WEBVTT 180 00:22:35.535 --> 00:22:39.395 What's going on home, family. Let me, uh, yeah, 181 00:22:39.795 --> 00:22:44.675 I'm cheer for that. Lemme say, Hey, listen, a heartfelt merry Christmas to you. 182 00:22:44.855 --> 00:22:46.915 We are right in the thick of things. And I wanna tell you, 183 00:22:47.035 --> 00:22:51.635 I I love this time of year, uh, my, my tree is up, my house is decorated. 184 00:22:52.195 --> 00:22:55.435 Uh, there's lights everywhere. Our campuses look fantastic, 185 00:22:55.525 --> 00:22:59.035 which I know is largely done by our volunteers across all of our campus. 186 00:22:59.315 --> 00:23:01.755 So thank you so much for that. And by and large, you, 187 00:23:01.756 --> 00:23:04.275 we just clap and celebrate our volunteers. Absolutely. 188 00:23:06.455 --> 00:23:07.355 And by and large, 189 00:23:07.695 --> 00:23:10.955 it does seem like people are just a little bit nicer right now. You know, 190 00:23:11.015 --> 00:23:14.075 if we're not talking about an election or, or shopping somewhere, 191 00:23:14.315 --> 00:23:16.035 I think everything's fine. Uh, but listen, 192 00:23:16.036 --> 00:23:18.155 if that's not been your experience so far, 193 00:23:18.515 --> 00:23:21.475 I I do pray that things settle down for you a little bit and that you find some 194 00:23:21.476 --> 00:23:22.115 peace. 195 00:23:22.115 --> 00:23:25.155 I think we're gonna talk about some things that are gonna help you kind of move 196 00:23:25.175 --> 00:23:27.875 in that direction throughout the season of Advent. Uh, 197 00:23:27.876 --> 00:23:30.435 really quickly before we really get going, uh, 198 00:23:30.436 --> 00:23:34.395 if you have not yet gotten your tickets for our Christmas Eve services, uh, 199 00:23:34.396 --> 00:23:36.915 here at Hope, if you've not reserved your spot, I wanna encourage you, 200 00:23:36.916 --> 00:23:41.555 please do so quickly. Uh, you go to the website, get hope.net/christmas. 201 00:23:42.075 --> 00:23:44.835 Uh, we've got it on the screens here. Everything that you need is on that site. 202 00:23:45.155 --> 00:23:47.285 Look, we work so hard, uh, 203 00:23:47.286 --> 00:23:50.244 to create a Christmas Eve experience really with the whole family, 204 00:23:50.245 --> 00:23:53.765 really with the whole community in mind. Uh, we've seen Christmas carols, 205 00:23:53.766 --> 00:23:56.325 we've got parts of the service that are engaging to kids. Uh, 206 00:23:56.385 --> 00:23:58.685 we sing Silent Night, we do the whole deal candle lit service. 207 00:23:59.505 --> 00:24:02.165 So you're gonna wanna be here if you've never experienced, uh, 208 00:24:02.285 --> 00:24:06.325 a Christmas Eve at Hope. But I've got a challenge for you. Uh, 209 00:24:06.326 --> 00:24:08.244 and there's really two parts to it. The first is this, 210 00:24:08.325 --> 00:24:12.525 I I wanna challenge you to be in prayer about who is the person that God would 211 00:24:12.526 --> 00:24:17.125 put on your heart that he would have you invite to a Christmas Eve service 212 00:24:17.625 --> 00:24:18.326 at Hope? And look, 213 00:24:18.326 --> 00:24:20.805 not just somebody else that you already know goes to another church, okay? 214 00:24:20.806 --> 00:24:23.045 Let 'em go where they're gonna go. But like somebody who, 215 00:24:23.046 --> 00:24:27.005 that person that maybe wouldn't otherwise ever step foot into a church building 216 00:24:27.006 --> 00:24:30.244 that you know, desperately needs to hear about the hope of Jesus. 217 00:24:30.305 --> 00:24:33.685 That's step one, step two, because I don't want you to just pray about it. 218 00:24:34.405 --> 00:24:38.605 I actually want you to invite them. Go online, get hope.net/uh, Christmas, 219 00:24:38.905 --> 00:24:41.885 get a ticket for yourself, for your family, also for them, and let 'em know, 220 00:24:41.905 --> 00:24:43.365 Hey, I've got an extra ticket. 221 00:24:44.185 --> 00:24:47.165 We talk as a church about being a family who loves God, 222 00:24:47.675 --> 00:24:49.845 follows Jesus and shares hope. 223 00:24:50.505 --> 00:24:53.925 One of the easiest ways that we can share hope with other people is just by 224 00:24:54.125 --> 00:24:57.125 inviting them into the places and spaces where the name of Jesus is being lifted 225 00:24:57.195 --> 00:24:59.765 high. That's what Chris, that's really what hope is all about. 226 00:24:59.766 --> 00:25:01.605 That's what Christmas Eve is gonna be all about. 227 00:25:01.945 --> 00:25:06.765 So I wanna encourage you to do that. We are, throughout the month of December, 228 00:25:06.905 --> 00:25:10.085 we are appropriately in a series on Advent. 229 00:25:10.086 --> 00:25:12.725 And so just by a show of hands across all of our campuses, 230 00:25:12.945 --> 00:25:16.725 how many of you would say that you believe that you are experts on Advent? 231 00:25:18.744 --> 00:25:23.395 Okay. Not a lot. All right. And then how many of you would be honest and say, 232 00:25:23.396 --> 00:25:26.435 you know what, I, I don't really know a whole lot about Advent. 233 00:25:26.545 --> 00:25:28.955 Anybody wanna be honest? Look at that. We got more than that. That's great. 234 00:25:29.595 --> 00:25:33.475 That, that was me growing up. And really not all that long ago. I mean, 235 00:25:33.476 --> 00:25:37.115 growing up we had an advent calendar, right? Like on December 1st, 236 00:25:37.295 --> 00:25:40.715 you start flipping the things over and maybe there's a devotion with it, 237 00:25:40.734 --> 00:25:42.435 but for me it was like, okay, 238 00:25:42.436 --> 00:25:47.075 we're just counting down the days to get closer to the day that we celebrate the 239 00:25:47.076 --> 00:25:50.515 birth of Jesus, or the day that the guy comes and brings all the presents, 240 00:25:50.516 --> 00:25:54.795 and then we get to open those up. But that's what that was for me. Um, 241 00:25:55.105 --> 00:25:57.675 just to get us all on the same page, like what is Advent? 242 00:25:58.615 --> 00:26:01.755 The advent season in recent history is really where the church, 243 00:26:02.015 --> 00:26:03.155 it takes place in the church, 244 00:26:03.215 --> 00:26:06.955 the four Sundays and weekdays leading up to Christmas. 245 00:26:07.295 --> 00:26:11.275 The word advent itself, it comes from a Latin word, Adventist, 246 00:26:11.975 --> 00:26:15.075 and it means the coming or the arrival. And, 247 00:26:15.275 --> 00:26:20.035 and it's the original usage. It actually more pointed, pointed less towards the, 248 00:26:20.055 --> 00:26:23.835 the coming of Jesus as a baby in a manger in Bethlehem, 249 00:26:23.836 --> 00:26:26.994 and more about the second coming of Jesus when he's gonna come back and 250 00:26:26.995 --> 00:26:30.115 establish a new heaven and a new Earth. And so for the fourth and fifth century, 251 00:26:30.116 --> 00:26:32.515 when this tradition, uh, was building, 252 00:26:32.935 --> 00:26:34.915 that's really what Advent was mostly about. 253 00:26:34.916 --> 00:26:37.875 Like there was this hope of looking forward to Christ's return. 254 00:26:38.335 --> 00:26:40.994 And so we had hope and that advent, but then over the centuries, 255 00:26:42.025 --> 00:26:43.635 it's really morphed into what it is today, 256 00:26:43.636 --> 00:26:47.195 celebrating what's made possible for us through the birth of Christ, 257 00:26:48.035 --> 00:26:52.395 for primary themes, hope, peace, joy, and love. 258 00:26:53.095 --> 00:26:56.195 And, uh, you know, we've got this advent wreath at all of our campuses, 259 00:26:56.475 --> 00:26:59.435 and it's, you see this, right? That's what the candles actually represent. 260 00:27:00.535 --> 00:27:02.115 But I think what we find, man, 261 00:27:02.116 --> 00:27:04.915 if we really wanna experience advent for all it's worth, 262 00:27:04.916 --> 00:27:07.875 like we really gotta lean into both of those. Like, yes, we need to look back, 263 00:27:07.876 --> 00:27:09.595 we need to celebrate the birth of Jesus, 264 00:27:10.055 --> 00:27:13.515 but we've also gotta keep like this expectant heart of knowing. Yes, 265 00:27:13.525 --> 00:27:16.595 we're hopeful now, uh, because Jesus has come to earth, 266 00:27:16.615 --> 00:27:17.875 but we actually have this, this, 267 00:27:17.876 --> 00:27:22.315 this hope that has not yet been birthed in that Jesus is gonna come back and 268 00:27:22.316 --> 00:27:24.275 restore, uh, a new heaven and a new earth. 269 00:27:24.295 --> 00:27:26.994 And so I wanna challenge it as we're moving through this advent season. 270 00:27:27.025 --> 00:27:30.515 Keep both of those in front of us series on advent. 271 00:27:30.545 --> 00:27:33.635 Last week we talked about hope. This week we're gonna talk about peace 272 00:27:35.255 --> 00:27:38.515 by show of hands, just a question. One more question for us, 273 00:27:38.994 --> 00:27:41.315 audience participation. Just by show of hands, 274 00:27:41.375 --> 00:27:45.195 how many of us would be honest enough to say I could use a little bit more peace 275 00:27:45.295 --> 00:27:49.795 in my life right now? Okay. Yeah. That's quite a bit more hands. Yeah, I, 276 00:27:50.475 --> 00:27:51.835 i, I gotta tell you, 277 00:27:51.865 --> 00:27:55.075 it's ironic to me that this is a season that's supposed to represent peace, 278 00:27:56.135 --> 00:27:58.875 but it seems like it's like the most 25, the, 279 00:27:58.975 --> 00:28:02.675 the most 25 chaotic days in our entire calendar year. You know, 280 00:28:02.676 --> 00:28:04.595 you've got from parties to Christmas shopping, 281 00:28:04.734 --> 00:28:08.755 to arguing over who's in-law's house you're gonna spend on Christmas morning to 282 00:28:08.855 --> 00:28:12.355 trying to avoid talking to crazy Uncle John at Christmas lunch when he wants to 283 00:28:12.356 --> 00:28:15.315 talk about politics. Uh, and then the decorations. Like, I, 284 00:28:15.915 --> 00:28:19.994 I love decorating for Christmas. I have a son, he's in Enneagram seven. 285 00:28:20.255 --> 00:28:24.115 If you don't know what that means, he's like all party all the time, okay? 286 00:28:24.135 --> 00:28:25.955 And so he wants to decorate, 287 00:28:25.956 --> 00:28:28.715 and I love it as some of our best memories together, decorating for Christmas. 288 00:28:28.716 --> 00:28:29.385 But even that, 289 00:28:29.385 --> 00:28:33.155 it's like two days of getting the Christmas decorations out and then decorating 290 00:28:33.175 --> 00:28:35.155 for what, like a month of enjoying it. 291 00:28:35.295 --> 00:28:38.755 And then you've got two to three days of putting the Christmas decorations away, 292 00:28:39.645 --> 00:28:42.555 which is really like one of the more depressing days of the year. 293 00:28:44.255 --> 00:28:45.955 And the whole time you're doing that, 294 00:28:45.956 --> 00:28:49.115 you've got other things that are screaming for your attention. Um, 295 00:28:49.395 --> 00:28:51.875 are college students or high schoolers you're studying for exams. 296 00:28:51.876 --> 00:28:55.805 Nothing about that screams peace. And then, 297 00:28:57.295 --> 00:28:58.715 you know, if we get real for a minute, 298 00:29:00.395 --> 00:29:03.815 we're heading into a season with the holidays here, 299 00:29:03.816 --> 00:29:06.455 where this is the first Christmas where some of us, um, 300 00:29:06.635 --> 00:29:11.535 are going to spend without a loved one that a year ago we didn't know that it 301 00:29:11.536 --> 00:29:12.855 was gonna be their last Christmas. 302 00:29:15.025 --> 00:29:18.205 And if I could just be transparent with you for a minute, 303 00:29:20.005 --> 00:29:24.985 I'm heading into this Christmas season with probably the least amount of peace, 304 00:29:25.525 --> 00:29:29.705 at least by earthly standards that I've ever had going into a Christmas season. 305 00:29:30.505 --> 00:29:35.305 Uh, many of you know, I lost my dad just over two months ago. Um, 306 00:29:35.335 --> 00:29:37.545 this place hope, uh, whether you know it or not, 307 00:29:37.575 --> 00:29:40.185 it's not always simple and easy, uh, there, 308 00:29:40.335 --> 00:29:43.885 like leadership in any place or in any space in today's world. 309 00:29:43.886 --> 00:29:47.565 Like that's no walk in the park. Uh, my mom's not in the best health right now. 310 00:29:48.005 --> 00:29:50.525 Uh, my marriage is strong, but I would tell you, 311 00:29:50.526 --> 00:29:55.445 we have seen more peaceful days. Uh, I, my kids, I love my kids to death. 312 00:29:55.565 --> 00:29:59.365 I, I tell people regularly if I got 99 problems, which I probably do, uh, 313 00:29:59.445 --> 00:30:02.685 thankfully my wife and kids, uh, aren't one of 'em my kids, they, 314 00:30:02.686 --> 00:30:06.765 they love the Lord. They honor their mom most of the time. 315 00:30:08.175 --> 00:30:12.285 Addie, honor your mother. Uh, but man, they, they keep us busy. 316 00:30:12.355 --> 00:30:13.885 They keep us hopping. And that doesn't even touch. 317 00:30:13.886 --> 00:30:16.325 Like I also coach high school wrestling. I coach high school football. 318 00:30:16.425 --> 00:30:20.565 So that's just me during this season right now. And look, 319 00:30:20.605 --> 00:30:23.965 I have conversations with, with many of you all across our campuses, of course, 320 00:30:23.966 --> 00:30:26.205 with our staff, with our leadership here, with our elders. 321 00:30:26.305 --> 00:30:29.285 And so these are just a few things just from some of those conversations. 322 00:30:29.286 --> 00:30:32.125 Let's talk about us collectively. Um, for some, 323 00:30:32.126 --> 00:30:36.585 this is the first Christmas without a spouse that left 324 00:30:36.855 --> 00:30:41.235 this earth like far too soon a marriage has ended, 325 00:30:42.685 --> 00:30:46.685 jobs have been lost, money's tight. Um, 326 00:30:46.865 --> 00:30:48.765 all the memories that were tied, uh, 327 00:30:48.865 --> 00:30:52.125 to a home are now seemingly gone as the house has been lost. 328 00:30:52.965 --> 00:30:57.125 A diagnosis that no one was expecting. Marriage on the rocks, 329 00:30:57.875 --> 00:31:02.695 kids running prodigal, an addiction that's ruining lives. 330 00:31:05.635 --> 00:31:08.815 And again, like these are real stories, and I know some of you could hear that, 331 00:31:08.975 --> 00:31:11.215 and there might be some of you. I was talking to Aaron Nelson, uh, 332 00:31:11.216 --> 00:31:14.175 earlier today. We were talking about the message and he was like, man, 333 00:31:14.795 --> 00:31:18.255 be careful. Like, you don't wanna make everything worst case scenario, okay? 334 00:31:18.256 --> 00:31:22.615 Some people like actually might be okay right now. And so, um, 335 00:31:22.995 --> 00:31:26.295 if that's you, Merry Christmas. All right? I don't know what else to say, uh, 336 00:31:26.535 --> 00:31:29.935 Aaron. So that's, that's for you. Alright? Cheers to you. No, but look, 337 00:31:30.155 --> 00:31:31.135 if you're in that place, I, 338 00:31:31.215 --> 00:31:35.415 I just have this hunch right now that a lot of us find ourselves thinking, man, 339 00:31:35.685 --> 00:31:40.095 life just doesn't seem as peaceful as it should be right now. And if that's you, 340 00:31:41.745 --> 00:31:44.245 I want to give you permission to own it. Like, 341 00:31:44.285 --> 00:31:46.485 I don't want you to feel like you need to sweep it under the rug. I, 342 00:31:46.685 --> 00:31:50.605 I want to give you this permission to acknowledge right now in my life I'm 343 00:31:50.606 --> 00:31:52.205 experiencing this lack of peace. 344 00:31:52.206 --> 00:31:56.925 Because I believe when Jesus says in John chapter 10, uh, verse 10, 345 00:31:56.926 --> 00:31:59.725 that I came so that they may have life and have it abundantly. 346 00:31:59.905 --> 00:32:04.805 And when he says in John chapter 14, verse 27, he says, peace I leave with you. 347 00:32:05.585 --> 00:32:09.365 My peace I give to you not as the world gives. 348 00:32:09.905 --> 00:32:12.645 Do I give you so like I don't give you the peace that the world gives you. 349 00:32:12.925 --> 00:32:16.005 That's like, it's here one second and it's gone the next. He says, 350 00:32:16.006 --> 00:32:19.805 so let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. 351 00:32:20.125 --> 00:32:24.245 I believe that Jesus knew that we were gonna struggle with this lack of peace. 352 00:32:24.425 --> 00:32:27.925 And I believe us coming to earth that like had this specific purpose that was 353 00:32:27.985 --> 00:32:32.045 rooted in us experiencing peace. Not instead of the storms, 354 00:32:33.655 --> 00:32:37.755 but actually in the midst of the storms that we find ourselves in and say, 355 00:32:37.756 --> 00:32:40.605 here's what we're gonna do. We're gonna keep it it simple. Uh, we're, 356 00:32:40.606 --> 00:32:43.285 we're gonna look at a text, we're gonna be going to Isaiah chapter nine, 357 00:32:43.605 --> 00:32:47.125 verse six, one verse, uh, I might sneak into verse seven. 358 00:32:47.126 --> 00:32:48.725 We'll see how the time goes. Uh, 359 00:32:48.745 --> 00:32:51.485 but what I wanna do is I wanna keep it as simple as possible. 360 00:32:51.486 --> 00:32:56.205 And I wanna look at three ways that Jesus coming to earth actually 361 00:32:56.206 --> 00:33:00.055 offers peace to us and our lives. And so, um, 362 00:33:00.225 --> 00:33:04.375 while I do agree with Aaron, that, that, that, you know what, 363 00:33:04.405 --> 00:33:07.165 like all of us aren't in that place, 364 00:33:07.585 --> 00:33:10.605 but Aaron also said something else that was incredibly wise. He said, man, 365 00:33:10.606 --> 00:33:13.925 what if people just realize that every single aspect of their life that hasn't 366 00:33:13.995 --> 00:33:18.885 crashed into the gospel is an area that is not experiencing peace the way that 367 00:33:18.905 --> 00:33:23.635 God designed. And so I wanna read this Isaiah chapter nine, 368 00:33:24.485 --> 00:33:27.235 verse six, and I really just wanna read this over you right now, 369 00:33:27.305 --> 00:33:29.475 just in those moments that we just talked about. 370 00:33:29.735 --> 00:33:32.235 And I just want you to take in God's word and then we're gonna spend some time 371 00:33:32.435 --> 00:33:36.995 breaking it apart. So it says this in verse six, in light of the advent season, 372 00:33:37.055 --> 00:33:40.875 it says, for to us, a child is born to us, a son is given, 373 00:33:41.735 --> 00:33:44.995 and the government shall be upon his shoulder, 374 00:33:45.735 --> 00:33:50.195 and his name shall be called wonderful counselor, mighty God, 375 00:33:50.745 --> 00:33:53.835 everlasting Father, and then prince of peace. 376 00:33:55.375 --> 00:33:58.995 So it says, for to us, a a child is born to us, a son is given, 377 00:33:59.135 --> 00:34:03.035 and the government shall be upon his shoulder. Okay? Singular, 378 00:34:03.345 --> 00:34:04.315 like one shoulder. 379 00:34:04.385 --> 00:34:08.075 He's saying there's gonna be a child born and he and he alone will carry the 380 00:34:08.076 --> 00:34:12.995 burden and the responsibility and the salvation of the world. And guess what? 381 00:34:13.135 --> 00:34:17.594 He needs one shoulder to do it. This is like my football guy saying, coach, 382 00:34:17.595 --> 00:34:22.075 that's light work that's easy. Like Jesus is carrying this. 383 00:34:22.076 --> 00:34:26.515 And then he goes on to say His name shall be called wonderful 384 00:34:26.864 --> 00:34:27.697 counselor. 385 00:34:29.035 --> 00:34:33.765 One way Jesus came to bring peace to us in our lives is to bring with 386 00:34:33.766 --> 00:34:35.885 himself as himself a wonderful counselor. 387 00:34:35.886 --> 00:34:40.405 What does it mean to be a wonderful counselor? Um, and its original language, 388 00:34:40.844 --> 00:34:44.965 uh, the Hebrew word here for wonderful, it means well, wonderful, uh, 389 00:34:46.145 --> 00:34:47.485 but it also means marvelous, 390 00:34:47.486 --> 00:34:51.645 like something extraordinary to the point of like moving us towards, uh, 391 00:34:51.785 --> 00:34:55.325 all inspiring to the point of being amazed. And then counselor, 392 00:34:56.065 --> 00:34:59.205 it does mean counselor, um, also the, the word advisor. 393 00:34:59.265 --> 00:35:03.045 And so in ancient Israelite culture, a counselor, uh, 394 00:35:03.225 --> 00:35:07.525 was often a wise leader or a king who provided guidance in matters of state, 395 00:35:08.445 --> 00:35:10.405 uh, of justice in areas of morality. 396 00:35:10.585 --> 00:35:14.885 And so when you put these two words together, uh, it signifies, 397 00:35:15.085 --> 00:35:19.685 it paints a picture of a counselor or a guide whose wisdom and understanding are 398 00:35:19.686 --> 00:35:23.245 extraordinary and divine in nature. Alright? This, 399 00:35:23.795 --> 00:35:27.485 this is not like getting advice from crazy Uncle John at the Christmas dinner 400 00:35:27.486 --> 00:35:32.355 table. And if you're asking me why I'm saying crazy Uncle John, I don't know. 401 00:35:32.356 --> 00:35:36.875 My wife's brother's name is John and he's a little bit crazy. Um, but, but he, 402 00:35:36.876 --> 00:35:38.445 he does give pretty good advice sometimes, 403 00:35:38.505 --> 00:35:41.405 but sometimes I just try to check and see if my in-laws actually listen to the 404 00:35:41.406 --> 00:35:46.405 messages. So we'll just leave that at that. Uh, but he, but this is saying, 405 00:35:46.406 --> 00:35:48.045 this is one who offers, uh, 406 00:35:48.485 --> 00:35:51.525 miraculous and unfailing guidance. 407 00:35:53.085 --> 00:35:57.755 And so I want you to ask yourself a question in the midst of your storm, 408 00:35:59.665 --> 00:36:00.895 where are you looking for counsel? 409 00:36:04.465 --> 00:36:05.645 And the truth is, some of us, 410 00:36:05.646 --> 00:36:08.765 we've been struggling with some of the same storms for a long time. And, 411 00:36:08.965 --> 00:36:11.685 and it's not because we're not smart people. Like I know some of you there, 412 00:36:11.885 --> 00:36:13.085 there, some of you are very, very smart. 413 00:36:13.086 --> 00:36:16.965 It's not because we don't know other smart people, but the truth is like, 414 00:36:17.855 --> 00:36:21.385 we're not divine, we're not marvelous. 415 00:36:22.885 --> 00:36:26.285 And neither is the news and neither is the media, 416 00:36:27.305 --> 00:36:28.605 and certainly neither is the, 417 00:36:28.625 --> 00:36:32.045 the collective pool of intelligence of our society and of our culture. 418 00:36:32.065 --> 00:36:35.165 And it's not to say that the intelligence isn't there, but it's not divine. 419 00:36:35.515 --> 00:36:37.885 It's not the wonderful council of our God. 420 00:36:37.886 --> 00:36:42.525 This is why the you do you movement is so dangerous because at the end of the 421 00:36:42.526 --> 00:36:45.885 day, like the Bible tells us, our hearts will be deceitful to us. 422 00:36:45.905 --> 00:36:49.005 And a lot of us wanna say we want more peace, that we want more Jesus. 423 00:36:49.105 --> 00:36:50.844 But when it comes to matters of morality, 424 00:36:51.955 --> 00:36:55.725 when it comes to matters of what God's word says is best for us in our lives, 425 00:36:55.905 --> 00:37:00.225 we actually wanna chase after what our heart says. And I'm telling you, 426 00:37:00.226 --> 00:37:04.995 if we're looking for peace in our lives, we've gotta be careful. The truth is, 427 00:37:04.996 --> 00:37:08.055 it doesn't work that way with a king. Um, 428 00:37:09.055 --> 00:37:12.364 Jesus may have came to earth the first time as a baby, um, 429 00:37:12.825 --> 00:37:16.725 but understand this advent season, we recognize that he, he not only came, 430 00:37:17.105 --> 00:37:18.245 but he's gonna come again. 431 00:37:18.265 --> 00:37:21.965 And his plan is to rule and to reign and to bring peace to this earth. 432 00:37:22.305 --> 00:37:23.525 But in his kingdom, 433 00:37:24.015 --> 00:37:28.685 peace is brought to life through his counsel and through his guidance. 434 00:37:29.425 --> 00:37:33.835 And so we gotta ask the question like, how, how do we find the council? 435 00:37:34.135 --> 00:37:37.555 How do we find this wonderful council? Well, Jesus has given us his life. 436 00:37:37.655 --> 00:37:39.915 We can read about it in His word. Uh, 437 00:37:39.916 --> 00:37:44.355 the Bible tells us when we are spiritually reborn into the family of God, 438 00:37:44.375 --> 00:37:48.395 the Holy Spirit comes inside of us. We can seek wisdom from the Holy Spirit. 439 00:37:49.475 --> 00:37:53.675 Uh, we have the fellowship of believers. We would call that the family of God, 440 00:37:53.855 --> 00:37:54.688 the church. 441 00:37:55.185 --> 00:37:59.475 Like the church gets together every single week and we lift up the truths of who 442 00:37:59.495 --> 00:38:01.915 God is and what he says and what it is that he calls us into. 443 00:38:01.916 --> 00:38:05.235 We lift up that council and we've gotta get to a place where we ask ourselves a 444 00:38:05.355 --> 00:38:05.975 question, 445 00:38:05.975 --> 00:38:10.915 are we going to seek and to accept and live out the council that God has for us? 446 00:38:14.335 --> 00:38:18.675 And I think sometimes as followers of Jesus, we forget that, um, 447 00:38:20.355 --> 00:38:25.195 kings rarely make suggestions. You know what I mean? They don't say like, 448 00:38:25.196 --> 00:38:30.114 well, if you get time, like that's just not what kings do. 449 00:38:30.935 --> 00:38:34.995 You don't get to experience the peace of the kingdom offered by a king if you 450 00:38:35.405 --> 00:38:38.565 rebel against the Council of the King. 451 00:38:40.545 --> 00:38:42.805 And so we gotta recognize in the midst of our storms, 452 00:38:42.806 --> 00:38:44.805 we have a wonderful counselor, but we have to look to him. 453 00:38:44.806 --> 00:38:47.805 We have to look to his word. We have to seek His Holy Spirit for guidance. 454 00:38:48.094 --> 00:38:51.805 We've gotta be connected to the family of God that's gonna lift up the truths of 455 00:38:51.806 --> 00:38:54.125 God. And then we've gotta act, and then we've gotta respond. 456 00:38:55.235 --> 00:38:58.195 It'll be called wonderful counselor. And then Isaiah goes on to say, 457 00:38:58.325 --> 00:39:03.235 he'll also be called mighty God. This one's interesting because 458 00:39:05.075 --> 00:39:06.255 at Christmas, especially, 459 00:39:06.256 --> 00:39:09.614 like we have a tendency to wanna look to the sentimental version of Jesus, 460 00:39:09.705 --> 00:39:11.775 right? I think the Ricky Bobby version, 461 00:39:11.915 --> 00:39:15.895 the six pound eight ounce tiny baby Jesus. And 462 00:39:18.185 --> 00:39:21.385 I would suggest that part of the reason why we don't have peace in the midst of 463 00:39:21.386 --> 00:39:25.225 our storms is because we don't have an appropriate view of the God who's 464 00:39:25.385 --> 00:39:29.305 actually fighting for us. And, uh, the original language here, 465 00:39:29.306 --> 00:39:32.425 which is not gonna be popular in 2024, uh, 466 00:39:32.426 --> 00:39:34.905 it paints a picture of God as a mighty warrior. 467 00:39:36.045 --> 00:39:40.505 And if we're not careful at Christmas, and really throughout the entire year, 468 00:39:40.506 --> 00:39:44.105 what we'll do is we'll leave tiny baby Jesus in this manger, 469 00:39:44.405 --> 00:39:46.705 in his s swaddling clothing in Bethlehem, 470 00:39:46.844 --> 00:39:49.425 and we'll lose sight that he's not only a wonderful counselor and he is, 471 00:39:49.426 --> 00:39:53.105 not only was he born a baby, but man, he's he's a mighty king. 472 00:39:53.295 --> 00:39:56.705 He's a mighty warrior. Not only is a might, is he a mighty warrior, uh, but, 473 00:39:56.706 --> 00:40:01.105 but he has divine and unmatched strength and he uses that strength to fight our 474 00:40:01.135 --> 00:40:02.185 battles, uh, uh, 475 00:40:03.645 --> 00:40:08.185 on our behalf against spiritual oppression, against sin, against death. 476 00:40:10.485 --> 00:40:14.614 And we gotta let that set in. And, uh, 477 00:40:15.255 --> 00:40:19.735 I I love our Christmas Eve services at Hope. Um, 478 00:40:19.955 --> 00:40:22.975 here's a spoiler alert. Uh, if you've never been, uh, 479 00:40:23.195 --> 00:40:26.255 we end them like every other Christian Church ends their Christmas Eve services 480 00:40:26.395 --> 00:40:28.335 by singing Silent night and lighting candles. 481 00:40:28.475 --> 00:40:32.415 And so what happens is we finish the message and whoever's up here doing the 482 00:40:32.416 --> 00:40:35.415 message lights a candle, we turn the lights out, and then we light candles. 483 00:40:35.475 --> 00:40:37.855 And then one gets passed to one person, goes to another person, 484 00:40:37.856 --> 00:40:40.575 goes to another person, and in the darkness, the light fills the room. 485 00:40:40.715 --> 00:40:41.655 And then if you're up here, 486 00:40:41.675 --> 00:40:44.215 you get to see everybody back there with their phones taking pictures of the 487 00:40:44.216 --> 00:40:47.895 room so they can see how beautiful it is and put it on social media. But, 488 00:40:48.075 --> 00:40:51.495 and then we sing Silent Night, all is calm, 489 00:40:52.475 --> 00:40:57.335 all is bright, and there's some truth to that. 490 00:40:58.745 --> 00:41:01.605 But the reality is, while that was going on that night, 491 00:41:01.665 --> 00:41:03.125 the night that Jesus was born, 492 00:41:03.126 --> 00:41:07.285 there was this cosmic battle that was being fought in the heavenly realms. 493 00:41:08.425 --> 00:41:13.225 And I know some of you might not know what exactly what I'm talking about, 494 00:41:13.445 --> 00:41:16.545 and that's okay. If we had time, we would read Revelation 12 together. 495 00:41:16.805 --> 00:41:18.585 You should go back and do that on your own. 496 00:41:18.605 --> 00:41:23.245 But what you would see is the tenacity in which Satan 497 00:41:23.425 --> 00:41:26.805 and his demons were working to thwart God's plan. 498 00:41:28.705 --> 00:41:32.285 You would see an attempt at Satan to destroy God's attempt at bringing peace to 499 00:41:32.286 --> 00:41:34.085 this world. And see, 500 00:41:34.086 --> 00:41:37.085 our tendency is like just to look at things from an earthly perspective. Like, 501 00:41:37.086 --> 00:41:41.165 yes, it was quiet that night. I mean, I've never personally delivered a baby. 502 00:41:41.364 --> 00:41:44.114 I imagine there were some screams, um, 503 00:41:45.135 --> 00:41:48.594 but overall it was a quiet, beautiful night, at least by standards of 2024, 504 00:41:48.595 --> 00:41:51.395 right? There's no Instagram reels going, none of that's happening. 505 00:41:51.975 --> 00:41:55.475 But there was a cosmic battle going on. There's something else that's going on. 506 00:41:55.476 --> 00:41:59.315 And so we have to realize that when we see oppression and we see brokenness and 507 00:41:59.316 --> 00:42:02.035 we see irresponsible leadership and we see death, 508 00:42:02.094 --> 00:42:03.875 we see that from an earthly perspective. 509 00:42:04.335 --> 00:42:06.715 But the Bible tells us in Ephesians chapter six, verse 12, 510 00:42:06.716 --> 00:42:09.755 that we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, 511 00:42:10.685 --> 00:42:12.785 but against the rulers, against the authorities, 512 00:42:12.786 --> 00:42:16.145 against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, 513 00:42:16.146 --> 00:42:20.145 against the spiritual forces of evil and the heavenly places. 514 00:42:21.745 --> 00:42:24.645 And again, I know in 2024, we're so enlightened, we're like, really? 515 00:42:24.665 --> 00:42:27.325 Are you talking about like demons and angels and the devil and like fighting 516 00:42:27.326 --> 00:42:29.855 each other? Man, 517 00:42:29.856 --> 00:42:33.815 there is stuff going on around us that if we don't recognize that we have a need 518 00:42:33.816 --> 00:42:37.614 for this mighty God to fight our battles, we're not going to experience peace. 519 00:42:37.864 --> 00:42:42.775 Jesus is a mighty warrior who came once to pay the price for the sins of man 520 00:42:42.776 --> 00:42:43.609 on a cross, 521 00:42:44.225 --> 00:42:47.765 but he's coming again one day to establish a new heaven and a new earth. 522 00:42:50.005 --> 00:42:52.245 And next time he comes, he's not gonna come as a baby. 523 00:42:53.535 --> 00:42:55.825 Like the Bible tells us he's gonna come, uh, 524 00:42:56.045 --> 00:43:00.105 on a horse with a tattoo on his leg and a sword in his hand as a grown man, 525 00:43:00.106 --> 00:43:02.185 as a mighty warrior. And not only that, 526 00:43:02.195 --> 00:43:07.105 until then he's fighting our battles for us against the darkness of this 527 00:43:07.106 --> 00:43:09.505 world. Now, 528 00:43:11.025 --> 00:43:13.785 I wanna recognize this is, this kind of gets tricky for some people. 529 00:43:14.005 --> 00:43:15.425 And so if you're like me, uh, 530 00:43:15.426 --> 00:43:19.105 this gets tricky because when trials come our direction, 531 00:43:20.165 --> 00:43:23.745 we kind of take on this attitude like it's us against the world. You know, 532 00:43:23.746 --> 00:43:25.385 like our back gets put up against the wall 533 00:43:27.165 --> 00:43:30.344 and we gotta hunker down and pick ourselves up by our bootstraps. 534 00:43:30.345 --> 00:43:34.305 And we've gotta fight and labor and stress until we've endured the thing that's 535 00:43:34.306 --> 00:43:36.344 in front of us. And I'm not saying enduring is bad, 536 00:43:36.345 --> 00:43:39.705 endurance is a part of the Christian faith, but I'm telling you friends, if we, 537 00:43:39.805 --> 00:43:41.065 if we move into our trials, 538 00:43:41.125 --> 00:43:44.785 if we fight back against our trials as though it depends on us, 539 00:43:46.614 --> 00:43:48.075 that's not a life of peace. 540 00:43:49.445 --> 00:43:52.745 And so there's something that comes from trusting that we have this mighty God 541 00:43:52.746 --> 00:43:54.305 that fights our battles for us, 542 00:43:55.565 --> 00:43:58.745 and instead we have this tendency to take on a battle that we are actually never 543 00:43:58.815 --> 00:44:01.305 made to fight against. And Isaiah is saying, 544 00:44:01.306 --> 00:44:04.145 there's a child is born and he's here to fight those battles for us. 545 00:44:04.325 --> 00:44:07.465 And I know anxiety is a real thing. I know fear is a real thing. 546 00:44:07.485 --> 00:44:08.385 My wife would tell you, 547 00:44:08.555 --> 00:44:12.344 there are nights I wake up sometime between midnight and one o'clock, 548 00:44:12.345 --> 00:44:14.864 certainly not every night, but I can't fall back asleep. 549 00:44:14.865 --> 00:44:16.545 And the only way it happens is if I get up, 550 00:44:16.735 --> 00:44:20.505 walk around the neighborhood in the 32 degree weather and have a 10, 551 00:44:20.725 --> 00:44:23.465 and then I can get my thoughts back in line. I'm like, okay, wait. That's right. 552 00:44:23.695 --> 00:44:27.145 This is not my burden to bear. These are not the things that I have to fix. God, 553 00:44:27.146 --> 00:44:29.785 you're the one who's in control. You're the one who fights our battles. 554 00:44:29.786 --> 00:44:33.805 And through that, you can kinda worship yourself back to a place of peace. 555 00:44:35.685 --> 00:44:38.385 And I'm not saying we don't work hard, you know, 556 00:44:38.405 --> 00:44:40.905 I'm not saying we don't celebrate, uh, 557 00:44:41.285 --> 00:44:43.705 the night that God put on flesh and was born as a baby. 558 00:44:44.045 --> 00:44:47.625 I'm not saying that we don't remember that he came to this earth as a baby, 559 00:44:49.665 --> 00:44:52.425 but at the end of the day, we've gotta recognize that we have a mighty God. 560 00:44:52.575 --> 00:44:53.625 He's a mighty warrior, 561 00:44:54.125 --> 00:44:57.465 and it's him and him alone who fights against spiritual oppression, 562 00:44:57.605 --> 00:45:00.025 who fights against sin and who fights against death. 563 00:45:00.085 --> 00:45:02.505 And if we want to have peace in our lives, we're gonna have to trust that. 564 00:45:02.506 --> 00:45:04.705 And I want you to know, to the extent of which we do trust, 565 00:45:04.706 --> 00:45:09.205 that is the extent of which we will experience peace in the midst of the trials 566 00:45:09.235 --> 00:45:13.545 that we face. The presence of Jesus brings a mighty warrior. 567 00:45:16.175 --> 00:45:21.045 Next Isaiah goes on to say, also he'll be called an everlasting Father. 568 00:45:23.005 --> 00:45:26.935 This one could be confusing, uh, especially if you understand, uh, 569 00:45:26.936 --> 00:45:28.655 that we have a Trinitarian God. 570 00:45:29.605 --> 00:45:33.614 That being that the Bible says that our God is one God with three distinct 571 00:45:33.615 --> 00:45:36.094 persons, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. 572 00:45:36.155 --> 00:45:39.614 So you could read this and you could say, so Jesus is the Father. 573 00:45:40.995 --> 00:45:42.895 No, right? That's not what it's saying. 574 00:45:43.005 --> 00:45:44.614 This is talking more about his character, 575 00:45:44.615 --> 00:45:48.415 like the fact that he is the author and the provider of our eternal life. 576 00:45:49.435 --> 00:45:53.475 And so Jesus said, to experience eternal life, you must be spiritually reborn, 577 00:45:53.745 --> 00:45:55.875 spiritually born again of the Spirit. 578 00:45:55.895 --> 00:45:59.114 And that happens through accepting the gift of grace that's provided to us 579 00:45:59.115 --> 00:46:02.795 through Jesus' death on a cross and resurrection. And so through Jesus, 580 00:46:03.815 --> 00:46:08.515 we are born into the family of God. And so just as we are born into our family, 581 00:46:08.516 --> 00:46:11.915 through a man and through a woman, through our mother and Father, 582 00:46:12.535 --> 00:46:17.195 we are born into this new family of God for all of eternity through 583 00:46:17.614 --> 00:46:22.075 the work of Jesus. But understand, without the, that peace of God on our behalf, 584 00:46:22.305 --> 00:46:26.315 without Jesus, um, taking the punishment that we deserve, 585 00:46:26.335 --> 00:46:29.925 we don't experience that peace, but he did. 586 00:46:30.705 --> 00:46:34.995 And so it's through him that we experience this everlasting father, 587 00:46:35.025 --> 00:46:38.875 this eternal life. But it also paints a picture of his character. 588 00:46:40.825 --> 00:46:45.585 And so, while he is a wonderful counselor and a mighty God who, 589 00:46:45.825 --> 00:46:50.265 who who fights like is this, uh, mighty divine warrior on our behalf, 590 00:46:52.855 --> 00:46:54.864 he's also one that we can go to with our brokenness. 591 00:46:57.675 --> 00:47:01.995 We can sit at his feet, um, we can confess our sins, 592 00:47:02.575 --> 00:47:05.415 our struggles, our pain, 593 00:47:08.795 --> 00:47:13.245 and he may discipline us, but he's gonna show us grace. 594 00:47:14.035 --> 00:47:16.045 He's gonna show us love. He's gonna show us mercy. 595 00:47:18.445 --> 00:47:20.745 Not too long ago, one of my kids, I will, um, 596 00:47:21.045 --> 00:47:23.505 try really hard not to say he or she, I have three. 597 00:47:23.725 --> 00:47:25.465 And so I don't want to make it too obvious, 598 00:47:25.525 --> 00:47:30.325 but I recognize that one of my kids had been dishonest with me. 599 00:47:31.315 --> 00:47:32.148 And, uh, 600 00:47:34.265 --> 00:47:39.205 when they realized that I had realized it, there was this, 601 00:47:40.205 --> 00:47:44.405 uh, I'll just say it. There was this look on his face, . And, um, 602 00:47:45.344 --> 00:47:49.165 he had realized what he had done. He had realized that my heart was broken. 603 00:47:50.755 --> 00:47:53.275 And he said, dad, I, I just, I don't know what I was thinking. 604 00:47:53.755 --> 00:47:58.755 I know I shouldn't have. I don't know why I did it. And I said, son, 605 00:47:58.756 --> 00:48:02.315 listen. And I I don't get this right all the time, okay, . I said, son, 606 00:48:02.316 --> 00:48:07.225 listen, I know what it's like to be human. I want you to come here. 607 00:48:07.226 --> 00:48:11.145 He crawled up in my lap, um, he cried. Um, 608 00:48:12.005 --> 00:48:15.385 he apologized. And I said, I appreciate that. There, 609 00:48:15.386 --> 00:48:19.235 there are gonna be some consequences. But man, in that moment, 610 00:48:19.344 --> 00:48:23.075 like a loving father whose child has done something wrong, 611 00:48:23.076 --> 00:48:27.635 like you show love, you show grace, yes, there's consequences. But that, 612 00:48:27.795 --> 00:48:29.475 that that's what a loving father does. 613 00:48:31.655 --> 00:48:35.675 And you might need to be reminded or even here for the first time, 614 00:48:35.705 --> 00:48:40.335 that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 615 00:48:43.114 --> 00:48:45.315 I mean, that's what this season is about. That's what it means, 616 00:48:45.316 --> 00:48:47.475 that we have Jesus as an everlasting father. 617 00:48:47.585 --> 00:48:50.555 He's not wanting to fight against you. He's not wanting to punish you. 618 00:48:50.556 --> 00:48:53.755 What he's wanting is for you to come to him, to confess your sins, 619 00:48:53.756 --> 00:48:55.155 to tell him about your brokenness, 620 00:48:55.335 --> 00:48:59.715 and to tell him about your hurts so that he can have an opportunity to put his 621 00:48:59.716 --> 00:49:03.525 loving arms around you and love you as an everlasting. Father, 622 00:49:07.385 --> 00:49:09.364 Isaiah tells us that a child is born 623 00:49:11.195 --> 00:49:15.175 and he tells us that he's strong enough to carry the weight of the governments 624 00:49:15.176 --> 00:49:18.175 of the world on his shoulder to establish a new kingdom. 625 00:49:20.465 --> 00:49:24.395 And his name shall be called wonderful counselor, mighty God, 626 00:49:25.395 --> 00:49:29.364 everlasting Father. And that leads to prince of peace. 627 00:49:33.385 --> 00:49:34.435 Like this advent, 628 00:49:35.725 --> 00:49:40.555 we've gotta realize that Jesus came to usher in peace to this 629 00:49:40.556 --> 00:49:44.075 broken world. And, and I know I've, I've taught on this before, 630 00:49:44.076 --> 00:49:47.835 but that Hebrew word for peace, it's the word shalom, like it means wholeness. 631 00:49:51.785 --> 00:49:53.844 And you know, I'll just be honest. I know so many of us do. 632 00:49:53.845 --> 00:49:55.005 And if I don't even say I, I say, 633 00:49:55.045 --> 00:49:58.325 I know for myself I need a bit more wholeness in my life this Christmas. 634 00:49:59.745 --> 00:50:04.525 And my prayer for us is that we would not go through this season only 635 00:50:04.594 --> 00:50:07.565 celebrating a baby being born. I mean, the truth is, 636 00:50:07.625 --> 00:50:10.885 the majority of the Western world does that in some form or fashion. 637 00:50:10.945 --> 00:50:14.045 And that in and of itself is not going to be to bring peace. 638 00:50:16.355 --> 00:50:18.135 And so my hope and my prayer is that, 639 00:50:18.136 --> 00:50:20.255 that we'll remember not only that a baby was born, 640 00:50:20.256 --> 00:50:21.575 but in the midst of our chaos, 641 00:50:23.385 --> 00:50:26.255 Jesus offers to us wonderful counsel, 642 00:50:28.385 --> 00:50:31.485 a mighty God, an everlasting father, 643 00:50:32.344 --> 00:50:35.005 and he offers to us a prince of peace. 644 00:50:37.605 --> 00:50:40.825 And so the bottom line really of this whole thing, um, 645 00:50:41.745 --> 00:50:46.675 peace isn't the absence of trials. It's the presence of Jesus 646 00:50:48.815 --> 00:50:52.864 Like this, this side of eternity. Jesus came to earth one time 647 00:50:57.965 --> 00:50:59.425 and in this moment, he, 648 00:50:59.745 --> 00:51:03.305 he did take the penalty for our sins so that we could have a restored 649 00:51:03.306 --> 00:51:07.225 relationship with God. He did come that we can have this wonderful counsel, 650 00:51:07.255 --> 00:51:08.905 that we can have this mighty God, 651 00:51:08.906 --> 00:51:11.385 that we can experience him as our everlasting father, 652 00:51:11.405 --> 00:51:14.905 so that we can experience peace. One day Jesus is gonna come back, 653 00:51:15.565 --> 00:51:18.745 and when he comes back, he's gonna establish a new heaven and a new earth. 654 00:51:18.925 --> 00:51:20.305 And then that peace will be different. 655 00:51:20.364 --> 00:51:23.265 All of this brokenness will be put back together again. But until then, 656 00:51:24.645 --> 00:51:26.675 Jesus said, in this life, you will face trials. 657 00:51:26.676 --> 00:51:30.315 Peace is not the absence of trials, it's the presence of Jesus in our lives. 658 00:51:32.145 --> 00:51:35.425 I believe as a church family right now, uh, and I I know it. I mean, 659 00:51:35.545 --> 00:51:39.065 I talk to you all like we are in desperate need of peace in our lives. 660 00:51:39.525 --> 00:51:43.465 And so as we close out our service, uh, this weekend, 661 00:51:43.466 --> 00:51:44.864 what I wanna do is I wanna pray for you. 662 00:51:45.605 --> 00:51:50.185 And maybe you're in a situation where you just need some counsel, 663 00:51:50.735 --> 00:51:53.945 like you're in a tough spot. Maybe it's regarding your marriage. 664 00:51:53.955 --> 00:51:58.265 Maybe it's regarding your kids. You need direction. Maybe it's from God's word. 665 00:51:59.305 --> 00:52:01.945 Uh, maybe you need to hear a word of wisdom from the Holy Spirit. 666 00:52:01.995 --> 00:52:05.585 Maybe you just need to experience life more connected to the family of God 667 00:52:05.586 --> 00:52:06.825 that's lifting up the truths of God. 668 00:52:09.805 --> 00:52:10.835 Maybe you're in a battle 669 00:52:13.585 --> 00:52:17.285 and it just seems like it's attack after attack, after attack, after attack. 670 00:52:17.305 --> 00:52:19.005 It just feels like this heavy oppression 671 00:52:22.625 --> 00:52:24.205 and you just need to be able to let go 672 00:52:26.395 --> 00:52:28.495 and give it to a God who wants to fight for you. 673 00:52:33.975 --> 00:52:34.755 And maybe, you know, 674 00:52:34.755 --> 00:52:37.035 there's something in your life that you've been holding onto for years. 675 00:52:39.155 --> 00:52:42.445 Maybe it's sin, maybe it's shame, 676 00:52:44.364 --> 00:52:47.955 maybe it's bitterness. But you know, 677 00:52:47.956 --> 00:52:52.715 it's preventing you from experiencing the peace that you know Jesus 678 00:52:52.855 --> 00:52:53.688 has for you. 679 00:52:56.285 --> 00:53:00.785 And what you really need to do is turn to one who wants to love you like an 680 00:53:00.786 --> 00:53:01.619 everlasting father, 681 00:53:05.025 --> 00:53:06.445 and to lay it down at his feet. 682 00:53:09.825 --> 00:53:11.765 And so if that's you, I wanna pray for you. But I'm, 683 00:53:11.766 --> 00:53:15.285 I'm gonna ask us to do something this weekend across all of our campuses. 684 00:53:15.305 --> 00:53:19.905 And it's, it's kind of bold. Um, when I ask you to do it, you're gonna think, 685 00:53:19.945 --> 00:53:22.745 I don't know. I'm in a room full of people. I I don't know all these people. 686 00:53:24.135 --> 00:53:25.035 That's okay. Listen, 687 00:53:25.085 --> 00:53:28.805 everybody else is in this place that you are for probably a lot of the same 688 00:53:28.806 --> 00:53:31.765 reasons that you are. And the truth is, in today's world, 689 00:53:31.785 --> 00:53:34.965 if we don't have each other as the church, goodness gracious, who in the, 690 00:53:34.966 --> 00:53:39.255 who in the world do we have? And so we talk about ourselves being a family, 691 00:53:39.256 --> 00:53:41.495 and sometimes families do, families do things together. 692 00:53:42.114 --> 00:53:47.005 And so this is what I'm gonna do if you need that counsel, 693 00:53:48.355 --> 00:53:50.375 if you're in a place that you need that peace, 694 00:53:50.376 --> 00:53:53.015 where you need to know that there's a God that's fighting for you. 695 00:53:53.035 --> 00:53:57.255 If you're in that place where you need to turn to Jesus as an everlasting 696 00:53:57.256 --> 00:53:58.614 father, if you're in that place right there, 697 00:53:58.615 --> 00:54:02.175 if you need to experience a little bit more peace this year at Christmas, 698 00:54:02.325 --> 00:54:04.815 this is what I want you to do across all of our campuses. 699 00:54:04.864 --> 00:54:06.094 Would you just stand to your feet? 700 00:54:12.094 --> 00:54:15.344 Yeah. And I want you to know I'm standing with all of you as well. 701 00:54:17.405 --> 00:54:20.465 And if you're in a place right now, you know, or you feel good like, Hey, 702 00:54:20.466 --> 00:54:23.585 listen, I actually think things are feeling pretty good. Um, 703 00:54:23.864 --> 00:54:26.945 I would just encourage you just to extend a hand towards somebody who's 704 00:54:27.065 --> 00:54:29.705 standing. Goodness gracious, extend a hand towards me 705 00:54:33.645 --> 00:54:36.625 and let's just pray together as one church across all of our campuses. Father, 706 00:54:36.745 --> 00:54:37.785 I come to you in prayer right now, 707 00:54:38.685 --> 00:54:42.545 and I thank you for first and foremost for your son Jesus, 708 00:54:42.844 --> 00:54:47.844 coming to this earth as a child, putting on human flesh, 709 00:54:49.315 --> 00:54:53.915 teaching us how to live paying the penalty that we deserve to pay for our sins 710 00:54:56.975 --> 00:55:00.195 and rising from the dead so that we could have this new life. 711 00:55:01.875 --> 00:55:05.005 Lord, I thank you for the truths that that brings with us. That in this life, 712 00:55:05.006 --> 00:55:07.965 in the midst of our storms, that we can have a wonderful counsel. 713 00:55:07.966 --> 00:55:10.125 That we can have a mighty God that fights our battles, 714 00:55:10.126 --> 00:55:13.205 that we can have a God that loves us like an everlasting father, 715 00:55:13.864 --> 00:55:16.125 and that brings peace into our lives. And so right now, 716 00:55:16.485 --> 00:55:19.605 I lift up the man or the woman or the student that is looking for, 717 00:55:19.825 --> 00:55:22.045 for marvelous, for wonderful counsel. Lord, 718 00:55:22.125 --> 00:55:23.245 I pray that you would give them wisdom. 719 00:55:23.725 --> 00:55:26.364 I pray you would allow them to engage your scriptures in a way that they would 720 00:55:26.365 --> 00:55:28.685 come to life in a way that they never have. Holy Spirit, 721 00:55:28.765 --> 00:55:30.885 I pray that you would speak to them, give them words of wisdom. 722 00:55:31.325 --> 00:55:35.405 I pray you would surround them with the body of Christ that would come along and 723 00:55:35.406 --> 00:55:39.005 give encouraging words towards your truths. Father, 724 00:55:39.065 --> 00:55:42.245 for the man or the woman or the student that is in a trial that's facing 725 00:55:42.246 --> 00:55:45.045 oppression, Lord, that feels like they're in. Lord, 726 00:55:45.125 --> 00:55:48.965 I pray in the name of Jesus that those chains would be broken. Lord, 727 00:55:49.045 --> 00:55:51.765 I pray for freedom in the name of Jesus from whatever it is they're 728 00:55:51.766 --> 00:55:52.599 experiencing, 729 00:55:52.875 --> 00:55:56.885 even if it's just a freedom from feeling like it's their fight to fight. 730 00:56:00.425 --> 00:56:03.205 And Lord, I pray for those that 731 00:56:04.825 --> 00:56:08.455 maybe just need to run to the arms of their father for the first time ever, 732 00:56:09.275 --> 00:56:10.815 or maybe the first time in a long time. 733 00:56:13.375 --> 00:56:16.635 And I pray that they would. And God, we know that you'll meet 'em there, 734 00:56:18.495 --> 00:56:21.864 Lord, as we head into this holiday season, as we head into Christmas, Lord, 735 00:56:22.005 --> 00:56:25.605 we experience peace in a way that we desperately need. And that Jesus, 736 00:56:25.785 --> 00:56:29.445 you came to this earth for us to experience and we love you. 737 00:56:30.385 --> 00:56:35.285 And we pray these things in the name of Jesus. And everyone said amen. 738 00:56:36.245 --> 00:56:40.285 Uh, this week when I was going through, um, kinda going through my study time, 739 00:56:40.385 --> 00:56:44.364 for some reason this old Christmas song kept coming to mind. Oh come, 740 00:56:44.565 --> 00:56:47.885 oh come Emmanuel. I think it was written in the 17 hundreds. 741 00:56:47.886 --> 00:56:51.795 Don't quote me on that. It's on video now. So, um, 742 00:56:53.094 --> 00:56:58.075 but I just thought, man, this song is really a cry out from God's people saying, 743 00:56:58.076 --> 00:57:02.795 God, we need you, God, we need you. Come God, we need you. Come. And so, 744 00:57:02.796 --> 00:57:05.155 I just thought it would be appropriate to have our worship leaders come out 745 00:57:05.156 --> 00:57:08.995 across all of our campuses and just lead us in a couple verses of this song. 746 00:57:09.055 --> 00:57:11.755 Listen, I wanna close by saying this. 747 00:57:12.455 --> 00:57:17.075 We are not just here to receive peace as we receive, as the family of God, 748 00:57:17.076 --> 00:57:20.755 as we receive the peace of God. We're not just peace receivers, 749 00:57:20.965 --> 00:57:24.075 we're also peace bringers. So I wanna encourage, as we go out into the world, 750 00:57:24.405 --> 00:57:28.355 let's take the peace with us and share it with others that we have received from 751 00:57:28.356 --> 00:57:29.189 Jesus.