WEBVTT

1
00:00:00.425 --> 00:00:01.165
<v ->Hello friends.</v>

2
00:00:01.165 --> 00:00:02.985
Welcome to the program. Today.

3
00:00:02.985 --> 00:00:06.105
Isn't Christmas a
wonderful time of the year?

4
00:00:06.105 --> 00:00:09.355
Every year before we open our
Christmas gifts, we sit down

5
00:00:09.355 --> 00:00:12.075
as a family to read the Christmas story

6
00:00:12.075 --> 00:00:13.595
and we ask each other questions,

7
00:00:13.595 --> 00:00:16.995
and we do this Christmas trivia

8
00:00:16.995 --> 00:00:21.405
and we enjoy telling each
other the Christmas story

9
00:00:21.405 --> 00:00:25.105
that we've told each other
and read year after year.

10
00:00:25.105 --> 00:00:28.835
Today my father will be speaking
about the Christmas story

11
00:00:28.835 --> 00:00:33.295
and sharing with you the
wonderful things that we

12
00:00:33.295 --> 00:00:36.555
as a family talk about every single year.

13
00:00:36.555 --> 00:00:38.275
So I hope you enjoy it

14
00:00:38.275 --> 00:00:41.745
and I hope that today
you'll learn something new

15
00:00:41.745 --> 00:00:42.935
about Christmas.

16
00:00:56.475 --> 00:00:57.735
<v ->My name is Rick Renner</v>

17
00:00:57.735 --> 00:01:00.805
and I wanna welcome you to
my home in Moscow, Russia.

18
00:01:00.805 --> 00:01:03.795
This really is my home in Moscow,

19
00:01:03.795 --> 00:01:06.705
and thank you for letting me
come right into your space.

20
00:01:06.705 --> 00:01:09.815
Today I want to talk to you
about the Christmas story.

21
00:01:09.815 --> 00:01:11.835
I have a book which is called Christmas.

22
00:01:11.835 --> 00:01:14.855
The rest of the story, it's
beautifully illustrated,

23
00:01:14.855 --> 00:01:16.395
300 pages.

24
00:01:16.395 --> 00:01:18.155
It is just a treasure.

25
00:01:18.155 --> 00:01:22.015
The reason I call this Christmas
the rest of the story is

26
00:01:22.015 --> 00:01:23.995
because when I was a
little boy growing up,

27
00:01:23.995 --> 00:01:26.835
my daddy would gather me
and my sisters together

28
00:01:26.835 --> 00:01:30.175
and he would read to us certain
verses about the Christmas

29
00:01:30.175 --> 00:01:32.755
story before we opened Christmas gifts.

30
00:01:32.755 --> 00:01:35.695
And I just loved it
when my daddy would read

31
00:01:35.695 --> 00:01:37.875
to us the Christmas story.

32
00:01:37.875 --> 00:01:40.175
But as I began to get older, I began

33
00:01:40.175 --> 00:01:41.475
to discover there were many parts

34
00:01:41.475 --> 00:01:44.345
of the story no one had ever told me.

35
00:01:44.345 --> 00:01:47.535
Every year I heard the
very same thing year

36
00:01:47.535 --> 00:01:48.715
after year after year.

37
00:01:48.715 --> 00:01:53.135
But as I became a man that was
able to study myself, I began

38
00:01:53.135 --> 00:01:55.445
to find things about the Christmas story

39
00:01:55.445 --> 00:01:57.095
that simply amazed me.

40
00:01:57.095 --> 00:02:00.415
For example, who were the
Magi? How many magi were there?

41
00:02:00.415 --> 00:02:02.885
What was the value of the Magi? I's gifts?

42
00:02:02.885 --> 00:02:04.835
What does it mean to be a spouse?

43
00:02:04.835 --> 00:02:09.315
So many elements of this story
that are simply so wonderful.

44
00:02:09.315 --> 00:02:11.495
So I decided to put it all into a book

45
00:02:11.495 --> 00:02:14.595
and call it Christmas,
the rest of the story.

46
00:02:14.595 --> 00:02:19.195
But today I want to share
with you this amazing story

47
00:02:19.195 --> 00:02:21.955
and perhaps you have family
or children or grandchildren

48
00:02:21.955 --> 00:02:23.965
and you don't know how to share the story.

49
00:02:23.965 --> 00:02:27.295
Then please use this as an
instrument to share Christmas

50
00:02:27.295 --> 00:02:28.955
with your family this year.

51
00:02:28.955 --> 00:02:30.755
And before you open gifts,

52
00:02:30.755 --> 00:02:34.115
why don't you just set aside
a few moments to listen

53
00:02:34.115 --> 00:02:36.095
to this amazing tool?

54
00:02:36.095 --> 00:02:38.735
Consider what the Bible
says about the real reason

55
00:02:38.735 --> 00:02:42.815
that Jesus was born in
Bethlehem 2000 years ago.

56
00:02:42.815 --> 00:02:46.615
But let's begin in Luke
chapter one, verse 26,

57
00:02:46.615 --> 00:02:49.195
where the Bible famously says,

58
00:02:49.195 --> 00:02:53.125
and in the sixth month, the
angel Gabriel was sent from God

59
00:02:53.125 --> 00:02:57.315
unto a city of Galilee named
Nazareth to a virgin, a spouse,

60
00:02:57.315 --> 00:03:00.865
to a man whose name was
Joseph of the house of David,

61
00:03:00.865 --> 00:03:02.685
and the Virgin's name was Mary.

62
00:03:02.685 --> 00:03:05.765
When the Bible says of the
house of David, it really refers

63
00:03:05.765 --> 00:03:07.755
to both Mary and Joseph.

64
00:03:07.755 --> 00:03:10.415
Both of them were of the house of David.

65
00:03:10.415 --> 00:03:13.145
First of all, let's talk about Joseph.

66
00:03:13.145 --> 00:03:15.585
Joseph was from Nazareth,

67
00:03:15.585 --> 00:03:18.785
and we know that in about a
hundred BC there was a clan

68
00:03:18.785 --> 00:03:21.795
of David's dynasty who moved to Nazareth.

69
00:03:21.795 --> 00:03:25.105
They really were of the house of David,

70
00:03:25.105 --> 00:03:28.305
but Mary's life began in Jerusalem.

71
00:03:28.305 --> 00:03:30.165
And when she was a
little girl, she was born

72
00:03:30.165 --> 00:03:32.705
to two parents named Jcom and Anna,

73
00:03:32.705 --> 00:03:35.875
and we're told by historical
writers, they were older,

74
00:03:35.875 --> 00:03:37.005
they were well to do,

75
00:03:37.005 --> 00:03:39.985
and they used their finances
for the work of God.

76
00:03:39.985 --> 00:03:42.935
And they prayed and said,
God, we want a child.

77
00:03:42.935 --> 00:03:45.505
Eventually Ana became pregnant,

78
00:03:45.505 --> 00:03:48.585
and the baby that she gave
birth to was named Mary.

79
00:03:48.585 --> 00:03:51.865
And when Mary was very young,
they dedicated her to the Lord

80
00:03:51.865 --> 00:03:55.665
and actually enrolled her in
a girl's school in Jerusalem

81
00:03:55.665 --> 00:04:00.465
and taught her that she was
to be a handmade of the Lord.

82
00:04:00.465 --> 00:04:02.395
And were told by early church writers

83
00:04:02.395 --> 00:04:04.025
that from the very earliest age,

84
00:04:04.025 --> 00:04:06.505
her parents instilled in her, Mary,

85
00:04:06.505 --> 00:04:10.025
you've been brought into this
world for a special purpose.

86
00:04:10.025 --> 00:04:14.235
And when God's will is revealed
to you, you are to say, yes,

87
00:04:14.235 --> 00:04:17.105
I'll do whatever it is,
Lord, that you want me to do.

88
00:04:17.105 --> 00:04:19.105
And there's so much to learn from this.

89
00:04:19.105 --> 00:04:21.075
We need to instill in our children

90
00:04:21.075 --> 00:04:23.545
that they have been brought into the world

91
00:04:23.545 --> 00:04:25.505
for a very specific purpose.

92
00:04:25.505 --> 00:04:29.365
But years later, we know
that Mary's family moved

93
00:04:29.365 --> 00:04:30.845
to the city of Sephoras,

94
00:04:30.845 --> 00:04:34.305
which was about four miles from Nazareth.

95
00:04:34.305 --> 00:04:36.915
And it seems that Mary's father,

96
00:04:36.915 --> 00:04:38.865
Joki was a man of the word of God.

97
00:04:38.865 --> 00:04:41.385
In fact, some say that he was a keeper

98
00:04:41.385 --> 00:04:43.215
of the sacred scrolls,

99
00:04:43.215 --> 00:04:46.265
which were kept in the
synagogue in Sephoras.

100
00:04:46.265 --> 00:04:49.865
And the collection of sacred
scroll scrolls in Sephoras was

101
00:04:49.865 --> 00:04:53.365
so important that eventually
when the temple was destroyed

102
00:04:53.365 --> 00:04:58.325
in the year 70 ad, the Sanhedrin
moved to the city of ti

103
00:04:58.325 --> 00:05:01.745
where all those scrolls were
that Mary was being raised

104
00:05:01.745 --> 00:05:04.285
by her parents to adhere
to the word of God,

105
00:05:04.285 --> 00:05:06.885
to love the word of God, to
be involved in church life

106
00:05:06.885 --> 00:05:08.005
or synagogue life.

107
00:05:08.945 --> 00:05:12.725
And she was understanding
from an early age that she was

108
00:05:12.725 --> 00:05:14.745
to be the handmaid of the Lord

109
00:05:14.745 --> 00:05:17.395
and to do whatever the
Lord wanted her to do.

110
00:05:17.395 --> 00:05:19.395
Well, it just so happens

111
00:05:19.395 --> 00:05:22.105
that there was a young
man working in se Fortis

112
00:05:22.105 --> 00:05:23.285
as a carpenter.

113
00:05:23.285 --> 00:05:26.715
That's what the Bible tells
us in the King James version.

114
00:05:26.715 --> 00:05:31.385
However, that word carpenter
is really a bad translation.

115
00:05:31.385 --> 00:05:33.305
It is the Greek word teton.

116
00:05:33.305 --> 00:05:36.705
The word teton can describe
a woodworking carpenter,

117
00:05:36.705 --> 00:05:40.645
but very rarely the word Teton
primarily describes somebody

118
00:05:40.645 --> 00:05:45.255
with highly advanced
technological skills, Teton

119
00:05:45.255 --> 00:05:48.585
technology, that's where the
word technology comes from.

120
00:05:48.585 --> 00:05:52.165
And believe it or not, those
that were Tetons were not poor.

121
00:05:52.165 --> 00:05:55.035
They were highly
compensated for their work.

122
00:05:55.035 --> 00:05:58.855
They made beautiful
mosaics, they made frescoes.

123
00:05:58.855 --> 00:06:01.325
These were individuals
who were really artisans.

124
00:06:01.325 --> 00:06:04.825
They created furniture and
jewelry and beautiful things.

125
00:06:04.825 --> 00:06:07.775
And the word tecton could
also describe a building

126
00:06:07.775 --> 00:06:09.795
supervisor and architect.

127
00:06:09.795 --> 00:06:11.995
This is somebody with wonderful skills

128
00:06:11.995 --> 00:06:14.985
that was highly compensated for his work.

129
00:06:14.985 --> 00:06:19.765
And it seems that Mary's
parents saw a young man in

130
00:06:19.765 --> 00:06:21.385
supporters who was working,

131
00:06:21.385 --> 00:06:24.305
who lived nearby in the city of Nazareth.

132
00:06:24.305 --> 00:06:28.725
The reason that we know Joseph
did not work in Nazareth is

133
00:06:28.725 --> 00:06:30.485
because there was no work in Nazareth.

134
00:06:30.485 --> 00:06:33.135
Nazareth was simply a sleeping community.

135
00:06:33.135 --> 00:06:35.265
There was nothing there to do.

136
00:06:35.265 --> 00:06:39.085
But Herod Anus had declared res,

137
00:06:39.085 --> 00:06:41.865
which was just four miles
away to be his new capital

138
00:06:41.865 --> 00:06:43.625
of Northern Galilee.

139
00:06:43.625 --> 00:06:45.645
And he had summoned the greatest artisans

140
00:06:45.645 --> 00:06:47.645
of the region together
to embellish the city

141
00:06:47.645 --> 00:06:49.025
and to decorate the city.

142
00:06:49.025 --> 00:06:52.625
And it seems that Joseph
was one of the tech duns

143
00:06:52.625 --> 00:06:56.325
or the highly advanced
artisans working in the city

144
00:06:56.325 --> 00:06:58.785
of support us to embellish the city.

145
00:06:58.785 --> 00:07:00.905
And Mary's parents must have seen him

146
00:07:00.905 --> 00:07:04.705
and must have said, wow,
this would be a great husband

147
00:07:04.705 --> 00:07:06.345
for our young girl.

148
00:07:06.345 --> 00:07:09.005
And the two of them became espoused.

149
00:07:09.005 --> 00:07:12.955
That's what the Bible says in
Luke chapter one, verse 26.

150
00:07:12.955 --> 00:07:15.635
Well, what does it mean to be a espouse?

151
00:07:15.635 --> 00:07:17.375
Well, the espousal process

152
00:07:17.375 --> 00:07:21.265
among the Jews was a
legally binding agreement.

153
00:07:21.265 --> 00:07:23.165
And the moment you became a espouse,

154
00:07:23.165 --> 00:07:25.915
the only way you could break
it would be by a divorce.

155
00:07:25.915 --> 00:07:30.225
However, when you were a espouse,
it was a legal engagement.

156
00:07:30.225 --> 00:07:33.985
You had no sexual
relationship for one year.

157
00:07:33.985 --> 00:07:37.545
And during that espousal
period, both the man

158
00:07:37.545 --> 00:07:41.105
and the woman took time
to prepare for marriage.

159
00:07:41.105 --> 00:07:42.745
It was a year of purity.

160
00:07:42.745 --> 00:07:45.865
It was a year of training
and preparation for marriage.

161
00:07:45.865 --> 00:07:49.035
And this shows us that the
Jewish people took marriage

162
00:07:49.035 --> 00:07:50.875
very, very seriously.

163
00:07:50.875 --> 00:07:53.715
They didn't just fall in love
and suddenly tie the knot.

164
00:07:53.715 --> 00:07:56.445
They took one year to prepare for marriage

165
00:07:56.445 --> 00:08:00.145
because they understood
marriage was the most serious

166
00:08:00.145 --> 00:08:01.835
responsibility in life.

167
00:08:01.835 --> 00:08:04.465
They took one year to
prepare for marriage,

168
00:08:04.465 --> 00:08:08.265
and during that year they
were to be sexually pure.

169
00:08:08.265 --> 00:08:10.905
And it was during that period when Mary

170
00:08:10.905 --> 00:08:13.595
and Joseph were in a year of preparation

171
00:08:13.595 --> 00:08:16.345
that the angel Gabriel appeared unto her

172
00:08:16.345 --> 00:08:19.345
and told her she would
be giving birth to Jesus.

173
00:08:19.345 --> 00:08:21.505
And the Bible tells us in verse 28,

174
00:08:21.505 --> 00:08:23.545
and the angel came in under her

175
00:08:23.545 --> 00:08:27.845
and said, hail thou that art
highly favored the Lord is

176
00:08:27.845 --> 00:08:30.215
with the blessed art thou among women.

177
00:08:30.215 --> 00:08:33.185
Verse 29. And when she saw him,

178
00:08:33.185 --> 00:08:35.305
she was troubled in his saying

179
00:08:35.305 --> 00:08:37.045
and cast in her mind what manner

180
00:08:37.045 --> 00:08:39.385
of salutation this should be.

181
00:08:39.385 --> 00:08:41.705
And the angel said unto her, fear not Mary

182
00:08:41.705 --> 00:08:44.745
for thou house found favor with God.

183
00:08:44.745 --> 00:08:47.605
But you know, I want you to
understand God does not choose

184
00:08:47.605 --> 00:08:50.145
people haphazardly or by accident.

185
00:08:50.145 --> 00:08:52.025
He doesn't just throw names into a bag

186
00:08:52.025 --> 00:08:54.125
and shake up all the names and reach in

187
00:08:54.125 --> 00:08:56.695
and pull a name out as if it is a lottery.

188
00:08:56.695 --> 00:09:00.115
There is a reason that
people find favor with God.

189
00:09:00.115 --> 00:09:03.595
Mary was a girl that had been
trained from the earliest age

190
00:09:03.595 --> 00:09:05.265
that God had brought her into the world

191
00:09:05.265 --> 00:09:07.165
for a special purpose and that she was

192
00:09:07.165 --> 00:09:09.215
to be the handmaid of the Lord.

193
00:09:09.215 --> 00:09:10.945
She'd been trained in the Word of God,

194
00:09:10.945 --> 00:09:13.825
and God had his eyes on Mary

195
00:09:13.825 --> 00:09:17.025
and he knew that Mary was
ready for such an assignment

196
00:09:17.025 --> 00:09:20.745
and now she has found favor with God.

197
00:09:20.745 --> 00:09:23.945
And verse 30 says, the angel
said unto her, fear not Mary,

198
00:09:23.945 --> 00:09:25.945
for thou has found favor with God

199
00:09:25.945 --> 00:09:29.325
and behold, thou shalt
conceive in thy womb

200
00:09:29.325 --> 00:09:32.805
and bring forth a son and
shall call his name Jesus

201
00:09:33.705 --> 00:09:35.205
and he shall be great and shall be

202
00:09:35.205 --> 00:09:36.865
called the son of the highest.

203
00:09:36.865 --> 00:09:39.525
And the Lord God shall
give unto him the throne

204
00:09:39.525 --> 00:09:42.405
of his father David, and he
shall reign over the house

205
00:09:42.405 --> 00:09:44.655
of Jacob forever and of his kingdom.

206
00:09:44.655 --> 00:09:46.005
There shall be no end.

207
00:09:46.005 --> 00:09:49.275
And when you come to verse
34, you find how pliable

208
00:09:49.275 --> 00:09:51.745
Mary was in the hands of God.

209
00:09:51.745 --> 00:09:55.685
She simply said, how shall this be seen?

210
00:09:55.685 --> 00:09:59.635
I know not a man. She
didn't say impossible.

211
00:09:59.635 --> 00:10:03.145
This cannot be, I've never
had a sexual relationship.

212
00:10:03.145 --> 00:10:05.965
She simply said, how shall this be?

213
00:10:05.965 --> 00:10:08.605
And I want to tell you that
if God has given you an

214
00:10:08.605 --> 00:10:11.265
assignment that you don't
understand, don't argue with him,

215
00:10:11.265 --> 00:10:14.505
but it's all right for
you to seek clarification.

216
00:10:14.505 --> 00:10:16.165
And Mary said, how shall this be?

217
00:10:16.165 --> 00:10:19.635
Just please explain to me how
is this going to come to pass?

218
00:10:19.635 --> 00:10:21.045
I've never sexually known a man

219
00:10:21.045 --> 00:10:24.065
and yet I'm going to bear
a son and call him Jesus.

220
00:10:24.065 --> 00:10:26.045
And the Bible tells us
in verse three five,

221
00:10:26.045 --> 00:10:27.185
the angel answered

222
00:10:27.185 --> 00:10:30.485
and said unto her, the Holy
Ghost will come upon thee

223
00:10:30.485 --> 00:10:32.755
and the power of the highest
will overshadow thee.

224
00:10:32.755 --> 00:10:35.565
Therefore, that holy
thing which shall be born

225
00:10:35.565 --> 00:10:37.825
of these shall be called the son of God.

226
00:10:37.825 --> 00:10:40.025
And then we read in verse 36,

227
00:10:40.025 --> 00:10:42.015
and behold, thy cousin Elizabeth,

228
00:10:42.015 --> 00:10:45.105
she's also conceived a son in her old age,

229
00:10:45.105 --> 00:10:47.085
and this is the sixth month with her,

230
00:10:47.085 --> 00:10:48.905
which is called barren.

231
00:10:48.905 --> 00:10:53.355
And then when we come to verse
37, it says, for with God,

232
00:10:53.355 --> 00:10:57.705
nothing shall be impossible in verse 38.

233
00:10:57.705 --> 00:11:00.705
And Mary said, behold
the handmade of the Lord,

234
00:11:00.705 --> 00:11:04.345
be it unto me according to thy word.

235
00:11:04.345 --> 00:11:08.085
In that moment, Mary said,
this is my assignment.

236
00:11:08.085 --> 00:11:11.355
I was brought into the world
for this. This is my moment.

237
00:11:11.355 --> 00:11:14.045
I've always been told
by my parents that I'm

238
00:11:14.045 --> 00:11:16.945
to do whatever it is that God
has asked me to do in life,

239
00:11:16.945 --> 00:11:20.225
and now I've discovered
this is his plan for me.

240
00:11:20.225 --> 00:11:24.385
She didn't argue. She simply
said, be it unto me according

241
00:11:24.385 --> 00:11:25.705
to thy word.

242
00:11:25.705 --> 00:11:30.225
And in that moment, she
conceived the Son of God.

243
00:11:30.225 --> 00:11:31.285
And the Bible goes on

244
00:11:31.285 --> 00:11:34.985
to tell us in Luke chapter two verse one,

245
00:11:34.985 --> 00:11:37.315
and it came to pass in those days

246
00:11:37.315 --> 00:11:40.035
that there went out a
decree from Caesar Augustus

247
00:11:40.035 --> 00:11:43.115
that all the world should be taxed.

248
00:11:43.115 --> 00:11:45.645
This decree from Caesar
Augustus was issued

249
00:11:45.645 --> 00:11:47.145
through the Roman Senate,

250
00:11:47.145 --> 00:11:50.245
and the verse says that all
the world should be taxed.

251
00:11:50.245 --> 00:11:53.185
The word world describes
the civilized world,

252
00:11:53.185 --> 00:11:56.425
the sophisticated world, or
the world of the Roman Empire.

253
00:11:56.425 --> 00:11:59.625
So this was not Africa
or America or China,

254
00:11:59.625 --> 00:12:01.785
but this was the Roman Empire.

255
00:12:01.785 --> 00:12:05.225
And the purpose of this
taxation was to find out

256
00:12:05.225 --> 00:12:08.835
how large was the tax
base in the Roman Empire

257
00:12:08.835 --> 00:12:12.305
because during the days of
Caesar Augustus, the territory

258
00:12:12.305 --> 00:12:14.555
of the Roman Empire doubled.

259
00:12:14.555 --> 00:12:17.825
They wanted to know what
was the total population

260
00:12:17.825 --> 00:12:20.075
of the empire so they could determine

261
00:12:20.075 --> 00:12:22.025
what was their tax base.

262
00:12:22.025 --> 00:12:24.445
And when the Bible says
everyone was to be taxed,

263
00:12:24.445 --> 00:12:28.745
this word tax really describes
an empire wide census

264
00:12:28.745 --> 00:12:32.985
and everyone was to return
to their own city to do this.

265
00:12:32.985 --> 00:12:35.865
We read about it in verse
two, and this taxing

266
00:12:35.865 --> 00:12:40.145
or this census was first
made when SIUs was governor

267
00:12:40.145 --> 00:12:43.105
of Syria, verse three
and all went to be taxed

268
00:12:43.105 --> 00:12:47.825
or to participate in the census,
everyone to his own city.

269
00:12:47.825 --> 00:12:51.955
And here we find God miraculously at work.

270
00:12:51.955 --> 00:12:54.805
According to this census, Mary

271
00:12:54.805 --> 00:12:58.215
and Joseph were returned,
were to return to Bethlehem,

272
00:12:58.215 --> 00:13:01.185
which was just a short
distance from Jerusalem,

273
00:13:01.185 --> 00:13:03.815
but Bethlehem was just a dot on the map.

274
00:13:03.815 --> 00:13:07.565
There was no natural reason
for anyone to want to go

275
00:13:07.565 --> 00:13:08.905
to Bethlehem.

276
00:13:08.905 --> 00:13:12.795
But according to biblical
prophecy, the Messiah

277
00:13:12.795 --> 00:13:16.315
must be born in the city of Bethlehem.

278
00:13:16.315 --> 00:13:18.265
Mary is about to give birth,

279
00:13:18.265 --> 00:13:21.065
but there's no reason for
Mary to be in Bethlehem.

280
00:13:21.065 --> 00:13:22.865
And going to Bethlehem would be a long

281
00:13:22.865 --> 00:13:26.155
and difficult journey for a
person that's in good shape.

282
00:13:26.155 --> 00:13:28.305
That journey would be about three days.

283
00:13:28.305 --> 00:13:30.965
But for a woman who was
pregnant who would need

284
00:13:30.965 --> 00:13:33.545
to stop many times along the
way to go to the restroom

285
00:13:33.545 --> 00:13:35.405
or to take a break and to set up tent

286
00:13:35.405 --> 00:13:38.915
and break down tent, it
might take 10 to 12 days.

287
00:13:38.915 --> 00:13:40.705
This was quite a difficult journey.

288
00:13:40.705 --> 00:13:44.285
And naturally they had no
reason to go there except now

289
00:13:45.165 --> 00:13:48.045
a decree has been made by the
Roman, by the Roman Senate

290
00:13:48.045 --> 00:13:50.885
that everyone must return
to their original hometown.

291
00:13:51.745 --> 00:13:56.405
God literally moved the
entire world just to get M

292
00:13:56.405 --> 00:14:01.045
and Joseph where they needed
to be on time for the Messiah

293
00:14:01.045 --> 00:14:03.395
to be born in Bethlehem.

294
00:14:03.395 --> 00:14:06.095
This tells me that if God needs to do it,

295
00:14:06.095 --> 00:14:10.345
he'll move the whole world to
get you where you need to be.

296
00:14:10.345 --> 00:14:13.565
And can you imagine all the
complaining which must have been

297
00:14:13.565 --> 00:14:16.225
going on at that time as
businesses were closed,

298
00:14:16.225 --> 00:14:17.465
people couldn't work.

299
00:14:17.465 --> 00:14:18.845
People were taking a vacation

300
00:14:18.845 --> 00:14:20.845
that they didn't want to take us.

301
00:14:20.845 --> 00:14:24.425
Everyone was required to return
to their original hometown,

302
00:14:24.425 --> 00:14:26.985
but God was working

303
00:14:26.985 --> 00:14:29.385
and think about what an
inconvenience this was

304
00:14:29.385 --> 00:14:31.275
for Mary and Joseph.

305
00:14:31.275 --> 00:14:33.625
Even for them it was very inconvenience.

306
00:14:33.625 --> 00:14:35.785
She was very pregnant
and about to give birth,

307
00:14:35.785 --> 00:14:39.865
but this tells me that sometimes
God will even inconvenience

308
00:14:39.865 --> 00:14:43.185
us to get us where we need to be.

309
00:14:43.185 --> 00:14:44.865
But if we have a heart to say yes

310
00:14:44.865 --> 00:14:48.025
and to do the will of
God, God will move heaven

311
00:14:48.025 --> 00:14:51.905
and earth to get you where you need to be

312
00:14:51.905 --> 00:14:54.745
and he'll get you there on time.

313
00:14:54.745 --> 00:14:58.345
And the Bible tells us that
they returned to their own city.

314
00:14:58.345 --> 00:15:02.075
And in verse four, it says
in Joseph went also up from

315
00:15:02.075 --> 00:15:04.725
Galilee out of Nazareth into Judea.

316
00:15:04.725 --> 00:15:06.525
And the reason it says he went up is

317
00:15:06.525 --> 00:15:10.875
because Bethlehem geographically
was higher than Nazareth

318
00:15:10.875 --> 00:15:12.505
because he was of the house

319
00:15:12.505 --> 00:15:15.345
and of the lineage of David
to be taxed with Mary,

320
00:15:15.345 --> 00:15:18.105
his espoused wife being great with child.

321
00:15:18.105 --> 00:15:20.805
And to this moment, we know
from the gospel of Matthew

322
00:15:21.675 --> 00:15:24.355
that they had never had
a sexual relationship.

323
00:15:24.355 --> 00:15:28.945
This is truly miraculous that
Mary has become pregnant,

324
00:15:28.945 --> 00:15:30.845
and the Bible tells us in verse six.

325
00:15:32.225 --> 00:15:34.085
And so it was that while they were there,

326
00:15:35.545 --> 00:15:37.965
the days were accomplished
that she should be delivered

327
00:15:37.965 --> 00:15:40.025
or she should give birth verse seven.

328
00:15:40.025 --> 00:15:42.625
And she brought forth her firstborn son

329
00:15:42.625 --> 00:15:44.465
and wrapped him in swaddling clothes

330
00:15:44.465 --> 00:15:46.115
and laid him in a manger

331
00:15:46.115 --> 00:15:49.265
because there was no
room for them in the end.

332
00:15:49.265 --> 00:15:52.445
But notice it says she brought
forth her firstborn son.

333
00:15:52.445 --> 00:15:55.165
There are some denominations which teach

334
00:15:55.165 --> 00:15:58.185
that Mary only had Jesus
and no more children,

335
00:15:58.185 --> 00:16:00.925
but he's called firstborn
because he was the firstborn.

336
00:16:00.925 --> 00:16:02.905
There were others born after him.

337
00:16:02.905 --> 00:16:06.825
And we read in Matthew
chapter 13, verse 55

338
00:16:06.825 --> 00:16:09.805
and 56, the names of the other brothers

339
00:16:09.805 --> 00:16:12.065
and sisters, which were born after Jesus.

340
00:16:12.065 --> 00:16:15.345
One was named James. One was named Jude.

341
00:16:15.345 --> 00:16:18.065
One was named Simeon,
one was named Joseph.

342
00:16:18.065 --> 00:16:21.625
And Matthew 13, verse 56
says, there were sisters,

343
00:16:21.625 --> 00:16:24.705
the Greek is plural, so
at least there were two.

344
00:16:24.705 --> 00:16:28.605
So we find that after Jesus
was born as the firstborn,

345
00:16:28.605 --> 00:16:30.705
miraculous born son, Mary

346
00:16:30.705 --> 00:16:34.025
and Joseph had normal sexual
relationships after that

347
00:16:34.025 --> 00:16:38.265
and produced other children,
at least another six siblings.

348
00:16:38.265 --> 00:16:43.175
And it is amazing the Holy
family. Jesus was the son of God.

349
00:16:43.175 --> 00:16:47.065
James, his next born
brother, became the pastor

350
00:16:47.065 --> 00:16:48.505
of the church in Jerusalem.

351
00:16:48.505 --> 00:16:50.065
One of his brothers was named Jude,

352
00:16:50.065 --> 00:16:51.865
who wrote the book of Jude.

353
00:16:51.865 --> 00:16:54.565
And we know by writings
of early church fathers

354
00:16:54.565 --> 00:16:57.685
that the entire holy
family eventually became

355
00:16:57.685 --> 00:16:59.385
involved in the ministry.

356
00:16:59.385 --> 00:17:03.105
And this is an example of how
God loves to call families.

357
00:17:03.105 --> 00:17:05.295
God wants to call your family.

358
00:17:05.295 --> 00:17:07.845
We're told in Acts chapter 16, verse 31,

359
00:17:07.845 --> 00:17:10.945
believe on the Lord Jesus
Christ and thou shall be saved

360
00:17:10.945 --> 00:17:14.865
and all thy house you need to
believe for your whole house

361
00:17:14.865 --> 00:17:17.025
to come to the Lord and for your family

362
00:17:17.025 --> 00:17:20.305
to find out God's divine plan for them.

363
00:17:20.305 --> 00:17:25.145
God just loves to call and
to use entire families.

364
00:17:25.145 --> 00:17:28.705
But the Bible tells us in
Luke chapter two, verse seven,

365
00:17:28.705 --> 00:17:30.945
she brought forth her firstborn son

366
00:17:30.945 --> 00:17:33.185
and wrapped him in swaddling clothes

367
00:17:33.185 --> 00:17:34.995
and laid him in a manger.

368
00:17:34.995 --> 00:17:36.795
Well, we have a little problem.

369
00:17:36.795 --> 00:17:41.245
Most people think that Jesus
was bar born in a barn made out

370
00:17:41.245 --> 00:17:43.705
of wood, and that when he was born,

371
00:17:43.705 --> 00:17:46.025
he was laid in a manger made out of wood.

372
00:17:46.025 --> 00:17:49.985
But this is not in agreement
with what we know from history.

373
00:17:49.985 --> 00:17:54.985
For example, in the year
one 50 ad Justin Martyr,

374
00:17:54.985 --> 00:17:57.105
an early church leader who was born

375
00:17:57.105 --> 00:18:00.595
and raised just 30 miles
from Bethlehem, wrote

376
00:18:00.595 --> 00:18:02.775
that there was a cave in Bethlehem

377
00:18:02.775 --> 00:18:05.865
where the light first came into the world.

378
00:18:05.865 --> 00:18:09.475
You see, back in those days
in the area of Bethlehem,

379
00:18:09.475 --> 00:18:12.235
they didn't need to have
barns made out of wood

380
00:18:12.235 --> 00:18:15.335
because all around the
ancient city of Bethlehem,

381
00:18:15.335 --> 00:18:19.335
there were caves that
shepherds used for barns.

382
00:18:19.335 --> 00:18:21.475
There was no need to build a wooden barn

383
00:18:21.475 --> 00:18:23.985
because the caves that
were there were shallow

384
00:18:23.985 --> 00:18:28.265
and they were ideal to use
as barns for their flocks

385
00:18:28.265 --> 00:18:30.145
or for their animals.

386
00:18:30.145 --> 00:18:33.965
And we know from the year
2 48 ad from the writings

387
00:18:33.965 --> 00:18:36.475
of origin, the great church theologian

388
00:18:36.475 --> 00:18:40.665
that Jesus was born in a
cave in Bethlehem history

389
00:18:40.665 --> 00:18:42.225
really verifies this.

390
00:18:42.225 --> 00:18:46.325
And in the year 3 26,
Helena, who was the mother

391
00:18:46.325 --> 00:18:49.545
of the emperor, Constantine,
had converted to Christ

392
00:18:49.545 --> 00:18:52.685
and with money from the Imperial
Treasury in constant noble,

393
00:18:52.685 --> 00:18:55.665
she made a trip to what
was then called Palestine.

394
00:18:55.665 --> 00:18:57.185
And she began to find

395
00:18:57.185 --> 00:19:00.885
and identify all the locations
where significant events

396
00:19:00.885 --> 00:19:02.905
occurred in the gospels.

397
00:19:02.905 --> 00:19:05.305
And she was able to interview the children

398
00:19:05.305 --> 00:19:06.465
and great-grandchildren

399
00:19:06.465 --> 00:19:09.405
and great-great-grandchildren
who remembered where all

400
00:19:09.405 --> 00:19:11.185
of these events took place

401
00:19:11.185 --> 00:19:15.025
and identified the cave
where Jesus was born.

402
00:19:15.025 --> 00:19:17.785
And in the year three thirty nine, a ED,

403
00:19:17.785 --> 00:19:21.105
the first cathedral was
built above the cave.

404
00:19:21.105 --> 00:19:24.185
It was called the Church of the Nativity.

405
00:19:24.185 --> 00:19:26.425
And people begin to come there to worship.

406
00:19:26.425 --> 00:19:30.085
But then in the year five 20,
the Emperor Justinian said,

407
00:19:30.085 --> 00:19:33.385
this site is so significant,
it needs a better cathedral.

408
00:19:33.385 --> 00:19:35.945
So they tore down the first
one, built a second one,

409
00:19:35.945 --> 00:19:40.205
and it has been standing there
from the year five 20 a ED.

410
00:19:40.205 --> 00:19:42.785
And if you've ever been to
Bethlehem, to the Church

411
00:19:42.785 --> 00:19:46.745
of the Nativity, that is the
cathedral that was erected

412
00:19:46.745 --> 00:19:49.905
by the Emperor Justinian
in the year five 20.

413
00:19:49.905 --> 00:19:54.245
And that site is the longest
abiding site in the history

414
00:19:54.245 --> 00:19:58.065
of Christianity where
people have come to worship.

415
00:19:58.065 --> 00:20:00.955
And Jesus really was born in the cave.

416
00:20:00.955 --> 00:20:03.615
Sometimes it's referred to as the grotto,

417
00:20:03.615 --> 00:20:08.075
which is under the high altar
of the church of the Nativity.

418
00:20:08.075 --> 00:20:11.345
It's also very interesting
that both Justin Martyr

419
00:20:11.345 --> 00:20:15.775
and origin wrote that 150
years and 250 years later

420
00:20:15.775 --> 00:20:19.065
after Jesus' birth, people
were still coming to the cave

421
00:20:19.065 --> 00:20:23.315
to see the manger where the
Christ child had been laid.

422
00:20:23.315 --> 00:20:25.325
Well, if the manger had
been made out of wood,

423
00:20:25.325 --> 00:20:28.025
it would've rotted or it
would've been carried away.

424
00:20:28.025 --> 00:20:31.835
But mangers in those caves
were not made out of wood.

425
00:20:31.835 --> 00:20:34.515
They were fashioned from
the side of the cave.

426
00:20:34.515 --> 00:20:37.525
They were actually a
feature of the cave itself,

427
00:20:37.525 --> 00:20:39.545
a hollowed out place of stone.

428
00:20:39.545 --> 00:20:43.065
And 150 years, 250 years
later, it was still there.

429
00:20:43.065 --> 00:20:46.285
And it's interesting that
today when you go to the Church

430
00:20:46.285 --> 00:20:50.195
of the Nativity and you go to
the high altar on either side,

431
00:20:50.195 --> 00:20:54.365
there's two sets of descending
stairs into the lower grotto.

432
00:20:54.365 --> 00:20:56.965
And when you go into the
bottom, there's a bronze star,

433
00:20:56.965 --> 00:20:59.255
which is in set in the marble floor,

434
00:20:59.255 --> 00:21:02.445
which identifies the place
where Jesus was born and nearby.

435
00:21:02.445 --> 00:21:05.815
There really is a stone manger,

436
00:21:05.815 --> 00:21:07.645
which possibly could be the manger

437
00:21:07.645 --> 00:21:10.785
that Jesus was laid in
when he was born there.

438
00:21:10.785 --> 00:21:13.145
But this really occurred in a cave.

439
00:21:13.145 --> 00:21:15.505
And the Bible says that Mary wrapped him

440
00:21:15.505 --> 00:21:16.995
in swaddling clothes.

441
00:21:16.995 --> 00:21:19.715
What does that mean swaddling clothes?

442
00:21:19.715 --> 00:21:23.815
Well, remember those caves
were used by shepherds,

443
00:21:23.815 --> 00:21:25.465
especially for their lambs.

444
00:21:25.465 --> 00:21:28.455
And in the region all around Bethlehem,

445
00:21:28.455 --> 00:21:30.065
there was a special group

446
00:21:30.065 --> 00:21:32.785
of shepherds under rabbinical care,

447
00:21:32.785 --> 00:21:35.545
and their charge was to breed

448
00:21:35.545 --> 00:21:38.545
and to raise lambs, which were to be used

449
00:21:38.545 --> 00:21:42.535
as sacrifices at the
temple in Jerusalem nearby,

450
00:21:42.535 --> 00:21:44.785
especially at the time of the Passover.

451
00:21:44.785 --> 00:21:49.455
And every year they
slaughtered about 260,000

452
00:21:49.455 --> 00:21:52.145
lambs at the time of Passover.

453
00:21:52.145 --> 00:21:53.945
And the shepherds who lived

454
00:21:53.945 --> 00:21:56.835
and worked in the fields
around Bethlehem were charged

455
00:21:56.835 --> 00:22:00.385
with raising those Passover lambs.

456
00:22:00.385 --> 00:22:02.995
And when the Passover lambs were born,

457
00:22:02.995 --> 00:22:04.825
they would take the little lambs

458
00:22:04.825 --> 00:22:07.445
and they would wrap them in
swaddling clothes which were

459
00:22:07.445 --> 00:22:10.795
bandages to make sure they
didn't bruise their their little

460
00:22:10.795 --> 00:22:12.955
legs or break the to the legs

461
00:22:12.955 --> 00:22:15.195
that they would be lambs without blemish.

462
00:22:15.195 --> 00:22:17.485
Then they would take the little lambs

463
00:22:17.485 --> 00:22:19.165
and they would lay them in the manger

464
00:22:19.165 --> 00:22:22.585
and call for a priest who
had come to inspect the lamb

465
00:22:22.585 --> 00:22:25.835
to make sure that it was blemish free.

466
00:22:25.835 --> 00:22:29.625
When Mary took Jesus and
wrapped him in swaddling clothes

467
00:22:29.625 --> 00:22:31.505
and then laid him in a manger,

468
00:22:31.505 --> 00:22:35.305
it means in Jesus' very
first appearance, he appeared

469
00:22:35.305 --> 00:22:38.585
as the lamb of God, which was born

470
00:22:38.585 --> 00:22:41.475
to take away the sin of the world.

471
00:22:41.475 --> 00:22:44.345
Only little lambs were
wrapped in swaddling clothes

472
00:22:44.345 --> 00:22:46.225
and laid in a manger.

473
00:22:46.225 --> 00:22:50.665
And now we find Jesus in his
very first appearance appearing

474
00:22:50.665 --> 00:22:54.025
as the lamb of God who
was born to take away

475
00:22:54.025 --> 00:22:55.285
the sin of the world.

476
00:22:55.285 --> 00:23:00.025
That is amazing. But then
something else happened.

477
00:23:00.025 --> 00:23:02.265
We read in verse eight,

478
00:23:02.265 --> 00:23:04.005
and there were in the same country,

479
00:23:04.005 --> 00:23:05.955
shepherds abiding in the field,

480
00:23:05.955 --> 00:23:08.335
keeping what's over their flocks by night.

481
00:23:08.335 --> 00:23:11.345
These were the special
shepherds under rabbinical care,

482
00:23:11.345 --> 00:23:14.235
and they had their eyes
fixed on those sheep

483
00:23:14.235 --> 00:23:16.125
because these were no mere sheep.

484
00:23:16.125 --> 00:23:18.725
They were raising. These
were sheep which were

485
00:23:18.725 --> 00:23:22.545
to be sacrificed at the time
of Passover in Jerusalem.

486
00:23:22.545 --> 00:23:25.625
And verse nine says, and low,
the word low in Greek means,

487
00:23:25.625 --> 00:23:27.385
wow, it is amazing.

488
00:23:27.385 --> 00:23:29.545
The angel of the Lord came upon them,

489
00:23:29.545 --> 00:23:33.185
and the glory of the Lord
shown roundabout them,

490
00:23:33.185 --> 00:23:34.955
and they were so afraid.

491
00:23:34.955 --> 00:23:37.945
When the Bible says the angel
of the Lord came upon them,

492
00:23:37.945 --> 00:23:40.675
the Greek word describes
a surprise appearance

493
00:23:40.675 --> 00:23:42.945
that took them completely off guard.

494
00:23:42.945 --> 00:23:46.385
The word glory. The Greek word
dosa doesn't just describe

495
00:23:46.385 --> 00:23:47.745
the brilliant glory of God,

496
00:23:47.745 --> 00:23:50.225
but also the weighty presence of God.

497
00:23:50.225 --> 00:23:52.835
If you've ever been in the
presence of God that was heavy,

498
00:23:52.835 --> 00:23:54.265
sometimes it is so heavy,

499
00:23:54.265 --> 00:23:56.585
you feel like you'll
collapse under the weight

500
00:23:56.585 --> 00:23:57.705
of the glory of God.

501
00:23:57.705 --> 00:24:00.245
And it's very likely
that when this angel came

502
00:24:00.245 --> 00:24:02.005
with his weighty, weighty glory

503
00:24:02.005 --> 00:24:05.265
that these shepherds collapsed
under the glory of God.

504
00:24:05.265 --> 00:24:07.325
And the verse says that the glory

505
00:24:07.325 --> 00:24:09.995
of the Lord shone round about
them, shone round about them,

506
00:24:09.995 --> 00:24:11.565
does not describe a light

507
00:24:11.565 --> 00:24:13.585
that lighted up the entire countryside.

508
00:24:13.585 --> 00:24:17.045
But suddenly they found
themselves encased in a beam

509
00:24:17.045 --> 00:24:20.265
of concentrated light, and
they looked up into that beam,

510
00:24:20.265 --> 00:24:24.465
and there was one singular
angel who was speaking to them.

511
00:24:24.465 --> 00:24:25.625
And verse 10 says,

512
00:24:25.625 --> 00:24:30.005
and the angel said unto
them, fear not for behold.

513
00:24:30.005 --> 00:24:31.725
I bring you good tidings of great joy,

514
00:24:31.725 --> 00:24:33.335
which shall be to all the people.

515
00:24:33.335 --> 00:24:36.605
Verse 11, for unto you is
born this day in the city

516
00:24:36.605 --> 00:24:40.675
of David, a savior,
which is Christ the Lord.

517
00:24:40.675 --> 00:24:41.765
This is so powerful.

518
00:24:41.765 --> 00:24:44.205
The word savior describes a deliverer,

519
00:24:44.205 --> 00:24:46.785
a healer, a preserver.

520
00:24:46.785 --> 00:24:49.785
The word Christ is the
word for the Messiah.

521
00:24:49.785 --> 00:24:51.145
The angel literally said,

522
00:24:51.145 --> 00:24:53.805
the deliverer who's gonna set
mankind free from the rule

523
00:24:53.805 --> 00:24:57.105
of Satan, the Messiah, himself, the Lord.

524
00:24:57.105 --> 00:25:01.185
The word Lord is the same word
used in the Old Testaments

525
00:25:01.185 --> 00:25:02.595
to describe Jehovah.

526
00:25:02.595 --> 00:25:04.625
This was Jehovah in the flesh.

527
00:25:04.625 --> 00:25:08.785
And the angel said, he has
just now been born verse 12,

528
00:25:08.785 --> 00:25:12.065
and this shall be a sign unto you.

529
00:25:12.065 --> 00:25:16.265
You shall find the babe
wrapped in swaddling clothes

530
00:25:16.265 --> 00:25:18.515
and lying in a manger.

531
00:25:18.515 --> 00:25:21.305
When verse 12 says, this
will be a sign unto you,

532
00:25:21.305 --> 00:25:23.945
the Greek literally means this
will be a sign, especially

533
00:25:23.945 --> 00:25:25.925
for you guys.

534
00:25:25.925 --> 00:25:29.295
Remember, these were shepherds
under rabbinical care.

535
00:25:29.295 --> 00:25:33.455
Their charge was to keep their
eyes fixed on those lambs,

536
00:25:33.455 --> 00:25:37.945
which would be offered in
sacrifice in Jerusalem at the time

537
00:25:37.945 --> 00:25:39.465
of the Passover.

538
00:25:39.465 --> 00:25:41.845
And when those little lambs
were born under their care,

539
00:25:41.845 --> 00:25:43.565
they wrapped them in swaddling clothes.

540
00:25:43.565 --> 00:25:44.765
They laid them in a manger

541
00:25:44.765 --> 00:25:46.605
and called on a priest who had come

542
00:25:46.605 --> 00:25:48.905
to inspect the newborn land.

543
00:25:48.905 --> 00:25:51.825
Now, the angel says, this is
a special sign for you guys.

544
00:25:51.825 --> 00:25:56.395
You see, you've had your
eyes fixed on the wrong lamb

545
00:25:56.395 --> 00:26:01.395
because the real lamb of
God, Christ Jesus, the Lord,

546
00:26:01.585 --> 00:26:03.485
he has just been bored nearby.

547
00:26:03.485 --> 00:26:06.235
And you're gonna find him
and you'll know it's him

548
00:26:06.235 --> 00:26:07.985
because when you see him,

549
00:26:07.985 --> 00:26:11.005
he will look like a little
lamb wrapped in swaddling

550
00:26:11.005 --> 00:26:13.675
clothes, lying in a manger.

551
00:26:13.675 --> 00:26:16.225
It's also interesting that
they said you will find him.

552
00:26:16.225 --> 00:26:19.485
The word find is a form
of the Greek word risco.

553
00:26:19.485 --> 00:26:21.385
It's where we get the word eureka,

554
00:26:21.385 --> 00:26:24.485
but it describes a very
serious investigation.

555
00:26:24.485 --> 00:26:27.305
There were a lot of
caves around Bethlehem,

556
00:26:27.305 --> 00:26:29.325
and to find the right
cave, they were gonna have

557
00:26:29.325 --> 00:26:31.005
to go from cave to cave to cave.

558
00:26:31.005 --> 00:26:33.395
But if they would be
faithful to follow through,

559
00:26:33.395 --> 00:26:34.985
they would find the right place.

560
00:26:34.985 --> 00:26:38.245
And when they found the little
babe wrapped in swaddling

561
00:26:38.245 --> 00:26:40.705
clothes like a little
lamb lying in a manger,

562
00:26:40.705 --> 00:26:43.705
it would be a eureka moment for them.

563
00:26:43.705 --> 00:26:47.145
Wow. And the verse goes
on to say in verse 13,

564
00:26:47.145 --> 00:26:50.985
and suddenly, suddenly
there was with the angel.

565
00:26:50.985 --> 00:26:53.345
So until this time, it's been one angel,

566
00:26:53.345 --> 00:26:56.825
and suddenly there is with
the angel, a multitude

567
00:26:56.825 --> 00:26:59.025
of the heavenly host praising God

568
00:26:59.025 --> 00:27:01.905
and saying, glory to God in the highest

569
00:27:01.905 --> 00:27:05.905
and on earth, peace, goodwill toward men.

570
00:27:05.905 --> 00:27:09.405
But the Bible says suddenly
there was with the one angel,

571
00:27:09.405 --> 00:27:13.485
a multitude of the heavenly
host, the word multitude

572
00:27:13.485 --> 00:27:15.225
describes a colossal number.

573
00:27:15.225 --> 00:27:17.985
It was an enormous number of angels.

574
00:27:17.985 --> 00:27:20.145
And the Bible says of a heavenly host,

575
00:27:20.145 --> 00:27:22.765
the word host describes armies.

576
00:27:22.765 --> 00:27:26.715
Suddenly the sky was
filled with so many angels

577
00:27:26.715 --> 00:27:29.465
that the shepherds were
unable to count them all,

578
00:27:29.465 --> 00:27:32.495
and the angels were all
dressed like soldiers.

579
00:27:32.495 --> 00:27:34.305
These were warring angels,

580
00:27:34.305 --> 00:27:37.185
and they suddenly all
appeared at one time.

581
00:27:37.185 --> 00:27:40.665
Why did the angels all
come in this moment?

582
00:27:40.665 --> 00:27:42.375
And there are several possibilities.

583
00:27:42.375 --> 00:27:46.595
First of all, the apostle
Paul tells us in first

584
00:27:46.595 --> 00:27:50.265
Timothy chapter two that
when Jesus was born,

585
00:27:50.265 --> 00:27:54.735
God was manifest in the
flesh and seen of angels.

586
00:27:54.735 --> 00:27:57.305
Until this moment, no angel

587
00:27:57.305 --> 00:27:59.505
had ever looked in the face of God.

588
00:27:59.505 --> 00:28:01.325
Is that amazing? In fact,

589
00:28:01.325 --> 00:28:05.085
even if you read Isaiah chapter
six, it tells us the mighty,

590
00:28:05.085 --> 00:28:06.365
mighty angels in the presence

591
00:28:06.365 --> 00:28:08.845
of God cover their faces with their wings.

592
00:28:08.845 --> 00:28:10.565
They can't look into the face of God

593
00:28:10.565 --> 00:28:12.425
because the glory is so brilliant.

594
00:28:12.425 --> 00:28:16.785
But when Jesus was born as a
baby for the very first time,

595
00:28:16.785 --> 00:28:19.825
angels were allowed to look into the face

596
00:28:19.825 --> 00:28:22.985
of God in the person of Jesus Christ.

597
00:28:22.985 --> 00:28:24.395
And they all came

598
00:28:24.395 --> 00:28:27.005
because they were able to see the face

599
00:28:27.005 --> 00:28:29.785
of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

600
00:28:29.785 --> 00:28:32.875
But there's something else.
The reason they all came

601
00:28:32.875 --> 00:28:36.645
dressed like warring angels,
less dressed like an army is

602
00:28:36.645 --> 00:28:39.865
because they were saluting
their commander in chief

603
00:28:39.865 --> 00:28:43.705
who had just initiated
his earthly assignment,

604
00:28:43.705 --> 00:28:47.705
and they all came to
salute him in his birth.

605
00:28:47.705 --> 00:28:49.945
And the Bible tells us in verse 15,

606
00:28:49.945 --> 00:28:54.395
and it came to pass as the
angels were gone away from them

607
00:28:54.395 --> 00:28:57.065
into heaven, that the
shepherd said one to another,

608
00:28:57.065 --> 00:28:58.905
let us go now even to Bethlehem

609
00:28:58.905 --> 00:29:00.935
and see this thing which has come to pass,

610
00:29:00.935 --> 00:29:04.625
which the Lord has made
known unto us, verse 16.

611
00:29:04.625 --> 00:29:06.355
And they came with haste.

612
00:29:06.355 --> 00:29:09.875
They didn't wait a
minute and found, whoop.

613
00:29:09.875 --> 00:29:12.285
That word found is where
we get the word Eureka.

614
00:29:12.285 --> 00:29:15.355
This was a eureka moment,
Eureka. We found it.

615
00:29:15.355 --> 00:29:17.065
They found Mary and Joseph

616
00:29:17.065 --> 00:29:20.355
and the babe laying in the manger

617
00:29:20.355 --> 00:29:22.625
just like they had been told.

618
00:29:22.625 --> 00:29:25.795
And when they saw Jesus
laying in that manger,

619
00:29:25.795 --> 00:29:28.125
wrapped in swaddling clothes, they saw

620
00:29:28.125 --> 00:29:32.085
with their own eyes the lamb
of God that had been born

621
00:29:32.085 --> 00:29:34.705
to take away the sins of the world.

622
00:29:34.705 --> 00:29:36.425
And verse 17 says,

623
00:29:36.425 --> 00:29:38.275
and when they had seen it,

624
00:29:38.275 --> 00:29:41.085
they made known abroad the
saying which was told them

625
00:29:41.085 --> 00:29:43.225
concerning the child, verse 18.

626
00:29:43.225 --> 00:29:46.695
And all they that heard it
wondered at those things

627
00:29:46.695 --> 00:29:50.865
which were told them by the
shepherds, why did people wonder

628
00:29:50.865 --> 00:29:52.325
at what the shepherds told them?

629
00:29:52.325 --> 00:29:54.955
Because everyone in the
region knew these were no

630
00:29:54.955 --> 00:29:56.535
mere shepherds.

631
00:29:56.535 --> 00:29:59.955
These were shepherds
under rabbinical care.

632
00:29:59.955 --> 00:30:02.475
They were nearly theologically trained.

633
00:30:02.475 --> 00:30:05.335
They had been trained to raise

634
00:30:05.335 --> 00:30:09.565
lambs in a very clean
atmosphere, in a ritualistic way

635
00:30:09.565 --> 00:30:11.765
because these were lambs to be

636
00:30:11.765 --> 00:30:14.045
sacrificed at the Passover in Jerusalem.

637
00:30:14.045 --> 00:30:17.285
And of these particular
shepherds said the real lamb

638
00:30:17.285 --> 00:30:19.355
of God had been born.

639
00:30:19.355 --> 00:30:22.385
Well, this was simply
stunning information.

640
00:30:22.385 --> 00:30:25.705
And those who heard it
wondered at what they said.

641
00:30:25.705 --> 00:30:30.705
And then we read in verse 19,
but Mary kept all these things

642
00:30:30.705 --> 00:30:33.505
and pondered them in her heart.

643
00:30:33.505 --> 00:30:35.805
Wow, how do we know the Christmas story

644
00:30:35.805 --> 00:30:37.555
and all of these details?

645
00:30:37.555 --> 00:30:41.865
Because Mary kept all
these things in her heart,

646
00:30:41.865 --> 00:30:45.425
and in fact, it really
describes an internal journal.

647
00:30:45.425 --> 00:30:47.145
She kept these things inside.

648
00:30:47.145 --> 00:30:50.025
She laid them side by side
exactly how they happened.

649
00:30:50.025 --> 00:30:52.145
And we know that later in
her life, she was visited

650
00:30:52.145 --> 00:30:54.625
by gospel writers who interviewed her,

651
00:30:54.625 --> 00:30:58.145
and it was Mary herself
who told all the details

652
00:30:58.145 --> 00:30:59.905
of the Christmas story.

653
00:30:59.905 --> 00:31:02.695
That's what the Bible tells
us in Luke chapter two,

654
00:31:02.695 --> 00:31:04.265
verse 39.

655
00:31:04.265 --> 00:31:07.245
And when they had performed
all things according to the law

656
00:31:07.245 --> 00:31:11.145
of the Lord, they returned
to Galilee to the city

657
00:31:11.145 --> 00:31:12.865
of Nazareth.

658
00:31:12.865 --> 00:31:16.475
But wait a minute, there's a
problem. Where are the magi?

659
00:31:16.475 --> 00:31:20.235
There's no mention of the
magi in Luke chapter two.

660
00:31:20.235 --> 00:31:22.625
Well, we know that Luke
did not make a mistake

661
00:31:22.625 --> 00:31:24.595
and forget something important.

662
00:31:24.595 --> 00:31:27.425
Luke was a masterful historian.

663
00:31:27.425 --> 00:31:32.425
The Magi didn't show up
until almost two years later.

664
00:31:32.585 --> 00:31:34.305
Now, most of us have been raised

665
00:31:34.305 --> 00:31:36.285
to think everybody showed up in Bethlehem.

666
00:31:36.285 --> 00:31:38.285
And the reason we think that is

667
00:31:38.285 --> 00:31:41.365
because during the Middle
Ages when there were no such

668
00:31:41.365 --> 00:31:43.145
things as movies or the ability

669
00:31:43.145 --> 00:31:46.505
to see something in
sequence on film, artists

670
00:31:46.505 --> 00:31:49.785
of the middle Ages tried to
put everything on one canvas

671
00:31:49.785 --> 00:31:52.745
so you could see all the elements
of the story at one time.

672
00:31:52.745 --> 00:31:56.985
So they painted on one canvas,
the shepherds, the angel,

673
00:31:56.985 --> 00:31:59.225
the star, the magi, everybody

674
00:31:59.225 --> 00:32:01.265
as though they were all in Bethlehem,

675
00:32:01.265 --> 00:32:04.795
but in fact they were not
all there at the same time.

676
00:32:04.795 --> 00:32:06.485
This was simply a convenient way

677
00:32:06.485 --> 00:32:09.205
to show the whole story on one canvas.

678
00:32:10.225 --> 00:32:13.585
The Magi did not show up
until two years later.

679
00:32:13.585 --> 00:32:17.085
And we read about this in
Matthew chapter two beginning in

680
00:32:17.085 --> 00:32:18.285
verse one, which says

681
00:32:20.155 --> 00:32:23.365
that when Jesus was born in
Bethlehem of Judea, in the days

682
00:32:23.365 --> 00:32:26.835
of Herod the king, behold there came

683
00:32:26.835 --> 00:32:28.945
magi from the east to Jerusalem.

684
00:32:28.945 --> 00:32:32.845
The King James version says,
wise men, it's actually Magi.

685
00:32:32.845 --> 00:32:36.465
These magi were powerful,
powerful individuals.

686
00:32:36.465 --> 00:32:37.845
In fact, they were so powerful.

687
00:32:37.845 --> 00:32:40.185
They were feared in the ancient world.

688
00:32:40.185 --> 00:32:41.825
It was believed that magi were

689
00:32:41.825 --> 00:32:43.405
so powerful with a single word.

690
00:32:43.405 --> 00:32:46.045
They could depose a
king with a single word.

691
00:32:46.045 --> 00:32:48.865
They could install a new king in the place

692
00:32:48.865 --> 00:32:50.785
of the one they deposed.

693
00:32:50.785 --> 00:32:53.005
And Herod previously had had problems

694
00:32:53.005 --> 00:32:56.435
with magi from the east in the year 39.

695
00:32:56.435 --> 00:33:01.345
They tried to depose him and
he never forgot his conflict

696
00:33:01.345 --> 00:33:04.585
and confrontation with Magi
at that earlier moment.

697
00:33:04.585 --> 00:33:08.905
And now Magi have shown up
in the city of Jerusalem,

698
00:33:08.905 --> 00:33:11.145
and Magi did not travel alone.

699
00:33:11.145 --> 00:33:12.525
If you have in your mind the picture

700
00:33:12.525 --> 00:33:16.425
of three lonely kings traveling
on three little lonely

701
00:33:16.425 --> 00:33:19.805
camels carrying three little
boxes of gold, frankincense

702
00:33:19.805 --> 00:33:21.395
and Mer, we'll just dismiss that

703
00:33:21.395 --> 00:33:23.045
because it is completely wrong.

704
00:33:23.045 --> 00:33:24.955
They traveled with bodyguards.

705
00:33:24.955 --> 00:33:27.755
They traveled with an entire army.

706
00:33:27.755 --> 00:33:30.305
Some early sources say
that there were three magi.

707
00:33:30.305 --> 00:33:31.485
If there were three magi,

708
00:33:31.485 --> 00:33:34.025
then there would've been
several hundred bodyguards

709
00:33:34.025 --> 00:33:36.355
and several hundred people in their army.

710
00:33:36.355 --> 00:33:38.625
Some say there were as many as 12 magi.

711
00:33:38.625 --> 00:33:41.155
If that was the case, there
would've been thousands

712
00:33:41.155 --> 00:33:43.145
that were traveling with them.

713
00:33:43.145 --> 00:33:46.185
And a star had appeared
announcing the birth

714
00:33:46.185 --> 00:33:49.425
of the Christ child, where
Magi were very connected

715
00:33:49.425 --> 00:33:51.425
to the writings of Daniel.

716
00:33:51.425 --> 00:33:52.885
And Daniel had prophesied

717
00:33:52.885 --> 00:33:54.845
that a day would come when a great world

718
00:33:54.845 --> 00:33:55.945
leader would be born.

719
00:33:55.945 --> 00:33:59.975
And the magi of the East had
been holding onto those sacred

720
00:33:59.975 --> 00:34:02.625
prophecies, waiting for some constellation

721
00:34:02.625 --> 00:34:04.145
to appear in the sky,

722
00:34:04.145 --> 00:34:07.005
to let them know this great
world leader had be born.

723
00:34:07.005 --> 00:34:09.255
And suddenly the constellation
appeared in the sky,

724
00:34:09.255 --> 00:34:12.245
which signaled to them
that the great world leader

725
00:34:12.245 --> 00:34:15.785
that Daniel prophesied
about had been born.

726
00:34:15.785 --> 00:34:19.185
And Magi knew they
couldn't come empty handed

727
00:34:19.185 --> 00:34:21.145
to see someone like this.

728
00:34:21.145 --> 00:34:23.225
So they took a vast amount of time

729
00:34:23.225 --> 00:34:27.565
to prepare a huge inventory of
gifts which they would bring

730
00:34:27.565 --> 00:34:31.195
to this child whom they
called the king of the Jews,

731
00:34:31.195 --> 00:34:32.805
whom Daniel had prophesied about

732
00:34:32.805 --> 00:34:36.185
who was the greatest world
leader that had ever been born.

733
00:34:36.185 --> 00:34:40.465
And it took nearly two
years for them to show up.

734
00:34:40.465 --> 00:34:43.385
And as they came riding
into the city of Jerusalem,

735
00:34:43.385 --> 00:34:46.955
the Bible tells us they were
asking, where is he born?

736
00:34:46.955 --> 00:34:49.065
King of the Jews.

737
00:34:49.065 --> 00:34:51.715
And in Greek, the word
king is capitalized.

738
00:34:51.715 --> 00:34:53.235
This was no mere king.

739
00:34:53.235 --> 00:34:56.165
This was the king of kings,
the Lord of Lords, the emperor

740
00:34:56.165 --> 00:34:57.625
of all emperors.

741
00:34:57.625 --> 00:35:00.385
And they said, we have
seen his star in the east.

742
00:35:00.385 --> 00:35:02.245
The word seen is a Greek word, which means

743
00:35:02.245 --> 00:35:03.755
to diligently study.

744
00:35:03.755 --> 00:35:05.825
They really studied this constellation,

745
00:35:05.825 --> 00:35:08.435
and they concluded this
really was the signal

746
00:35:08.435 --> 00:35:11.265
that this great world
leader had been born,

747
00:35:11.265 --> 00:35:13.345
and we've come to worship him.

748
00:35:13.345 --> 00:35:16.245
And verse three says, when
Herod the king had heard these

749
00:35:16.245 --> 00:35:20.385
things, he was troubled and
all of Jerusalem with him.

750
00:35:20.385 --> 00:35:22.205
The reason he was troubled is

751
00:35:22.205 --> 00:35:24.005
because he assumed this meant he was going

752
00:35:24.005 --> 00:35:26.065
to lose his throne.

753
00:35:26.065 --> 00:35:30.025
And Herod had fought long and
hard to maintain his throne.

754
00:35:30.025 --> 00:35:32.725
He had killed his own
kids when he suspected

755
00:35:32.725 --> 00:35:34.885
that they had a plot to overthrow him,

756
00:35:34.885 --> 00:35:35.925
he killed his own wife,

757
00:35:35.925 --> 00:35:39.085
killed his brother-in-law
killed his mother-in-law killed

758
00:35:39.085 --> 00:35:41.225
various members of the nobility.

759
00:35:41.225 --> 00:35:44.345
He was a man really trying
to hold onto his throne.

760
00:35:44.345 --> 00:35:48.925
And now Magi have shown
up, magi announcing

761
00:35:48.925 --> 00:35:51.745
that the king of the Jews has been born,

762
00:35:51.745 --> 00:35:54.685
and it threw Herod into
an emotional tailspin

763
00:35:54.685 --> 00:35:58.745
because again, maybe he's
going to lose his throne.

764
00:35:58.745 --> 00:36:01.945
But the verse also says all of
Jerusalem was upset with him.

765
00:36:01.945 --> 00:36:04.645
You know why? Because
every time it was announced

766
00:36:04.645 --> 00:36:06.005
that a Messiah had been born

767
00:36:06.005 --> 00:36:09.385
or a king had been born,
Herod began killing people.

768
00:36:09.385 --> 00:36:10.965
And when all of Jerusalem heard

769
00:36:10.965 --> 00:36:14.745
that a potential Messiah had
been born, they wondered, ah,

770
00:36:14.745 --> 00:36:16.155
what's going to happen now?

771
00:36:16.155 --> 00:36:19.005
It's going to result in a lot
of bloodshed and bloodletting

772
00:36:19.005 --> 00:36:21.725
because that's what
Herod does when he hears

773
00:36:21.725 --> 00:36:23.665
that a messiah has been born.

774
00:36:23.665 --> 00:36:26.565
And verse four says, when
Herod had gathered the chief

775
00:36:26.565 --> 00:36:29.205
priests and the scribes of the
people together, he demanded

776
00:36:29.205 --> 00:36:32.965
of them where Christ
should be born, verse five.

777
00:36:33.825 --> 00:36:36.505
And they said, ITTO him
in Bethlehem of Judea.

778
00:36:36.505 --> 00:36:37.925
For it is written by the prophets.

779
00:36:37.925 --> 00:36:41.295
And now Bethlehem in the land
of Judah are not the least

780
00:36:41.295 --> 00:36:43.345
among the princes of Judah.

781
00:36:43.345 --> 00:36:45.235
For out of these shall come a governor

782
00:36:45.235 --> 00:36:47.315
that shall rule my people Israel.

783
00:36:47.315 --> 00:36:51.565
Then Herod, when he had ply
called the wise men, inquired

784
00:36:51.565 --> 00:36:54.665
of them diligently what
time the star appeared.

785
00:36:54.665 --> 00:36:57.275
So he just found out from the theologians

786
00:36:57.275 --> 00:36:59.645
that the Messiah was to
be born in Bethlehem,

787
00:36:59.645 --> 00:37:02.385
but now he wants to know what
is the age of this child.

788
00:37:02.385 --> 00:37:03.845
So now he calls the Magine

789
00:37:03.845 --> 00:37:07.275
and says, tell me exactly
what time that star appeared

790
00:37:07.275 --> 00:37:10.325
because he knew if he could
determine when the star

791
00:37:10.325 --> 00:37:12.355
appeared, then he could determine

792
00:37:12.355 --> 00:37:14.385
what is the age of the child.

793
00:37:14.385 --> 00:37:17.185
So now theologically, he
knows the Bible answer,

794
00:37:17.185 --> 00:37:19.265
the Messiah is to be born in Bethlehem.

795
00:37:19.265 --> 00:37:21.245
Now he is interrogating the Magi.

796
00:37:21.245 --> 00:37:22.865
Tell me when the star appeared.

797
00:37:22.865 --> 00:37:25.205
So he knows the place, he
knows the approximate age

798
00:37:25.205 --> 00:37:28.105
of the child, and he knows that this child

799
00:37:28.105 --> 00:37:30.585
by now is about two years old.

800
00:37:30.585 --> 00:37:32.465
And the Bible tells us in verse eight,

801
00:37:32.465 --> 00:37:35.045
and he sent them to Bethlehem and said, go

802
00:37:35.045 --> 00:37:37.225
and search diligently for the young child.

803
00:37:37.225 --> 00:37:39.445
And when you have found
him, bring me word again

804
00:37:39.445 --> 00:37:42.035
that I may also come in worship him.

805
00:37:42.035 --> 00:37:43.835
Well, Herod didn't know

806
00:37:43.835 --> 00:37:46.665
that Jesus was already
gone from Bethlehem.

807
00:37:46.665 --> 00:37:49.145
We saw that in Luke chapter two.

808
00:37:49.145 --> 00:37:52.305
It says, after days of Mary's
purification were finished,

809
00:37:52.305 --> 00:37:54.435
the Holy Family returned to Nazareth.

810
00:37:54.435 --> 00:37:56.805
They've been gone from
Bethlehem for almost two years.

811
00:37:56.805 --> 00:38:00.545
They've been home in Nazareth,
in their family home,

812
00:38:00.545 --> 00:38:03.485
but they do have the Bible
answer that the Messiah is

813
00:38:03.485 --> 00:38:04.845
to be born in Bethlehem.

814
00:38:05.705 --> 00:38:08.505
And since Herod and the
scribes don't know that Jesus

815
00:38:08.505 --> 00:38:10.525
and the holy family have
already left, he sends them

816
00:38:10.525 --> 00:38:13.125
to Bethlehem because the
Bible says this event is

817
00:38:13.125 --> 00:38:14.285
going to happen in Bethlehem.

818
00:38:14.285 --> 00:38:17.625
Well, it did happen in
Bethlehem, but two years earlier,

819
00:38:17.625 --> 00:38:21.425
and he sent them to Bethlehem
to find the young child.

820
00:38:21.425 --> 00:38:23.025
The Bible tells us in verse nine,

821
00:38:23.025 --> 00:38:25.465
and when they had heard
the king, they departed

822
00:38:25.465 --> 00:38:28.645
and low the star, which
they saw in the east went

823
00:38:28.645 --> 00:38:30.505
before them, till it came

824
00:38:30.505 --> 00:38:33.225
and stood over the place
where the young child was.

825
00:38:33.225 --> 00:38:34.365
The word low is important

826
00:38:34.365 --> 00:38:36.935
because it carries an idea of shock.

827
00:38:36.935 --> 00:38:38.465
Herod sent them to Bethlehem,

828
00:38:38.465 --> 00:38:42.555
but lo, the star led them somewhere else.

829
00:38:42.555 --> 00:38:44.765
Sometimes people will
tell you to do one thing,

830
00:38:44.765 --> 00:38:47.335
but God will tell you
to do something else.

831
00:38:47.335 --> 00:38:48.725
Herod sent them to Bethlehem.

832
00:38:48.725 --> 00:38:51.165
But lo, the star suddenly appeared

833
00:38:51.165 --> 00:38:52.505
again and they followed it.

834
00:38:52.505 --> 00:38:57.245
The Greek says all the way
until where it stood over

835
00:38:57.245 --> 00:38:58.505
where the young child was.

836
00:38:58.505 --> 00:39:01.175
And guess what? That was in Nazareth.

837
00:39:01.175 --> 00:39:04.325
Jesus had already been in
Nazareth for two full years.

838
00:39:05.905 --> 00:39:08.725
And the Bible tells us when
they saw the star, they rejoiced

839
00:39:08.725 --> 00:39:10.005
with exceeding great joy

840
00:39:10.005 --> 00:39:12.425
because they knew they
were being led by the star,

841
00:39:12.425 --> 00:39:14.505
not just sent by Herod.

842
00:39:14.505 --> 00:39:16.385
And the Bible tells us in verse 11,

843
00:39:16.385 --> 00:39:21.185
and when they were come into
the house, come into the house,

844
00:39:21.185 --> 00:39:25.125
not into the cave in Bethlehem,
into the house, they came to

845
00:39:25.125 --> 00:39:27.825
where the holy family had
been living for two years.

846
00:39:27.825 --> 00:39:29.555
And when they were coming to the house,

847
00:39:29.555 --> 00:39:33.425
they saw the young child
with Mary, his mother,

848
00:39:33.425 --> 00:39:35.665
and fell down and worshiped him.

849
00:39:35.665 --> 00:39:37.805
And when they had opened their treasures,

850
00:39:37.805 --> 00:39:40.285
they presented unto him gifts, gold,

851
00:39:40.285 --> 00:39:42.105
frankincense, and myrrh.

852
00:39:42.105 --> 00:39:43.915
But this verse is so powerful

853
00:39:43.915 --> 00:39:47.145
because it says they were
come first into the house,

854
00:39:47.145 --> 00:39:51.105
not the cave in Bethlehem,
but the house in Nazareth,

855
00:39:51.105 --> 00:39:52.595
and they saw the young child.

856
00:39:52.595 --> 00:39:56.945
This word young child, describes
a young child in training.

857
00:39:56.945 --> 00:40:00.715
In other words, by this time,
Jesus was already a toddler.

858
00:40:00.715 --> 00:40:03.585
They came to see a toddler king

859
00:40:03.585 --> 00:40:05.245
and he was with Mary, his mother.

860
00:40:05.245 --> 00:40:08.675
The word with means he was
standing on his own feet standing

861
00:40:08.675 --> 00:40:10.635
alongside of Mary.

862
00:40:10.635 --> 00:40:12.645
When these magi came into the house

863
00:40:13.585 --> 00:40:15.405
and they fell down, the word fell down

864
00:40:15.405 --> 00:40:17.345
really means to collapse.

865
00:40:17.345 --> 00:40:19.675
It was almost as though all the strength

866
00:40:19.675 --> 00:40:20.855
drained out of them.

867
00:40:20.855 --> 00:40:24.145
We'll just imagine they had
been waiting from the days

868
00:40:24.145 --> 00:40:27.245
of Daniel for this
world leader to be born.

869
00:40:28.145 --> 00:40:30.405
Now they've seen his
constellation in the heavens.

870
00:40:30.405 --> 00:40:32.965
These are magi. Part of their job is

871
00:40:32.965 --> 00:40:35.435
to scientifically study
the constellations.

872
00:40:35.435 --> 00:40:39.945
They know this is the sign
that the Messiah has been born.

873
00:40:39.945 --> 00:40:42.195
Now they come with great anticipation.

874
00:40:42.195 --> 00:40:47.015
They've taken nearly two years
to present a huge inventory,

875
00:40:47.015 --> 00:40:49.385
gifts that they're going to bring to him.

876
00:40:49.385 --> 00:40:51.865
And when they walk into the house

877
00:40:51.865 --> 00:40:55.965
and see him standing next
to his mother, they are

878
00:40:55.965 --> 00:40:57.715
so stunned by what they see.

879
00:40:57.715 --> 00:40:59.005
This is the world leader

880
00:40:59.005 --> 00:41:01.025
that all the strength goes out of them.

881
00:41:01.025 --> 00:41:04.105
And they literally collapse onto the floor

882
00:41:04.105 --> 00:41:07.845
of this house in Nazareth and
they begin to worship him.

883
00:41:07.845 --> 00:41:11.075
The word worship, the Greek
word pro means to worship

884
00:41:11.075 --> 00:41:13.795
with all the necessary
gestures of worship,

885
00:41:13.795 --> 00:41:18.545
kissing the ground, holding
out their hands, adoring Jesus.

886
00:41:18.545 --> 00:41:22.065
And the Bible says they
opened their treasures.

887
00:41:22.065 --> 00:41:24.965
Now, most of us have been
reared to see the image

888
00:41:24.965 --> 00:41:27.325
of three kings with three
little boxes of gold,

889
00:41:27.325 --> 00:41:31.305
frankincense, and Bert, the
word opened describes a grand

890
00:41:31.305 --> 00:41:34.435
and magnificent opening, which tells us

891
00:41:34.435 --> 00:41:36.505
what occurred was magnificent.

892
00:41:36.505 --> 00:41:39.405
And the word treasures is the plural form

893
00:41:39.405 --> 00:41:42.335
of the word treasure,
which in Greek describes

894
00:41:42.335 --> 00:41:44.185
cargo filled with treasures.

895
00:41:44.185 --> 00:41:46.475
It was a storehouse of treasures.

896
00:41:46.475 --> 00:41:48.365
This was not just three
little gifts of gold,

897
00:41:48.365 --> 00:41:49.785
frankincense and Merck.

898
00:41:49.785 --> 00:41:53.585
It was treasures and treasures
and treasures and treasures.

899
00:41:53.585 --> 00:41:57.015
And in fact, the verse goes on
to say they presented gifts,

900
00:41:57.015 --> 00:41:59.425
which is plural, gifts,

901
00:41:59.425 --> 00:42:01.805
and among the gifts were gifts of gold,

902
00:42:01.805 --> 00:42:03.745
frankincense and de burr.

903
00:42:03.745 --> 00:42:06.205
But if we were to consider
the inventory of gifts

904
00:42:06.205 --> 00:42:08.825
that they gave, it would've been massive.

905
00:42:08.825 --> 00:42:12.145
In fact, if we were able to
put a financial number on it,

906
00:42:12.145 --> 00:42:13.555
it would simply stun us

907
00:42:13.555 --> 00:42:17.375
because it was quite a fortune
that they brought to Jesus.

908
00:42:17.375 --> 00:42:20.395
These were magi. They were from the East.

909
00:42:20.395 --> 00:42:23.425
They knew how to treat kings lavishly.

910
00:42:23.425 --> 00:42:26.395
And they were taught
that you presented kings

911
00:42:26.395 --> 00:42:30.625
with gifts according to the
status that they possessed.

912
00:42:30.625 --> 00:42:32.165
So if it was a low level king,

913
00:42:32.165 --> 00:42:33.465
they would've brought lesser gifts.

914
00:42:33.465 --> 00:42:34.795
It was a greater king.

915
00:42:34.795 --> 00:42:37.515
They would've brought gifts
commensurate with his status.

916
00:42:37.515 --> 00:42:40.265
Well, this was Jesus the
king they'd been waiting

917
00:42:40.265 --> 00:42:42.715
for since the days of Daniel.

918
00:42:42.715 --> 00:42:45.585
They brought gifts
commensurate with his status.

919
00:42:45.585 --> 00:42:47.525
It would've been treasures,

920
00:42:47.525 --> 00:42:50.265
a storehouse cargo filled with gifts.

921
00:42:50.265 --> 00:42:52.565
In fact, the Bible says they presented,

922
00:42:52.565 --> 00:42:56.045
the word presented describes
gifts so large, they had

923
00:42:56.045 --> 00:43:00.115
to be physically carried into the house.

924
00:43:00.115 --> 00:43:01.785
That is just amazing.

925
00:43:01.785 --> 00:43:04.205
And there were Mary
and Joseph watching all

926
00:43:04.205 --> 00:43:07.165
of this take place, just amazed.

927
00:43:07.165 --> 00:43:11.495
I say the holy family experienced
Philippians chapter four,

928
00:43:11.495 --> 00:43:12.905
verse 19, which says,

929
00:43:12.905 --> 00:43:15.705
my God will supply all your need according

930
00:43:15.705 --> 00:43:19.065
to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

931
00:43:19.065 --> 00:43:21.355
The money showed up just in time

932
00:43:21.355 --> 00:43:24.685
because that very night God was going

933
00:43:24.685 --> 00:43:27.265
to command the Holy Family to pack up

934
00:43:27.265 --> 00:43:29.495
and quickly go to Egypt.

935
00:43:29.495 --> 00:43:33.265
Let's continue. The Bible
tells us in verse 12,

936
00:43:33.265 --> 00:43:37.035
and being warned of God in
a dream that is the Magi,

937
00:43:37.035 --> 00:43:38.565
that they should not return to Herod,

938
00:43:38.565 --> 00:43:41.605
they departed into their
own country another way.

939
00:43:41.605 --> 00:43:46.105
Well, magi were also specialists
at interpreting dreams.

940
00:43:46.105 --> 00:43:48.625
And since they were given
to interpreting dreams,

941
00:43:48.625 --> 00:43:50.305
God spoke to them in dreams.

942
00:43:50.305 --> 00:43:53.625
God speaks to each one of us
in a way that we understand.

943
00:43:53.625 --> 00:43:55.905
And God knew they would
understand a dream.

944
00:43:55.905 --> 00:43:58.225
So God spoke to them in a dream.

945
00:43:58.225 --> 00:44:00.145
And the verse tells us in verse 13,

946
00:44:00.145 --> 00:44:03.505
and when they were
departed, behold the angel

947
00:44:03.505 --> 00:44:07.075
of the Lord appeared to Joseph
in a dream saying, arise

948
00:44:07.075 --> 00:44:09.105
this word arise in Greek
means very quickly.

949
00:44:09.105 --> 00:44:13.165
Do it right now. Arise and
take the young child again.

950
00:44:13.165 --> 00:44:15.725
The word young child
describes a child in training.

951
00:44:15.725 --> 00:44:18.635
This is not a breastfeeding
baby. This is a toddler.

952
00:44:18.635 --> 00:44:23.145
Take the young child and his
mother and flee into Egypt.

953
00:44:23.145 --> 00:44:26.825
The word flee means move
your feet as fast as you can.

954
00:44:26.825 --> 00:44:29.945
You need to get moving. You
need to get moving right now.

955
00:44:29.945 --> 00:44:34.765
Why? Because Herod will seek
the young child to destroy him.

956
00:44:34.765 --> 00:44:37.225
The word seek means to earnestly seek.

957
00:44:37.225 --> 00:44:38.605
And here is what we discover.

958
00:44:39.455 --> 00:44:41.755
Herod eventually was gonna find out

959
00:44:41.755 --> 00:44:45.305
that Jesus was in
Nazareth, not in Bethlehem,

960
00:44:45.305 --> 00:44:49.765
and he would dispatch spies
to try to kill the Christ.

961
00:44:50.705 --> 00:44:52.725
So the angel appeared and
said, you gotta get up.

962
00:44:52.725 --> 00:44:54.645
You've gotta get moving.
You've got to go now

963
00:44:54.645 --> 00:44:56.915
and you've got to flee into Egypt.

964
00:44:56.915 --> 00:45:00.045
It's called the flight of
the Holy Family into Egypt.

965
00:45:00.045 --> 00:45:02.665
What lasted about three years

966
00:45:02.665 --> 00:45:05.325
and what you may not have known
is the entire time the holy

967
00:45:05.325 --> 00:45:07.985
family was in Egypt,
they were on the move.

968
00:45:07.985 --> 00:45:11.235
It was not just a flight
to Egypt, it was a flight

969
00:45:11.235 --> 00:45:15.225
through Egypt because
Herod dispatched spies

970
00:45:15.225 --> 00:45:19.075
to seek this Christ child to destroy him

971
00:45:19.075 --> 00:45:21.755
just like the angel had told Joseph.

972
00:45:21.755 --> 00:45:24.765
Well, there's a problem.
Egypt was very different from

973
00:45:24.765 --> 00:45:26.505
the land of Israel.

974
00:45:26.505 --> 00:45:29.545
And in the city of se, Fortis
where Joseph had worked,

975
00:45:29.545 --> 00:45:30.825
he was well compensated,

976
00:45:30.825 --> 00:45:34.885
but he would have no employment
in Egypt, yet he needs

977
00:45:34.885 --> 00:45:36.205
to take his family to Egypt.

978
00:45:36.205 --> 00:45:39.505
So what did God do? God arranged
everything for the money

979
00:45:39.505 --> 00:45:41.185
to show up just on time.

980
00:45:41.185 --> 00:45:44.505
That's why I say this is a
picture of Philippians four 19.

981
00:45:44.505 --> 00:45:47.715
My God shall supply all your need.

982
00:45:47.715 --> 00:45:50.465
That word supply means to lavishly richly.

983
00:45:50.465 --> 00:45:53.625
Supply money showed up on time.

984
00:45:53.625 --> 00:45:55.965
The money showed up just
in time for them to have

985
00:45:55.965 --> 00:45:57.745
what they needed to make the trip

986
00:45:57.745 --> 00:46:00.105
and to have enough to live
on while they were in Egypt.

987
00:46:00.105 --> 00:46:02.745
And it sustained them the
entire time they were there.

988
00:46:02.745 --> 00:46:05.365
And what else is very
interesting is what happened

989
00:46:05.365 --> 00:46:07.865
to the rest of the money because
they couldn't have carried

990
00:46:07.865 --> 00:46:09.785
all of that money to Egypt.

991
00:46:09.785 --> 00:46:12.775
But Sephoras where Joseph was working,

992
00:46:12.775 --> 00:46:14.745
which was just four miles from Nazareth,

993
00:46:14.745 --> 00:46:17.545
was the banking center of the Middle East.

994
00:46:17.545 --> 00:46:18.965
And it's very likely that a lot

995
00:46:18.965 --> 00:46:22.895
of those riches were deposited in Forres.

996
00:46:22.895 --> 00:46:25.385
Later on when they came back,
the money was still there.

997
00:46:25.385 --> 00:46:26.955
And isn't it amazing

998
00:46:26.955 --> 00:46:30.065
that there's not a single
record anywhere in the gospels

999
00:46:30.065 --> 00:46:34.065
of Jesus ever taking up an
offering for his ministry?

1000
00:46:34.065 --> 00:46:36.165
It seems that later when Joseph left

1001
00:46:36.165 --> 00:46:38.685
or when he died, we don't
really don't know what happened

1002
00:46:38.685 --> 00:46:40.285
to Joseph, but it seems that he died.

1003
00:46:40.285 --> 00:46:42.795
That's what I mean when I say he left,

1004
00:46:42.795 --> 00:46:45.555
that Jesus became the
inheritor of those funds.

1005
00:46:45.555 --> 00:46:48.685
From the moment of Jesus'
childhood, God supplied everything

1006
00:46:48.685 --> 00:46:50.555
that Jesus needed to do, anything

1007
00:46:50.555 --> 00:46:52.465
that his father would ever ask him to do.

1008
00:46:52.465 --> 00:46:55.385
He was fully richly supplied
from the very beginning.

1009
00:46:55.385 --> 00:46:57.445
And my friends, I want
to tell you, we need

1010
00:46:57.445 --> 00:47:00.605
to expand our thinking to
understand God doesn't want

1011
00:47:00.605 --> 00:47:02.025
to just help us get by.

1012
00:47:02.025 --> 00:47:05.405
He wants to richly supply
what we need to do.

1013
00:47:05.405 --> 00:47:07.445
Anything that he's
asked us to do, he wants

1014
00:47:07.445 --> 00:47:09.345
to abundantly provide according

1015
00:47:09.345 --> 00:47:12.385
to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

1016
00:47:12.385 --> 00:47:15.025
But eventually, Herod died.

1017
00:47:15.025 --> 00:47:17.325
And when Herod died, the
angel, angel of the Lord spoke

1018
00:47:17.325 --> 00:47:20.225
to Joseph again and
said, now you can go back

1019
00:47:20.225 --> 00:47:21.935
to the land of Israel.

1020
00:47:21.935 --> 00:47:24.905
Let's look at it. It says verse 15.

1021
00:47:24.905 --> 00:47:27.245
And they were there
until the death of Herod

1022
00:47:27.245 --> 00:47:30.185
that it might be fulfilled,
which was spoken of the Lord

1023
00:47:30.185 --> 00:47:33.805
by the prophet saying, out of
Egypt, have I called my son?

1024
00:47:35.145 --> 00:47:38.485
We read in verse 16,
then Herod, when he saw

1025
00:47:38.485 --> 00:47:40.565
that he was mocked of the wise men

1026
00:47:40.565 --> 00:47:42.445
or of the magi was exceeding Roth,

1027
00:47:42.445 --> 00:47:44.265
exceeding Roth means he was livid.

1028
00:47:44.265 --> 00:47:48.065
He lost control of himself
emotionally and sent forth

1029
00:47:48.065 --> 00:47:50.925
and through all the children
which were in Bethlehem

1030
00:47:50.925 --> 00:47:53.685
and in all the coasts
thereof from two years old

1031
00:47:53.685 --> 00:47:56.765
and under, according to the
time which he had diligently

1032
00:47:56.765 --> 00:47:59.925
inquired of the Wiseman, he did not know

1033
00:47:59.925 --> 00:48:01.225
where the Christ was.

1034
00:48:01.225 --> 00:48:03.085
All he knew was the Christ was supposed

1035
00:48:03.085 --> 00:48:05.265
to be born in Bethlehem.

1036
00:48:05.265 --> 00:48:06.725
The Magi did not come back

1037
00:48:06.725 --> 00:48:08.765
and bring him the information
that would let him know

1038
00:48:08.765 --> 00:48:10.705
that Christ child was in Nazareth.

1039
00:48:10.705 --> 00:48:12.405
All he knew was the Christ child was

1040
00:48:12.405 --> 00:48:13.525
to be born in Bethlehem.

1041
00:48:13.525 --> 00:48:15.125
So he gave the word for all the babies

1042
00:48:16.025 --> 00:48:18.225
in Bethlehem to be killed.

1043
00:48:18.225 --> 00:48:20.645
Now, people have given
various numbers about

1044
00:48:20.645 --> 00:48:21.795
how many babies were killed.

1045
00:48:21.795 --> 00:48:24.985
Some said 64,000 babies were killed.

1046
00:48:24.985 --> 00:48:28.305
Others said 14,000
babies or 12,000 babies.

1047
00:48:28.305 --> 00:48:31.005
But there's a big problem
because Bethlehem was

1048
00:48:31.005 --> 00:48:36.005
so tiny at a maximum it had
a population of 480 people.

1049
00:48:36.305 --> 00:48:39.145
So it's very possible that
it might have been 20 babies.

1050
00:48:39.145 --> 00:48:41.935
One is speculated, maybe six babies.

1051
00:48:41.935 --> 00:48:43.425
These are not many babies,

1052
00:48:43.425 --> 00:48:46.705
but the death of any baby is very tragic.

1053
00:48:46.705 --> 00:48:48.885
But the number was much smaller than

1054
00:48:48.885 --> 00:48:50.785
what most people would have imagined,

1055
00:48:50.785 --> 00:48:52.625
but he killed them all.

1056
00:48:52.625 --> 00:48:56.805
And then we read in verse
17, then was fulfilled.

1057
00:48:56.805 --> 00:48:59.705
That which was spoken by
Jeremiah, the prophets saying

1058
00:48:59.705 --> 00:49:03.965
in Rama was their voice heard
lamentation and weeping.

1059
00:49:03.965 --> 00:49:06.625
And great morning Rachel
weeping for her children

1060
00:49:06.625 --> 00:49:09.525
and would not be comforted
because they are not.

1061
00:49:09.525 --> 00:49:11.265
These babies were killed.

1062
00:49:11.265 --> 00:49:14.945
And this also was a fulfillment
of scripture, verse 19.

1063
00:49:14.945 --> 00:49:17.545
But when Herod was dead, behold

1064
00:49:17.545 --> 00:49:21.655
and angel, the Lord appeared
in a dream to Joseph saying,

1065
00:49:21.655 --> 00:49:24.365
arise and take the young
child and his mother

1066
00:49:24.365 --> 00:49:27.055
and go into the land of
Israel for they're dead,

1067
00:49:27.055 --> 00:49:29.945
which sought the young child's life.

1068
00:49:29.945 --> 00:49:32.845
And he arose and took the
young child and his mother

1069
00:49:32.845 --> 00:49:35.145
and came into the land of Israel.

1070
00:49:35.145 --> 00:49:38.005
But when he heard that Alas did reign

1071
00:49:38.005 --> 00:49:40.785
and Judea in the room
of his father, Herod,

1072
00:49:40.785 --> 00:49:42.005
he was afraid to go further.

1073
00:49:42.005 --> 00:49:44.505
Notwithstanding being
warned of God in a dream,

1074
00:49:44.505 --> 00:49:47.865
he turned aside into the
parts of Galilee and came

1075
00:49:47.865 --> 00:49:50.085
and dwelt in a city called Nazareth.

1076
00:49:50.085 --> 00:49:53.245
They returned to Nazareth
that it might be fulfilled,

1077
00:49:53.245 --> 00:49:54.785
which was spoken by the prophets.

1078
00:49:54.785 --> 00:49:59.085
He should be called a Nazarene.
And what is Jesus called?

1079
00:49:59.085 --> 00:50:02.985
Over and over in scripture,
Jesus of Nazareth,

1080
00:50:02.985 --> 00:50:04.845
he was a Nazarene.

1081
00:50:05.755 --> 00:50:06.825
Nazarenes, were known

1082
00:50:06.825 --> 00:50:08.765
to be very committed to the word of God.

1083
00:50:08.765 --> 00:50:12.065
They were strictly
adherent to the scriptures.

1084
00:50:12.065 --> 00:50:14.205
And likewise, Jesus was

1085
00:50:14.205 --> 00:50:16.105
strictly adherent to the word of God.

1086
00:50:16.105 --> 00:50:17.825
He was a Nazarene.

1087
00:50:17.825 --> 00:50:20.665
He was raised to be
committed to the word of God

1088
00:50:20.665 --> 00:50:23.385
and he was the son of God.

1089
00:50:23.385 --> 00:50:25.725
But when you look at the
entire story about the birth

1090
00:50:25.725 --> 00:50:28.995
of Jesus, there's so much, so much

1091
00:50:28.995 --> 00:50:31.885
that most people have
never heard of the value

1092
00:50:31.885 --> 00:50:35.465
of the gifts which the Magi
brought who were the magi.

1093
00:50:35.465 --> 00:50:38.845
The very fact that Herod had
had an earlier rendezvous

1094
00:50:38.845 --> 00:50:41.445
with Magi, he was terrified of
the very fact that they came

1095
00:50:41.445 --> 00:50:45.245
with an entire army that
could have been composed of

1096
00:50:45.245 --> 00:50:47.685
thousands of people,
bodyguards and servants

1097
00:50:47.685 --> 00:50:50.945
and slaves that were carrying
gifts and gifts and gifts

1098
00:50:50.945 --> 00:50:54.585
and more gifts, which they
prepared for nearly two years

1099
00:50:54.585 --> 00:50:56.915
to bring to the greatest world leader

1100
00:50:56.915 --> 00:50:59.065
that had ever been born.

1101
00:50:59.065 --> 00:51:02.105
Or how about Jesus being born in a cave?

1102
00:51:02.105 --> 00:51:03.605
Is that new information for you?

1103
00:51:03.605 --> 00:51:07.005
A cave that was used as a
stable, they didn't have

1104
00:51:07.005 --> 00:51:09.465
to build a stable because
the caves were there

1105
00:51:09.465 --> 00:51:12.625
and they were ideal places
to be used as barns.

1106
00:51:12.625 --> 00:51:15.085
Or Jesus was laid in a
manger not made of wood,

1107
00:51:15.085 --> 00:51:16.505
but one made out of stone.

1108
00:51:16.505 --> 00:51:19.245
And that is why to this very
day, if you go to the church

1109
00:51:19.245 --> 00:51:22.485
of the Nativity, you can
still see the very same kind

1110
00:51:22.485 --> 00:51:23.555
of stone mangers.

1111
00:51:23.555 --> 00:51:26.505
They're still there because
they're a feature of the cave.

1112
00:51:26.505 --> 00:51:28.465
And when Jesus was born,

1113
00:51:28.465 --> 00:51:31.425
his mother wrapped him
in swaddling clothes

1114
00:51:31.425 --> 00:51:35.125
and laid him in a manger just
like those local shepherds

1115
00:51:35.125 --> 00:51:38.165
that were under rabbinical care
would take the little lambs

1116
00:51:38.165 --> 00:51:40.275
that had been born for sacrifice.

1117
00:51:40.275 --> 00:51:42.065
They would wrap their little legs

1118
00:51:42.065 --> 00:51:43.825
and swaddling clothes

1119
00:51:43.825 --> 00:51:46.145
to protect them from being
broken or being hurt.

1120
00:51:46.145 --> 00:51:48.805
So they would be
unblemished lambs spotless,

1121
00:51:48.805 --> 00:51:50.275
ready for sacrifice.

1122
00:51:50.275 --> 00:51:52.185
Then they would lay them in a manger

1123
00:51:52.185 --> 00:51:55.165
and would call on a priest to
come and bless the little lamb

1124
00:51:55.165 --> 00:51:57.885
and make sure that it was
unblemished and spot free.

1125
00:51:58.825 --> 00:52:00.325
And when those shepherds came in

1126
00:52:00.325 --> 00:52:04.035
and saw Jesus laying
there, they said, wow,

1127
00:52:04.035 --> 00:52:07.035
this really is the lamb of God

1128
00:52:07.035 --> 00:52:09.025
that will take away the sins of the world.

1129
00:52:09.025 --> 00:52:13.665
Or how about the angels
appearing a heavenly host,

1130
00:52:13.665 --> 00:52:16.075
all the armies of heaven showing up

1131
00:52:16.075 --> 00:52:20.195
because for the first time,
they would be able to look

1132
00:52:20.195 --> 00:52:25.185
into the face of God himself
in the face of Jesus Christ.

1133
00:52:25.185 --> 00:52:27.195
And they came dressed like armies

1134
00:52:27.195 --> 00:52:30.985
because they came to salute
the commander in chief

1135
00:52:30.985 --> 00:52:34.445
who had just initiated
his earthly assignment.

1136
00:52:35.545 --> 00:52:40.545
All of this is just a little
bit of what I cover in my book,

1137
00:52:40.815 --> 00:52:44.585
which is called Christmas,
the rest of the story.

1138
00:52:44.585 --> 00:52:47.525
But what I want you to
understand, my friend, is there is

1139
00:52:47.525 --> 00:52:50.865
so much to this wonderful,
wonderful story and this year

1140
00:52:50.865 --> 00:52:52.505
before you open your gifts,

1141
00:52:52.505 --> 00:52:55.305
why don't you first open your Bibles

1142
00:52:55.305 --> 00:52:57.745
and read these verses in Luke chapter two

1143
00:52:57.745 --> 00:52:59.625
and Matthew chapter two

1144
00:52:59.625 --> 00:53:02.465
and thrill your family, your children,

1145
00:53:02.465 --> 00:53:06.025
and your grandchildren with
a wonderful story of Jesus.

1146
00:53:06.025 --> 00:53:08.265
It is the most miraculous story,

1147
00:53:08.265 --> 00:53:10.985
but what I want you to
really understand is we end.

1148
00:53:10.985 --> 00:53:14.685
He was born as the lamb of
God to take away the sin

1149
00:53:14.685 --> 00:53:17.845
of the world as he laid in
that manger prophetically,

1150
00:53:18.705 --> 00:53:21.035
he could see in the future the cross,

1151
00:53:21.035 --> 00:53:25.305
when he would hang on the cross
as the spotless lamb of God

1152
00:53:25.305 --> 00:53:27.355
to take away the sin of the world.

1153
00:53:27.355 --> 00:53:30.705
That really is what Christmas is about.

1154
00:53:30.705 --> 00:53:35.065
It ends with the Easter story.
That's what it was all about.

1155
00:53:35.065 --> 00:53:38.545
Not just a little baby that
was so beautiful and pure,

1156
00:53:38.545 --> 00:53:40.725
but about the lamb of God that was born

1157
00:53:40.725 --> 00:53:45.545
to hang on the cross one day
to take away your sin and mine.

1158
00:53:45.545 --> 00:53:50.545
And that my friend is what
Christmas is really all about.

1159
00:53:50.785 --> 00:53:53.065
<v ->We honor the Lord with our worship</v>

1160
00:53:53.065 --> 00:53:55.285
and as the worship team from the Moscow,

1161
00:53:55.285 --> 00:53:57.105
good News Church leads you today in song.

1162
00:53:57.105 --> 00:53:59.325
Please take this time to honor him

1163
00:54:09.905 --> 00:54:11.085
<v ->Joyful and</v>

1164
00:54:25.585 --> 00:54:26.445
<v ->And be</v>

1165
00:54:58.785 --> 00:54:59.785
<v ->Joyful.</v>

1166
00:54:59.785 --> 00:54:59.885
And

1167
00:55:18.385 --> 00:55:19.545
the king

1168
00:55:19.545 --> 00:55:19.765
<v ->Of</v>

1169
00:56:23.715 --> 00:56:28.715
come let us door, come.

1170
00:56:28.945 --> 00:56:31.605
Let us door him.

1171
00:56:32.715 --> 00:56:34.165
Come let us.

1172
00:56:39.185 --> 00:56:39.685
The Lord

1173
00:56:41.555 --> 00:56:45.145
come sand door.

1174
00:56:45.145 --> 00:56:48.325
He sand.

1175
00:56:49.665 --> 00:56:52.845
He sand

1176
00:56:54.345 --> 00:56:55.525
He cry.

1177
00:56:57.225 --> 00:56:59.995
The Lord cry.

1178
00:57:09.215 --> 00:57:12.375
<v ->In a culture where Santa
seems to overpower the reason</v>

1179
00:57:12.375 --> 00:57:15.155
for the season, it's time to
return to the true meaning

1180
00:57:15.155 --> 00:57:18.735
of Christmas in Rick Renner's
timeless new book, Christmas.

1181
00:57:18.735 --> 00:57:21.975
The rest of the story, Rick
uncovers the stunning details

1182
00:57:21.975 --> 00:57:23.175
of the nativity story.

1183
00:57:23.175 --> 00:57:25.655
You have never heard details like,

1184
00:57:25.655 --> 00:57:28.575
who exactly was Joseph
the father of Jesus?

1185
00:57:28.575 --> 00:57:30.345
Why did God choose Mary?

1186
00:57:30.345 --> 00:57:33.055
What was the star that
guided the wise men?

1187
00:57:33.055 --> 00:57:35.495
Who were the wise men
who came to see Jesus?

1188
00:57:35.495 --> 00:57:37.015
How far did they travel

1189
00:57:37.015 --> 00:57:40.465
and what was the value of the
gifts they brought to Christ?

1190
00:57:40.465 --> 00:57:43.375
When you call or go online
right now to order this book

1191
00:57:43.375 --> 00:57:47.975
for just $45, you'll receive
the eternal story of Christmas.

1192
00:57:47.975 --> 00:57:50.865
Now, beautifully told in
this timeless keepsake,

1193
00:57:50.865 --> 00:57:53.835
this is a sweeping portrait
of the Christmas story,

1194
00:57:53.835 --> 00:57:56.995
allowing readers to reflect
on why Jesus came at the dawn

1195
00:57:56.995 --> 00:57:59.435
of the first century and ultimately the

1196
00:57:59.435 --> 00:58:00.785
reason for his birth.

1197
00:58:00.785 --> 00:58:02.255
With stunning illustrations

1198
00:58:02.255 --> 00:58:05.955
and nearly 300 pages, your
family can create a tradition

1199
00:58:05.955 --> 00:58:08.125
that will last for generations.

1200
00:58:08.125 --> 00:58:10.965
Great is a gift for enhancing
your own traditions.

1201
00:58:10.965 --> 00:58:13.975
Order the book today,
Christmas, the rest of the story

1202
00:58:13.975 --> 00:58:15.825
for just $45.

1203
00:58:15.825 --> 00:58:18.845
Call now or go to renter.org to order.

1204
00:58:18.845 --> 00:58:21.075
Don't miss this special Christmas offer.

1205
00:58:22.745 --> 00:58:25.215
This program was made
possible by the giving

1206
00:58:25.215 --> 00:58:28.075
of the God called partners
of Renter Ministries.