WEBVTT - Path Of Peace

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<v Speaker 1>Hey, this is Stephen Ferdick.

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<v Speaker 2>I'm the pastor of Elevation Church and this is our podcast.

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<v Speaker 2>I wanted to thank you for joining us today. Hope

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<v Speaker 2>this inspires you. Hope it builds your faith. Hope it

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<v Speaker 2>gives your perspective to see God is moving in your life.

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<v Speaker 2>Enjoy the message, and I want to share a brief

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<v Speaker 2>Christmas message.

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<v Speaker 1>With you today.

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<v Speaker 2>And don't get me wrong, just because I said brief,

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<v Speaker 2>for me, brief means something different than it may mean

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<v Speaker 2>at other churches. But don't want to take too long.

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<v Speaker 2>I understand the demands of this season, and so let

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<v Speaker 2>me just share with you from Luke chapter one, verse

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<v Speaker 2>sixty seven through seventy nine, his father Zechariah was filled

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<v Speaker 2>with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, Praise be to the Lord,

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<v Speaker 2>the God of Israel, because he has come to his

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<v Speaker 2>people and redeemed them. He has raised up a horn

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<v Speaker 2>of salvation for us in the house of his servant David.

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<v Speaker 2>As he said, through his holy prophets of long ago,

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<v Speaker 2>salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all

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<v Speaker 2>who hate us, show mercy to our ancestors, and to

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<v Speaker 2>remember his holy covenant, the oath he swore to our

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<v Speaker 2>Father Abraham to rescue us from the hand of our enemies,

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<v Speaker 2>and to enable us to serve him without fear, and

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<v Speaker 2>holiness and righteousness before.

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<v Speaker 1>Him all our days.

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<v Speaker 2>And you, my child, would be called a prophet of

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<v Speaker 2>the most High, for you will go on before the

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<v Speaker 2>Lord to prepare the way for him to give his

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<v Speaker 2>people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins,

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<v Speaker 2>because of the tender mercy of our God, by which

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<v Speaker 2>the rising sun will come to us from heaven. Somebody say,

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<v Speaker 2>here comes Heaven. Tell your neighbor, watch out here it comes.

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<v Speaker 2>Forty percent of you participated when I asked you to

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<v Speaker 2>touch your neighbor. You don't like them, look at him

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<v Speaker 2>and say, here it comes. The priest Zechariah is speaking

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<v Speaker 2>of the prophet John the Baptist, and he's now talking

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<v Speaker 2>about Jesus, whom John the Baptist was pointing to. He

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<v Speaker 2>said that he will shine on those living in darkness

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<v Speaker 2>and in the shadow of death, in the shadow of death,

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<v Speaker 2>in that place of despair, to guide our feet into

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<v Speaker 2>the path of peace. That's my title for today, the

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<v Speaker 2>path of peace. And I won't make you talk to

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<v Speaker 2>your neighbor. One more time after this, But look at

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<v Speaker 2>him and say, you look like you need some of

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<v Speaker 2>that peace that he's preaching about.

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<v Speaker 1>We have a.

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<v Speaker 2>Challenge today to try to calm our minds and receive

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<v Speaker 2>the message.

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<v Speaker 1>My brother comes to church. He's here right now.

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<v Speaker 2>He comes to church whenever he can, lives in New

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<v Speaker 2>Jersey's He's like, I bet you.

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<v Speaker 1>Love preaching at Christmas.

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<v Speaker 2>Everybody's in the spirit, And I was like, no, it's

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<v Speaker 2>not my favorite time to preach because people are so

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<v Speaker 2>stressed out and you have to work three times as

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<v Speaker 2>hard because it's stuffy. Sometimes people brought a relative and

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<v Speaker 2>they don't want that relative to see how they normally

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<v Speaker 2>act in church, and so they tense up and then

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<v Speaker 2>they've got so much going on. It's actually you would

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<v Speaker 2>think it would be, you know, Jesus's birthday would be

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<v Speaker 2>an easy occasion to preach, but I actually find it

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<v Speaker 2>more challenging, not less, because it's just stress levels are higher.

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<v Speaker 2>Happy Birthday, Jesus, we created chaos and commercialism that drives

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<v Speaker 2>us all to the brink of insanity. In your name,

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<v Speaker 2>Thank you for being born the spirit of season. But

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<v Speaker 2>I always wished as a preacher that I could have

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<v Speaker 2>a metaphysical power to read your mind. I would think

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<v Speaker 2>that would be so helpful to do my job if

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<v Speaker 2>I could see your stress level, or even if you

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<v Speaker 2>had a number like the beds that have the sleep number.

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<v Speaker 2>What if I could see your stress number on today,

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<v Speaker 2>I could. I could do it so much better as

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<v Speaker 2>I can see, Like, are you at a seven or

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<v Speaker 2>a three? Matter of fact, right now, what would you

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<v Speaker 2>give your stress level?

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<v Speaker 1>One to ten? Just in this moment?

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<v Speaker 2>So I'm hearing a three? Who said three? You're not

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<v Speaker 2>old enough to have a three stress level. You're supposed

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<v Speaker 2>to be like eighty before you realize that all the

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<v Speaker 2>crap you worry about isn't worth worrying about. And then

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<v Speaker 2>you can have a three stress level where you just

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<v Speaker 2>don't care. I can't wait to get old and just

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<v Speaker 2>not care. That'd be great. You're too young for that.

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<v Speaker 2>But somebody said ten. Did you say ten? And I'm

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<v Speaker 2>not going to ask you why? In fact, I don't

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<v Speaker 2>even have to. All right, here's what we'll do. We'll

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<v Speaker 2>do another one real quick. I know this is personal,

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<v Speaker 2>but at every location, play long, just close your eyes,

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<v Speaker 2>get the thing on your mind that is the greatest

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<v Speaker 2>source of stress in your life at this very moment,

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<v Speaker 2>and you better not be picturing me.

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<v Speaker 1>All right, get it on your mind.

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<v Speaker 2>What is the single greatest source of stress in your life?

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<v Speaker 2>Will broaden it a little bit, not in this very

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<v Speaker 2>very moment, but in this season of your life. All right,

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<v Speaker 2>got it? Now open your eyes. You're gonna be shocked.

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<v Speaker 2>But I know what you were thinking. I know what

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<v Speaker 2>you're I know I know this much. I know that

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<v Speaker 2>the thing that you thought of fell into one of

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<v Speaker 2>the following four categories. Okay, it was either related to

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<v Speaker 2>a place, a pace, a problem, or.

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<v Speaker 1>A person or maybe people.

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<v Speaker 2>People's just in general, all of them, every last one

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<v Speaker 2>of them, just human beings, Homo sapiens. So it's either

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<v Speaker 2>a place that you're going after this or even for

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<v Speaker 2>some people, church can be stressful. It can be stressful

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<v Speaker 2>to I'm sure it's stressful to come to elevation. I'm

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<v Speaker 2>sure it's you know, if you've never been here, especially

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<v Speaker 2>because it's confusing because they got like violins and cellos

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<v Speaker 2>on the stage, but then they start shooting laser beams

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<v Speaker 2>and it's mixed messaging, like what kind of church is this?

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<v Speaker 2>A white church? Black church? It's a traditional church. Yes,

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<v Speaker 2>yes to all of the above. It's a kind of

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<v Speaker 2>church where you can't figure out what kind of church.

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<v Speaker 2>It's a good news to all people kind of church.

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<v Speaker 2>But some of the stressful places that we will go

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<v Speaker 2>this Christmas season, it can be a place. If you

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<v Speaker 2>have to fly, certainly understand your dread for that experience.

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<v Speaker 2>Just walk through the airport telling yourself over and over again,

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<v Speaker 2>I'm not a human, I have no rights, and you'll

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<v Speaker 2>be okay.

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<v Speaker 1>The pace of life.

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<v Speaker 2>I hear people mention this a lot doing busy um busy.

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<v Speaker 1>Busy, busy, busy, busy. I'm busier than the one one

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<v Speaker 1>arm wall paper hanger. I said that to me the

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<v Speaker 1>other day.

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<v Speaker 2>That's weird busier in a three legged cat trying to

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<v Speaker 2>cover up his poop on ice.

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<v Speaker 1>Somebody said to me, run.

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<v Speaker 2>Around like a chicken with my head cut.

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<v Speaker 1>Off, so violent. All I said is, how are you doing.

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<v Speaker 1>You're like decavitating chickens. So it's like the pace of life.

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<v Speaker 2>Understand that if you've been running people everywhere, you've been

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<v Speaker 2>like an unpaid uber driver for a thirteen year old.

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<v Speaker 1>I understand. I feel you.

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<v Speaker 2>Sometimes it comes down to a problem in your life

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<v Speaker 2>that is persistent, and sometimes it comes down to one

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<v Speaker 2>that you're just pushing through. Right now, a lot of

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<v Speaker 2>people listening to me preach right now are having a

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<v Speaker 2>hard time focusing with their minds because of the pain

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<v Speaker 2>in their box or what can be even worse, somebody

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<v Speaker 2>that you love that you can't do anything to comfort them,

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<v Speaker 2>and that can be difficult. And really the fourth category

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<v Speaker 2>that I mentioned people, that's really the whole thing, which

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<v Speaker 2>is why when I asked you to imagine in your

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<v Speaker 2>mind the source of your stress, the greatest source of

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<v Speaker 2>your stress, I was very clear I said imagine it

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<v Speaker 2>because some of you would have started pointing if I

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<v Speaker 2>would have let you, which is a bad idea. Like

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<v Speaker 2>some of you are are sitting next to what you

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<v Speaker 2>perceive to be the source. See, you should look really

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<v Speaker 2>confused right now, is my advice. Now, I think it's

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<v Speaker 2>important before we begin a discussion on the path of

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<v Speaker 2>peace to try to talk about the source of stress,

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<v Speaker 2>because whatever you identify as the source of your determines

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<v Speaker 2>where you will seek your peace. Amen, I'll say that again,

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<v Speaker 2>whatever you say this is the source of my stress

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<v Speaker 2>that regulates and determines where you seek your peace.

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<v Speaker 1>And so the.

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<v Speaker 2>Christmas story, of course, comes along and challenges us in

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<v Speaker 2>all of those ways that we experience stress and pressure.

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<v Speaker 2>Christ is born to challenge us as it relates to

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<v Speaker 2>our expectation of peace. The Jewish people had a very

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<v Speaker 2>particular expectation of the kind of peace that the Messiah

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<v Speaker 2>would bring.

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<v Speaker 1>Zechariah states it.

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<v Speaker 2>Very clearly and paints a picture of the kind of

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<v Speaker 2>peace that the Jewish people were looking for God to

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<v Speaker 2>bring through the prophesied Messiah. It features such expectations as

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<v Speaker 2>mentioned in verse seventy four. He says that this Messiah

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<v Speaker 2>will rescue us from the hand of our enemies.

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<v Speaker 1>Notice the word.

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<v Speaker 2>From the expectation of peace for the Jewish people is

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<v Speaker 2>that God would deliver them from their circumstances, from their oppression,

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<v Speaker 2>from their being marginalized, from their poverty, from their despair,

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<v Speaker 2>and from their darkness. It was surprising then for me

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<v Speaker 2>to see the shift that Zechariah made in verse seventy nine,

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<v Speaker 2>where he said that the rising sun will shine on

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<v Speaker 2>those living in darkness and in the shadow of death.

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<v Speaker 2>And so it represents a shift in perspective that God

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<v Speaker 2>does not always rescue me from Sometimes he visits me

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<v Speaker 2>in my trouble, and for so many years I have

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<v Speaker 2>thought that the thief of my peace was other people,

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<v Speaker 2>or certain places, or the schedule of my life. Which

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<v Speaker 2>is kind of funny because I'm the one who said

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<v Speaker 2>yes to all that stuff that I'm stressed about, and

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<v Speaker 2>so now I'm asking God to take away the things

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<v Speaker 2>that I committed to. And I've tried so long, you know,

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<v Speaker 2>to arrange my life in such a way that I

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<v Speaker 2>would no longer experience those stressful events and stressful people.

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<v Speaker 1>And if God would just change them, and if everybody

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<v Speaker 1>would just.

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<v Speaker 2>Act the way they should act for a little while

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<v Speaker 2>this Christmas.

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<v Speaker 1>But the Lord has been speaking.

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<v Speaker 2>To me in these last few days about the path

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<v Speaker 2>of peace. And what I realized the more I reflected

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<v Speaker 2>on this promise of peace that God gives us Isaiah

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<v Speaker 2>nine to six. His name will be called Wonderful counselor

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<v Speaker 2>Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and.

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<v Speaker 1>The Prince of Peace.

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<v Speaker 2>But notice the prophet didn't call him the Prince of convenience,

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<v Speaker 2>or the Prince of ease, or the Prince of comfort,

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<v Speaker 2>or the Prince of my preferences. Because a lot of

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<v Speaker 2>times when God promises me peace, what I hear in

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<v Speaker 2>translation is that God is promising me convenience, or God

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<v Speaker 2>is promising me ease, or God is promising me my

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<v Speaker 2>preference being met.

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<v Speaker 1>But the Lord has been speaking to me.

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<v Speaker 2>And maybe you don't need to hear this, but just

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<v Speaker 2>in case you do, it is impossible to experience peace

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<v Speaker 2>when you are expecting perfection. See my problem. I'm coming

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<v Speaker 2>to realize this. It's not other people. It's not the place,

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<v Speaker 2>it's not the pace, and it's not the problem. The

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<v Speaker 2>problem is not the problem. I can tell you the

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<v Speaker 2>problem is not the problem. Because Jesus was born in

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<v Speaker 2>a manger.

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<v Speaker 1>The Angel appeared to shepherds, So.

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<v Speaker 2>The shepherds were the people that you would least expect

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<v Speaker 2>the herald to make the announcement of the birth of

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<v Speaker 2>the Son of God. And yet he showed up to

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<v Speaker 2>the least likely people in an unlikely place. So it's

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<v Speaker 2>not the people. It's not the place. It's not the pace.

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<v Speaker 2>The shepherds were always on the move from place to

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<v Speaker 2>place to place to place. It's not the it's not

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<v Speaker 2>the place, it's not the pace. It's not the people.

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<v Speaker 2>It's not the problem. Here's my problem. My problem is

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<v Speaker 2>that I can't receive peace because I'm expecting perfection. And

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<v Speaker 2>the Angel said, are you're gonna help me, preacher? It's

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<v Speaker 2>just me today. I'll make it quick. Here's the whole message.

0:13:43.640 --> 0:13:45.560
<v Speaker 2>If you need to go, if you got things to do,

0:13:45.720 --> 0:13:47.480
<v Speaker 2>I'll give it to you right now, and you can

0:13:47.520 --> 0:13:50.480
<v Speaker 2>go on and get the target and hopefully everything will

0:13:50.520 --> 0:13:53.560
<v Speaker 2>turn out all right. The enemy of your peace is

0:13:53.640 --> 0:13:56.880
<v Speaker 2>not other people. It is not other places. It is

0:13:56.920 --> 0:13:59.400
<v Speaker 2>not how fast life is or the way the world is.

0:13:59.800 --> 0:14:04.240
<v Speaker 2>The enemy of your peace is your insistence on perfection.

0:14:04.880 --> 0:14:08.520
<v Speaker 2>And when Heaven came down and appeared to humanity, it

0:14:08.600 --> 0:14:12.160
<v Speaker 2>was not in the form of perfection. In fact, God

0:14:12.200 --> 0:14:16.160
<v Speaker 2>did not come down looking like a deliverer. He came

0:14:16.240 --> 0:14:17.959
<v Speaker 2>down looking like a dependent.

0:14:18.520 --> 0:14:20.120
<v Speaker 1>He came down as a baby.

0:14:20.480 --> 0:14:23.360
<v Speaker 2>And so when the Prince of Peace came, he didn't

0:14:23.400 --> 0:14:28.040
<v Speaker 2>come dressed in power. He came in pampers. Why because

0:14:28.080 --> 0:14:30.960
<v Speaker 2>God wanted you to know that He's going to bring

0:14:31.000 --> 0:14:34.360
<v Speaker 2>you peace, but not like you expected him to bring in.

0:14:34.640 --> 0:14:37.080
<v Speaker 2>It's not gonna look like you pictured it. It's not

0:14:37.120 --> 0:14:40.480
<v Speaker 2>always gonna fit your preferences. It's not always going to

0:14:40.520 --> 0:14:44.720
<v Speaker 2>live up to your exact specifications of the performance of people.

0:14:45.160 --> 0:14:47.080
<v Speaker 2>So if I'm going to live at peace.

0:14:49.680 --> 0:15:00.840
<v Speaker 1>I've got to surrender my expectation of perfection. I feel

0:15:00.840 --> 0:15:01.480
<v Speaker 1>like I can leave.

0:15:03.760 --> 0:15:06.120
<v Speaker 2>Every Christmas party is going to be so much better

0:15:06.160 --> 0:15:07.760
<v Speaker 2>that you attend because of what I just told you.

0:15:09.680 --> 0:15:12.920
<v Speaker 2>Every place you set your foot over the next three

0:15:12.960 --> 0:15:17.000
<v Speaker 2>days is gonna be so much more peaceful because you

0:15:17.160 --> 0:15:21.960
<v Speaker 2>just realized that peace isn't found in a place. Peace

0:15:22.080 --> 0:15:25.320
<v Speaker 2>is not found in a set of circumstances that is

0:15:25.400 --> 0:15:30.160
<v Speaker 2>problem free. It is not that he delivers me from it.

0:15:30.160 --> 0:15:36.240
<v Speaker 1>It's that he meets me. Can I show you something

0:15:36.280 --> 0:15:36.720
<v Speaker 1>real quick?

0:15:37.680 --> 0:15:40.520
<v Speaker 2>He said that he will guide us with the light

0:15:41.280 --> 0:15:45.440
<v Speaker 2>in the valley. He didn't take us out of the valley. Yeah,

0:15:45.480 --> 0:15:49.640
<v Speaker 2>though I walk through the valley of the shadow of Death,

0:15:49.880 --> 0:15:51.600
<v Speaker 2>I will fear no evil.

0:15:51.920 --> 0:15:53.840
<v Speaker 1>I'm at peace on the path.

0:15:54.000 --> 0:15:57.480
<v Speaker 2>Why not because I'm not going through it, but because

0:15:57.480 --> 0:16:01.600
<v Speaker 2>I'm not going through it alone. See, there's somebody with me.

0:16:04.840 --> 0:16:05.760
<v Speaker 2>That it's greater than once.

0:16:05.760 --> 0:16:11.800
<v Speaker 1>I guess the path to peace to a strange path.

0:16:12.600 --> 0:16:17.520
<v Speaker 2>That God would send his son as a child, that

0:16:17.600 --> 0:16:23.880
<v Speaker 2>God would burst the eternal cosmos and enter into creation

0:16:25.160 --> 0:16:28.400
<v Speaker 2>in the form of the most imperfect being.

0:16:30.600 --> 0:16:33.400
<v Speaker 1>I know some of you disagree because I hear.

0:16:33.240 --> 0:16:38.280
<v Speaker 2>You saying things about babies that I just don't personally

0:16:38.760 --> 0:16:39.240
<v Speaker 2>agree with.

0:16:39.320 --> 0:16:42.920
<v Speaker 1>And we can agree to disagree. It's Christmas. We'll just

0:16:43.040 --> 0:16:47.680
<v Speaker 1>but I say, oh, yes, he's so perfect. Mm hmm.

0:16:50.160 --> 0:16:52.480
<v Speaker 2>If you say that you've never taken one home, that's

0:16:52.480 --> 0:16:52.880
<v Speaker 2>what I know.

0:16:54.120 --> 0:17:02.600
<v Speaker 1>Huh. And so it's a strange path to peace.

0:17:02.680 --> 0:17:04.400
<v Speaker 2>You know, if God wants to come and set things right,

0:17:04.400 --> 0:17:07.280
<v Speaker 2>he should come down as a warrior, not as a weakling.

0:17:10.840 --> 0:17:13.040
<v Speaker 1>Why not skip that stage.

0:17:14.080 --> 0:17:19.639
<v Speaker 2>Jesus should have come twenty four years old, full of testosterone,

0:17:20.240 --> 0:17:23.000
<v Speaker 2>and yet he comes tiny.

0:17:24.240 --> 0:17:28.399
<v Speaker 1>Anthem into a desperate place.

0:17:30.040 --> 0:17:33.680
<v Speaker 2>You know, the story about Joseph waited till the last

0:17:33.720 --> 0:17:39.399
<v Speaker 2>minute to airbnb for the census, ended up in a

0:17:40.680 --> 0:17:43.359
<v Speaker 2>ended up in a cold place in the presence of

0:17:43.400 --> 0:17:44.480
<v Speaker 2>God was born there.

0:17:45.600 --> 0:17:47.760
<v Speaker 1>The path to peace is a strange one.

0:17:49.200 --> 0:17:51.840
<v Speaker 2>That the path to peace for Jesus would lead through

0:17:51.880 --> 0:17:55.280
<v Speaker 2>Gathsemone where he would pray, God, if there's any other

0:17:55.320 --> 0:18:01.360
<v Speaker 2>way than me going and experiencing their wrath from your

0:18:01.400 --> 0:18:03.760
<v Speaker 2>hand for them, let this.

0:18:03.760 --> 0:18:04.560
<v Speaker 1>Cup passed for me.

0:18:06.520 --> 0:18:09.680
<v Speaker 2>The path to peace for us would lead Jesus through

0:18:09.680 --> 0:18:14.480
<v Speaker 2>the Kidron Valley, where he would ultimately as we come

0:18:14.520 --> 0:18:18.320
<v Speaker 2>to understand more than Zechariah understood in Luke chapter one,

0:18:18.400 --> 0:18:21.080
<v Speaker 2>who was prophesying about his own son, John the Baptist,

0:18:21.160 --> 0:18:23.600
<v Speaker 2>would prepare the way for Jesus, who would guide us in.

0:18:23.600 --> 0:18:25.240
<v Speaker 1>The path to peace.

0:18:25.280 --> 0:18:28.960
<v Speaker 2>But the path to peace with God for us led

0:18:29.040 --> 0:18:31.000
<v Speaker 2>Jesus to a hill.

0:18:32.520 --> 0:18:34.480
<v Speaker 1>Where he died at the hands of sinful men. It's

0:18:34.480 --> 0:18:35.560
<v Speaker 1>a strange path to peace.

0:18:35.560 --> 0:18:39.480
<v Speaker 2>We have to admit that he would come in weakness

0:18:40.119 --> 0:18:44.720
<v Speaker 2>and die in weakness to become our strength.

0:18:46.000 --> 0:18:47.800
<v Speaker 1>It's a path to peace.

0:18:47.840 --> 0:18:53.160
<v Speaker 2>It's a strange thing about peace because whatever you identify

0:18:53.240 --> 0:18:57.080
<v Speaker 2>as the source of your stress determines what you consider

0:18:58.119 --> 0:19:03.600
<v Speaker 2>the source of your peace. And that's why I don't

0:19:03.600 --> 0:19:07.199
<v Speaker 2>like to blame people for my stress, because if people

0:19:07.960 --> 0:19:11.960
<v Speaker 2>brought me the stress, then I need people to change

0:19:12.160 --> 0:19:16.680
<v Speaker 2>for me to have peace. But I'm past the point

0:19:16.720 --> 0:19:19.520
<v Speaker 2>in my life of wanting for people to have to

0:19:19.520 --> 0:19:22.240
<v Speaker 2>act a certain way for me to have peace in

0:19:22.280 --> 0:19:30.360
<v Speaker 2>my own heart. And I love what the angel said.

0:19:30.400 --> 0:19:33.320
<v Speaker 2>Abby was quoting that scripture and she did it perfectly,

0:19:33.320 --> 0:19:34.720
<v Speaker 2>and I don't even want to do it myself because

0:19:34.760 --> 0:19:35.800
<v Speaker 2>she did it so good, and I don't want to

0:19:35.840 --> 0:19:35.920
<v Speaker 2>do it.

0:19:35.920 --> 0:19:36.359
<v Speaker 1>I don't want to.

0:19:36.320 --> 0:19:38.120
<v Speaker 2>Mess it up, as she said, And the Angel said,

0:19:38.160 --> 0:19:40.600
<v Speaker 2>unto them, fear not, for behold, I bring you good

0:19:40.640 --> 0:19:42.679
<v Speaker 2>news of great joy. Because the first thing that the

0:19:42.720 --> 0:19:46.000
<v Speaker 2>shepherds felt in the field when the announcement of Jesus

0:19:46.119 --> 0:19:49.040
<v Speaker 2>Christ came forth from the Angel, was not faith.

0:19:50.200 --> 0:19:50.840
<v Speaker 1>It was fear.

0:19:52.400 --> 0:19:55.679
<v Speaker 2>See, we think that the presence of God is always

0:19:55.720 --> 0:19:59.600
<v Speaker 2>going to make us feel better and comfortable. But the

0:19:59.640 --> 0:20:04.600
<v Speaker 2>first the shepherds felt was fear. See, they found peace,

0:20:04.680 --> 0:20:08.760
<v Speaker 2>but they found it through fear. Peace did not come

0:20:08.800 --> 0:20:09.640
<v Speaker 2>to them directly.

0:20:09.720 --> 0:20:11.800
<v Speaker 1>It had to pass through their fear.

0:20:11.880 --> 0:20:15.240
<v Speaker 2>And they found God in the place of their greatest fear,

0:20:15.320 --> 0:20:18.200
<v Speaker 2>in the fields where they were keeping the sheep from

0:20:18.320 --> 0:20:21.879
<v Speaker 2>predators at night. They were lonely people in a lonely place.

0:20:22.280 --> 0:20:24.159
<v Speaker 2>And here comes the Angel, says, Glory to God in

0:20:24.160 --> 0:20:27.040
<v Speaker 2>the highest and on earth peace.

0:20:27.840 --> 0:20:29.960
<v Speaker 1>Now notice this, The peace is.

0:20:29.960 --> 0:20:35.479
<v Speaker 2>On earth, but it's not from earth. The peace is

0:20:35.600 --> 0:20:37.480
<v Speaker 2>on earth, but it's.

0:20:37.359 --> 0:20:38.200
<v Speaker 1>Not of earth.

0:20:39.040 --> 0:20:42.080
<v Speaker 2>See. I don't want this plastic peace that comes from people.

0:20:42.800 --> 0:20:45.760
<v Speaker 2>I've learned that if the peace comes from people, people

0:20:45.840 --> 0:20:50.160
<v Speaker 2>can take it away. If it comes from situations, situations

0:20:50.200 --> 0:20:52.840
<v Speaker 2>can change and take it away. So I don't want

0:20:52.840 --> 0:20:53.520
<v Speaker 2>a peace.

0:20:53.320 --> 0:20:55.119
<v Speaker 1>That comes from a promotion at work.

0:20:55.560 --> 0:20:58.720
<v Speaker 2>I don't want a peace that comes from a convenient circumstance.

0:20:59.320 --> 0:21:00.200
<v Speaker 1>I don't even want.

0:21:00.440 --> 0:21:03.359
<v Speaker 2>A piece that comes from a feeling. I don't want

0:21:03.359 --> 0:21:05.159
<v Speaker 2>a piece that comes from a situation.

0:21:06.040 --> 0:21:07.280
<v Speaker 1>I want a piece.

0:21:06.960 --> 0:21:10.440
<v Speaker 2>That the world didn't get and the world can't take

0:21:10.480 --> 0:21:14.879
<v Speaker 2>it away. Come on giving praise if you've got an

0:21:14.920 --> 0:21:27.200
<v Speaker 2>unsakable peace, an unspeakable joy. I read that scripture all week,

0:21:27.280 --> 0:21:31.359
<v Speaker 2>The path to peace, the path to peace? What is

0:21:31.359 --> 0:21:32.760
<v Speaker 2>it that I need to get out of the way

0:21:33.000 --> 0:21:36.040
<v Speaker 2>in my life to experience peace? So I'm not running

0:21:36.040 --> 0:21:39.720
<v Speaker 2>around all the time just concentrating on all the missing pieces,

0:21:41.760 --> 0:21:44.399
<v Speaker 2>And now I'm missing peace because all I.

0:21:44.400 --> 0:21:45.959
<v Speaker 1>Can see is the pieces are missing.

0:21:49.600 --> 0:21:55.880
<v Speaker 2>Because when you're a perfectionist like I am, enneogram type one,

0:21:57.240 --> 0:21:59.280
<v Speaker 2>the thing that God will give you as a prescription

0:21:59.400 --> 0:22:01.440
<v Speaker 2>for your perfectism.

0:22:02.119 --> 0:22:02.680
<v Speaker 1>Is children.

0:22:05.680 --> 0:22:09.880
<v Speaker 2>And I am on a dosage of three children. Three

0:22:09.960 --> 0:22:13.600
<v Speaker 2>children per day guarantees that there will never be a

0:22:13.720 --> 0:22:18.560
<v Speaker 2>moment in your house that is completely peaceful. I'm telling

0:22:18.560 --> 0:22:22.640
<v Speaker 2>you right now, I can count on zero toes how

0:22:22.680 --> 0:22:26.880
<v Speaker 2>many times in the last seven years I've had three

0:22:27.280 --> 0:22:30.879
<v Speaker 2>peaceful children all at the same time in one house.

0:22:31.359 --> 0:22:32.959
<v Speaker 2>So you know what I'm having to learn to do.

0:22:33.160 --> 0:22:35.640
<v Speaker 2>I'm having to learn to take my peace in pieces.

0:22:38.080 --> 0:22:42.639
<v Speaker 2>Because if I wait until everything is peaceful, if I

0:22:42.680 --> 0:22:46.560
<v Speaker 2>wait until every child is happy, if I wait until

0:22:46.600 --> 0:22:50.800
<v Speaker 2>everyone is getting along, if I'm waiting for peace, if

0:22:50.800 --> 0:22:53.720
<v Speaker 2>I am waiting for every child to bow their head

0:22:53.960 --> 0:22:57.080
<v Speaker 2>and say the blessing and clear their dishes and thank

0:22:57.119 --> 0:23:01.119
<v Speaker 2>their mom, I've learned to celebrate God us. One kid

0:23:01.400 --> 0:23:05.080
<v Speaker 2>puts the bowl in the sink, forget about the dishwasher.

0:23:06.600 --> 0:23:09.080
<v Speaker 2>That's a red Sea Old Testament miracle.

0:23:09.480 --> 0:23:12.280
<v Speaker 1>Just in the sink. Even in the sink is a blessing.

0:23:12.600 --> 0:23:14.960
<v Speaker 2>I'll celebrate one bowl in the sink.

0:23:15.240 --> 0:23:18.560
<v Speaker 1>See this Christmas. You can't wait for everybody to get along.

0:23:18.840 --> 0:23:21.520
<v Speaker 2>If there's even a piece of piece, you gotta thank

0:23:21.600 --> 0:23:24.480
<v Speaker 2>God for it and snatch it and take it and

0:23:24.640 --> 0:23:25.919
<v Speaker 2>celebrate it.

0:23:30.920 --> 0:23:31.960
<v Speaker 1>Because what's this?

0:23:32.680 --> 0:23:35.760
<v Speaker 2>Zacaraiah didn't say he'll show us the path too. Piece,

0:23:36.680 --> 0:23:38.920
<v Speaker 2>give me my scripture. This is the best Christmas scripture

0:23:38.920 --> 0:23:39.520
<v Speaker 2>I ever saw.

0:23:39.359 --> 0:23:42.920
<v Speaker 1>In my life. Seventy nine. He will guide our feet

0:23:43.040 --> 0:23:48.240
<v Speaker 1>in the path. It's not the path.

0:23:49.080 --> 0:23:54.760
<v Speaker 2>Two piece, because that means that peace is out there somewhere.

0:23:55.960 --> 0:23:58.840
<v Speaker 2>But it's not the path to piece. That's how I've

0:23:58.880 --> 0:24:00.600
<v Speaker 2>been living my life. God forgive me when I get

0:24:00.600 --> 0:24:08.120
<v Speaker 2>through this season. Oh, when I get through twenty eighteen.

0:24:10.000 --> 0:24:16.720
<v Speaker 1>What calendar isn't gonna.

0:24:16.480 --> 0:24:24.159
<v Speaker 2>Fix any chaos in your life. The same dude you

0:24:24.280 --> 0:24:29.159
<v Speaker 2>let steal your piece all last year is gonna be

0:24:29.280 --> 0:24:32.760
<v Speaker 2>standing right there at your window with a crowbar in

0:24:32.880 --> 0:24:33.720
<v Speaker 2>twenty nineteen.

0:24:38.600 --> 0:24:41.720
<v Speaker 1>So I'm gonna have peace. You know, my kids get older,

0:24:41.760 --> 0:24:46.440
<v Speaker 1>they won't need so much. Uh huh uh huh.

0:24:46.760 --> 0:24:49.840
<v Speaker 2>Now that they're gonna be driving, You're gonna have a

0:24:49.880 --> 0:24:51.320
<v Speaker 2>lott of peace.

0:24:51.400 --> 0:24:54.440
<v Speaker 1>Then when they're out on the road on your insurance.

0:24:58.359 --> 0:25:01.919
<v Speaker 2>That's why I can't project my out here, or I

0:25:01.960 --> 0:25:05.560
<v Speaker 2>can't project my peace on people, or I can't project

0:25:05.600 --> 0:25:08.440
<v Speaker 2>my peace on a certain place. It's not the path

0:25:08.480 --> 0:25:11.639
<v Speaker 2>to piece. That's not the message of Christmas. When God

0:25:11.720 --> 0:25:15.040
<v Speaker 2>came down to be born of a virgin and was

0:25:15.080 --> 0:25:18.600
<v Speaker 2>wrapped in claus and lie in a manger, he didn't

0:25:18.640 --> 0:25:22.280
<v Speaker 2>promise a path to piece, as in a future event

0:25:22.640 --> 0:25:25.639
<v Speaker 2>that will happen. When it's not a win, then peace.

0:25:26.000 --> 0:25:27.480
<v Speaker 2>It's not a one day piece.

0:25:27.800 --> 0:25:28.400
<v Speaker 1>It's not a.

0:25:28.320 --> 0:25:31.800
<v Speaker 2>Someday fairytale beauty and the beast piece. It's not a

0:25:31.800 --> 0:25:33.159
<v Speaker 2>when I get married peace.

0:25:33.480 --> 0:25:34.000
<v Speaker 1>It's not a.

0:25:33.920 --> 0:25:36.480
<v Speaker 2>When I send the kids off peace. It's not when

0:25:36.480 --> 0:25:39.080
<v Speaker 2>I pay my student loans off peace. It's not a

0:25:39.119 --> 0:25:41.760
<v Speaker 2>when I get through Christmas peace. It's not a when

0:25:41.760 --> 0:25:45.439
<v Speaker 2>my in laws lead peace. It's not the path to piece.

0:25:45.800 --> 0:25:49.440
<v Speaker 2>It's the path of peace. What does that mean? Every

0:25:49.520 --> 0:25:53.320
<v Speaker 2>step I take, peace with me, every move I make, He's.

0:25:53.200 --> 0:25:58.720
<v Speaker 1>With me every season of my life. He's present. So

0:25:58.880 --> 0:26:03.119
<v Speaker 1>what's this. I'm not waiting for it. I'm walking in it.

0:26:04.000 --> 0:26:12.040
<v Speaker 2>Somebody say, walk in it, walk in it, walk in it.

0:26:12.920 --> 0:26:16.199
<v Speaker 2>That's the that's the Christmas sermon. Change my title. I

0:26:16.240 --> 0:26:18.320
<v Speaker 2>told you it was called the Path of Peace. But

0:26:18.400 --> 0:26:20.320
<v Speaker 2>I want you to tell them when when when they

0:26:20.359 --> 0:26:22.560
<v Speaker 2>ask you, what did the preacher preach about today at

0:26:22.600 --> 0:26:26.199
<v Speaker 2>your your church, the the evolution that you went to

0:26:26.359 --> 0:26:28.240
<v Speaker 2>on on the Christmas.

0:26:33.920 --> 0:26:36.119
<v Speaker 1>Tell him he told me to walk in it.

0:26:37.600 --> 0:26:42.200
<v Speaker 2>Stop waiting for it, Stop waiting for it, and start

0:26:42.240 --> 0:26:42.960
<v Speaker 2>walking in it.

0:26:44.280 --> 0:26:46.840
<v Speaker 1>You hear me, Ni Rob walk in. You hear me.

0:26:46.960 --> 0:26:49.879
<v Speaker 1>Toronto walk in and you hear me. Roanoke walk in

0:26:49.920 --> 0:26:52.560
<v Speaker 1>and you hear me. Matthews walk in it. You hear me.

0:26:52.600 --> 0:26:55.480
<v Speaker 2>Winston Salem walk in and you hear me River walk

0:26:55.560 --> 0:26:57.879
<v Speaker 2>walk in it. You hear me Blakeney walk in it.

0:26:58.160 --> 0:27:00.720
<v Speaker 2>You hear me Valentine walk in it. You might have

0:27:00.800 --> 0:27:01.520
<v Speaker 2>to walk through a.

0:27:01.640 --> 0:27:03.480
<v Speaker 1>Valley, but you don't have to lie.

0:27:03.320 --> 0:27:05.480
<v Speaker 2>Down and tie. You don't have to curl up in

0:27:05.480 --> 0:27:10.200
<v Speaker 2>a fetal position and wait for this season to be over.

0:27:10.920 --> 0:27:14.320
<v Speaker 2>I don't have time to trip. I'm preaching about Jesus.

0:27:14.720 --> 0:27:17.200
<v Speaker 2>It doesn't matter what the devil puts in my hand.

0:27:17.640 --> 0:27:28.240
<v Speaker 1>I'm on it. I'm on it. I'm houn it. Glad

0:27:28.240 --> 0:27:29.200
<v Speaker 1>I almost trimmed.

0:27:30.400 --> 0:27:33.600
<v Speaker 2>I didn't plan it, but I'm gonna use it because

0:27:33.640 --> 0:27:35.760
<v Speaker 2>some of y'all got some people waiting for you when

0:27:35.760 --> 0:27:38.760
<v Speaker 2>you leave church, and if you're not careful, you're gonna trimp.

0:27:39.040 --> 0:27:43.320
<v Speaker 1>But get your balance back and fix your eyes on Jesus.

0:27:43.280 --> 0:27:51.360
<v Speaker 2>The author and finisher up your faith. What can I

0:27:51.480 --> 0:28:04.080
<v Speaker 2>I don't have time to trip. See, we've been looking

0:28:04.080 --> 0:28:07.480
<v Speaker 2>for peace in all the wrong places. The peace of

0:28:07.520 --> 0:28:12.400
<v Speaker 2>God has never found in human strength or in our perfection.

0:28:14.040 --> 0:28:16.560
<v Speaker 2>The way that God brings peace into our lives is

0:28:16.560 --> 0:28:18.639
<v Speaker 2>the same way that Jesus was born in the world

0:28:20.000 --> 0:28:28.040
<v Speaker 2>in weakness. That's where you find peace. Weakness. I don't

0:28:28.080 --> 0:28:31.359
<v Speaker 2>like it that way, Jesus, don't go to the cross.

0:28:31.359 --> 0:28:34.840
<v Speaker 2>It'll make you look weak. But that's the only way

0:28:34.880 --> 0:28:39.320
<v Speaker 2>that I can bring peace. He didn't bring peace like

0:28:39.360 --> 0:28:42.840
<v Speaker 2>they wanted him to bring peace. That's why they all

0:28:43.120 --> 0:28:46.720
<v Speaker 2>walked away when he died. They wanted the Prince of

0:28:46.720 --> 0:28:51.680
<v Speaker 2>Peace to come in power, but instead he came in weakness.

0:28:54.240 --> 0:28:59.400
<v Speaker 1>Well, I prayed for you before you got here. I

0:28:59.440 --> 0:29:02.680
<v Speaker 1>prayed for you. I prayed that.

0:29:04.160 --> 0:29:09.640
<v Speaker 2>God would give you his peace, but I prayed that

0:29:09.680 --> 0:29:10.560
<v Speaker 2>you would stop.

0:29:10.320 --> 0:29:11.000
<v Speaker 1>Looking for it.

0:29:15.120 --> 0:29:16.920
<v Speaker 2>If y'all could stop talking right now while I finish

0:29:17.000 --> 0:29:20.160
<v Speaker 2>the sermon, thank you. I prayed that he would bring

0:29:20.200 --> 0:29:23.000
<v Speaker 2>it to you, not in the places that you would

0:29:23.000 --> 0:29:26.280
<v Speaker 2>normally expect it. Pray that he would bring it to

0:29:26.360 --> 0:29:30.960
<v Speaker 2>you in that place in your life where you feel

0:29:30.960 --> 0:29:36.760
<v Speaker 2>the weakest, Not in the place where you're so busy

0:29:36.800 --> 0:29:41.760
<v Speaker 2>trying to show everybody how strong you are. You're never

0:29:41.800 --> 0:29:48.000
<v Speaker 2>going to get peace trying to appear perfect. You can't

0:29:48.040 --> 0:29:54.280
<v Speaker 2>experience peace when you're expecting perfection. Who told you that

0:29:54.320 --> 0:29:57.080
<v Speaker 2>you had to be perfect before you could experience peace

0:29:57.120 --> 0:29:57.600
<v Speaker 2>with God.

0:29:59.360 --> 0:30:01.280
<v Speaker 1>God's not for you to be perfect.

0:30:02.760 --> 0:30:05.000
<v Speaker 2>He's already done everything that needs to be done for

0:30:05.040 --> 0:30:09.160
<v Speaker 2>you to have peace. And the peace of God is

0:30:09.160 --> 0:30:13.040
<v Speaker 2>not the absence of problems. The peace of God is

0:30:13.080 --> 0:30:16.200
<v Speaker 2>not getting people to act right or say that they're sorry.

0:30:17.040 --> 0:30:20.720
<v Speaker 2>The peace of God is not a certain place. I'll

0:30:20.720 --> 0:30:24.160
<v Speaker 2>tell you man, I've been in some beautiful places with

0:30:24.240 --> 0:30:32.960
<v Speaker 2>no peace. I've been on some beautiful vacations and beautiful

0:30:33.000 --> 0:30:34.560
<v Speaker 2>resorts no.

0:30:34.560 --> 0:30:35.360
<v Speaker 1>Peace in my heart.

0:30:37.040 --> 0:30:41.320
<v Speaker 2>And yet I've sat by while my dad died and

0:30:41.440 --> 0:30:47.720
<v Speaker 2>experienced unspeakable peace as he took his dying breath. Because

0:30:47.720 --> 0:30:50.600
<v Speaker 2>the only thing required for you to receive the peace

0:30:50.600 --> 0:30:56.000
<v Speaker 2>of God is to lose your pride and accept it

0:30:57.040 --> 0:31:01.680
<v Speaker 2>in the place of your weakness. I know we want

0:31:01.760 --> 0:31:06.040
<v Speaker 2>God to come like Zechariah wanted him to come and

0:31:06.120 --> 0:31:11.920
<v Speaker 2>deliver us from the difficult places, and deliver us from

0:31:11.920 --> 0:31:16.040
<v Speaker 2>and rescue us from the hectic schedule, and deliver us

0:31:16.080 --> 0:31:20.360
<v Speaker 2>from and rescue us from all of the problems and

0:31:21.040 --> 0:31:24.720
<v Speaker 2>the obstacles that are in front of us in this season.

0:31:25.600 --> 0:31:28.560
<v Speaker 2>But the peace of God is not the absence of problems.

0:31:28.640 --> 0:31:34.840
<v Speaker 2>It is the presence of Christ to enable you to

0:31:34.960 --> 0:31:45.520
<v Speaker 2>walk in it. This is Christmas, and I begin di

0:31:45.640 --> 0:31:49.280
<v Speaker 2>sermon by asking you a question what's the source of

0:31:49.360 --> 0:31:53.840
<v Speaker 2>your stress? And now I want to ask a different one,

0:31:55.440 --> 0:31:59.080
<v Speaker 2>what is the place of your weakness? Because that's the

0:31:59.080 --> 0:32:01.240
<v Speaker 2>place where God is going to show you the greatest grace.

0:32:02.520 --> 0:32:06.160
<v Speaker 2>Hear me today, I'm not a prophet or the son

0:32:06.200 --> 0:32:09.320
<v Speaker 2>of a prophet, but on the authority of God's work,

0:32:09.880 --> 0:32:13.040
<v Speaker 2>I declare to you this day is born to you

0:32:14.000 --> 0:32:18.280
<v Speaker 2>in the place of your greatest weakness, a savior who

0:32:18.320 --> 0:32:22.040
<v Speaker 2>is Christ, the Lord. As that you stand reverently to

0:32:22.080 --> 0:32:25.160
<v Speaker 2>your feet with no one moving. I want to pray

0:32:25.240 --> 0:32:31.520
<v Speaker 2>for that place in your life where there is a weakness,

0:32:34.440 --> 0:32:38.920
<v Speaker 2>that place in your life where there is a missing peace.

0:32:40.440 --> 0:32:46.479
<v Speaker 2>That place he said that a light will dawn in

0:32:46.520 --> 0:32:50.000
<v Speaker 2>the shadow of the valley. In that place is the

0:32:50.040 --> 0:32:50.720
<v Speaker 2>path of peace.

0:32:51.960 --> 0:32:52.680
<v Speaker 1>Not to peace.

0:32:54.240 --> 0:32:59.280
<v Speaker 2>Stop believing that you'll get it one day when God

0:32:59.280 --> 0:33:00.720
<v Speaker 2>told me to tell you he wants to give you

0:33:00.800 --> 0:33:05.080
<v Speaker 2>peace in the process, in the process of who you're

0:33:05.120 --> 0:33:09.960
<v Speaker 2>becoming with every step in arrival, peace in the process.

0:33:11.120 --> 0:33:12.560
<v Speaker 1>That's what incarnation means.

0:33:13.360 --> 0:33:17.640
<v Speaker 2>That's why this weird Christmas story suddenly makes sense because

0:33:17.760 --> 0:33:22.120
<v Speaker 2>peace came in the form of weakness, just to admit

0:33:22.160 --> 0:33:23.240
<v Speaker 2>that you need him as.

0:33:23.040 --> 0:33:23.719
<v Speaker 1>The first step.

0:33:24.840 --> 0:33:27.719
<v Speaker 2>So right now, in the holiness of this moment, on

0:33:27.760 --> 0:33:31.920
<v Speaker 2>this sacred occasion called Christmas, there's a place of weakness

0:33:31.960 --> 0:33:35.440
<v Speaker 2>in your life where you would like to invite the

0:33:35.440 --> 0:33:39.080
<v Speaker 2>Holy Spirit this season to come and bring his deep

0:33:39.120 --> 0:33:42.520
<v Speaker 2>peace that transcends all understanding. I want to ask you,

0:33:42.560 --> 0:33:45.680
<v Speaker 2>at every location and all over the world watching online,

0:33:46.200 --> 0:33:48.280
<v Speaker 2>to lift both of your hands in the air to

0:33:48.400 --> 0:33:51.200
<v Speaker 2>God as a sign of your surrender and trust.

0:33:51.720 --> 0:33:52.000
<v Speaker 1>Father.

0:33:52.520 --> 0:33:57.080
<v Speaker 2>For every hand stretched before you today, I decree your

0:33:57.120 --> 0:34:02.440
<v Speaker 2>peace for that situation. I cannot read their mind and

0:34:02.480 --> 0:34:06.080
<v Speaker 2>I cannot know their struggle. But not only do you

0:34:06.160 --> 0:34:11.440
<v Speaker 2>know the need, you are the one who longs to

0:34:11.520 --> 0:34:17.520
<v Speaker 2>meet it. Thank you Father for this moment, for when

0:34:17.560 --> 0:34:22.400
<v Speaker 2>we are weak, then we are strong. We thank you

0:34:22.480 --> 0:34:31.400
<v Speaker 2>for Emmanuel, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, a Prince of Peace.

0:34:33.560 --> 0:34:35.520
<v Speaker 2>Your head still bowed and your eyes still closed, you

0:34:35.560 --> 0:34:39.200
<v Speaker 2>can put your hands down. There's someone here who is

0:34:39.280 --> 0:34:42.640
<v Speaker 2>far away from God, and the message of Christmas is

0:34:42.680 --> 0:34:45.480
<v Speaker 2>that you don't have to stay that way. Right now,

0:34:45.520 --> 0:34:49.640
<v Speaker 2>I'd like to invite you to receive the gift of salvation.

0:34:51.000 --> 0:34:54.000
<v Speaker 2>The Bible says that if you confess with your mouth

0:34:54.040 --> 0:34:55.759
<v Speaker 2>that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that

0:34:55.800 --> 0:34:57.160
<v Speaker 2>God raised him from the dead.

0:34:57.800 --> 0:35:00.600
<v Speaker 1>You will be saved Christmas.

0:35:00.640 --> 0:35:03.200
<v Speaker 2>I would love to lead you in this prayer that

0:35:03.320 --> 0:35:08.960
<v Speaker 2>just acknowledges your need for Jesus. So we'll pray now

0:35:09.000 --> 0:35:11.920
<v Speaker 2>out loud as a church family at all of.

0:35:11.840 --> 0:35:14.160
<v Speaker 1>Our locations for the benefit of.

0:35:14.120 --> 0:35:17.080
<v Speaker 2>Those who are coming to God or maybe coming back

0:35:17.120 --> 0:35:19.880
<v Speaker 2>to God right now in this moment. The presence of

0:35:19.920 --> 0:35:25.759
<v Speaker 2>God is here, real and available, and so we pray

0:35:25.800 --> 0:35:28.279
<v Speaker 2>this prayer together for all of those who are in

0:35:28.360 --> 0:35:32.279
<v Speaker 2>need of salvation today and want this.

0:35:32.239 --> 0:35:34.919
<v Speaker 1>To be your new beginning. Pray with me, Heavenly Father.

0:35:36.080 --> 0:35:40.440
<v Speaker 2>I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God

0:35:41.200 --> 0:35:42.680
<v Speaker 2>and the Savior of the world.

0:35:43.360 --> 0:35:47.920
<v Speaker 1>And today I make Jesus the lord of my life.

0:35:48.000 --> 0:35:51.840
<v Speaker 2>I believe he died that I could be forgiven and

0:35:51.960 --> 0:35:54.760
<v Speaker 2>rose again to give me life.

0:35:55.000 --> 0:36:01.960
<v Speaker 1>I receive this new life. This is in Jesus' name.

0:36:02.719 --> 0:36:04.520
<v Speaker 2>If you just prayed that on the count of three,

0:36:04.520 --> 0:36:06.480
<v Speaker 2>shoot your hand up high. I want to celebrate you

0:36:06.520 --> 0:36:11.279
<v Speaker 2>on every location. One, two, three, hands up, hands up, Hands.

0:36:11.000 --> 0:36:13.640
<v Speaker 1>Up, God, Bless you, God, bless you.

0:36:14.840 --> 0:36:15.160
<v Speaker 2>Come on.

0:36:15.280 --> 0:36:16.359
<v Speaker 1>Rejoice about it.

0:36:17.719 --> 0:36:21.200
<v Speaker 2>Come on, people of God, rejoice about it.

0:36:21.200 --> 0:36:25.240
<v Speaker 1>It's the greatest gift. It's the reason for the season.

0:36:26.280 --> 0:36:29.279
<v Speaker 2>Come on, let's rejoice in the salvation of our God.

0:36:31.040 --> 0:36:35.720
<v Speaker 2>Let's rejoice in the peace of our God.

0:36:38.719 --> 0:36:39.839
<v Speaker 1>Thank you for joining us.

0:36:40.160 --> 0:36:42.600
<v Speaker 2>Special thanks to those of you who give generously to

0:36:42.680 --> 0:36:46.160
<v Speaker 2>this ministry. Is because of you that this ministry is possible.

0:36:46.600 --> 0:36:48.799
<v Speaker 2>You can click the link in the description to give

0:36:48.880 --> 0:36:52.840
<v Speaker 2>now or visit Elevation Church dot org slash podcast for

0:36:52.880 --> 0:36:56.880
<v Speaker 2>more information and if you enjoyed the podcast, you can subscribe.

0:36:57.160 --> 0:36:58.480
<v Speaker 1>You can share it with your friends.

0:36:58.760 --> 0:37:01.040
<v Speaker 2>You can click the share button, take a screenshot and

0:37:01.080 --> 0:37:03.200
<v Speaker 2>share it on your social stories and tag us at

0:37:03.200 --> 0:37:04.080
<v Speaker 2>Elevation Church.

0:37:04.160 --> 0:37:05.799
<v Speaker 1>Thanks again for listening. God bless you.