God With Us | Pastor Daniel Batarseh

What an honor it is to be able to celebrate our Lord and

savior. What a precious privilege and

Grace for us to be able to gather together around one

common desire. Hoping that's the exalt, the

person of Jesus Christ, we did it in song and now we will do it

in the hearing and the proclamation and prayerfully in

the obedience to the word of God.

I hope you have your Bibles tonight because I encourage you

to turn with me in your copy of God's word and the gospel of

Matthew chapter 1. What a day to be a Christian.

Matthew 1 · chapter mention

Let's pray. One more time, shall we?

Louis, thank you. We thank you that in so much

Darkness, we can sense your light.

We thank you that as we are surrounded by so much chaos and

confusion, we sense, you're anchoring, peace, we feel

secure, we feel hopeful and Lord in this moment tonight we pray

that you would only intensify that that sense of glory.

Lord, we already admit that we will fail and attempting to

describe your beauty. Your majesty in your wisdom.

But we ask that with our limited language and our limited

capacity to understand that you would work in our hearts and our

minds and our you would help us. See Christ.

Christ incarnate Christ, and coming into this world to rescue

men. We pray Lord, that there would

be Redemption tonight, that there'd be genuine salvation,

that there will be even Revival Lord.

We pray that this Christmas weekend would serve as a Revival

that you would rejuvenate our faith and our devotion.

Going into the new year, with new mandates, with new

standards, with a new way of life lore, we need a fresh touch

from Even a fresh touch Lord Kill lukewarmness Tonight,

destroy unbelief, rescue us from any sin that has dominance over

us. And Lord, we just pray that you

would be exalted. You would be exalted Lord, we do

not take it for granted that we are in a church building

tonight. We are extremely grateful

grateful for people that want to be here.

Grateful for people that are not afraid of sickness.

Help us help us remain Fearless in a fearful time.

In Jesus name we pray. Amen. the gospel of Matthew

Matthew 1 · chapter mention

chapter 1, beginning in verse 18, we read Now, the birth of

Jesus Christ, took place in this way.

When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph before they

came together, she was found to be with child from the Holy

Spirit and her husband. Joseph being a just man and

unwilling to put her to shame resolved to divorce her quietly.

But as he considered these things behold, an angel of the

Lord appeared to him in a dream saying Joseph, son of David do

not fear to take Mary as your wife for that which is Even in

her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son and you

shall call his name Jesus for. He will save his people, from

their sins. All this took place to fulfill

what the Lord had spoken. By the prophet.

Behold, the Virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and

they shall call his name Emmanuel.

Don't answer audibly. But how many babies do you think

are born worldwide every single day?

Please do answer audibly. If you guessed close to 400,000,

you're right. There are three hundred.

And eighty-five thousand babies, born World ride every single

day. By midnight tonight, there will

be close to 400,000 children entering into this world.

And what's amazing about that though it is a large number, it

does not diminish, the intrinsic value that each child carries

and it does not dilute the almost miraculous event of a

baby that was inhabiting. Another humans womb for nine

months, all for sudden comes comes into this world flesh and

blood. So innocent so vulnerable, so

dependent. and it causes us to wonder even though it is so

common, it still causes us to be an odd because such a thing

points to a Divine architect, And there is no doubt that when

we when we realize and contemplate conception and we

realize and contemplate the birth of a child, it is

extraordinary. And as extraordinary as every

single birth of a child maybe even though there may be close

to 400,000 a day, there is still one birth that surpasses them

all There is one birth that stands out in all of history and

it is the birth of a person named Jesus of Nazareth.

As Christians, we do not merely observe the birth of Jesus

Christ. As we do, our fellow loved ones,

many cultures, including our own take time, and effort to invest

in the birthday of another, to show them how much we appreciate

and love them. And how grateful we are that

they are present with us today but recognizing the birth of

Jesus Christ demands so much more than mere appreciation.

It is much more significant than that because his arrival, 2,000

years ago, goes beyond him, just making an impression on certain

Hearts during his lifetime. Oh, yes, it does.

The arrival of Christ into this world demands, more than just

some songs demands more than just an attendance demands true

heartfelt worship. True worship a surrendered life.

a sense of Inward bowing down continually, as we reflect on

the fact that God became a man because this birth 2,000 years

ago, impacts the Eternal destinations of those who choose

to believe in him. There is no other birth like

that, there is no other man like this.

The birth of Jesus Christ is not disconnected from his Redemptive

plan for Humanity. In fact, it is an integral part

for salvation to even be a possibility for us.

And tonight, as we gathered together, I want to contemplate,

I want to just consider three elements of the birth of Jesus

Christ. Number one, the men of his

birth. Number two, the reason for his

birth and number three, the Fulfillment of his birth.

And so we read in verse 18 down to verse 20, as you heard the

manner of the birth of the Lord. Jesus Christ.

After spending 17 whole versus to describe the human genealogy

of Jesus Matthews spends half. Of one verse to tell us about

his divine origins. This author inspired by the

spirit of God had to give necessary real estate to tell us

exactly where Jesus Christ came from in a legal sense.

To prove that he was in fact, that link to the davidic Royal

line. But then when it comes to his

eternal nature, We were merely told that he was conceived by

the Holy Spirit, it reminds us of the brevity of the creation

account, doesn't it? I always tell people.

It's amazing how much attention is given to a structure called

The Tabernacle? Close to 50 chapters in the

whole Bible is about a building that we don't even relate to.

And yet, one and a half chapters are given to us concerning

creation. That doesn't really satisfy the

Curious. Mind, does it, but it's by

Divine Design. And as we come here, we realize

that so much is given to the fact that Jesus Christ, which is

important concerning his Humanity, his historical

background, not as much as given.

There's not much expansion given to the fact that this is God

becoming man. How little detail is given to us

about how that process went about, just like, how we would

want to know how did God create everything from nothing?

We want to know, you gave his one and I have chapters and you

give it as 50 chapters of a building with every measurement

that we don't even need any more in the New Covenant.

Here we are. We're told God became man

conceived by the Holy Spirit. Well how, how does that take

place? It's a mystery.

It's the mystery of the Incarnation and if you sit on it

long enough, if you if you give your attention to it, more than

just your verse of the day, you'll find yourself wandering

into amazing imaginations. Better in light with scripture.

You know, when a baby is born, the loved ones and the parents

celebrate New Life. Something that wasn't or someone

that wasn't now is. And that's the miracle of of a

birth. That's the miracle of conception

and we praise God for his wisdom, that he orchestrated

Humanity to flourish in this way.

But in light of the birth of Christ, we don't celebrate New

Life. We celebrate the Fact, that God

always was. He always existed.

He didn't become someone as some would falsely suggest this God

who was the king and still is the king of glory.

The Ancient of Days, the beginning in the end, he became

a boy. You don't celebrate, Jesus

coming into existence, he always did exist.

We celebrate the fact that he wrapped himself with flesh and

blood I think about it longer, and you realize, That the God

who created Mary? is now the God who would be

carried in Mary's arms, And it was Charles Spurgeon who said?

Now wonder you Angels. The infinite has become an

infant. Think about it longer and you

realize that he who holds the systems of the universe and the

structure of our globe. Would one day be nurtured by two

imperfect parents? And this God, by the power of

His word would have his little fingers held by a young virgin

girl. And would be dependent upon the

milk. That would come from her

breasts. Deep meditation on this truth

will humble us. Because as you reflect on a you

are be holding a humble God. And though we are not giving

much information about the process.

How this went about how Jesus was fully God, fully, man, truly

God, truly man, there's a ceiling in our mind to even get

to the foothills of such a thought All we are told by God's

wisdom, is that he was conceived by the Holy Spirit and in God's

perfect wisdom, that is sufficient for every reader to

be totally convinced that this Jesus of Nazareth.

Was sinless. Though he was quietly woven in

the womb of Mary. Being fashioned to be as human

as any of us yet without the lacing of sin that we all

inherit at Birth. What?

Matthew by this spirit is saying, yes, he is human, but he

is not corrupt with Adam sinned. The Holy Spirit himself,

constructed him fashioned him designed him.

And yes, this king of glory. At one point became an embryo.

Why is understanding what we read in verse 18 down to verse

20? Why is this important?

Why is this detail? So crucial?

And how does it relate to us? Well, let me tell you this, the

conception and the birth of Jesus Christ was not a

supernatural, stunt void of purpose.

In fact, it was a necessary execution in order to secure or

even make possible your Redemption and mind.

Why? Because the Life of Christ was

substitutionary, In other words, the sinlessness of Jesus didn't

just stand in contrast to our sinfulness, no more than that.

It is the Perfection his Perfection that becomes our

Perfection upon the transfer of faith.

You see the righteousness that God demands is only found in the

possession of Christ person. There is no other life that will

satisfy God's righteous demands other than the person of Jesus

Christ. And this is important because

that Perfection found in Christ ever since he gave his first

cry, as a human to the moment where he hung his head and gave

his final breath. All of that, Perfection from

beginning to end becomes, H becomes the possession of the

Soul. Who Realizes that he needs the

transferable Obedience of the Lord Jesus Christ.

And when you come into Faith to Jesus Christ, when you give

yourself to him, what happens is that as you stand before God

with his record, you stand before God as though, you live

the life of Christ. In other words, the fact that he

was perfect from the moment that he entered into this world, to

the moment that he exited this world, everything in between

that a spotless and blameless record now has your name on it.

Upon faith. And so Christ being born of the

Holy Spirit was in just something to show that God can

make a child without the intimacy of a man and a woman it

was the ingredient that was necessary for you to even have a

chance to stand before a holy God.

And we see here that Jesus was born of the holy spirit, being a

crucial pillar to the Christian faith.

You can't be a Christian if you don't believe this.

But consider the Practical truth behind it.

We are told in verse 18 of the birth of Jesus Christ took place

in this way and Matthew what he's doing here, he's giving

Joseph's perspective on this event, he's giving Joseph's

perspective on this event. When his mother Mary had been

betrothed engaged to Joseph before they came together.

She was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit.

So, there was a moment where Joseph realized something about

his fiancee, she's pregnant and we didn't get married yet.

Before they came together now you and I know that this

pregnancy was inspired by the hand of God, Joseph didn't know

it at the moment. In fact, his mind went to what

your mind would go to. If you were surprised with such

a news, she was unfaithful to me.

She was unfaithful to me. And and this suspicion would

follow Mary and not just follow Mary.

The gospel tells us that it would follow Jesus, and his

critics, and the Skeptics. And his enemies would even use

this to scorn him and to mock him and to ridicule him.

So this woman here had a reputation.

Somehow word got around that Mary got pregnant and she didn't

marry Joseph yet. And Joseph finds out for

himself, and I almost makes you think, doesn't it?

Why did God do it in this way? Why did God do it in such a way

that he put Mary in a position to even be questioned to even be

a target of slander. And gossip could not have got

done it any other way? Well, we already heard one

reason why he did it this way. But I believe God Is providing a

principal for all generations. The core principle is the

theological pillar of the sinlessness of Jesus but I look

at this and I realize that Mary is an example.

An illustration that there is a high price to be used by God.

You want to be used by God? You want to be an instrument for

God's service? Great.

Maybe you already know it, maybe you don't let me remind you.

There is a price to pay. And this Sumerian gods eyes and

all the host of the Angel. Armies was highly favored, was

blessed. The face of God shined on her

with great. Great, great favor.

But if you want to be used by God, you want God's hand to be

on your life, you want God to use you for great things, you

want God to launch you into something. realize that as his

face will shine upon, you other phases will shun you You ready

to be judged, you're ready to be misunderstood you ready?

As you're trying to Faithfully serve, God, for people to gossip

and slander. You and to even hate you and

mock, you and even criticize you of doing something that you

never did. You want that?

You want to be used by Ghana? Well, we think about this, and

we have romanticized this right with the nice and tivity scene

and it's beautiful Know, This Woman, This Woman paid a price,

this woman almost lost her marriage and her obedience to

God. There's a high price to be used

by the Lord, but you read Mary and you never see her

complaining about it. You never see.

You're trying to defend yourself.

You never see, you're trying to retaliate.

You know why? Because who cares?

What men says when God has his light on you and his favor on

you and his hand upon you, when you know that your life is

pleasing your lord. Say what you want?

But this is more about Joseph's perspective, the marries and we

re here that Joseph comes, he learns this news and we are told

but he was a just man. And the nasb.

It uses the word righteous. He was a righteous man.

He was a righteous man. And his righteousness was proven

in this way that when he had figure it out, when he was told

that this was This was taking place that something happened

with Mary. He decided that he's going to

make this as private as possible.

He made a decision that, although he could not marry her,

he would not scandalize her. He would not embarrass her.

He would not expose her. and I read that and I realized

something very, very important if you go with the translation

that says righteous When you come to the New Testament after

you finish the Old Testament Library, the first book is

Matthew and the first chapter is what we're covering today.

And in the first time in the New Testament Library, you, and I

see the word righteous attributed to a man's actions.

The first mention of righteousness and connection to

a man and his conduct has to do with a decision, not to shame

somebody. In their sin, A person who knew

how to graciously handle the failures of others.

A person who in love. Decided to cover sin.

Instead of expose it and amplify it and spread it Joseph doesn't

seek revenge here. Joseph doesn't try to hurt Mary

even though he's a man, he's definitely hurt in this moment

because his mind is not is not seeing the supernatural behind

this. He's seeing the humanity of it,

and so, this man realizes what's going on here?

But he chooses, because he's a righteous man.

To keep it as low-key as possible to just move on with

his life. If you and I want an indicator

tonight of where we stand in terms of reflecting God's

character, can I encourage you to ask this question to

yourself, what do I do when I find out about somebody sin?

What do I do when somebody send against me?

What is my reflex when I've been wronged?

Righteousness is connected to a decision.

Not to further hurt someone who might have hurt you.

And you know what's amazing about this as somebody commented

I thought it was great. Imagine the embarrassment that

Joseph would have felt if he had publicized what Mary had done.

Apparently only to realize that he was wrong.

Only to realize that all of that was actually God's doing what a

wise man, what a wise man, he chose to keep it as private as

possible and although this man was not the actual father of the

Lord Jesus Christ, he was the legal father.

And I believe that he serves as an illustration of the attitude

of Jesus Christ, who would soon be born in his household.

Which brings us to our next point.

We covered the manner of his birth.

Now we consider the reason for his birth.

We are told in verse 21 After an angel of the Lord clarifies to

Joseph. About what is really happening

with Mary? We are told she will bear a son

and you shall call his name Jesus.

Why for he will save his people from their sins.

He did not come to shame. His people in their sins.

He came to save his people from their sins.

And we see that, even the verses prior to this, with the

genealogy, you know, this that Christ intentionally links

himself with four different women who did not have the most

impressive resumes and our Bibles.

Most of them are connected with idolatry.

Many of them are connected with sexual sin, unfaithfulness and

even perversion And yet Jesus from another world chose to

include them in this. Why?

Because he wants to even say through his genealogy, I did not

come to shame people in their sin but to save them and I'm not

afraid to associate my name with them.

Not because I condone it, but I've come to rescue people like

this. And what's amazing here, is that

often times when we read this verse, we immediately recognized

that when the Angels said this, that Jesus would come become a

man, and by becoming a man, he would receive the guilt of man's

sin. Be the object of God's Wrath and

then cancel the record of any of those who would give themselves

tin. But listen, if that's that's how

you understand. This verse, you have limited the

saving power of Jesus Christ. What I mean by that, if you

think that what this Angel is saying is that Jesus came to

remove the the debt and the legal demands that your

transgression and mind call for, you have limited, the saving

plan of Jesus Christ. And oftentimes, when we present

the gospel, that's what we tell people Christ will come.

Any race. Your record true.

Hallelujah. Amen.

But if this verse only meant that then perhaps the word that

would have been used this. For he will forgive his people

from their sins. Does it say that?

No, Does it include that absolutely and again.

Hallelujah. Amen.

But he says he will save them from their sins.

Save them from their sins. Save them from what will fill in

the blank. For, he will save his people

from the Love of Money. He will save his people from

anger and hatred. He will save his people from

pride and arrogance. He will save his people from

jealousy and envy. He will save his people from

idolatry selfishness self-exalting worship.

He will save his people from actual sin reigning and ruling

over your life. That's a complete gospel.

That's the purchase of Christ. That there is a present reality

to his saving work and not just some future thing that we hope

for you saying, what do you mean?

I mean this when the angel says he will come and save it does

not mean that he will just cancel our sin but he also

cleanse our hearts that precious blood on the beam of that cross

on the hill of Calvary does not just go into heaven and be

sprinkled upon an altar. That would give us entrance into

Glory that precious blood floods, the soul, And makes it

white as snow. And I've said it before, and

I'll say it again, that if you claim that Jesus Christ has

saved you, but Jesus Christ, did not change you then.

Jesus Christ did not save you. He didn't He didn't there is no

way. You cannot tell me that this

blood has been applied to your life and your priorities haven't

changed. And your passions haven't

changed and your attitude towards sin, hasn't changed and

your love for righteousness hasn't been enhanced.

Hasn't been made alive, how can it be?

Because we've been told something about the saving work

of Jesus, he will save his people from their sins.

Is there any ambiguity? There?

Is there any ifs and buts? It's a promise.

In other words, if we've claimed that he has saved us but there

is no changing in us, then somebody's a liar.

Somebody is a liar. I'm going to go with Jesus being

truthful. And I will not diminish, the

power of the Gospel to accommodate, what, people are

comfortable with this idea that I can claim that Jesus Is My

Savior, but I can be hesitant with my obedience to him.

No such thing. This gospel says that he will

save you from their sins. And what's amazing here, it says

that you shall call his name, Jesus, that was a command that

was an instruction. You have to make sure that Mary

calls this son Jesus. The Greek form of the Hebrew

word named Joshua, Joshua, which means Yahweh is salvation.

And those before this moment, who have bore the name through

their name testify, God is the one who truly brings Deliverance

all but when Bore the name. He was not testifying to God.

Being the deliverer. He was testifying.

I myself. Am the god who delivers?

Yahweh is salvation. I am Yahweh.

But it's amazing here because you know, the story of Joshua,

I'm sure. That wonderful Israel leader

that led the people into the promised land that led them into

the goodness of God, the Deliverance of God, the place

where he purchased for them to dwell.

And I believe that the reason why Jesus more than just the

definition of them and I believe Jesus was associated with the

name Joshua because you and I have the right to parallel the

leadership characteristics of Joshua of old and the Jesus, who

is our savior, what do I mean by that?

Think about it. This way, Joshua was the man

that God chose to lead the people into the promises of God.

To lead the people to know, Victory to lead, the people to

be exactly where God wanted them to be and how did how did Joshua

do that? Was it instantaneous, was it

just one step over into the Jordan River and everything was

just into the hands of the Israelites, or was it what you

see in the Book of Joshua that step by step bit by bit corner

by Corner stronghold? After strangled, it was a

process of seeing the people led by him.

To know, victory. And the Joshua of the New

Covenant, the captain of our Salvation leads us in the same

way when he saves us from our sins how when you choose to be

led by the Lord Jesus Christ, he leads you the same way Joshua

LED Israel step by step. He empowers you, he provides the

wisdom. He provides the encouragement to

pull down strongholds like Jericho, and to see greater

dominance over sin to No Greater righteousness and Holiness.

No greater transformation to know the greater promises that

have been purchased by Christ. He is the greater Joshua and

that's how he saves the same way Joshua led the people into the

goodness of God to the will of God.

And so why do I bring that up? Because I'm not here to guilt

you? That if you have not been

transfigured into christlikeness, the moment you

became a Christian and you're not a Christian, no.

You just put your hand in the hand of Christ and you let him

lead, you step by step. And you are more like Christ

than you were two years ago. And you were more like Christ

more in love with Christ and you were five years ago.

And what is that called? That's called Jesus saving you

saving you day by day, week by week month by month year by

year. It's a process.

And that's an encouragement. But then, we come, as we cover

the manner of his birth. And the reason of his birth to

the Fulfillment of his birth, we are told here in verse 22, all

this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the

prophet. You and I tonight are looking

back, thousands of years ago, how Jesus became a man.

But there is a time when there are people anticipating the

birth of the Messiah. Looking forward wondering when

it would be that the Messiah, the anointed one with would come

and rescue the nation of Israel. And Matthew takes Liberty

because he is led by the Holy Spirit to inform us.

That Jesus Christ is the satisfaction of that prophetic

declaration. And that declaration is very

clear. That God would become a man and

he would dwell with man, he would actually breathe the same

air as man, and he would eat the same food as man and he would

know the same weaknesses as man, and he would actually feel the

Temptations and the pole of man. But never succumbing to it.

Jesus Christ fulfills it but the meaning of this name tells us so

much more than just the Glorious mystery of God, becoming a man

and it tells us so much more that God when he says something,

he will accomplish it, even if he said it hundreds of years

ago, it means so much more than that speaks of his heart.

Emmanuel God With Us. God With Us showing us what that

God was willing to be with us. God was willing to leave.

A place where he received perfect worship and perfect

reverence. To come into this world to be

questioned and doubted and even mocked and spat.

Upon God With Us. God willing to leave the

hallways of Heavens Holiness to travel through the slums of a

sinful Dark World. God With Us.

Willing to reach down and to grab our hand from the muck and

the mire and pull us out. Instead of looking down and

saying you find your way to get to me because I'm too holy to go

down there. God With Us.

You're saying, why? God with us because God wants us

to be with him. God entered into time and lived

33 years. So that if you would believe on

him, you would enter Heaven and live with him forever.

God was born of a virgin so that you would be born again.

God was willing. To come into time.

When before this moment, he supervised time he was above

time, he chose to enter into time so that he can make a

transaction with humanity and that you would have a security

know that I'm escaping time, and I'm going to be with him for

eternity, God With Us. And although Jesus Christ

fulfilled Isaiah's prophecy of the Incarnation that that yes

God actually came and he planted his feet on the earth and more

than that. He actually had to learn how to

walk and learn how to talk and he developed in wisdom.

And he grew in stature though that prophecies fulfilled the

experience of what the name means is yet to be known.

Is yet to be experienced God With Us?

Yes, we celebrated 2000 years ago, but God is still waiting to

be with us. This is not the only place where

we are. Told that God dwelt with man.

I'm reading this and I'm closing here in Revelation. 21 verse 1

Revelation 21:1

and 3. You don't have to turn there.

I'm just going to read it. Then I saw a new Heaven and a

new Earth for the first Heaven. And the first Earth had passed

away. And the sea was no more.

And I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of

Heaven, from God prepared as a bride adorned for her husband,

and I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, behold, The

Dwelling Place of God is with men.

He will dwell with them and they will be his people and God

himself will be with them as their God.

God With Us. God came into this world.

So that one day you would be with him.

But that's not a universal promise, it's not a universal

application. Some would like to comfort

themselves and thinking that Jesus is so loving that you

don't have to believe in him, or you can have a different name

for him, where you can celebrate and recognize who he is in your

own way, and he will still accept you.

Isn't that nice? He's too precious and holy for

that to even be an idea. He's too glorious and Majestic

for you to make him equal with Allah.

Or with Buddha. Or anybody else that claims to

be divine or to be a prophet of a different God?

He's too precious, he's too Mighty, he's too loving, he's

too true. He is exclusive.

He is transcendent. He is perfect.

He is above and beyond and all those names that I just

mentioned, and the ones that I forgot to mention will bow their

knee to him. There's only one way.

And shame on anybody that would suggest otherwise after God has

done so much to make that way possible.

Those who would even entertain the thought that there is a

different way, have to answer to the God, who chose to come into

the womb of a virgin girl and lived there for nine months.

And to be born of that woman. And to succumb to all the things

that limit us. To be a servant unto, man.

And to be a sacrifice on a cross.

I'm here to remind you for those who are watching and those who

might be here, who don't know, maybe never heard what I'm

saying. There's only one way. and if you

don't go through that way, there is no way and the only way for

you is eternal hell judgment. And I will not apologize for

that after my God has done so much to get a hold of you.

And to get a hold of me. We should not apologize for the

gospel. We should not be ashamed of the

Gospel. We should not try to diminish

the exclusivity of the Gospel. Tonight in this covid stricken

world. Where whether or not you can

even go to a restaurant the way you desires determined by

somebody else, all you thought you were Sovereign over your

life, huh? Now, you have to wear something

over your mouth all the time. And soon enough you might have

to put something into your body if you want to live regularly as

you once knew. Let this be a lesson that as

much as you thought that you were in control, you're not in

control. And if you're not in control of

this life, I can guarantee you this.

You're not going to be in control of where you go on the

next one. All of those that we think are

so proud and intellectually Giants.

They will look like babies when they stand before Christ.

They will look like little children begging for mercy, when

they stand before, the one who gave them a chance to repent and

believe, but they mock the idea. But tonight you're here.

Tonight, you're here. Remind me.

Did we have Christmas in person last year?

Did we? My memory is not serving me,

right? Well there are places in this

world right now because of what's Happening.

They can't meet in person and here you are God by his grace

and mercy allows you to hear the gospel one more time.

You probably heard it from your mom 1000 times.

You probably heard it in a wanna a billion times probably heard

in Sunday School. You probably heard it from your

friend, maybe you've never heard it.

Maybe this is like your fourth time hearing it.

Maybe this is your first time hearing it.

But let me tell you this, God is so just and holy.

He has every right to damn a man after hearing it once and

refusing it Time is short. We're not here to sing Jingle

Bells. There's a mission.

There's a serious mission. You think this world is all we

have. You think that the ultimate

thing in life is for you to create your little Utopia here

in America? Now, you're headed for eternity.

You're headed for eternity in God is sending off the fireworks

to get your attention. This world will never know.

Peace. This world with all the mines

combined will never be able to create what Christ will only be

able to usher in. And so as a Ministry, we have a

duty to tell you, whether you're uncomfortable, 29, thought you

were, just going to hold a fake candle and sing.

Some nice songs. We're going to do that in a

moment, it's going to be wonderful, but more importantly,

I want to tell you and make sure that your soul is secure in the

hands of a gracious God Do you know Christ?

Do you know the saving work of? Have you been saved?

Have you repented? And believed on him, have you

made a decision to say? I need his obedience to be my

obedience. I need his life to represent my

life. I need my sin to be covered by

his blood. Did you make that choice?

If not, what are you waiting for?

I always ask this question and I'll ask it to you tonight.

What's holding you back from following Jesus Christ.

Are you angry at him tonight? Did you have expectations that

he would do something? And because he hasn't performed

it. He's not worthy.

He's not worthy for your life to be surrendered to him.

Let me tell you this, are you better at managing your own

life? Are you more Sovereign and wise

than he Do you love your sin tonight so much?

You'd be amazed to know how many people are going to be going to

Services whether in virtual reality world or in person.

Who love the world. Who loved the world?

Who love the toys of this world and the experiences of this

world and the sensuality of this world, they can't give it up.

They will disappoint you if they haven't already.

And they will not deliver you and you will be able to never

know a peace that only Christ can offer, you will not know his

satisfaction, a wholeness that only Jesus can supply.

You were created for his glory and unless you live for his

glory you will always feel incomplete.

Cuz you are not operating by the design manual for your life.

You've created your own manual and you're trying to make it

work and it will never work. Do you believe that you can

attain your own righteousness tonight?

Do you believe that your performance will persuade God?

Are you relying upon what a priest said over your life?

Are you relying over what, some man said that if you just repeat

a simple magical prayer, then you're in.

Or is your confidence based on what Christ said and his

Apostles and His prophets have said?

Does your heart testify and isn't in line with what

scripture says? Because this is the final

Authority. On that day, this will be upheld

and this will be the very thing that will hold us accountable.

So, this is your testimony. Does your faith align with this?

And this will tell you that you can never attain your own

righteousness. And that you must Surrender Your

pursuit of perfection. And receive Christ Perfection by

the transaction of repentance and belief.

Have you done that? Tonight's your night?

And if you respond to this tonight, it will be the best

gift you will ever receive. I don't care what you're getting

for this Christmas. All of that will rot all of that

is susceptible to being stolen tarnished and as you know,

easily replaceable by the newest next year, but this gift, as

Paul says is inexpressible, you can't even communicate how

wonderful it is. Where are those Christians that

can say Christ in me and inexpressible Glory?

I make that invitation to you tonight to receive the gift of

Jesus Christ that you would say. Yes, I want to be saved.

Yes, I want to be delivered. Yes, I want to know that I have

eternal life. What are you waiting?

For my friend. It's not going to get any better

any time soon. And so I admonish you I plead

with you may not like me, you may feel like this is intense

but I have a mandate to make sure that every person in this

place mask or no mask that your heart is washed in the blood of

Christ. And one day, we will see him.

And one day, we will realize every sermon, including this

sermon tonight, fail to describe him fell.

So short to declare how glorious and wonderful he is but we

submit the words that have been declared tonight into the hands

of a wise and gracious, King who is able to save even with

stammering lips, The heart, who's willing to Humble

themselves and say I need this Jesus.

Would you bow your heads with me tonight?

Well, we thank you for the Incarnation.

We thank you that you've done a unique work in that blessed

young woman. Were God chose to come and to be

fashion by the Holy Spirit. To be a Jewish boy.

That would be greater than a teacher greater than a prophet

greater than a milk Miracle Worker, but our atonement.

Although that work will never be repeated Lord.

We ask that you would make Christ real in all of us.

That you would make Christ live in our hearts.

Lord, we thank you for the piercing light.

Of this gospel truth. As we feel the darkness, only

getting thicker above us. We thank You, O Lord that this

joy that you deposit in a soul, cannot be taken by anything or

anyone. And we pray God that even one in

here who doesn't know you would make that decision to know you

and to be known by you. That if there's anything that

they heard tonight, that there is a God, who loves me and who

came himself, he didn't send an angel, he didn't send a prophet.

He came himself to rescue me and we pray.

Lord, that we would all sense that rescue.

We would all be reminded that we have been saved by by grace.

It's too low. We worship you tonight.

We worship you for our salvation and we pray o, God, that you

would only add to the Celebration tonight.

Because a soul would come to Christ.

Only, you can make that happen. Lord, we step back and we say

there's only so much we can say so much, we can declare so much.

We can try to prove your Holy Spirit has to do the work to

save a heart and we submit that to you tonight.

Not just in this church, but in churches, all across this world

have your way have your way in Jesus name we pray.

Amen. Can we stand and Worship the

Lord together?