Transcript
WEBVTT
00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:22.320
Music.
00:00:25.126 --> 00:00:28.306
Rescue Radio, because there's a war for your soul.
00:00:28.746 --> 00:00:33.566
Yes, indeed, Father God. We know the war has been here ever since the beginning.
00:00:33.886 --> 00:00:37.346
But you have defeated our enemy even through Jesus Christ. And thank you,
00:00:37.426 --> 00:00:38.766
Lord, for dying on the cross for us.
00:00:38.846 --> 00:00:43.406
Thank you for coming, fulfilling your promises to all of us, Lord God.
00:00:43.466 --> 00:00:48.226
And we thank you for this time where we can refresh, be refreshed in the power
00:00:48.226 --> 00:00:53.566
and the truth of your mercy, your love, your ever-present presence with us,
00:00:53.726 --> 00:00:55.946
Father, in the form of peace and goodwill.
00:00:56.086 --> 00:00:59.906
And we thank you now for giving us eyes to see and ears to hear and heart to
00:00:59.906 --> 00:01:03.846
receive the revelation of your love for us, that we won't just dash through
00:01:03.846 --> 00:01:07.126
this season just to get it over with and then be empty at the end.
00:01:07.366 --> 00:01:11.986
Let us be filled with the, reminding us, be filled with the promises of God
00:01:11.986 --> 00:01:15.246
and of your return, Lord Jesus, and of the hope that you've given us,
00:01:15.246 --> 00:01:19.426
even as you gave us and sent it to the shepherds through the angels the first time.
00:01:19.946 --> 00:01:22.946
So give us eyes to see that, Lord, and give us a heart to rest.
00:01:23.146 --> 00:01:27.546
We bind every spirit of confusion, anxiety, disruption, Father,
00:01:27.606 --> 00:01:32.766
anything we would try to do in our personal lives or in this time to try to
00:01:32.766 --> 00:01:35.126
waylay the purposes of God.
00:01:35.286 --> 00:01:39.806
And we thank you for keeping your promises to us, Father God, in Jesus' name. Amen.
00:01:40.726 --> 00:01:45.846
Well, I'm thinking in these days when things are so in upheaval,
00:01:46.086 --> 00:01:50.426
transitions and turmoil in the world and in our minds, in our hearts,
00:01:50.586 --> 00:01:52.686
that it is time to remember mercy.
00:01:52.866 --> 00:01:56.606
And I really believe this is a time of mercy. I think God is sending a gift
00:01:56.606 --> 00:02:02.446
of mercy again to refresh his people like he did when he sent Jesus Christ to Bethlehem.
00:02:02.586 --> 00:02:08.626
And so, you know, we don't always think about the power of that message.
00:02:08.766 --> 00:02:14.906
We have to realize that in context, these people were just as beaten down,
00:02:15.166 --> 00:02:23.126
just as overrun, just as abused, just as disenfranchised as any one of us would ever have experienced.
00:02:23.426 --> 00:02:28.306
So one of the things that we have to realize is that when the angel appeared
00:02:28.306 --> 00:02:31.326
to Mary, when the angel appeared to Mary,
00:02:31.566 --> 00:02:40.326
it was after many years of this exiling and thwarting and trouble to the people of Israel.
00:02:40.926 --> 00:02:46.306
Well, the promises of a Messiah, of a Savior, of redemption.
00:02:47.046 --> 00:02:51.946
Had been given all through the Old Testament, you know, from Genesis 3.15,
00:02:52.426 --> 00:02:54.946
the Bible. God said that the...
00:02:55.619 --> 00:02:58.099
Seed of the woman was going to crush the head of the serpent.
00:02:58.419 --> 00:03:02.379
And then that prophecy was articulated, repeated.
00:03:02.579 --> 00:03:06.419
It's a thread. The Bible calls it, well, we call it the scarlet thread,
00:03:06.819 --> 00:03:12.199
thread of redemption that's all through the prophets. It's all through the Psalms.
00:03:12.499 --> 00:03:18.139
It's all through the scripture leading up to the time that we're going to be talking about today.
00:03:18.299 --> 00:03:21.279
It's a good thing that that thread was there because there was so much chaos
00:03:21.279 --> 00:03:25.999
and so much disruption, division, and overthrowing of governments and families.
00:03:26.199 --> 00:03:34.139
And it's amazing that that true promise of God made it all the way from Genesis to Bethlehem.
00:03:34.219 --> 00:03:36.419
But he had to do that through these people.
00:03:36.559 --> 00:03:40.139
They were the ones carrying the DNA. They were the ones carrying the hope and
00:03:40.139 --> 00:03:43.939
the promise, and they were the ones being so attacked by the enemy that they
00:03:43.939 --> 00:03:48.159
were, you know, I'm sure they thought things like, you know, would he ever come?
00:03:48.319 --> 00:03:50.599
I mean, after all this time, what's the point?
00:03:50.999 --> 00:03:55.299
Many times, I'm sure they thought, as Zachariah probably did, it's too late.
00:03:55.599 --> 00:04:00.619
Would he ever come? So it's like we are in the kind of the same place where
00:04:00.619 --> 00:04:03.539
we're tempted to live in defeat and despair.
00:04:03.679 --> 00:04:06.299
Well, it's been 2,000 years and nothing's happening.
00:04:06.919 --> 00:04:12.839
But how can we defeat defeat if we're already subdued by it ourselves?
00:04:13.019 --> 00:04:18.619
And that's where the people were. how could they rise up and bring forth the coming of the king?
00:04:19.579 --> 00:04:25.119
Yet, how God does things so differently. I mean, you have the most obscure people he picks on.
00:04:25.259 --> 00:04:28.199
He chooses to do his work and bring forth the promise.
00:04:28.419 --> 00:04:32.939
We have Zacharias, we have Elizabeth, very old. We have Mary, very young.
00:04:33.259 --> 00:04:38.959
We have these people that are totally obscure, and God uses them to bring forth the good news.
00:04:39.099 --> 00:04:42.599
But he had not forgotten his promise. He had not forgotten his covenant.
00:04:43.039 --> 00:04:47.399
He was ever present with those people every moment of the journey,
00:04:47.559 --> 00:04:49.939
all the way from Genesis, all the way to Bethlehem.
00:04:50.039 --> 00:04:56.059
He was there with them because Satan was also there with them trying to derail the whole thing.
00:04:56.319 --> 00:04:59.259
So God is still with us. He's pouring out his mercy.
00:04:59.359 --> 00:05:03.039
And the problem with us today, the same problem they had, is we kind of lose
00:05:03.039 --> 00:05:04.359
hope. We kind of get distracted.
00:05:04.499 --> 00:05:08.999
We kind of go off and and do meaningless things or other things so that we can
00:05:08.999 --> 00:05:16.119
just fill the time or, you know, get through and we forget there is a monumental destiny here.
00:05:17.899 --> 00:05:22.499
Yeah, Paul wrote to one of the churches. He said, you know, the time will come
00:05:22.499 --> 00:05:26.679
when people say, where is the promise of his coming?
00:05:27.059 --> 00:05:31.099
You know, since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were.
00:05:31.279 --> 00:05:34.839
So, you know, some people say, well, the mocking is...
00:05:35.391 --> 00:05:40.711
He said there were mockers that would come in the last days that would say, you know, why?
00:05:41.031 --> 00:05:44.231
We've heard this about the coming of the Lord, and he still hasn't come.
00:05:44.811 --> 00:05:52.211
But you think of this setting, you know, that Zacharias and Elizabeth and Mary were in.
00:05:52.351 --> 00:05:56.151
Well, I think that's why Zacharias was, after the angel appeared to him as he
00:05:56.151 --> 00:05:58.811
was doing his priestly duties, he was very old already.
00:05:58.811 --> 00:06:02.771
And the angel appeared to him and said, you know, your wife Elizabeth,
00:06:02.971 --> 00:06:06.411
who's past childbearing, not too late because she's going to have a baby,
00:06:06.651 --> 00:06:12.131
a boy, and you're going to name him John, which was totally out of tradition for them.
00:06:12.371 --> 00:06:18.131
But then he went mute. And I think part of the reason was because of the skepticism,
00:06:18.191 --> 00:06:20.571
because maybe it wasn't time for the whole message.
00:06:20.751 --> 00:06:24.111
Maybe he wasn't, God just wanted to be quiet for a little bit longer.
00:06:24.291 --> 00:06:28.931
So when Elizabeth was conceived that baby, That was the beginning.
00:06:28.991 --> 00:06:30.091
That was John the Baptist.
00:06:30.231 --> 00:06:32.951
He was the forerunner of Jesus Christ. He was going to be the one to prepare the way.
00:06:33.151 --> 00:06:38.831
Well, Gabriel told Zacharias, he said in Luke 1, 20, but behold,
00:06:39.011 --> 00:06:43.651
you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place. Right.
00:06:44.051 --> 00:06:48.811
So he was quieted. Because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled
00:06:48.811 --> 00:06:51.111
in their own time. Isn't this amazing?
00:06:51.331 --> 00:06:55.351
The belief, the faith is so important. Yet God didn't count him out.
00:06:55.351 --> 00:06:57.691
He just said, okay, for now you're going to be quiet.
00:06:57.811 --> 00:07:03.391
But then the angel, the angel Gabriel, again, appeared to a young virgin,
00:07:03.731 --> 00:07:09.591
Mary, in her humble home, obscure, I don't know, you know, just a humble home.
00:07:09.751 --> 00:07:11.411
There's nothing glamorous, glorious.
00:07:11.571 --> 00:07:14.671
Why would God pick her? And the angel greeted her with such a greeting that
00:07:14.671 --> 00:07:18.471
she was kind of troubled and said that he told her she was going to conceive
00:07:18.471 --> 00:07:21.751
in her womb that this child would be called the son of God.
00:07:21.751 --> 00:07:27.651
And then he said, for with God, nothing is impossible. And I think this is the
00:07:27.651 --> 00:07:32.471
bottom line for our faith, that with God, nothing shall be impossible.
00:07:32.651 --> 00:07:36.771
I mean, many of us have lived in places where we have lost hope in the possibility
00:07:36.771 --> 00:07:41.631
of anything ever coming good into our lives or the lives of our loved ones,
00:07:41.651 --> 00:07:43.131
because we see so much tragedy,
00:07:43.291 --> 00:07:47.971
so much brokenness that we just, but with God,
00:07:48.311 --> 00:07:51.251
like with these people here, nothing is impossible.
00:07:51.751 --> 00:07:56.611
And so with Zacharias and Elizabeth, they had no child back in those days. It was a shame.
00:07:57.191 --> 00:08:00.651
People just would talk about you because, oh, what's wrong with them?
00:08:01.011 --> 00:08:03.851
They must have been judged. Judged. They were being judged. Scandal,
00:08:04.071 --> 00:08:06.811
scorn, shame. Yeah, because they didn't have children.
00:08:07.051 --> 00:08:10.791
So they figure, okay, I guess it's just not going to be. We'll just keep on
00:08:10.791 --> 00:08:13.851
doing our thing here in the temple.
00:08:14.171 --> 00:08:17.811
Being faithful. They were faithful. Being faithful. They loved the Lord.
00:08:17.991 --> 00:08:22.171
They kept going. and it just seemed like it was, yeah, totally impossible,
00:08:22.491 --> 00:08:24.311
past childbearing stage. But...
00:08:24.616 --> 00:08:27.996
But with God, nothing is impossible. Yeah, and the same thing with Mary,
00:08:28.016 --> 00:08:30.696
when the angel says, okay, you're going to have a child.
00:08:31.536 --> 00:08:36.076
You're going to have a child. You're going to become pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit.
00:08:36.476 --> 00:08:40.176
You're not going to, this child is not going to have a human father.
00:08:40.236 --> 00:08:44.856
But the thing is, too, then the big exciting news for Mary, I don't know with
00:08:44.856 --> 00:08:48.356
so much that she was going to conceive this son, but that her cousin,
00:08:48.516 --> 00:08:51.376
Elizabeth, was already six months along, according to the angel.
00:08:51.376 --> 00:08:54.976
And so Mary hopped on her little donkey and ran over there.
00:08:55.056 --> 00:08:58.876
And I think it was probably, I don't know, it might have been quite a journey,
00:08:58.996 --> 00:09:03.796
actually, probably, because I know that Jerusalem is where Zechariah and Elizabeth
00:09:03.796 --> 00:09:07.596
hung out, probably right around in there, 10 miles from there, probably.
00:09:07.776 --> 00:09:13.076
And I think Mary was up in the North Country. But anyway, so when Mary walks
00:09:13.076 --> 00:09:15.476
in and greets Elizabeth.
00:09:16.096 --> 00:09:21.316
The baby, the six-month-old baby in utero, in Elizabeth's womb,
00:09:21.476 --> 00:09:26.056
leapt for joy as Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. This is power.
00:09:26.316 --> 00:09:29.376
This is the Spirit of God going before these two women.
00:09:29.756 --> 00:09:33.196
And the result was joy.
00:09:33.596 --> 00:09:37.276
And joy is strength. Joy is hope. Joy is confidence.
00:09:37.556 --> 00:09:43.816
Joy is faith in believing that the destinyâ I mean, do you guys ever have joy?
00:09:43.816 --> 00:09:47.396
Do we ever really have a pure moment of delight and joy?
00:09:47.516 --> 00:09:50.796
I think when babies are born, maybe, and people are loving and looking for them
00:09:50.796 --> 00:09:52.656
to be born, that might be a moment of joy.
00:09:52.736 --> 00:09:58.416
But there's very few moments where we really have that pure experience of just joy.
00:09:59.004 --> 00:10:05.644
Praise God, joy, release from anxiety, release from the pressure and bringing forth of the promise.
00:10:05.804 --> 00:10:11.284
That was joy. So this baby leapt in the womb, and that was the beginning of
00:10:11.284 --> 00:10:14.424
the promise of what God was about to do.
00:10:14.644 --> 00:10:24.324
And so God had said that the baby that is conceived through Zacharias and Elizabeth,
00:10:24.664 --> 00:10:29.864
right, through the power of God, And that baby was going to be filled with the
00:10:29.864 --> 00:10:31.384
Holy Spirit even in the womb.
00:10:32.144 --> 00:10:37.964
And this is, wow. Yeah, and then so Mary, she just began to be eloquent.
00:10:38.064 --> 00:10:42.884
She just began to speak, and I think people call this the Magnificent or something.
00:10:43.184 --> 00:10:49.084
Yeah, let me say something about this too, because Mary, you know,
00:10:49.404 --> 00:10:53.704
she starts singing this song from her heart.
00:10:53.704 --> 00:10:58.884
And basically, when you look at that song of Mary, or the Magnificat,
00:10:59.064 --> 00:11:03.004
it shows that she really knew the Word of God.
00:11:03.264 --> 00:11:10.404
Because there's many, many scriptures that are interwoven in that song.
00:11:10.544 --> 00:11:13.904
So she didn't say, well, let me get this scroll and write something down.
00:11:13.924 --> 00:11:16.664
She already had it in her heart. No, it was right in her heart,
00:11:16.744 --> 00:11:23.584
which shows, as a teenage girl, her heart and mind was full, saturated.
00:11:23.704 --> 00:11:27.244
With the Word of God. So she says in verse 46, and Mary said,
00:11:27.624 --> 00:11:28.864
this is chapter 1 of Luke,
00:11:29.396 --> 00:11:35.436
My soul magnifies the Lord, 1 Samuel 2, 1 through 10. My spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.
00:11:35.716 --> 00:11:40.036
He has regarded the lowliest state of his maidservant. And behold,
00:11:40.236 --> 00:11:43.396
henceforth, all generations shall call me blessed. That's Psalm 138.
00:11:43.936 --> 00:11:50.136
And he who has done mighty great things for me, and holy is his name.
00:11:50.416 --> 00:11:55.496
And his mercy is on those who fear him. This is the word from generation to generation is mercy.
00:11:55.616 --> 00:11:58.416
This is where we're at right now, Lord God. We need your mercy.
00:11:58.416 --> 00:12:00.816
We don't need your wrath right now.
00:12:01.036 --> 00:12:04.776
We need breakthroughs. We need mercy. We need protections from all the crazy
00:12:04.776 --> 00:12:07.756
things Satan wants to do. We need the mercy of God in our families.
00:12:08.056 --> 00:12:11.836
We need the mercy of God to restore generations and relationships between mothers
00:12:11.836 --> 00:12:16.196
and daughters, between sons and fathers, between husbands and wives.
00:12:16.336 --> 00:12:21.736
We need the mercy of God to break forth with forgiveness, with joy, with peace.
00:12:22.636 --> 00:12:25.956
And then she goes on to say, he has shown strength with his arm.
00:12:25.956 --> 00:12:29.796
He has scattered the proud in the imaginations of their heart. Isn't this the case?
00:12:29.956 --> 00:12:32.716
So many people think there's so much of everything and they're nothing.
00:12:32.876 --> 00:12:38.796
He puts down the mighty from their thrones, their little paper thrones, and exalts the lowly.
00:12:38.956 --> 00:12:42.176
He fills the hungry with good things. I bet you she was hungry many times.
00:12:42.336 --> 00:12:43.916
And the rich he sent away empty.
00:12:44.136 --> 00:12:49.756
And he has helped his servant Israel in remembrance of his mercy as he spoke
00:12:49.756 --> 00:12:52.056
to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed forever.
00:12:52.176 --> 00:12:56.196
And Mary remained with Elizabeth. So she helped her out till about the time
00:12:56.196 --> 00:12:59.716
Elizabeth was ready to deliver, and then Mary went home.
00:12:59.916 --> 00:13:06.056
So then we have what happens at Elizabeth's house, starting with verse 57 in Luke 1.
00:13:06.896 --> 00:13:11.516
So the time came for her to be fulfilled, to be delivered, and she brought forth her son.
00:13:11.976 --> 00:13:16.116
And Zachariah, they were going to name this boy after his dad,
00:13:16.256 --> 00:13:22.076
Zacharias, and she said no, and he wrote on a note, his name will be John.
00:13:22.296 --> 00:13:27.376
And then when he wrote that on the note, his mouth, his voice,
00:13:27.616 --> 00:13:29.856
his words came back to him.
00:13:29.896 --> 00:13:36.116
Yeah, verse 64, immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed and he spoke, praising God.
00:13:36.316 --> 00:13:39.216
Then fear came on all who dwelt around them.
00:13:39.296 --> 00:13:43.556
And all these sayings were discussed throughout the hill country of Judea.
00:13:43.556 --> 00:13:48.716
So they saw something really different. So this is something that- Miraculous.
00:13:48.716 --> 00:13:51.816
That people were talking about throughout the whole country.
00:13:52.076 --> 00:13:55.296
Yes, and then he opens his mouth and he has these wonderful things.
00:13:55.436 --> 00:13:59.776
He says, blessed is the Lord God of Israel for he has visited and redeemed his
00:13:59.776 --> 00:14:03.636
people, verse 69, and has raised up a horn of salvation for us.
00:14:03.716 --> 00:14:08.756
So he's really an old guy who's been around a long time waiting for this promise his whole life.
00:14:09.529 --> 00:14:13.129
And in the house of his servant, as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets,
00:14:13.129 --> 00:14:16.949
who have been since the world began, yes, Genesis chapter 3,
00:14:17.449 --> 00:14:21.009
that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of those who hated
00:14:21.009 --> 00:14:25.609
us, to perform the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant.
00:14:25.689 --> 00:14:27.789
This is the key, to perform the mercy.
00:14:27.989 --> 00:14:30.869
Father God, you know, we give up on God sometimes. Oh, what does he know?
00:14:30.969 --> 00:14:32.089
Does he remember? Does he care?
00:14:32.289 --> 00:14:36.709
You know, he's not interested in our little things. He's busy doing big things,
00:14:36.709 --> 00:14:41.269
but he remembered the mercy that he He promised to the fathers and his covenant,
00:14:41.389 --> 00:14:42.309
which he's never forgotten.
00:14:42.549 --> 00:14:47.589
The oath, which he swore to Abraham to grant us that we being delivered from
00:14:47.589 --> 00:14:49.989
the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear.
00:14:50.109 --> 00:14:52.489
Now, they were not yet delivered from their enemies, but by faith,
00:14:52.529 --> 00:14:55.549
they were already declaring that they'd been delivered from their enemies because
00:14:55.549 --> 00:14:57.349
God had showed them mercy.
00:14:58.069 --> 00:15:02.509
So holiness, righteousness before him all his days. And you child shall be called
00:15:02.509 --> 00:15:05.409
the prophet of the high. So he's prophesying over his son.
00:15:05.889 --> 00:15:10.069
John. John, exactly. You should go before the face of the Lord and prepare a
00:15:10.069 --> 00:15:14.929
way for him to give knowledge of salvation to his people and by the remission of their sins.
00:15:15.029 --> 00:15:17.369
So salvation was the end game here.
00:15:17.549 --> 00:15:22.229
To bring redemption, salvation, to deliver the people from the grip of death
00:15:22.229 --> 00:15:26.809
and from Satan. And that could only be done through the blood of the Lamb of God.
00:15:27.249 --> 00:15:31.409
The remission of sins. And then verse 78 and 79.
00:15:32.009 --> 00:15:36.769
Through the tender mercy of our God, with which the day spring from on high
00:15:36.769 --> 00:15:39.409
has visited us. That's referring to the Messiah.
00:15:40.109 --> 00:15:46.769
Verse 79, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
00:15:46.929 --> 00:15:50.709
to guide our feet into the way of peace. Amen.
00:15:51.089 --> 00:15:54.789
Sitting in darkness. So here we go again. We're in round two of this.
00:15:54.989 --> 00:15:59.549
God is coming again, this time with Jesus Christ coming as the King of Kings,
00:15:59.549 --> 00:16:04.549
riding on a white horse with his banner and his robe dipped in blood.
00:16:05.316 --> 00:16:10.196
To be more, to conquer and to conquer. King of kings and Lord of lords.
00:16:10.416 --> 00:16:13.976
Yes, but this is, we're there. We're almost on the threshold of all of that.
00:16:14.116 --> 00:16:17.396
So let us not be defeated. Let's not grow weary. Let's not give up.
00:16:17.456 --> 00:16:18.556
Let's not give up on love.
00:16:18.696 --> 00:16:22.896
Let's not give up on mercy. Let's not give up on God. Let's not give up on God's goodness.
00:16:23.076 --> 00:16:25.916
Let's not give up on salvation or being redeemed.
00:16:26.176 --> 00:16:31.136
You can be redeemed. You don't have to live this life that you've been stuffed
00:16:31.136 --> 00:16:33.136
into, this crushed, broken place.
00:16:33.356 --> 00:16:37.396
You can get up. You can use your breath, use your breath to start,
00:16:37.556 --> 00:16:39.436
to start with that you want to start living.
00:16:39.796 --> 00:16:43.696
Open your mouth and begin to praise God, rejoice and thank him.
00:16:43.876 --> 00:16:45.516
Use your mouth, use your words.
00:16:46.496 --> 00:16:49.336
The joy and the thanksgiving are what pull us out of the pit.
00:16:49.796 --> 00:16:54.616
You know, you can mully grub all you want in the pit. Oh, this is never going to work. Oh, this is bad.
00:16:54.716 --> 00:16:58.736
Oh, we're going to go into, you know, whatever, depression, despair,
00:16:59.136 --> 00:17:00.436
you know, finally ruin, whatever.
00:17:00.916 --> 00:17:06.216
But we don't have to, you, it's powerful. What you speak is powerful.
00:17:06.436 --> 00:17:10.056
If you give words to death, destruction, war.
00:17:11.616 --> 00:17:16.536
Perversion, hopelessness, broken, you start speaking that, the devil will grab
00:17:16.536 --> 00:17:20.616
your powerful words, those powerful negative words, and turn them against you
00:17:20.616 --> 00:17:22.556
and bring to pass what you've said.
00:17:22.716 --> 00:17:26.256
So if you are in a place where you're tough and it's tough for you right now
00:17:26.256 --> 00:17:29.256
and you're giving up, pray to God, say, God, I need help.
00:17:29.436 --> 00:17:34.136
You are my help. I thank you for helping me and begin to thank him by faith
00:17:34.136 --> 00:17:35.796
and watch what he will do.
00:17:35.936 --> 00:17:39.136
He's not forgotten us. He's not forgotten the covenant with us.
00:17:39.276 --> 00:17:43.696
The promises he made to Abraham, he's made promises to us, and he's going to
00:17:43.696 --> 00:17:45.436
bring those promises to pass.
00:17:45.716 --> 00:17:48.496
Those who look for his appearing will see him.
00:17:50.435 --> 00:17:54.495
We're so, in America, we're so short-term, we're so instant. Yeah.
00:17:54.755 --> 00:17:58.415
You know, instant, zip, zip, zip, zip, zip, we want this right away.
00:17:58.615 --> 00:18:00.935
But God has called us for the long haul.
00:18:01.315 --> 00:18:06.275
You know, this whole thing was a long haul all the way through history. History, yeah.
00:18:06.495 --> 00:18:12.155
The long haul, the promise of the Messiah. You just think of all the women and
00:18:12.155 --> 00:18:19.815
men that had lived and died without seeing the promise that Elizabeth and Zacharias
00:18:19.815 --> 00:18:21.315
saw, for example. Exactly.
00:18:21.615 --> 00:18:27.755
And, you know, so it goes on, this story of the obscure, the forgotten, the downtrodden.
00:18:27.755 --> 00:18:33.475
And so who does God present this powerful message to with a whole chorus or
00:18:33.475 --> 00:18:39.255
choir of angelic beings, but to those shepherds who are hanging out in the dark,
00:18:39.255 --> 00:18:41.695
in the cold, in the fields. They lived in the fields, it said.
00:18:41.895 --> 00:18:44.895
They didn't have houses. They didn't take turns. They were out there day and
00:18:44.895 --> 00:18:47.815
night watching the sheep so they wouldn't get ruined by wolves.
00:18:48.315 --> 00:18:52.055
And so they were faithful, but they didn't have much excitement,
00:18:52.055 --> 00:18:56.635
I would imagine. What could they do in their long days and nights waiting?
00:18:56.635 --> 00:18:58.035
I suppose they could play an instrument.
00:18:58.255 --> 00:19:01.155
They could, you know, gossip. Maybe they could do some fun things,
00:19:01.215 --> 00:19:05.655
but they were, they had nothing to look forward to. They were, this is their life.
00:19:05.795 --> 00:19:08.255
And the angels then said, glory.
00:19:08.495 --> 00:19:12.675
They appeared with all this bright, shiny, and suddenly there was with the angel,
00:19:12.855 --> 00:19:16.735
a multitude of heavenly hosts praising God, saying, glory to God in the highest
00:19:16.735 --> 00:19:18.955
and on earth, peace, goodwill towards men.
00:19:19.395 --> 00:19:25.075
And so who did God present this message to? to, again, the most broken,
00:19:25.335 --> 00:19:30.535
the most obscured, the most off the road kind of people, and that's who a lot of you are.
00:19:30.695 --> 00:19:37.895
And very likely these shepherds were shepherds that raised sheep for sacrifice in the temple.
00:19:38.235 --> 00:19:42.835
So they were not really any ragamuffin shepherds because- But they were still
00:19:42.835 --> 00:19:44.475
shepherds. They were still shepherds.
00:19:44.595 --> 00:19:49.055
They still had to do the same work, even though it was a holy work.
00:19:50.158 --> 00:19:55.378
Preparing for sacrifices, the sacrifices that went on and on year after year
00:19:55.378 --> 00:19:57.138
that had to be repeated constantly.
00:19:57.678 --> 00:20:04.118
And now the Lord is saying, there's one coming now who will be the complete and final sacrifice.
00:20:04.318 --> 00:20:06.958
The final lamb of God. And this is why it was so important that the shepherds
00:20:06.958 --> 00:20:09.438
were the first ones to know, because they were watching the lambs that were
00:20:09.438 --> 00:20:10.878
going to be sacrificed in the temple.
00:20:11.258 --> 00:20:14.298
And so they're the first ones to know the final lamb of God is appearing.
00:20:14.298 --> 00:20:18.658
And they exactly were told where it was, where they'd find this baby wrapped
00:20:18.658 --> 00:20:21.358
in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.
00:20:21.798 --> 00:20:26.858
And they said, in Bethlehem, which is where they were, the Tower of the Flock,
00:20:27.298 --> 00:20:30.098
right outside of Jerusalem, that's where Bethlehem is.
00:20:30.538 --> 00:20:34.378
And so they decided to go and find the baby and they knew where to go because
00:20:34.378 --> 00:20:35.898
the angel told them where to go.
00:20:36.038 --> 00:20:40.658
He said that the shepherds, that you will find this babe wrapped in swaddling
00:20:40.658 --> 00:20:44.098
clothes, lying in a manger, a feeding trough. Now, it wasn't just a common,
00:20:44.258 --> 00:20:47.118
ordinary, everyday feeding trough like, you know, made the cows ate out of.
00:20:47.238 --> 00:20:50.058
It was a place where they kept the baby lambs.
00:20:50.198 --> 00:20:53.938
The shepherds would keep these baby lambs safe in the tower of the flock.
00:20:54.178 --> 00:20:58.558
And so they would be flawless. They'd wrap them in swaddling pieces of cloth
00:20:58.558 --> 00:21:00.318
so that they wouldn't be wounded or broken.
00:21:00.718 --> 00:21:05.218
And so they knew exactly where this manger was. And this happened to be,
00:21:05.358 --> 00:21:11.298
of all places, where Mary and Joseph gave birth to baby Jesus in this very manger.
00:21:11.298 --> 00:21:16.638
How appropriate, how God, how non-coincidental that the Lamb of God should be
00:21:16.638 --> 00:21:22.438
born at the place where the lambs themselves were kept and prepared for slaughter.
00:21:22.598 --> 00:21:26.198
So he came, and they knew that exactly where that place was.
00:21:26.338 --> 00:21:28.978
They didn't have to have an address on the house number. They just knew where
00:21:28.978 --> 00:21:32.078
it was. They didn't go and have to knock from door to door. No, no.
00:21:32.278 --> 00:21:37.598
And yeah. So, one of the things I see here is that, you know,
00:21:37.698 --> 00:21:44.678
God looks at faithful people that might seem like have lost hope. Or obscured.
00:21:44.958 --> 00:21:49.198
Obscure. Maybe living a real boring life, but then all of a sudden something
00:21:49.198 --> 00:21:52.038
breaks in so significant that,
00:21:52.407 --> 00:21:55.627
Like for Elizabeth and Zachariah, like for Mary.
00:21:55.987 --> 00:22:01.087
And I really want to encourage people that are listening here that have been,
00:22:01.207 --> 00:22:05.287
you've been faithful to the Lord, even though your life seems to be kind of
00:22:05.287 --> 00:22:08.887
boring and a lot of attacks. Non-eventful.
00:22:08.987 --> 00:22:12.947
Non-eventful. And it just seems like you kind of get beaten up a lot.
00:22:13.107 --> 00:22:17.227
But God has not forgotten about you. Don't give up. And He sees you,
00:22:17.387 --> 00:22:21.807
and He's got wonderful and great things for you in His time.
00:22:22.407 --> 00:22:27.327
In his time. And so don't lose heart. Keep your focus on him.
00:22:27.767 --> 00:22:32.747
And you'd be amazed at who God is raising up in these days. Last days.
00:22:32.987 --> 00:22:36.267
Out of obscurity, no-name people,
00:22:36.747 --> 00:22:41.147
people that nobody gives much of an account to, but yet these are the ones that
00:22:41.147 --> 00:22:46.027
God has chosen to raise up in these days that we're living in right now.
00:22:46.127 --> 00:22:48.167
So we thank God for his mercy right now, Father.
00:22:48.287 --> 00:22:51.327
We thank you for your mercy, for your joy that you've given us,
00:22:51.327 --> 00:22:58.607
for peace, peace on earth, goodwill towards men, that you are ready, willing, now wanting to.
00:22:59.438 --> 00:23:05.338
Do the reconcile, do the complete redemption, do the buyback from Satan through
00:23:05.338 --> 00:23:06.378
the blood of Jesus Christ.
00:23:06.538 --> 00:23:10.618
And we thank you, Father God, that for us, now let us meditate really on the
00:23:10.618 --> 00:23:12.518
important things of this time.
00:23:12.658 --> 00:23:16.978
And we know, Lord God, that Jesus wasn't born on December 25th. We get that.
00:23:17.178 --> 00:23:21.038
We're not here to celebrate a day. It could be any day. It's every day.
00:23:21.358 --> 00:23:26.178
And it's every day is the right day to be thankful for the mercy of God,
00:23:26.338 --> 00:23:30.098
for your joy, for your reconciliation, for the salvation you brought us through Jesus Christ.
00:23:30.498 --> 00:23:35.278
And so we pray, Father God, that the Spirit of Christ Jesus,
00:23:35.598 --> 00:23:39.918
the Holy Spirit will come upon each one here and we will be transformed out
00:23:39.918 --> 00:23:42.998
of that darkness, that sitting in darkness and having no light,
00:23:43.098 --> 00:23:48.158
no hope, into that place of joy and expectation to look again to the sky for
00:23:48.158 --> 00:23:49.418
the return of Jesus Christ.
00:23:49.718 --> 00:23:54.018
And so, Father, let our hearts be filled with rejoicing and thanksgiving and
00:23:54.018 --> 00:23:57.838
let there be breakthroughs and reconciliations in our personal lives,
00:23:57.918 --> 00:23:59.178
in our families, in our health, Father.
00:23:59.418 --> 00:24:04.278
We pray for divine healing for people, whether it's in their physical bodies,
00:24:04.298 --> 00:24:08.218
in their minds, in their understandings, that the spirits of torment,
00:24:08.218 --> 00:24:12.858
we command the spirits of torment and despair and defeat to be defeated and be gone.
00:24:13.118 --> 00:24:15.678
We command you to get out of these people, get away from their minds,
00:24:15.798 --> 00:24:16.578
their hearts, their souls.
00:24:16.838 --> 00:24:20.238
We release them with the sword of the word of God into the fullness of a new
00:24:20.238 --> 00:24:24.578
life, the life that Jesus Christ died to give us, Father God, the abundant life.
00:24:25.158 --> 00:24:28.378
Father, we ask these things in Jesus' name. Yeah, and I thank you,
00:24:28.478 --> 00:24:31.538
Lord, that hope arises in each of our hearts, Lord God.
00:24:32.438 --> 00:24:35.998
Where there just seems like there's been even despair and death,
00:24:36.178 --> 00:24:38.318
Lord, may hope arise again.
00:24:38.458 --> 00:24:41.178
And may the joy of the Lord be our strength. Amen.
00:24:41.458 --> 00:24:45.078
Because there was rejoicing here, people that have hoped for years and years.
00:24:45.238 --> 00:24:48.978
And all of a sudden, here comes the word of the Lord, that now is the time.
00:24:48.978 --> 00:24:54.898
And for you that are listening, the time is coming now where God is saying now is the time.
00:24:55.118 --> 00:25:00.618
All that's happened in your life has been preparation for what he is doing now
00:25:00.618 --> 00:25:02.678
and what he is about to do in the future.
00:25:03.264 --> 00:25:06.204
So don't despair. Amen. Thank you, Jesus. Keep your focus on him.
00:25:06.204 --> 00:25:08.504
Thank you, Jesus. Fill your mind and heart with the word of God.
00:25:08.604 --> 00:25:10.664
And the joy of God. And you'll beâ And be thankful.
00:25:10.904 --> 00:25:14.704
You're going to be amazed at what God is going to do in you and through youâ
00:25:14.704 --> 00:25:16.444
Amen. âin the days to come. Praise God.
00:25:17.184 --> 00:25:19.764
Yes, and we want to encourage you also to check out our website,
00:25:19.904 --> 00:25:24.704
liferecovery.com, for our newestâwell, it's not very new, but it's new.
00:25:24.904 --> 00:25:29.384
It's goodâGod on Trial. It's the audio drama that we're featuring this month,
00:25:29.524 --> 00:25:32.984
encouraging people to get a look at it, listen to it, go there, check it out.
00:25:33.264 --> 00:25:37.524
These are MP3s that you can download, or you can actually get hard copies if you really want.
00:25:37.984 --> 00:25:42.204
And share this tool. It's an experience.
00:25:42.524 --> 00:25:46.684
It's inspirational. It's evangelical. It's very educational.
00:25:46.924 --> 00:25:51.584
And it helps people to understand the nuances of God through a dialogue.
00:25:51.884 --> 00:25:58.104
And so through, yeah, through conversation, through God being taken to court
00:25:58.104 --> 00:26:01.704
by Satan and charging him with criminal neglect of the universe and abusive
00:26:01.704 --> 00:26:06.644
use of power. So we encourage you, again, liferecovery.com, God on trial.
00:26:06.904 --> 00:26:09.044
Check it out. Have a wonderful day.
00:26:10.864 --> 00:26:13.044
I have an emergency. What is your location?
00:26:14.320 --> 00:26:32.560
Music.
00:26:17.244 --> 00:26:17.804
Ready?
00:26:33.944 --> 00:26:37.404
Rescue Radio, cause there's a war for your soul.
