For Unto Us, A Child Is Born

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I can't do that. Do you feel like your efforts to reach God. Find God, and please God. If you do you feel like your faith is dead or alive today. Pastor Russ Andrews will walk us through Scripture to answer these questions join us on finding purpose of local Triangle ministry glorifying God by helping men find their purpose for living. For more information and to connect with Russ Andrews and finding purpose could visit us online@findingpurpose.net connect with us on Facebook. Now let's listen to Russ Andrews as he teaches us how to be a Christian without being religious.

Think about the link Activity will be looking at verses one through 15.

That's as far as I can get to my appetite tonight's message for him to us a child is born, Jeffrey table, a British missionary inner combat on June 29, 1950, where he witnessed the last days of Tibetan independence and was soon imprisoned by the invading Chinese Army and his captors forced him to march day and night across frozen mountain until he despaired of life. Late one afternoon he staggered into a small village where he was given an upstairs room that have been swept clean and was warmed by a small burning star Coburn inside and after a very meager supper. He was ordered by his captors to go downstairs and feed the horses and that he was extremely weak. He said he managed to stagger down the ladder when he found himself outside in a stall in a in pitch blackness and he said it was extremely cold and totally dark. His boots squished in the manure on the floor. The smell from the animals he said was nauseating. He was cold, wary, lonely and sick and understandably he began to feel sorry for himself. Then as I continue to grow my way in the darkness. He later wrote it suddenly flashed in my mind what day is this he began to ponder about this city and in traveling. He says I lost track of time, suddenly came to me this Christmas Eve ass that's stood still in that oriental manger to think that my Savior was born in a place just like this to think that he came all the way from heaven to some wretched Eastern stable and what is more, to think that he came from the he would underwrite how mankind beautifies the cross and the career as if to hide the fact that at birth. We resigned our Savior to the stench of animals in it – exposed him to the shame of criminals. I returned to the warm clean room which I enjoyed as a prisoner and fail to my knees with a heart full of thankfulness and worship me of the incarnation is a mystery beyond human understanding.

We just can't put our minds around. Malcolm Muggeridge said it so well the coming of Jesus into the world is the most stupendous event in the history of mankind. Paul writes of Jesus's humiliation in flipping chapter 2 verses five through eight, and by the way, this is in owe him that God the Holy Spirit let the apostle Paul to include in his letter to the Philippians inside them when it wasn't God's word. It wasn't inspired until I became part of the canon of Scripture, even those written if all I'm saying.

It became part of God's word when when God led Paul to lift this him and included into his word.

His what Paul wrote. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus, who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grass, but made himself what nothing made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death, even death on a cross. We will not fully understand all that Jesus gave up and coming to this earth to save us until we see the glories of heaven with our allies that brings us to look chapter 2 where we read about the incarnation of Christ, by the way, the word incarnation simply refers to God taking on human flesh member Emmanuelle God with us.

God became a man in John one it says in the beginning was the word in the Word was with God in the ward was to God. In verse 14 says in the word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. John writes we have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only, who came from the father full of grace and truth.

Luke chapter 2 verse one in those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. This was the first census that took place while while Corp. car radius was governor of Syria and everyone went to their own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea and Avon that he was headed south. It was he was going up his June Georgia was up on a hill such as Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.

He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.

While they were there the town came the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the in.

This is a very familiar story. And so what I hope tonight that you will that God will be able to reveal to you the that this is not an ordinary story is an extraordinary story since the beginning of time.

This is what I want you to really see history has been unfolding.

According to God's sovereign plan and it will never deviate you know why God is in total control of world history and he's moving along by his sovereign power and providential hand history truly is his story.

Daniel 425 declares this truth the most high is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and he gives them to anyone he wishes.

That's why we shouldn't worry about elections.

Even though we do think God raised up kings and he brings them down and whoever's in the White House was the prime minister of Israel, whoever's the present of any nation. God can use them according to his will and he does thus troubleshoot arrest, knowing that he's in control.

Not only is this true that God is sovereign of the kingdoms of man, but according to Proverbs 21 one the king's heart is like channels of water in the hand of the Lord. He turns it wherever he wishes and other wars God can take a man, even a Caesar and making her do what he wants in the day that the time of Jesus's birth a pagan rule by the name of Caesar Augustus ruled the world, the Roman empire. At this point what was at its zenith wrong and Augustus had conquered every known enemy so there was peace I think is called Pax Romana that right Jeff, it makes the piece of what wrong but it was a dark place like peace in Germany. When Hitler wrote in him because the Roman Empire was ruled over by an evil dictator Caesar Augustus was the first Emperor, by the way, to be called Augustus which that word means holy or revered. See the Romans considered him to be our God historian John Buchanan records it would. Caesar Augustus Dodd men actually cover themselves reflecting that Augustus was a God, and the gods do not die little to the Romans realized that he was just a man in the hands of an all-powerful God and it just the right time God used a pagan ruler to bring to fulfillment the greatest event in the history of the world is without you guys the grass tonight.

God is in control. This Québec approximate thousand years a thousand years before the birth of Christ to a little town known as Bethlehem, which was written originally known as F Roth is a hard worker professionals spit on myself appear after rough getting you not sit right here you need windshield wipers easy right there in the little town of Bethlehem lipid young shepherd boy by the name of what David Saul. You may remember, was Israel's first king, and he had disobeyed God, he had disappointed God said the Lord removed him as king and then God told Samuel I want you to go to Bethlehem to the house of Jesse to anoint one of his sons as a king. Nobody goes there and he says branches sons.

The notice will came out first and he said, not him. All Augustine not him brought annex 21 through six of Mrs. Joshua in a none of them getting Vasanthi to give this Dave got there a stinker that she will bring them in here and assume the sender so David God said that is the one missing man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks at what the heart David was anointed as the new king of Israel and thus Bethlehem became known as the town of Davis were David grew up is where he was taking care of the sheep when King David came to power he began to rule over his vast empire when it's reached when when it reached its zenith and data one that was looking at the house he built for himself and he said you know what we got God of his in a little tent and so he had it in his heart. He was a good thing you want to build a house for God, but God had other plans. And second, simmer chapter 7, the prophet Nathan comes to David with a message from God is in any said, the Lord declares to you David to the Lord himself will establish a house for you.

You got it backwards you not will step house for God's will establish one for you. And when your days are over and you rest with your father's.

That is when you're getting very I will raise up your offspring from your very seed to succeed you one who will come from your own body and I will establish his kingdom.

He is the one who will build a house for my name and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever looking at was he talking about some of the kingdom of God.

The kingdom of heaven. Listen, is still king the last issue last forever.

When Jesus took the full pallet pilot asked him are you the king of the Jews, Jesus said, is that your idea or did others talk to you about me dear that Jesus was trying to pilot a chance. The one the ones who brought Jesus to pilot will more guilty than pallet. The pilot still stands for God else to the margin it was your people and your chief priests who handed you over to make what you've done in Jesus did answer his question. He often he didn't and he often answer the question that she should've asked this in my kingdom is not of this world.

If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from a another place.

When we pray all we pray all the time that kingdom come, thy will be done where on earth as it is in heaven? My ward one day Jesus is going to return to this earth. He's going to establish his earth on this. His throne on this are essential to establish it in the new Jerusalem and he's going to take his seat on the seat of David is normal for how long. Forever you want to be part of the kingdom. Do you want to be part of the kingdom history is marching towards an incredible climax when one day the clouds will part and there was the Jesus returning it says Revelation 17 and every eye will see him. However, when he returns. The majority of the world. The vast majority of your friends will be called totally off guard and then when he appears it will be too late.

History is marching onward, and this is going to happen before you know it one day, one day is coming back and I can't wait now let's fast forward 300 years from we went back a thousand years Nellis come for 300 years from the prophet Nathan to the prophet Micah who lived in the southern kingdom of Judah. I want you to understand what I'm about to say because it's so important that you understand the pinpoint accuracy of God's word, the judge there were tubular to Bethlehem's and Israel. Not one.

One was in the north.

It was part of the tribe of Zebulun, the other one is one that will familiar with this when we talk about a Christmas or little town of Bethlehem using Judea in the region of Africa is another one of those words wisely so important because his his skull show you how accurate God's word is Mike about this is what you Bethlehem which one Afro thoughts, but you, Bethlehem, Afro Africa, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come up only one who will be rule over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times. How old are Jesus's times eternal he's he's the eternal God existed before the creation of the world. Joseph and Mary lived in Nashville. The town in Galilee. He was 80 miles north of Bethlehem and she was now in her ninth month she was about to give birth, so God's word was actually in jeopardy was from from an earthly perspective. What if his promise to Micah failed. What if the son to be born Jesse born in Nazareth.

Would God have failed to see God never fails. His word always comes true to what happened is this God moved upon the mind of Caesar Augustus, it was like putting his hand and he was a greedy and ruthless dictator is the adjuster to cloud his way to power by defeating Anthony and Cleopatra at the Battle of Actium, off the western coast of Greece in 31 BC Jonah that he was the great grandson I believe of Julius Caesar, and he had a hold on power. He wrote his kingdom with an iron fist how he needed money and men to maintain control of the Empire. So what did he do, he issued an edict: for census which required every man in the entire Roman empire to return to his birthplace to be counted. That way they could draft them and tax them.

Yet it thus with that decree.

A poor carpenter in this pregnant teenage wife made her weary 80 mile journey from Nazareth to the little town of Bethlehem and little did they realize that the unseen hand of God was at work fulfilling prophecy. You see that in the if that doesn't make you realize. I think sometimes we write a good how you will decide a history of that there's no other book like this. This is evidence that this is God's word in his proof. If you got an open mind. That is the word of God and that when you read one proposition here than you shouldn't believe the rest of them. Did you know that for every prophecy that Jesus was going to come the first time there.

Eight for the second coming 8217*you believe in the second coming that day. I believe it eight times more than the first, and obligate the first garment to look at verse four. Again, so Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David as he belonged to the house and line of David DC volute Pisa Dr. buddies a master historian and he want to give an accurate account of every single detail what is he doing this so will what belief do you believe Stephan on the day as he went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.

I found this amazing both Joseph and Mary came from a lot of David judge hometown just happened to be Bethlehem, which one Africa. This is evidence that the Bible truly is like no other book in the world. Second Timothy 37 16 says all Scripture is what God brief is what I believe.

I believe it when God chose the 40 man that wrote the entire Bible of the 1500 years that he used their personalities and the individual writing styles, but he breathed into them, his word and it appeared on the pages of Scripture and it contains the breath of life me this is a book that brought the country's band because he cannot control it in a while they can control it because it changes a man's life when you read it and if you can't stop it when you do you get rid of it.

That's why the tearing down churches in Shauna and destroying the Bible and banded it in places. And yet we got which circular bobbles of here in America and what we do with the Bible, put on the bedside table. If you have one ticket out of school. That's what we do with it heaven and earth will pass away, but my word will stand forever.

You believe that I do. When you pick up the Bible your reading the works of God that he breathed into existence when he movement to write down his word. This war, the Bible contains life-giving words from God. We don't worship the Bible but we love it just the word of God to look at verses six and seven while they were there, the time came for the baby to be born. She gave birth to her firstborn son.

She wrapped him in close and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the in. Think about how simple that statement is to describe the greatest event in the history of the world you have been… Entirely different is rotted on how to chose a city like London or New York or Bethel. I would've selected the daughter of nobility. I would have brought forth my son in a place where the theme such as a royal palace or stately castle. I would've announced his coming into the world with a shower of meteorites like fireworks going off in the sky so that everyone in the world would know that something special was taking place which is a guest on the way God works God's ways are different from our ways instead of announcing the birth of his son to the world, God sent an angel with good news to a few lowly insignificant shepherds about the delay. Worthless are lucky the families Sorely don't matter to community college camouflage shorts and I salute you. You will fit right in and like them talk about what to shepherds who had the field. He liked the Han look at verses eight through 15 and there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel Lord appeared to them and he grew in the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you is the Messiah, the Lord, and this will be assigned to you. You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger, but was some say swaddling clothes that look that up. You will swaddling assets when they take the blanket in the wrap up the baby like this so I can enter itself. You know what is sleeping at night that swaddling rags wrapped around the baby and then look at this verse, verse 18 assists suddenly CD13 a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and sent glory to God in the highest and on earth peace and goodwill to man on whom his final rest. When the angels had left them in going to heaven, the shepherds said to one another. Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that is happened which the Lord has told us about each other. Shepherds were considered outcasts. The only people lower than them were lepers. And yet God chose to bring this good news. The message of hope to the lowest of all people on earth. A little group of shepherds.

Paul writes in first point in chapter 1 verses 26 through 28 brothers.

Think of what you were when you were called to. It is not true that you not many of you were wise by human standards, not many will influential not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things and the things that are not, to nullify the things that are think about member the store sugar in a shoebox joists. I think about David Schellhammer who was the down syndrome son of my favorite professor at Southeastern who love Jesus with all of his heart only wanted for Christmas work book and Burton's birthdays were books about the Bible and commentaries.

He was 3170 group you want just to be a preacher. He loved Jesus then this give you hope you gratitude. We don't have to be anyone special in the world for God to accept this cigar will just take us as we are on one condition we have to humble ourselves. We have to repent.

You see all God wants to see really and this is humility. He wants to. He does not want us he's not. He does not come to a man who is self-reliant and that's the way a lot of successful men are made. I'm a self-made man good way to you.and Tim have self-made you are for this lowly group shepherds not only to God's and one angel.

He seen a multitude of angels, not 5950, not 1500 but a heavenly host that I believe was beyond number. Some scholars believe it was all the angels left in heaven who do not rebel with Satan in the one third edited cover the angels covered from horizon to horizon like a great choir singing glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to men on whom his Federalist is a God did this just a few shepherds. He seated he says in Ephesians 320. Our desire to do exceedingly abundantly beyond anything that you could ever hope for. Imagine to this the God that we serve. Our desire to do exceedingly abundantly beyond anything that you could hope for, or desire, and that's what's waiting for us in heaven is not about what we're going to get is horribly who don't agree with God is come about when they to establish his kingdom on earth.

And that's the hope that I live with and that's what I'm living for, but is looking for men who are humble in heart, and who knows they need a Savior. See a lot of people get offended when you may not need a Savior, not lost dish you are but you're blind to it were all lost when were born see Jesus is our example he humble himself came from the glories of heaven, and he wasn't born into a noble family, but a poor peasant couple in a filthy stable insignificant town among the wretched smell of being a Christian is not about being religious but about having a dynamic alive relationship with Jesus Christ you been listening to finding purpose with pastor Russ Sanders, a local triangle ministry glorifying God by helping men and their purpose for living.

You can discover more about finding your purpose in life by checking out the resources purpose.net will connect to finding purpose on Facebook pastor Russ would also like to extend a special invitation for you to join him in over 300 other local tribal men to study God's word together every Tuesday night at 7 PM in downtown Raleigh.

Find out more@findingpurpose.net.

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