Not Just A Traditional Christmas But A Transformational Christmas | Dr Jill Ling

You're listening to a message to go from ex Church.

We hope this message will light up your day. So

today I'm going to be speaking about Christmas because it

is Christmas month. I don't know how your year has been.

It's already December. My year has been, really, I think,

the fullest year and the busiest year in all forty

one years of my life.

So I just told you my age.

Yes, I am forty one this year, and I'm proud

of it, right, Edlin, We're proud to be in our forties.

Right, yes we are.

We are forties, okay, fantastic forties. And in all forty

one years of my life, I think this year has

been the busiest year of my life, the fullest year

of my life, but also the most fulfilling year of

my life. So I think that's how life is supposed

to be here. It doesn't sort of like torne down,

but it just keeps going up upright, And all of

you in your forties, fifties and sixties, say amen, all right,

So no such thing as sunset sunset ministry are in Jesus.

Our lives just keeps going up, up up, Okay, in

terms of you know, fullness, and fruitfulness.

But all good. Okay.

So I appreciated ex Cyber last week and I was

asking God, God, what do you want me to say

to XPG today my first I don't know what is

my last time here? But what do you want me

to say to your precious, precious people here this morning?

And I felt a lot impressing upon my heart to

continue to speak this same message. Okay, which XTV you

can help me to put the first light on the screen.

So the title of today's message from God, not from me, okay,

from God for us is not just a traditional Christmas,

but a transformational Christmas.

That all may know.

So if you know, you know, every year ex Church

has a theme that is given by God, it's not

by Pastor Kenneth. And we are still on the theme

of that All may Know for this year and for

next year we have a very exciting new theme which

you will hear a bit more in the days to come.

But we are still finishing up the theme for twenty

twenty four, which is that all may Know. And so

you know, God wants to speak to us this morning

on how we can continue to maximize the Christmas season

to help all to know Him. Okay, and as I

was worshiping, right. Actually, the third song that Extreme sung

really just confirmed that this was the word for us

this morning, which you will see later in my message.

A lot of the keywords in the song I actually

mentioned in a message as well, so it was a

signed to me. Okay, fel God, you really want me

to share this word today?

All right? Okay? So I have three points for us

this morning, and they're all.

In the letter C because it's Christmas time, right, yes,

easy to remember, easy to remember, all see. Now, I'm

going to do this quite interactively. This is how I

normally preach. Okay, I will actually ask you questions, and

you know, I would love for you to answer me.

It can be quite boring and scary to be preaching,

you know, in silence. So I love crowd engagement and interactions.

So you know, try and answer me when I ask

you some questions. But let that Wallia. Okay, all right?

So what comes to your mind when I mentioned the

word Christmas?

Jesus? Okay?

Someone say Jesus? Someone says snow okay, what else?

What else? Father?

Christmas, celebrations, Overlord? Sorry, sorry, holidays and some more. Mariah

Carey all that one for Christmas is you some more gifts?

Okay? What else? What else? Christmas shopping? Some more else?

Decorations anymore anymore? Reindeers, house chores very real? Yeah, yep?

Some some more family reunion anymore anymore? Family Carolyn Carolyn

Marcon photo shoot.

Okay, good, cool, all right.

So I'm sure you can think of many, many more

things when I mentioned the word Christmas to you, right,

and yeah, that's that's not right or wrong. Answer, just

whatever comes to your mind straight away, your gut feel okay,

So thank you, Thank you to all of you who

have answered. Sorry, I got no present. We have some

top answers on the front here, all right, Daniel, Okay,

well then okay, hallelujah.

All right.

So Christmas means different things to different ones of us. Right,

Some of us, when we think of Christmas, you know,

we can feel all positive and warm and fuzzy about it.

We think of the nice decorations, you know, the nice music,

the nice food, gifts, you know, fun times your family

and friends.

Just gives you a very warm, fuzzy feeling. Right.

Some of us, when we think of Christmas, we think

of stress. Actually, I have to clean the house like

Chinese near like it.

Have to buy gives, spend money. Ah, I have.

To cook, have to horse, have to socialize for all

the introverts here.

Yeah. Did you know, by the way, that's the World

Introvert Day. Did you know? Did you know? Yes?

Okay, so first of January is what day? New Year's Day?

Did you know that second of January is World Introverts Day? Yes,

after all the partying, right, yeah, then that's when the

introverts come out and say, oh this is finally my time. Yes,

so there's a World Introverts Day on second of January. Yes,

after the extroverts have partied on first of January.

Yeah.

So for some people Christmas can be quite you know, daunting.

They have to socialize with a lot of people, right,

But for the extroverts, they might feel formal. If they're

not invited to the parties, they might feel, you know,

they're missing out their lonely. I think looking here, most

of you are probably I mean local, right, most of

you are local, but in cyber majority are actually internationals.

So they are away from family and they are missing

their family even during Christmas, Daniel, you miss your family

or not your family miss you or not.

Oh your family.

Yeah, come on, there was a mic drop moment, but

I should not drop the mic.

I wonder like what doctor Jason has done.

Daniel says, this is family. Oh all the guys after

this service give him a hug, hallelujah.

Okay.

So yeah, Christmas may mean, you know, positive feelings or some.

It may mean negative feelings or some. I mean for

me growing up, I really look forward to Christmas for

two things.

Yeah.

One is I would actually join in my home churches

Christmas outreaches, whether it's carroling or Christmas production on stage,

off stage, in between stage. I would spend my year

and holidays just being busy in church, practicing, preparing the

cops corps props not cops okay, and costumes. Yeah, and

that will be my year end holiday, just just you know,

participating in Christmas. I wish I could be here on

twenty second law. Yeah, I cannot lie, I cannot punch la.

Yo, I mean ex ciber.

Maybe I should ask for Sandra send me here to

speak on twenty second now. Yeah, I really want to

see who is the face behind the hair the Malaysia

Jesus just kidding, but so amazing that, I mean, all

the best to you guys having this Christmas production. I

hope that you know, all will go well, it will

be your full house, you know, heart will be touched,

would be changed, so good, so good.

Yeah. So yeah, I used to.

Get involved with things like that, like the Christmas production. Yeah,

so I would really look forward to my year end

Christmas period. The other thing I look forward to is

going to my uncle's house. So I grew up in

jb and my uncle stayed in Singapore, and so every

Christmas he would invite us over to his house. And

it's really like that perfect Christmas party, ler decorations, music.

He had a big you know, like food of a

table of food and there was always a turkey in

the middle. It was picture perfect, really, and my cousins

were there, just this fun, fun, you know, party time.

And I would look forward to that every year. So

growing up, this was my memories of Christmas, church and

also family. But then as I got married, then I

had kid number one, number two and number three, Christmas honestly.

Got more stressful for me.

Yeah, because every time when it's around Christmas time, I

have to clean the house and set up the Christmas

decorations that itself, you know, is quite energy consuming. Then

I got to make a Christmas shopping list. Ah, who

to buy for?

What to buy?

And gifts are not cheap nowadays, you know. Yeah, I'm

not the ki a person that will just simply buy

you a gift for the sake of fulfilling my gift gota.

You know, I want to buy you.

If I buy you a gift, right, I will really

put my heart and soul you to it.

I will pray, you know.

I will pray before I buy people gifts really when,

and I will say, God, what does this person want

or need?

Yeah?

And many times when I buy the gift for the person,

they're like, wow, how do you know I needed this?

I say, A big little bird told me that you

needed this. Of course, I say, it's godla, Yeah, So

I put an effort on it. I'm not an online shopper.

I will go and shop physically.

If I can.

If I cannot find it physically, then I will buy online.

Buy No. Edline very good, you're online shopping.

Yeah, I learned from her. You want to learn online shopping.

We're the best deals see Edeline. She's good man. I

learned from her, she's my seafool ah. But I'm not

an online shopper. I'm a physical shopper. So I'll go

and I'll buy and I'll rap nicely. So for me,

it's like, oh a lot effort can be stressful. And

then because I'm already married with kids, right, I'm already

an Antila. Okay, welcome to the antis club, I cannot

be going in a way like I have to do

what my uncle used to do, host Christmas celebrations. Right,

come in my kids hosting the celebrations, right, I wouldn't

expect my parents, who was quite old also to do.

So I'm the middle. They call it the Sandwich generation.

I'm from the Sandwich generation. Who is here from the

Sandwich generation just like me? Ah, yes you were, and

they different ones. You got generations above you, generations below you.

And this is where I guess the responsibility is the biggest.

And so for my side of the family and also

for my husband's side of the family. Normally our family

will host the Christmas parties for our family. Yeah, so

that can also be stressful because I'm thinking what to cook,

you know, and then the actual cooking. So in my

later years, Christmas has become a bit more stressful for

me because of the house, the presence, the hosting.

While I'm happy doing all.

That, but it's also quite stretching, right, and so it's

naturally it's like mixed feelings for me. And honestly, right

this Christmas, I told God, God, if I could have

it my way, right, I just want to quiet and

simple Christmas. Canna not God cannot. That was like my

secret wish, la. I just want to have a quiet Christmas,

simple Christmas, you know, just my immediate family and myself first, free,

no need to do too much, meet too many people

because it's been a very busy and full year. That

would be really really nice. And then God left me

quiet for a while, and then he began to minister

to me, and that's how today's message came about. It

came out of a personal real in a way challenge

life or struggle. Yeah, like how am I going to

live this Christmas?

Yeah?

So I told you if I could have my way,

I really just want it to be a simple, fast,

free Christmas. I just want to rest, that's it, and

get ready for the new year. I don't want to

do too much because it's been a very h you know,

full year for me, and so God had to speak

to me and minister to me, and that's how today's

message came about. Yeah, So, based on our different answers

just now right when I say the word Christmas, we

all gave very very different answers.

But what do you think the.

Common denominator is among most of our answers? What do

you think is that common nullity in most of our answers?

Sorry?

Excitement, yes, yes, getting there, getting there, getting there, people, Yes,

getting there. Joy, also somewhere there, fellowship somewhere there, Okay, Celebration, yeah,

somewhere there. So all this are getting closer, All these

are getting closer. But you know, actually, what if I

only allow you that one word answer, what would it be?

Let's go to the next slide and don't stone me

for this. So, actually, if we look at many of

our answers, right, like I said, no right or wrong answers,

they're all good answers. They're all personal to us, right,

they mean something to us. But actually, if you examine

most of our answers, the common denominator is still very

much about me, right, like how I feel in this

Christmas period most of the things that we mentioned. At

the end of the day, the point that it culminates

to is actually me, how do I experience this Christmas?

How do I think? How do I feel? What do

I get out of this festive season?

Right?

And nothing wrong here, you know, But I just want

to again remind us that while God does want us

to enjoy the Christmas season and be blessed during this season,

but we need to remember that the season is not

all about us, but it is about Christ. That's why

it's called Christmas Christmas, and it's not called me miss

all right, we are the secondary recipients of this season.

God will bless us for sure with all that we've mentioned,

but we need to remember that all that we've mentioned

is not the main point of Christmas. The main point

of Christmas is christ Christmas?

Okay, all right?

And so this was what God had to speak to me. Okay,

He had to really just tell me, Jill, Christmas is

not all about you. I know you've had a full year.

I know you maybe feel a bit tired. I know

you want to have a simple, fast, free Christmas.

But Christmas is not about you, my child.

Yeah, And so God had to remind me that Christmas

is not about me. You know, I have been a

Christian for more than half of my life. I think

three quarters of my life. I got saved at.

Thirteen years old.

Yeah, and I have you know, been a church leader

for at least half of my life. And you would think,

you know, being at my level of maturity in faith,

that I would have had it all there there.

But I'm telling you no, I'm human.

Two.

I get tired too.

You know, I get frustrated too, and I want to

rest too. So God had to minister to me and say,

Christmas is not all about.

You, my child.

You will get your rest, but it's not.

All about you.

And so so that's what God spoke to me, and

I want to share it with us. Okay, Now I

have three points like I mentioned, and I'll spend a

bit longer on the first point and lesser time on

the second to last two points. But the first point

about Christmas, right, like I mentioned, is christ Okay. So

that's the first See everybody say christ Christ okay. And

this morning we are actually going to look at the

portion of scripture where the Christmas story is mentioned. Let's

all turn to Luke chapter two, verse two to twenty.

So do take out your bibles if you have physical

or if you need to eat. Last resort, look at

the screen for the verse. I have put the verse

on the screen as well. Okay, So, but always good

to read from our own bibles.

Okay.

Now, honestly, in this day and age, I will not

take for granted that just because it's Christmas time, just

because we are Christians, that you would automatically know about

the Christmas story in the world of God. You know, sometimes,

as Christians, we can go through the whole Christmas season

without even reading the true Christmas story in the world

of God. So I want to make sure, at least

this month, at least today, we have all read the.

True Christmas story from the Word of God.

Okay, all right, now we're gonna look at Luke chapter two,

verse sorry, verse one to verse twenty. Okay, and I

will pause at different verses and unpack certain key points

with us for learning.

Now we start with verse one.

In those days a decree went now from Caesar Augustus

that all the world should be registered. I'm gonna pause

you at verse one. Yep, how many of you here

you've heard of Julius Caesar.

Raise your hands.

Okay, how many of you here you've heard of Caesar

Augustus before today?

Okay, lesser, okay, lesser.

Do you know that Julius Caesar is actually Caesar Augustus uncle, Yes,

they're actually related.

Fun fact number one.

And the interesting thing is that during Julius Caesar time,

Rome was a republic, okay, but during Caesar Augustus time,

Rome became an empire. So how many of you know

the difference between a republic and an empire. Maybe doctor

Jason will know. Yeah, being an economist, he might give

you a textbook definition, but I'm going to give you

a layman definition now, okay. So, in the time of

Julius Caesar, when Rome was an empire, sorry, a republic,

it basically meant that Rome.

Was governed by law.

Law was the highest authority and there was no one

man as the supreme leader. So even Julius Caesar was

under the law. But during the time of Caesar Augustus,

his nephew, Rome became an empire, meaning that while there

was still law, there was one man above the law.

There was that one supreme leader, and that was Caesar Augustus.

So what happened was during the time of Julius, Caesar

and all the other previous Roman leaders, Rome was actually

in a state of war. There's always like this man

that wants to be in power, and then this man

and then this man. And even at the time of

Caesar Augustus, there were three men who wanted to be

in power, Caesar Augustus and two other men including Mark

Anthony who teamed u with Cleopetra. If you know your

history and movies, and what happened was Caesar Augustus. This

is postulated to be how he might have looked like it's.

A statue of him.

He actually defeated all the other enemies and he became

the ultimate power in Rome, the supreme leader, and under

his governance he actually restored Rome. He he was a

brilliant administrator and manager. He was also a brilliant economist.

But no, it's going to doctor Jason la Yeah, I think.

And he actually apparently, you know, borrowed money from Egypt

to restore Rome because Rome was in you know, economic

crisis due to the war. So he rebuilt back Rome

and he also put in order and systems, and that's

why he asked that everyone under the Roman Empire should

be registered.

This is a form of administration.

Yeah, okay, And why do you think he wanted people

to be registered? That I heard someone say pay text

Very good, that's right. The key reason why Caesar Augustus

wanted the people under his power to be registered is

so that he can know how many people to collect

texts from.

It's all about the money, right, so this man.

Okay, but you know why did God choose for Jesus

to come during his time? Why not any other man's time.

Someone said before that the cross is the most brutal

form of execution that there has ever been, right. But

besides that point, God wanted to show a point because

at that time, almost the whole world thought that Caesar

Augustus was a political savior. They thought that finally, our

man of peace has come to stop the wars from happening,

to rebuild the economy, to rebuild the country, to bring

peace and stability prosperity to our lives. But God wanted

to show that it wasn't Caesar Augustus who was going

to be the ultimate savior of the world, but it

was going to be Jesus. That was the point that

God wanted to prove. So, friends, I don't know who

might be your you know, pillar of strength and hope

in your life. Who might be your Caesar Augustus. Sometimes

we don't realize it subconsciously we put a lot of

we lean our strength and our hope a lot on

a certain Caesar Augustus in our life, that person or

that factor that seems to bring stability to our life.

For some of us, our Caesar Augustus could be our brains,

we're very smart people. For some of us, our Caesar

Augustus could be our resources. For some of us, our

Caesar Augustus could be our family or friends. But in

all of our lives there will be sort of like

that something that we tend to lean on, put, you know,

to draw our strength to draw from. But God doesn't

want us to have any idols in our lives. He

wanted us to lean on Him and only him.

Jesus.

Yeah, so there's so much we can draw for just

one verse. Okay, now we'll.

Go to verse two, verse two days.

This was the first registration when Quirinus was governor of

Syria verse three, and all went to be registered, each

to his own town.

Verse four.

And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town

of Nazareth to Judea to the city of David, which

is called bethly Hem or House of Bred because he

was of the house and lineage of David to be

registered with Mary, his betrothed, who.

Was with child.

Okay, so I'm going to show you a map of

where Okay, so Joseph and Mary were staying in Nazareth.

It is at the top part, and they had to

travel all the way to Bethlehem, which is at the

lower part of the map. Now, how far do you

think Nazareth Nazareth was from bethley Ham. Anyone wants to

guess in kilometers aga one hundred? Someone say hundred, six hundred. Okay,

bit far. One hundred is closer. Sorry, three hundred is

also as close as hundred. That's a clue there. Hundred

and three hundred are quite close. So you should be

somewhere in between.

Right, Okay.

Let me tell you in modern day distance off Nazareth

and bethley Ham is like from here to Siste Monica's hometown.

Who knows Systevnica's hometown, ah Malacca. That's right, distance off

Nazareth too. Beadlehem is about two hundred and twenty kilometers.

That's about from here to Malecca or maybe here to

people also.

About that, Shan, Yeah, a bit more, a bit further.

Yeah, and so if you want to walk by food

from here to Malecca, guess how long it will take

non stop?

How long you think you'll take? One week? Awa, that

makes you walk very slow.

If you walk like me, which is not fast and

not slow non stop, it will take you twenty four

hours to reach Malecca from here pj la Ah. Okay,

but Mary and Joseph's time. Do you think they walk

the fast? She's pregnant, you know, ah, and they probably

She probably said on a donkey. How many of you

have sat on donkeys before?

Raise your hands? I would like to know.

I know Yan Shan has you know sat on horses,

many horses. She's a polo player, you know, yes, last time.

So horses go very fast, but donkeys very slowly. So

it was postulated they could have taken at least about

a week to travel from Nazareth to badly Ham. Yeah

by foot. Okay, all right, now that's just a little

fun fact. Okay, let's go on to verse six. And

while they were there in bedley Ham, the time came

for her to give birth verse seven, And she gave

birth to her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling

cloths and laid him in a manger because there was

no place for them in the inn. Okay, And how

many of you you know what a manger is?

Okay? Good? Some of you know? Right.

Honestly I did not know before this. I was so silly.

I thought manger is the wooden structure that you always

see baby Jesus under. But manger is actually a little

feeding box.

Yeah.

So, like I was speaking at the teens party and

I was telling them, you know, Jesus was actually the

first hope in the box ever on Earth.

I want to show you how. Yeah.

So this is how a manger looks like. It's actually

a little feeding box that's made out of some stones, straws,

mud clay dried and baked under the sun, and his

heart and this is where the animal's food goes into

and a feed out of it. So Jesus was placed

in a manger. This is a major that was taken

from one BC in Jerusalem. May not have been the

major that baby Jesus was placed in, but likely it

could have looked something like that. Yeah, and so there's

also very symbolic, right, Jesus is our braid off life.

He came placed in a feeding box. Okay.

Now verse eight And in the same region, there were

shepherds out in the field keeping watch over their flock

by night verse nine, and an angel of the Lord

appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone

around them, and they were filled with great fear. Now,

why do you think the shepherds were out at night

watching their sheep? Do you think it's standard, is s opi?

For shepherds to be awake at night to watch their sheep?

Yeah? Yeah, No, do you.

Think shepherds always stay awake at night to watch their sheep?

What do you think?

No, I see more nose than yes, sirs. Okay, so

all of you are right, yes, because usually usually the

shepherds will be sleeping at night. They don't usually watch

over their sheep usually, but during the landing season, which

is the season where the youse the mother sheep are

pregnant and they give birth to their lambs, that is

when the shepherds will stay awake because they become like

midwives for their mummy sheep because when mummy sheeps give birth,

they give birth standing and the baby the lamb, just

comes out, and sometimes if it drops very hard on

the ground, it can die. Or if let's say the cord,

the umbilical cord gets tentangled over the neck of the lamb,

it can also die during the birth process.

So it's a very delicate.

And dangerous time when the mummy sheep give birth to

the baby sheep, and so the shepherds have to be

awake to actually stand by to catch the baby sheep

when the baby shep comes out from the mummy sheep. Okay,

And that's also significant because this tells us that Christ

is the lamb of God. So every single thing that

happened in the story of Christmas is actually very symbolic.

Christ is greater than Caesar Augustus. Christ is the Lamb

of God. Christ is our bread of life. Right, Okay,

now let's go on, Okay. So Verse ten, and an

angel said to them, fear not, for I bring you

good Behold. I bring you good news of great joy

that will be for all the people. Verse eleven, for

unto you is born this day in the city of David,

a savior who is Christ the Lord? And this I

just want to pause at this verse. How many of

you you know the meaning of your name? Why don't

you turn to your neighbor and ask them, Hey, do

you know the meaning of your name? And if you know,

why don't you share? If you don't know, you can

google it up or ask your parents. Who here your

neighbor knows the meaning of their hands? Their hands bula

their name raised your hands?

Okay? Some very good?

Okay, for the rest of you, you can go back,

ask your parents or ask Google. But you know, every

name has a meaning, and usually a significant meaning. And

do you know the name of Jesus also has a meaning?

What do you think is the name? The meaning of

the name of Jesus? If I could give you one word,

what do you think the meaning of the name of Jesus? Is?

I heard something there? I heard your way, I heard savior? Okay,

any other takers, What do you think.

The name of Jesus means? Emmanuel? Okay?

So Yahweh is the name that's given to God in

the Old Testament, right and Emmano is another name for Jesus.

You know how in our birthshort sometimes jill a liars,

Jilly a liars something. So e Mano is the other

name for Jesus, which means God with us. But Jesus

itself has a specific meaning, and it is savior. The

meaning of the name Jesus is actually savior or the

one who saves. Jesus means savior, the one who saves.

And Christ.

Do you know what Christ means Jesus Christ. We always

say Jesus Christ. Right, what does Christ mean?

Very good? Anointed one? Very good?

I wish it's something for you as well, Lord, bless you. Yeah,

Christ means anointed one. Anointered sounds like a very big word, right.

What does anointed mean? The one who is chosen and

the one who is sent. Like let's say, you know, Heidi,

you are the anointed one to bring me water. I

have chosen you and I now send you to bring

me water. Just kidding, just kidding. That's what it means.

Christ means chosen and sent one. So Jesus Christ. Now

you put A and B together, what do you get?

The one who is chosen and sent to save us.

That is the meaning of Jesus Christ. If you never ever.

Knew the meaning of our Lord's name. I want you

to know it today. I told this to the teenagers,

and I'm also telling it with us because sometimes we

can be Christians for many years, we can even be leaders,

you know, but we don't know the meaning of our

Lord's name. To know it so that when people ask, actually,

who is this God that you are worshiping and serving,

you can tell them this is the one that was

chosen and sent to save you and I okay, all right,

So this is the meaning of our Lord's name, Savior Jesus,

who is Christ, who is sent to save us. Okay,

Verse twelve. And this will be assigned for you. You

will find a baby wrapped in swordling cloths and lying

in a manger verse thirteen. And suddenly there was with

the angel a multitude of heavenly hosts, praising God and

saying glory to God in the highest and on earth

peace among those with whom He is pleased. This is

also very important for us to take note. If the

earlier verse told us the meaning of the name of Jesus,

this verse tells us his mission on earth, why did

he come? If the earlier verse told us who he is,

this verse tells us why he came to earth, which is.

To bring peace on earth.

Honestly, if you check your own hearts and you ask

your neighbor, what is really human's greatest need in life.

It's not food, it's not clothing, it's not money, it's

not even people.

It's peace.

We all want to have that peace now and in

the days to come. We want to have that sense

of peace inside of us, knowing that it's okay, and

it's gonna be okay. It's gonna be more than okay.

That I tell you is like the ultimate joy and

strength that one can have to have peace, right, to

actually have peace with your past, to have peace with

your present, to have peace in your future, to have

peace with God and man, to have peace all around

is really the greatest need and gift that we can

ever have.

And Christ came to do that. He came to bring.

Peace on earth, and his peace is an all rounded peace.

He brings peace between Earth and God. Like what Josephine said,

you know, peace with God is being reconcult with God.

So Josephine experienced that peace with God this morning. She

was reconsulting him. So that is God's peace for us.

But he doesn't stop there. He also wants to bring

reconsoliation between earth and people that we have a strained

relationship with.

Christ came to do that. So I speak his peace

even over you. If you are.

Struggling in your relationship with someone, may you experience the

peace of God that reconcoliation in that strained really relationship.

You know, God also came to bring peace with our past.

So if there's anyone of us here that you're struggling to,

you know, with your past, I want to speak God's

peace over you that you'll be able to make peace

with your past. If there's anyone that is not having

peace right now with your present, I want to speak

the peace of Jesus over you that you will be

at peace even with your present life. If there's anyone

that is anxious worrying about tomorrow the future, I'm the

kind of person. Honestly, I am a very anxious person. Okay,

I can be anxious now, I can be anxious about tomorrow.

I speak peace over your coming days as well. I too,

am learning to draw from the peace of God, and

so I want to speak the peace of Jesus over

you this Christmas. You know, sometimes we think Christmas is

just for pre believers. Sometimes we think, okay, like it's

a time to help pre believers know Jesus. But Christmas

is for you as well.

Friends.

Why do you turn to your neighbor and say Christmas

is for you too? And I feel the word of

God for you XPG. You all this season is really

God wants to give you peace in the areas that

you're struggling to have peace with. Like I said, whether

it's with God, it's with people, it's with your past,

with your present, with your future, with your health, with

your finances, with whatever that you're struggling with in your

life right now. To find peace, I speak the peace

of Jesus over you XPG.

Receive it, amen, Amen. Okay now yeah, okay.

We go back to verse fifteen, when the angels went

away from them into heaven, and the shepherd said to

one another, let us go over to Bedley, heamn, and

see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has

made known to us verse sixteen. And they went with

haste and found Mary and Joseph and the baby lying

in a manger verse seventeen. And when they saw it,

they made known the saying that had been told them

concerning this child verse eighteen. And all who heard it

wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured

up all these things, pondering them in her heart verse twenty.

And the shepherd's return, glorifying and praising God for all

they had heard and seen as it had been told them. So, friends,

this is the Christmas story. If any of your children,

any of your friends asked, hey, where can I find

the story of Jesus' birth in the Bible, It's found

in Luke chapter two, verse one to twenty. And we've

just read it, amen, And I just want to share

with us. So remember, remember the first see about Christmas

is that it's all about Christ. It's not about us.

That's why it's Christmas.

And not memes.

Right, Okay, the next see and we will take it

shorter from here. The second see All right, I will

reveal it to you in a while, but I want

to start with So looking back at the title of

the message today, I said, not just a traditional Christmas,

but a transformational Christmas. What is the meaning of the

word tradition. Let's have a look. So I went not

just to the dictionary online to find the meaning of

the word tradition, but I actually tried to search. You know,

it's etymology, basically, how did this word come about? And

what was the meaning of the original root word of tradition? Okay,

and I've just summarized it. Here's way longer than this.

But tradition, the original meaning of the root word tradition

is a statement, a belief, or a practice handed down

from generation to generation. So in essence, it's something that.

Is kept from.

One generation to another generation to another generation. Right, And

so like you know, for example, yeah, whatever practices that

we have around Christmas, a lot of it is tradition.

It's because we see our other generations do it this way,

then we also do it this way. Just like Chinese

New Year, right, we see our ancestors do it this way,

we also do it this way. So a lot of

what we do are traditions and traditions.

It's not bad.

I've been here on Sunday in church is also a tradition.

Keeping your quiet time, praying, reading the Word of God

is a tradition. All these traditions are not bad. There's

a place and time for traditions. Traditions can be good,

all right. Keeping the family born is a tradition.

Aren't you thankful for that? Yeah?

Now, But the essence of the meaning tradition to me,

if I could boil it down double ball, triple ball,

quadruple boil into one word and reduce the chicken to bones,

the essence of the word tradition to me is found

in the word same.

Tradition in essence, in Christmas.

Essence, not chicken essence means same is to keep something

the same from one generation to another, to another and beyond. Now,

let's look at the word transfer form. What does transformation mean?

In its rude word, it means a change of form, Okay,

external nature, internal or appearance. Yeah, back to external. So basically,

transformation is any change that takes place, whether outwardly or inwardly.

As long as JUNGI got changed. And so that's the

essence of the word transformation.

Change.

And so what God wants to say to us the

second point is the second see is the word change.

Everyone say change.

There are many things we can talk about to keep

the same or change, But today I want to narrow

down our focus to our lives and the lives of

those who do not know Jesus.

Yet, why God.

Is telling us, don't let this Christmas twenty twenty four

XPG just be a traditional Christmas, but let it also

be a transformational Christmas is because God is saying, don't

come into Christmas twenty twenty four and come out of

it the same person. And that goes for your family

and friends who do not know Jesus as well. Don't

let them enter Christmas twenty twenty four and come out

being the same person. Then, honestly speaking, I think we

would have wasted time, energy, money, and many things in

life if all of us remain the same in and

out this Christmas.

Let's ask God God.

Change us this Christmas, even as believers, and I believe

a key change that He wants to do is to

bring peace to areas of your life that you are

looking for His peace. Even as believers, and say, God,

bring change to my family and friends this Christmas. Don't

let them go in and out of another Christmas remaining

the same, but let there be a change in their

lives too. And so just now, when extreme we sung

the song the third song, it spoke about I've been

changed because of Jesus. And so as we remember Christ

as the reason for this season. Let's also seek and

pursue after his change for our lives.

Amen, XPJ.

Let's not go in and come out of Christmas twenty

twenty four being the same, all same old person.

Can or not a man.

Let's ask the Lord to do, you know, do a

new thing in our lives and let that be so

also for our.

Family and friends.

Let's not see them enter and come out of Christmas

twenty twenty four being the same. But say, Lord, draw

us all closer to you, draw us all closer to you.

Whether we know you, we do not know you, yet draw.

Us all closer.

So XPJ, I declare over you. You know that you

won't just have a traditional Christmas, keep the good editions.

But I want to declare over you that you will

have a transformational Christmas for you, your family, your friends.

Amen.

Amen, that some God will change you even this Christmas. Okay,

and yeah, And the greatest change I want to tell

you is really a change in relationship. Let's look very

quickly at Hebrews chapter eight, verse ten to twelve. Hebrews

chapter eight, verse ten to twelve. So this talks about

the new Covenant. Just now it sung the song right,

new covenant by the blood of Jesus. New covenant means

new promise. You want to know where the new promise

is found in the world of God. Here in Hebrews

chapter eight, verse ten to twelve.

It says, for this is the covenant that I will make.

With the House of Israel after those days, declares the Lord.

I will put my laws into their minds and write

them on their heart. And I will be their God,

and they shall be my people. And they shall not

teach each one his neighbor and each one his brother,

saying know the Lord, for they shall all know me,

from the least of them to the greatest verse twelve.

For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I

will remember their sins no more. The old covenant was

made between God and Moses on behalf of the children

of Israel. That's the old covenant. You can find it

in Deuteronomy. But now after Jesus came, we have a

new covenant. We have a new covenant. And the difference

between the old Covenant and the new covenant is in

the old covenant, God says, if.

You would do this, this, this, this, the.

Ten Commandments or the six hundred over you know, smaller

commandments found in the Torah. And I will do this, this, this, this, this,

So you see that God says, if you do, then

I do. But the New Covenant is really much better

than the Old Covenant because in the New Covenant God

says I.

Will do this, this, this, this, this.

He doesn't say, if you do this, this, this, this, this,

then I will do this this this. God straightaway says

I will do And these are the things that he

spoke about.

Three things.

I will put my law in my people. They shall

all know me, and I will be merciful towards their sins.

Even without us having to start off the pact. God

ready says, I will do this for you. I will

do this for you. I will do this for you.

I will put my law in you, Sharene you will

know me, Judy, I will be merciful to you, Daniel,

even before you you start doing anything, God says, I

will do this for you already. And this is the

power and the beauty of the New Covenant. And really,

let's desire that. And this shows us, really, I believe

among this tree to me personally, the part of the

Covenant that really speaks to me is the relationship part

that all will know me. And so let's pray that

this Christmas, God help me to know you more, help

the people around me to know you more. Let that

be the change that we experience this Christmas. And finally

the third see the final see as we wrap up

and extreme you can come up.

We're going to wrap up already. Yeah, so pardon.

Me for my English grammar. Okay, but the third thing

is bracket.

What can you do? Ah?

One church partner came out to me after I appreciate. Actually,

you can rephrase this as call to action. Also can

but now my I keep my broken English, they remember

is really for my heartler. Yeah, I do not use

chaji Okay for my messages. I have not come to

that point, and I hope I don't have to do. Okay,

but it's chat g God, yeah chet gibt. So what

can you do this Christmas so that you and the

people around you can experience a transformational Christmas and not

just a traditional Christmas. I've listed down some practical action steps. Okay,

we can show them XTV. So the first one is

get involved in your homes Christmas chair. Yeah, by getting

involved in your homes Christmas chair. You are already bringing

a transformational Christmas to the people that you're reaching out to. Yeah,

another way is to invite them for the Christmas service

or even the special production on the twenty second. Yeah,

that's how you can also bring a transformational Christmas to

the people around you. Get involved support you know these services.

You can even think of organizing your own Christmas gatherings

at a family level, at a neighbor level, at a

marketplace level. I know that one of our partners in

ex Cyberjaya, So she works with the Ministry of Health

in the local health office in here. Bataling PICKEDI Battaling

and yeah, and she is one of the few believers

in her marketplace. And this Christmas God gave her an

idea to organize a Christmas luncheon and invite her colleagues.

It's like free for all.

It's her own initiative, it's not a department initiative. And

you know, so she's inviting like just anyone who wants

to come. And she thought that maybe only a few

will sign up for this Christmas luncheon, but she's received

overwhelming response. She thought maybe less than five people will come.

But the last I heard a week ago twenty over

of her colleagues signed up for that Christmas luncheon and

it's her own initiative. She went, I think she's hunting

for a banana leaf place nearby.

With an upstairs one.

It's near a PJ area. Yeah, of course her office

is in PJ, right, and she she out of ownly

she they went to hunt for that marcam place. And

you know she wants to do you know, carols and worship.

But you know that's not going to be outright preaching.

You know, maybe a simple prayer. But she's also mindful

and respectful to you know, her colleagues. But she wants

to her heart is to actually start a Christian fellowship

in her marketplace.

And this is a seat that will lead to that.

At least from this she will know who among her

colleagues are also fellow believers or not yet. Yeah, and

so something that the Lord dropping her heart? What is

God dropping in your heart for your family, your marketplace?

For me?

I have a neighbor, uh and she's an auntie in

her sixties. She's a single auntie, very very small, very fit,

and we became friends over the pandemic, and she recently

was diagnosed with cancer in her body and it was

postulated to be quite advanced, and so she had to

go for surgery. Maybe she had to undergo chemo or radiotherapy.

And one evening we just bum into each other outside

my house and I just felt the boldness of the

Holy Spirit to say, Anti So and So, can I

can I just pray for you? And I know she's

of a totally different faith, and from my experience with

that faith, they can be quite resistant to believe us.

I don't know what came over me. I could have

just jeopardized our friendship, but I knew of the Lord.

See Anti So and So. I know that you're going

through this, you know, cancer journey. You're going to go

for your surgery soon. Can I can I pray for you?

And this is at my friend geta where other neighbors

are passing by her and their dogs and all. And

she said, okay, why not? And I say, can I

put my hand on you? There was another bull step

and she said sure. And so at my friend gate

with other neighbors and their dogs and the cats and

whatever not's passing by, I just laid my hands on

this Auntie, and I prayed for her.

I just pray a simple prayer, by I meant it

with all my heart.

I say, Lord, please, you know, touch this auntie and

heal her of her cancer. I pray that you know,

the report that comes back will be a good report,

and whatever treatment that she's going for will just clear

her completely off the cancer, and that she will experience

your love and your peace, and you are bless her

with long life.

I was bold to ask her for that, ask God

for that.

And then after that, almost every night when I pray

together with my children before bad time, we will remember

to pray for this auntie. Yes. And so recently I

got news from her that she had undergone her cancer surgery.

In fact, it was at Picasso here in PJ. There's

this new cancer center right in PJ.

Picasso.

Yeah, she she underwent her surgery and praise God, you know,

the doctors downgraded her stage after the surgery. It wasn't

as bad as they at first thought it was. And

then she didn't doesn't have to undergo further treatment. And

yesterday she came and dropped off a bag of chocolates

at my house. Yeah, and she and and Before that,

she also texted she said, thank you so much Jill

and your family for praying for me. My report, I mean,

my surgery went well. The doctors downgraded my stage. It

was a good report. The cancer wasn't as aggressive as

they taught it to be. I don't have to go

for further chemo or radio. She's back to hiking, cycling, golfing, tennising,

you name it. She has climb Mount Everest. Okay, yeah,

that's that's my neighbor. But I know that there is

an openness in her heart and and and and passage,

and I are thinking, okay, how this Christmas can we

invite her over to our house to have a simple

meal with her. Doesn't have to be a fancy expensive party,

just a home cooked meal. Maybe a cook shepherd's pie

for her. I can do that, Yeah, bake a brownie,

a mushroom soup, you know, simple and have just keep

the conversation going and see how the Lord you know,

will enter through the open door of our heart.

One day, one day I just sensed as.

An openness and I saw her this morning before I

was coming out of my guard house to come to XBJ.

So there was another sign of God saying share this

word today and yeah, so who could that be in

your life? Right? And finally, one more thing that you

could do also is to offer up a prayer to

someone you know. Last Christmas, different ones wish me, but

the ones that really stood out to me were my

pre believing friends who wished me. Because I'm like, wow,

they are not celebrating this, and yet they take effort

to waigh me. So God, thank you for making me

a blessing enough in their life that they would care

enough to wish me. And God challenged me, Jill, don't

stop at thanking them. Why don't you ask them? Is

there anything I can pray for you? And almost all

of them shed over text what they actually needed in

terms of prayer.

Someone's health.

So this Auntie was actually good health for the new year.

And another neighbor was you know another thing, Another ex

patient was this, another ex colleague was this.

Yeah.

And so be open friends, be open to how the

Lord will speak to you to just you know, reach

out to the people around you in your own ways. Pray, listen, obey,

that's the last thing I'll live to you. Pray, listen, obey,

and ask God, how can this Christmas not be the

same or same old Christmas for me and the people

around me. Let it not just be a traditional Christmas,

but it also be a transformational Christmas.

Let us not remain the same, but let us change.

Let us draw closer to knowing You, experiencing your peace

in our lives this Christmas.

Amen.

We hope you've been blessed by this message. For more

information on our church, please visit as church org. We

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this week is going to be a good week, a

hit for you.

God bless