SM121223/Christmas-The Main Event

By harvest partners to receive free email daily devotions or to become a harvest partner, please visit us online@harvest.org all right will grab your Bible and turn to Luke chapter 2 the title of my message is Christmas. The main events well Christmas is only really hours away. Now how many of you have finished all of your Christmas shopping around and raise her hand.

Very good. How many of you still have some more to do. Raise your hand up how many of you have not even started yet. Be honest out your church.

Always the guys, isn't it. Maybe some of your hoping you'll get what you want for Christmas like a little boy who actually wrote a letter to God and ended. He wrote these words. Dear God, I've been good for six months now.

He thought about it I am writing this to God. God knows everything.

So I better tell the truth so I crossed out the number six and wrote three I did good for three months now. He thought about it crossed out three months. He wrote in two weeks and he thought about a little more and he looked overly saw the little nativity set his mom and set up on a table.

He walked over, grab the little figure of Mary came back to his letter and wrote a new sentence. Dear God, if you ever want to see your mother again so you know we get a little psyched about this what we want to get just the right present door. Some of us want to receive just the right present. What I would suggest you with all the busyness of this time the best moments are the in between one not the big opening the presence or no brilliancy in between moments of moments with your family and with your friend.

So I encourage you to treasure those and enjoy those and just don't sweat all this other stuff because you know what you probably can't even remember what you received for Christmas last year anyway you might miss remember what you gave because sometimes were still paying for those things.

And then there's the regifting issue. How many of you now or in church be honest, how many of you have ever regifted something to you know what I mean by regifting you get a gift and you give it away. How many of you have done the raising of why how many of you have never done it on principle raise her hand up. I admire you.

Guess what I've regifted. I don't know why but I have been barraged with boxes of chocolate from seas candies this year.

If you gave me some thank you but I want to be upfront with you. I have regifted it already divided all this talk that I would be 800 now, so I didn't give it away now brought Ms. a wide open up one of those boxes. I go straight to the nuts and choose of the my favorites. Those are the things he bided and strange things come out. I want to know accident before I bite it right but thought if I get started I can stop by going to a semi feeding frenzy, not even semi-going to a feeding frenzy and so I tried it difficult, thank you so much.

What this chocolatey chocolate and I've given away a few boxes of chocolate but the really hard thing with regifting is if you give something away. Two years later, it comes back to you I've seen this somewhere that's wanted backfire. Then there are those 10 to May drop since you ladies for your husband's wanting her husband and know what you really want about a white that said, your husband, honey.

Last night I dreamed a dream and in the dream you gave me a beautiful diamond necklace. What do you think that means Tintin the husband said you'll find out Christmas Eve, so Christmas Eve came she was so excited he came with beautifully wrapped small box she excitedly opened it and it was a book with the title, the meaning of dreams, he missed it by the way hello to harvest Orange County. I'm sorry and to harvest our interest as well.

Yes… Sort of.

Our mind off of those things because Christmas should not be so much about the gifts we give to one another, but rather reflecting on the amazing gift that God gave to us the gift of the son of God, the Christmas story really starts with a tree. A very important tree we might call it a family tree.

The Christmas story begins with a genealogy of Jesus Christ. Now you need to understand upper Jewish people. Genealogies were very important.

It was almost like what we would think of as our resumes here are all the places I've worked her here are my achievements for the Jewish person their genealogy or their family tree was everything so the Christmas story begins with the genealogies so-and-so begot so-and-so who begot so-and-so it doesn't start with the words. Once upon a time because it's not a very it's a historical event. Having said that and has all the pageantry and the pathos in and in the best worst worst use of the word. The magic of the best fairytales we have shepherds bowing we are wise men were sipping we have angels singing. We have a brilliant star with this is a real story and all other stories. All other fairytales or fables are either an imitation or a kin of the greatest story ever told the Christmas story starts in heaven and unfolds under an angel is dispatched and he's not just any Angel. He's a mighty Gabriel, and he appears to Zechariah the high priest who is there in the temple and he tells Zechariah said he is going to be the father of the forerunner of the Messiah came on events are happening and remember it's been 400 years of silence up to this point. There's been no angelic appearances, no miracles, no prophet speaking for the Lord and after this long time of silence Gabriel person with this message to Zechariah's and of course his wife Elizabeth getting on in years conceives and she's pregnant with John and then Gabriel goes to a peasant girl living in a city renowned for wickedness known as Nazareth.

As I pointed out Mary was a nobody and a nothing town in the middle of nowhere, and despite the fact that she lived in the city that was known for immorality.

She was a moral girl.

She was a change girl. In fact, she was a virgin and the Lord revealed to her through Gabriel that she is to be the mother of the Messiah and she's overwhelmed and she's ready to obey, but there was one problem. Her husband Joseph because all he finds out his Mary is pregnant and she tells them that she's going to be the mother of the Messiah. The Holy Spirit is conceived as taught in her womb. Frankly, he's not buying it. Would you then an angel comes to Joseph and tells him that this is been done by the Holy Spirit and he should take Mary as his wife there to call this child, Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins and as I pointed out is usually Joseph is the unsung hero of the Christmas story you know he doesn't get the credit he deserves know it's interesting to note that we don't read of Joseph saying a single word even say one word. I mean even being on his donkey got a few lines in the Bible.

But Joseph, we don't read anything that he ever said by Bouygues action spoke loudly as he stood by his wife and was going to be there to be the hand. Stepfather or father figure on earth for the Savior of the world to know Mary is conceived. She's quite far along in her pregnancy, presumably in her ninth month and the decree goes out that using all the world is to be tax and so they have to make the difficult journey from Nazareth to the Peninsula to read about that Luke chapter 2 starting in verse one, became to pass in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered this consent are then sent to first took place one quarry.

Renee is was governing Syria so I want to be registered. Everyone to his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife who was with child so involved while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered and she brought forth her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the know. There I want you to notice that Dr. Luke, the author of this gospel is very meticulous in his reporting, though his gospel is written rather poetically.

Luke was a stickler for the facts as you recall, Luke was not an eyewitness of the life of Jesus as were Matthew and John who also penned gospel.

He was a decision who came to faith from a non-Jewish background and his desire was to write a historical and accurate record of the life of Jesus and so he's trying to show how these events unfolded and he interviewed people so I think we can presume that Luke interviewed Mary one an interview that would be okay Mary. Let's go back to the day that Gabriel came you exactly what in the examiner. Write this down Mary okay I want to talk to the shepherds and I want you guys to tell me your story again and Joseph explained to me how you felt about this he got all the fat from all the mean people in the story and wrote these things down and backwards as a Luke chapter 1 verse three that he was producing an orderly account that is one verses two and three, Luke mentions Caesar Augustine is in Quirinius usually. I got a cold for like three weeks and I still have had three goals are not sure. I'm just getting over one that all the symptoms come back again so I am so sick of being sick so I apologize for clearing my throat and I'm done goodbye know so anyway so is very specific in putting details in his record. He mentions Caesar Augustine is quite Renee is now we know historically that Caesar Augustine's was the first real Roman Emperor's actual name was Caius Octavius. He was the great-nephew of Julius Caesar Octavius was a born fighter. He sort of clawed his way.

The power defeating Anthony and Cleopatra and the Roman Republic has not gone to become the Roman empire. The most powerful nation on the face of the earth.

They have effectively bludgeoned all other nations into submission.

They have established what is called Pax Romana, the peace of Rome, which was really a force piece.

Everyone bowed before Rome.

So now Caius Octavius is the Caesar, no Julius Caesar was the first Caesar.

That was his actual name it after Julius Caesar died. The others that followed took the name Caesar on so Caesar goes from being a name to a title. So here we have no Caesar, but he decides to add another word to his name Caesar Augustus, and we just read over that don't know what it means.

Augustus needs of the gods.

You see, Caesar Augustus, a.k.a. Caius Octavius is the first Emperor of Rome that declared himself a deity. He believed that he was a living God, and he wanted people to worship him. Amazing back there is an inscription they found that actually said of Julius Caesar that he was the Savior of the whole world. That's all he saw himself the Savior of the whole world, so that sheds a little light of the interesting statement given to the shepherds keeping watch over their blogs by night doubled it within a moment and look to where it says there's born unto you this day in the city of David him as Savior, who is Christ the Lord. This will be the sign to you going to be really a baby reprobate bully baby wrapped in swaddling clothes or to simplify a babel he so here's what was being said. They do is say check this out.

Augustine's is not the Savior of the world. Jesus is the Savior of the world is not ruling from a throne in Rome. He is laying in a cave in Bethlehem. That's the real Savior of the world. Jesus does not have what we would call eight rags to riches story. Rather, kids is a riches to rags story.

He went from being a sovereign to being a servant from the glory of heaven to a stable for animals. I read that when Queen Elizabeth from England last visited the United States.

She brought 5000 pounds of clothing and unthinking charge director for that either ship to personal valet and a hairdresser on board as well and the queen had special leather covers for the toilet seats that she would use hardly traveling light while here comes now the ultimate sovereign, the King of Kings in the lease.

Everything to come to us. Now Caesar thinks he's in charge.

He's given a decree that all the world should be taxed and this shows you the power that he has that he could give an order and every one of the rule of Rome. No pass to go to their hometown, but in reality Caesar.

He was just upon in the hand of God Almighty reminding us that Caesars and Kings and Queens and emperors and prime ministers and dictators and presidents come and go on the world stage. But God ultimately is in control.

Proverbs 21 one, says the king's heart is like a stream of water directed by the Lord any guided wherever he pleases God to whom God takes his little man who is big in his own mind any direction we would not even know the names quite. Renee is in Caesar. Augustine was.

If it were not for the Christmas story they would've been forgot, but because they were in power at this time we remember the money and at this moment in time. There was no powerful man in the face of the earth, and Caesar Augustus now is just a footnote in the greatest story ever told you what even know about Caesar Augustus, if it wasn't for the Christmas story in a season only 90 is a great self doesn't guys come and go with. Here's another great story and reminds us that history is his story. As I said before history swings on the hinge of the door of his stable about the sun out here are Mary and Joseph going about the human by the way, I don't think they went there to fulfill prophecy. I don't think the justice of the Mary Marion on the sizes to be born in Bethlehem. Therefore we can get over there before you give birth, so we can fulfill prophecy of the defendant in the case. I think that would've been a little sooner. Don't you not earn my ninth month of pregnancy, but because this decree is given there making the journey. I don't think they realize that God was directing their steps at this moment. And so now the arrive in Bethlehem for a rude awakening.

There is no room for them in the end, that was indicative of the treatment. Jesus received throughout his entire ministry is a telling passage in the Gospel of John read says everyone went to his own house and then the direct contract that says and Jesus went to the Mount of olives see Jesus spent a lot of time in the Mount of olives at the area right around the city of Jerusalem, and he spent many a night there in the open air. As our Lord himself said birds have nest and foxes have holes, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head in here there's no room in the end seem like there was only place where there was ever room for Jesus was on the cross. Ironically, though there was no room for Jesus. Christ himself said in my father's house are many mansions that we don't have room for us, but he has plenty of room for us.

We don't have room for him. I should say what he is plenty of room for us. By the way, I hope you've made your reservation because he is a room waiting for you. If you believe in him, you can't just walk into hotel and go move in the someone's room. I guess you could but you will be arrested.

You have to make a reservation there's a check-in time at checkout time. God is a reservation made for you. It's already paid for. You can check-in and you never have to check out we come to this innkeeper now the Bible doesn't tell us anything about it just says there was no room in the end, you don't.

Didn't he know this was the holy family. I mean after all, I am leaving think of religious art in most depictions and films. We know that Mary always dressed in blue.

I enter without starting from a cheese always rock in the blue tooth got the wind and the blue going everybody else's in red, here comes Mary. She's in blue and of course she's riding on a donkey and she has a halo you can't miss a woman dressed in blue with a halo Joseph as a halo to soon the baby Jesus love a little miniature halo lookers out of the way, what did you know the Bible never says Mary rode a donkey.

We just assume she did, but she may want. So secondly we know she didn't have halos. I don't know where the blue came from, they just look like any other poor young family.

She was very young, as young as 12, not much older than 14 Joseph he was a young guy to hear these impoverished young people, probably dirty from their journey, trust, and what would appear to be rags say room front. She's obviously very far along in her pregnant cheesy cheese in the ninth month he can make room and is in and by the way, just a word about the building of a nice hotel. There are two kinds of ends. Back in those days is two words translated in the New Testament one speaks of what we might call the hotel, though, was still very primitive. There would be food there would be fire there be a roof over your head, but the other kind of and then was a mere enclosure just walls to bring your animals into no rough note glued to the very basic.

Ironically, this is the word that is used which means not only did he not have room in the hotel so to speak for Mary and Joseph. He didn't even have room in the corral. He didn't even have room in the back yard. The only place you have room as well. You know there's a cave out there and got there if you like, how could he be so heartless I don't know that he's a villain but he's just like a lot of people today you know they're just so preoccupied with their life and what they're doing at they don't have any time for God and we would rush around like crazy people, especially this time of the year you can write on the tombstones of many Americans hurried worried Barry were the only nation on the year that as a mountain actually called Mount Rushmore by and we can be so busy we don't have time for God.

All you know I would like to go to church so busy this time of year.

I would like to pray but there's so much going on in so many responsibilities that I like to invest in the kingdom of God. But I have other financial commitments. No time for God. No room in the in. That's the story for us now know this is a time we can lose Jesus. Ironically, during the time we should be celebrating his birth.

Other people put up nativity scenes.

We have a little one in front of our house known as stolen any of my figures. By the way, but apparently this happens quite often when churches put up nativity scenes. The baby Jesus is often stolen.

I'm wondering what is the mentality of stealing the baby Jesus. Figure I had to read an article about a church in old Bridge, New Jersey that put GPS in their little Jesus figure and they were quoted in the article is saying there's been no attempt of Since we announced were tracking our Jesus resident of that really you did say were tracking the little figure were tracking our Jesus news alert. It's just plastic, but here's the good news. The real Jesus cannot be stolen or lost in a booming time for him. He certainly has time for us. I think it's because we don't have time from that so many are depressed this time of year. They're expecting Christmas to do what only Christ can do. Depression rates or during the holidays. Suicide rates go up. I'm a chaplain for the police department and I was called late Thursday night to go to where a person committed suicide and I went to the site. The scene and it was so sad and so tragic. I was talking to the police officer therein. I said to suicide rates go up this time of the year this at all. Absolutely no question. People are very depressed, as if this sort of romanticized idea of what Christmas ought to be in the look of their life and it's not anywhere close to that and so there deeply impressed.

They allow the clutter of Xmas to take the place of Christmas and then that they could Jesus was born in the state. Now we sort of romanticize this, especially in our nativity scenes but I just want you to know what this is really saying the stable are born a barn or probably more literally the key.

Jesus was born in was cold and damp. The least desirable place to have a baby. He's not wrapped in clean sheets but in cheaper ads the stall or the cave where he was born. As more animals were It would smell of straw feces.

You get the idea.

God incarnate, was born on the dirt floor about tilting Kate. Now this does not cause me to not appreciate the story. I appreciate it more when I think of the sacrifice Jesus made to leave heaven to come to us are can't fuse an excellent commentator wrote these words and I quote, it was clearly a lead down as if the son of God, rose from his splendor stood poised on the rim of the universe irritating light and dove headlong speeding to the stars over the Milky Way to Earth's galaxy reclines into a huddle of animals. Nothing could be lower." It was a conscious decision, God said, to go to the earth.

He came to the earth, but he could've come in a shaft of light. No incomes of the dirtiest most undesirable place of all. And then he comes as a helpless baby. God became a fetus deity was in diapers. He was larger than the universe became an embryo.

Your babies are so amazing how we have a little grandson Christopher is about seven months old now and I just holding them yesterday looking Ottoman. He's starting to look around and you really react a lot more and in fact I was.

My wife was holding them and I started singing some Christmas Carol look right overacting.

I think Kathy look he's looking look is looking at me sick so I sing even louder. Everyone thick stop singing walking out Christopher's like I like. At least that's my interpretation of the way he was looking at a helpless little baby, you have to help them.

You have to watch over them. You have to be careful with them.

And God humbled himself in that way.

Chesterton wrote and I quote they had that made the sun and stars were too small to reach the huge heads of the cattle that surrounded him too small to change his own clothing to put food into his own mouth. Amazing God is infinite helplessness" Augustine wrote.

He was unspeakably wise, yet he was wisely speechless. The word came to us without a word, not I think sometimes we think that you know Jesus was laying there in the manger thinking in the creator of the universe. I know everything about everyone and maybe even talk hello, Mary, Joseph, are you I'm Jesus Christ, God Almighty appreciate if someone get me out of this straw is like this big and he walks out to not conflict, I'm not being a reverent I'm just sort of poking holes in misconceptions that he was a baby with baby thoughts. So, did he not know he was God love he was God, but he made the decision to come and not void his deity, but to veil it veiled in flesh the Godhead see hail incarnate deity pleases man with man to dwell.

Jesus Re: Manuel the Christmas song says just mind-boggling and they wrap them in rags effectively.

That's what swaddling cloths are just strips of rags ripped our wrapped around him and this really symbolizes whole life on earth, from the cradle to the cross, he could have been more been born in the most elegant mansion on the Ritzy Us Blvd. in Rome, you had aristocratic parents. He could have the finest clothes from the most include exclusive shops, he could have legions of angels as an army of servants to respond to his whim, but he laid all of that aside for us.

Second Corinthians 89 says, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that through his poverty, you might be rich. So God is, clearly tell first.

If you've ever had a child you can remember who you told first two. Who did you get the message out to probably call mom and dad maybe a brother or sister because her close friends of babies born became the weight of the baby to give the date of the baby's birth. Even the hour when they were born you recorded all that information but you announces to people who are close to you. God says arrive hi when an announcement to make the tell first to advocate with a gun in the Caesar Augustine's St. Gabriel down there appearing Caesar to pay Caesar Augustus, oh yeah, what does that mean of the God's. Check it out, buddy. You're not God, the Savior of the world is arrive you're a loser it out. That didn't happen might appear to the religious leaders and religious leaders wake up. The Messiah has come, the one you talk about that when you pray for these here know God gives the announcement of the birth of Jesus to shepherds before anybody else out.

We sort of romanticize the shepherds along with everything else we don't understand who they were.

In this culture, shepherds were at the bottom of the social ladder.

They were actually spine. Because of this, the testimony of a shepherd was not even allowed in a court of law wife because it was assumed that they would live if this announcement were to come today. You might go as follows. There were certain used car salesman watching over their cars at night, or maybe there were certain telemarketers calling up people at night and an angel appeared to get the idea.

Shepherds of the work that nobody else wanted to do the dirt under their fingernails. They work hard working and they were perceived as unclean because they could not observe the ceremonial handwashing. They were the outcasts, the only one lower than a shepherd was a lover, and yet God says okay go get a announces to person I know shepherd the watch over their flocks by night. This gives hope to ordinary people like us.

The shepherds were nobody but I was a mode of operation of Jesus from birth to death. He always appealed to the outcasts to the common to the ordinary people, exactly, is the despised tax collector. The woman caught in adultery, in the shop yet time for little kids you let those children company you don't forbid them for of such is the kingdom of God and what was announced to the shepherds. Let's keep reading verse eight of Luke two there were in the same country shepherds living out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night; angel of the Lord stood before them and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. And the angel said to not be afraid, for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people. There is born you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you will find the baby wrapped in swaddling cloths lying in the manger. Suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, glory to God in the highest and inner peace, goodwill toward men. So it was. So when the Angels are gone away from them and they haven't, the shepherds said one to another. Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that is come the past which the Lord has made known to us see the real message of Christmas is good news.

It's worth celebrating for three reasons. Number one, it's personal. It's personal. The message was, I bring you good tidings of great joy, number two, it's positive, I bring you good tidings of great joy and thirdly, it's universal. It's for everyone, which shall be to all people. Now, as I already said sometimes Christmas is very hard because it exists and seems to amplify our problems a little bit. Maybe your not able to buy the things you like to buy this year may be, you've lost your job, maybe you're having problems with your marriage maybe are separated from your wife for your divorce. Maybe a bunch of weird relatives showed up there at your house and you can't get rid of them on a serious know maybe you lost a loved one. And if you've lost a loved one Christmas is very hard because you have all those memories of that this last Thursday night our friends Levi and Jenny Lesko faced an unspeakable tragedy, the little daughter Lenny at age 5.of a severe asthma attack.

As I said to you before for a parent to lose a child is really a fate worse than death.

Let me explain. It would be easier for a parent to die than to watch their child. That's what I'm saying and little none yet it always been fragile in her health.

She a lot of severe allergies but she was actually doing quite well. But this horrible asthma attack came in her little heart stopped and actually Levi sent a text to us.

We just finished our service and they come home. We got this text. Pray for Linda. Her heart stopped but they were in the hospital so we thought will not don't know what to do and then I got a call.

20 minutes later and it was Levi and eyes just before he answered all that this be good news, good news, and he said Greg Lenny is in heaven right now with Jesus and she's with Christopher.

That's our son's name who left us four years ago and you know what you see the tongue like this. It's so heartbreaking.

She died in her father's arms, but were told in Scripture that when Lazarus died he was carried by angel to Abraham, and now we know that when a Christian dies were carried by the angels straight into the arms of Jesus Christ. We know that little girl is safe.

We know that little girl just fine before their those parents who are grieving and were suffering and who are morning in facing something as Levi said to me it's like a bad dream. I want to wake up.

I understand that I know that feeling well. We been talking with them, praying with them and were going to go back and have her service there in Montana this coming Thursday and this is on the heels of my friend Frank has story going into eternity. On Monday of this week after being in a coma for a month because of a motorcycle accident and Frank was called home big Frank. You know the baseball player and little millennia both in eternity analysis. It's my blowing and then there's other friends I know had a conscious week as well and this is all in the heels of that horrible tragedy there in Newtown, Connecticut to send an unbelievable week but here's what I think about all these people there all in heaven, and there are been the best Christmas they've ever had their first Christmas and have this glorious that we think you know what weight what was the message of the Angels I bring you good tidings of great joy.

We look at our world. Maybe some of you are having your own personal suffering you've lost a loved one or in your you were the joy it's almost like the Angels are mocking us away. When is a joy but is enjoying about an opportunity to go shopping as a message of Christmas letter shop or let it snow.

No messages let us worship in the messages Emmanuelle's conduits were not alone. Why, according to the Angels number one we have a Savior. He came to save us from the power and penalty of sin.

Whatever you're going through in life. If you're a Christian.

Remember you have a Savior.

He has butchered send as far away from you as the east is from the west and when a Christian leaves this earth we go straight to heaven. So with the angel coming to the shepherds.

They were in celebrating this first Christmas that sort of like heaven and earth were celebrating it together. The portal was opened up to glory in these shepherds are seen the supernatural world heavenly world. Sometimes we think of the millions of miles away. I think it's much closer to thin veil separate from this place and it's like the veil is pulled back in the shepherds can see and there's this big celebration in heaven and on earth about the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ and we have a Savior that's the most important thing because mom were missing someone, we think, man I wish we could be with me right now.

Maybe it's a fun moment only he could see this beautiful lights on the trees of the could see this this president they could see that this little angel over here.

The conceit skews me there looking that God in his radiant glory, not your cheek. Christmas lights there looking at real angels, not plastic. One there in God's presence, not just opening a present. I think instead they're sitting in heaven to get moment. I wish they could see this and if we put our trust in Christ. One day we will within will be reunited.

We have a Savior number two. We have a Christ verse 11 is born you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord Christ means anointed one.

Another word for that is Messiah Jesus was the fulfillment of God's promise to send his son as the Messiah. And this is a simple reminder that God keeps his promises. God's also the Messiah, the Messiah came, godly promises to you, don't keep them in the aftermath of arson going to be with the Lord were in words we wrote me a beautiful letter one wears visa was a pastor for many years, written some fantastic Bible commentaries, among other things he said to me we live on promises, not explanation like because the thing that comes your mind at a time like this is why why why would God allow this. Why would this happen. And of course the answer is we don't know. But then there are the promises.

What are the promises will Jesus promised to never leave us or forsake us. God promises in Romans 828 the work all things together for good to those that loved him and the called according to his purpose. Doesn't say you'll make bad things good because bad things are bad things, but it says despite the bad things, good things will happen in your line. Jesus promises that he will come again and receive us unto himself. The Bible promises we will see our loved ones again. We have a Savior we have a Christ.

And lastly we have the Lord, I want to send me a Lord means we have a sovereign God who is in control of our lives. Listen God decide to date of your birth. God decides to date of your debt. You have nothing to say about them. Sometimes we just don't get it. Someone is to be 90 BC will that that's good. They lived a nice long line 7 is to be nine or nine months or nine minutes. We sit down that's just not fair. That's just not right will understand the statements on those thoughts, but God's in control he's in control of my mind and guess what I'm indestructible until God is done with me, but when that day comes for me to go. I'm in a go when that day comes for you to go you're going to go to but the good news is is a Christian the Angels and grab you on the Tiki White. The presence of the Lord to hear something I would say to you on a practical note, you may not be able to give everything you can give this Christmas and you may not get everything you hope to receive this Christmas, but enjoy those in between moments. Take lots of pictures, take lots of video because right now I know that Levi and Jenny are pouring over photos in there like gold to them and I know that because I poured over photos of my son. Many many times and still do, and that those things you click click click even the boring ones. You know that maybe you didn't delete or throw away another memory on a person's heart frankly but in time it brings a sense of comfort.

You know that pictures not them, but the incident to record and so don't take for granted. Your grandparents, your parents, your husband, your wife, your sons or daughters, your grandchildren know you have no guarantee they'll be her next Christmas. You have no guarantee you'll be here next Christmas so little and savor the moment and remember the real message insert a set aside all these other things that we become preoccupied with the say hey man, I have a Savior. I have a Lord, I have a Christ. I have his promises and I'll see him one day soon and I'll be reunited with all of those loved ones that I've been separated from now this message I given today for believers only. If you're a visitor here, and you never put your faith in Christ all these promises I've shared they're not for you. They don't apply to you, but they can apply to you back to an earlier statement. God is a room reserved for you in heaven.

Would you like to move in auto again and how much will it cost you couldn't afford it but good news. He paid the price.

His blood was shed he died on the crush of that sweet baby in the manger. When the cross and died for the sins of the world and rose again from the dead and now he stands at the door of your life in the Knox and says if you hear his voice and open the door he will come in and then you can know that you have your eternal future taking care. Big Frank little and you their home for Christmas and their heavenly heavens are homeowners were just passing through our life is like a vapor of smoke that appears for a moment and vanishes away like a story that's already been told to be a good story to be a story that glorifies God for the time you have, then you have the hope of your future home.

But if you've not believed in Jesus to give you an opportunity to ask him in your life right now because he's here with us in this place and he's ready to come in your life and forgive you of all of your sin. If you've not done that you can do it right now and if you fall away from the Lord you want to come back to him. You can do that as well so organa Bauer had someone in a praying if you need to make a commitment recommitment to Christ respond to this invitation.

Right now, father, thank you for your word. Thank you for sending Jesus Lord Jesus, thank you for coming. And now I pray for these that are hearing this message that may not yet know you help them to see their need for you help them to turn from their sin and put their faith in you. Help them to come to you now. We pray no other heads of God and her eyes are closed and were praying.

How many of you would say today. Greg, I want Jesus Christ to come in my life.

I want to know that when I die I will go to heaven.

I want my sin forgiven. I want Jesus Christ to come and live in me. Pray for me.

I'm ready to say yes to Jesus that your desire. If you want Christ to come into your life if you want him to forgive you of your sin if you want to go to heaven when you die, would you raise your hand upright know wherever you want.

I'll pray for you raise your hand.

Let me pray for you publish here in the front row. God bless you. God bless you in the balcony. Just raise your hand.

A pyrite can see it please you want God's forgiveness. You want your guild taken away.

You want Jesus to come in your life. Raise your hand and God bless you and you bless each one of others that are watching. I can see you at harvest orange county or harvest Riverside are choosing harvest orange trust or outside here in the amphitheater.

The court building, but God sees you, would you raise your hand up as well you that are watching this God speaking to you. You need to make this commitment, recommitment to Jesus. Raise your hand. Anybody else now give it raise your hand yet lifted up a preview. You want Christ in your life you fallen away from the Lord you want to come back to raise your hand upon me.

Pray for you accomplish common outgoing view that a razor again wherever you are, to stand your feet nominally join a prayer we'll be asking Jesus to come in your life to stand up.

That's right standup. You will be the only one standing. God bless you, others are standing right now. Are you one of them end up standup.

Wherever you are, stand even if you did not raise your hand but you want to make this commitment to Christ. Stand up and I'll lead you in a prayer you guys watching this right now stand your feet right where you are standing. Anybody else that no outside during the amphitheater standup away.

Another moment you want Jesus Christ to come in your life you want to be forgiven of your sin. Stand your feet and lead you in prayer accomplish anybody else that might be a few more away one more moment to pray together. The Bible says whoever calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved will be doing that in our prayer. One final moment stand out, publish our knowledge and understanding of much of the pray this prayer out loud after me.

This is where you're asking Christ to come in your life again as I pray pray this out loud after me right resisting okay for this now, Lord Jesus, I know I'm a sinner but you were born in the manger and you died on the cross for my sin.

I'm sorry for my sin.

Today I turn from it now. Come into my life be my Savior be my Lord be my God, be my friend. I choose to follow you, Jesus.

From this moment forward in Jesus name I pray, amen