Participants:
Series Code: PME
Program Code: PME231216S
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00:15 >> Good morning. 00:17 >> Good morning. 00:18 >> Happy Sabbath to everyone. 00:21 It's good to see you. 00:23 Welcome to worship 00:25 at Pioneer today. 00:27 Do we have any visitors 00:28 here today? 00:30 Welcome. Anybody else? 00:34 Welcome. Well, I'm going to -- 00:35 Oh, hi. Welcome. 00:37 Thank you for coming. 00:39 Thank you for joining us online, 00:40 as well, and on the radio. 00:42 We are happy to have you 00:44 as part of our worship family. 00:46 I want to ask that you help me 00:48 to welcome us to church today. 00:49 So, I'm going to invite you 00:51 to reach over and greet someone 00:53 with a warm smile, 00:54 a warm handshake, 00:56 and a warm word of welcome. 00:58 Would you do that, please? 01:01 Again. 01:02 And I didn't greet 01:04 this side this morning. 01:05 [ Laughs ] 01:20 Thank you so much. 01:22 It is our prayer today 01:24 that you will have a rewarding 01:26 encounter with God -- 01:28 they're always rewarding -- that 01:30 when you leave here 01:31 you would have been changed. 01:33 It is now time for our call 01:34 to worship. 01:36 You may find it on your worship 01:37 bulletin or on the screen, 01:39 and I would invite you to read 01:41 responsibly with me 01:43 our call to worship. 01:44 Now, it has some adjectives 01:46 there that I -- 01:47 I want you to put some feeling 01:48 into an expression 01:50 as we talk about 01:51 the beautiful voice and so on. 01:53 So, join me as we read. 02:20 Will you join me by 02:21 standing for prayer 02:23 and then remain standing 02:24 for the songs that follow? 02:33 Let us pray. 02:37 Prince of Peace, mighty God, 02:41 Emmanuel, 02:43 Jesus, the one who will save us 02:46 from our sins. 02:48 How we thank You 02:49 that You are our God, 02:52 how we worship You today, 02:54 how we give You glory. 02:57 We come into Your presence. 02:59 We gather together in this house 03:01 of prayer for all people. 03:03 And we worship You with all that 03:06 we have and all that we are. 03:09 While our worship is imperfect, 03:11 we invite You to perfect 03:13 our worship and perfect 03:15 our love for You. 03:17 So, Prince of Peace, control 03:20 our will, bid 03:22 our struggling hearts be still. 03:26 Bid our doubts and fears 03:28 to cease 03:29 and hush our spirits into peace 03:33 as we worship You in spirit 03:35 and in truth. 03:36 Amen. 03:39 >> Amen. 03:40 Happy Sabbath, church. 03:42 We are here today 03:43 because there is joy. 03:45 There is a gift that was given 03:46 to us when Christ was born. 03:49 He's the gift of salvation, 03:51 and he's the joy to the world. 03:53 And as we sing that song, 03:54 we invite you all to sing 03:55 along with us. 03:59 [ "Joy to the World 04:01 (Joyful, Joyful)" begins ] 08:19 >> Amen. Amen. 08:25 [ "The Work of Christmas" 08:27 begins ] 08:33 >> ♪ When the song of the angels 08:37 is stilled ♪ 08:42 ♪ When the star in the sky 08:46 is gone ♪ 08:50 ♪ When the kings and princes 08:54 are home ♪ 08:59 ♪ When the shepherds are back 09:03 with their flock ♪ 09:09 ♪ The work of Christmas begins 09:18 ♪ To find the lost 09:23 ♪ To heal the broken 09:27 ♪ To feed the hungry 09:31 ♪ To release the prisoner 09:35 ♪ To rebuild the nations 09:43 ♪ To bring peace 09:46 among brothers ♪ 09:55 ♪ To make music, make music 10:07 make mu-u-u-sic 10:18 from the heart ♪ 10:38 ♪ When the song of the angels 10:42 is stilled ♪ 10:47 ♪ When the star in the sky 10:51 is gone ♪ 10:55 ♪ When the kings and princes 11:00 are home ♪ 11:05 ♪ When the shepherds are back 11:08 with their flock ♪ 11:15 ♪ The work of Christmas 11:23 begins ♪ 11:40 >> Our Scripture reading today 11:41 is found in Luke 2:8-14. 11:46 The Bible says, 11:47 "And there were shepherds 11:48 living out in the fields nearby, 11:51 keeping watch over their flocks 11:52 at night. 11:54 An angel of the Lord 11:55 appeared to them, 11:57 and the glory of the Lord 11:58 shone around them, 11:59 and they were terrified. 12:02 But the angel said to them, 12:03 'Do not be afraid. 12:05 I bring you good news 12:07 that will cause great joy 12:08 for all the people. 12:10 Today in the town of David, 12:12 a Savior has been born to you. 12:15 He is the Messiah, the Lord. 12:18 This will be a sign to you. 12:20 You will find a baby 12:22 wrapped in cloths 12:23 and lying in a manger.' 12:26 Suddenly, a great company 12:28 of the heavenly host appeared 12:29 with the angel, praising God 12:32 and saying, 'Glory to God 12:35 in the highest Heaven, 12:36 and on Earth peace to those on 12:38 whom His favor rests." 12:41 >> Amen. 12:42 Many of you don't know 12:44 the story behind this song 12:46 that happened this week 12:48 for me and for the praise team. 12:50 But there is a testimony there. 12:52 What I want to tell you about it 12:53 is that the word 12:55 "Emmanuel" is a promise 12:57 that sometimes we lose sight of. 13:01 It happened to me this Thursday, 13:04 where things that are 13:05 unexpected, things that 13:06 are unplanned happen, 13:09 and we lose sight of the fact 13:10 that God is with us. 13:14 We lose sight of the fact 13:15 that we are not alone. 13:16 We lose sight of the fact 13:19 that whatever we do, 13:21 if we do it according 13:22 to His will, He will be with us, 13:26 empowering us to do His bidding. 13:29 And He is with us right now. 13:31 So, we invite you 13:32 to please sing along. 13:34 It's going to be 13:34 a different version of the song, 13:36 but I'm sure 13:37 you're going to love it. 13:38 [ "Emmanuel" begins ] 17:10 [ "O Come, All Ye Faithful" 17:12 begins ] 18:28 [ "Worthy of It All" begins ] 20:43 Amen. Praise God. 20:45 You may be seated. 21:41 >> Turn in your hymnals, please, 21:44 to number 142. 21:51 The hymnal is the 21:52 not-so-often-used book 21:53 that's in the pew there. 21:54 Brush the dust off of it. 21:56 Page 142. 21:58 And if you are on the right 21:59 page, you will find a Christmas 22:02 carol, a hymn entitled 22:05 "Angels We Have Heard on High." 22:10 This will be our text for today. 22:11 If you don't have a hymnal 22:12 where you are at, 22:14 find somebody who does. 22:15 You will need one. 22:16 If you don't know them, 22:17 just sidle up next to them 22:18 and say, "I only want you 22:19 for your hymnal," and this will 22:21 help you to meet new people. 22:23 You'll be ready to go. 22:30 The first verse says this. 22:32 "Angels we have heard on high, 22:35 singing sweetly through 22:36 the night, 22:37 and the mountains in reply, 22:39 echoing their brave delight." 22:44 You know, most of the time 22:45 when we sing praises to God, 22:47 it's during the daytime. 22:48 And I can safely say that 22:50 because I think if you took, 22:51 on average, the amount 22:52 of praise sung to God, 22:54 probably worship services 22:55 like this one would rule the day 22:57 as far as frequency. 22:59 And indeed we do hold our church 23:01 services during the day. 23:02 I mean, today the sun 23:03 is shining bright 23:06 at about 4,000 feet and above, 23:09 and we can see. 23:12 We can see each other here. 23:13 We sing our praises and whatnot. 23:15 But there are some notable 23:18 exceptions in salvation history, 23:22 where singing praises to God 23:23 was not done just during 23:24 the day but during the night. 23:28 Probably one of the most famous 23:29 is the account of Paul and Silas 23:31 in the Book of Acts. 23:33 They are beaten 23:34 for their faith severely. 23:35 They're thrown into jail, 23:36 and not just into jail, 23:38 but into the inner cell 23:39 of the jail, 23:40 and not just into the inner cell 23:42 of the jail, but their feet 23:42 are put in the stocks, 23:44 which probably meant that, 23:46 at best, their swollen, cut, 23:48 bleeding backs 23:49 were against a wall. 23:51 Or probably more likely, there 23:52 was nothing at all to lean on. 23:54 Feet in the stocks, 23:56 backs bleeding, 23:59 singing praises to God 24:02 in the dark. 24:05 Now, blessedly, 24:07 we still continue at least 24:08 part of this tradition, 24:09 at least for the moment. 24:11 Not so much the bleeding backs 24:12 and feet in stocks part, 24:14 but we do still sing at night. 24:15 We call it Christmas caroling, 24:16 don't we? 24:17 And when we go out 24:19 at this time of the year, 24:19 we'll go places 24:21 and we will sing these 24:22 Christmas carols 24:23 during the night. 24:25 And I can't help but think 24:26 that the effect 24:27 that the singing of these 24:28 Christmas carols would have 24:29 would be very different 24:31 if we sang it at, say, 24:33 2:00 in the afternoon 24:34 on a sunny day. 24:37 There's just something about 24:39 singing these carols at night 24:40 that captures the spirit 24:42 of Christmas. 24:43 In fact, picture this in your 24:44 mind if you can. 24:47 Someone at home alone, 24:52 perhaps they've been alone 24:52 for quite some time. 24:55 The sun has long gone 24:57 over the horizon. 24:59 And they hear a knock 25:01 at their door. 25:03 And opening it, 25:05 they peer out into the darkness, 25:09 and suddenly they hear 25:10 the rich refrains 25:12 of ancient carols being sung. 25:16 Yes, these are carols that are 25:17 being sung by strangers, 25:18 but somehow they bring a warmth 25:20 to the loneliness and the cold 25:22 that leaves a glow long 25:24 after the carolers have left. 25:29 You see, in my mind's eye, 25:30 this is one of the reasons 25:31 why those angels 2,000 years ago 25:33 outside of Bethlehem 25:34 sang their songs of praises 25:37 during the night. 25:38 Yes, it's true. 25:39 That's probably 25:40 when Jesus was born. 25:41 But it was also at that time, 25:43 when the sun had long 25:44 dipped over the horizon, 25:45 that the extreme contrast 25:47 between the darkness of night 25:48 and the brightness 25:49 of those angels 25:50 sweetly singing through it 25:52 surely taught a profound lesson. 25:54 And that lesson is this. 25:56 There is no situation so dark 25:58 that the good news of Jesus 26:00 can't brighten it up. 26:04 So, how is it with you this 26:05 holiday season? 26:08 What darkness do you face? 26:12 Maybe there's someone who 26:13 was here last Christmas season 26:15 but isn't here now. 26:18 Maybe something happened 26:19 this year that you so very much 26:21 wish had not happened. 26:23 Or maybe something didn't happen 26:24 that you wish did. 26:27 Whatever the case, 26:29 let the angelic concert on the 26:31 plain of Bethlehem remind you. 26:34 The glorious peace that Jesus 26:36 brings can still break 26:38 through the darkest of nights, 26:39 even yours. 26:42 The light that gives light 26:43 to everyone 26:43 has come into the world. 26:46 Why not hear His knock 26:48 and open the door of your heart 26:49 and let His love dispel 26:50 the darkness? 26:53 You know, this time of year, 26:54 perhaps more than others, 26:56 is a time when I think 26:57 the invitations to accept Christ 27:00 can be the loudest, 27:01 and I praise the Lord for that. 27:03 The entire season, rightly 27:04 understood, focuses on Jesus. 27:07 If you haven't made a decision 27:08 for Jesus Christ yet -- 27:09 maybe you've never been 27:10 baptized; or maybe you were 27:11 baptized at some time in the 27:12 past and you faded from that -- 27:14 I just want to encourage you. 27:15 Let this be your season. 27:16 Let this be the time. 27:18 Say yes to Jesus. 27:20 And for those of you that have 27:21 already made a decision, 27:23 but maybe you need to recommit, 27:25 let this be your season. 27:27 Jesus is inviting. 27:29 Let us accept his invitation. 27:32 Let's sing about it. 27:34 Take a look there at verse one 27:35 of 27:37 "Angels We Have Heard on High." 27:44 Sing with me. 28:26 "Shepherds, why this jubilee? 28:29 Why these songs of happy cheer? 28:31 What great brightness 28:32 did you see? 28:33 What glad tidings did you hear?" 28:39 It will surprise, surprise 28:40 exactly no one when I say that 28:44 Christmas today is a global 28:46 affair. 28:48 Oh, I know there are some 28:49 portions of the world 28:50 that do not celebrate Christmas. 28:51 I understand that, 28:52 but my guess is, 28:53 given the commercial firepower 28:55 of Christmas, 28:56 that even those places get a few 28:58 glimpses every now and then. 29:00 Christmas, generally 29:01 speaking, is everywhere. 29:02 And, by the way, here in 29:04 Berrien Springs, I'm learning 29:05 this. 29:06 This is a new thing to me. 29:07 Christmas begins the day 29:09 after Halloween. 29:11 [ Laughter ] 29:13 I mean, it's remarkable. 29:14 I had no idea that this was a 29:15 thing. 29:16 The pumpkins 29:17 come out of the window, 29:18 and there's a Christmas tree 29:19 the very next day, right? 29:21 I think some places, actually, 29:22 the Christmas tree 29:22 was already up 29:24 and the lights were going, 29:25 but the curtains were closed. 29:26 And, like, at 12:01 29:27 on the first day of November -- 29:28 bing! -- it's Christmastime 29:29 in Berrien Springs. 29:32 No matter where you go, 29:34 Christmas can be found, 29:35 at least in the Western world, 29:37 with songs. 29:38 How many times have you already 29:39 heard "Jingle Bells"? 29:41 Right? You go to the mall, 29:42 you hear the songs, 29:44 the decorations in the window, 29:45 the faux presents, 29:47 the fake Santa Clauses 29:48 that are all set up, 29:49 taking requests 29:50 for parents that hope 29:51 their children choose wisely. 29:53 Christmas today 29:54 is a global event. 30:00 But the truth is that the very 30:02 first Christmas was not. 30:06 In fact, the very first 30:08 Christmas was an extraordinarily 30:10 private affair. 30:13 In face, so private -- it was. 30:14 And I realize this next thing 30:15 is an argument from silence. 30:17 But apparently even the citizens 30:20 of Bethlehem neither saw 30:22 nor heard the angels singing. 30:24 I mean, there's no record of it. 30:26 The shepherds 30:27 had to go tell them, 30:28 not the other way around, right? 30:31 This was a private thing. 30:33 And given the private nature 30:35 of that first Christmas, 30:36 can you imagine how honored 30:39 those shepherds must have felt? 30:42 I mean, there's something 30:43 special about private audiences 30:45 with greatness, isn't there? 30:47 I can't say that I've had 30:48 too much experience with 30:49 those types of audiences, but 30:51 I have had a little bit. 30:53 Some years ago, there was a 30:55 young adult ministry conference 30:56 that was called Connections 99. 30:59 You'll never guess what year 31:01 it was held in, right? 31:02 Connections 99, 31:04 it was the second of a series 31:06 of young-adult ministry events 31:07 that had been put on. 31:09 Connections 99 this time, it 31:10 took place at 31:11 the General Conference building 31:13 in Silver Spring, Maryland. 31:15 Now, in those days, 31:16 I had a different opinion of 31:19 the General Conference building. 31:20 I thought I was walking into the 31:21 mouth of the lion, okay? 31:24 It was not my favorite 31:25 place to be purely on some 31:27 preconceived notions that I had. 31:28 But to my great surprise, 31:30 when I got there, 31:31 people were welcoming. 31:32 They were so thrilled 31:33 that we were there. 31:34 Hundreds of young adults 31:34 gathered to talk about 31:36 Jesus and ministry 31:37 and the three angels' messages. 31:39 It turned out to be 31:40 a great weekend. 31:43 Now, I was programming director 31:44 for Connections 99, 31:46 and so that meant that 31:48 I directed the programs -- 31:50 genius, huh? -- 31:51 that happened there 31:52 for Connections 99, 31:53 including Saturday night. 31:56 On Saturday night, 31:57 we were going to have a special 31:57 closing ceremony, 31:58 and it involved a puzzle. 32:01 Puzzle was only about this big. 32:03 It had, you know, 32:04 hundreds of pieces to it. 32:05 The idea was that 32:07 every young adult who attended 32:09 would be given a piece 32:10 of the puzzle to take with them 32:11 when they went home. 32:13 The message being, you know, 32:14 we're all part of 32:14 a larger picture. 32:16 We're working together 32:17 to do what the Lord 32:18 has asked us to do. 32:19 So, it's a powerful symbol, 32:21 but we weren't quite sure 32:22 of the details. 32:24 I mean, how do we take this 32:24 little puzzle 32:26 and make it meaningful? 32:28 So, someone said, "Well, hey, 32:29 why don't we call some of the 32:30 brass from upstairs?" 32:33 And so, two gentlemen 32:34 came down. 32:36 This is Saturday night, closing 32:36 night. 32:38 Jan Paulsen and Al McClure. 32:41 Now, at that time, 32:43 Jan Paulsen was 32:44 the General Conference president 32:46 and Al McClure was the president 32:48 of the North American division. 32:50 And I'd seen their pictures 32:51 before, and I knew a little bit 32:52 about who they were 32:53 but had never met them. 32:54 And I confess, 32:55 when they came and they said, 32:57 "Well, who do we meet with?" 32:58 And they pointed to me, 32:59 and the three of us, 33:00 just the three of us, walked off 33:01 into a corner of the lobby of 33:03 the General Conference session. 33:04 I remember thinking to myself, 33:07 "Well, this isn't bad." 33:09 I mean, here are these two guys, 33:11 as far as the Adventist church 33:12 is concerned, 33:14 pretty high-powered. 33:15 We have this little 33:15 conversation. 33:17 "Well, how do you think 33:17 we should do this?" 33:18 And we talked about it a bit. 33:19 And I said, "Well, maybe 33:21 one of you could say something." 33:22 Elder Paulsen 33:24 looked at Elder McClure. 33:25 He said, "Well, Al, 33:25 this is your division. 33:26 Why don't you say something? 33:28 Why don't you go first?" 33:28 "Oh, I don't know. 33:29 You know, you're the GC. 33:30 Why don't you do this?" 33:31 You know, this kind of 33:32 self-referential thing, 33:33 tennis match 33:33 going back and forth. 33:35 And we finally concluded 33:36 as to what would happen. 33:38 Ceremony went very well. 33:39 They were gracious to us. 33:44 And I was honored. 33:47 I was honored, 33:51 which to me teaches at least 33:52 two lessons. 33:55 Number one, never underestimate 33:59 the honor that you grant 34:01 to a young person when you spend 34:02 a few moments with them. 34:05 I know you're busy. 34:07 But if you get the opportunity, 34:08 take the time. 34:10 It just might create a positive 34:11 influence and memory 34:12 that will last a lifetime. 34:15 And, secondly, take that honor 34:22 that I felt that evening 34:25 and multiply it 34:26 by an infinite amount. 34:29 And that is the honor 34:31 that Jesus has bestowed on us. 34:36 You see, Jesus still 34:38 gives private concerts. 34:40 Jesus still seeks a private 34:42 audience with you. 34:44 Jesus would have come and died 34:46 even if you were the only person 34:47 on the planet. 34:49 And right now, as always, 34:51 you have His complete 34:52 and undivided attention. 34:55 No wonder those shepherds 34:56 were jubilant. 34:57 They had seen a great 34:59 and bright hope. 35:00 They had heard the glad tidings. 35:02 And though those tidings were 35:04 intended for the entire world, 35:06 they were also intended 35:07 just for them and just for me 35:10 and just for you. 35:13 Behold what honor the God of the 35:16 universe has bestowed upon us. 35:20 Let's sing about it. 35:22 Take a look at verse two. 36:13 >> "Come to Bethlehem and see, 36:15 Him whose birth the angels sing. 36:18 Come adore on bended knee, 36:20 Christ the Lord, 36:22 the newborn King." 36:26 We're going to start 36:27 with the easy questions first. 36:29 How many of you have been born? 36:32 [ Laughter ] 36:35 All right, those of you that 36:36 did not raise your hand, we'll 36:37 have a little talk afterwards. 36:38 We'll clear some things up, 36:39 which are undoubtedly 36:40 a mystery to you. 36:41 Second question -- 36:42 maybe a little harder. 36:44 How many of you remember 36:45 what it was like? 36:46 [ Laughter ] 36:49 Yeah. Me neither. 36:50 Right. It's kind of a blessing, 36:52 isn't it, that the Lord 36:53 kind of brushes some amnesia 36:54 on babies' brains 36:56 because it's fairly traumatic 36:57 most of the time, right? 36:59 But let me tell you at least a 37:01 little bit about what it's like. 37:04 I've seen two live births. 37:05 I've been a part of that process 37:06 in the last 20 years or so. 37:08 And let me tell you at least 37:09 a little bit 37:10 about what it's like. 37:11 If you go today, at least 37:14 in the West, certainly here 37:15 in the United States, 37:16 to have a baby, often you 37:18 will go to a birthing suite. 37:21 Now, when I was born, they did 37:22 not have birthing suites. 37:23 In fact, there wasn't 37:24 a whole lot that was "sweet" 37:25 about birth at all. 37:26 But birthing suites now, I mean, 37:27 they're gorgeous. 37:28 They're, you know, 37:29 very well-done. 37:30 There's woodwork there 37:30 and beautiful colors, 37:32 and everything is soft 37:33 and nice and welcoming. 37:35 And the technology that is woven 37:38 into that environment 37:39 is breathtaking. 37:41 I mean, there is technology 37:43 and technical know-how 37:44 and medical expertise 37:46 that is just bursting 37:47 from those birthing suites. 37:48 There are things 37:50 to monitor the baby 37:51 and the mother's health, 37:52 you know, just to make sure 37:53 everything is going alright. 37:54 If something goes wrong, 37:56 in the blink of an eye, 37:57 the room will be filled 37:59 with professionals and highly 38:01 trained people applying 38:02 this advanced technology. 38:04 This is one of the reasons 38:06 why the mortality rate 38:07 for infants in this country 38:08 is as low as it is, 38:10 because we are blessed 38:11 with tremendous expertise and 38:14 technology, which explains to me 38:21 a little bit more 38:23 why the birth of Jesus is such 38:26 an awe-inspiring spectacle. 38:30 You see, Heaven, the place 38:32 that Jesus left to be born here, 38:34 is better than all of 38:35 our technology put together. 38:39 This is why Heaven is described 38:40 in the Bible as using inkhorns 38:42 and writing kits 38:43 and paper books. 38:44 You know the picture of an angel 38:45 with a quill pen? 38:46 It all seems kind of prehistoric 38:47 to people today. 38:49 There's a reason for that, 38:50 because if God tried to explain, 38:52 for instance, the data-storage 38:54 and retrieval systems that 38:55 they actually use in Heaven, 38:57 we simply would not have 38:58 the capacity to understand. 39:00 We're not smart enough. 39:03 It would be like trying to teach 39:04 trigonometry to a cricket 39:06 or teaching a whale how to hula. 39:09 It's not going to happen, 39:12 because the difference between 39:13 Heaven and us is vast. 39:15 Think about this. 39:17 What would take us millennia to 39:19 construct God can simply 39:21 speak into existence. 39:24 What we can do only on water 39:26 skis behind a fast 39:28 and expensive boat, 39:29 Jesus does by going for a stroll 39:31 on a raging storm. 39:34 And what even 39:35 our most skilled physicians 39:37 and our most advanced 39:38 medical technology cannot do, 39:40 Jesus does by mixing spit 39:42 and dirt and telling a guy 39:43 to essentially go take a bath. 39:45 And sometimes He will skip 39:47 the spit-and-dirt part 39:48 and just speak blindness away. 39:54 Heaven does indeed know 39:55 how to handle life far better 39:57 than we do. 40:00 And yet at Jesus' birth, 40:03 Jesus went from all that Heaven 40:06 had to offer 40:09 and came to Bethlehem. 40:12 And at His birth 40:13 only Joseph and Mary, 40:15 as far as we know, were present. 40:16 There wasn't even a midwife 40:18 around. 40:21 At best, there were a few cows. 40:25 And last I checked, 40:26 bovine obstetrics 40:28 aren't very helpful if things 40:29 go wrong in a human birth. 40:33 All of that condescension -- 40:36 no technology, 40:38 no one there to help 40:39 should something go awry -- 40:41 speaks to the condescension, 40:44 keyword "condescension," 40:47 that was made for us 40:49 so that we might know God, 40:54 because as the Bible tells us, 40:55 "Jesus did not consider equality 40:56 with God 40:57 something to be grasped 40:58 but emptied Himself, 41:00 taking the form of a servant 41:01 being made in human likeness," 41:05 just as He was in that stable 41:07 in Bethlehem. 41:10 It's no wonder, therefore, 41:11 that when we understand 41:12 what God has sacrificed for us, 41:14 what He has left behind, 41:15 how He has condescended to us, 41:17 we, too, will come on bended 41:19 knee and bow in adoration to 41:21 Christ the Lord, the newborn 41:22 King. 41:25 Let's sing about it. 41:26 Verse three. 42:18 >> "See Him in a manger laid, 42:21 whom the angels praised above. 42:24 Mary, Joseph, 42:25 lend your aid, while we raise 42:28 our hearts in love." 42:33 You all know what a manger is, 42:34 right? 42:38 A manger -- we still have them. 42:39 You know, the feeding-trough 42:40 type of thing. 42:43 My family has a farm 42:44 in Oklahoma, 42:45 and growing up I would spend 42:46 as much time on the farm 42:48 as my asthmatic lungs 42:49 would allow. 42:50 I had a great time 42:52 working there over the years. 42:53 Family is still there, and they 42:54 to this day have mangers. 42:57 They have feeding troughs 42:57 because of 42:59 the livestock that they have. 43:01 Now, generally, when the 43:03 Christmas story is told, 43:06 we do as I just did and point 43:07 out the condescension of Christ 43:09 in coming to a stable. 43:13 Now, I understand, you know, 43:15 was it a stable 43:16 that was aboveground, 43:17 you know, a wooden structure? 43:18 Was it a grotto underneath? 43:20 There is debate about this. 43:22 I've been to Bethlehem 43:23 and was able to see all three 43:25 places that Jesus was born. 43:28 You can pay good money to find 43:29 each one of those places. 43:31 So, wherever it was, 43:33 if it was a stable of some sort, 43:36 it was most likely a place that, 43:39 frankly, wasn't very pleasant. 43:40 It probably reeked. 43:42 The smell probably 43:43 would have met your nostrils 43:44 right away, you know, 43:45 animal waste, manure, probably 43:47 rats running around, had the run 43:48 of the place. 43:50 And it's appropriate to remember 43:51 all of those things 43:52 when we think 43:54 of the condescension of Jesus. 43:58 But I would encourage you not 43:59 to make a mistake. 44:01 Don't include the manger 44:06 in that messiness. 44:09 You say, "Well, why not?" 44:12 Because even back then, 44:14 mothers knew not to put newborns 44:15 in a manure pile 44:17 or into garbage bins, etcetera. 44:20 In fact, I would even go so far 44:21 as to say that outside 44:23 of a palace, 44:24 where Christ deserved 44:25 to be born, 44:27 of all the other places 44:29 that Jesus could have been 44:30 lain after his birth, 44:32 a manger was the most fitting. 44:37 You see, to a horse or a donkey, 44:40 or perhaps, for our purposes 44:42 here today, to a sheep, 44:45 the manger is a place 44:47 that you long to be. 44:50 You long to be at the manger 44:51 because from the manger 44:53 comes food, from the manger 44:55 comes nourishment. 44:57 And, therefore, quite literally, 44:58 from the manger comes life. 45:04 My fellow sheep, 45:06 again, I ask you, "How is it 45:08 with you this holiday season?" 45:11 Are you hungry? 45:14 Are you hungry spiritually 45:16 for more than what you have? 45:19 If you are, 45:22 then come to the Manger 45:23 of Bethlehem, capital 45:25 "M," the Manger of Bethlehem. 45:29 There you will find real food, 45:30 real nourishment, 45:31 not merely for your stomach, 45:32 but for your heart. 45:33 There you can feast 45:35 on the bread of life, 45:36 Jesus Christ, the only item 45:38 on life's menu 45:39 that can truly sate our hunger. 45:42 He is waiting to serve you. 45:44 He holds out His hand. 45:46 Come and eat food 45:48 from the Manger 45:50 that will satisfy for eternity. 45:55 What will your answer to Him be? 45:58 Let's sing about it. 45:59 Verse four. 46:55 >> I suppose there's just one 46:58 last thing we ought to say 47:01 before leaving those angels 47:03 we've been hearing on high. 47:05 And here it is. 47:07 Someday -- and I pray 47:09 it will be soon -- 47:11 we shall hear them again. 47:16 And, furthermore, if we choose, 47:18 we can not only hear them again, 47:19 but this time we can sing 47:21 with them, for this life 47:24 is a preparation for the next. 47:25 Perhaps we could say that 47:27 this life is an audition 47:29 for the life to come. 47:31 We have here on earth 47:33 the opportunity to prepare for 47:34 the greatest joy and adventure 47:36 that humankind will ever have -- 47:38 knowing Jesus, being with Him 47:40 ad infinitum for eternity. 47:43 And for all of those 47:43 who take advantage 47:45 of this earthly audition 47:46 for that heavenly choir, 47:48 for all who choose Christ 47:49 as their Lord and Savior, 47:50 someday soon 47:52 those clouds will open. 47:53 The skies will part. 47:54 Christ will return. 47:56 And get this -- with Him 47:58 will be those very same angels 48:01 that were singers on that 48:02 Bethlehem plain 2,000 years ago. 48:05 It's exactly the same ones. 48:06 They're doing just fine, 48:07 and they are warming up 48:08 even as we speak 48:09 to get ready for this last 48:10 great concert on Earth. 48:13 And instead of them, 48:14 this time, injecting 48:16 themselves into our lives 48:18 as they did at Bethlehem, 48:19 we will join them, 48:22 and the heavenly choir 48:23 will sing all over again. 48:25 It will be, I guarantee you, 48:27 a reunion concert 48:28 worth attending. 48:32 May the Christmas season 48:33 find us firmly in Christ. 48:35 May we know Him personally 48:37 and intimately. 48:39 And may each one of us be ready 48:42 when that angel choir 48:44 sings again. 48:46 Let's sing the chorus 48:47 one more time together. 49:19 >> Amen. 49:48 >> Church, I invite you 49:50 to stand one last time, 49:54 one last time to sing this final 49:56 song, this beautiful carol, 50:03 "Silent Night." 50:09 [ "Silent Night" begins ] 52:21 [ "Adore" begins ] 54:57 >> Let us pray. 55:00 Lord, this Christmas season, 55:03 we long to know You better. 55:06 We thank You, Jesus, 55:07 for condescending to have 55:09 this private conversation 55:10 with Your people. 55:12 Lord, if there be anyone 55:13 that can hear my voice right now 55:15 that is feeling far from You, 55:17 I pray that you would intervene, 55:19 that Your light would shine into 55:20 their darkness and dispel it, 55:23 that indeed they would find 55:24 the rest that can only be found 55:25 in You. 55:27 May this Christmas season 55:29 be their time to come home. 55:32 We thank You for this gift, 55:33 and we pray it in Your name. 55:35 Amen. 55:39 >> What is it about the 55:40 holiday season 55:41 that gives you the greatest joy? 55:44 Is it the time spent cutting 55:45 down the family Christmas tree 55:47 at the local farm? 55:48 Or, if you're 55:48 south of the equator, 55:50 maybe it's the time spent 55:51 with friends under palm trees 55:52 at the beach. 55:54 Perhaps you find joy 55:56 in contemplating the profound 55:57 meaning of the carols 55:58 that we sing. 56:00 Or maybe Christmas joy for you 56:02 is found in the spirit of giving 56:04 that surrounds this season. 56:06 As we reflect on these joys, 56:08 let's always remember 56:09 the great light who guides us, 56:11 the source of joy 56:12 and meaning in life, 56:13 the loving Father 56:14 who is at the heart 56:16 of all treasured relationships, 56:18 and the wonderful God 56:19 who gave the ultimate gift 56:20 in a newborn child. 56:23 Some of my joy this season 56:25 comes in part from your letters 56:26 and e-mails, your prayers, 56:28 and your faithful giving of 56:29 support for this ministry, 56:31 which literally reaches 56:32 around the world. 56:33 If you've been blessed 56:34 this year, 56:35 I'd like to ask you to join 56:37 the many people who financially 56:38 support Pioneer's media 56:40 ministry, which brings you this 56:41 program. 56:43 It's simple to do. 56:44 Just call our toll-free number, 56:46 877-HIS-WILL. 56:49 One of our friendly operators 56:50 will be happy to help you. 56:52 You can also click the "donate" 56:54 link at the top of our website, 56:55 pmchurch.org, and look 56:58 for the "media ministry" option. 57:00 Truly, no gift is too small 57:02 for God to use to spread 57:03 the good news of His love, 57:05 His sacrifice, and His future 57:07 plans for our happiness. 57:09 Every gift is entirely invested 57:11 in our mission to communicate 57:13 God's good news to a generation 57:15 who needs the hope 57:16 found in Jesus, who alone 57:18 can bring them true joy in life. 57:21 Once again, our website 57:23 is pmchurch.org. 57:25 This season, know that 57:27 our Pioneer family 57:28 is praying for you 57:30 and that our greatest wish 57:31 is that Emmanuel, Jesus Christ 57:33 in the flesh and in your heart, 57:35 will be at the center 57:36 of the best memories made 57:38 with your family and friends. 57:40 ♪ 57:42 ♪ 57:52 ♪ 57:59 ♪ 58:02 ♪ 58:12 ♪ 58:22 ♪ |
Revised 2023-12-20