Let's Hear God's Voice in a Baby's Cry, Part 1

It's not uncommon to hear the Christmas during year after year because it's so familiar to us begin to tune out the storyline rather than revel in the glorious details. Sometimes we rush from the angel's announcement right to the manger without truly engaging in the miraculous moments of Christmas today on Insight for living. Chuck Swindoll continues his brand-new miniseries repaired to help us savor every detail will be teaching from Luke chapter 2 Chuck titled this next message in the holiday series. Let's hear God's voice and a babies cry, returning to a very familiar passage in two as we read the words that often leave us with our lips moving because we know these verses by heart. At least some of them as they speak of that first arrival of Jesus, and in such a lonely, humble setting is will hear about a few moments. Here is this teenage couple all alone in the inner place they've never been before.

And here she is, without help bury her firstborn child, Joseph a bit. No doubt a bit bewildered with all of that goes with that helping as best he could. It's easy to let much of that human element pass over in our minds because of the familiarity of verses but must not do that is pause long enough to picture the scene as we read of it and look to the first several verses I'll be reading from the new living translation.

You follow along as you have your Bible open will all stand together.

Out of respect for the word of God obligated verse one to at the time the Roman Emperor Augustus decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria. All return to their own ancestral talents. We would use the words County seat to register for this senses and because Joseph was a descendent of King David.

He had to go to Bethlehem Judea, David's ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee, he took with him Mary his fiancée, who was now obviously pregnant while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. She gave birth to her first child, son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them that night.

There were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared among them and the radiance of the Lord, the Lord's glory surrounded them, they were terrified.

But the angel reassured them. Don't be afraid.

He said I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior yes, the Messiah, the Lord has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David, and you will recognize him by this sign you will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth lying in a manger.

Suddenly the angel was joined by a vast host of others. The armies of heaven, praising God and saying, glory to God in the highest heaven and peace on earth to those with whom God is. Please.

When the angel had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other. Let's go to Bethlehem let's see this thing that has happened which the Lord has told us about and sought a very real sense we return again today in our minds. Imagining the scene envisioning what it must've been like for this brand-new baby to be born in this humble setting you're listening to Insight for living to search the Scriptures with Chuck Swindoll. Be sure to download his searching the Scriptures. Studies by going to Insight world.org/studies. Today's message is titled let's hear God's voice and a babies cry well is almost here just about just a day or two and just be the joy of opening all his gifts and having fun with the family or friends is just can't help but bring back memories of that surprises in your past as well as maybe a few disappointments I members a teenager I was playing basketball, outback and shooting baskets up against the garage memorized to do that in the my my rubber basketball had about three patches in the double-blind to glue on it and and I started about August hitting. I'd really like to have a new rubber basketball for Christmas and my folks did not have a clue about sports. They were in the education they were serious and here I was going to talk about basketball not They know it will be great. I'll be a better student. If I can enjoy the little exercise outback save better shape. You know, I headed hitting the in about three or four days before Christmas, the box appeared under the under the tree exactly the right side. I shook it a smell of it. I nobody was around untrodden take a peak in the been the wrapping. You couldn't get into it with a tie on Christmas morning when his dog over the gifts and my turn came I toward that thing like a banshee and there it was a brand-new Rand McNally world Atlas world globe right there.

Try to dribble a world globe are chewed a jump shot with the world globe moments that you're going to need that glue Sunday. I thought you might not right now I don't speak of surprises already cute stories sometime back of three brothers who had grown up their dad died rather early so their mother had really endeared herself to them during their college and and a young adult years. He absolutely adored her. And interestingly, all three of them became successful in a different realms. The first one was a homebuilder and the boys got there on the men got their heads together one Christmas just before the day and they said to each other. Boy we got plans for mom.

The older brothers that I have I in in my homebuilding I guide I built her a beautiful big new house, and Christmas day a minute driver over to it. Sure to her she's to love it and the second son who would made his fortune in the luxury car dealerships. He owned several Sidwell I picked out a Mercedes 600 SL, the giver, along with that a driver for the rest of her life shall have wheels shall have a great vehicle and shall have is got a driver were resumes to go. Can't wait to give it to her. The third and smiling the whole time.

Sidwell I will give her apparent and they looked at him like he was from another planet easy limited to several months ago I had a priest tell me about this parent that 20 of the priests in the church had been training to to quote every verse in the Bible you now.

Mama will send us a note and always put a verse on it. We are growing up should always add a person Scriptures are. She's got a new's name.

The chapter and the burst and that parent or spit it out for that parents.

You will know what it caught well have got to give the church $100,000 for 10 years, but it's worth it it's worth it because she will use this parent and have enjoyed for the rest of well Christmas day came and the day of reckoning.

She finally wrote a thank you note to each of the boys and she said to Melvin, the oldest, she said that Melvin you are very, very thoughtful, big Dick to give me this great big house was to be only live into three rooms and and furthermore it it's up hassle to keep it clean. I got a heart to people now to keep it clean.

I will send you a bill for those two people every week that again to come over to clean his big house, but I think so she writes to Marvin Miller said is a beautiful car but I don't drive and I don't travel in all my groceries are delivered to me and furthermore the drivers got a bad attitude.

I'm not crazy about the whole thing. Not thank you for the car but said Mitchell that there is some great thank you. Love it is that it's wonderful and I appreciate so much the gift by the way, it was delicious. It was just the listen model.

I got another cute story that I came across a muddy city to be Christmas time. All kind of surprises happen or will Smith a store manager for Best Buy in Augusta, Georgia. During this Christmas season told the police that he observed of a male customer who was on surveillance cameras putting a laptop computer under his jacket when he was confronted the man became irate, not down the another employee drew a knife and ran for the door just outside on the sidewalk were four Marines collecting toys for the toys for tots program.

Smith said the Marines stop the man but he stabbed one of the Marines. Cpl. Philip Duggan in the back. The injury didn't appear to be severe, but after the police and an ambulance arrived at the scene. Cpl. Duggan was transported for treatment in the subject was also transported to the local hospital with two broken arms, broken ankle broken leg several missing teeth possible broken ribs, multiple contusions, assorted lacerations of broken nose and a broken jaw injuries he sustained they said when he slipped off the curb after stabbing the Marine God bless the Marine Corps praise now. I think that you do it now to tell you about the most surprising gift of all. And what a privilege it is to do it. This is my 56th Christmas message by and I'll lose them if excited about this as I was about first when I was really nervous. I'm not nervous now. I'm just excited to tell you about God's special gift to all of us is love gift from heaven he could have given us anything and he gave us his best gift John tells us God so loved the world, put your name there.so love you, that he gave you his only begotten son that if you believe in him, you will never perish, but you will have everlasting life.

God save his very best gift a sacrificial gift and gave them to us. When Paul wrote about that gift. Years later he use these words. Thank God for his gift to wonderful for words. Listen to the way others have paraphrased or translated.

Second Corinthians 915 thanks be to God.

JB Phillips paraphrases for his indescribable generosity James Moffitt for his unspeakable gift. The good news Bible for his priceless gift. Chrysostom uses the rare term ineffable is an old word, ineffable. This word prompted another man's right wing what God bestows is ineffable.

What must the gift be himself.

I noticed is the tendency of artists to portray this gift to wonderful for words in an overstated manner. By that I mean they will add to the little infant a halo or they'll put in our glowing aura about the child and make him look angelic. It was none of that in appearance he just looked like any other Jewish baby.

The truth is talk about surprises God who came to earth to live among us did not come as a regime for a window or in the devouring fire commanding the world to bow down and worship. No, what stands out is a term that no great king ever used what stands out is the humility of it all. The obscurity of it because we know most people will never go to Israel.

You have to imagine a place like Bethlehem or even shelter behind the place of lodging which they found, for they would stay. One man writes unimaginably, the maker of all things shrank down down down so small as to be common ovum, a single fertilized egg, barely visible to the naked eye and a that would divide and re-divide until Ephesians took shape, enlarging cell by cell inside a nervous teenager. Another wrote immensity cloistered in the ideal. The way the poet John Donne put it, he made himself nothing, or you remember Paul's words, he humbled himself and became a servant presenting his third message brand-new holiday series you're listening to Insight for living in the Bible teaching of Chuck Swindoll. He titled today study in Luke chapter 2. Let's hear God's voice in a baby's cry to learn more about this ministry.

Visit us online@insightworld.org will check is in the studio today prepared to share some personal comments just for our listening family, but first I like to remind you that insight for living ministries has set aside several books that are likely become treasured heirlooms among your family the kind of Bible study tools you will be referencing for years to come. For instance, when you visit our online store you'll find the Swindoll study Bible. This represents the culmination of Chuck's lifelong pursuit of biblical understanding contained in one book and alongside the new living translation of the Bible. The Swindoll study Bible comes in a variety of cover preferences. Plus when you're online, you discover the check has just completed the entire New Testament commentary series in 16 hardbound volumes in January will begin an exhaustive study through the first gospel, Matthew, we recommend that you purchase when dolls living insights commentary for Matthew ahead of time because of its enormity. This commentary comes into hardbound volumes to place your order.

Call us if you're listening in the United States dial 1-800-772-8888 or go to Insight.org/store is hardly a nation in the world and hasn't suffered from the complications of this coronavirus the 2020 pandemic that spread like wildfire has become truly global. The insidious blog is crossed every border broken every barrier humanity is placed in his way.

In spiritual terms.

Clomid has spread like humans sinful nature without prejudice. The diseases violated every continent on the globe justice in courses through the veins of every man, every woman, every child in this world well and Insight for living ministries were painfully aware of the collateral damage caused by the pandemic of man's sin, let alone the global suffering caused by the coronavirus, but in both cases, we know that God is neither surprised nor stymied God as the answer is not the problem, and our greatest calling is to point our suffering world to the one who is able to save us remarkably while churches in much of our economy were obstructed through 2020 Insight for living never missed one day a Bible teaching. Not one. In fact, our mission to reach all 195 countries of the world through vision 195 moved ahead without hindrance, and if the compounding events of 2020 taught us anything, it's certainly true that our lives are fragile. Our times are volatile and our need for a Savior's origin. So let me ask, won't you join me in giving generously to the mission of insightful living ministries. Think about that question. But teaching God's word. We will serve as a calming voice of stability you could have a part in that as we point people to the Savior in every corner of the world you can do that with us. So let's do this together.

Let's do this now while there's still time and people are hurting so deeply. Jesus said we must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent us for the night is coming when no one can work. Thanks for hearing me I'm speaking today from my heart. I look forward to receiving your hearing. Give that generous gift you send and send to us soon. Perhaps you're in a position to give on behalf of others come to rely on Insight for living. Just as someone once did for you. Your generosity right now will arrive at just the right time.

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The preceding message.

Let's hear God's voice and her babies cry was copyrighted in 2019 and 2001 and the sound recording was copyrighted in 2020 by Charles R. Swindoll. All rights are reserved worldwide. Petitioner copyrighted material for commercial use is strictly prohibited