our text today is taken from the Gospel<\/p>\n
of Luke just a few verses from Luke<\/p>\n
chapter<\/p>\n
1 and I'll read this to us and then we<\/p>\n
also you can see it's also in tie on the<\/p>\n
screen and we'll refer back to this as<\/p>\n
well this is the word of God in the<\/p>\n
sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent<\/p>\n
from God to a city of Galilee named<\/p>\n
Nazareth to a virgin betrothed to a man<\/p>\n
whose name was Joseph of the House of<\/p>\n
David and the virgin's name was Mary and<\/p>\n
he came to her and said greetings o<\/p>\n
favored one the Lord is with<\/p>\n
you but she was greatly troubled at the<\/p>\n
saying and tried to discern what sort of<\/p>\n
greeting this might be and the angel<\/p>\n
said to Hero not be<\/p>\n
afraid do not be afraid Mary for you<\/p>\n
have found favor with God and behold you<\/p>\n
will conceive in your womb and bear a<\/p>\n
son and you shall call his name<\/p>\n
Jesus he will be great and will be<\/p>\n
called the son of the most high and the<\/p>\n
Lord God will give to him the Throne of<\/p>\n
his father David<\/p>\n
and he will reign over the house of<\/p>\n
Jacob<\/p>\n
forever and of his kingdom there will be<\/p>\n
no<\/p>\n
end since I'm a<\/p>\n
virgin and the angel answered her the<\/p>\n
holy spirit will come upon you and the<\/p>\n
power of the most high will overshadow<\/p>\n
you therefore the child to be born born<\/p>\n
will be called holy the Son of God and<\/p>\n
behold your relative Elizabeth in her<\/p>\n
old age has also conceived a son and<\/p>\n
this is the sixth month with her who was<\/p>\n
called<\/p>\n
baren for nothing will be impossible<\/p>\n
with<\/p>\n
God and Mary said behold I am the<\/p>\n
servant of the Lord let it be to me<\/p>\n
according to your word and the angel<\/p>\n
departed from<\/p>\n
her this is the word of<\/p>\n
God on Christmas Eve in the year 1914 so<\/p>\n
just 110 years ago from this month an<\/p>\n
astonishing event happened in<\/p>\n
Europe it was during the first world war<\/p>\n
and this event happened as British<\/p>\n
forces and German soldiers forces also<\/p>\n
were engaged in trench warfare along an<\/p>\n
area in Belgium and in part of France<\/p>\n
known as the Western Front the Western<\/p>\n
Front there are different accounts of<\/p>\n
kind of how this happened how this<\/p>\n
transpired but on Christmas Eve and into<\/p>\n
part of Christmas Day the soldiers from<\/p>\n
both sides of these<\/p>\n
forces they observed a<\/p>\n
ceasefire they laid down their weapons<\/p>\n
and they observed a<\/p>\n
truce and they came out of their<\/p>\n
trenches they left their trenches to<\/p>\n
meet with one another in an area between<\/p>\n
the trenches on the battlefield known as<\/p>\n
no man's<\/p>\n
land and there are counts of soldiers<\/p>\n
that were exchanging greetings with<\/p>\n
opposing forces they were sharing food<\/p>\n
and drinks they were sharing cigarettes<\/p>\n
they were sharing uh life together<\/p>\n
singing carols together together even<\/p>\n
games of football broke out in an area<\/p>\n
uh between the trenches there in that<\/p>\n
Battlefield now uh and here are some<\/p>\n
pictures some historic see if this will<\/p>\n
move for me here there we<\/p>\n
go so some actual photos from from that<\/p>\n
time now the truce itself was shortlived<\/p>\n
and it didn't happen all along the<\/p>\n
western front it was really interesting<\/p>\n
it just happened in some different<\/p>\n
pockets of of the Skirmish of the<\/p>\n
war and as higher military commands<\/p>\n
found out you they sort of put an end to<\/p>\n
it like get back to your trenches get<\/p>\n
back um to your sides of the battle but<\/p>\n
for a few hours Christmas Eve and<\/p>\n
Christmas Day real peace real peace had<\/p>\n
broken out in the midst of War real<\/p>\n
peace so there was hostility between<\/p>\n
these nations between multiple Nations<\/p>\n
at war with one another in World War I<\/p>\n
and yet there was<\/p>\n
Fellowship where there had been just<\/p>\n
hours before animosity<\/p>\n
hatred and there was peace where there<\/p>\n
had been violence where there had been<\/p>\n
violence there's a film from 2005 I high<\/p>\n
highly recommend it has some adult<\/p>\n
themes and of course it deals with war<\/p>\n
so take that into mind um for little<\/p>\n
ones but it's called Jo Noel so French<\/p>\n
title Joy Noel Merry Christmas joyous<\/p>\n
Christmas and it's a cinematic retelling<\/p>\n
of this<\/p>\n
event which became known as the<\/p>\n
Christmas<\/p>\n
Truce in one poignant scene in the film<\/p>\n
there's a German soldier who stands and<\/p>\n
begins to sing so silent night which is<\/p>\n
an originally originally written in<\/p>\n
German so he begins to sing that out and<\/p>\n
in the film he's an opera singer in<\/p>\n
Germany and he's sent to war and so he<\/p>\n
began singing out into the clear Dark<\/p>\n
Night Silent Night<\/p>\n
sh and the soldiers across the<\/p>\n
battlefield the French uh British even a<\/p>\n
Scottish uh uh Battalion they began<\/p>\n
singing even some of the Scottish<\/p>\n
soldiers get their bag pipes out and<\/p>\n
begin<\/p>\n
playing uh into the cold night air and<\/p>\n
that in the film is what kind of stir up<\/p>\n
this possibility of peace BEAST's<\/p>\n
possibility of laying down their weapons<\/p>\n
and and meeting with their fellow<\/p>\n
men now this story this kind of story<\/p>\n
and it's a real one it's a true one at<\/p>\n
that when we hear something like this it<\/p>\n
stirs our hearts right when I watch that<\/p>\n
film I cry like singing style at night I<\/p>\n
cry why is<\/p>\n
that why is<\/p>\n
that why does something like this why<\/p>\n
does it stir us move us<\/p>\n
is because it points to a deeper reality<\/p>\n
of who we are it points to and unveils<\/p>\n
and<\/p>\n
reveals our deeper hopes and longings<\/p>\n
desires we long for<\/p>\n
peace we long for<\/p>\n
peace we desire life we desire<\/p>\n
flourishing we desire<\/p>\n
Freedom we desire an end hostility and<\/p>\n
violence and yet we see the world around<\/p>\n
us we see the Brokenness we see War we<\/p>\n
see hostility<\/p>\n
still right now at this very moment as<\/p>\n
We Gather relative<\/p>\n
safety there is war raging right now in<\/p>\n
different parts of the world right now<\/p>\n
people don't have that sense of peace<\/p>\n
they don't have that sense of safety<\/p>\n
that we have right now<\/p>\n
we see hatred among<\/p>\n
people we see<\/p>\n
animosity and we long for<\/p>\n
kindness kindness to fellow<\/p>\n
men we see hostility instead of Peace we<\/p>\n
see it around us we read about it in the<\/p>\n
news we see it and we also experience it<\/p>\n
in our own hearts in our own<\/p>\n
Hearts so we need the truth of Christmas<\/p>\n
we need the truth of Christmas to keep<\/p>\n
breaking breaking into our world<\/p>\n
breaking into our hearts we<\/p>\n
need a true and Lasting peace this is<\/p>\n
the The Human Condition the human heart<\/p>\n
cry this longing for peace is exactly<\/p>\n
where uh Israel the people of Israel<\/p>\n
were found at that<\/p>\n
time Israel itself as a nation as a<\/p>\n
people the Jewish people<\/p>\n
we're not going to go into the depth of<\/p>\n
the the story of the history of Israel<\/p>\n
but we can talk about that soon and<\/p>\n
later as Advent unfolds but at this<\/p>\n
season there was great oppression of the<\/p>\n
nation of Israel the people of Israel uh<\/p>\n
because of the Roman<\/p>\n
Empire and so uh<\/p>\n
Rome a strong strong Empire uh would<\/p>\n
conquer Nation they would uh come into<\/p>\n
these nations and they would establish<\/p>\n
their Rule and so Israel the nation of<\/p>\n
Israel was living under the Roman Empire<\/p>\n
living under occupation that was true of<\/p>\n
the nation of Israel was true of the<\/p>\n
city of Jerusalem city of of the of<\/p>\n
Bethlehem as well all throughout that<\/p>\n
region and<\/p>\n
so God and some of the other sermons<\/p>\n
will deal with the prophecy of Isaiah<\/p>\n
the book of Isaiah but God had<\/p>\n
promised God had promised to<\/p>\n
deliver the nation of Israel the Jewish<\/p>\n
people so there was ancient prophecy had<\/p>\n
foretold of the one that would come so<\/p>\n
God would deliver and God was going to<\/p>\n
send one that would come to save<\/p>\n
Israel and so of course the Israel<\/p>\n
Israeli people the Jewish people Israel<\/p>\n
uh the nation of Israel was longing for<\/p>\n
that one to come and different parts of<\/p>\n
the scriptures speak to that how long oh<\/p>\n
God how long will we wait but the one to<\/p>\n
come was going to be known as the<\/p>\n
Messiah the Savior the one that would<\/p>\n
come to deliver to deliver and so the<\/p>\n
people were waiting they were waiting<\/p>\n
there was this<\/p>\n
anticipation generation after generation<\/p>\n
how long oh God how long how<\/p>\n
long and so what would happen would be<\/p>\n
beyond what anyone could possibly<\/p>\n
imagine if Rome was this great military<\/p>\n
force of course they thought God is<\/p>\n
going to send a<\/p>\n
military might right a a military ruler<\/p>\n
that will Vanquish our military foe<\/p>\n
right that's what they were waiting<\/p>\n
for Silent Night Sak this great uh<\/p>\n
Carol kind of sets a scene for us silent<\/p>\n
night holy<\/p>\n
night all is calm all is bright round<\/p>\n
Yan virgin mother and child holy infant<\/p>\n
so Tinder and<\/p>\n
Mild sleep in Heavenly peace sleep<\/p>\n
in Heavenly peace next slide please<\/p>\n
okay so young Mary understandably she<\/p>\n
was filled with<\/p>\n
Fear With<\/p>\n
Fear and<\/p>\n
confusion probably to see this Angelic<\/p>\n
being this Angel before her and then<\/p>\n
also the<\/p>\n
message the message that this Angel was<\/p>\n
bringing<\/p>\n
and so immediately Gabriel speaks words<\/p>\n
of Peace over her upon her do not be<\/p>\n
afraid do not be<\/p>\n
afraid Mary for you have found favor<\/p>\n
God do not be afraid the coming birth of<\/p>\n
this<\/p>\n
baby is ushering in a new reality<\/p>\n
you need not be afraid do not<\/p>\n
fear this Jesus will be<\/p>\n
great and this Jesus will be known as<\/p>\n
the son of the most<\/p>\n
high he will be given the Throne of his<\/p>\n
father David he will<\/p>\n
reign and his reign will have no end the<\/p>\n
good King is Coming the Eternal King is<\/p>\n
coming into this<\/p>\n
world this is the Messiah this is the<\/p>\n
promised one he has<\/p>\n
come and Mary said to the angel how will<\/p>\n
this be since I am a<\/p>\n
Virgin Mary questions Gabriel<\/p>\n
understandably how can this be how will<\/p>\n
be and Gabriel goes on to explain to to<\/p>\n
show how God will bring all of this<\/p>\n
about she will bear the Holy One the<\/p>\n
very Son of God<\/p>\n
and at the very same time while Mary is<\/p>\n
hearing this she is also hearing that<\/p>\n
her relative<\/p>\n
Elizabeth has conceived and is going to<\/p>\n
have a son this is miraculous because<\/p>\n
Elizabeth had not been able to conceive<\/p>\n
she was Barren she was unable and had<\/p>\n
not yet conceived had not yet born<\/p>\n
children and yet this was happening in<\/p>\n
fact she was 6 months<\/p>\n
along with<\/p>\n
child the text says nothing nothing<\/p>\n
nothing will be<\/p>\n
impossible with God and here we see Mary<\/p>\n
at the end of the passage we read<\/p>\n
tonight as far as we read Mary gives<\/p>\n
praise unto God she submits herself to<\/p>\n
this miraculous unfolding of all these<\/p>\n
events to<\/p>\n
come next slide please<\/p>\n
silent<\/p>\n
night holy night Shepherds Quake at the<\/p>\n
sight Glory stream from Heaven afar<\/p>\n
Heavenly hosts sing<\/p>\n
Allelujah Christ the savior is born<\/p>\n
Christ the savior is<\/p>\n
born silent night holy night Son of God<\/p>\n
loves pure light radiant beams from thy<\/p>\n
holy face with the dawn of Redeeming<\/p>\n
Grace Jesus Lord at thy birth Jesus Lord<\/p>\n
at thy birth the lyrics of Silent Night<\/p>\n
They underscore they really underline or<\/p>\n
highlight if you will all that was<\/p>\n
happening all that was transpiring with<\/p>\n
the birth of<\/p>\n
Jesus God's Saving<\/p>\n
Grace God's Redeeming Grace was coming<\/p>\n
into the world in and through<\/p>\n
Jesus this is the message of<\/p>\n
Christmas the Messiah has come the<\/p>\n
Savior has come to<\/p>\n
rescue to save<\/p>\n
us Jesus was coming into this broken<\/p>\n
world to save us to lead this broken and<\/p>\n
sinful World in reconciliation unto God<\/p>\n
so Christians celebrate the birth of<\/p>\n
Jesus we remember that the Savior<\/p>\n
entered the world as a humble<\/p>\n
child a<\/p>\n
baby a<\/p>\n
baby but the narrative Arc of the Gospel<\/p>\n
which we'll talk about as Advent<\/p>\n
unfolds and as we look at year in and<\/p>\n
year out it points<\/p>\n
ahead to the work that Jesus would would<\/p>\n
do to save us so Jesus comes to save us<\/p>\n
how how would Jesus save<\/p>\n
us how would Jesus<\/p>\n
bring the peace that we long for and not<\/p>\n
just a peace for here and now but how<\/p>\n
would Jesus bring the Eternal peace how<\/p>\n
would the Eternal King come to bring<\/p>\n
Eternal peace to a world full of<\/p>\n
violence<\/p>\n
how would the Messiah truly<\/p>\n
save the message of Christmas is the<\/p>\n
message of the Gospel Jesus coming to<\/p>\n
save<\/p>\n
us by giving himself for<\/p>\n
us you know that great text that we read<\/p>\n
and sing and hear and preach so much<\/p>\n
John 3:16 and 17 also here<\/p>\n
is all about this very thing for God so<\/p>\n
loved the world that he gave his only<\/p>\n
son that whoever believes in him should<\/p>\n
not perish but have eternal life eternal<\/p>\n
peace Eternal Joy eternal life for God<\/p>\n
did not send his son into the world to<\/p>\n
condemn the<\/p>\n
world but in order that the world might<\/p>\n
be saved<\/p>\n
that the world might be saved that the<\/p>\n
world might be saved through him Jesus<\/p>\n
world Jesus being born taking on flesh<\/p>\n
to save<\/p>\n
us from<\/p>\n
ourselves to save us from ourselves the<\/p>\n
lasting and true peace that we long for<\/p>\n
only comes it only comes when we find<\/p>\n
the true PE peace with God through Jesus<\/p>\n
Christ the central message of the<\/p>\n
Christian faith is that we are broken we<\/p>\n
are sinful in and of<\/p>\n
ourselves and we must be reconciled to<\/p>\n
God we<\/p>\n
must to reconcile that word to reconcile<\/p>\n
it means to return to a state to a place<\/p>\n
of wholeness rightness of goodness truth<\/p>\n
beauty it's a place of<\/p>\n
restoration<\/p>\n
renewal our relationship with<\/p>\n
God has been severed because of our sin<\/p>\n
it's been broken because of our<\/p>\n
sin God is<\/p>\n
Holy and just and our sinful actions it<\/p>\n
actually it drives us away from<\/p>\n
God and his good will for<\/p>\n
us that is the predicament of Humanity<\/p>\n
that is what many scholars theologians<\/p>\n
call The Human Condition it's kind of<\/p>\n
where we find<\/p>\n
ourselves that is the darkness that<\/p>\n
induces<\/p>\n
fear that is the darkness that induces<\/p>\n
violence our sin is the source of hatred<\/p>\n
our sin is the source of animosity<\/p>\n
towards<\/p>\n
others it is the cause of our own<\/p>\n
Rebellion against<\/p>\n
God it's the cause of so much<\/p>\n
pain so much suffering in the<\/p>\n
world so much suffering in our own<\/p>\n
Hearts our own<\/p>\n
lives our sin separates us from<\/p>\n
God but Jesus enters into this Jesus<\/p>\n
comes Jesus comes into a hurting world<\/p>\n
to bring bring<\/p>\n
healing to bring<\/p>\n
hope the<\/p>\n
Messiah has<\/p>\n
come and as you read the gospels as you<\/p>\n
read the story of Jesus and this is not<\/p>\n
a spoiler alert but as we read about how<\/p>\n
Jesus would do this he grows into a<\/p>\n
man he uh is teaching and preaching and<\/p>\n
healing and speaking words of peace and<\/p>\n
Truth and Love to those that He<\/p>\n
interacts with in the<\/p>\n
scriptures and then he would give<\/p>\n
himself he would give himself as a<\/p>\n
sacrifice he would give himself and he<\/p>\n
would die so that we when we turn to him<\/p>\n
in faith may be reconciled to God Jesus<\/p>\n
would do all of this this is the<\/p>\n
trajectory of the this little baby's<\/p>\n
life<\/p>\n
so this is why we call the gospel this<\/p>\n
is why it literally means good news good<\/p>\n
news good news because Jesus gave<\/p>\n
himself for us taking on our sin and<\/p>\n
dying for us so Jesus gives us peace he<\/p>\n
brings us true and eternal peace to be<\/p>\n
found in God alone<\/p>\n
in the Book of<\/p>\n
Romans there's a verse that really sums<\/p>\n
this up well verses uh 1 and two of<\/p>\n
verse 5 therefore since we have been<\/p>\n
justified by faith we have peace with<\/p>\n
God we have<\/p>\n
peace with God through our Lord Jesus<\/p>\n
Christ through him we have also obtained<\/p>\n
access by by faith into this<\/p>\n
grace in which we<\/p>\n
stand and we<\/p>\n
rejoice in<\/p>\n
hope in the glory of<\/p>\n
God we have peace with God through Jesus<\/p>\n
Christ when we turn to Jesus in<\/p>\n
faith as we call upon him as our savior<\/p>\n
our<\/p>\n
Messiah we find<\/p>\n
the peace that our souls long<\/p>\n
for peace for<\/p>\n
now even in the midst of all that this<\/p>\n
life holds even in the midst of of<\/p>\n
violence in our own lives around the<\/p>\n
world around us<\/p>\n
peace peace in the Prince of Peace<\/p>\n
Jesus and a peace that is coming in<\/p>\n
fullness<\/p>\n
forever so peace in the midst of<\/p>\n
darkness and fear now and then a peace<\/p>\n
that we look to with an expectant hope<\/p>\n
an expectant hope there's a quote that I<\/p>\n
use uh and share so often because it<\/p>\n
really speaks very clearly to the core<\/p>\n
of who we are it's uh from<\/p>\n
Augustine uh St Augustine he was the<\/p>\n
bishop of Hippo city in Africa of Hippo<\/p>\n
uh and this is from a book that he wrote<\/p>\n
confessions and in that book he writes<\/p>\n
this St Augustine writes this he said<\/p>\n
thou talking about God thou Hast made us<\/p>\n
for thyself oh<\/p>\n
Lord and our<\/p>\n
heart is<\/p>\n
restless until it Finds Its rest in thee<\/p>\n
you could also say it this way God you<\/p>\n
created us you made us<\/p>\n
and God we do not have peace we are not<\/p>\n
at<\/p>\n
peace<\/p>\n
until our hearts find rest in the one<\/p>\n
that is<\/p>\n
peace the one that is peace so yes we<\/p>\n
are restless do you feel that<\/p>\n
restlessness you feel it we are without<\/p>\n
peace until we come to know the Peace of<\/p>\n
Christ and then even then when we<\/p>\n
experience that restlessness that the<\/p>\n
world will throw at us we again again go<\/p>\n
to the prince of peace and receive that<\/p>\n
peace again and again and again and we<\/p>\n
will do that throughout this<\/p>\n
lifetime as we hope and wait for the<\/p>\n
Eternal and good King that is<\/p>\n
coming next slide and thank<\/p>\n
you as we hope the Eternal and good King<\/p>\n
coming the last verse of Silent Night<\/p>\n
reads this silent night holy<\/p>\n
night wondrous star lend thy light with<\/p>\n
the<\/p>\n
angels let us sing Hallelujah to our<\/p>\n
King Christ the savior is born Christ<\/p>\n
the savior is<\/p>\n
[Music]<\/p>\n
born friends because Jesus has<\/p>\n
come we may be reconciled to God and<\/p>\n
find peace peace for the here and<\/p>\n
now and peace in the midst of all that<\/p>\n
is still wrong with the<\/p>\n
world and when we become followers of<\/p>\n
Jesus we become<\/p>\n
ambassadors of hope we become<\/p>\n
ambassadors of peace loving in and<\/p>\n
caring for others with the love of<\/p>\n
Jesus the G the love that Jesus has for<\/p>\n
us and we give that we demonstrate that<\/p>\n
to others so we become a people that<\/p>\n
speak peace among<\/p>\n
others because we're a people of hope<\/p>\n
we're people that have hope for now and<\/p>\n
we look ahead with a sure hope for the<\/p>\n
day when Jesus will come again to<\/p>\n
establish his eternal reign<\/p>\n
Advent means coming Jesus has come and<\/p>\n
he will come<\/p>\n
again here we see the angels in the song<\/p>\n
singing Hallelujah to our King so with<\/p>\n
the angels it says let us sing so how do<\/p>\n
we respond how do we respond how do you<\/p>\n
take what you've heard and maybe what<\/p>\n
you've heard again I've heard it many<\/p>\n
times and how do we allow it to rest our<\/p>\n
hearts how do we allow it to kind of<\/p>\n
shake us again remind us or maybe for<\/p>\n
the first time in our lives to consider<\/p>\n
this so how do we respond to this you<\/p>\n
know when we gather as a church our hope<\/p>\n
is always that we would have people that<\/p>\n
do not yet believe maybe here with us<\/p>\n
maybe coming and people coming saying I<\/p>\n
don't know what I believe about<\/p>\n
Christianity I don't know what I believe<\/p>\n
about Jesus I've heard some things and I<\/p>\n
have some real questions I don't know<\/p>\n
what I believe and here's our hope Grace<\/p>\n
City and here's our hope for you if if<\/p>\n
you would articulate that that I'm not<\/p>\n
sure what I think about all of this and<\/p>\n
our hope is this that first of all we<\/p>\n
would say we are so thankful that you<\/p>\n
here and we would hope that you would<\/p>\n
really feel a sense of Welcome among<\/p>\n
this community and that your questions<\/p>\n
we honor those questions we realize<\/p>\n
those are real honest questions we want<\/p>\n
to engage with you about those so that<\/p>\n
would be the first thing I would say to<\/p>\n
you but then what I would ask you is<\/p>\n
this would you consider<\/p>\n
this because what if it is<\/p>\n
true what if it is true what if there<\/p>\n
was a little baby born 2,000 years ago<\/p>\n
and peace real peace was breaking into<\/p>\n
the world and that peace is coming again<\/p>\n
what if it's true so ask those questions<\/p>\n
ask those questions of someone that does<\/p>\n
claim this does claim to believe this<\/p>\n
and say how in the world do you believe<\/p>\n
this tell me tell me because I have real<\/p>\n
questions so engage with this<\/p>\n
today I ask of<\/p>\n
you and then<\/p>\n
Christian we also as every week as we<\/p>\n
look again at the gospel and we say how<\/p>\n
do I believe do I believe this have I<\/p>\n
lived in a way this week that says yeah<\/p>\n
I believe this and so let us be reminded<\/p>\n
again this Advent<\/p>\n
season that the Messiah has come the<\/p>\n
Prince of Peace has come here and now<\/p>\n
Jesus is alive he's reigning and<\/p>\n
ruling in spite of all we<\/p>\n
experience in spite of all we experience<\/p>\n
be<\/p>\n
encouraged again in the Gospel of Jesus<\/p>\n
Christ<\/p>\n
and ask God to show you how you may<\/p>\n
extend his peace even this week who<\/p>\n
needs to know of the Peace of Jesus in<\/p>\n
your life right now maybe even have<\/p>\n
someone coming to mind Jesus or God is<\/p>\n
impressing upon you right now even<\/p>\n
someone that you might speak that word<\/p>\n
of peace to you this<\/p>\n
week this<\/p>\n
week be encouraged in all of this the<\/p>\n
darkness in this world it still produces<\/p>\n
fear doesn't it it still produces fear<\/p>\n
and people need to hear of the good news<\/p>\n
the great light that is shining in that<\/p>\n
Darkness people need to hear of great<\/p>\n
news of great joy so may we great City<\/p>\n
may we be a<\/p>\n
people that share about this with others<\/p>\n
may we be people of Peace extending the<\/p>\n
Peace of Christ this week this<\/p>\n
week let's<\/p>\n
pray Lord Jesus<\/p>\n
May the story of Christmas ReSound in<\/p>\n
our hearts and Minds<\/p>\n
again may we be a people that speak your<\/p>\n
peace into the dark voids of this<\/p>\n
world you've come to<\/p>\n
save you will come<\/p>\n
again help us as we await that day help<\/p>\n
us to extend love and care and peace to<\/p>\n
others your<\/p>\n
peace help us oh God and come Lord Jesus<\/p>\n
we pray come Lord Jesus we pray all of<\/p>\n
this in your holy name<\/p>\n
amen e<\/p>","english_search_text":"","":"","original_publish_date":"20241202","video_url":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=Ht9A_Na1YKU","video_id":"Ht9A_Na1YKU","video_duration":"32:52","channel_name":"Grace City Bangkok"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gracecity.machakosconsulting.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/322","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gracecity.machakosconsulting.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gracecity.machakosconsulting.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gracecity.machakosconsulting.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gracecity.machakosconsulting.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=322"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/gracecity.machakosconsulting.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/322\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":323,"href":"https:\/\/gracecity.machakosconsulting.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/322\/revisions\/323"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gracecity.machakosconsulting.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/321"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gracecity.machakosconsulting.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=322"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gracecity.machakosconsulting.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=322"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gracecity.machakosconsulting.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=322"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}