this relationship is with his son, Jesus Christ. 00:32:48.240 --> 00:32:50.620 And Christ comes and he lives exactly as we are. 00:32:51.340 --> 00:32:53.100 He lives except for without sin. 00:32:53.320 --> 00:32:55.059 And one day he's nailed to a cross 00:32:55.059 --> 00:32:56.980 and he pays the debt for our darkness. 00:33:00.720 --> 00:33:02.400 And now each one of us has a choice. 00:33:02.580 --> 00:33:04.120 Are we going to keep living in the darkness 00:33:04.120 --> 00:33:05.600 or are we going to keep living in the light? 00:33:07.360 --> 00:33:08.559 And we have a choice every day 00:33:08.559 --> 00:33:10.220 because even after we come to the light, 00:33:10.379 --> 00:33:11.819 we still struggle with the darkness 00:33:11.819 --> 00:33:13.460 because it's in us and it's around us. 00:33:13.579 --> 00:33:14.399 And we have to decide, 00:33:14.500 --> 00:33:16.619 am I going to follow and listen to God 00:33:16.619 --> 00:33:19.000 or am I going to just do my own thing? 00:33:23.220 --> 00:33:24.139 Does that make sense? 00:33:26.299 --> 00:33:27.279 Someone go like this. 00:33:28.359 --> 00:33:29.659 Because everybody's really quiet. 00:33:29.660 --> 00:33:34.540 The amazing thing about Christmas 00:33:34.540 --> 00:33:37.400 is that God never gives up on us. 00:33:40.019 --> 00:33:41.560 If it were me last week, 00:33:41.740 --> 00:33:42.680 my kids did that to me, 00:33:42.759 --> 00:33:44.360 I would just get out of here. 00:33:45.300 --> 00:33:46.259 I'm tired of you. 00:33:47.320 --> 00:33:48.620 I'm not going to do this anymore. 00:33:49.759 --> 00:33:51.460 But the passage says that Christ, 00:33:52.340 --> 00:33:55.140 God, continues to come to us. 00:33:55.220 --> 00:33:56.500 He continues to love us. 00:33:56.500 --> 00:33:57.759 He continues to woo us. 00:33:58.019 --> 00:33:59.599 He continues to show us our darkness. 00:34:00.000 --> 00:34:02.480 He continues to open our eyes to our need to Him. 00:34:02.759 --> 00:34:04.720 And He continues to ask us to choose 00:34:04.720 --> 00:34:09.380 to invite Christ into our life 00:34:09.380 --> 00:34:11.940 and to follow Him. 00:34:13.719 --> 00:34:14.780 And the question of Christmas 00:34:14.780 --> 00:34:16.260 and the question of this passage 00:34:16.260 --> 00:34:17.559 and the question of everything we're going to do 00:34:17.559 --> 00:34:21.539 is what do we do with the baby? 00:34:21.539 --> 00:34:26.820 is the question everybody around you 00:34:26.820 --> 00:34:27.699 is asking right now. 00:34:30.239 --> 00:34:31.800 It's a question you need to decide 00:34:31.800 --> 00:34:32.579 before you leave here. 00:34:34.639 --> 00:34:36.219 What does it mean for you to follow Christ? 00:34:37.779 --> 00:34:39.739 What does it mean for me to escape out of darkness 00:34:39.739 --> 00:34:40.860 into light? 00:34:42.679 --> 00:34:43.900 What does it look like for us? 00:34:48.440 --> 00:34:49.519 I'm going to pray for us. 00:34:49.519 --> 00:34:51.639 And I'm going to pray, 00:34:51.940 --> 00:34:52.679 first part of it, 00:34:53.460 --> 00:34:54.280 for anybody in here 00:34:54.280 --> 00:34:55.539 who's heard this message. 00:34:55.619 --> 00:34:56.139 You've been struggling. 00:34:56.280 --> 00:34:57.360 I've talked to a lot of people 00:34:57.360 --> 00:34:58.400 and they've been struggling for a while 00:34:58.400 --> 00:34:59.440 about Christianity. 00:34:59.800 --> 00:35:00.280 Is it true? 00:35:00.380 --> 00:35:00.860 Is it real? 00:35:00.980 --> 00:35:02.699 Is it what it should be in their life? 00:35:02.960 --> 00:35:04.179 And this prayer is just for you. 00:35:05.880 --> 00:35:06.699 If this time in your life 00:35:06.699 --> 00:35:07.179 you feel like, 00:35:07.259 --> 00:35:08.980 hey, I'm tired of walking in the darkness. 00:35:09.119 --> 00:35:10.880 I want to become a child of God. 00:35:11.579 --> 00:35:11.960 You can just, 00:35:12.119 --> 00:35:14.019 it's not anything magical about this prayer. 00:35:14.380 --> 00:35:15.920 It's just a prayer that I prayed 00:35:15.920 --> 00:35:17.900 and you can just repeat it after me. 00:35:18.960 --> 00:35:20.260 And if you do, 00:35:20.420 --> 00:35:21.260 if that happens, 00:35:21.460 --> 00:35:22.400 please come share it with me. 00:35:22.460 --> 00:35:23.680 Please share it with somebody who brought you. 00:35:25.500 --> 00:35:26.360 And the second half of the prayer 00:35:26.360 --> 00:35:27.680 is for those of us who are already on the journey. 00:35:28.920 --> 00:35:30.920 For those of us who stumble. 00:35:31.119 --> 00:35:33.139 For those of us who forget. 00:35:36.619 --> 00:35:37.099 Let's pray. 00:35:37.099 --> 00:35:40.239 Father, we just thank you for this day. 00:35:41.000 --> 00:35:42.319 And we just come before you 00:35:42.319 --> 00:35:45.719 in awe of the message of your son, Jesus Christ. 00:35:46.500 --> 00:35:47.599 We come in awe of you 00:35:47.599 --> 00:35:49.940 of the darkness that you've saved us from. 00:35:51.179 --> 00:35:51.819 And what I pray 00:35:51.819 --> 00:35:53.420 that there's anybody in here right now 00:35:53.420 --> 00:35:54.739 who've never prayed 00:35:54.739 --> 00:35:56.159 and invited you into their life 00:35:56.159 --> 00:35:59.059 that they would just follow me. 00:36:00.440 --> 00:36:01.139 Lord Jesus, 00:36:02.460 --> 00:36:04.099 I admit that I'm weaker 00:36:04.099 --> 00:36:06.860 and more sinful than I've ever believed. 00:36:07.099 --> 00:36:09.599 But through you, 00:36:09.679 --> 00:36:10.539 I am more loved 00:36:10.539 --> 00:36:12.239 and accepted 00:36:12.239 --> 00:36:14.779 than I ever dared hope. 00:36:16.380 --> 00:36:18.119 I thank you for paying my debt, 00:36:19.139 --> 00:36:20.759 for bearing my punishment 00:36:20.759 --> 00:36:23.199 and offering forgiveness. 00:36:24.480 --> 00:36:25.980 I turn from my sin 00:36:25.980 --> 00:36:29.179 and I receive you as Savior. 00:36:31.759 --> 00:36:33.659 Lord, I pray for the rest of us in here. 00:36:33.659 --> 00:36:37.179 Some of us who aren't willing 00:36:37.179 --> 00:36:38.940 to make that prayer yet, 00:36:39.000 --> 00:36:39.899 I pray that they would just, 00:36:40.219 --> 00:36:40.699 I pray the Lord 00:36:40.699 --> 00:36:41.539 that you would open their eyes 00:36:41.539 --> 00:36:42.519 and their ears during this season. 00:36:44.000 --> 00:36:45.879 You do it in many, many different ways. 00:36:47.019 --> 00:36:47.759 Sometimes you do it 00:36:47.759 --> 00:36:49.139 through drunk people at parties. 00:36:50.679 --> 00:36:51.399 Often you do it 00:36:51.399 --> 00:36:52.879 through people who love us. 00:36:54.980 --> 00:36:55.920 Sometimes you just do it 00:36:55.920 --> 00:36:56.519 through your spirit 00:36:56.519 --> 00:36:57.619 talking to us gently 00:36:57.619 --> 00:36:59.440 in the quiet moments 00:36:59.440 --> 00:37:00.400 when we reflect on life 00:37:00.400 --> 00:37:01.319 and realize that 00:37:01.319 --> 00:37:02.500 we're not probably heading 00:37:02.500 --> 00:37:04.960 or acting like we want to act. 00:37:06.900 --> 00:37:07.980 Lord, I pray that this Christmas 00:37:07.980 --> 00:37:09.400 would be a very special Christmas 00:37:09.400 --> 00:37:10.960 for them, 00:37:11.099 --> 00:37:12.159 that they would see your son 00:37:12.159 --> 00:37:13.279 and they would fall in love with him. 00:37:14.579 --> 00:37:15.799 They would enter into your kingdom. 00:37:17.839 --> 00:37:19.299 Lord, I pray for those of us 00:37:19.299 --> 00:37:21.299 who have been on this journey for a while, 00:37:21.300 --> 00:37:23.680 who have been struggling 00:37:23.680 --> 00:37:24.460 and worrying 00:37:24.460 --> 00:37:26.800 and just forgetting 00:37:26.800 --> 00:37:28.080 what it means to be your child. 00:37:28.200 --> 00:37:28.960 And I think, Lord, 00:37:29.039 --> 00:37:30.240 I confess, I repent, 00:37:30.400 --> 00:37:31.660 I'm so sorry 00:37:31.660 --> 00:37:34.600 that I light the darkness so often. 00:37:36.480 --> 00:37:37.760 And the light of your son 00:37:37.760 --> 00:37:38.539 is so beautiful. 00:37:40.000 --> 00:37:40.840 Please forgive me. 00:37:42.920 --> 00:37:44.000 Please forgive us. 00:37:46.519 --> 00:37:47.220 I thank you 00:37:47.220 --> 00:37:48.740 that you don't give up on us. 00:37:51.300 --> 00:37:52.400 You give us messages 00:37:52.400 --> 00:37:53.640 and Christmases 00:37:53.640 --> 00:37:55.480 and carols 00:37:55.480 --> 00:37:56.240 and children 00:37:56.240 --> 00:37:57.900 and voices 00:37:57.900 --> 00:37:59.400 that point us to your son 00:37:59.400 --> 00:38:01.160 and how incredibly beautiful he is. 00:38:04.680 --> 00:38:05.780 Father, I pray for us 00:38:05.780 --> 00:38:06.400 as a church 00:38:06.400 --> 00:38:07.360 that we wouldn't be a church 00:38:07.360 --> 00:38:08.820 that would be so inwardly focused 00:38:08.820 --> 00:38:11.519 that we would just build up ourselves 00:38:11.519 --> 00:38:12.200 and that would be it. 00:38:12.220 --> 00:38:12.920 But we'd realize 00:38:12.920 --> 00:38:13.500 that the message 00:38:13.500 --> 00:38:14.420 that we've talked about, 00:38:14.539 --> 00:38:16.039 this message of grace 00:38:16.039 --> 00:38:17.060 and the gospel 00:38:17.060 --> 00:38:18.760 and this message of light 00:38:18.760 --> 00:38:19.720 penetrating darkness, 00:38:19.719 --> 00:38:21.379 it's been given to us 00:38:21.379 --> 00:38:22.339 to be stewards of, 00:38:23.539 --> 00:38:24.559 to be faithful with, 00:38:24.599 --> 00:38:25.279 just like you've called us 00:38:25.279 --> 00:38:26.259 to be faithful with everything 00:38:26.259 --> 00:38:27.159 from our finances 00:38:27.159 --> 00:38:27.959 to our time 00:38:27.959 --> 00:38:28.719 to our health 00:38:28.719 --> 00:38:29.879 to our relationships 00:38:29.879 --> 00:38:30.579 and most of all 00:38:30.579 --> 00:38:31.279 to the gospel. 00:38:32.500 --> 00:38:33.579 Lord, help us to be a church 00:38:33.579 --> 00:38:34.799 that's faithful to the gospel 00:38:34.799 --> 00:38:37.000 and to love the people 00:38:37.000 --> 00:38:37.899 around Cyberport 00:38:37.899 --> 00:38:38.959 and this western side 00:38:38.959 --> 00:38:40.139 of Hong Kong Island 00:38:40.139 --> 00:38:41.219 and wherever you send us 00:38:41.219 --> 00:38:42.019 this holiday. 00:38:42.399 --> 00:38:43.459 Help us to love them well 00:38:43.459 --> 00:38:44.699 and to continue to point to them 00:38:44.699 --> 00:38:45.539 to this little baby 00:38:45.539 --> 00:38:47.819 who came 00:38:47.820 --> 00:38:48.500 and that one day 00:38:48.500 --> 00:38:49.420 would stand up and say, 00:38:49.519 --> 00:38:50.600 I am the light of the world 00:38:50.600 --> 00:38:52.600 and whoever believes in me 00:38:52.600 --> 00:38:53.880 will not walk in darkness 00:38:53.880 --> 00:38:56.240 but help eternal life. 00:38:58.039 --> 00:38:58.960 Lord, help that be a message 00:38:58.960 --> 00:39:00.300 that we carry with us often 00:39:00.300 --> 00:39:01.360 and freely 00:39:01.360 --> 00:39:02.559 and never be ashamed 00:39:02.559 --> 00:39:04.100 to share that 00:39:04.100 --> 00:39:05.100 with the people we love, 00:39:05.580 --> 00:39:08.860 even the people we don't love. 00:39:11.300 --> 00:39:12.420 So Father, we love you 00:39:12.420 --> 00:39:14.599 and we thank you 00:39:14.599 --> 00:39:15.300 for your son 00:39:15.300 --> 00:39:18.119 and it's him and him alone 00:39:18.119 --> 00:39:18.800 that we come today 00:39:18.800 --> 00:39:19.240 to worship. 00:39:20.800 --> 00:39:21.760 We pray all these things 00:39:21.760 --> 00:39:22.539 in his precious, 00:39:23.099 --> 00:39:24.200 precious name. 00:39:25.519 --> 00:39:25.780 Amen.