1 00:00:00,400 --> 00:00:02,600 Speaker 1: Well, thank you for joining us today. We've got a 2 00:00:02,759 --> 00:00:06,760 Speaker 1: special gift for you. I preached a sermon last week 3 00:00:06,880 --> 00:00:09,240 Speaker 1: about when the picture that you have in your mind 4 00:00:09,480 --> 00:00:12,480 Speaker 1: doesn't match the reality of your life. Yeah, it was 5 00:00:12,560 --> 00:00:15,880 Speaker 1: called it's not what I picture. Well, this sermon is 6 00:00:15,920 --> 00:00:17,920 Speaker 1: from a few years ago. It's called don't make a 7 00:00:17,960 --> 00:00:20,800 Speaker 1: scene from the vault. Yeah, this is from the vault 8 00:00:20,800 --> 00:00:23,280 Speaker 1: for our e fam and for all of those all 9 00:00:23,320 --> 00:00:25,400 Speaker 1: over the world. You know, let's be real. This time 10 00:00:25,440 --> 00:00:29,040 Speaker 1: of year can be overwhelming and your experience is probably 11 00:00:29,040 --> 00:00:31,960 Speaker 1: not gonna line up exactly with your expectations. So if 12 00:00:31,960 --> 00:00:33,640 Speaker 1: that's you and you got some people coming in town 13 00:00:33,760 --> 00:00:36,560 Speaker 1: or leaving, and you need a message to realign your priorities, 14 00:00:36,800 --> 00:00:39,839 Speaker 1: check this out. It's going to be great. Matthew, Chapter one, 15 00:00:39,920 --> 00:00:42,320 Speaker 1: verse eighteen. This is how the birth of Jesus the 16 00:00:42,360 --> 00:00:46,640 Speaker 1: Messiah came about. His mother, Mary was pledged to be 17 00:00:46,760 --> 00:00:50,240 Speaker 1: married to Joseph. I know Mary is the headliner of Christmas, 18 00:00:50,400 --> 00:00:54,320 Speaker 1: but let's give Joseph some love today, because Joseph had 19 00:00:54,360 --> 00:00:57,200 Speaker 1: a lot of faith, would you agree? Look at this 20 00:00:57,840 --> 00:01:04,000 Speaker 1: before they came together. You know what that means. Just 21 00:01:04,080 --> 00:01:10,000 Speaker 1: ain't e kids, y'all? Before they came together, she was 22 00:01:10,080 --> 00:01:13,800 Speaker 1: found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Everybody said, 23 00:01:14,760 --> 00:01:23,640 Speaker 1: oh Joe, because Joseph nineteen, her husband, was faithful to 24 00:01:23,680 --> 00:01:26,479 Speaker 1: the law and yet did not want to expose her 25 00:01:26,520 --> 00:01:31,000 Speaker 1: to public disgrace. He had in mind to divorce her quietly. 26 00:01:31,520 --> 00:01:34,880 Speaker 1: But after he had considered this, I wonder how many 27 00:01:34,880 --> 00:01:36,720 Speaker 1: things in your life would have turned out different if 28 00:01:36,720 --> 00:01:38,640 Speaker 1: you would have stopped and thought about him for a minute. 29 00:01:40,600 --> 00:01:43,479 Speaker 1: After he had considered this, an angel of the Lord 30 00:01:43,520 --> 00:01:46,479 Speaker 1: appeared to him in a dream and said, Joseph's, son 31 00:01:46,520 --> 00:01:48,960 Speaker 1: of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home 32 00:01:49,000 --> 00:01:52,480 Speaker 1: as your wife, because what is conceived in her is 33 00:01:52,520 --> 00:01:56,320 Speaker 1: from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, 34 00:01:56,640 --> 00:01:59,480 Speaker 1: and you are to give him the name Jesus, because 35 00:01:59,480 --> 00:02:02,680 Speaker 1: he will save his people from their sins. And all 36 00:02:02,760 --> 00:02:06,920 Speaker 1: this took place, All this took place. I don't know 37 00:02:06,960 --> 00:02:10,040 Speaker 1: what all this is in your life, but all this 38 00:02:10,160 --> 00:02:13,919 Speaker 1: took place in Joseph's life. All of the drama, all 39 00:02:13,960 --> 00:02:17,079 Speaker 1: of the controversy, all of the confusion. Everybody show, all 40 00:02:17,160 --> 00:02:25,480 Speaker 1: this took place to fulfill. I like that word fulfill, fulfill. 41 00:02:26,720 --> 00:02:30,000 Speaker 1: We should do a series about that. Come on, Keith 42 00:02:30,200 --> 00:02:33,880 Speaker 1: twenty sixteen. Put it on the calendar, put it on 43 00:02:33,880 --> 00:02:40,160 Speaker 1: my Google docs. All this took place to fulfill what 44 00:02:40,240 --> 00:02:43,000 Speaker 1: the Lord had said through the prophet, the Virgin will 45 00:02:43,040 --> 00:02:45,440 Speaker 1: conceive and give birth to a son, and they will 46 00:02:45,440 --> 00:02:48,760 Speaker 1: call him Emmanuel, which means God with us. And when 47 00:02:48,800 --> 00:02:51,280 Speaker 1: Joseph woke up, he did what the Angel of the 48 00:02:51,280 --> 00:02:54,120 Speaker 1: Lord had commanded him. It doesn't say all of his 49 00:02:54,240 --> 00:02:59,200 Speaker 1: questions went away, but he acted in obedience to his revelation. See, 50 00:02:59,200 --> 00:03:05,600 Speaker 1: you don't have to feel something to have faith for something. 51 00:03:06,400 --> 00:03:09,000 Speaker 1: When he woke up, he did what the Angel of 52 00:03:09,000 --> 00:03:12,160 Speaker 1: the Lord commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. 53 00:03:12,280 --> 00:03:14,239 Speaker 1: I'm not sure I would have been able to do that. 54 00:03:14,840 --> 00:03:16,320 Speaker 1: I'm not sure I would have been able to get 55 00:03:16,320 --> 00:03:20,240 Speaker 1: past it. But Joseph took Mary home as his wife, 56 00:03:20,560 --> 00:03:23,040 Speaker 1: but he did not consummate their marriage until she gave 57 00:03:23,080 --> 00:03:26,000 Speaker 1: birth to a son, and he gave them the name Jesus. 58 00:03:26,240 --> 00:03:28,720 Speaker 1: Back up to verse nineteen, where it says because Joseph, 59 00:03:28,760 --> 00:03:32,239 Speaker 1: her husband, was faithful to the law and yet didn't 60 00:03:32,280 --> 00:03:35,360 Speaker 1: want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in 61 00:03:35,400 --> 00:03:38,960 Speaker 1: mind to divorce her quietly. So I want to use 62 00:03:39,080 --> 00:03:42,000 Speaker 1: as a subject for this Christmas sermon, a little instruction, 63 00:03:42,080 --> 00:03:44,480 Speaker 1: a little piece of advice I have for you. Ready, 64 00:03:44,720 --> 00:03:49,240 Speaker 1: you ready, you're ready, ready, ready. Don't make a scene. 65 00:03:50,080 --> 00:03:52,480 Speaker 1: Don't make a scene. Touch somebody say you need to 66 00:03:52,520 --> 00:03:57,600 Speaker 1: calm down, You need to calm down. Don't make a scene. 67 00:03:57,920 --> 00:04:00,760 Speaker 1: A then Father, opened their eyes, and open in our hearts, 68 00:04:00,840 --> 00:04:03,160 Speaker 1: and open the heavens over us, and speak a word 69 00:04:03,360 --> 00:04:07,000 Speaker 1: in Jesus' name. Everybody shout a man, a man, you 70 00:04:07,080 --> 00:04:12,880 Speaker 1: may be seated. Thank you, worship team. Well done. When 71 00:04:12,920 --> 00:04:14,480 Speaker 1: I get to heaven, I don't want to hear him 72 00:04:14,520 --> 00:04:26,520 Speaker 1: say medium rare. I want to hear well done. Anybody 73 00:04:26,560 --> 00:04:29,040 Speaker 1: think Christmas is overrated? I do. I thinks over rating. 74 00:04:30,360 --> 00:04:33,280 Speaker 1: I think that's a lot to say. Don't throw me 75 00:04:33,320 --> 00:04:35,600 Speaker 1: out the church, don't don't disrespect me as a man 76 00:04:35,600 --> 00:04:37,880 Speaker 1: of God. I love the story of Christmas. I love 77 00:04:37,920 --> 00:04:40,159 Speaker 1: the message of Christmas or the meaning of Christmas. My 78 00:04:40,279 --> 00:04:42,640 Speaker 1: Christmas is as a child. We're delightful. I mean, you 79 00:04:42,680 --> 00:04:44,960 Speaker 1: can't have better Christmases than I had as a child 80 00:04:45,120 --> 00:04:47,800 Speaker 1: in terms of just enjoying the season. It's not what 81 00:04:47,839 --> 00:04:50,839 Speaker 1: I mean. What I mean is I think that we've 82 00:04:50,839 --> 00:04:54,480 Speaker 1: done Christmas a disservice in the way that we present 83 00:04:54,560 --> 00:05:01,320 Speaker 1: the story that actually happened. In cultural terms, I would 84 00:05:01,320 --> 00:05:05,960 Speaker 1: say we have sanitized the salvation process to the point 85 00:05:05,960 --> 00:05:09,080 Speaker 1: that it doesn't even resemble the revelation that we see 86 00:05:09,080 --> 00:05:11,760 Speaker 1: in the scripture. You know what I'm saying, Like, there's 87 00:05:12,000 --> 00:05:15,400 Speaker 1: so many ways this is reflected in our songs. Let's 88 00:05:15,400 --> 00:05:17,599 Speaker 1: take the songs we sing at Christmas for example. They're beautiful. 89 00:05:17,640 --> 00:05:19,760 Speaker 1: I sing them too. I love them, They're wonderful, sing 90 00:05:19,760 --> 00:05:22,640 Speaker 1: them all, love them all. They're great. But Jesus cried 91 00:05:22,680 --> 00:05:26,160 Speaker 1: in the manger, all right, I know that it says 92 00:05:27,360 --> 00:05:29,280 Speaker 1: away in a manger, no crip for a bed, little lord, 93 00:05:29,360 --> 00:05:32,080 Speaker 1: Jesus laid down his sweethead. But I've had three babies 94 00:05:34,320 --> 00:05:37,160 Speaker 1: and they were born in hospitals, in good conditions, and 95 00:05:37,200 --> 00:05:39,480 Speaker 1: they screamed their heads off. So you're not gonna get 96 00:05:39,480 --> 00:05:41,760 Speaker 1: it past me that Jesus, who was fully God and 97 00:05:41,800 --> 00:05:44,799 Speaker 1: fully manned, wasn't screaming in a barn having to sleep 98 00:05:44,839 --> 00:05:46,760 Speaker 1: next to animals. Don't even try to tell me that 99 00:05:46,839 --> 00:05:50,080 Speaker 1: he laid on the straw comfortable and didn't scream. Jesus Christ, 100 00:05:50,080 --> 00:05:52,159 Speaker 1: the Son of God, was screaming his head off and 101 00:05:52,240 --> 00:05:54,760 Speaker 1: Mary was screaming too, screaming at Joseph for making her 102 00:05:54,800 --> 00:05:57,000 Speaker 1: ride on that donkey to take the census and not 103 00:05:57,080 --> 00:05:58,920 Speaker 1: having the foresight the book the hotel I had to 104 00:05:58,960 --> 00:06:01,719 Speaker 1: talk one day. I'm a city, a whole city called 105 00:06:01,800 --> 00:06:04,479 Speaker 1: Christmas got real, and it's gonna have Christmas carols like 106 00:06:04,520 --> 00:06:07,200 Speaker 1: they really happen. And in my Christmas carols, Jesus, the 107 00:06:07,200 --> 00:06:09,520 Speaker 1: Little Lord Jesus is gonna be asleep on that. She's 108 00:06:09,520 --> 00:06:17,200 Speaker 1: gonna be collicky. Jesus is gonna be screaming. All is calm? 109 00:06:18,560 --> 00:06:24,840 Speaker 1: What Christmas planet are you from? All is calm? All 110 00:06:24,920 --> 00:06:28,320 Speaker 1: is calm? Again. It just shows me that the one 111 00:06:28,320 --> 00:06:31,080 Speaker 1: who wrote that him had a different frame of reference 112 00:06:31,120 --> 00:06:33,719 Speaker 1: than my frame of reference. Again, I had a good family, 113 00:06:33,960 --> 00:06:37,280 Speaker 1: but it extended family. That's you know, that's a whole different. 114 00:06:39,320 --> 00:06:41,599 Speaker 1: My mom is here, she will back me out. My 115 00:06:42,040 --> 00:06:44,800 Speaker 1: uncles would bring so many girlfriends through. I didn't know 116 00:06:44,800 --> 00:06:46,800 Speaker 1: what to call these. Do I call her aunt too? 117 00:06:51,600 --> 00:06:53,680 Speaker 1: I'll never forget. My mom looked at me and said, 118 00:06:53,680 --> 00:06:55,599 Speaker 1: don't you call her your aunt. That's not your aunt. 119 00:06:55,800 --> 00:07:03,120 Speaker 1: That's that's everybody say. Real real Christmas, Real Christmas, Real Christmas. 120 00:07:03,800 --> 00:07:08,200 Speaker 1: Where your expectations collide with your reality. And that's really 121 00:07:08,279 --> 00:07:12,080 Speaker 1: the problem, isn't it. The problem is that all the 122 00:07:12,120 --> 00:07:16,080 Speaker 1: people in our lives don't read the script for how 123 00:07:16,080 --> 00:07:20,280 Speaker 1: they're supposed to act to make our Christmas what we 124 00:07:20,360 --> 00:07:23,360 Speaker 1: expected it would be. I mean, if they would all 125 00:07:23,400 --> 00:07:26,240 Speaker 1: just get on the same page and all take their 126 00:07:26,240 --> 00:07:29,080 Speaker 1: places and fall in on their mark, we could have 127 00:07:29,080 --> 00:07:32,000 Speaker 1: a good Christmas. Touch somebody say, Christmas could be perfect 128 00:07:33,480 --> 00:07:38,400 Speaker 1: if you would do it my way, and most of 129 00:07:38,480 --> 00:07:41,400 Speaker 1: us would make a scene in our minds that we 130 00:07:41,480 --> 00:07:44,160 Speaker 1: want Christmas to look like not just Christmas, that we 131 00:07:44,200 --> 00:07:47,040 Speaker 1: want Monday to look like that. And so we get 132 00:07:47,040 --> 00:07:51,040 Speaker 1: this imagination. But what do you do when the ideal 133 00:07:51,880 --> 00:07:58,200 Speaker 1: collides with the real and what you pictured Christmas would 134 00:07:58,200 --> 00:08:02,960 Speaker 1: be like memories of how it was collide with the 135 00:08:03,000 --> 00:08:06,320 Speaker 1: reality of how it now is. This could be empty 136 00:08:06,320 --> 00:08:10,120 Speaker 1: seats at the table, This could be strained relationships that 137 00:08:10,200 --> 00:08:14,560 Speaker 1: won't resolve. And so I'm not saying that Christmas is 138 00:08:14,640 --> 00:08:17,920 Speaker 1: overrated in the spirit that it really exists. I'm just 139 00:08:17,960 --> 00:08:21,400 Speaker 1: saying that I think we have downplayed the drama of 140 00:08:21,440 --> 00:08:24,720 Speaker 1: what really happened to create the first Christmas to the 141 00:08:24,800 --> 00:08:28,080 Speaker 1: extent that we are disappointed in ourselves that we can't 142 00:08:28,120 --> 00:08:31,520 Speaker 1: create perfect major scenes because we're all trying to manage 143 00:08:31,560 --> 00:08:34,520 Speaker 1: the scene of reality that exists in real life. And 144 00:08:34,559 --> 00:08:36,800 Speaker 1: when we compare that to all is calm, and you 145 00:08:36,840 --> 00:08:39,080 Speaker 1: look in your life and you see that all is chaotic, 146 00:08:40,720 --> 00:08:42,080 Speaker 1: what do you do? So I want to talk about 147 00:08:42,080 --> 00:08:44,560 Speaker 1: these elements real briefly today. I want to talk first 148 00:08:44,559 --> 00:08:49,880 Speaker 1: of all, about the chaos of Christmas. The chaos of Christmas. 149 00:08:50,360 --> 00:08:53,000 Speaker 1: And I made a note to myself. I don't ever 150 00:08:53,000 --> 00:08:54,240 Speaker 1: look at my notes. I don't know why I bring 151 00:08:54,240 --> 00:08:57,240 Speaker 1: them up here, but I said, hurry on this point, 152 00:08:57,240 --> 00:08:59,400 Speaker 1: because this isn't really the point I want to make. This. 153 00:09:00,720 --> 00:09:02,360 Speaker 1: Don't get all bogged down at this point and use 154 00:09:02,440 --> 00:09:06,080 Speaker 1: up all your clock. But because the chaos, what I 155 00:09:06,080 --> 00:09:09,120 Speaker 1: want to say about it is really really simple. Embrace it. 156 00:09:10,400 --> 00:09:17,640 Speaker 1: Embrace it. I didn't say create it. I said embrace it. 157 00:09:18,440 --> 00:09:21,560 Speaker 1: I don't believe that chaos should be a lifestyle, but 158 00:09:21,720 --> 00:09:25,800 Speaker 1: in certain seasons of your life, chaos is inevitable, and 159 00:09:25,840 --> 00:09:29,960 Speaker 1: in those seasons, embrace it. The Bible says that after 160 00:09:30,040 --> 00:09:33,200 Speaker 1: Joseph had considered this, he took Mary home to be 161 00:09:33,280 --> 00:09:35,840 Speaker 1: his wife. And when he took her home. He took 162 00:09:36,240 --> 00:09:41,560 Speaker 1: along with her all of the circulating chaos, all of 163 00:09:41,559 --> 00:09:45,600 Speaker 1: the scandal, all of the criticism that would accompany his 164 00:09:45,760 --> 00:09:49,199 Speaker 1: decision to be with a woman who had apparently been 165 00:09:49,240 --> 00:09:52,840 Speaker 1: unfaithful to him, a woman who, during the time of betrothal, 166 00:09:53,320 --> 00:09:56,240 Speaker 1: had all of a sudden shown up pregnant. And Matthew 167 00:09:56,240 --> 00:09:59,719 Speaker 1: does something interesting to help us with this, because in 168 00:09:59,840 --> 00:10:03,640 Speaker 1: order to embrace the chaos, you always need the context. 169 00:10:03,640 --> 00:10:05,640 Speaker 1: That's my second point. I'm flying, you better write this down, 170 00:10:05,679 --> 00:10:07,800 Speaker 1: or's gonna be over and you're gonna be home. You're 171 00:10:07,840 --> 00:10:09,959 Speaker 1: not gonna have anything. Christmas is gonna suck because you 172 00:10:10,000 --> 00:10:11,800 Speaker 1: can't pay attention to the preacher. I want to talk 173 00:10:11,840 --> 00:10:16,400 Speaker 1: about the context. Matthew is writing to a Jewish audience, 174 00:10:16,400 --> 00:10:18,840 Speaker 1: and he knows that their interest will be in discovering 175 00:10:19,080 --> 00:10:21,360 Speaker 1: the lineage of Jesus Christ. They would have been familiar 176 00:10:21,440 --> 00:10:24,440 Speaker 1: with this lineage through which the Messiah came, and those 177 00:10:24,480 --> 00:10:26,920 Speaker 1: first seventeen verses that I did not read to you 178 00:10:27,320 --> 00:10:29,600 Speaker 1: because I didn't think you would enjoy hearing about them, 179 00:10:29,679 --> 00:10:32,120 Speaker 1: would actually be interesting for you to look at, because 180 00:10:32,160 --> 00:10:35,280 Speaker 1: if you read the lineage that Jesus came through, that 181 00:10:35,320 --> 00:10:38,240 Speaker 1: Matthew takes the time to establish before he gets to 182 00:10:38,280 --> 00:10:41,040 Speaker 1: the actual story about what happened when he was born, 183 00:10:41,320 --> 00:10:42,959 Speaker 1: or the miracles that he worked when he was a 184 00:10:43,000 --> 00:10:45,120 Speaker 1: grown man, or the price that he paid as he 185 00:10:45,120 --> 00:10:50,440 Speaker 1: gave his life. Matthew starts his gospel establishing context. Everybody 186 00:10:50,480 --> 00:10:54,680 Speaker 1: shout context. Context is so important. You know, we're in 187 00:10:54,679 --> 00:10:57,120 Speaker 1: a political season right now, and I don't pay much 188 00:10:57,120 --> 00:11:00,559 Speaker 1: attention to the rhetoric because all they're doing in presenting 189 00:11:00,600 --> 00:11:04,400 Speaker 1: news to us is taking things out of context to 190 00:11:04,440 --> 00:11:09,480 Speaker 1: present them to us in the most bombastic fashion. And 191 00:11:09,960 --> 00:11:12,120 Speaker 1: so they've got they take this thing and this thing, 192 00:11:12,320 --> 00:11:15,800 Speaker 1: and they put it all out of so that the 193 00:11:15,800 --> 00:11:18,160 Speaker 1: person actually said the words. Now, there are some candidates 194 00:11:18,160 --> 00:11:19,880 Speaker 1: you don't even have to take them out of context. 195 00:11:20,080 --> 00:11:25,160 Speaker 1: They're crazy in context. But generally speaking, the way that 196 00:11:25,200 --> 00:11:29,479 Speaker 1: they attract attention is to take things out of context. 197 00:11:29,880 --> 00:11:32,720 Speaker 1: This is how the enemy, by the way, introduced deception 198 00:11:32,840 --> 00:11:35,040 Speaker 1: and sin into the world. If you want to study 199 00:11:35,040 --> 00:11:38,680 Speaker 1: at it, it was a case of context. Because God 200 00:11:38,760 --> 00:11:41,920 Speaker 1: told Adam and Eve, of all the trees in this garden, 201 00:11:42,120 --> 00:11:45,560 Speaker 1: you may freely eat, that's permission, but don't touch this one, 202 00:11:45,720 --> 00:11:48,760 Speaker 1: or you're gonna die, and so there's a there's a 203 00:11:48,800 --> 00:11:52,200 Speaker 1: permission given, and then there's a consequence established. And so 204 00:11:52,240 --> 00:11:55,000 Speaker 1: when the snake comes slithering up to even the third 205 00:11:55,040 --> 00:11:58,080 Speaker 1: chapter of the Book of Genesis, he takes God's words 206 00:11:58,120 --> 00:12:02,160 Speaker 1: out of context. He says, did God really say you 207 00:12:02,200 --> 00:12:04,320 Speaker 1: can't eat off of any of these trees? In fact, 208 00:12:04,480 --> 00:12:07,360 Speaker 1: that's nothing like what God said. What God in fact 209 00:12:07,400 --> 00:12:09,440 Speaker 1: said is you can eat from any tree, but if 210 00:12:09,440 --> 00:12:11,800 Speaker 1: you eat from this tree, it's going to be harmful 211 00:12:11,800 --> 00:12:14,440 Speaker 1: to you. But the enemy knows he can always divorce 212 00:12:14,480 --> 00:12:17,000 Speaker 1: you from your destiny if he can get you out 213 00:12:17,000 --> 00:12:26,080 Speaker 1: of context. I almost called this whole message. Let's keep 214 00:12:26,200 --> 00:12:31,840 Speaker 1: Christmas in context. You know, Let's remember that Herod was 215 00:12:31,880 --> 00:12:35,000 Speaker 1: trying to kill all the baby boys under the age 216 00:12:35,040 --> 00:12:38,120 Speaker 1: of two at the time when Jesus was born. Let's 217 00:12:38,160 --> 00:12:40,920 Speaker 1: remember that we're not living in the first day in 218 00:12:41,040 --> 00:12:44,559 Speaker 1: time or the age or the epoch where there has 219 00:12:44,640 --> 00:12:48,280 Speaker 1: been violence in the world. Let's remember that Christ, who 220 00:12:48,400 --> 00:12:51,400 Speaker 1: was born, Oh Holy Knight, was born into a violent world. 221 00:12:51,640 --> 00:12:54,679 Speaker 1: Keep it in context. If you ever go to visit 222 00:12:54,720 --> 00:12:56,720 Speaker 1: the Holy Land and you ask them, oh, can I 223 00:12:56,800 --> 00:12:59,960 Speaker 1: see Bethlehem, They'll probably tell you don't want to go there. 224 00:13:00,160 --> 00:13:02,920 Speaker 1: It's a ghetto. Now it's a beautiful place, but it's 225 00:13:02,920 --> 00:13:04,640 Speaker 1: no place that you would want to visit on your 226 00:13:04,640 --> 00:13:09,439 Speaker 1: itinerary for a vacation. Because God is born into contexts 227 00:13:09,679 --> 00:13:14,680 Speaker 1: that people reject. Jesus was born to a virgin, to 228 00:13:14,800 --> 00:13:18,560 Speaker 1: a Palestinian girl. That is the context of your faith. 229 00:13:18,920 --> 00:13:22,000 Speaker 1: And so when Matthew says, Abraham, that got Isaac, who 230 00:13:22,080 --> 00:13:24,880 Speaker 1: begot Jacob, who begot Joseph, you might want to skip 231 00:13:24,920 --> 00:13:27,000 Speaker 1: over that stuff, but go back and read it because 232 00:13:27,000 --> 00:13:29,160 Speaker 1: if you read that whole lineage, it'll give you a 233 00:13:30,720 --> 00:13:34,559 Speaker 1: context for the message of Christmas. That Jesus came through 234 00:13:34,600 --> 00:13:38,640 Speaker 1: a lineage of murderers, and Jesus came through a lineage 235 00:13:38,640 --> 00:13:42,319 Speaker 1: of fugitives, and Jesus came through a lineage of liars, 236 00:13:42,800 --> 00:13:46,480 Speaker 1: and Jesus came through a lineage of backstabbers. One woman 237 00:13:46,480 --> 00:13:50,040 Speaker 1: who's mentioned in the context of Christmas is a prostitute. 238 00:13:50,200 --> 00:13:53,240 Speaker 1: So before you look down your nose this Christmas on 239 00:13:53,400 --> 00:13:56,720 Speaker 1: people who don't have their act together, you better remember 240 00:13:56,920 --> 00:14:00,079 Speaker 1: the context of Christmas is that Christ came into the 241 00:13:59,840 --> 00:14:05,880 Speaker 1: world through sinners for sinners, and you're one of them. 242 00:14:05,920 --> 00:14:15,520 Speaker 1: Let somebody say you're one of them. Context, context is everything. 243 00:14:15,760 --> 00:14:21,800 Speaker 1: Don't you think context context is so helpful for determining 244 00:14:21,840 --> 00:14:25,600 Speaker 1: why someone is committed. If you meet someone who's really committed, 245 00:14:25,840 --> 00:14:28,120 Speaker 1: I bet you they went through a season of struggle. 246 00:14:30,200 --> 00:14:32,360 Speaker 1: And if you meet someone who's committed to their job, 247 00:14:32,920 --> 00:14:36,160 Speaker 1: or committed to their calling, or committed to their ideals. 248 00:14:36,360 --> 00:14:39,120 Speaker 1: The most successful people I've ever met, if you get 249 00:14:39,160 --> 00:14:41,120 Speaker 1: a little bit of backstory, and see, you need a 250 00:14:41,120 --> 00:14:43,640 Speaker 1: little bit of backstory to understand the baby in the manger, 251 00:14:43,680 --> 00:14:45,560 Speaker 1: because if you go straight to the baby, you miss it. 252 00:14:45,680 --> 00:14:48,320 Speaker 1: But Matthew says in verse eighteen, this is how the 253 00:14:48,360 --> 00:14:51,160 Speaker 1: birth of Jesus the Messiah came about. This is how 254 00:14:51,320 --> 00:14:53,480 Speaker 1: how did he do it? Did God drop him down 255 00:14:53,480 --> 00:14:56,080 Speaker 1: out of heaven in a handcrafted box? Did God put 256 00:14:56,160 --> 00:14:58,360 Speaker 1: him behind glass and send him through the clouds and 257 00:14:58,400 --> 00:15:02,080 Speaker 1: drop him into palatial spaces? We're royalty resided? No, no, no, 258 00:15:02,160 --> 00:15:08,520 Speaker 1: This is how in chaos and confusion through the lineage 259 00:15:09,240 --> 00:15:12,880 Speaker 1: of sinners. So the most successful people I've ever met 260 00:15:13,680 --> 00:15:18,360 Speaker 1: went through a season that was so difficult that now 261 00:15:18,360 --> 00:15:22,120 Speaker 1: they are driven by their desire to never have to 262 00:15:22,160 --> 00:15:25,880 Speaker 1: go back there. And so that's why they stay up late, 263 00:15:26,320 --> 00:15:29,360 Speaker 1: and that's why they work hard. But you'll never understand 264 00:15:29,360 --> 00:15:34,360 Speaker 1: their commitment until you've understood their context. Some of you 265 00:15:34,400 --> 00:15:38,880 Speaker 1: haven't struggled enough, and you will never be successful until 266 00:15:38,920 --> 00:15:42,960 Speaker 1: you struggle because you don't have the context yet that 267 00:15:43,000 --> 00:15:45,880 Speaker 1: can contain success. So why would God give it to you? 268 00:15:49,920 --> 00:15:53,760 Speaker 1: I'm gonna come over here and preach, I said, God 269 00:15:53,880 --> 00:15:57,720 Speaker 1: is not going to drop blessing into somebody who's never 270 00:15:57,760 --> 00:16:02,000 Speaker 1: been in a bar. I'm gonna try the C intersection. 271 00:16:02,120 --> 00:16:04,320 Speaker 1: Everything's falling apart now I might have to move to 272 00:16:04,360 --> 00:16:07,000 Speaker 1: the overflow Before us all said and done, I set 273 00:16:07,040 --> 00:16:12,000 Speaker 1: your struggle today is a setup for your success tomorrow. 274 00:16:13,040 --> 00:16:15,080 Speaker 1: There it is, but you have to go through some 275 00:16:15,160 --> 00:16:19,680 Speaker 1: stuff in the cradle before you can get to the cross. 276 00:16:20,960 --> 00:16:28,600 Speaker 1: You've got to establish a context. Context context. A context 277 00:16:28,600 --> 00:16:32,960 Speaker 1: can also help you understand someone's celebration. You know, there 278 00:16:33,000 --> 00:16:36,520 Speaker 1: are people who will be really happy this Christmas getting 279 00:16:36,600 --> 00:16:39,680 Speaker 1: less than you got because their context is they've never 280 00:16:39,760 --> 00:16:46,040 Speaker 1: had it before. They'll take shoe boxes through Operation Christmas Child, 281 00:16:46,160 --> 00:16:49,080 Speaker 1: which we've supported Samaritans perse for years, and when they 282 00:16:49,160 --> 00:16:51,760 Speaker 1: drop them off to the kids, toys that your kids 283 00:16:51,800 --> 00:16:59,120 Speaker 1: would walk past these kids will cry over context context. 284 00:16:59,320 --> 00:17:01,840 Speaker 1: The person say next to you might be a little 285 00:17:01,920 --> 00:17:04,760 Speaker 1: more exuberant than you that when we were worshiping, they 286 00:17:04,840 --> 00:17:06,719 Speaker 1: might have been kind of loud, and you might not 287 00:17:06,840 --> 00:17:11,120 Speaker 1: understand that. But if you understood their context, you might 288 00:17:11,200 --> 00:17:14,840 Speaker 1: understand that the person next to you didn't even think 289 00:17:14,880 --> 00:17:19,000 Speaker 1: they'd see their thirtieth birthday, but God stepped in some 290 00:17:19,240 --> 00:17:22,800 Speaker 1: kind of way and delivered them from all their fears. 291 00:17:23,040 --> 00:17:26,440 Speaker 1: And so when I start preaching and when we start praising, 292 00:17:26,880 --> 00:17:32,040 Speaker 1: there's a celebration. Do me a favor. Touch somebody say, 293 00:17:32,280 --> 00:17:36,199 Speaker 1: you don't know what it's like to be me. You 294 00:17:36,320 --> 00:17:38,879 Speaker 1: don't even know all the fights I had to fight. 295 00:17:39,160 --> 00:17:41,560 Speaker 1: You don't even know the wars that God won on 296 00:17:41,640 --> 00:17:44,840 Speaker 1: my behalf. You don't even know what I stepped across 297 00:17:44,840 --> 00:17:47,280 Speaker 1: to get the church. You don't know what it cost 298 00:17:47,359 --> 00:17:54,320 Speaker 1: me to raise my kids. Context context. We went to 299 00:17:54,359 --> 00:17:56,680 Speaker 1: a baseball game a year ago that Graham was playing 300 00:17:56,680 --> 00:17:58,320 Speaker 1: in and the kid on the other team hit the 301 00:17:58,359 --> 00:18:01,000 Speaker 1: ball and the ball dribbled the pitcher, and the kid 302 00:18:01,040 --> 00:18:03,040 Speaker 1: got on first base, and the whole other side, the 303 00:18:03,119 --> 00:18:04,720 Speaker 1: kid was on the other team, and the whole other 304 00:18:04,800 --> 00:18:07,440 Speaker 1: side starts cheering like the boy had hit a home run, 305 00:18:07,920 --> 00:18:09,879 Speaker 1: like he around at home plate, like he hit a 306 00:18:09,880 --> 00:18:12,679 Speaker 1: grand slam, won the World Series. All these parents going wild, 307 00:18:12,880 --> 00:18:15,240 Speaker 1: which I thought was ridiculous, till one of the parents 308 00:18:15,240 --> 00:18:17,480 Speaker 1: told me that the kid. The reason they're cheering is 309 00:18:17,480 --> 00:18:20,800 Speaker 1: because the kid had never played sports before, and when 310 00:18:20,800 --> 00:18:22,080 Speaker 1: he came out there, he didn't even know how to 311 00:18:22,080 --> 00:18:24,000 Speaker 1: hold the baseball back because there was no dad in 312 00:18:24,040 --> 00:18:26,359 Speaker 1: the family, and it was his grandma that brought him out. 313 00:18:26,440 --> 00:18:28,520 Speaker 1: And so to just see him hit that, just to 314 00:18:28,520 --> 00:18:35,199 Speaker 1: see him make contact, that's the context to understand that 315 00:18:35,359 --> 00:18:41,720 Speaker 1: somebody's small step is a big success. Maybe there's some 316 00:18:41,760 --> 00:18:44,199 Speaker 1: things that's Christmas that you need to put in context, 317 00:18:45,240 --> 00:18:47,560 Speaker 1: because if you would put it in context, you would 318 00:18:47,640 --> 00:18:51,240 Speaker 1: celebrate your crazy kids. If you put it in the 319 00:18:51,280 --> 00:18:54,720 Speaker 1: context of somebody's kid isn't with them this Christmas, somebody's 320 00:18:54,800 --> 00:18:57,639 Speaker 1: kid is in prison, somebody's kid is in the hospital, 321 00:18:57,840 --> 00:19:00,760 Speaker 1: somebody's kid is dead, it would help you appreciate your 322 00:19:00,800 --> 00:19:04,200 Speaker 1: living parents. To understand that somebody has no living parent 323 00:19:04,280 --> 00:19:07,120 Speaker 1: to visit, even though your mom has dementia. It might 324 00:19:07,160 --> 00:19:09,040 Speaker 1: help you to see a little bit of joy in 325 00:19:09,080 --> 00:19:12,360 Speaker 1: a hopeless situation. If you could ask God to give 326 00:19:12,400 --> 00:19:18,560 Speaker 1: you a context. Context. I'm going to say something else 327 00:19:18,600 --> 00:19:21,920 Speaker 1: about context. Can I preach? I'm gonna say something else 328 00:19:21,960 --> 00:19:24,919 Speaker 1: about context. The reason some of us don't have compassion 329 00:19:25,040 --> 00:19:27,520 Speaker 1: is because we don't have context for other people's conflict. 330 00:19:32,000 --> 00:19:36,480 Speaker 1: Compassion is a result of context. So it's kind of 331 00:19:36,520 --> 00:19:40,159 Speaker 1: easy for a white man in America to say that 332 00:19:40,280 --> 00:19:46,760 Speaker 1: racism doesn't exist anymore and see things on TV and say, oh, well, 333 00:19:47,080 --> 00:19:52,199 Speaker 1: they're always complaining about black people. Because you have no 334 00:19:52,359 --> 00:19:59,359 Speaker 1: context for the conflict, you have no compassion. You've never 335 00:19:59,440 --> 00:20:02,879 Speaker 1: had some follow you around the store because of the 336 00:20:02,880 --> 00:20:06,199 Speaker 1: color of your skin. I'm not gonna talk about this 337 00:20:06,240 --> 00:20:09,239 Speaker 1: if y'all uncle help me. You never had to have 338 00:20:09,280 --> 00:20:11,520 Speaker 1: a talk with your kid about how to deal with 339 00:20:11,560 --> 00:20:14,280 Speaker 1: the police officer on that level. So now when you 340 00:20:14,359 --> 00:20:18,160 Speaker 1: hear somebody else's conflict, you don't have any compassion because 341 00:20:18,160 --> 00:20:24,240 Speaker 1: you don't have any context. Christmas is God stepping into 342 00:20:24,359 --> 00:20:28,879 Speaker 1: humanity and giving us a context for compassion. That he 343 00:20:28,920 --> 00:20:32,119 Speaker 1: would breathe your air, that he would take your sin, 344 00:20:32,560 --> 00:20:35,320 Speaker 1: that he would take your shame, that he would walk 345 00:20:35,400 --> 00:20:38,560 Speaker 1: your earth, that he would walk your crown, that he 346 00:20:38,560 --> 00:20:50,359 Speaker 1: would take your struggle. It's easy to criticize somebody who's 347 00:20:50,440 --> 00:20:54,560 Speaker 1: context you've never experienced. I'll tell you if I heard 348 00:20:54,560 --> 00:21:01,080 Speaker 1: the pastor of that church you don't know, we'll start one. 349 00:21:01,119 --> 00:21:11,880 Speaker 1: Then he's a little Christmas devotion. Come on, smile, y'all, smile, smile, smiles, 350 00:21:11,960 --> 00:21:16,159 Speaker 1: moll context. It's really easy for a straight person to 351 00:21:16,240 --> 00:21:20,480 Speaker 1: talk about what a gay person ought to do until 352 00:21:20,520 --> 00:21:24,520 Speaker 1: you've spent a day in their context. You never understand 353 00:21:24,560 --> 00:21:28,960 Speaker 1: the feelings that they have associated with the church because 354 00:21:29,000 --> 00:21:32,439 Speaker 1: of people who quoted Scripture at them. But they quoted 355 00:21:32,480 --> 00:21:45,080 Speaker 1: it out of Please, please, please, please, don't use the 356 00:21:45,119 --> 00:21:49,399 Speaker 1: Gospel as a context for hate. Please don't use the 357 00:21:49,440 --> 00:21:54,280 Speaker 1: Gospel as the context for judgment. Please don't call yourself 358 00:21:54,280 --> 00:21:57,800 Speaker 1: a Christian until you're willing to be like the one 359 00:21:58,080 --> 00:22:03,879 Speaker 1: who carried your cross A text? Got if I'm preaching 360 00:22:04,000 --> 00:22:12,480 Speaker 1: rite got if I'm preaching right? Yeah, I put it 361 00:22:12,520 --> 00:22:19,439 Speaker 1: in context, put it in context. We'll treat people better 362 00:22:19,760 --> 00:22:23,159 Speaker 1: when we put their conflict in context. You know, I 363 00:22:23,160 --> 00:22:25,480 Speaker 1: don't know what it's like to be a single mom. 364 00:22:25,800 --> 00:22:28,720 Speaker 1: I don't know what it's like to raise teenagers. I'm 365 00:22:28,760 --> 00:22:31,359 Speaker 1: not gonna do a parenting series till all mine are 366 00:22:31,400 --> 00:22:35,920 Speaker 1: gone out of the house. I don't know how he's 367 00:22:35,960 --> 00:22:38,760 Speaker 1: gonna act at age sixteen. I don't know, So I 368 00:22:38,800 --> 00:22:41,240 Speaker 1: don't want the measure of judgment I use to come 369 00:22:41,280 --> 00:22:47,159 Speaker 1: back on me because I preached it out of So 370 00:22:47,240 --> 00:22:53,680 Speaker 1: I'm just hanging on man. You know what I'm saying, Well, 371 00:22:53,680 --> 00:23:05,680 Speaker 1: if I had their money, you don't, and you will 372 00:23:05,680 --> 00:23:08,800 Speaker 1: make some of the worst relational decisions of your life 373 00:23:09,400 --> 00:23:12,080 Speaker 1: when you take things out of context. You know, when 374 00:23:12,119 --> 00:23:14,520 Speaker 1: somebody has been good to you for ten years and 375 00:23:14,560 --> 00:23:16,320 Speaker 1: they do one thing that makes you mad and you 376 00:23:16,359 --> 00:23:20,920 Speaker 1: write them off. You mean, you're gonna take the ten 377 00:23:21,040 --> 00:23:24,160 Speaker 1: years that they were good to you and one thing 378 00:23:24,240 --> 00:23:27,359 Speaker 1: they said is going to make you cut the relationship off. 379 00:23:27,600 --> 00:23:29,760 Speaker 1: You're going to take one thing out of the context 380 00:23:29,800 --> 00:23:33,160 Speaker 1: of the whole relationship now and be done with the person. 381 00:23:33,640 --> 00:23:43,159 Speaker 1: What if God did that with you? Bubbaloo? Anyway, I'm 382 00:23:43,200 --> 00:23:45,280 Speaker 1: boring some of y'all, so I'm a rush to the 383 00:23:45,320 --> 00:23:51,840 Speaker 1: conclusion here. I'm just saying, you know, maybe you need 384 00:23:51,880 --> 00:23:55,840 Speaker 1: to put your current situation in context because the enemy 385 00:23:55,840 --> 00:23:57,719 Speaker 1: would like you to think that there's nothing to your 386 00:23:57,760 --> 00:24:00,280 Speaker 1: life and it doesn't matter, and you know, it doesn't 387 00:24:00,280 --> 00:24:02,600 Speaker 1: make a difference and all this, and you got to 388 00:24:02,640 --> 00:24:05,320 Speaker 1: remember that the hope of the world was born in 389 00:24:05,400 --> 00:24:11,120 Speaker 1: a barn. That is the context of Christmas is that 390 00:24:11,320 --> 00:24:17,960 Speaker 1: God saved the world from a stable. So the next 391 00:24:18,000 --> 00:24:21,159 Speaker 1: time the enemy tries to tell you it doesn't matter 392 00:24:21,960 --> 00:24:25,040 Speaker 1: and it's not worth it and you're not much, just 393 00:24:25,119 --> 00:24:29,000 Speaker 1: remember the context of your faith is that your savior 394 00:24:29,080 --> 00:24:33,840 Speaker 1: came from a stall. I wonder what little thing there 395 00:24:33,920 --> 00:24:37,240 Speaker 1: is in your life, I said, I wonder what little 396 00:24:37,280 --> 00:24:39,800 Speaker 1: thing there is in your life. It just looks like 397 00:24:39,880 --> 00:24:43,119 Speaker 1: a seed right now. But every oak tree you drive 398 00:24:43,240 --> 00:24:47,040 Speaker 1: past was a seed at first. The context of the 399 00:24:47,119 --> 00:24:50,800 Speaker 1: tree is that its started as a seed. The context 400 00:24:50,800 --> 00:24:54,440 Speaker 1: of salvation is that it's started in a staple. The 401 00:24:54,480 --> 00:24:57,760 Speaker 1: context of every big thing that God's gonna do in 402 00:24:57,800 --> 00:25:01,040 Speaker 1: your life is that you're faithful in a small things. 403 00:25:02,359 --> 00:25:06,000 Speaker 1: Keep it in context. Come on high five five people 404 00:25:06,000 --> 00:25:09,280 Speaker 1: tell them keep it in context. Keep it in context, 405 00:25:09,880 --> 00:25:13,439 Speaker 1: keep it in context, keep it. Don't get discouraged in 406 00:25:13,520 --> 00:25:17,120 Speaker 1: the day of small beginnings. Keep it in context. Keep 407 00:25:17,160 --> 00:25:20,639 Speaker 1: your failure in context. Your failure is a portal to 408 00:25:20,720 --> 00:25:24,560 Speaker 1: your future. Keep it in context. The empty tomb was 409 00:25:24,600 --> 00:25:28,520 Speaker 1: made possible by the bloody cross, keep it in context. 410 00:25:28,960 --> 00:25:31,960 Speaker 1: Hope came to humanity. I can't preach this. I don't 411 00:25:32,000 --> 00:25:34,320 Speaker 1: have a church. I gotta find me a new church. 412 00:25:34,440 --> 00:25:36,760 Speaker 1: I can preach it. Maybe I'll preach it to the wall. 413 00:25:37,119 --> 00:25:41,399 Speaker 1: If you're feeling depressed and discouraged and defeeding, is because 414 00:25:41,440 --> 00:25:44,879 Speaker 1: the enemy has gotten your hope out of context. But 415 00:25:44,960 --> 00:25:47,719 Speaker 1: I came to tell you that everything that happens in 416 00:25:47,760 --> 00:26:02,680 Speaker 1: your life happens for a reason. Give context, the gift 417 00:26:03,440 --> 00:26:05,560 Speaker 1: of context. Those of y'all that don't want to stand 418 00:26:05,560 --> 00:26:07,760 Speaker 1: when I preach, would y'all start sitting in overflow? Because 419 00:26:07,800 --> 00:26:09,960 Speaker 1: I need some people in church who know how to 420 00:26:10,000 --> 00:26:12,919 Speaker 1: praise Him, who know how to celebrate, who know how 421 00:26:13,000 --> 00:26:16,680 Speaker 1: to clap your hands. Come on, this is a worshipful atmosphere. 422 00:26:17,080 --> 00:26:33,040 Speaker 1: This is a victorious atmosphere. The context. We'll watch this. 423 00:26:34,560 --> 00:26:37,600 Speaker 1: I want to teach now, y'all, calm down. I want 424 00:26:37,600 --> 00:26:41,159 Speaker 1: to teach now. I want to teach now. I'm almost done. 425 00:26:42,560 --> 00:26:49,919 Speaker 1: Joseph came to a conclusion based on a context, and 426 00:26:50,000 --> 00:26:52,800 Speaker 1: when the Angel showed up, watch this. You're gonna love this. 427 00:26:53,400 --> 00:26:57,919 Speaker 1: The Angel didn't change the circumstance. The Angel gave a 428 00:26:58,080 --> 00:27:03,880 Speaker 1: context to the circumstance that Joseph wasn't aware of. Wow, Wow, 429 00:27:04,000 --> 00:27:07,159 Speaker 1: well say it Verdick. All right. The Angel gave a 430 00:27:07,240 --> 00:27:13,120 Speaker 1: context that led Joseph to a new conclusion. Oh my God, 431 00:27:13,200 --> 00:27:17,680 Speaker 1: did you hear me? And we know that all things 432 00:27:18,560 --> 00:27:23,639 Speaker 1: work together for the good of those who love God 433 00:27:24,440 --> 00:27:29,520 Speaker 1: and are called according all you missed him? My calling 434 00:27:30,000 --> 00:27:33,919 Speaker 1: is my context. And if all things work together for 435 00:27:34,160 --> 00:27:38,800 Speaker 1: my good, whatever conclusion I come to means I win. 436 00:27:39,440 --> 00:27:42,239 Speaker 1: So I start with the fact that I win, and 437 00:27:42,320 --> 00:27:59,479 Speaker 1: I work my way backwards. Okay, after he had considered this, 438 00:27:59,560 --> 00:28:01,440 Speaker 1: he thought about it, and he thought it over. Touch 439 00:28:01,520 --> 00:28:05,480 Speaker 1: somebody say think it over. No, no, no, no, you 440 00:28:05,480 --> 00:28:07,400 Speaker 1: know you know. No. I'm not saying think it over again. 441 00:28:07,400 --> 00:28:13,840 Speaker 1: I'm saying think it over. I'm saying, God said, my 442 00:28:13,960 --> 00:28:20,800 Speaker 1: thoughts are higher than your thoughts, and my ways are 443 00:28:21,440 --> 00:28:25,720 Speaker 1: higher than your ways. So what are you doing up 444 00:28:25,880 --> 00:28:30,200 Speaker 1: under the circumstances when I've given you a context of 445 00:28:30,320 --> 00:28:33,639 Speaker 1: a conqueror? I am the hand and not the tale, 446 00:28:33,920 --> 00:28:38,880 Speaker 1: only above and never beneath. I got a new context, 447 00:28:39,360 --> 00:28:45,160 Speaker 1: and all things work together for the good of those 448 00:28:45,960 --> 00:28:52,719 Speaker 1: who love God and our call. So the conclusions that 449 00:28:52,800 --> 00:28:56,520 Speaker 1: I come to in my mind are a result of 450 00:28:56,560 --> 00:29:09,080 Speaker 1: the context that I have created in my heart. If 451 00:29:09,080 --> 00:29:12,160 Speaker 1: I create a context in my heart where I expect 452 00:29:12,200 --> 00:29:16,160 Speaker 1: perfection from the people around me, when they disappoint my expectation, 453 00:29:16,560 --> 00:29:20,040 Speaker 1: I want to dismiss them from the stage. But you 454 00:29:20,080 --> 00:29:27,400 Speaker 1: aren't the centerpiece of this manger seeing baby girl and 455 00:29:27,480 --> 00:29:30,880 Speaker 1: my context. If my context is you know Jesus be 456 00:29:31,080 --> 00:29:35,760 Speaker 1: the center this Christmas and would you work in my 457 00:29:35,840 --> 00:29:38,320 Speaker 1: life in all the ways that you're working? The context 458 00:29:38,600 --> 00:29:42,400 Speaker 1: is God. I don't want perfection. I just want purpose, 459 00:29:44,120 --> 00:29:52,160 Speaker 1: purpose and are called according to His purpose. When your 460 00:29:52,240 --> 00:29:56,080 Speaker 1: context is created by your preference, you'll always be disappointed. 461 00:29:57,360 --> 00:30:00,680 Speaker 1: When your context is created by God's purpose, You'll never 462 00:30:00,760 --> 00:30:06,160 Speaker 1: be put to shame. When your context is created by 463 00:30:06,200 --> 00:30:09,040 Speaker 1: your pain, you'll always carry with you a sense of 464 00:30:09,080 --> 00:30:12,600 Speaker 1: sorrow and regret. But if you frame your pain in 465 00:30:12,680 --> 00:30:16,200 Speaker 1: the context of purpose, you'll realize there's a reason for 466 00:30:16,360 --> 00:30:23,680 Speaker 1: everything I went through, the good, the bad, the ugly. 467 00:30:26,280 --> 00:30:28,840 Speaker 1: I wonder what conclusions you've been jumping to in your 468 00:30:28,880 --> 00:30:32,400 Speaker 1: mind because you've allowed the wrong context in your heart. 469 00:30:35,240 --> 00:30:38,000 Speaker 1: I wonder it's so easy to do. Man, me and Holly, 470 00:30:38,400 --> 00:30:40,000 Speaker 1: you can sit down for a minute. I'd like to 471 00:30:40,080 --> 00:30:44,520 Speaker 1: chat another ten if you're good, and then we got 472 00:30:44,520 --> 00:30:58,600 Speaker 1: a giant to slay. But the context of Christmas, and 473 00:30:58,680 --> 00:31:00,920 Speaker 1: the context of my life life and the context of 474 00:31:01,160 --> 00:31:04,400 Speaker 1: your life is the framework by which we make decisions. Now, 475 00:31:04,400 --> 00:31:06,000 Speaker 1: I'm not gonna holler anymore. I'm gonna just tell you 476 00:31:06,040 --> 00:31:07,880 Speaker 1: a little story. Me and Holly were coming back. I 477 00:31:07,920 --> 00:31:10,920 Speaker 1: ap preached in Dallas a few weeks ago. We're coming 478 00:31:10,960 --> 00:31:15,800 Speaker 1: back home. Wasn't that the trip? And it's embarrassing story 479 00:31:15,800 --> 00:31:17,840 Speaker 1: to tell. I'm humiliated about it. I got that out 480 00:31:17,840 --> 00:31:20,560 Speaker 1: the way. So we're about to get on the plane 481 00:31:20,640 --> 00:31:22,720 Speaker 1: and they're boarding, and we can't hear because the speaker 482 00:31:22,760 --> 00:31:25,960 Speaker 1: system is from nineteen twenty in the airport apparently, and 483 00:31:28,640 --> 00:31:30,880 Speaker 1: over the last peakle weekend here is very crowded at 484 00:31:30,880 --> 00:31:33,520 Speaker 1: the gate. Apparently the airlines no longer believe that it 485 00:31:33,560 --> 00:31:36,000 Speaker 1: is important to corral the customers. Just let it turn 486 00:31:36,000 --> 00:31:37,800 Speaker 1: into total anarchy, Lord of the flies, and see if 487 00:31:37,800 --> 00:31:40,960 Speaker 1: anybody comes out alive. Just very fight fear spot God forbid. 488 00:31:41,000 --> 00:31:43,000 Speaker 1: We have a system of order to the boarding process. 489 00:31:43,200 --> 00:31:45,320 Speaker 1: Who would want that? And so it's chaos if I 490 00:31:45,320 --> 00:31:51,480 Speaker 1: say chaos context conclusion, So chaos at the gate, Holly 491 00:31:51,520 --> 00:31:53,360 Speaker 1: walks over. There's a woman kind of blocked in the 492 00:31:53,360 --> 00:31:56,760 Speaker 1: whole way, and Holly ask her nicely. Now, Holly is 493 00:31:56,800 --> 00:31:59,280 Speaker 1: not an edgy person. Holly's a nice person. Holly doesn't 494 00:31:59,320 --> 00:32:02,000 Speaker 1: say things offense. Hollyes the people pleaser. So she walks 495 00:32:02,080 --> 00:32:03,840 Speaker 1: up to the woman and she says in a very 496 00:32:03,920 --> 00:32:07,080 Speaker 1: nice tone, very very nice tone, because I'm watching the 497 00:32:07,080 --> 00:32:09,160 Speaker 1: whole thing from a distance. And she said, excuse me, 498 00:32:09,320 --> 00:32:13,040 Speaker 1: did they call zon wine? And the lady looks back 499 00:32:13,080 --> 00:32:20,960 Speaker 1: at her. I'm watching from a distance. And the lady goes, now, 500 00:32:20,960 --> 00:32:22,960 Speaker 1: I need to make a few observations here about my 501 00:32:23,000 --> 00:32:27,720 Speaker 1: own nature that I've learned over the years. Whenever someone 502 00:32:28,040 --> 00:32:33,920 Speaker 1: disrespects me, I don't do well when they disrespect my wife, 503 00:32:34,160 --> 00:32:43,320 Speaker 1: I go, BC, you understand, you got the picture. So 504 00:32:43,480 --> 00:32:48,920 Speaker 1: the woman does made this face, this whole face. So 505 00:32:48,960 --> 00:32:51,719 Speaker 1: I slid over to the scene. Everybody said, don't make 506 00:32:51,760 --> 00:32:55,000 Speaker 1: a scene, all right, I slid over just to let 507 00:32:55,080 --> 00:32:59,959 Speaker 1: the woman know that Holly wasn't a solo traveler to us. 508 00:33:00,000 --> 00:33:04,880 Speaker 1: Stablished the context, you understand. And I said to the woman, 509 00:33:05,280 --> 00:33:11,680 Speaker 1: not real loud, not real forceful, just said, what's your problem? 510 00:33:12,840 --> 00:33:16,880 Speaker 1: And the traveling companion with her said she can't hear. 511 00:33:18,920 --> 00:33:29,400 Speaker 1: She was hearing impaired. How many relationships have you ruined 512 00:33:30,680 --> 00:33:35,760 Speaker 1: because you came to a conclusion without understanding the context. 513 00:33:39,840 --> 00:33:44,600 Speaker 1: I was so embarrassed. I was so embarrassed. I didn't 514 00:33:44,600 --> 00:33:46,680 Speaker 1: even know how to apologize. That's one of those where 515 00:33:46,720 --> 00:33:50,560 Speaker 1: you just drop your head and start over, you know whatever. 516 00:33:54,360 --> 00:33:57,280 Speaker 1: But we do it all the time, you know, we 517 00:33:57,400 --> 00:34:01,400 Speaker 1: do it all the time. We get mad at for 518 00:34:01,480 --> 00:34:03,680 Speaker 1: what they say that really isn't an indication of how 519 00:34:03,680 --> 00:34:07,240 Speaker 1: they feel about us, is what they're going through within themselves. 520 00:34:08,880 --> 00:34:12,520 Speaker 1: And so a question Christian would be, if the cross 521 00:34:12,680 --> 00:34:17,000 Speaker 1: is our context for how we relate to God, shouldn't 522 00:34:17,040 --> 00:34:18,840 Speaker 1: it be the conclusion we come to and how we 523 00:34:18,880 --> 00:34:25,840 Speaker 1: relate to others. If the basis of my relationship with 524 00:34:25,960 --> 00:34:29,280 Speaker 1: God is that He had to die for my sins, 525 00:34:29,960 --> 00:34:32,200 Speaker 1: that he had to shed his blood for my sins, 526 00:34:32,960 --> 00:34:34,680 Speaker 1: If that's what it took for me to be right 527 00:34:34,760 --> 00:34:37,200 Speaker 1: with God, shouldn't it be enough for me to be 528 00:34:37,280 --> 00:34:46,799 Speaker 1: right with others in the chaos of Christmas? Keep your 529 00:34:46,880 --> 00:34:53,560 Speaker 1: context of compassion and you will come to a new conclusion. 530 00:34:55,360 --> 00:34:58,400 Speaker 1: And my conclusion is exactly what the Angel said to Joseph, 531 00:34:58,440 --> 00:35:00,360 Speaker 1: It's one thing that I know, no matter what I 532 00:35:00,440 --> 00:35:06,399 Speaker 1: go through, no matter how it feels, is that he's 533 00:35:06,440 --> 00:35:07,840 Speaker 1: with me. I think if I could just put the 534 00:35:07,920 --> 00:35:11,280 Speaker 1: Christmas message in a single three word phrase, I would say, 535 00:35:11,440 --> 00:35:17,880 Speaker 1: You're not alone. You're not alone. It's amazing how lonely 536 00:35:17,920 --> 00:35:20,600 Speaker 1: you can feel this time of year with a crowd around. 537 00:35:22,080 --> 00:35:25,000 Speaker 1: It's amazing how lonely you can feel, even with people 538 00:35:25,040 --> 00:35:28,840 Speaker 1: you love gathered around. But the Angel showed up to Joseph, 539 00:35:28,880 --> 00:35:31,480 Speaker 1: who was dealing with all of this in his heart. Remember, 540 00:35:31,680 --> 00:35:35,120 Speaker 1: he was making a decision do I send Mary away 541 00:35:36,280 --> 00:35:39,479 Speaker 1: or do I bring her home? And when the Angel said, 542 00:35:39,680 --> 00:35:43,920 Speaker 1: you shall call his name Emmanuel, and he shall be 543 00:35:44,080 --> 00:35:49,800 Speaker 1: called Jesus, he was telling Joseph, watch this. Your dilemma 544 00:35:50,719 --> 00:35:58,439 Speaker 1: is going to be your deliverance. Your dilemma is going 545 00:35:58,480 --> 00:36:03,840 Speaker 1: to become your deliverance. Jesus came to deliver his people 546 00:36:04,320 --> 00:36:08,200 Speaker 1: from their sins. And so the Angel says to Joseph. 547 00:36:08,440 --> 00:36:12,040 Speaker 1: And the Angel says to you this Christmas, take Mary home. 548 00:36:13,760 --> 00:36:18,399 Speaker 1: Embrace the chaos and the craziness. Embrace all of it. Man. 549 00:36:18,560 --> 00:36:24,080 Speaker 1: Just you know it's not perfect. Neither are you. And 550 00:36:24,239 --> 00:36:27,719 Speaker 1: establish a context in your heart this Christmas. I'm just 551 00:36:27,760 --> 00:36:31,439 Speaker 1: glad to be here. I'm just glad to be here. 552 00:36:39,680 --> 00:36:41,439 Speaker 1: And my favorite thing he told me that I want 553 00:36:41,440 --> 00:36:44,000 Speaker 1: to tell you, is this time for you to jump 554 00:36:44,040 --> 00:36:50,560 Speaker 1: to a new conclusion. Time for you to jump to 555 00:36:50,640 --> 00:36:55,319 Speaker 1: a new You know this phrase, stop jumping to conclusions. Well, 556 00:36:55,400 --> 00:36:57,480 Speaker 1: I think it's time we started jumping a little higher, 557 00:36:59,280 --> 00:37:03,440 Speaker 1: jumping past all the junk and the anxiety and the worry. 558 00:37:03,440 --> 00:37:06,520 Speaker 1: You know how some of y'all are. You worry about everything, everything, 559 00:37:07,400 --> 00:37:12,400 Speaker 1: stomach hurts, it's pancreatic cancer. Within three minutes, a feeling 560 00:37:12,440 --> 00:37:18,000 Speaker 1: in my pancreas. You know how some of you are, 561 00:37:18,000 --> 00:37:20,160 Speaker 1: they're five minutes late. You got them in a car wreck. 562 00:37:20,520 --> 00:37:22,839 Speaker 1: They're through the windshield. But by the time you don't 563 00:37:22,840 --> 00:37:24,799 Speaker 1: get a text message. You know how some of you are. 564 00:37:24,920 --> 00:37:27,320 Speaker 1: Somebody looks at you one way, and all of a sudden, 565 00:37:27,360 --> 00:37:29,279 Speaker 1: Now you see how they looked at me. They better 566 00:37:29,400 --> 00:37:31,200 Speaker 1: not ever look at me like that again. I knew 567 00:37:31,200 --> 00:37:33,600 Speaker 1: they had some against me. That's just proof right there. 568 00:37:33,719 --> 00:37:38,120 Speaker 1: You build out a whole conclusion based on an inaccurate context. 569 00:37:39,360 --> 00:37:41,520 Speaker 1: What if they looked at you funny because their stomach hurt. 570 00:37:42,360 --> 00:37:45,520 Speaker 1: What if they have pancreatic cancer, what if they just 571 00:37:45,560 --> 00:37:49,479 Speaker 1: got bad news? What if they're lonely? And I wonder 572 00:37:49,560 --> 00:37:59,040 Speaker 1: could you go into Christmas like this? He took Mary home? 573 00:38:00,800 --> 00:38:03,279 Speaker 1: Do you know what that cost him? Do you know 574 00:38:03,320 --> 00:38:05,919 Speaker 1: what people said about him? Do you know what people 575 00:38:06,000 --> 00:38:13,240 Speaker 1: thought about him? To be the baby daddy but not really? 576 00:38:16,560 --> 00:38:20,000 Speaker 1: Do you know what it would have felt like to 577 00:38:20,120 --> 00:38:22,920 Speaker 1: wake up next to her and wonder did an angel 578 00:38:23,000 --> 00:38:29,640 Speaker 1: really show up? Because she was kind of friendly with Mark? 579 00:38:29,960 --> 00:38:37,760 Speaker 1: I mean, come on, y'all, come on, y'all. To embrace 580 00:38:37,800 --> 00:38:41,960 Speaker 1: a life of faith means that you need a new frame. 581 00:38:44,400 --> 00:38:47,200 Speaker 1: And so I go into it knowing that God has 582 00:38:47,239 --> 00:38:50,280 Speaker 1: a purpose in all of this. Did you hear it? 583 00:38:50,280 --> 00:38:55,960 Speaker 1: It said all this took place to fulfill what the 584 00:38:55,960 --> 00:38:59,040 Speaker 1: Lord spoke through the prophet. And I want to declare 585 00:38:59,120 --> 00:39:04,360 Speaker 1: to you today that everything in your life happened for 586 00:39:04,400 --> 00:39:07,160 Speaker 1: a reason. I'm not saying God did it, but I'm 587 00:39:07,200 --> 00:39:11,320 Speaker 1: saying that within the context of redemption, there is nothing 588 00:39:11,360 --> 00:39:14,320 Speaker 1: that you've been through, there is nothing that you'll go through. 589 00:39:14,480 --> 00:39:17,120 Speaker 1: There is nothing that people will do to you that 590 00:39:17,280 --> 00:39:20,800 Speaker 1: God will not somehow get hold of. And the God 591 00:39:20,960 --> 00:39:24,040 Speaker 1: who brought hope out of a barn can bring hope 592 00:39:24,280 --> 00:39:28,839 Speaker 1: out of broken situations in your life. This Christmas, if 593 00:39:28,840 --> 00:39:31,520 Speaker 1: you believe it, get up on your feet right now 594 00:39:31,840 --> 00:39:38,399 Speaker 1: and let God know I'm in it for purpose. This Christmas. God, 595 00:39:38,440 --> 00:39:46,759 Speaker 1: I want to see your purpose come to pass. I 596 00:39:46,800 --> 00:39:51,600 Speaker 1: got a new conclusion is that whatever happens to me 597 00:39:52,760 --> 00:39:56,560 Speaker 1: and whatever doesn't happen for me, that God is overseeing 598 00:39:56,880 --> 00:39:59,960 Speaker 1: the whole thing. And I'm not gonna make a sea 599 00:40:00,200 --> 00:40:03,520 Speaker 1: in my mind, because you know what, sometimes what you 600 00:40:03,680 --> 00:40:12,040 Speaker 1: have in mind isn't what God has in store. Joseph 601 00:40:12,440 --> 00:40:14,839 Speaker 1: had it in his mind. I'm telling you there are 602 00:40:14,880 --> 00:40:18,160 Speaker 1: some of you you are about to divorce your destiny 603 00:40:18,480 --> 00:40:25,000 Speaker 1: because of a disappointment. Joseph was going to divorce Mary, 604 00:40:25,280 --> 00:40:28,279 Speaker 1: the very one that he was called to assist in 605 00:40:28,320 --> 00:40:31,560 Speaker 1: bringing Jesus into the world. He was about to divorce. 606 00:40:31,920 --> 00:40:33,719 Speaker 1: And this message is strong if you can get it, 607 00:40:33,880 --> 00:40:35,680 Speaker 1: if you can get it, if you can get it, 608 00:40:36,120 --> 00:40:42,279 Speaker 1: he said. He said, he took Mary home to be 609 00:40:42,360 --> 00:40:46,400 Speaker 1: his wife. He said, come on, girl, we're gonna do 610 00:40:46,480 --> 00:40:51,680 Speaker 1: this together. Come on, we're gonna do this together. He 611 00:40:51,800 --> 00:40:58,120 Speaker 1: took Mary home, and he said, I got a new context. 612 00:40:58,120 --> 00:41:00,000 Speaker 1: The Angel has been See, you don't need the angel 613 00:41:00,200 --> 00:41:01,640 Speaker 1: to show up tonight and tell you all this that 614 00:41:01,680 --> 00:41:05,040 Speaker 1: I'm telling you. Okay, God already told you he knows 615 00:41:05,040 --> 00:41:07,800 Speaker 1: the plans he has for you. I said, God already 616 00:41:07,840 --> 00:41:10,360 Speaker 1: told you he's got plans for a hope and a future. 617 00:41:10,480 --> 00:41:17,359 Speaker 1: You better listen to this. Forriecher, that's your context. So 618 00:41:17,480 --> 00:41:20,840 Speaker 1: take Mary home, whatever the hard thing is. I'm not 619 00:41:20,840 --> 00:41:22,600 Speaker 1: saying she's a hard thing to take home. I'd like 620 00:41:22,680 --> 00:41:24,359 Speaker 1: take her home. I'll take her home in a minute. 621 00:41:24,400 --> 00:41:27,080 Speaker 1: It's gonna be great. But I'm saying, whatever thing, I 622 00:41:27,120 --> 00:41:29,480 Speaker 1: want to clarify the illustrations so she doesn't take it 623 00:41:29,520 --> 00:41:38,920 Speaker 1: out of Have you been pushing away the very thing 624 00:41:38,960 --> 00:41:42,080 Speaker 1: that God brought into your life to produce your purpose 625 00:41:42,719 --> 00:41:48,640 Speaker 1: at a new level, Because see, the way you deal 626 00:41:48,680 --> 00:41:52,960 Speaker 1: with disappointments in your life determines how you experience your destiny. 627 00:41:54,480 --> 00:41:56,040 Speaker 1: And it may be the thing that's bringing you the 628 00:41:56,080 --> 00:41:59,400 Speaker 1: greatest pain and confusion right now, maybe the thing that 629 00:41:59,440 --> 00:42:02,839 Speaker 1: releases the greatest glory in your life. If you take 630 00:42:02,880 --> 00:42:15,040 Speaker 1: Mary home, every hardship in your life is headed somewhere. 631 00:42:16,120 --> 00:42:21,799 Speaker 1: Is headed somewhere? Touch somebody say it's headed somewhere he's 632 00:42:21,840 --> 00:42:25,359 Speaker 1: headed somewhere. I feel the spirit of God in this place. 633 00:42:25,400 --> 00:42:28,200 Speaker 1: Lift your hands, Lift your hands. Don't be in a 634 00:42:28,239 --> 00:42:30,120 Speaker 1: hurry to rush out. You don't need your person. Nobody 635 00:42:30,200 --> 00:42:31,880 Speaker 1: gonna take it. If you're a little twenty dollars in 636 00:42:31,920 --> 00:42:36,920 Speaker 1: there anyway, Lift your hands. Lord. We thank you for 637 00:42:36,960 --> 00:42:41,200 Speaker 1: your presence in this place. Hallelujah. God. We thank you 638 00:42:41,239 --> 00:42:44,200 Speaker 1: for your provision and your purpose prevailing in our lives. 639 00:42:45,320 --> 00:42:47,359 Speaker 1: We even want to take a minute to thank you 640 00:42:48,040 --> 00:42:51,920 Speaker 1: for all the things we don't understand. That's what creates 641 00:42:51,920 --> 00:42:56,920 Speaker 1: our faith. Yes, Lord, the thing that I don't understand 642 00:42:57,280 --> 00:43:01,479 Speaker 1: is the breeding ground of faith in my heart. Lift 643 00:43:01,480 --> 00:43:04,040 Speaker 1: your hands, stretch him high. Come on, This is the 644 00:43:04,120 --> 00:43:07,160 Speaker 1: season where God came near. This is a season where 645 00:43:07,160 --> 00:43:09,440 Speaker 1: he wanted you to know he's with you. This is 646 00:43:09,480 --> 00:43:11,680 Speaker 1: the season where he wanted you to know he's for you. 647 00:43:11,880 --> 00:43:15,279 Speaker 1: Shout it out. Say God is with me, Say God 648 00:43:15,360 --> 00:43:19,440 Speaker 1: is for me, Say God is in me. Now I 649 00:43:19,440 --> 00:43:21,480 Speaker 1: want to ask you a question. If he's with you, 650 00:43:21,840 --> 00:43:24,600 Speaker 1: if he's for you, if he's in you, who can 651 00:43:24,719 --> 00:43:29,080 Speaker 1: be against you? You got a new context, give it 652 00:43:29,080 --> 00:43:33,399 Speaker 1: a context. Come on, lift your hands and worship there. 653 00:43:36,800 --> 00:43:39,360 Speaker 1: Thank you for joining us special thanks to those of 654 00:43:39,400 --> 00:43:42,400 Speaker 1: you who give generously to this ministry. Is because of 655 00:43:42,400 --> 00:43:45,360 Speaker 1: you that this ministry is possible. You can click the 656 00:43:45,360 --> 00:43:48,640 Speaker 1: link in the description to give now or visit Elevation 657 00:43:48,840 --> 00:43:52,440 Speaker 1: Church dot org slash podcast for more information and if 658 00:43:52,440 --> 00:43:55,759 Speaker 1: you enjoyed the podcast, you can subscribe. You can share 659 00:43:55,760 --> 00:43:58,000 Speaker 1: it with your friends. You can click the share button, 660 00:43:58,040 --> 00:44:00,480 Speaker 1: take a screenshot and share it on your social stories 661 00:44:00,480 --> 00:44:03,240 Speaker 1: and tag us at Elevation Church. Thanks again for listening. 662 00:44:03,280 --> 00:44:03,880 Speaker 1: God bless you.