Hi, and welcome to the Willow Ridge Church weekly podcast.
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Thanks for listening.
Well, good morning.
Glad that you guys are here with me.
Go ahead and get this out of the way before we get going.
I hope I'm a little bit better than I was last week, as I feel like I spent 90% of the
message coughing.
And so if you notice up here today, I've got my coffee here with me today just to kind of
help out with my throat, and I got a pocket full of cough drops to kind of help battle
whatever this is that's going on here.
But hopefully we can get through the message this morning.
Before we get started, I want to kind of update you guys on some things that are going on.
Number one, be in prayer for our CR missions team that's been in New York City this past
week.
They left Thursday, did some ministry Friday, Saturday, coming back today, giving out all
the coats that we provided for them as a church.
I thought this was really neat.
We had set a goal of about 150 coats from our congregation.
We didn't tell you guys that.
And you guys, in your faithfulness, gave over 170 coats.
And so they were able to go and give those out.
I've been texting with the team the whole time they were up there.
And I do know before they started giving things away for free, right?
Because sometimes you're like, all right, is this this whole bait and switch?
But just in conversations that they were able to have with people on the street as they
were coming by, I do know that Mark Babb, our leader of CR, was able to lead one man to
the Lord standing out there.
And so we celebrate all that God is doing with that.
Also, as you leave, I want to encourage you to stop by our tree.
We got them in building one and over in building two.
And we've got those wonderful paper ornaments on the tree.
And those are the prayer requests for our missionary partners.
And we want to challenge you to grab off one of those, put it on your Christmas tree.
And then as you see that throughout this season, you'll be reminded to pray for those missionaries
and specific with that prayer request.
And then there is a package beside each one of those trees.
And that's not for decoration.
It's there for a purpose.
Instead of us going out and sponsoring a family or an organization,
what we're looking to do during this season is to bless the Stockman family
and Hope Valley Church.
And so if you would have gone and bought a gift or done something like that and then donated
through there, we ask that you just give financially.
And 100% of all that goes into that will be sent to them as they continue on in their ministry
there.
We will be collecting that through Christmas Eve.
So the Christmas Eve service will be the last opportunity in order to be able to give to that.
And last, with our missions of wanting to share this, Rick and Tina Nolan,
who are part of our church family and who are missionaries right now in Athens, Greece,
and they are working with Afghan refugees.
They asked if we could pray for them.
So on December 8th, 9th, and 10th, so coming up this week,
they will be hosting a Christmas party.
Now, how many of you over the course of the Christmas season will have a get-together,
a party at your house, or we'll go to one, right?
Raise your hand, all right?
So they're going to be hosting one, or they'll be hosting three, the 8th, 9th, and 10th.
They've invited somewhere between the number of 300 to 400 Afghan refugees
to come and to partake in a meal and a celebration with them.
Will they have the opportunity to hear about Jesus?
So I don't know about you, but I probably ain't inviting 300 people to my house.
But that's what they're doing is we want to pray for them.
And they just asked, they said, please pray that they'll come
and that their hearts will be receptive.
So with that, I want us to go ahead and go before the Lord in prayer
to pray specifically for Rick and Tina Nolan in their ministry.
So would you join me?
Lord, I thank you for the Nolans.
Lord, I thank you for the call that you placed on their life
and their willingness to go.
Lord, to take their gifts and their talents that you would bless them with
and to use them to make known your name amongst a difficult,
hard-to-reach group of people.
Lord, we pray for these parties that they're going to be hosting.
Lord, we pray for the people who will come.
Lord, we pray for a mighty work to take place.
Lord, we pray for culture barriers,
for language barriers to be crossed for the sake of the gospel
and through the power of your spirit.
And Lord, that maybe men and women and children could come to faith in Jesus Christ through this.
Lord, I thank you for Rick and Tina and the model of obedience that they've shown.
Lord, may they be blessed.
May they feel your presence.
Lord, may they feel your peace.
Lord, may they feel your presence with them as they minister.
And Lord, we thank you so much for what you're doing.
We thank you for the man in New York City who received Christ as his Savior.
We thank you for the Stopmans this morning as they gather together in West Jordan, Utah.
And Lord, as they gather with their church, many of them lost to hear the word of the Lord.
Lord, we pray that lives will be changed.
And it's in Jesus' name we pray.
Amen.
Well, I almost forgot this.
If you didn't grab your Lord's Supper elements,
they are back here at the very back of the auditorium.
And so as we get started, not a big deal.
You can stand up, go back there.
At the end of the message, we will be taking the Lord's Supper together.
So if you've got your Bibles, go ahead and open up to John chapter 1.
As you turn there, if you were to have looked at the end of the gospel in John chapter 20,
you would find the reason why John is writing his gospel.
And this is important for us to see and to take note of as we work through this.
As you turn, I want to read to you John 20, verses 30 and 31.
It says this,
Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples,
which are not written in this book.
But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ,
the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name.
And so John is telling you at the end of this,
so imagine you're receiving this gospel of John for the very first time.
You've began in John chapter 1, like we're going to begin in this morning.
You don't know anything about who Jesus is when you begin to read.
And then you get to John chapter 20, verse 30,
and it becomes clear the whole point of everything that he's told.
Every parable that's listed, every miracle that's there,
every conversation that happens,
John says it's for a point.
And the point of all of this is so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ,
the Son of God.
And so a couple things as we get into this that's going to be very important for us
in understanding John chapter 1.
So everything that John writes, number 1, is inspired,
which means this, it's given to him by God.
It's not John sitting down and trying to be creative and come up with things on his own.
It's not John forming a group and saying,
okay, what do we need to talk about?
It's John writing through the power of the Holy Spirit,
the Word of God from God,
so that we can read and so that people can be saved.
Number two, everything that John writes is intentional.
It's intentional.
I think this is really important.
John says he left some things out.
He left some things out.
So what John's saying is,
there's going to be some other things that you may read,
that you see that there's these other miracles that are there
and I left them out of mine and that's okay.
So as John is working through all of this,
he's writing in his mind for an intentional reason
and an intentional purpose
because he believes that all of these things communicate who Christ is.
And all of it matters.
He's intentional.
It's not happenstance.
And then lastly, it's firsthand.
It's firsthand.
For the most part, there are some accounts that he has to share,
but for the most part, John is sharing with you what he saw,
what he experienced and who he knows Christ to be.
And so John is being very deliberate
and being inspired by God in writing and saying,
you know, I saw this, but here's what I want to focus in on
and here's what I want to do in this.
And so let's begin reading in John chapter 1, verse 1.
John says,
And so what I want us to see first is here is Jesus is the Word.
Now, we're going to read verse 14 later,
but I want to jump down real quick.
In fact, it's not going to even be on the screen and read it to you.
And it says,
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us,
and we have seen his glory,
glory as of the only Son from the Father,
full of grace and truth.
And so from 14,
we can see who John is talking about when he says the Word.
It is Jesus.
And so Jesus is the Word.
Now, it's kind of peculiar as we read through this.
There's four Gospels that start things in very different ways.
Now, again, I want you to put you in the audience
of someone who is receiving this letter,
and you open it up,
and you see,
In the beginning was the Word.
Huh?
The Word?
And the Word was with God.
Again, what is this Word?
And the Word was God.
And he, okay, so it's he was in the beginning with God,
and all things were made through him,
and without him was not anything made that was made.
Why did John choose the Word?
Remember, John's being intentional with this.
Remember, John's inspired in this.
So why not just say Jesus?
In the beginning was Jesus,
and Jesus was with God,
and Jesus was God.
Why not just say that?
Why say Word?
And I believe it's very important that John says Word.
This Word for us here,
a literal translation of that Word,
the Word is logos,
is spoken Word.
And so in the beginning was the spoken Word,
and the spoken Word was with God,
and the spoken Word was God.
When we think about the story of Scripture as a whole,
God speaking has been a very key aspect
of the narrative of Scripture.
In Genesis 1, God speaks creation into being.
In Genesis chapter 2,
God speaks to Adam about the fruit of the tree
that he's not supposed to eat.
And we begin to see this pattern
of what God is doing as he speaks to people.
God spoke to Noah and said,
build an ark,
the spoken Word of God,
to save people.
God speaks to Abraham
to tell him that he will create from him
a great nation,
the spoken Word of God
that will create a holy people.
God speaks to Moses
and tells him to return to Egypt
and lead God's people from captivity,
the spoken Word of God
that sets people free
from what enslaves them.
We see God speaking and creating
and causing things to fall into place
according to his plan,
not by the written Word of God,
but by the spoken Word of God
being the very means
by which these things would take place.
But then God also in Scripture
needs to speak to his people.
And we largely see God
speaking to larger groups of people
using a group of individuals
called prophets.
And so God would speak to the prophet
and the prophet would then deliver
the message to the people.
Some examples of those,
Moses was a prophet
who took the message to Pharaoh.
Nathan was the prophet
who took a message to King David.
And there are many, many others
that we see in Scripture
in the accounts that are listed
about writing about the prophets,
the Word of the prophets,
from Isaiah to Malachi.
Sixteen books of the Bible
are prophets who were given a message
from God to an audience.
and there are more than just these
in the Old Testament.
And so we see that God
is continually working and moving
by using the spoken Word of God
to put into place
and to call his people to himself.
But following Malachi,
God stopped.
And God was silent.
And God was silent,
not for a moment,
not for a minute,
not for a small season,
but for 400 years.
And then the story
that we're going to talk about,
the story that we're going to think about
in all of these things,
Jesus is born.
And then before the public ministry
of Jesus,
there's this crazy guy
in the wilderness.
in John the Baptist.
And he's a prophet
who calling people to repent
because the Messiah
is coming.
And so what John,
the writer of the gospel,
not John the Baptist,
he captures this moment.
And he says,
we've been hearing about
the spoken Word.
What's being delivered to us
has been the spoken Word.
When we study the prophets,
we read about
the spoken Word.
When we hear about
Moses and Noah
and God's faithfulness,
we hear about
the spoken Word of God.
But now,
now what God
has sent to us
is the Christ,
the Son of God,
and everything
which embodies in him
is the spoken Word
of God.
He's all of it.
He's every aspect.
He's every detail.
He's every moment.
He doesn't need
to send Moses
to set the captives free
because Jesus
is what sets free.
He doesn't send Noah
to build an ark
where you can run
into the ark
to find salvation
and to find life
because you'll find it
in Christ
and in Christ alone.
It doesn't need
to be from Abraham
because God's people
are going to be
a different people
bought and purchased
by the blood
of Christ.
So in this very
first verse,
John's going to take
what everything
is going to be about
in the entire
gospel narrative
of John
and he says,
I want to point you
to this
so that you can see
all that this book
is going to talk about
so that you can place
your faith
in Jesus Christ
as the Son of God.
So what does it mean
that Jesus is the Word?
Jesus is the Word
and the Word
is eternal.
John says,
in the beginning
was the Word.
Jesus always was
always is
and always will be.
He is not defined
by time
as He is before time.
He is different
than us
in that He is not created.
Church,
to say that Jesus
is eternal
is this,
that in salvation
Jesus is not
the backup plan.
Right?
Maybe a lot of you
watched football yesterday.
I watched some.
We all know
my team didn't play
yesterday, right?
Maybe one day,
but not right now.
When I coached football,
one of the most
important things
that we had,
a time frame for us,
it was important
of what we would
take care of
during the course
of the week,
but as the game
got started,
things would need
to be adjusted.
And so what was
important for us
is to go in
at halftime
and say this,
I know we planned
this all week long,
but fellas,
it ain't working.
So instead,
for this second half
of the football game,
this is what
our plan was,
but now for the
second half of the game,
we're gonna scrap this
and we're gonna go
forward with this.
And we've got
about 10 minutes,
I know we've spent
12 hours doing this,
preparing for this,
but now we've got
10 minutes
to plan
and to prepare
for this.
That's not Jesus.
Jesus isn't
a simple
halftime
adjustment.
Jesus is
the eternal
will,
the eternal
word of God.
And only is Jesus
the word eternal,
but Jesus is the word
and the word
is creator.
That all things
were made
through him
is what John writes.
In the work
of creation,
he is the means
by which we all
exist.
And if he is
the means
of the creation
and we are
the creation,
then we exist
for him
is what scripture
tells us.
Because creation
belongs to him.
And this is gonna
be so important
when it comes
to giving your
life to Christ
and receiving
Christ as Savior.
That he is
mine,
but I am his.
That he is
the creator.
God,
the word is
creator,
but then also
Jesus is the word
and the word
is divine.
scripture says
the word
was with God
and the word
was God.
The beautiful
mystery of the
doctrine of the
trinity that
begins to unfold.
The word was
with God,
but also the word
is God.
Father,
son,
and what we'll
begin to see
later,
the Holy Spirit.
And that he has
relationship with
God,
but yet he is
God.
He perfectly
reflects all
that God
is and
deity,
but in a
distinct person
of Christ.
So that as we
look and as we
see this life
of Jesus,
we are seeing
a man,
but we are
seeing God
in him
and through him
of every fiber
of who he is,
100% man,
100% God,
and the divine
nature of Christ.
And so let's keep
reading as John
begins.
And he says,
and in him
was life,
and the life
was the light
of men.
The light
shines in the
darkness,
and the darkness
has not overcome
it.
There was a man
sent from God
whose name was
John.
He came as a
witness to bear
witness about the
light that all
might believe
through him.
And he was not
the light,
but came to bear
witness about the
light.
The true light,
which gives light
to everyone,
was coming into
the world.
And so now
John shifts
a little bit
from the word
to the light
and what we see
here,
not hard to figure
out this point,
Jesus is the
light.
Jesus is the
light.
What is the
light a symbol
of?
The light is
the symbol
of hope.
Of hope,
right?
Think about it.
How many of you,
let's be honest,
we're doing a show
of hands today.
How many of you
at some point
in your life,
maybe even still
today,
we're not going
to call you out,
but at some
point in your
life,
you were afraid
of the dark?
Raise your hand.
Anybody?
I was.
I was petrified
of the dark,
right?
And what brought
you hope,
right?
It was that
little teeny
tiny nightlight
that your parents
would put into
your room.
Or like what I
loved is my
door had to
stay shut,
but there was
about a gap
about that big
underneath my
bedroom door,
and my parents
would leave the
hallway light on,
right?
And then right
before they went
to bed,
it was my goal
to be asleep
before they
did because
they cut
off the
light.
And if they
cut off that
light and I
was still asleep,
there was no
sleep for me
that night,
right?
Because I was
petrified of
the dark.
But the
light brought
hope,
and the
light took
away the
fear.
And this
is what
Jesus brings
as light
here for
him is
hope.
Now you
and I,
we need to
think about
hope a little
bit differently.
Hope is not
what we often
think of when
we think of
biblical hope.
Here's what I
would describe
it as.
I don't know
about you,
but I remember
being in school
and I was a
procrastinator.
I was a
delayer.
And I'll never
forget,
we'd have those
times where the
teacher would
say,
we're going to
have a test
tomorrow,
so make sure
you study.
And then I
would get home
and my friends
were ready to
play football.
My friends
were ready to
play basketball.
There was a TV
show that I
wanted to watch.
And so I was
like,
absolutely,
I can study
later.
And so I would
go and do all
of those things,
right?
And then I'd
get home and
now it's time to
go to bed,
so I'm going to
go to bed.
But it's okay
because I can
study in the
morning and I'd
get to school
early in the
morning and then
my friends
want to hang
out and talk.
And so I
would sit around
and hang out
and talk and
all of a sudden
class would
begin and I
haven't studied.
And I would
have hope that
maybe,
just maybe,
the teacher
would forget
that we're
supposed to
have a test,
right?
That never
happened.
Not one time,
but I always
hoped for it.
That's not
what this
hope is.
It's not
just simply
a desire
for something
beneficial for
us to
happen.
But biblical
hope is a
confident
expectation
that good
will come
because of
what we know
to be true.
I read this
this week and
I found it
very interesting
that in the
Bible,
whenever hope
is mentioned,
doubt is
never attached.
Doubt's
never attached
because there's
confidence in
this.
And so as we
see as John
talks about
Jesus coming
to be the
light,
that Jesus
is our
confident hope,
that from the
darkness of
this world
that the
light is
there,
the light
of life,
we begin
to understand
that our
biblical hope
is not a
feeling,
but our
biblical hope
is the
reality in
Christ.
John,
place your
faith in
him,
receive him,
believe in
him,
and become.
Look at
verses 10
through 13.
It says that
he was in
the world,
and the world
was made
through him,
yet the world
did not know
him,
and he came
to his own,
and his own
people did not
receive him.
This is the focus
of verse 12.
But to all
who did
receive him,
who believed
in his name,
he gave the
right to
become children
of God,
who were
born not
of blood nor
of the will
of the flesh,
nor of the
will of man,
but God.
And so as
John lays
the foundation
of who Jesus
is,
not only is
Jesus the
word,
not only is
Jesus the
light,
but Jesus
is also the
way.
Jesus himself
will say
this in
John 14,
when Thomas
comes to him,
doubting Thomas
that we know
of in scripture,
the same Thomas
that says,
I will believe
it is you,
Christ,
if you show
me the holes
in your hand
following the
resurrection,
and Jesus
does that.
Well,
as Jesus
is telling
them about
the place
that he
will go
and prepare
for them,
he begins
to describe
eternity
with them,
and Jesus
is saying,
this is where
I'm going
to go,
and then Thomas,
I love Thomas,
I see so much
of myself
in Thomas.
Thomas is like,
well,
hold up,
Jesus,
if you're
going there,
I want to
go there,
and I don't
know how
I'm going
to get there.
How do I
get there,
Jesus?
And Jesus
says,
it's me.
Jesus
says,
I am
the way,
I am
the truth,
and I am
the life.
No one
comes to
the Father
except through
me.
And it's
what John
is communicating
here.
but to
all
who did
receive
him,
who
believed
in
his
name,
he
gave
the
right
to
become
children
of
God.
In
Scripture,
in Acts,
the early
Christians
weren't called
Christians,
they were
called
followers
of the
way.
because
even
they
would
have
acknowledged
the
claims
of
Christ
where
he
says
that
he
is
the
way
and
Jesus
is
the
only
way
of
salvation.
And he
gives
this
beautiful
picture
here
of
what
this
looks
at,
three
parts,
but to
all
who
did
receive
him,
who
believed
in
his
name,
he
gave
the
right
to
become
children
of
God.
So
what
does
it
mean
to
receive
Jesus?
What
does
it
mean
to
receive
Christ
as
your
Lord
and
Savior?
I
think
this
is
an
important
thing
for
us.
It's
a
phrase
that
we
use
often.
So
let's
talk
about
this.
To
receive
Jesus.
When
Jesus
offers
himself
to
you,
you
welcome
him
and
you
welcome
him
for
who
he
is
and
not
who
you
want
him
to
be.
So
when
Jesus
says
I'm
your
savior,
you
welcome
his
salvation
of
grace.
When
he
says
that
he
is
your
leader,
you
receive
the
leadership
that
he
is
bringing
to
you.
When
he
says
that
he
is
your
provision,
you
welcome
his
provision.
When
he
says
that
he
is
your
counselor,
you
welcome
his
counsel.
When
Jesus
says
he
is
your
protector,
you
welcome
and
receive
his
protection.
When
Jesus
says
he
is
your
authority,
you
welcome
his
authority.
When
Jesus
says
he
is
your
king,
you
welcome
him,
his
rule
in
your
life.
Not
based
on or
determining
what we
want it
to be,
our
interpretation
of it,
but who
Jesus
is.
You
see,
it's
not that
you
just
receive
salvation.
It's
that
you
receive
Christ
and
you
receive
him
in
his
rule
and
reign
in
our
life.
You
see,
there
is
no
I
just
want
the
get
out
of
hell
free
card.
That
doesn't
exist.
What
I
want
is
Jesus
and
I
receive
him
and
his
rule.
But
then
also
he
says
that
we
believe.
That
we
believe.
Now
what
does
it
mean
to
believe?
Well
for
us
believing
is
merely
an
intellectual
agreement
to
the
truth
that
Jesus
is
the
son
of
God.
Demons
believe
that.
No
one
knows
who
Jesus
is
more
than
Satan.
He
knows
and
understands
and
believes
in
those
aspects
of
him.
But
believing
in
our
mind
that
aligns
with
the
surrender
of
our
heart
so
that
we
no
longer
live
for
our
praise
for
our
glory
and
for
our
name
but
for
his.
That's
the
depth
of
belief
that
this
believing
has
transformed
who
I
am
in
my
action
so
that
in
this
we
become
children
of
God.
I'll never
forget,
some of you
have heard
of this
guy,
a guy
named
Francis
Chan.
And this
was
a
long
time
ago.
Like
pre,
Aaron
and I
were
married
but
freshly
newly
married,
no
kids.
And we
were out
at a
conference
in Atlanta,
Georgia,
and we
had this
guy Francis
Chan
that was
speaking
to a
group
of us.
And he
got there
on stage
and I
have a
clue
who he
was
but I'll
never
forget
his
message
because
he
talked
about
rights.
And he
says
we
as
followers
of
Christ
are
guaranteed
two
rights.
Two
rights.
He
said
number
one
we
have
the
right
to
suffer.
And he
preached
through
that
for us.
And then
he
jumped
right
here
to
John
chapter
one
and he
said
we
have
a
right
to
be
called
children
of
God
because
that's
who
we
are.
That
when
we
receive
and
when
we
believe
that
we
become
and
that
we
become
a
part
of
his
family
because
of
who
he
is
and
because
of
what
he's
done.
And
then
lastly
in
verse
14
it
says
and
the
word
became
flesh
and
dwelt
among
us
and
we
have
seen
his
glory
as
of
the
only
son
from
the
father
full
of
grace
and
truth.
And
that's
why
we
celebrate
this
season.
That's
why
we
put
up
Christmas
trees
in
our
house.
That's
why
we
put
nativity
scenes
out.
That's
why
we
get
up
and
put
lights
on
the
front
of
our
homes
and
hang
reeds
on
our
door.
It's
why
we
do
and
celebrate
all
that
we
have.
It's
why
we
place
packages
under
the tree
for us
as
believers
because
we're
not
just
celebrating
a
holiday
but
we're
celebrating
what
is
happening
and
what
has
taken
place
of
who
Jesus
is
of
who
God
is
that
Jesus
became
flesh
and
dwelt
among
us
and
we
have
seen
his
glory
as
of
the
only
son
from
the
father
full
of
grace
and
truth
and
so
as
John
is
writing
this
what
he
wants
us
to
understand
is
that
Jesus
is
with
us
God
himself
in
flesh
when
he
would
come
on
this
earth
born
of
a
virgin
laid
in
a
manger
the
earthly
son
of
a
carpenter
not
of
affluence
came
from
not
the
best
part
of
town
lived
and
struggled
through
his
life
went
through
a lot
of
the
pains
that
we
all
go
through
that
began
a
point
in
time
in
his
life
where
he
set
out
on
an
intentional
ministry
where
men
and
women
would
come
to
follow
him
where
he
would
call
for
himself
a
certain
core
and
inner
circle
of
disciples
that
would
go
everywhere
he
went
that
would
see
everything
that
he
would
do
that
would
hear
everything
that
he
would
say
and
from
that
inner
core
one
would
turn
and
betray
him
with
a
kiss
with
a
moment
of
a
gift
of
affection
and
that
Jesus
would
be
led
to a
trial
and
would
be
condemned
for
death
and
would
stand
there
and
take
the
punishment
even
though
he
didn't
deserve
it
because
the
world
had
been
would
be
and
is
filled
with
everyone
else
who
does
deserve
that
punishment
he
would
be
beaten
he
would
be
mocked
he
would
be
stripped
naked
he
would
be
hung
on a
cross
in
between
two
criminals
he
would
have
a
spike
ran
through
his
feet
and
one
through
each
wrist
and
he
would
be
hung
on
a
cross
and
left
there
to
die
where
his
organs
would
begin
to
shut
down
because
of
the
trauma
that
would
be
experienced
in
his
death
and
in
his
crucifixion
and
he
would
cry
out
and
death
would
come
but
then
three
days
later
three
days
later
in
a
miracle
only
could
happen
in
the
work
and
the
power
of
God
the
lungs
which
no
longer
worked
the
heart
which
no
longer
would
beat
the
body
which
would
have
become
filled
with
decay
would
begin
to
pump
life
again
and
Jesus
not
as a
figment
of
imagination
or an
illusion
but
the
physical
body
of
Christ
would
come
out
of
the
tomb
and
would
walk
and
would
minister
and
would
share
hope
and
when
we
read
this
verse
so
often
I've
read
this
verse
and
it
reminds
me
of
Christmas
and
the
word
became
flesh
and
dwelt
among
us
but
while
this
reminds
us
this
Christmas
I
wanted
to
also
remind
us
of
the
crucifixion
and
the
resurrection
of
Christ
the
flesh
which
could
be
touched
the
experience
the
punishment
that
we
deserved
every
hit
that
he
took
with
the
whip
was
one
for
you
and
for
me
every
time
the
nail
went
through
his
feet
was
what
you
deserved
and
what
I
deserved
but
he
also
dwelt
he
lived
he
laughed
he
cried
he
experienced
emotion
and
pain
and
in
that
in
his
life
experience
while
he
dwelt
here
he
experienced
the
death
that
we
deserved
but
because
he
is
the
word
because
he
is
eternal
because
he
is
creator
and
because
he
is
divine
death
could
not
hold
him
down
and
in
that
is
why
we
recognize
him
as
our
savior
and
lord
you
see
the
christmas
season
it
is
about
a
baby
but
it's
not
just
about
a
baby
it's
about
a
baby
who
grows
up
to
be
a
man
to
die
on
the
cross
it's
about
a
baby
who's
fully
God
who
is
a
man
who
is
fully
God
who
still
rules
and
reigns
at
the
right
hand
of
the
father
in
the
call
on
our
lives
to
receive
to
believe
and
to
become
would
you
join
me
in
prayer
as
we
prepare
to
take
the
Lord's
supper
together
Lord
I
thank
you
so
much
for
this
time
that
we
could
be
here
I
thank
you
for
your
saving
work
and
all
that
you've
done
for
us
Lord
if
this
if
you
would
have
just
come
as
a
child
and
lived
a
life
and
died
at
a
good
old
age
and
were
still
in
the
tomb
we
would
have
nothing
to
celebrate
but
you
didn't
Lord
you
came
and
took
on
the
punishment
that
we
deserved
you
gave
of
your
body
to
take
on
what
our
sins
called
for
justice
for
and
you
took
the
punishment
off
of
us
and
you
placed
it
on
yourself
and
Lord
as
your
blood
was
spilled
that
blood
washed
us
made
us
clean
so
that
we
are
no
longer
who
we
were
before
but
we're
who
we
are
now
in
Christ
and
in
Christ
alone
and
it
is
your
name
that
we
celebrate
you
today
let's
in
Jesus
name
we
pray
amen
so
if
you
take
the
bread
the
bread
represents
the
body
of
Christ
that
took
on
the
punishment
that
you
and I
deserved
but who
stood
in our
place
and
scripture
tells us
that
Jesus
on the
night
when he
was
betrayed
took
the
bread
and
we
given
thanks
he
broke
it
and
said
this
is
my
body
which
is
for
you
do
this
in
remembrance
of
me
and
he
also
took
the
cup
the
cup
which
represents
the
blood
of
Christ
so
now
that
I
am
in
Christ
I've
been
covered
by
the
blood
of
the
lamb
it's
now
not
my
works
that
damn
me
to
hell
but
it
is
the
work
of
Christ
that
brings
me
into
eternal
life
with
him
and
Jesus
on
that
same
night
he
took
the
cup
after
supper
saying
this
cup
is
the
new
covenant
in
my
blood
do
this
as
often
as
you
drink
it
in
remembrance
of
me
would
you pray
with
me
Lord
we
thank you
for
who
you
are
for
what
you've
done
Lord
in
this
season
as
we
celebrate
your
birth
may
we
remember
your
life
your
death
and
your
resurrection
or
this
season
may
it
be
even
more
common
Lord
to
sing
of
your
praises
and
to
share
of
your
hope
as
those
who
have
been
bought
those
who
have
been
saved
those
who
have
been
redeemed
by
the
blood
of
the
lamb
Lord
we
thank
you
for
this
wonderful
beautiful
opportunity
and
Lord
I
pray
that
if
there's
anyone
in
here
who
does
not
know
you
as
their
Lord
and
Savior
Lord
that
today
would
be
the
day
that
they
could
receive
Christ
Lord
that
you
would
open
their
minds
and
Lord
open
their
hearts
to
the
gospel
of
Christ
that
they
in
and
of
themselves
cannot
save
themselves
their
works
will
not
earn
for
them
salvation
but
it
is
found
through
you
and
through
you
alone
Lord
that
they'll
receive
you
as
Savior
that
they'll
receive
you
as
counselor
that
they
will
receive
you
as
authority
Lord
that
they
will
receive
you
as
king
and
that
Lord
that
they
will
believe
just
as
John
wrote
believe
who
you
are
believe
what
you
said
believe
that
when
you
call
us
to
take
up
our
cross
and
follow
you
Lord
that
you
mean
it
that
when
you
call
us
to
keep
our
eyes
focused
in
on
you
Lord
that
you
mean
it
and
that
word
this
belief
will
not
simply
be
an
intellectual
agreement
it
will
be
a
transformation
of
the
heart
that
leads
us
to
the
beautiful
obedience
to
you
and
that
word
in
that
we
become
something
we
become
something
not
a part
of a
religion
but
a part
of a
family
a family
to
celebrate
you
finds
our
life
and our
meaning
and our
identity
who
we
are
and
you
call
us
to
be
in
you
and
in
you
alone
Jesus
we
praise
you
in
your
name
we
pray
amen
we're
going to
go into
a time
of
response
we've
got
prayer
encouragers
on either
side
of the
stage
here
they'd
love
to
pray
with
you
they'd
love
to
talk
with
you
maybe
you
came
in
here
this
morning
and
you
want
to
talk
to
someone
about
a
relationship
with
and
how
God
is
leading
you
would
you
stand
as
we
worship
him
thanks
again
for
listening
to
the
Willow Ridge
Church
weekly
podcast
we
hope
that
you
enjoyed
listening
to
this
week's
message
if
you'd
like
to
learn
more
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we
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or
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