WEBVTT

00:00:00.440 --> 00:00:04.139
 John 1, it is not the manger story, is it?

00:00:04.679 --> 00:00:13.720
 It's the beginning of a gospel, but it's not, in a sense, a classic version of the Christmas story.

00:00:15.040 --> 00:00:20.960
 Nevertheless, it is the traditional story, the traditional reading, rather, on Christmas Day.

00:00:21.179 --> 00:00:26.560
 It speaks of the light of the world that has come to save it.

00:00:26.559 --> 00:00:32.140
 You know, one of the biggest disappointments I personally have, but maybe you as well,

00:00:32.199 --> 00:00:39.759
 with a lot of modern storytelling, specifically movies, is that often there's no clear good versus evil.

00:00:40.600 --> 00:00:45.439
 There's a ton of gray, there's a lot of nuance and emphasis put on anti-heroes,

00:00:45.939 --> 00:00:55.019
 and the valorization of vice that's often masked with a kind of living one's truth or discovering one's self.

00:00:55.020 --> 00:00:58.500
 And all too often, there's a bit of moral relativism.

00:00:59.340 --> 00:01:01.440
 Again, no good versus evil.

00:01:01.660 --> 00:01:08.379
 And, I mean, the fact is, real life is full of nuance, and it's full of gray,

00:01:09.040 --> 00:01:15.079
 and heroes are obviously blemished, and victims are relatable.

00:01:15.439 --> 00:01:22.740
 But in our stories, it seems like there's this move away from good versus evil.

00:01:22.739 --> 00:01:28.439
 So, Christine and I watched a movie recently, and it was really refreshing.

00:01:28.579 --> 00:01:29.619
 There was good versus evil.

00:01:29.739 --> 00:01:30.500
 There was resolution.

00:01:31.359 --> 00:01:33.780
 There was redemption.

00:01:34.699 --> 00:01:35.699
 It ended well.

00:01:35.819 --> 00:01:40.479
 There wasn't, like, any kind of moral, you know, question marks.

00:01:41.000 --> 00:01:46.239
 It was nice, and we both commented how it seems like this just isn't the norm anymore.

00:01:46.239 --> 00:01:54.299
 However, the Christmas story isn't the beginning of a new story,

00:01:54.419 --> 00:01:57.399
 but, in fact, it is the resolution of the biblical story.

00:01:58.019 --> 00:02:01.419
 It is, in a sense, the beginning of the resolution.

00:02:02.479 --> 00:02:05.539
 If you remember a couple weeks ago, I guess it was last week,

00:02:05.840 --> 00:02:07.319
 we did Lessons and Carols.

00:02:07.399 --> 00:02:10.340
 And a part of Lessons and Carols, we sing, obviously, it's lovely,

00:02:10.340 --> 00:02:15.840
 but we rehearse the entire biblical story by going through the Bible.

00:02:16.259 --> 00:02:19.480
 And we start not in Matthew 1 or Luke 2.

00:02:20.140 --> 00:02:23.960
 Instead, we start in Genesis chapter 3, after the fall,

00:02:24.080 --> 00:02:30.560
 where God prophesies that one will come that will destroy the serpent,

00:02:31.319 --> 00:02:35.240
 all the way back in the opening chapters of the Bible.

00:02:35.240 --> 00:02:39.840
 The serpent, who is the devil that tempted our first parents to sin,

00:02:40.400 --> 00:02:42.580
 would not be the victor of the story.

00:02:42.780 --> 00:02:44.140
 It would be God Himself.

00:02:45.320 --> 00:02:47.540
 That story and all of what followed

00:02:47.540 --> 00:02:50.540
 highlights, in a sense, the angst of mankind.

00:02:51.439 --> 00:02:53.340
 The angst that evil exists

00:02:53.340 --> 00:02:56.960
 and is darker than a moonless, starless night.

00:02:58.040 --> 00:03:00.780
 The angst that brokenness and evil and strife,

00:03:00.900 --> 00:03:01.620
 it's everywhere.

00:03:02.060 --> 00:03:02.820
 It's ubiquitous.

00:03:02.819 --> 00:03:06.039
 There's no part of humanity,

00:03:06.340 --> 00:03:07.639
 in no part of the world,

00:03:07.719 --> 00:03:08.979
 at no point in time,

00:03:09.699 --> 00:03:12.439
 where brokenness and evil and sin

00:03:12.439 --> 00:03:13.799
 didn't touch our race.

00:03:16.219 --> 00:03:18.759
 And really, it's the angst that we are estranged

00:03:18.759 --> 00:03:20.919
 from the Creator of Heaven and Earth

00:03:20.919 --> 00:03:22.959
 without the means to reconcile.

00:03:23.319 --> 00:03:28.919
 And our best efforts get turned into destructive things.

00:03:29.079 --> 00:03:30.400
 We feel the angst.

00:03:30.479 --> 00:03:31.659
 We know the angst.

00:03:31.740 --> 00:03:32.719
 It's deep in our bones.

00:03:33.799 --> 00:03:37.159
 And with futility, we try to resolve it to no end.

00:03:38.699 --> 00:03:44.099
 The biblical story solves the angst.

00:03:44.280 --> 00:03:45.919
 It resolves the evil.

00:03:46.099 --> 00:03:47.799
 It fixes the problem.

00:03:49.120 --> 00:03:51.959
 The biblical story is a story of good versus evil,

00:03:52.099 --> 00:03:53.039
 light versus darkness,

00:03:53.259 --> 00:03:54.979
 death versus light.

00:03:54.979 --> 00:04:00.280
 And in no way does this story end with nuance

00:04:00.280 --> 00:04:03.919
 or question marks about who the real victor is.

00:04:03.919 --> 00:04:07.899
 So it is with that angst,

00:04:07.899 --> 00:04:09.379
 that tension,

00:04:09.379 --> 00:04:13.839
 that we read these opening verses of John 1, verses 1-5.

00:04:13.840 --> 00:04:15.680
 It says this,

00:04:15.680 --> 00:04:16.939
 In the beginning was the Word,

00:04:17.500 --> 00:04:18.879
 and the Word was with God,

00:04:18.939 --> 00:04:20.540
 and the Word was God.

00:04:21.220 --> 00:04:22.639
 He was in the beginning with God.

00:04:22.759 --> 00:04:24.620
 All things were made through Him,

00:04:25.000 --> 00:04:28.480
 and without Him was not anything made that was made.

00:04:28.480 --> 00:04:30.060
 In Him was life,

00:04:30.060 --> 00:04:32.160
 and the life was the light of men.

00:04:32.620 --> 00:04:34.240
 The light shines in the darkness,

00:04:34.360 --> 00:04:36.340
 and the darkness has not overcome it.

00:04:37.100 --> 00:04:38.280
 I'll read verse 5 again.

00:04:39.460 --> 00:04:41.240
 The light shines in the darkness,

00:04:41.460 --> 00:04:43.560
 and the darkness has not overcome it.

00:04:43.560 --> 00:04:45.459
 The Word who is God,

00:04:45.519 --> 00:04:46.339
 the Son of God,

00:04:46.879 --> 00:04:48.699
 it says the Creator of all things,

00:04:48.819 --> 00:04:51.480
 nothing that is made was made apart from Him,

00:04:52.000 --> 00:04:54.339
 is the source of life and light,

00:04:55.180 --> 00:04:59.519
 and was about to fix and restore and redeem.

00:05:00.160 --> 00:05:03.660
 That good would triumph over evil,

00:05:03.879 --> 00:05:06.540
 that there's no chance darkness was going to win.

00:05:07.340 --> 00:05:08.620
 But the question is how.

00:05:09.360 --> 00:05:10.759
 We'll jump to verse 9,

00:05:10.759 --> 00:05:13.800
 and John tells us, verses 9 to 11,

00:05:13.939 --> 00:05:16.439
 The true light, which enlightens everyone,

00:05:16.839 --> 00:05:18.159
 was coming into the world.

00:05:19.099 --> 00:05:20.099
 He was in the world,

00:05:20.199 --> 00:05:21.800
 and the world was made through Him,

00:05:21.860 --> 00:05:23.300
 yet the world did not know Him.

00:05:24.019 --> 00:05:25.240
 He came to His own,

00:05:25.639 --> 00:05:28.439
 and His own people did not receive Him.

00:05:29.459 --> 00:05:32.240
 So the idea of a deity coming into humanity,

00:05:33.199 --> 00:05:34.879
 it's not a new idea.

00:05:35.019 --> 00:05:39.899
 The Greek epics record gods coming down from Olympus,

00:05:39.899 --> 00:05:43.919
 and messing around with the human world.

00:05:44.639 --> 00:05:45.799
 There's stories about that,

00:05:45.879 --> 00:05:49.519
 about how they join and steer the affairs of humanity,

00:05:50.060 --> 00:05:51.919
 often putting their thumb on the scales,

00:05:52.079 --> 00:05:53.759
 choosing winners and losers.

00:05:54.579 --> 00:05:56.839
 So what is the difference between that,

00:05:56.979 --> 00:05:58.459
 those Greek epics,

00:05:58.539 --> 00:06:01.060
 and what we read about in John 1?

00:06:01.959 --> 00:06:04.599
 And you'll see the difference in verses 12 and 13.

00:06:04.600 --> 00:06:08.540
 But to all who did receive Him,

00:06:08.640 --> 00:06:09.960
 who believed in His name,

00:06:10.420 --> 00:06:12.800
 He gave the right to become children of God,

00:06:13.300 --> 00:06:14.980
 who were born not of blood,

00:06:15.180 --> 00:06:16.939
 nor of the will of the flesh,

00:06:17.360 --> 00:06:18.879
 nor of the will of man,

00:06:18.980 --> 00:06:19.680
 but of God.

00:06:20.500 --> 00:06:21.620
 The God of Scripture,

00:06:21.840 --> 00:06:23.860
 the real and only God,

00:06:24.520 --> 00:06:26.379
 doesn't interact with mankind

00:06:26.379 --> 00:06:28.700
 to manipulate our affairs,

00:06:28.699 --> 00:06:33.740
 but He comes into our existence,

00:06:34.240 --> 00:06:36.620
 that His presence descends down

00:06:36.620 --> 00:06:38.779
 to resolve the brokenness,

00:06:39.399 --> 00:06:40.099
 and the angst,

00:06:40.279 --> 00:06:40.899
 and the evil,

00:06:41.759 --> 00:06:44.019
 and all of the things

00:06:44.019 --> 00:06:47.879
 that we find frustrating about this life.

00:06:48.740 --> 00:06:52.519
 Ultimately, He comes to remove sin and death forever.

00:06:52.699 --> 00:06:54.339
 Death, that foe of foes.

00:06:54.339 --> 00:06:57.239
 The God of Scripture does this

00:06:57.239 --> 00:06:59.719
 by bringing those who are far off near.

00:07:00.739 --> 00:07:04.099
 And He gives the right to become children of God.

00:07:04.560 --> 00:07:05.459
 And He does it

00:07:05.459 --> 00:07:07.819
 by giving us His very Holy Spirit.

00:07:08.719 --> 00:07:09.939
 Giving us Himself.

00:07:11.239 --> 00:07:13.000
 The very thing that we long for.

00:07:13.079 --> 00:07:14.839
 No longer estranged from God.

00:07:15.479 --> 00:07:18.019
 But we are children of God.

00:07:18.859 --> 00:07:20.239
 It's a wonderful story.

00:07:21.000 --> 00:07:22.099
 And it would be lovely

00:07:22.099 --> 00:07:24.079
 if it just ended in verse 13

00:07:24.079 --> 00:07:24.779
 in some ways.

00:07:25.479 --> 00:07:26.819
 It's neat and tidy that way.

00:07:27.439 --> 00:07:28.419
 But the next verse,

00:07:28.539 --> 00:07:29.339
 in some ways,

00:07:29.879 --> 00:07:32.839
 is the linchpin of the whole chapter.

00:07:33.979 --> 00:07:34.800
 And in a sense,

00:07:34.899 --> 00:07:36.800
 it makes Christianity a weird religion.

00:07:37.459 --> 00:07:39.719
 And I don't mean weird in a bad way.

00:07:40.360 --> 00:07:41.459
 I mean weird in that

00:07:41.459 --> 00:07:43.259
 it is totally other than

00:07:43.259 --> 00:07:45.259
 what we would describe as normal.

00:07:45.879 --> 00:07:46.579
 So let's read it.

00:07:46.579 --> 00:07:47.219
 Verse 14.

00:07:48.419 --> 00:07:50.180
 And the Word became flesh

00:07:50.180 --> 00:07:52.139
 and dwelt among us.

00:07:52.139 --> 00:07:54.240
 And we have seen His glory.

00:07:54.399 --> 00:07:56.219
 Glory as of the only Son

00:07:56.219 --> 00:07:57.419
 from the Father,

00:07:57.599 --> 00:07:59.779
 full of grace and truth.

00:08:01.379 --> 00:08:03.500
 So God does all this wonderful thing.

00:08:04.099 --> 00:08:06.039
 He comes into the world.

00:08:06.439 --> 00:08:07.219
 But we could read that

00:08:07.219 --> 00:08:08.500
 potentially symbolically.

00:08:08.939 --> 00:08:09.759
 If we wanted to,

00:08:09.819 --> 00:08:10.860
 He gives us His Spirit.

00:08:11.019 --> 00:08:11.919
 He calls us children.

00:08:12.120 --> 00:08:12.939
 We're not far off.

00:08:13.599 --> 00:08:14.339
 Sounds great.

00:08:14.339 --> 00:08:15.919
 But then it says in verse 14

00:08:15.919 --> 00:08:18.379
 that the Word, God,

00:08:18.739 --> 00:08:19.859
 became flesh.

00:08:20.319 --> 00:08:21.179
 God Himself,

00:08:21.299 --> 00:08:22.959
 the light that enlightens everyone.

00:08:23.560 --> 00:08:24.000
 Everything.

00:08:24.719 --> 00:08:26.539
 The Word that created all things

00:08:26.539 --> 00:08:27.299
 become flesh.

00:08:28.419 --> 00:08:29.539
 And is this symbolic?

00:08:30.419 --> 00:08:31.439
 The answer is no.

00:08:32.100 --> 00:08:33.259
 It means that He literally

00:08:33.259 --> 00:08:34.519
 came in the flesh.

00:08:35.459 --> 00:08:37.720
 Flesh, skin, muscles, blood,

00:08:38.259 --> 00:08:39.199
 hair, nails,

00:08:39.620 --> 00:08:40.360
 big toes,

00:08:40.879 --> 00:08:41.199
 kidneys,

00:08:42.139 --> 00:08:43.159
 ears, lips,

00:08:43.159 --> 00:08:44.279
 flesh.

00:08:45.600 --> 00:08:47.179
 The Word, the light,

00:08:47.279 --> 00:08:49.019
 has taken on humanity

00:08:49.019 --> 00:08:50.019
 into Himself.

00:08:51.159 --> 00:08:52.639
 And not only did He become flesh,

00:08:53.079 --> 00:08:55.120
 but He dwelt among us.

00:08:56.459 --> 00:08:58.000
 So unlike the Greek gods

00:08:58.000 --> 00:08:59.659
 who would dabble

00:08:59.659 --> 00:09:01.799
 or mess up with human affairs

00:09:01.799 --> 00:09:04.399
 and then scurry off back to Olympus,

00:09:05.559 --> 00:09:08.179
 when situations would get crazy,

00:09:08.179 --> 00:09:09.500
 the Word becomes flesh

00:09:09.500 --> 00:09:10.980
 and dwells continually

00:09:10.980 --> 00:09:12.399
 among His people.

00:09:13.519 --> 00:09:14.820
 And He experiences

00:09:14.820 --> 00:09:16.440
 everything that there is

00:09:16.440 --> 00:09:17.360
 to experience

00:09:17.360 --> 00:09:18.840
 about human life.

00:09:19.340 --> 00:09:19.919
 So that He,

00:09:20.500 --> 00:09:21.879
 from His mother's womb

00:09:21.879 --> 00:09:23.379
 until He is born,

00:09:23.500 --> 00:09:24.220
 He experiences

00:09:24.220 --> 00:09:25.259
 what it's like

00:09:25.259 --> 00:09:27.080
 to develop as

00:09:27.080 --> 00:09:29.139
 an unborn child

00:09:29.139 --> 00:09:30.240
 and to be born

00:09:30.240 --> 00:09:31.620
 and to grow up

00:09:31.620 --> 00:09:32.399
 in infancy

00:09:32.399 --> 00:09:33.480
 and into

00:09:33.480 --> 00:09:35.480
 teen years

00:09:35.480 --> 00:09:36.759
 and experience puberty

00:09:36.759 --> 00:09:37.939
 and become a man.

00:09:38.759 --> 00:09:40.179
 But He also experiences

00:09:40.179 --> 00:09:40.819
 everything

00:09:40.819 --> 00:09:42.720
 that there is

00:09:42.720 --> 00:09:43.299
 to experience

00:09:43.299 --> 00:09:44.960
 about human death.

00:09:45.840 --> 00:09:46.779
 And He tasted it.

00:09:46.840 --> 00:09:47.220
 Everything.

00:09:48.340 --> 00:09:49.360
 He tasted the pain

00:09:49.360 --> 00:09:49.919
 of death.

00:09:51.039 --> 00:09:52.100
 The embarrassment,

00:09:52.439 --> 00:09:52.939
 in a sense,

00:09:53.019 --> 00:09:53.620
 the shame

00:09:53.620 --> 00:09:54.879
 of being

00:09:54.879 --> 00:09:56.620
 crucified,

00:09:57.139 --> 00:09:58.000
 naked,

00:09:58.220 --> 00:09:59.039
 on a cross,

00:09:59.539 --> 00:10:01.399
 being abandoned

00:10:01.399 --> 00:10:02.019
 completely.

00:10:02.019 --> 00:10:02.500
 in fact,

00:10:02.559 --> 00:10:03.840
 He experienced

00:10:03.840 --> 00:10:05.480
 separation

00:10:05.480 --> 00:10:06.600
 and true estrangement

00:10:06.600 --> 00:10:07.199
 from God.

00:10:09.019 --> 00:10:10.779
 God became man

00:10:10.779 --> 00:10:11.579
 and experienced

00:10:11.579 --> 00:10:12.759
 everything that there is

00:10:12.759 --> 00:10:13.519
 to experience

00:10:13.519 --> 00:10:15.079
 as a human being,

00:10:15.240 --> 00:10:16.439
 but He remained God.

00:10:17.039 --> 00:10:18.120
 And this is a big part

00:10:18.120 --> 00:10:19.439
 of the story as well

00:10:19.439 --> 00:10:21.139
 because God descends

00:10:21.139 --> 00:10:21.600
 to earth,

00:10:22.259 --> 00:10:23.319
 takes upon Him

00:10:23.319 --> 00:10:24.639
 our flesh

00:10:24.639 --> 00:10:27.240
 as our representative

00:10:27.240 --> 00:10:28.759
 and when He dies

00:10:28.759 --> 00:10:29.860
 and rises again,

00:10:29.939 --> 00:10:30.819
 it means that all

00:10:30.820 --> 00:10:31.540
 who are in Him,

00:10:32.460 --> 00:10:32.879
 us,

00:10:33.600 --> 00:10:34.640
 rise with Him.

00:10:35.080 --> 00:10:35.820
 It's a promise

00:10:35.820 --> 00:10:36.640
 of what there is

00:10:36.640 --> 00:10:37.120
 to come.

00:10:39.160 --> 00:10:40.640
 All who are in Christ

00:10:40.640 --> 00:10:42.040
 have the same

00:10:42.040 --> 00:10:43.240
 future of Christ

00:10:43.240 --> 00:10:45.140
 to rise with Him,

00:10:45.300 --> 00:10:45.960
 to glory

00:10:45.960 --> 00:10:47.260
 forever.

00:10:49.600 --> 00:10:50.820
 Verse 14 again,

00:10:50.940 --> 00:10:52.000
 And the Word became flesh

00:10:52.000 --> 00:10:52.980
 and dwelt among us

00:10:52.980 --> 00:10:54.340
 and we have seen

00:10:54.340 --> 00:10:54.940
 His glory,

00:10:55.040 --> 00:10:56.480
 glory of the only Son

00:10:56.480 --> 00:10:57.320
 from the Father,

00:10:57.920 --> 00:10:59.160
 full of grace

00:10:59.160 --> 00:11:00.180
 and truth.

00:11:01.820 --> 00:11:02.900
 John 1 tells us

00:11:02.900 --> 00:11:04.220
 that real greatness

00:11:04.220 --> 00:11:06.000
 is rooted in humility

00:11:06.000 --> 00:11:08.220
 for God condescended,

00:11:08.300 --> 00:11:09.120
 we talked about this

00:11:09.120 --> 00:11:09.740
 a few weeks ago,

00:11:09.840 --> 00:11:10.700
 condescended,

00:11:11.440 --> 00:11:13.180
 left His divine prerogatives

00:11:13.180 --> 00:11:14.260
 and He came down.

00:11:15.640 --> 00:11:16.480
 Real greatness

00:11:16.480 --> 00:11:17.320
 is service.

00:11:17.700 --> 00:11:18.680
 Christ didn't come

00:11:18.680 --> 00:11:19.580
 to be served

00:11:19.580 --> 00:11:20.280
 but to serve

00:11:20.280 --> 00:11:21.580
 and give His life

00:11:21.580 --> 00:11:23.200
 as a ransom for many.

00:11:23.360 --> 00:11:24.340
 So real greatness

00:11:24.340 --> 00:11:25.800
 is humility

00:11:25.800 --> 00:11:26.760
 and service

00:11:26.760 --> 00:11:27.660
 and sacrifice

00:11:27.659 --> 00:11:28.879
 but it's motivated

00:11:28.879 --> 00:11:30.019
 by love.

00:11:32.759 --> 00:11:33.559
 Real glory

00:11:33.559 --> 00:11:34.199
 is seen

00:11:34.199 --> 00:11:35.379
 in the lowest descent

00:11:35.379 --> 00:11:36.339
 of the King of Kings

00:11:36.339 --> 00:11:38.199
 into the very brokenness

00:11:38.199 --> 00:11:38.959
 of our world.

00:11:39.939 --> 00:11:41.179
 The grace of God

00:11:41.179 --> 00:11:43.019
 given to humanity

00:11:43.019 --> 00:11:44.159
 in the incarnation.

00:11:46.799 --> 00:11:48.279
 John 1, 16,

00:11:48.279 --> 00:11:49.500
 it's not a part of our reading

00:11:49.500 --> 00:11:50.199
 but I'll read it.

00:11:50.519 --> 00:11:51.179
 It says this,

00:11:51.179 --> 00:11:55.299
 And from His fullness

00:11:55.299 --> 00:11:56.620
 we have all received

00:11:56.620 --> 00:11:57.819
 grace upon grace.

00:11:58.819 --> 00:11:59.579
 Friends,

00:11:59.639 --> 00:12:00.599
 the Christmas story

00:12:00.599 --> 00:12:02.599
 is one of

00:12:02.599 --> 00:12:04.919
 God rescuing us,

00:12:05.059 --> 00:12:06.379
 resolving the tension.

00:12:06.379 --> 00:12:10.480
 God that does not

00:12:10.480 --> 00:12:11.939
 leave evil

00:12:11.939 --> 00:12:13.059
 to win the day

00:12:13.059 --> 00:12:13.700
 but instead

00:12:13.700 --> 00:12:14.759
 will win the day

00:12:14.759 --> 00:12:15.259
 Himself.

00:12:15.820 --> 00:12:16.720
 No nuance,

00:12:17.200 --> 00:12:18.240
 no second guessing

00:12:18.240 --> 00:12:20.200
 that God

00:12:20.200 --> 00:12:21.460
 in Jesus

00:12:21.460 --> 00:12:23.159
 born on this day,

00:12:23.320 --> 00:12:24.080
 Christmas Day

00:12:24.080 --> 00:12:25.960
 has saved us

00:12:25.960 --> 00:12:27.320
 and is the ultimate

00:12:27.320 --> 00:12:27.919
 resolution.

00:12:28.820 --> 00:12:29.259
 Let's pray.

00:12:30.659 --> 00:12:31.299
 Lord,

00:12:31.379 --> 00:12:32.340
 we thank You so much

00:12:32.340 --> 00:12:33.860
 for this beautiful,

00:12:34.120 --> 00:12:35.419
 wonderful Christmas message

00:12:35.419 --> 00:12:36.899
 that Jesus

00:12:36.899 --> 00:12:38.979
 is God,

00:12:39.079 --> 00:12:40.000
 the Son of God,

00:12:40.819 --> 00:12:41.459
 incarnate,

00:12:41.819 --> 00:12:42.439
 fully man

00:12:42.439 --> 00:12:43.360
 and fully God.

00:12:44.139 --> 00:12:44.379
 And Lord,

00:12:44.419 --> 00:12:45.019
 we thank You

00:12:45.019 --> 00:12:45.959
 that we can celebrate

00:12:45.959 --> 00:12:47.579
 this wonderful reality

00:12:47.579 --> 00:12:48.319
 and that it is

00:12:48.319 --> 00:12:49.159
 our reality

00:12:49.159 --> 00:12:51.639
 and that Christ's

00:12:51.639 --> 00:12:52.319
 reality

00:12:52.319 --> 00:12:54.519
 rising from the grave

00:12:54.519 --> 00:12:55.719
 never to taste death

00:12:55.719 --> 00:12:56.199
 again,

00:12:56.879 --> 00:12:58.559
 it is our reality

00:12:58.559 --> 00:12:59.759
 if we are found in Him.

00:13:00.819 --> 00:13:01.199
 So Lord,

00:13:01.279 --> 00:13:01.799
 help us

00:13:01.799 --> 00:13:03.000
 to dwell,

00:13:03.179 --> 00:13:03.599
 of course,

00:13:03.779 --> 00:13:04.779
 on the birth

00:13:04.779 --> 00:13:05.299
 of Christ

00:13:05.299 --> 00:13:06.299
 but really

00:13:06.299 --> 00:13:07.199
 the mission

00:13:07.199 --> 00:13:07.720
 of Christ,

00:13:07.819 --> 00:13:08.659
 what He came to do.

00:13:09.659 --> 00:13:10.579
 And we pray this

00:13:10.579 --> 00:13:12.179
 in Christ's mighty name.

00:13:13.039 --> 00:13:13.299
 Amen.

00:13:13.299 --> 00:13:13.419
 Amen.

00:13:13.500 --> 00:13:14.100
 Amen.

00:13:14.179 --> 00:13:15.639
 Amen.

00:13:15.639 --> 00:13:15.879
 Amen.

00:13:15.879 --> 00:13:15.899
 Amen.

00:13:15.899 --> 00:13:16.019
 Amen.

00:13:16.019 --> 00:13:16.179
 Amen.

00:13:16.179 --> 00:13:16.679
 Amen.

00:13:16.679 --> 00:13:16.959
 Amen.

00:13:16.959 --> 00:13:17.959
 Amen.

00:13:17.959 --> 00:13:18.019
 Amen.

00:13:18.019 --> 00:13:18.439
 Amen.

00:13:18.439 --> 00:13:19.899
 Amen.

00:13:19.899 --> 00:13:20.079
 Amen.

00:13:20.079 --> 00:13:20.179
 Amen.

00:13:20.179 --> 00:13:20.299
 Amen.