today is the second sunday of advent<\/p>\n
song<\/p>\n
the word advent means coming<\/p>\n
and it marks the time the season<\/p>\n
when the christian church all over the<\/p>\n
world celebrates that jesus has come<\/p>\n
[ __ ]<\/p>\n
we began celebrating advent last week<\/p>\n
and we and we look ahead to christmas<\/p>\n
day later this month<\/p>\n
um<\/p>\n
christmas day the day we remember that<\/p>\n
god<\/p>\n
took on flesh that god stepped into<\/p>\n
this world<\/p>\n
the bible calls jesus emmanuel which<\/p>\n
translates<\/p>\n
with us<\/p>\n
god stepping into this world that he<\/p>\n
created<\/p>\n
during these sundays of advent we're<\/p>\n
looking at songs of christmas<\/p>\n
[Music]<\/p>\n
last sunday we read about the song of<\/p>\n
mary you know a song of praise that she<\/p>\n
sang to god when it was revealed to her<\/p>\n
that she would conceive a child through<\/p>\n
the holy spirit and would give birth to<\/p>\n
the savior the messiah jesus<\/p>\n
you think<\/p>\n
and today we read of the praise of the<\/p>\n
angels a message that that broke into a<\/p>\n
dark and dreary world with good news<\/p>\n
news of the newborn savior that would<\/p>\n
change the world forever<\/p>\n
the text we're going to read actually is<\/p>\n
is more of what we read as as the call<\/p>\n
to worship today giving us more<\/p>\n
background<\/p>\n
i'll read the text to us in english the<\/p>\n
tie<\/p>\n
is also on the slides this is luke<\/p>\n
chapter 2 verses 8 through 10.<\/p>\n
this is the word of god<\/p>\n
and in the same region<\/p>\n
there were shepherds out in the field<\/p>\n
keeping watch<\/p>\n
over their flock by night<\/p>\n
and an angel of the lord appeared to<\/p>\n
them<\/p>\n
and the glory of the lord shone around<\/p>\n
them and they were filled<\/p>\n
with great<\/p>\n
fear<\/p>\n
and the angel said to them fear not be<\/p>\n
hope for behold i bring you good news<\/p>\n
of great joy<\/p>\n
that will be for all the people<\/p>\n
for unto you is born this day<\/p>\n
in the city of david<\/p>\n
a savior<\/p>\n
who is christ the lord<\/p>\n
and this will be a sign for you you will<\/p>\n
find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes<\/p>\n
and lying in a manger<\/p>\n
and suddenly there was with the angel<\/p>\n
a multitude of heavenly hosts praising<\/p>\n
god and saying glory to god in the<\/p>\n
highest<\/p>\n
and on earth peace among those with whom<\/p>\n
he is pleased<\/p>\n
when the angels went away from them into<\/p>\n
heaven<\/p>\n
the shepherds said to one another<\/p>\n
let us go let us go to bethlehem and see<\/p>\n
this thing that has happened which the<\/p>\n
lord has made known to us<\/p>\n
and they went with haste<\/p>\n
and found mary and joseph<\/p>\n
and the baby<\/p>\n
lying in a manger<\/p>\n
and when they saw it they made known the<\/p>\n
saying that had been told them<\/p>\n
concerning this child<\/p>\n
all who heard it wondered<\/p>\n
at what the shepherds told them<\/p>\n
but mary treasured up all these things<\/p>\n
pondering them in her heart<\/p>\n
and the shepherds returned glorifying<\/p>\n
and praising god<\/p>\n
for all they had heard<\/p>\n
and seen<\/p>\n
as it had been told<\/p>\n
news<\/p>\n
cow<\/p>\n
every day we hear<\/p>\n
news of what's happening in our own<\/p>\n
communities<\/p>\n
and around the world<\/p>\n
on the internet<\/p>\n
radio television newspapers other media<\/p>\n
channels<\/p>\n
unfortunately what makes for popular<\/p>\n
news tends to be<\/p>\n
negative<\/p>\n
we hear of natural disasters economic<\/p>\n
downturns or pandemics or<\/p>\n
mutations<\/p>\n
of viruses<\/p>\n
and sometimes news can have a very<\/p>\n
personal<\/p>\n
impact<\/p>\n
we may hear of the<\/p>\n
serious illness or death of a loved one<\/p>\n
we may hear that we've lost our job or<\/p>\n
that dear friends are getting a divorce<\/p>\n
news good or bad<\/p>\n
is information that comes to us and it<\/p>\n
changes<\/p>\n
our lives one way or another<\/p>\n
the change may be minuscule small<\/p>\n
or it may redefine life as we know it<\/p>\n
the initial setting for this passage<\/p>\n
isn't the middle of some bustling city<\/p>\n
an urban metropolis but rather a quiet<\/p>\n
rural field where shepherds were quietly<\/p>\n
caring for their sheep<\/p>\n
if you can make it shorter it will be<\/p>\n
more yes okay but i can try it so<\/p>\n
this passage we just read it it doesn't<\/p>\n
take place in a big city<\/p>\n
and these shepherds you know they had<\/p>\n
done this<\/p>\n
night after night after night<\/p>\n
but this night was going to be different<\/p>\n
they were about to receive news that<\/p>\n
would change their lives and changed the<\/p>\n
world forever<\/p>\n
the bible says that<\/p>\n
an angel of the lord appeared to these<\/p>\n
shepherds<\/p>\n
illuminating the darkness<\/p>\n
the text says the glory of the lord<\/p>\n
shone around them<\/p>\n
they were afraid of what was happening<\/p>\n
and of what may happen next<\/p>\n
that could be an app description<\/p>\n
of our own lives and of this world<\/p>\n
right now couldn't it<\/p>\n
have been coming<\/p>\n
and throughout history we see<\/p>\n
times of of darkness and fear people<\/p>\n
living in fear<\/p>\n
and this was certainly the case for the<\/p>\n
people of israel as well<\/p>\n
you know ancient scriptures had detailed<\/p>\n
god's promise<\/p>\n
to deliver his people to save his people<\/p>\n
through<\/p>\n
a savior a messiah<\/p>\n
but they were waiting<\/p>\n
they were waiting for that messiah to<\/p>\n
come<\/p>\n
follow again<\/p>\n
they were waiting for god to save them<\/p>\n
in their lives just like our lives were<\/p>\n
punctuated<\/p>\n
by darkness and fear<\/p>\n
but the angel of god the angel of the<\/p>\n
lord speaks<\/p>\n
into this<\/p>\n
fear with words of hope<\/p>\n
do not be afraid<\/p>\n
the message i have for you is a message<\/p>\n
of good news<\/p>\n
and the angel announces the news the<\/p>\n
messiah has come.<\/p>\n
the messiah is here in the city of david<\/p>\n
the savior the lord has come<\/p>\n
promising<\/p>\n
and suddenly<\/p>\n
the sky was filled right filled with a<\/p>\n
multitude of angels<\/p>\n
praising god together<\/p>\n
wanted<\/p>\n
and they were announcing<\/p>\n
peace they were announcing the peace<\/p>\n
that the messiah would bring<\/p>\n
back<\/p>\n
jesus was born into this broken world<\/p>\n
to lead us<\/p>\n
in reconciliation to god foreign<\/p>\n
yes christians celebrate the birth of<\/p>\n
jesus remembering that the savior was<\/p>\n
born<\/p>\n
christian<\/p>\n
you see the reason jesus came to save us<\/p>\n
the reason jesus came was to save us by<\/p>\n
giving his life<\/p>\n
to christ<\/p>\n
for god so loved the world<\/p>\n
john 3 16 writes or says<\/p>\n
that he gave<\/p>\n
his only son<\/p>\n
that whoever believes in him should not<\/p>\n
perish but have eternal life<\/p>\n
god did not send his son into the world<\/p>\n
to condemn the world but in order that<\/p>\n
the world might be saved through him<\/p>\n
the peace that the angels announced that<\/p>\n
night<\/p>\n
it only comes when we find peace with<\/p>\n
god through jesus christ<\/p>\n
the good news that the angels<\/p>\n
proclaimed it's only good news<\/p>\n
because of what jesus did<\/p>\n
you know the central message of the<\/p>\n
christian faith is that we are we're<\/p>\n
sinful<\/p>\n
beings<\/p>\n
and we must be reconciled to god<\/p>\n
to reconcile is to return to a state of<\/p>\n
of wholeness a place of restoration<\/p>\n
you know the perfect relationship that<\/p>\n
we had with god it was severed<\/p>\n
because of our sins<\/p>\n
this is the predicament of humanity this<\/p>\n
is<\/p>\n
our sin separates us from god<\/p>\n
but the message that the angels<\/p>\n
proclaimed into the darkness that night<\/p>\n
was good news indeed<\/p>\n
and he would teach and he would heal and<\/p>\n
he would love those around him<\/p>\n
and then<\/p>\n
he would give himself as a sacrifice for<\/p>\n
our sins<\/p>\n
for our sins<\/p>\n
that is good news<\/p>\n
the gospel is good news because jesus<\/p>\n
gave himself for us<\/p>\n
jesus took on our sin and he died for<\/p>\n
in romans chapter 5 we read this<\/p>\n
therefore since we have been justified<\/p>\n
by faith we have peace<\/p>\n
with god<\/p>\n
through our lord jesus christ<\/p>\n
through him we have also obtained access<\/p>\n
by faith into this grace in which we<\/p>\n
stand and we rejoice in the hope of the<\/p>\n
glory of god<\/p>\n
when we turn to jesus in faith as we<\/p>\n
call upon him as our savior as our<\/p>\n
messiah<\/p>\n
in the midst of all this life may hold<\/p>\n
and peace forever<\/p>\n
he brings peace and he gives peace<\/p>\n
in the midst of darkness and fear<\/p>\n
the church forefather<\/p>\n
saint augustine<\/p>\n
said this<\/p>\n
thou has made us for thyself o lord<\/p>\n
and our heart is restless<\/p>\n
until it finds<\/p>\n
rest in thee<\/p>\n
naked<\/p>\n
yes we are restless we are without peace<\/p>\n
until we come to know the peace of<\/p>\n
christ<\/p>\n
so we must go to jesus we must go and<\/p>\n
receive the peace that he is the peace<\/p>\n
that he gives<\/p>\n
up<\/p>\n
the text says that after the truth of<\/p>\n
jesus had been made known to the<\/p>\n
by the angels<\/p>\n
they went<\/p>\n
to see for themselves<\/p>\n
it says that which the lord has made<\/p>\n
known to us<\/p>\n
the angels announced the truth of who<\/p>\n
jesus is and the shepherds went to see<\/p>\n
someone<\/p>\n
and their knowledge of him it turned<\/p>\n
to worship<\/p>\n
the end of the passage says they they<\/p>\n
returned to their homes glorifying and<\/p>\n
praising god for all they had heard and<\/p>\n
seen as it had been told<\/p>\n
this is what the christian faith is all<\/p>\n
some of you would honestly say you know<\/p>\n
i'm i'm not a christian<\/p>\n
christian i'm not a follower of jesus<\/p>\n
and and to you first of all i would say<\/p>\n
we're so thankful that you're here<\/p>\n
and we welcome you and your questions<\/p>\n
and your your exploration of who jesus<\/p>\n
is god<\/p>\n
and then i would invite you to consider<\/p>\n
the message of the angels today<\/p>\n
to go to jesus as these shepherds did to<\/p>\n
go and see him<\/p>\n
because if jesus is<\/p>\n
the savior if he is the giver of true<\/p>\n
peace<\/p>\n
in the book of first timothy the apostle<\/p>\n
paul gives a picture<\/p>\n
of what<\/p>\n
life new life in jesus looks like<\/p>\n
with my name<\/p>\n
first of all then i urge<\/p>\n
that supplications prayers intercessions<\/p>\n
and thanksgivings<\/p>\n
be made for all people for kings and all<\/p>\n
who are in high positions that we may<\/p>\n
lead a peaceful and quiet<\/p>\n
life<\/p>\n
godly and dignified in every way<\/p>\n
this is good<\/p>\n
and it's pleasing in the sight of god<\/p>\n
our savior who desires all people to be<\/p>\n
saved and to come to the knowledge of<\/p>\n
the truth<\/p>\n
for there is one god<\/p>\n
and there is one mediator between god<\/p>\n
and men the man christ<\/p>\n
jesus who gave himself<\/p>\n
as a ransom for all which is the<\/p>\n
testimony given at the proper time<\/p>\n
shenanigans<\/p>\n
be reminded again<\/p>\n
of this season of advent and christmas<\/p>\n
that<\/p>\n
yes the messiah has come hello<\/p>\n
uh de la canta<\/p>\n
be encouraged in the gospel of jesus and<\/p>\n
be one that extends the peace of christ<\/p>\n
to those around you<\/p>\n
secretly<\/p>\n
people need to hear good news of great<\/p>\n
joy<\/p>\n
may we like the shepherds be a people<\/p>\n
that share<\/p>\n
what we have been shown<\/p>\n
lord god made the story<\/p>\n
of christmas and easter resound in our<\/p>\n
hearts and minds today<\/p>\n
may is be a people that speak your truth<\/p>\n
into the dark voids of the world<\/p>\n
you have come to save and you will come<\/p>\n
again one day<\/p>\n
and we await that day oh god<\/p>\n
come lord jesus come praise<\/p>\n
amen<\/p>","english_search_text":"","":"","original_publish_date":"20211207","video_url":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=GNBUKs6OKBc","video_id":"GNBUKs6OKBc","video_duration":"29:39","channel_name":"Grace City Bangkok"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gracecity.machakosconsulting.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/895","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=895"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/gracecity.machakosconsulting.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/895\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":896,"href":"https:\/\/gracecity.machakosconsulting.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/895\/revisions\/896"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gracecity.machakosconsulting.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/894"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gracecity.machakosconsulting.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=895"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gracecity.machakosconsulting.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=895"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gracecity.machakosconsulting.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=895"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}