WEBVTT - Something Good Is Here Right Now! (Holly Furtick) 0:00:00.280 --> 0:00:02.160 Come on, put it in the chat right now. If 0:00:02.200 --> 0:00:05.520 you say I'm a giver, I'm a giver. I'm a giver. 0:00:06.120 --> 0:00:09.840 I'm a giver. Thank you Lord for all these faithful givers, 0:00:09.880 --> 0:00:13.360 for the seed they've sown. Thank You for Holly. Thank 0:00:13.400 --> 0:00:15.480 You for the life that she lives, the woman that 0:00:15.560 --> 0:00:19.280 she is. Thank You for how beautiful she is inside 0:00:19.320 --> 0:00:22.159 and out. Today, God, would you speak through her the 0:00:22.239 --> 0:00:25.320 exact thing we need to hear. We are listening. We 0:00:25.480 --> 0:00:29.520 are ready for a holly, jolly Christmas. We thank you 0:00:29.600 --> 0:00:33.279 Lord in Jesus' name, y'all. Thank God for Holly as 0:00:33.320 --> 0:00:48.760 she comes. Wow, Merry Christmas. I have to say welcome 0:00:48.800 --> 0:00:50.839 to those of you who are watching online and all 0:00:50.840 --> 0:00:54.840 of our campuses today. I am so glad to know 0:00:55.720 --> 0:00:59.840 that you are prioritizing the Word of God in your 0:00:59.880 --> 0:01:04.959 life and in your family during the busiest season of 0:01:05.040 --> 0:01:07.280 the year. And I believe that God is going to 0:01:07.480 --> 0:01:12.080 multiply your time today. You're going to accomplish everything you 0:01:12.120 --> 0:01:16.080 need to accomplish in the next six days, roughly one 0:01:16.160 --> 0:01:21.720 hundred and fifty hours. Still Christmas, But who's County not me? 0:01:22.880 --> 0:01:24.720 Before you sit down, I just want to read my 0:01:25.200 --> 0:01:27.720 passage really quick. If you have a Bible, I'm going 0:01:27.760 --> 0:01:31.120 to be in Luke chapter two, verse eight. If you 0:01:31.160 --> 0:01:33.600 don't have a Bible, it's going to be on the 0:01:33.640 --> 0:01:37.679 screen there for you. Luke two says. And there were 0:01:37.720 --> 0:01:41.119 shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over 0:01:41.160 --> 0:01:44.480 their flocks. At night. An angel of the Lord appeared 0:01:44.520 --> 0:01:47.480 to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, 0:01:47.920 --> 0:01:51.640 and they were terrified. The angel said to them, do 0:01:51.760 --> 0:01:54.640 not be afraid. I bring you good news that will 0:01:54.640 --> 0:01:59.000 cause great joy for all the people. Today in the 0:01:59.040 --> 0:02:02.440 town of David, a savior has been born to you. 0:02:02.560 --> 0:02:06.320 He is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a 0:02:06.400 --> 0:02:08.880 signed to you. You will find a baby wrapped in 0:02:08.960 --> 0:02:12.920 cloths and lying in a manger. Let's pray, Lord, would 0:02:12.960 --> 0:02:17.240 you speak to us today? God, would you help us 0:02:17.280 --> 0:02:19.960 to clear our minds of all the thoughts that are 0:02:20.000 --> 0:02:22.200 flying through our heads, the things that we need to do, 0:02:22.520 --> 0:02:24.799 the burdens that are on our shoulders. God, we set 0:02:24.840 --> 0:02:29.480 it all aside right now, and we ask for you 0:02:29.919 --> 0:02:34.720 to speak to us. We are listening. We know you 0:02:34.800 --> 0:02:39.120 have a message for us today. And God, for all 0:02:39.240 --> 0:02:43.160 the delivery men and women out there, would you bless them, 0:02:43.639 --> 0:02:47.120 would you help them not to get lost driving around? 0:02:47.200 --> 0:02:50.160 Would you keep them safe? And would you bring our 0:02:50.200 --> 0:02:57.560 packages safely to our doorsteps? Jesus name Amen, you can 0:02:57.600 --> 0:03:04.120 be seated. Thank you, Worshiptia. Anyone out there tracking a package, 0:03:04.800 --> 0:03:08.200 let me see your hand? Are you tracking a package? 0:03:08.400 --> 0:03:10.720 I don't know if it's a gift or a curse 0:03:11.320 --> 0:03:15.839 that technology has allowed us to literally see where our 0:03:15.880 --> 0:03:19.560 packages are at all times, except for some of these 0:03:19.680 --> 0:03:23.480 apps that are not quite accurate, and they're driving me crazy. 0:03:24.040 --> 0:03:26.000 I thought that I was doing really good this year 0:03:26.040 --> 0:03:28.720 when I started Christmas shopping in October. I'm telling you, 0:03:29.040 --> 0:03:32.440 never ever have I Christmas shopped before Black Friday. But 0:03:32.520 --> 0:03:35.480 this year I was like scared. The Today's Show had 0:03:35.520 --> 0:03:38.520 me nervous that nothing was gonna get here, and so 0:03:38.800 --> 0:03:41.560 I started in October. But I got to tell you, 0:03:41.600 --> 0:03:44.200 it has been no less stressful for me because I 0:03:44.200 --> 0:03:49.000 have spent the entire month of December obsessively tracking my packages. 0:03:50.040 --> 0:03:52.560 I currently have one package that I know is not 0:03:52.600 --> 0:03:55.360 gonna make it here by Christmas, and I have three 0:03:55.720 --> 0:03:58.600 that I keep hitting refreshed on and it's going to 0:03:58.680 --> 0:04:02.240 be a Christmas miracle if they arrive in time. How 0:04:02.280 --> 0:04:06.280 many of you believe in Christmas miracles? Yes? Okay, So 0:04:06.440 --> 0:04:09.160 last week one of the things that I had ordered 0:04:09.160 --> 0:04:12.920 for Steven hadn't come in yet, and so I went 0:04:12.960 --> 0:04:16.160 and found the email and I found the tracking number 0:04:16.720 --> 0:04:21.640 and when I clicked on it, my heart sank because 0:04:21.680 --> 0:04:27.359 it said Canada Post. And I didn't realize that my 0:04:27.480 --> 0:04:32.480 package was coming from a foreign country. Nothing against our 0:04:32.520 --> 0:04:34.960 Canadian friends, shout out to those of you watching at 0:04:34.960 --> 0:04:37.880 our Toronto campus. But my package sat at your border 0:04:37.920 --> 0:04:41.719 for three days. How do I know? Because I checked 0:04:41.720 --> 0:04:46.080 it every day. I kept the Canada Post tab open 0:04:46.440 --> 0:04:49.960 in my browser, and I just I kept clicking refreshed. 0:04:50.120 --> 0:04:52.880 And on day two I started to panic and I 0:04:52.880 --> 0:04:55.720 imagined my package getting lost in a giant pile of 0:04:55.760 --> 0:04:58.560 boxes at customs, because I know Canada is really much 0:04:58.560 --> 0:05:00.599 more strict about COVID and all the things, and maybe 0:05:00.640 --> 0:05:03.760 my package had COVID, And so I started thinking of 0:05:03.880 --> 0:05:10.920 backup gifts. And then on the third day, I refreshed 0:05:11.920 --> 0:05:16.080 in the item the thing said item has arrived in 0:05:16.279 --> 0:05:20.479 foreign country. USA. How many of you thank God for 0:05:20.560 --> 0:05:25.840 the third Day? The believing God for some Third Day packages? 0:05:26.000 --> 0:05:29.359 This Christmas. I think one of the best and the 0:05:29.400 --> 0:05:33.080 worst parts of Christmas is mail, because on one hand, 0:05:33.520 --> 0:05:37.839 I'm constantly tracking my packages, but on the other hand, 0:05:38.440 --> 0:05:42.359 the relief and the pure joy that can be felt 0:05:42.880 --> 0:05:46.000 when you pull into your driveway and you see a 0:05:46.040 --> 0:05:48.719 pile of boxes on your front door. Some of the 0:05:48.760 --> 0:05:50.960 men in here are like, I do not feel pure 0:05:51.040 --> 0:05:55.560 joy when I see all those boxes. But Sir Eric Phillips, 0:05:55.600 --> 0:05:58.640 happy birthday. You were not waiting for a Christmas miracle. 0:06:00.000 --> 0:06:03.200 And the feeling when you start to read those return 0:06:03.279 --> 0:06:07.440 labels and you realize that your gift is here, It's amazing. 0:06:07.640 --> 0:06:12.440 It is a great feeling. Amen. Anybody know that feeling? Okay, 0:06:12.560 --> 0:06:18.120 last week Stephen taught us something good is coming from this. 0:06:18.200 --> 0:06:22.039 Were you here, If you were here, do the motions 0:06:22.080 --> 0:06:26.160 with me. He said this, He said, something good is 0:06:26.320 --> 0:06:30.800 coming from this. Remember, and he told us that if 0:06:30.839 --> 0:06:35.760 anything good can come from Nazareth, then something good is 0:06:35.920 --> 0:06:39.120 coming from this. And I loved it when he said 0:06:39.320 --> 0:06:42.080 don't leave Egypt without going through the gift shop, because 0:06:42.200 --> 0:06:44.280 he made fun of me. But you guys, I love 0:06:44.400 --> 0:06:47.840 a gift shop. I have loved gift shop since I 0:06:48.000 --> 0:06:50.159 was ten years old. I don't know why I love 0:06:50.160 --> 0:06:52.640 a gift shop. If you don't buy the mug, were 0:06:52.680 --> 0:06:57.480 you really even there? You had to have proof that 0:06:57.560 --> 0:07:01.080 you were there. Something good is coming from this. What 0:07:01.200 --> 0:07:03.720 a promise he gave us to hold onto. And I 0:07:03.800 --> 0:07:07.359 thought about it all week, and I kept thinking about 0:07:07.600 --> 0:07:11.280 how so many people are going through a dark season 0:07:11.360 --> 0:07:14.400 in their lives. Right now. You might be watching and thinking, 0:07:14.720 --> 0:07:17.840 I wish my biggest Christmas. My biggest worry this Christmas 0:07:17.840 --> 0:07:21.400 season was making sure that my packages got delivered on time. 0:07:22.080 --> 0:07:24.480 I've been thinking a lot about my friend Kimberly, whose 0:07:24.560 --> 0:07:27.520 fourteen year old son has cancer and he has been 0:07:27.600 --> 0:07:30.840 fighting for his life in the hospital, and how she 0:07:30.880 --> 0:07:34.840 hasn't seen her twelve year old son for two months. 0:07:35.640 --> 0:07:39.800 And I know that many of you are going through 0:07:40.080 --> 0:07:43.040 maybe a divorce, or you lost your job, or you 0:07:43.120 --> 0:07:45.080 lost a loved one this year, and you don't even 0:07:45.160 --> 0:07:48.680 want to celebrate Christmas. And I just want to say 0:07:48.680 --> 0:07:50.960 to you that if it feels dark to you this year, 0:07:51.080 --> 0:07:55.040 if you I want you to know that I'm praying 0:07:55.120 --> 0:07:59.640 for you, and I'm also so thankful that you are 0:07:59.760 --> 0:08:06.200 here with us in church today because God can handle 0:08:06.600 --> 0:08:10.680 your disappointments and your doubts, and when you come to 0:08:10.800 --> 0:08:15.000 church where you log on to your computer and you 0:08:15.080 --> 0:08:17.520 take time and you worship God, even in the midst 0:08:17.560 --> 0:08:21.520 of a difficult season, you're sending a message to yourself 0:08:22.200 --> 0:08:24.880 and to the enemy that you may be under attack, 0:08:24.960 --> 0:08:29.360 but you are not going to go down. And I 0:08:29.520 --> 0:08:33.640 believe I'm praying that you are going to go out 0:08:33.679 --> 0:08:38.360 of here today full of faith and joy and hope 0:08:38.840 --> 0:08:41.600 in your heart because God has given me a message 0:08:41.600 --> 0:08:43.200 for you. So this week, when I was reading this 0:08:43.280 --> 0:08:45.920 passage Luke to about the shepherds, and I kept praying 0:08:45.920 --> 0:08:48.240 about what God wanted me to say to you, and 0:08:48.280 --> 0:08:51.720 I had all these things, but they weren't all coming together. 0:08:51.760 --> 0:08:54.240 And I was thinking, there's only six days left till Christmas, 0:08:54.240 --> 0:08:56.280 and God, what do you want me to say? And 0:08:56.320 --> 0:08:59.280 I finally figured out he wants me to give you 0:08:59.360 --> 0:09:05.280 part two of Pastor Steven sermon from last week. All right, 0:09:05.360 --> 0:09:10.640 so last week we learn something good is coming from 0:09:10.880 --> 0:09:15.319 this This week part two, we've got some new motions. 0:09:15.880 --> 0:09:23.040 Goes like this, something good is here right now. Okay, 0:09:23.520 --> 0:09:25.079 let's do it one more time, No, one more time 0:09:25.080 --> 0:09:28.839 here because now you got it Okay, something good is 0:09:29.000 --> 0:09:33.800 here right now, right now, today, I want to take 0:09:33.840 --> 0:09:37.480 the story of the Shepherds and show you that not 0:09:37.600 --> 0:09:41.360 only is something good coming from this from your situation, 0:09:41.600 --> 0:09:49.400 but also something good is here right now. Room's eight 0:09:49.480 --> 0:09:51.880 twenty eight tells us that God is working all things 0:09:52.360 --> 0:09:55.720 for good. But what I am learning is that while 0:09:55.760 --> 0:09:59.760 I'm waiting for God to do this good work, there 0:09:59.800 --> 0:10:06.040 is good to be found in every situation, in every person, 0:10:06.640 --> 0:10:11.880 in every moment right here. So in our time that 0:10:11.920 --> 0:10:14.360 we have together, I want to show you three things 0:10:14.400 --> 0:10:17.839 to remember this holiday season that will help you focus 0:10:18.240 --> 0:10:21.400 on the good in the middle of the chaos, in 0:10:21.440 --> 0:10:24.439 the middle of the loneliness, in the middle of your dysfunction, 0:10:24.520 --> 0:10:28.720 in the middle of every single situation that you face. 0:10:29.240 --> 0:10:33.200 Are you ready, Let's go. Let's look at the first 0:10:33.280 --> 0:10:37.920 two verses that we read. Luke tells us in verse 0:10:37.960 --> 0:10:41.840 eight and the shepherds, we're living out in the fields nearby, 0:10:42.440 --> 0:10:46.200 keeping watch over their flocks at night, and an angel 0:10:46.280 --> 0:10:50.840 of the Lord appeared to them. The first thing that 0:10:50.880 --> 0:10:53.840 I want to point out to you is that God 0:10:54.240 --> 0:10:59.240 is here, not there. One of the themes that I 0:10:59.320 --> 0:11:01.520 love about the Christmas story in the Bible is how 0:11:01.559 --> 0:11:06.000 God chooses the least likely people to carry out his plan. 0:11:06.080 --> 0:11:08.000 It's not just in the Christmas story. It's all throughout 0:11:08.000 --> 0:11:10.200 the Bible. But when we think about the Christmas story, 0:11:10.559 --> 0:11:14.840 Mary was she was not an experienced mother, she was 0:11:14.960 --> 0:11:18.840 just a girl. Joseph was not the son of a 0:11:18.960 --> 0:11:24.280 prominent community leader or a Bible scholar. Yet God chose 0:11:24.480 --> 0:11:31.120 them to ordinary people to care for and protect and 0:11:31.440 --> 0:11:36.880 raise Jesus. And then when it came time to spread 0:11:36.920 --> 0:11:40.680 the news of the birth of his son, God chose 0:11:41.480 --> 0:11:47.240 the shepherds. Now when we picture the shepherds, I think 0:11:47.559 --> 0:11:51.200 that we picture this. I just grabbed this little case. This. 0:11:51.360 --> 0:11:55.400 The book was better. The book is always better. If 0:11:55.440 --> 0:11:56.920 I have any book lovers out there, I think that 0:11:57.000 --> 0:12:02.000 we picture this. I took this from my foyer. For 0:12:02.040 --> 0:12:04.800 some reason, my Nativity set only has one shepherd. I'm 0:12:04.840 --> 0:12:07.240 not sure why. I never noticed that before there were 0:12:07.320 --> 0:12:10.480 shepherds in the field. But anyway, I think we picture 0:12:10.960 --> 0:12:16.720 this guy, and you know, he's got this peaceful these 0:12:16.760 --> 0:12:20.280 peaceful little lambs that are you know, looking up at him, 0:12:20.440 --> 0:12:25.760 and and he's got this this baby lamb in his arms, 0:12:25.840 --> 0:12:31.120 and he's got this beautiful white robe and the shepherd 0:12:31.160 --> 0:12:35.319 thing on his head, and he just looks so good 0:12:35.600 --> 0:12:41.160 and peaceful. I mean, he's holding a lamb. Right, that's 0:12:41.240 --> 0:12:45.360 my perception of what the shepherds were like. But actually, 0:12:45.960 --> 0:12:49.600 during this period of history, shepherds were some of the 0:12:49.800 --> 0:12:54.320 lowest in society. First of all, just purely because of 0:12:54.360 --> 0:12:59.400 their work with animals. They were considered unclean by Jewish law, 0:12:59.720 --> 0:13:02.480 and just because of the nature of their job. This 0:13:02.640 --> 0:13:06.880 made them an outcast from the community on a regular basis. 0:13:07.120 --> 0:13:10.880 But not just that, they were also commonly assumed to 0:13:11.000 --> 0:13:16.640 be dishonest and untrustworthy people. Now, if I was God, 0:13:18.320 --> 0:13:20.600 if you're glad, I'm not God. My kids are glad. 0:13:20.640 --> 0:13:22.920 I'm not God. If I was God, I would have 0:13:23.040 --> 0:13:26.920 chosen the priests, right. They were the ones who knew 0:13:27.120 --> 0:13:30.720 all about the ancient prophecies. They were the ones who 0:13:30.760 --> 0:13:34.640 had experience in spiritual matters, and they were respected in 0:13:34.720 --> 0:13:39.600 the community. Why didn't the angel go to the temple? 0:13:40.280 --> 0:13:45.200 But instead the angels went to the field. And I 0:13:45.240 --> 0:13:49.640 think it's funny how God works because most of the time, 0:13:50.600 --> 0:13:56.240 in my experience, he doesn't show up there the place 0:13:56.240 --> 0:14:01.840 where you think he should. He shows up here the 0:14:01.960 --> 0:14:06.560 place where you are. The shepherds are some of the 0:14:06.640 --> 0:14:10.760 least respected people in the community. They were going to 0:14:10.800 --> 0:14:15.080 be the first to receive the announcement of the birth 0:14:15.360 --> 0:14:18.679 of the King of God's Son, not in the temple, 0:14:19.040 --> 0:14:22.600 but out in the field. And I believe that God 0:14:22.680 --> 0:14:25.240 is sending you and I the message today that you 0:14:25.280 --> 0:14:29.480 don't have to change anything about yourself for God to 0:14:29.600 --> 0:14:33.240 reveal himself to you. You don't have to get clean, 0:14:33.960 --> 0:14:36.520 you'll not to be successful, you don't have to be 0:14:36.520 --> 0:14:39.240 a Bible prophecy expert. You don't even have to be 0:14:39.240 --> 0:14:44.720 an exceptionally good person. Your accomplishments, your status, your appearance 0:14:44.800 --> 0:14:48.840 do not qualify you in a spiritual sense. Now. Obviously, 0:14:49.080 --> 0:14:52.000 as we grow in our relationship with God, we do 0:14:52.120 --> 0:14:54.200 change and we do mature, and God doesn't want you 0:14:54.280 --> 0:14:57.920 to stay where you are. But who you are right 0:14:58.000 --> 0:15:01.400 now is all you need to be for God to 0:15:01.560 --> 0:15:05.680 reveal himself to you right now, in this moment. It's 0:15:05.720 --> 0:15:11.480 your position that's important. God reveals himself to those who 0:15:11.560 --> 0:15:17.720 have space to hear him, who have room to receive him. 0:15:18.120 --> 0:15:21.680 The shepherds didn't have a high position in human terms, 0:15:21.720 --> 0:15:26.280 but in spiritual terms, they were perfectly positioned because they 0:15:26.360 --> 0:15:31.280 were in the field at night, outside of the hustle 0:15:31.440 --> 0:15:34.360 and bustle of town life. They were not sleeping comfortably 0:15:34.520 --> 0:15:37.280 with a roof over their head and warm blankets. They 0:15:37.280 --> 0:15:42.640 were outside in the dark. I don't want to have 0:15:42.760 --> 0:15:46.360 to remind you about being kept in the dark. I 0:15:46.400 --> 0:15:48.440 hope you were paying attention two weeks ago. If not, 0:15:48.480 --> 0:15:51.680 you go back two weeks and hear Pastor Stephen talk 0:15:51.720 --> 0:15:55.160 about being kept in the dark. But I gotta tell you, 0:15:55.200 --> 0:15:58.960 if you feel like you are outside and in the 0:15:59.080 --> 0:16:02.800 dark this Christmas, if you feel lost and confused, if 0:16:02.840 --> 0:16:06.320 you feel like no one sees you, you just might 0:16:06.680 --> 0:16:11.880 be in the best position to hear from God. I 0:16:11.920 --> 0:16:15.520 think that God knew. He knew that he could get 0:16:15.560 --> 0:16:19.240 the shepherd's attention because they were away from the noise 0:16:19.440 --> 0:16:23.840 of the town. In my experience, God does not need 0:16:23.840 --> 0:16:27.160 me to be a certain way in order for me 0:16:27.240 --> 0:16:32.480 to hear him speak. But he does not shout, and 0:16:32.520 --> 0:16:35.320 he does not compete with all the other things that 0:16:35.400 --> 0:16:38.200 I have going on in my life. And for me, 0:16:39.120 --> 0:16:43.960 the biggest hindrance to my relationship with God is my schedule. 0:16:45.320 --> 0:16:50.160 When my life is busy and hurried and rushed. I 0:16:50.280 --> 0:16:53.840 have no space for God to speak to me. I 0:16:53.880 --> 0:16:56.640 have no time for God to speak to me. And 0:16:56.840 --> 0:17:00.360 every time the holiday season comes around, every single time, 0:17:00.400 --> 0:17:02.400 you think I'd get this figured out, but I get 0:17:02.480 --> 0:17:07.520 so caught up in the rush of everything that everything 0:17:07.520 --> 0:17:09.879 that I have to do, everything that I've committed to do, 0:17:09.960 --> 0:17:13.119 that I end up limping into the new year feeling 0:17:13.200 --> 0:17:15.920 depleted because I've just spent the last month trying to 0:17:15.960 --> 0:17:23.600 worship Jesus, and this year, I feel like God is 0:17:23.640 --> 0:17:28.160 saying to me, Hey, Holly, I didn't ask for all 0:17:28.200 --> 0:17:33.680 of that decorating your home with beautiful decorations. That's great, 0:17:34.400 --> 0:17:37.280 and all the delicious meals and all the gifts that 0:17:37.320 --> 0:17:41.920 you buy for people, that's great. But what God wants 0:17:42.160 --> 0:17:52.160 from me this Christmas is my attention, the message the gift. 0:17:52.280 --> 0:17:54.679 Can you give him your attention? The message that the 0:17:54.720 --> 0:18:01.239 Angel delivered was the King is here today, and I 0:18:01.320 --> 0:18:05.680 want you to know he's here. He's here in this room, 0:18:06.320 --> 0:18:09.640 he's here in your car, he's here in your kitchen, 0:18:10.119 --> 0:18:13.240 he's here at your desk, he's here in your thoughts, 0:18:13.800 --> 0:18:20.040 right where you are, just how you are. You don't 0:18:20.040 --> 0:18:23.160 have to wait until you get there to experience God. 0:18:24.080 --> 0:18:27.199 Don't wait until Christmas Eve to experience Jesus. It's not 0:18:27.320 --> 0:18:33.680 about there, it's about here, this present moment. Take a breath. 0:18:34.840 --> 0:18:39.840 Can you make some space for God in your life? 0:18:39.960 --> 0:18:45.000 Because something good is here, Not when I get over it, 0:18:45.320 --> 0:18:47.680 not when I get through it, not when I get 0:18:47.720 --> 0:18:58.080 past it. It's here right now. Okay. I can't wait 0:18:58.080 --> 0:18:59.760 to tell you this next part because God gave me 0:18:59.800 --> 0:19:03.320 this part first, and I have been waiting for several 0:19:03.400 --> 0:19:06.120 weeks to tell you this next part. I don't want 0:19:06.119 --> 0:19:09.800 to like over promise and underdelivered, but it's really good. Okay. 0:19:10.000 --> 0:19:13.560 So look at what the shepherd. Look at what the 0:19:13.600 --> 0:19:17.080 scripture says. But the Angel said to the shepherds verse nine. 0:19:17.160 --> 0:19:19.800 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the 0:19:19.800 --> 0:19:23.399 glory of the Lord shown around them, and they were terrified. 0:19:24.640 --> 0:19:27.560 But the Angel said to them, do not be afraid, 0:19:28.280 --> 0:19:32.800 and bring you good news that will cause great joy 0:19:33.200 --> 0:19:37.560 for all the people. Today in the town of David, 0:19:37.760 --> 0:19:40.520 A savior has been born to you. He is the 0:19:40.600 --> 0:19:43.520 Messiah the Lord. Are you ready for this? Here's number two. 0:19:44.440 --> 0:19:49.440 God has good things to say to you. Don't be afraid. 0:19:50.200 --> 0:19:54.960 I bring you good news now. I grew up in church. 0:19:55.359 --> 0:19:59.800 In fact, I would challenge anyone who is in this 0:20:00.920 --> 0:20:05.040 or watching online today that I have spent more time 0:20:05.359 --> 0:20:09.760 in church than you. Some of you heard me say 0:20:09.760 --> 0:20:13.480 this before, but my dad was a pastor my whole life, 0:20:13.600 --> 0:20:18.479 I rarely missed a Sunday or a Wednesday church. In fact, 0:20:19.000 --> 0:20:20.879 the same is kind of true for my kids. Abby 0:20:20.920 --> 0:20:25.119 has strep throat. She's backstage right now watching. But then, 0:20:25.160 --> 0:20:27.760 when I was in high school, my parents joined this 0:20:27.960 --> 0:20:31.840 traveling revival ministry where we held services almost every night. 0:20:32.760 --> 0:20:35.080 And then I went to a Christian college, and then, 0:20:35.119 --> 0:20:39.879 as you know, I married a pastor. And I'm so 0:20:40.040 --> 0:20:43.960 grateful for the foundation that my parents gave me in 0:20:44.080 --> 0:20:47.760 my faith. It made me the person that I am today. 0:20:48.680 --> 0:20:50.879 But somewhere along the lines, and no fault to you, 0:20:50.920 --> 0:20:52.679 Mom and Dad, hate my parents are watching at our 0:20:52.720 --> 0:20:56.880 Greenville location, Somewhere along the lines, I spent a lot 0:20:56.920 --> 0:21:00.880 of my teen years and my young adult life missing 0:21:01.160 --> 0:21:05.520 what it means to actually have a relationship with Christ 0:21:06.080 --> 0:21:10.040 because I thought that most of the time, when God 0:21:10.200 --> 0:21:14.000 speaks to you, it's because you have broken a rule. 0:21:15.560 --> 0:21:17.960 In fact, I remember a Sunday school lesson where we 0:21:18.080 --> 0:21:22.600 memorize numbers thirty two twenty three. This is what it says. Behold, 0:21:23.200 --> 0:21:26.200 you have sinned against the Lord, and be sure your 0:21:26.280 --> 0:21:33.080 sin will find you out. I still't remember it. And 0:21:33.200 --> 0:21:37.200 oftentimes when I would think about my relationship with God, 0:21:37.720 --> 0:21:40.439 I would think about the things that I'm not supposed 0:21:40.480 --> 0:21:43.720 to do as a believer in Christ, and I would 0:21:43.760 --> 0:21:46.720 imagine that when God would speak to me, it would 0:21:46.760 --> 0:21:50.840 be about something that I needed to stop doing. Now, listen, 0:21:51.400 --> 0:21:54.640 before I get to the good news part. Sometimes when 0:21:54.680 --> 0:21:58.879 God speaks to us, it is to correct us. Sometimes 0:21:58.880 --> 0:22:01.720 it is to direct us, or redirect us, or stop 0:22:01.800 --> 0:22:05.199 us from doing something really dumb. And when God speaks 0:22:05.240 --> 0:22:08.400 these things to us, like be kinder to your spouse, 0:22:08.640 --> 0:22:11.600 be honest in your schoolwork, be faithful in your job, 0:22:11.720 --> 0:22:14.640 it can be really hard to receive. Nobody wants to 0:22:14.680 --> 0:22:18.119 hear Hey, you need to change this. So yes, that 0:22:18.400 --> 0:22:21.800 is a part of having a relationship with God. But 0:22:21.960 --> 0:22:25.119 listen to me say this. This is so important. If 0:22:25.160 --> 0:22:26.640 you only hear me say one thing today, I want 0:22:26.640 --> 0:22:30.359 you to hear me say this. Jesus came so that 0:22:30.480 --> 0:22:34.840 you and I do not have to be afraid of God. 0:22:36.960 --> 0:22:41.200 Even when God speaks to correct us, he does it 0:22:41.280 --> 0:22:48.520 as a loving father, not a condemning judge. Four times 0:22:48.520 --> 0:22:51.679 in the Christmas Story the characters are told not to 0:22:51.720 --> 0:22:53.200 be afraid. I got to tell you about him. The 0:22:53.240 --> 0:22:56.520 first time is in Luke one thirteen, and the Angel 0:22:56.600 --> 0:23:00.960 says to Zachariah, fear not, your prayers have been answered, 0:23:01.000 --> 0:23:02.960 and I believe that God wants you to know today 0:23:03.080 --> 0:23:06.439 that He hears your prayers. You don't have to be 0:23:06.520 --> 0:23:11.320 afraid that your prayers are going nowhere. God hears you. 0:23:12.359 --> 0:23:15.840 Then in Luke thirty Luke one p. Thirty the Angel 0:23:15.880 --> 0:23:20.200 told Mary, fear not, you have found favor with God. 0:23:20.920 --> 0:23:22.760 And I believe that God wants you to know today 0:23:22.800 --> 0:23:27.960 that you are blessed and highly favored. You are his child, 0:23:29.119 --> 0:23:32.280 and he is proud of you, and he has good 0:23:32.400 --> 0:23:35.160 gifts that he wants to give you this Christmas season. 0:23:36.160 --> 0:23:39.080 And then in Matthew one thirty, the Lord said to Joseph, 0:23:39.480 --> 0:23:43.240 do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. 0:23:43.440 --> 0:23:46.600 God wants you to know that you don't have to 0:23:46.680 --> 0:23:50.199 be afraid to do the things that you know that 0:23:50.359 --> 0:23:54.640 He is calling you to do. Don't be afraid to forgive. 0:23:56.080 --> 0:24:00.119 Don't be afraid to give of your time, of your gifts, 0:24:00.160 --> 0:24:04.240 of your money, don't be afraid to love. When God 0:24:04.520 --> 0:24:08.000 directs you like he did Joseph. He's gonna be with 0:24:08.040 --> 0:24:11.800 you the whole way. He's gonna send you the wise 0:24:11.880 --> 0:24:14.359 man and give you the gifts that you need to 0:24:14.480 --> 0:24:18.800 carry you on to Egypt. And then the fourth time 0:24:19.600 --> 0:24:23.320 is the angels to the shepherds, and the angel says, 0:24:24.119 --> 0:24:30.520 do not be afraid. I bring you good news that 0:24:30.560 --> 0:24:35.840 will bring great joy to all the people. I read 0:24:35.880 --> 0:24:38.840 a quote this week that said, all fear is the 0:24:38.920 --> 0:24:44.040 notion that God's love ends. And I want to tell 0:24:44.040 --> 0:24:49.320 you today, don't be afraid of what your loving Father 0:24:49.760 --> 0:24:54.040 wants to speak to you today. First John four eighteen, 0:24:54.160 --> 0:24:58.840 there is no fear in love, because perfect love drives 0:24:59.080 --> 0:25:04.600 out fear. Fear has to do with punishment. And Jesus 0:25:04.680 --> 0:25:08.720 did not come to earth to punish us. He came 0:25:08.840 --> 0:25:12.840 to earth to save us. He came to earth to 0:25:13.080 --> 0:25:16.720 atone for our sins, not to condemn us again and 0:25:16.760 --> 0:25:20.000 again and again about them. The funny thing about that 0:25:20.119 --> 0:25:23.560 verse in numbers it said your sin will find you out. 0:25:24.359 --> 0:25:26.239 And I think that my sin does a pretty good 0:25:26.320 --> 0:25:29.560 job of finding me out. Most of us are doing 0:25:29.600 --> 0:25:32.439 a great job feeling ashamed of the mistakes that we 0:25:32.560 --> 0:25:36.239 have made. Most of us are well aware of the 0:25:36.280 --> 0:25:43.080 consequences of our poor choices. The message of Jesus is repentance, 0:25:43.520 --> 0:25:47.040 not shame and condemnation. And God did not send his 0:25:47.200 --> 0:25:50.400 son to rub your mistakes in your face. He sent 0:25:50.520 --> 0:25:54.000 his son because he loves you, and his love for 0:25:54.080 --> 0:25:58.040 you is endless. It's beyond anything that you can fathom. 0:25:58.320 --> 0:26:01.560 There is nothing that you can do that will make 0:26:01.640 --> 0:26:04.280 God stop loving you. I gotta say that again because 0:26:04.320 --> 0:26:06.840 I wanted to sink in. There is nothing that you 0:26:06.920 --> 0:26:10.960 can do that will make God stop loving you. And 0:26:11.320 --> 0:26:15.000 what God wants for you is to have a relationship 0:26:15.040 --> 0:26:17.640 with you. That is the gospel. You know what is 0:26:17.720 --> 0:26:23.840 actually literally translated good news. He has good news that 0:26:23.880 --> 0:26:26.800 he wants to speak to you. Does anybody need some 0:26:26.880 --> 0:26:30.480 good news today? There's a lot of bad news out there. 0:26:31.200 --> 0:26:33.919 There's a lot of scary news. I'm scared about my packages, 0:26:36.480 --> 0:26:39.280 a lot of news. My husband will come home and 0:26:39.520 --> 0:26:41.840 I'll tell him I, Oh, I've got something to tell you, 0:26:41.880 --> 0:26:44.040 and You'll look at me. You'll say, is it good 0:26:44.119 --> 0:26:49.480