Theological Status: Theological Weakness
Biblical Parallel(Archetype): Laodicea
❓ What do these grades mean?
🔍 Biblical Discernment: The 7 Church Parallels
The Cold Orthodox Parallel
Ephesus
Teaching that upholds doctrinal precision yet parallels the loss of the "first love"—the vital, motivating power of the Gospel (Rev 2:4).
Why strictly "Mark & Avoid"?
We do not issue this rating to attack the speaker, but to protect the listener. This church's overall teaching trend consistently deviates from sound doctrine. As per Romans 16:17, we identify these patterns so believers can guard their hearts.
We do not issue this rating to attack the speaker, but to protect the listener. This church's overall teaching trend consistently deviates from sound doctrine. As per Romans 16:17, we identify these patterns so believers can guard their hearts.
🧐 Overview
Sermon Summary: This sermon offers a devotional reflection on the Christmas story, using Mary's encounter with the angel Gabriel as a source of encouragement to find hope and trust in God's timing, even when life feels overwhelming.
Big Idea: Where is the hope in the unexpected and challenging circumstances of life? [00:43:31 ▶️ 📄]
Pastoral Analysis: The sermon uses the narrative of the Annunciation to encourage believers to trust God's will, modeling Mary's faithful submission. However, it functions primarily as a moralistic character study, failing to connect the event to its redemptive-historical significance in Christ. The sermon is theologically anemic, lacking a clear Gospel presentation and is further weakened by the unbiblical practice of open communion.
Biblical Parallel(Archetype): Laodicea — The sermon's focus is on finding personal hope and peace by emulating Mary's example, reducing the Incarnation narrative to a therapeutic lesson rather than a redemptive-historical reality.
🧭 Biblical Alignment Dashboard
Overall Verdict: Theologically Weak
| Category | Status | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Soteriology | ⚠️ WEAK | The sermon lacks any clear presentation of the gospel. Salvation is not discussed, and the focus remains on moral emulation of Mary's faith rather than the saving work of the Son she would bear. |
| Bibliology | ⚠️ WEAK | While the Bible is read, the sermon exhibits a very low text-to-talk ratio. The bulk of the message consists of personal anecdotes and psychological application, using the text as a launchpad rather than the substance of the sermon. |
| Hermeneutic | ⚠️ WEAK | The pastor employs a moralistic hermeneutic, presenting Mary as an example to follow rather than explaining the typological and prophetic fulfillment represented by the virgin birth of the God-man. |
| Theology Proper | ✅ PASS | The sermon correctly affirms God's sovereignty, power, and faithfulness in His timing. |
| Sacramentology | ❌ FAIL | Communion was administered without any biblical instruction restricting it to believers or warning against partaking in an unworthy manner. The invitation 'if you feel led to' constitutes Open Communion. |
📖 How they Handle Scripture & Jesus
Primary Text: Luke 1 (Pretextual)
Scripture Saturation: Verses Read: 9 | Referenced: 0 | Alluded: 0
Passages Read Aloud:
-
Luke 1:26-28
[00:35:34 ▶️ 📄]
"In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph. The virgin's name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, Greetings, you who are highly favored. The Lord is with you."
-
Luke 1:30-33
[00:37:41 ▶️ 📄]
"Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever. His kingdom will never end."
-
Luke 1:35
[00:41:46 ▶️ 📄]
"The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the Holy One will be born and will be called the Son of God."
-
Luke 1:38
[00:45:59 ▶️ 📄]
"I am the Lord's servant, Mary answered. May it be to me as you have said."
Christological Connection: Moralistic: The text is used to present Mary as a moral example of faith for the believer to emulate, rather than to explain the significance of the Incarnation or Christ's unique identity as the Son of God.
🧱 Sermon Outline
- Introduction [00:34:29 ▶️ 📄] : The pastor introduces the theme of God's perfect timing, using a personal story about new church doors to illustrate that His timing rarely aligns with ours.
- Point 1: The Annunciation to Mary [00:35:08 ▶️ 📄] : The pastor reads Luke 1:26-33, recounting the angel Gabriel's visit to Mary and the announcement that she will bear a son named Jesus.
- Point 2: Mary's Troubled but Faithful Response [00:40:52 ▶️ 📄] : The sermon focuses on the human difficulty of Mary's situation and her ultimate submission to God's will after questioning the angel.
- Application: Finding Hope Like Mary [00:47:47 ▶️ 📄] : The pastor applies Mary's story to the congregation's personal struggles with anxiety and fear, calling them to find hope by trusting in an unseen God.
- Conclusion [00:55:52 ▶️ 📄] : The sermon concludes with a prayer that the church would find hope embedded in God, especially during the pressures of the holiday season.
💧 Sacraments & Ordinances
Fencing the Table (Communion):
- Believers Only Stated: ❌ No (Open Table Risk)
- Warning Against Unworthy Manner: ⚠️ None Detected
🗝️ Key Topics & Themes
- Hope in God's Timing [00:34:39 ▶️ 📄] : The pastor discusses the importance of trusting God's timing, even when it doesn't align with our own.
- Finding hope in difficult circumstances [00:43:31 ▶️ 📄] : The pastor discusses how Mary found hope despite her engagement being disrupted.
✅ Commendations
Pastoral Tone | Relatable and Accessible
The pastor's tone is warm and conversational, using personal anecdotes to make complex biblical narratives feel accessible to a general audience.
Doctrinal Affirmation | Affirmation of God's Sovereignty
The sermon rightly emphasizes God's perfect timing and the truth that 'nothing is impossible with God,' providing a solid, though underdeveloped, foundation for trust.
⚠️ Theological Concerns
🟠 Open Communion
Root Cause: Liturgical Negligence: A failure to uphold the biblical standards for administering the sacraments, often stemming from a desire for inclusivity that overrides scriptural commands.
"if you feel led to, please come up and receive communion today." [00:26:24 ▶️ 📄]
Correction: The Lord's Supper is a sign and seal of the covenant of grace for believers. It should be administered with a clear explanation that it is for those who have repented of their sin and trusted in Christ alone, and must include a warning for self-examination before partaking.
🟠 Moralistic Preaching (Narcigesis)
Root Cause: Moralistic Drift (Sardis): Detaching the commands or examples of Scripture from the power of the Gospel. It preaches the 'what' (be faithful like Mary) without the 'how' (the grace of God in Christ that enables faith).
"And yet we have to trust in a God that sometimes we feel like we can't reach out to, we can't see... every day it's this fight and this struggle to try and find hope..." [00:48:11 ▶️ 📄]
Correction: The Annunciation is not primarily about Mary's example, but about God fulfilling His covenant promises. The sermon should have explained how this event is the hinge of redemptive history, where the eternal Son takes on human flesh to become the Savior. Our hope is not in our ability to emulate Mary's faith, but in the Son she bore.
📜 Full Sermon Transcript (Audit)
Use the 📄 icons next to quotes above to automatically jump to their location in this raw transcript.
[00:00:07] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
Okay.
[00:00:53] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]:
Good morning the bridge.
[00:01:03] Alright, there's two of you out there.
[00:01:05] Glad to hear there's two.
[00:01:07] Good morning the bridge.
[00:01:09] I'll keep trying until I get you all.
[00:01:11] I know you're all out there.
[00:01:13] Will you please stand with me this morning so that we can start our celebration of our God and Savior.
[00:01:25] One, two, three, four.
[00:01:29] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
Sorry.
[00:01:31] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]:
I did it again.
[00:01:31] One, two, three, four.
[00:01:42] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
Joy to the world!
[00:01:49] The Lord is come!
[00:01:54] Let earth receive her King!
[00:01:58] Let every heart prepare Him room And heaven and nature sing And heaven and nature sing
[00:02:20] Church sing Joy to the world the Savior reigns Let all their songs employ
[00:02:42] While fields have flowed, rocks, hills, and plains Repeat the sounding joy Repeat the sounding joy Repeat, repeat the sounding joy
[00:03:08] Joy, unspeakable joy An overflowing well No tongue can tell Joy, unspeakable joy
[00:03:33] Rises to my soul, never lets me go He rules the world with truth and grace And makes a nation true
[00:03:58] The glories of His righteousness And wonders of His love And wonders, wonders of His love
[00:04:26] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
Joy, unspeakable joy, an overflowing well, no tongue can tell
[00:04:44] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
Amen.
[00:05:14] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
Good morning.
[00:05:16] You may be seated.
[00:05:17] I have a couple announcements for you this morning.
[00:05:25] Let's go ahead and jump into it.
[00:05:28] It's going to be the Women's Christmas Lunch event.
[00:05:32] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]:
Okay, well that right there is the Women's District Retreat.
[00:05:36] The Women's District Retreat is going to be held in March 27th to 29th.
[00:05:42] It is going to be at Atlantic Beach.
[00:05:44] There are flyers out on the table.
[00:05:48] I think I was told that we had a meeting and the link may not have worked last week or two weeks ago when we passed them out but it should be working now so if you want to sign up and everything that's out there on the table and if I get any more information but it's all of the information is on that sheet there but it is going to be
[00:06:13] In Atlantic Beach, March 27th through the 29th, so Friday to Sunday.
[00:06:20] And I don't, there should be, the women's lunch should be next?
[00:06:26] Okay.
[00:06:26] Next, this coming Saturday,
[00:06:31] I was like, next Saturday?
[00:06:32] This coming Saturday we're going to have a Christmas women's lunch.
[00:06:36] And it's going to be at Jonathan Myers' home.
[00:06:42] Because apparently he's standing out there waiting for me to say that.
[00:06:46] At our home, and it's just going to be a time of fellowship.
[00:06:52] We have food, and I want everybody to bring, that are coming, bring your favorite Christmas snacks, favorite hors d'oeuvres.
[00:07:02] We do have a sign-up sheet in the back, and there's three options.
[00:07:25] Do you need a ride because we're going to meet here at 1130 and then driving down to my house?
[00:07:34] So the one thing is, do you need a ride?
[00:07:37] Number two, can you drive anybody?
[00:07:40] Do you mind carpooling and meeting here at 1130?
[00:07:43] Or are you just going to come to my house?
[00:07:46] So if you're just going to come to my house, you can come at noon.
[00:07:50] but if you're going to meet here be here at 11 30 and if you don't mind signing up that way i kind of know how many to plan for that would be great but it is just going to be a time of wonderful fellowship together
[00:08:07] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
Alright, so we have Christmas card bags out on the wall behind the sound booth in the hallway.
[00:08:15] And so if you were here with us last year, you just want to write somebody a Christmas card in the church, you put it in each bag based on the last name.
[00:08:24] If you don't know who's here, well, we've got a list for you out in the foyer.
[00:08:29] Marissa's printed off a list of names of everyone in the church that we had information for.
[00:08:34] And they are out on the table where the kids register with our logo on it.
[00:08:39] There's little packets.
[00:08:40] It's three pages, front and back.
[00:08:44] And so they are out there for you to take so you can fill out your Christmas cards.
[00:08:47] All right, next.
[00:08:49] Next Sunday evening will be a spaghetti dinner fundraiser for our preschool.
[00:08:57] And it's also a combined ministry event with the preschool kids and the kids of our church coming together, doing a song that night.
[00:09:05] We'll also have a little video of what the kids think about Christmas, which will be quite hysterical.
[00:09:13] Here's where you come into play.
[00:09:15] We're going to need people to fix spaghetti, right?
[00:09:19] A lot of spaghetti.
[00:09:20] 30 pounds of spaghetti, was that right?
[00:09:24] If 130 people show up, 30 pounds of spaghetti.
[00:09:27] That's a lot of spaghetti.
[00:09:28] So at some point, probably this week, you're going to get a call from Gene or Jean, and they're going to say, hey, you're fixing spaghetti.
[00:09:36] So is that how you do it, Jean?
[00:09:39] What?
[00:09:41] What?
[00:09:43] There's a sign up in the foyer to cook spaghetti?
[00:09:52] Okay.
[00:09:55] Hey, on December 14th, that's next Sunday night, we're going to have a spaghetti fundraiser.
[00:09:59] There's a sign up out there, so we know you're coming.
[00:10:02] And you need to sign up for that.
[00:10:04] Also, one of the genes is going to call you and tell you to fix spaghetti.
[00:10:07] So, it's a fundraiser that helps benefit our preschool, but also a great ministry combination opportunity with our kids of the church and the kids of the preschool.
[00:10:16] There's another hand.
[00:10:17] Yes?
[00:10:23] Yeah, so next Sunday on the 14th, no, I'm kidding.
[00:10:27] The church is providing the spaghetti.
[00:10:29] I'm gonna go buy a pallet of spaghetti from BJ's and then you'll come and pick up the boxes of spaghetti and fix it.
[00:10:36] We'll provide it all, we just need hands to fix it, because if you haven't noticed, we don't have a stove or an oven in there to help cook that much spaghetti.
[00:10:44] So, it is a bummer, hopefully soon.
[00:10:49] Building Fund Project.
[00:10:49] No, I'm kidding.
[00:10:51] Let's get through the year first.
[00:10:53] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]:
Pastor Brandon, I just forgot to announce one other thing about the women's luncheon.
[00:11:00] We are going to be collecting donations for the pantry, but what we're going to do instead of food, a lot of times they need toiletries like
[00:11:11] Shampoos and soaps and deodorants and stuff.
[00:11:14] So bring that as well for that.
[00:11:17] Just bring some and we'll put it in a big box and give it to the pantry.
[00:11:20] So toiletries, bring a toiletry item for the pantry next Saturday.
[00:11:31] Oh, this coming Saturday.
[00:11:32] Sorry.
[00:11:34] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
This coming weekend is going to be big.
[00:11:39] Oh, there's a bulletin with this information, right Marissa?
[00:11:43] There we go.
[00:11:46] There's a bulletin out in the foyer with all this information so you don't have to go back and watch the hodgepodge of announcements.
[00:11:51] All right.
[00:11:52] Next.
[00:11:53] So this is something that I know I haven't done here with you guys.
[00:11:56] I've done it before in the past.
[00:11:58] Anybody ever heard of Winter Jam?
[00:12:00] So it's a big Christian concert that goes around the United States every year put on by the band New Song.
[00:12:07] And they get some top Christian artists and they take a donation at the door to be able to come in and watch the show.
[00:12:13] So this year they're going to be in Charlotte.
[00:12:16] On the 25th, January 25th, January 25th, doors open at 4pm.
[00:12:22] Chris Tomlin is the headliner this year.
[00:12:24] Matthew West, if you're a hard rock Christian person, Disciples is going to be there.
[00:12:30] It's going to be a really, really good show.
[00:12:32] So they ask for a donation of $15, but if you don't want to pay anything, technically you don't have to.
[00:12:38] But I would love for us to be able to go together and just have a good night of worship together.
[00:12:44] So if that's something you're interested in, let me know so I can help coordinate that together.
[00:12:49] But again, January 25th, so you've got a little ways to think about it, but think about it.
[00:12:55] Our Christmas Eve-Eve service will be on December 23rd.
[00:13:00] Last year we brought the Eve-Eve service here.
[00:13:03] It's just a great night to be together.
[00:13:06] Christmas Eve is a really hard night for people.
[00:13:10] I don't know about you.
[00:13:11] When I grew up, Christmas Eve was my Christmas.
[00:13:13] that was the busiest day and so I found in church Christmas Eve Eve is a wonderful night and so December 23rd at 6 30 here will be our Christmas Eve Eve service together and so hopefully you'll plan on joining us
[00:13:28] Next and I believe last announcement is your prayer and praise cards should be in the seat backs in front of you if you have any prayer requests or praise reports you can write that down on our prayer team we'll pray over those or rejoice with you with your praise every week and so we thank you so much for being open and honest with those and so we can join each other
[00:13:50] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]:
Pastor Brandon, I have one more that's not up there.
[00:13:53] I haven't been here for a couple of weeks because I've been sick and I wasn't going to spread it to all of you, but I would love to say thank you on behalf of Samaritan's Purse.
[00:14:05] We sent 56 boxes from this church.
[00:14:09] That is amazing.
[00:14:12] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
and they're already out they've gone through the distribution center and they've already been sent out as of yesterday so thank you so much awesome all right we're going to ask our ushers to come forward we'll move into a time of offering and worship this morning why don't you stand with me and we'll pray hey god we come to you now and just thank you so much for all the beautiful things that you've done
[00:14:39] Thank you for this time, this season.
[00:14:43] May we not forget what it's about.
[00:14:47] God, may you just grab a hold of our hearts today.
[00:14:51] The words that we sing just be precious to you.
[00:14:55] I thank you in advance for all that you're going to do.
[00:14:57] It's your name I pray.
[00:14:59] Amen.
[00:15:01] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]:
You know, I was talking to Pastor Brandon this morning, and he said something that really caught my attention, and then it came home a little bit more today when we're doing the announcements.
[00:15:10] You know, it took us about 12 minutes to get through all those announcements.
[00:15:12] That's because there's so much going on here at The Bridge.
[00:15:16] There's so many new programs.
[00:15:17] There's so much good stuff happening here, and I'm excited because our church is growing.
[00:15:24] Our church is doing things, and we're just moving ahead, and I think that's a wonderful thing to celebrate.
[00:15:31] So while we sing this song today, I want you to think about that.
[00:15:33] I want you to meditate on that.
[00:15:34] I want you to celebrate in your heart and in your mind all the changes that are happening here and all the good things that are happening.
[00:15:41] We got lights, folks.
[00:15:43] I love the lights.
[00:15:44] That's so cool.
[00:15:45] So good things are happening.
[00:15:47] Let's celebrate together this morning.
[00:15:49] One, two, three, four.
[00:16:07] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
Wherever spring arrives to heal the ground From wherever searching comes the look itself A trace of what we're looking for So be quiet now and wait Ocean
[00:16:42] God is God and here it is Here is our King, here is our love Here is our God who's come to bring us back to Him He is the One, He is Jesus And what was in the rose to make it unfold
[00:17:13] Here in my chest, so be quiet now.
[00:17:33] The ocean is growing, the tide is coming, here it is.
[00:17:35] Here is our King, here is our love, here is our God who's come to bring us back to Him.
[00:17:49] Here is the One, here is Jesus.
[00:17:50] Here is our being Here is our love Here is our God Who's come to bring us back to Him He is the One He is Jesus Majesty Finally
[00:18:33] Here is our King.
[00:18:36] Here is our love.
[00:18:38] Here is our God who's come to bring us back to Him.
[00:18:44] He is the One.
[00:18:46] He is Jesus.
[00:18:49] Here is our King, here is our love, here is our God, to bring us back to Him.
[00:19:14] He is the One, He is Jesus.
[00:19:16] Here is our King, here is our love, here is our God, to bring us back to Him.
[00:19:19] He is the One, He is Jesus.
[00:19:21] Here is our King, here is our God, here is our God who's come to bring us back to Him.
[00:19:34] He is the One, He is Jesus.
[00:19:54] The only name that matters to me The only one whose favor I seek The only name that matters to me Whose will be The pressure and affection I need To feel my Father smiling on me The only name that matters to me
[00:20:26] Yours is the name, the name that has saved me, mercy and grace, the power that forgave me, and your love is all I ever need.
[00:20:41] Yours will be the only name that matters to me, the only one whose favor I seek.
[00:20:58] Mercy and grace the Father gave me Mercy and grace the Father forgave me And your love is all I ever need When I wake up in the land of glory And with the saints I will tell my story There will be one day
[00:21:30] I wake up in the land of glory And with the saints I will tell my story There will be one name that I proclaim
[00:22:34] When I wake up in the land of glory And with the saints I will tell my story There will be one day that I proclaim When I wake up in the land of glory And with the saints I will tell my story There will be one day that I proclaim
[00:23:48] Jesus, just that name Amen.
[00:23:57] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]:
You may be seated.
[00:24:10] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
I walked up here and the kids had no idea and they looked up scared to death.
[00:24:13] Hello.
[00:24:15] We are going to move into a time now, before we dismiss the kids, into time of communion.
[00:24:22] Let's see.
[00:24:23] Jonathan, will you help me serve today?
[00:24:25] Jean?
[00:24:27] And... Let's see.
[00:24:29] Marissa?
[00:24:30] Unless you want to sit with Selah.
[00:24:44] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
Okay.
[00:25:16] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
I don't know if you guys have been hearing as we've been uncovering the communion stuff, but the girls up here are really dissecting what's happening with the Nativity.
[00:25:27] Pointing out baby Jesus and the people where the stars are.
[00:25:31] And that's a sweet noise, isn't it?
[00:25:32] So here's how we're going to go about serving today again.
[00:25:37] We'll come up along the aisles here, and you'll go back to the middle.
[00:25:45] That side as well.
[00:25:47] Middle.
[00:25:48] You can decide which wall you want to go down.
[00:25:50] But here's something I want to throw at you before we serve today.
[00:25:57] Just to let you know, we are going to be running a week behind on the Advent scene.
[00:26:03] And then we'll light our Christ candle at the Christmas Eve Eve service.
[00:26:06] So today we are going to be talking about hope.
[00:26:09] And so today, when you partake communion,
[00:26:14] Know that the same hope that Jesus was giving his disciples that night is the same hope that we're going to be celebrating throughout the month of December.
[00:26:24] So I'm going to pray for us, and after I do, if you feel led to, please come up and receive communion today.
[00:26:31] Let's pray together.
[00:26:33] Hey God, we come to you now.
[00:26:35] I just thank you so much for what you've done and the gift of your Son.
[00:26:41] God, as we go throughout this day and we
[00:26:43] We're taking communion.
[00:26:45] We worship together.
[00:26:46] We hear your word.
[00:26:47] We fellowship.
[00:26:49] God, may you just get the glory for it all.
[00:26:51] We love you today.
[00:26:53] It's your name I pray.
[00:26:54] Amen.
[00:27:14] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
Let us pray.
[00:27:34] Let us pray.
[00:27:43] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
Let us pray.
[00:28:01] Let us pray.
[00:28:11] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
Let us pray.
[00:28:35] Let us pray.
[00:28:40] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
Let us pray.
[00:28:52] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
Let us pray.
[00:29:13] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
Let us pray.
[00:29:28] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
Let us pray.
[00:29:44] Amen.
[00:30:19] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
That night, Jesus was sitting with his disciples.
[00:30:27] He passed around bread and told them, break it.
[00:30:32] This is my body, broken for you.
[00:30:50] Then in the cup was passed around, and he said, This is my blood, shed for you, partake.
[00:31:06] Let's pray together.
[00:31:10] God, again, we thank you for your Son, Jesus, for his birth, life, death, and resurrection.
[00:31:21] We love you today.
[00:31:25] May this communion throughout the rest of the season be the hope that we live in.
[00:31:31] In your name I pray.
[00:31:32] Amen.
[00:31:52] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
What did you guys think of that cookie?
[00:32:13] I thought it was.
[00:32:15] Let's put our hands together.
[00:32:17] On the count of three, today we're going to say HOPE.
[00:32:20] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
One, two, three, HOPE!
[00:32:27] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
We had four handpiles, several different words.
[00:32:41] It's one of those days.
[00:32:42] That's alright.
[00:32:46] I do want to light our candle today.
[00:32:50] And again, I know it's different and we are late, but...
[00:32:56] Ride with me this season and you'll see why.
[00:33:00] Again, the hope of Jesus is what we're going to talk about today.
[00:33:04] The hope that we have in this season.
[00:33:06] And so the first candle of Advent would be hope.
[00:33:11] That is a torch.
[00:33:25] What a day, right?
[00:33:28] I was thinking last night, so getting a key, let me just tell you a little back story.
[00:33:37] The doors were supposed to come with four keys.
[00:33:40] Each door that has a lock typically comes with two keys.
[00:33:44] So Friday, the guy that was in charge of the company put the doors in, his kids go to the preschool.
[00:33:50] So he gave preschool teachers their keys Friday, in case they didn't see us Sunday.
[00:33:56] When he was installing them yesterday, he said, the second set of keys didn't come with the doors.
[00:34:01] After I finally got a key yesterday, went home, and after putting Maggie to bed, I was like, Marissa, can I go back to the church just to make sure the key works?
[00:34:10] I really just wanted to play with the doors.
[00:34:12] But I think she knew that because she just said, go.
[00:34:21] What used to scare me as a kid, being in the church by myself, especially in the evening, is now one of my favorite things.
[00:34:27] I find it so peaceful.
[00:34:29] And the thought that came to my head about the doors and the sign that's coming and the great things that have been happening is God's timing.
[00:34:39] God's timing never fails.
[00:34:43] It rarely aligns with our timing.
[00:34:48] But after it happens and we get to look back and we're like, oh, God knew what he was doing.
[00:34:55] All the time, right?
[00:34:56] Yeah.
[00:34:57] Why do we question it?
[00:35:01] We should have hope in the timing of the Lord.
[00:35:08] So today we're going to be in Luke chapter 1.
[00:35:13] A familiar part of the Christmas story.
[00:35:16] But every time I read it, I try to read it from a different angle, a different perspective, try to pick up something else from it.
[00:35:26] So Luke chapter 1, we're actually going to be starting in verse 26, and this was Mary's encounter.
[00:35:34] In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph.
[00:35:44] A descendant of David.
[00:35:46] The virgin's name was Mary.
[00:35:50] The angel went to her and said, Greetings, you who are highly favored.
[00:35:57] The Lord is with you.
[00:35:59] I always have to admit, and I will say this every year, I chuckle at that part every time.
[00:36:08] Greetings.
[00:36:11] Just imagine being asleep and waking up and there's just an angel there, you're not sure what it is, and, Greetings!
[00:36:19] I think I chuckled because as a kid there was a show or a cartoon when an alien showed up and said, Greetings, Earthling.
[00:36:24] And so like, the word greetings, so I've looked it up in its original term and it was just a pleasantry, an introduction, and so translated in different ways, and this version in the NIV just is translated Greetings.
[00:36:39] But I just laugh at that every time, just greetings, because I'd imagine the look on Mary's face probably wasn't pleasant.
[00:36:46] But yet, and I always do this, greetings, like I have no... How?
[00:36:52] Yeah, like I have no...
[00:36:54] In my head, every time I read it, I just picture Gabriel, greetings, like I can't not see that.
[00:37:02] So, and I really try after the word greetings, I really try not to just put in earthling afterwards, but...
[00:37:09] I did okay until just now.
[00:37:13] Greetings, you who are highly favored.
[00:37:15] The Lord is with you.
[00:37:19] Verse 29 again goes with my thought that Mary probably wasn't, you know, the most happy at the moment.
[00:37:27] Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.
[00:37:36] But the angel said to her, Do not be afraid.
[00:37:41] Mary, you have found favor with God.
[00:37:44] You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus.
[00:37:50] He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High.
[00:37:54] The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David.
[00:37:59] He will reign over the house of Jacob forever.
[00:38:01] His kingdom will never end.
[00:38:06] How will this be, Mary asked?
[00:38:08] I'm a virgin.
[00:38:11] We're going to pause there.
[00:38:13] So she's highly favored.
[00:38:14] She's been picked and selected to give birth to Jesus.
[00:38:22] God's timing.
[00:38:26] This messes up everything.
[00:38:30] I'm talking about in Mary's life.
[00:38:31] She's pledged to be married to Joseph.
[00:38:35] I don't know about you.
[00:38:36] Anybody in here remember being engaged?
[00:38:39] Anybody?
[00:38:41] I've been married long enough to say now it's the worst.
[00:38:46] I've never heard anybody really come out and say that, but it is.
[00:38:49] Maybe it's a guy's perspective.
[00:38:51] Hey, so the wedding's going to have this, and what do you think about this color?
[00:38:55] Yes, dear.
[00:38:57] Just tried to learn that phrase early on.
[00:39:02] My only thing was please don't make me wear a suit.
[00:39:08] Luckily, she agreed.
[00:39:10] I don't even think I had to tuck my shirt in, did I?
[00:39:14] I don't know.
[00:39:15] Find pictures.
[00:39:16] You have permission.
[00:39:19] But the engagement is hard because there's a lot of planning that goes into it.
[00:39:23] And the reason I say it's the worst is because when one of those plans doesn't go as planned, panic ensues.
[00:39:32] Mostly because that plan costs money.
[00:39:36] And it's money thrown away.
[00:39:39] The timing's thrown off.
[00:39:43] And if you're engaged and you're a guy, if you're a boyfriend here looking to be engaged, don't ever bring up the weather of the wedding, especially if it's outdoors.
[00:39:52] Don't bring up weather.
[00:39:54] You can't control it and it's not worth the fight.
[00:39:58] But a lot of planning goes into it, especially if you're marrying a planner.
[00:40:05] Notebooks, folders,
[00:40:08] I had to buy more data on Apple because of the notes taken in the phone and the pictures saved from Pinterest and all the stuff.
[00:40:14] It's just everything.
[00:40:16] And we didn't even have a big wedding.
[00:40:21] But if one thing goes wrong, man, that can really change some things.
[00:40:28] So Mary, what?
[00:40:31] Untucked.
[00:40:32] Look at that.
[00:40:33] Married a winner.
[00:40:38] Mary's pledged to be married to Joseph and then all of a sudden Gabriel shows up and says, hey, you're highly favored.
[00:40:47] You're going to carry a child.
[00:40:48] You're going to name him Jesus.
[00:40:52] She's deeply troubled by these words and says, wait a second.
[00:40:56] Thanks for all the fancy greetings and words, but let's think logically here.
[00:41:02] How?
[00:41:04] Like that's not possible at this point.
[00:41:10] The angel gives her words and just says, well, basically saying, God decided.
[00:41:18] I don't know if you've ever been in a place in your life where the Lord just decides something.
[00:41:24] And it kind of just seems like it's going to go that direction.
[00:41:28] But that can throw you off.
[00:41:31] Good or bad.
[00:41:36] How will this be, Mary asked, since I am a virgin?
[00:41:38] The angel answered, The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.
[00:41:46] So the Holy One will be born and will be called the Son of God.
[00:41:53] I bet all that Mary is thinking at this time is how do I tell Joseph?
[00:42:00] How do I explain this?
[00:42:06] It's kind of an uncomfortable thought.
[00:42:10] I don't necessarily like my Bible to make me uncomfortable, but that's what's great about it.
[00:42:17] It pushes the boundaries and the limits of things that I and my brain have put in place.
[00:42:23] Mary, who's pledged to be married to Joseph, it's been good, it's been by the book, and all of a sudden an angel shows up and says it's from God and that she's been highly favored and she's going to carry this son, she's going to name him Jesus.
[00:42:36] But how?
[00:42:37] Because God said so.
[00:42:39] And she has to carry this weight, mental weight, and go to Joseph and say, hey, so this happened.
[00:42:49] And I'm just going to guess she's probably not thinking logically in this time, and she's definitely probably not thinking, well, an angel's probably going to show up to him too and tell him this is what's happening.
[00:43:03] Most people don't think that far ahead, especially with spiritual matters.
[00:43:11] The weight of the world is on this young girl.
[00:43:15] I have to carry this child.
[00:43:18] And it really throws a wrench into this engagement.
[00:43:27] Where's the hope in that?
[00:43:31] That's kind of what I've been wrestling with over the last two weeks.
[00:43:33] Where's the hope in that from a human perspective?
[00:43:39] It just turned her world upside down.
[00:43:43] And really, that's the...
[00:43:46] The looks, I mean, you guys are giving me now, it's kind of what I've been doing.
[00:43:50] The last week and a half, just kind of like, where is the hope in that?
[00:43:53] I know it's written in good words, and the greeting was nice, and it said she's highly favored.
[00:43:59] Everything is said correctly.
[00:44:01] But from a human perspective, where's the hope?
[00:44:04] We're told something is going to be good, but at least in our society now, going to be good versus being good is very different.
[00:44:14] So where's our hope?
[00:44:17] Hope was found in Jesus before this interaction ever took place.
[00:44:22] She didn't know Jesus yet.
[00:44:24] Her hope was found in the Lord.
[00:44:26] Her hope was found by doing what was right ahead of time.
[00:44:29] Was there a reason that God selected her?
[00:44:31] Why God chose her?
[00:44:32] God knew that she could handle the moment.
[00:44:38] The answer is yes.
[00:44:41] God knew.
[00:44:41] I found something interesting about that just in thinking about it and unpacking it a little bit.
[00:44:47] God knew and yet even in this moment she's still highly troubled because the weight of what she's been told shook her to her core.
[00:45:03] And I gotta give Mary a lot of credit.
[00:45:11] The angel stops his
[00:45:14] Quote to her, verse 37, and it says, "'For nothing is impossible with God.'"
[00:45:20] The angel told her a lot of words before that point, but I think just thinking and studying who Mary was, this last sentence probably is what grounded her.
[00:45:31] "'For nothing is impossible with God.'"
[00:45:35] Because she asked, Mary asked, "'Since I'm a virgin, how is this possible?'
[00:45:42] Angel.
[00:45:43] Three and a half sentences.
[00:45:45] Pause.
[00:45:45] For nothing is impossible with God.
[00:45:51] I absolutely love verse 38.
[00:45:55] For I am the Lord's servant, Mary answered.
[00:45:59] May it be to me as you have said.
[00:46:09] If I can be open and honest with you,
[00:46:12] I've told you before, I don't love reading.
[00:46:16] I do it and I love what I find in it.
[00:46:21] There are a handful of verses that when I read them, I actually get a physical peace about me.
[00:46:29] That's one.
[00:46:32] That every time I read it, there's almost this chills.
[00:46:38] I am the Lord's servant, Mary answered.
[00:46:41] May it be as you have said.
[00:46:44] And just like that, the angel left.
[00:46:51] Where's the hope in that?
[00:46:52] The hope was Mary believed in her God so much that this life-altering, engagement-breaking in their society thing just happened.
[00:47:09] And she says, after questioning, can I just throw that out there?
[00:47:16] She questioned a little bit.
[00:47:19] I think that's okay.
[00:47:22] And the angel said, nothing is impossible with God.
[00:47:24] And she says, okay, then may it be as you say, for I am the servant.
[00:47:31] Whoa.
[00:47:33] That gives me chills and peace to know that she found hope even in something unseen.
[00:47:42] Doesn't that sound familiar?
[00:47:47] Every single person in here, from the left of the room to the right, is going through something different.
[00:47:51] Everyone in here's life looks a little different, even if you're married to somebody.
[00:47:56] Their problems aren't always your problems.
[00:47:58] Up front, you'll help them carry it because you're under one roof, but everybody in here has their own sets of anxieties, fears, depressions, ailments.
[00:48:08] Whatever that is, every single person in here.
[00:48:11] And yet we have to trust in a God that sometimes we feel like we can't reach out to, we can't see.
[00:48:16] We can read about Him and occasionally we'll read something that gives us a peace and it reminds us how good He is.
[00:48:21] We'll read testimonies of what God has done in someone's life and we'll think, man, God can do that for me too.
[00:48:27] And every day it's this fight and this struggle to try and find hope in a God that we feel like sometimes we can't see.
[00:48:33] And yet we read something like this where a young girl's life is going to be completely altered and flipped upside down and even after her questioning she says, I am the Lord's servant.
[00:48:46] May it be as you said.
[00:48:47] That's incredible to me.
[00:48:54] May we all have that peace and that kind of hope that we can just agree to what it is that the Lord is telling us to do
[00:49:04] Without worrying about the fear of what others think about it.
[00:49:11] And you better believe there's going to be a lot of finger pointing at Mary going on.
[00:49:17] A lot.
[00:49:19] When I say life altering, it's like a scary level of life altering for her.
[00:49:29] And because I am your servant,
[00:49:33] Let it be as you said.
[00:49:37] Can I be blunt for a minute?
[00:49:39] Don't take this as a pastor saying something, because again, if I ever say something that pushes the limits and people think it's wrong, I want you to tell me.
[00:49:47] But as a Christian, can you imagine what the church would be like if that was our response to the Lord?
[00:49:56] God, I'm your servant.
[00:49:57] May it be as you say.
[00:50:00] That's hard.
[00:50:09] And can I tell you, I'm a Christian first before I'm your pastor.
[00:50:13] I have to do something inside me with the Lord before I can do it with you, so that needs to be my response as well.
[00:50:20] So that isn't just a lesson for you, it's a lesson for us.
[00:50:31] I am the Lord's servant.
[00:50:33] May it be as you have said.
[00:50:38] I'm sure if we were to take time and go back individually just examine our life there's probably been a moment where God has tried to take control of something and we wanted to fight it and we questioned it and maybe we finally just let go and said God you do it and we can look at it now and say thank goodness I let go and this story alone is evident proof that it's not always easy
[00:51:09] Like I said a little bit ago, I give Mary a lot of credit here.
[00:51:14] Admire her.
[00:51:17] That could not have been an easy thing to do.
[00:51:23] I joked about engagements and the trouble that could come and the sizing of rings and tuxes and dresses and all that.
[00:51:31] And all that seems pretty minuscule when you think about somebody's life possibly being in danger because she's pregnant.
[00:51:39] Something completely falling apart.
[00:51:41] Her having to tell this story.
[00:51:43] But an angel showed up to my room and told me that's what's going to happen.
[00:51:47] And Jean laughed because that's what a lot of us would think now if somebody said, Hey, so I woke up last night and there was like an angel in my room and it told me to do this.
[00:51:55] You're going to be like, you've been watching too much Discovery Plus.
[00:51:59] You've been on the paranormal side of that channel.
[00:52:01] You go back to home living.
[00:52:04] Because that's our initial thought.
[00:52:05] We don't hear about these things very much anymore.
[00:52:07] When we do, it's so highly scrutinized.
[00:52:09] How do you think she felt?
[00:52:12] It's hard.
[00:52:15] And even in the end, I am a servant of the Lord.
[00:52:21] And so when someone asks, why do you think God chose Mary?
[00:52:24] Go read her response.
[00:52:31] Are you willing and open
[00:52:35] To whatever that is God has for you.
[00:52:38] So let me change that.
[00:52:40] Do you have hope in the Lord?
[00:52:45] Hope that His way is greater than your way?
[00:52:50] Because Mary had a way that I'm sure she wanted to follow.
[00:52:53] However, it was not the ground she was standing on.
[00:52:58] She had embedded her life to the Lord and said,
[00:53:06] May it be as you say.
[00:53:08] I would hope and pray that we can find that kind of hope and commitment to whatever it is God has for us.
[00:53:17] I love that the first Sunday of Advent mentions hope because there's a lot of people this time of year that lose that.
[00:53:27] Through loss, through financial loss, through the pressure of wanting to get the best gift.
[00:53:33] I say this jokingly, but this is how our world responds.
[00:53:37] I had to go to Walmart yesterday.
[00:53:38] Some of you guys may have seen the post.
[00:53:40] I thank Marissa for telling me exactly where I needed to go, what aisle it was in.
[00:53:44] That's so great.
[00:53:46] Jonathan, Julie threw you under the bus in there too.
[00:53:50] But I have to admit, because I'm a guy, I went in Walmart and I had my own agenda.
[00:53:55] I had to go find the Christmas tree cake light that you can put in your yard.
[00:53:59] I saw that Walmart had been selling them and they were $19.99, it's 22 inches tall, plastic, or there's the four-foot inflatable one for $49.99.
[00:54:10] I wanted one because I love Christmas tree cakes.
[00:54:14] I couldn't find it anywhere.
[00:54:16] So as I'm waiting on Marissa to text me where the stuff is in the store, I'm looking on eBay to see if there's any on there.
[00:54:22] I found the Christmas tree lights, Christmas tree cake lights.
[00:54:25] $110 for the 22-inch one.
[00:54:29] You talk about something I had no hope that I'm ever going to get a Christmas tree light anymore.
[00:54:38] While that's a funny side of things, the price gouging thing matters.
[00:54:42] If you have kids or grandkids and they've ever watched somebody called Danny Go, anybody ever familiar with that?
[00:54:48] Yeah, Danny Go's, do you know he's from here?
[00:54:51] I found that out yesterday.
[00:54:53] He's actually from Cornelius, which is cool.
[00:54:55] So, if you ever hear your grandkids or kids talk about Danny Go, he's good, clean, fun to watch, but yeah, he's from here.
[00:55:00] So, he came out with toys.
[00:55:03] For Christmas, little figures and the floor is lava game and all this stuff.
[00:55:08] And so I looked at Walmart for those yesterday too.
[00:55:11] An entire empty section.
[00:55:14] But yet on eBay, the toy that was $19.99, $73.46.
[00:55:18] Free shipping though.
[00:55:24] And I tell you these things to say that those are just monetary things of how some people feel the pressure and they lose hope right at the beginning because they can't get that gift that somebody wants and you already feel like, man, bummer.
[00:55:39] And that's just the monetary side of it.
[00:55:41] But a lot of people lose hope in December because it's not what it once was.
[00:55:46] The Christmas magic.
[00:55:52] Have your hope.
[00:55:54] Embedded in Christ, in God.
[00:56:00] Be a servant of the Lord.
[00:56:03] And so no matter what comes your way, even something completely out of left field, like an angel standing at the foot of your bed saying greetings, that you can still say, I am a servant of God, so may it be as you say.
[00:56:25] Chills every time.
[00:56:28] So it's my prayer that as a church we can find that kind of hope in a world that tries to take our hope every day.
[00:56:37] I'm going to invite our worship team to come.
[00:56:40] And as they do, I just want you to reflect on a personal level.
[00:56:46] What kind of hope do you have in God this holiday season?
[00:56:50] Why don't you stand?
[00:57:39] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
One, two, three, four.
[00:57:51] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
You are good, you are good when there's nothing good in me.
[00:57:57] You are love, you are love on display for all to see.
[00:58:02] You are light, you are light when the darkness closes in.
[00:58:08] You are hope, you are hope, you have covered all my sins.
[00:58:19] You are peace, You are peace, when my fear is crippling You are true, You are true, even in my wandering You are joy, You are joy, You're the reason that I sing You are life, You are life, in You death has lost its sting
[00:58:46] I'm running to your house, I'm running to your house The riches of your love will always be enough Nothing compares to your embrace Light of the world forever
[00:59:14] Lord, You are more than my words will ever say You are Lord, You are Lord, all creation will proclaim You are here, You are here, in Your presence I've been whole You are God, You are God, of all else I'm letting go
[00:59:42] Oh, I'm running to your arms, I'm running to your arms The riches of your love will always be enough Nothing compares to your embrace Light up the world forever
[01:00:10] My heart will sing no other name Jesus, Jesus My heart will sing no other name Jesus, Jesus My heart will sing no other name Jesus
[01:00:40] Jesus, my heart will sing no other name
[01:00:58] I'm running to your arms, I'm running to your arms The riches of your love will always be enough Nothing compares to your embrace Light of the world forever reigns
[01:01:27] The riches of your love will always be enough Nothing compares to your embrace Light of the world forever reigns
[01:02:04] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
I pray that you find your hope in Jesus today and through the remainder of the season.
[01:02:11] Let's go ahead and pray together.
[01:02:14] God, again, thank you so much for this day, for this opportunity to be in your house.
[01:02:19] As we get ready to leave this place today, may we go in your hope, guide and direct our every step.
[01:02:26] It's your name I pray.
[01:02:27] Everyone said amen.
[01:02:29] You're dismissed.
[01:02:37] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
I kind of like this job.
[01:02:59] Pardon?
[01:02:59] I kind of like this job.
[01:02:59] Yeah, I enjoy it.
[01:03:00] Yeah, you're going to kind of really pay attention, but you know, it's not hard.
[01:03:04] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
.
[01:03:18] .
[01:03:18] .
Okay.
[00:00:53] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]:
Good morning the bridge.
[00:01:03] Alright, there's two of you out there.
[00:01:05] Glad to hear there's two.
[00:01:07] Good morning the bridge.
[00:01:09] I'll keep trying until I get you all.
[00:01:11] I know you're all out there.
[00:01:13] Will you please stand with me this morning so that we can start our celebration of our God and Savior.
[00:01:25] One, two, three, four.
[00:01:29] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
Sorry.
[00:01:31] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]:
I did it again.
[00:01:31] One, two, three, four.
[00:01:42] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
Joy to the world!
[00:01:49] The Lord is come!
[00:01:54] Let earth receive her King!
[00:01:58] Let every heart prepare Him room And heaven and nature sing And heaven and nature sing
[00:02:20] Church sing Joy to the world the Savior reigns Let all their songs employ
[00:02:42] While fields have flowed, rocks, hills, and plains Repeat the sounding joy Repeat the sounding joy Repeat, repeat the sounding joy
[00:03:08] Joy, unspeakable joy An overflowing well No tongue can tell Joy, unspeakable joy
[00:03:33] Rises to my soul, never lets me go He rules the world with truth and grace And makes a nation true
[00:03:58] The glories of His righteousness And wonders of His love And wonders, wonders of His love
[00:04:26] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
Joy, unspeakable joy, an overflowing well, no tongue can tell
[00:04:44] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
Amen.
[00:05:14] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
Good morning.
[00:05:16] You may be seated.
[00:05:17] I have a couple announcements for you this morning.
[00:05:25] Let's go ahead and jump into it.
[00:05:28] It's going to be the Women's Christmas Lunch event.
[00:05:32] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]:
Okay, well that right there is the Women's District Retreat.
[00:05:36] The Women's District Retreat is going to be held in March 27th to 29th.
[00:05:42] It is going to be at Atlantic Beach.
[00:05:44] There are flyers out on the table.
[00:05:48] I think I was told that we had a meeting and the link may not have worked last week or two weeks ago when we passed them out but it should be working now so if you want to sign up and everything that's out there on the table and if I get any more information but it's all of the information is on that sheet there but it is going to be
[00:06:13] In Atlantic Beach, March 27th through the 29th, so Friday to Sunday.
[00:06:20] And I don't, there should be, the women's lunch should be next?
[00:06:26] Okay.
[00:06:26] Next, this coming Saturday,
[00:06:31] I was like, next Saturday?
[00:06:32] This coming Saturday we're going to have a Christmas women's lunch.
[00:06:36] And it's going to be at Jonathan Myers' home.
[00:06:42] Because apparently he's standing out there waiting for me to say that.
[00:06:46] At our home, and it's just going to be a time of fellowship.
[00:06:52] We have food, and I want everybody to bring, that are coming, bring your favorite Christmas snacks, favorite hors d'oeuvres.
[00:07:02] We do have a sign-up sheet in the back, and there's three options.
[00:07:25] Do you need a ride because we're going to meet here at 1130 and then driving down to my house?
[00:07:34] So the one thing is, do you need a ride?
[00:07:37] Number two, can you drive anybody?
[00:07:40] Do you mind carpooling and meeting here at 1130?
[00:07:43] Or are you just going to come to my house?
[00:07:46] So if you're just going to come to my house, you can come at noon.
[00:07:50] but if you're going to meet here be here at 11 30 and if you don't mind signing up that way i kind of know how many to plan for that would be great but it is just going to be a time of wonderful fellowship together
[00:08:07] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
Alright, so we have Christmas card bags out on the wall behind the sound booth in the hallway.
[00:08:15] And so if you were here with us last year, you just want to write somebody a Christmas card in the church, you put it in each bag based on the last name.
[00:08:24] If you don't know who's here, well, we've got a list for you out in the foyer.
[00:08:29] Marissa's printed off a list of names of everyone in the church that we had information for.
[00:08:34] And they are out on the table where the kids register with our logo on it.
[00:08:39] There's little packets.
[00:08:40] It's three pages, front and back.
[00:08:44] And so they are out there for you to take so you can fill out your Christmas cards.
[00:08:47] All right, next.
[00:08:49] Next Sunday evening will be a spaghetti dinner fundraiser for our preschool.
[00:08:57] And it's also a combined ministry event with the preschool kids and the kids of our church coming together, doing a song that night.
[00:09:05] We'll also have a little video of what the kids think about Christmas, which will be quite hysterical.
[00:09:13] Here's where you come into play.
[00:09:15] We're going to need people to fix spaghetti, right?
[00:09:19] A lot of spaghetti.
[00:09:20] 30 pounds of spaghetti, was that right?
[00:09:24] If 130 people show up, 30 pounds of spaghetti.
[00:09:27] That's a lot of spaghetti.
[00:09:28] So at some point, probably this week, you're going to get a call from Gene or Jean, and they're going to say, hey, you're fixing spaghetti.
[00:09:36] So is that how you do it, Jean?
[00:09:39] What?
[00:09:41] What?
[00:09:43] There's a sign up in the foyer to cook spaghetti?
[00:09:52] Okay.
[00:09:55] Hey, on December 14th, that's next Sunday night, we're going to have a spaghetti fundraiser.
[00:09:59] There's a sign up out there, so we know you're coming.
[00:10:02] And you need to sign up for that.
[00:10:04] Also, one of the genes is going to call you and tell you to fix spaghetti.
[00:10:07] So, it's a fundraiser that helps benefit our preschool, but also a great ministry combination opportunity with our kids of the church and the kids of the preschool.
[00:10:16] There's another hand.
[00:10:17] Yes?
[00:10:23] Yeah, so next Sunday on the 14th, no, I'm kidding.
[00:10:27] The church is providing the spaghetti.
[00:10:29] I'm gonna go buy a pallet of spaghetti from BJ's and then you'll come and pick up the boxes of spaghetti and fix it.
[00:10:36] We'll provide it all, we just need hands to fix it, because if you haven't noticed, we don't have a stove or an oven in there to help cook that much spaghetti.
[00:10:44] So, it is a bummer, hopefully soon.
[00:10:49] Building Fund Project.
[00:10:49] No, I'm kidding.
[00:10:51] Let's get through the year first.
[00:10:53] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]:
Pastor Brandon, I just forgot to announce one other thing about the women's luncheon.
[00:11:00] We are going to be collecting donations for the pantry, but what we're going to do instead of food, a lot of times they need toiletries like
[00:11:11] Shampoos and soaps and deodorants and stuff.
[00:11:14] So bring that as well for that.
[00:11:17] Just bring some and we'll put it in a big box and give it to the pantry.
[00:11:20] So toiletries, bring a toiletry item for the pantry next Saturday.
[00:11:31] Oh, this coming Saturday.
[00:11:32] Sorry.
[00:11:34] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
This coming weekend is going to be big.
[00:11:39] Oh, there's a bulletin with this information, right Marissa?
[00:11:43] There we go.
[00:11:46] There's a bulletin out in the foyer with all this information so you don't have to go back and watch the hodgepodge of announcements.
[00:11:51] All right.
[00:11:52] Next.
[00:11:53] So this is something that I know I haven't done here with you guys.
[00:11:56] I've done it before in the past.
[00:11:58] Anybody ever heard of Winter Jam?
[00:12:00] So it's a big Christian concert that goes around the United States every year put on by the band New Song.
[00:12:07] And they get some top Christian artists and they take a donation at the door to be able to come in and watch the show.
[00:12:13] So this year they're going to be in Charlotte.
[00:12:16] On the 25th, January 25th, January 25th, doors open at 4pm.
[00:12:22] Chris Tomlin is the headliner this year.
[00:12:24] Matthew West, if you're a hard rock Christian person, Disciples is going to be there.
[00:12:30] It's going to be a really, really good show.
[00:12:32] So they ask for a donation of $15, but if you don't want to pay anything, technically you don't have to.
[00:12:38] But I would love for us to be able to go together and just have a good night of worship together.
[00:12:44] So if that's something you're interested in, let me know so I can help coordinate that together.
[00:12:49] But again, January 25th, so you've got a little ways to think about it, but think about it.
[00:12:55] Our Christmas Eve-Eve service will be on December 23rd.
[00:13:00] Last year we brought the Eve-Eve service here.
[00:13:03] It's just a great night to be together.
[00:13:06] Christmas Eve is a really hard night for people.
[00:13:10] I don't know about you.
[00:13:11] When I grew up, Christmas Eve was my Christmas.
[00:13:13] that was the busiest day and so I found in church Christmas Eve Eve is a wonderful night and so December 23rd at 6 30 here will be our Christmas Eve Eve service together and so hopefully you'll plan on joining us
[00:13:28] Next and I believe last announcement is your prayer and praise cards should be in the seat backs in front of you if you have any prayer requests or praise reports you can write that down on our prayer team we'll pray over those or rejoice with you with your praise every week and so we thank you so much for being open and honest with those and so we can join each other
[00:13:50] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]:
Pastor Brandon, I have one more that's not up there.
[00:13:53] I haven't been here for a couple of weeks because I've been sick and I wasn't going to spread it to all of you, but I would love to say thank you on behalf of Samaritan's Purse.
[00:14:05] We sent 56 boxes from this church.
[00:14:09] That is amazing.
[00:14:12] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
and they're already out they've gone through the distribution center and they've already been sent out as of yesterday so thank you so much awesome all right we're going to ask our ushers to come forward we'll move into a time of offering and worship this morning why don't you stand with me and we'll pray hey god we come to you now and just thank you so much for all the beautiful things that you've done
[00:14:39] Thank you for this time, this season.
[00:14:43] May we not forget what it's about.
[00:14:47] God, may you just grab a hold of our hearts today.
[00:14:51] The words that we sing just be precious to you.
[00:14:55] I thank you in advance for all that you're going to do.
[00:14:57] It's your name I pray.
[00:14:59] Amen.
[00:15:01] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]:
You know, I was talking to Pastor Brandon this morning, and he said something that really caught my attention, and then it came home a little bit more today when we're doing the announcements.
[00:15:10] You know, it took us about 12 minutes to get through all those announcements.
[00:15:12] That's because there's so much going on here at The Bridge.
[00:15:16] There's so many new programs.
[00:15:17] There's so much good stuff happening here, and I'm excited because our church is growing.
[00:15:24] Our church is doing things, and we're just moving ahead, and I think that's a wonderful thing to celebrate.
[00:15:31] So while we sing this song today, I want you to think about that.
[00:15:33] I want you to meditate on that.
[00:15:34] I want you to celebrate in your heart and in your mind all the changes that are happening here and all the good things that are happening.
[00:15:41] We got lights, folks.
[00:15:43] I love the lights.
[00:15:44] That's so cool.
[00:15:45] So good things are happening.
[00:15:47] Let's celebrate together this morning.
[00:15:49] One, two, three, four.
[00:16:07] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
Wherever spring arrives to heal the ground From wherever searching comes the look itself A trace of what we're looking for So be quiet now and wait Ocean
[00:16:42] God is God and here it is Here is our King, here is our love Here is our God who's come to bring us back to Him He is the One, He is Jesus And what was in the rose to make it unfold
[00:17:13] Here in my chest, so be quiet now.
[00:17:33] The ocean is growing, the tide is coming, here it is.
[00:17:35] Here is our King, here is our love, here is our God who's come to bring us back to Him.
[00:17:49] Here is the One, here is Jesus.
[00:17:50] Here is our being Here is our love Here is our God Who's come to bring us back to Him He is the One He is Jesus Majesty Finally
[00:18:33] Here is our King.
[00:18:36] Here is our love.
[00:18:38] Here is our God who's come to bring us back to Him.
[00:18:44] He is the One.
[00:18:46] He is Jesus.
[00:18:49] Here is our King, here is our love, here is our God, to bring us back to Him.
[00:19:14] He is the One, He is Jesus.
[00:19:16] Here is our King, here is our love, here is our God, to bring us back to Him.
[00:19:19] He is the One, He is Jesus.
[00:19:21] Here is our King, here is our God, here is our God who's come to bring us back to Him.
[00:19:34] He is the One, He is Jesus.
[00:19:54] The only name that matters to me The only one whose favor I seek The only name that matters to me Whose will be The pressure and affection I need To feel my Father smiling on me The only name that matters to me
[00:20:26] Yours is the name, the name that has saved me, mercy and grace, the power that forgave me, and your love is all I ever need.
[00:20:41] Yours will be the only name that matters to me, the only one whose favor I seek.
[00:20:58] Mercy and grace the Father gave me Mercy and grace the Father forgave me And your love is all I ever need When I wake up in the land of glory And with the saints I will tell my story There will be one day
[00:21:30] I wake up in the land of glory And with the saints I will tell my story There will be one name that I proclaim
[00:22:34] When I wake up in the land of glory And with the saints I will tell my story There will be one day that I proclaim When I wake up in the land of glory And with the saints I will tell my story There will be one day that I proclaim
[00:23:48] Jesus, just that name Amen.
[00:23:57] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]:
You may be seated.
[00:24:10] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
I walked up here and the kids had no idea and they looked up scared to death.
[00:24:13] Hello.
[00:24:15] We are going to move into a time now, before we dismiss the kids, into time of communion.
[00:24:22] Let's see.
[00:24:23] Jonathan, will you help me serve today?
[00:24:25] Jean?
[00:24:27] And... Let's see.
[00:24:29] Marissa?
[00:24:30] Unless you want to sit with Selah.
[00:24:44] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
Okay.
[00:25:16] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
I don't know if you guys have been hearing as we've been uncovering the communion stuff, but the girls up here are really dissecting what's happening with the Nativity.
[00:25:27] Pointing out baby Jesus and the people where the stars are.
[00:25:31] And that's a sweet noise, isn't it?
[00:25:32] So here's how we're going to go about serving today again.
[00:25:37] We'll come up along the aisles here, and you'll go back to the middle.
[00:25:45] That side as well.
[00:25:47] Middle.
[00:25:48] You can decide which wall you want to go down.
[00:25:50] But here's something I want to throw at you before we serve today.
[00:25:57] Just to let you know, we are going to be running a week behind on the Advent scene.
[00:26:03] And then we'll light our Christ candle at the Christmas Eve Eve service.
[00:26:06] So today we are going to be talking about hope.
[00:26:09] And so today, when you partake communion,
[00:26:14] Know that the same hope that Jesus was giving his disciples that night is the same hope that we're going to be celebrating throughout the month of December.
[00:26:24] So I'm going to pray for us, and after I do, if you feel led to, please come up and receive communion today.
[00:26:31] Let's pray together.
[00:26:33] Hey God, we come to you now.
[00:26:35] I just thank you so much for what you've done and the gift of your Son.
[00:26:41] God, as we go throughout this day and we
[00:26:43] We're taking communion.
[00:26:45] We worship together.
[00:26:46] We hear your word.
[00:26:47] We fellowship.
[00:26:49] God, may you just get the glory for it all.
[00:26:51] We love you today.
[00:26:53] It's your name I pray.
[00:26:54] Amen.
[00:27:14] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
Let us pray.
[00:27:34] Let us pray.
[00:27:43] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
Let us pray.
[00:28:01] Let us pray.
[00:28:11] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
Let us pray.
[00:28:35] Let us pray.
[00:28:40] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
Let us pray.
[00:28:52] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
Let us pray.
[00:29:13] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
Let us pray.
[00:29:28] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
Let us pray.
[00:29:44] Amen.
[00:30:19] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
That night, Jesus was sitting with his disciples.
[00:30:27] He passed around bread and told them, break it.
[00:30:32] This is my body, broken for you.
[00:30:50] Then in the cup was passed around, and he said, This is my blood, shed for you, partake.
[00:31:06] Let's pray together.
[00:31:10] God, again, we thank you for your Son, Jesus, for his birth, life, death, and resurrection.
[00:31:21] We love you today.
[00:31:25] May this communion throughout the rest of the season be the hope that we live in.
[00:31:31] In your name I pray.
[00:31:32] Amen.
[00:31:52] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
What did you guys think of that cookie?
[00:32:13] I thought it was.
[00:32:15] Let's put our hands together.
[00:32:17] On the count of three, today we're going to say HOPE.
[00:32:20] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
One, two, three, HOPE!
[00:32:27] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
We had four handpiles, several different words.
[00:32:41] It's one of those days.
[00:32:42] That's alright.
[00:32:46] I do want to light our candle today.
[00:32:50] And again, I know it's different and we are late, but...
[00:32:56] Ride with me this season and you'll see why.
[00:33:00] Again, the hope of Jesus is what we're going to talk about today.
[00:33:04] The hope that we have in this season.
[00:33:06] And so the first candle of Advent would be hope.
[00:33:11] That is a torch.
[00:33:25] What a day, right?
[00:33:28] I was thinking last night, so getting a key, let me just tell you a little back story.
[00:33:37] The doors were supposed to come with four keys.
[00:33:40] Each door that has a lock typically comes with two keys.
[00:33:44] So Friday, the guy that was in charge of the company put the doors in, his kids go to the preschool.
[00:33:50] So he gave preschool teachers their keys Friday, in case they didn't see us Sunday.
[00:33:56] When he was installing them yesterday, he said, the second set of keys didn't come with the doors.
[00:34:01] After I finally got a key yesterday, went home, and after putting Maggie to bed, I was like, Marissa, can I go back to the church just to make sure the key works?
[00:34:10] I really just wanted to play with the doors.
[00:34:12] But I think she knew that because she just said, go.
[00:34:21] What used to scare me as a kid, being in the church by myself, especially in the evening, is now one of my favorite things.
[00:34:27] I find it so peaceful.
[00:34:29] And the thought that came to my head about the doors and the sign that's coming and the great things that have been happening is God's timing.
[00:34:39] God's timing never fails.
[00:34:43] It rarely aligns with our timing.
[00:34:48] But after it happens and we get to look back and we're like, oh, God knew what he was doing.
[00:34:55] All the time, right?
[00:34:56] Yeah.
[00:34:57] Why do we question it?
[00:35:01] We should have hope in the timing of the Lord.
[00:35:08] So today we're going to be in Luke chapter 1.
[00:35:13] A familiar part of the Christmas story.
[00:35:16] But every time I read it, I try to read it from a different angle, a different perspective, try to pick up something else from it.
[00:35:26] So Luke chapter 1, we're actually going to be starting in verse 26, and this was Mary's encounter.
[00:35:34] In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph.
[00:35:44] A descendant of David.
[00:35:46] The virgin's name was Mary.
[00:35:50] The angel went to her and said, Greetings, you who are highly favored.
[00:35:57] The Lord is with you.
[00:35:59] I always have to admit, and I will say this every year, I chuckle at that part every time.
[00:36:08] Greetings.
[00:36:11] Just imagine being asleep and waking up and there's just an angel there, you're not sure what it is, and, Greetings!
[00:36:19] I think I chuckled because as a kid there was a show or a cartoon when an alien showed up and said, Greetings, Earthling.
[00:36:24] And so like, the word greetings, so I've looked it up in its original term and it was just a pleasantry, an introduction, and so translated in different ways, and this version in the NIV just is translated Greetings.
[00:36:39] But I just laugh at that every time, just greetings, because I'd imagine the look on Mary's face probably wasn't pleasant.
[00:36:46] But yet, and I always do this, greetings, like I have no... How?
[00:36:52] Yeah, like I have no...
[00:36:54] In my head, every time I read it, I just picture Gabriel, greetings, like I can't not see that.
[00:37:02] So, and I really try after the word greetings, I really try not to just put in earthling afterwards, but...
[00:37:09] I did okay until just now.
[00:37:13] Greetings, you who are highly favored.
[00:37:15] The Lord is with you.
[00:37:19] Verse 29 again goes with my thought that Mary probably wasn't, you know, the most happy at the moment.
[00:37:27] Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.
[00:37:36] But the angel said to her, Do not be afraid.
[00:37:41] Mary, you have found favor with God.
[00:37:44] You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus.
[00:37:50] He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High.
[00:37:54] The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David.
[00:37:59] He will reign over the house of Jacob forever.
[00:38:01] His kingdom will never end.
[00:38:06] How will this be, Mary asked?
[00:38:08] I'm a virgin.
[00:38:11] We're going to pause there.
[00:38:13] So she's highly favored.
[00:38:14] She's been picked and selected to give birth to Jesus.
[00:38:22] God's timing.
[00:38:26] This messes up everything.
[00:38:30] I'm talking about in Mary's life.
[00:38:31] She's pledged to be married to Joseph.
[00:38:35] I don't know about you.
[00:38:36] Anybody in here remember being engaged?
[00:38:39] Anybody?
[00:38:41] I've been married long enough to say now it's the worst.
[00:38:46] I've never heard anybody really come out and say that, but it is.
[00:38:49] Maybe it's a guy's perspective.
[00:38:51] Hey, so the wedding's going to have this, and what do you think about this color?
[00:38:55] Yes, dear.
[00:38:57] Just tried to learn that phrase early on.
[00:39:02] My only thing was please don't make me wear a suit.
[00:39:08] Luckily, she agreed.
[00:39:10] I don't even think I had to tuck my shirt in, did I?
[00:39:14] I don't know.
[00:39:15] Find pictures.
[00:39:16] You have permission.
[00:39:19] But the engagement is hard because there's a lot of planning that goes into it.
[00:39:23] And the reason I say it's the worst is because when one of those plans doesn't go as planned, panic ensues.
[00:39:32] Mostly because that plan costs money.
[00:39:36] And it's money thrown away.
[00:39:39] The timing's thrown off.
[00:39:43] And if you're engaged and you're a guy, if you're a boyfriend here looking to be engaged, don't ever bring up the weather of the wedding, especially if it's outdoors.
[00:39:52] Don't bring up weather.
[00:39:54] You can't control it and it's not worth the fight.
[00:39:58] But a lot of planning goes into it, especially if you're marrying a planner.
[00:40:05] Notebooks, folders,
[00:40:08] I had to buy more data on Apple because of the notes taken in the phone and the pictures saved from Pinterest and all the stuff.
[00:40:14] It's just everything.
[00:40:16] And we didn't even have a big wedding.
[00:40:21] But if one thing goes wrong, man, that can really change some things.
[00:40:28] So Mary, what?
[00:40:31] Untucked.
[00:40:32] Look at that.
[00:40:33] Married a winner.
[00:40:38] Mary's pledged to be married to Joseph and then all of a sudden Gabriel shows up and says, hey, you're highly favored.
[00:40:47] You're going to carry a child.
[00:40:48] You're going to name him Jesus.
[00:40:52] She's deeply troubled by these words and says, wait a second.
[00:40:56] Thanks for all the fancy greetings and words, but let's think logically here.
[00:41:02] How?
[00:41:04] Like that's not possible at this point.
[00:41:10] The angel gives her words and just says, well, basically saying, God decided.
[00:41:18] I don't know if you've ever been in a place in your life where the Lord just decides something.
[00:41:24] And it kind of just seems like it's going to go that direction.
[00:41:28] But that can throw you off.
[00:41:31] Good or bad.
[00:41:36] How will this be, Mary asked, since I am a virgin?
[00:41:38] The angel answered, The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.
[00:41:46] So the Holy One will be born and will be called the Son of God.
[00:41:53] I bet all that Mary is thinking at this time is how do I tell Joseph?
[00:42:00] How do I explain this?
[00:42:06] It's kind of an uncomfortable thought.
[00:42:10] I don't necessarily like my Bible to make me uncomfortable, but that's what's great about it.
[00:42:17] It pushes the boundaries and the limits of things that I and my brain have put in place.
[00:42:23] Mary, who's pledged to be married to Joseph, it's been good, it's been by the book, and all of a sudden an angel shows up and says it's from God and that she's been highly favored and she's going to carry this son, she's going to name him Jesus.
[00:42:36] But how?
[00:42:37] Because God said so.
[00:42:39] And she has to carry this weight, mental weight, and go to Joseph and say, hey, so this happened.
[00:42:49] And I'm just going to guess she's probably not thinking logically in this time, and she's definitely probably not thinking, well, an angel's probably going to show up to him too and tell him this is what's happening.
[00:43:03] Most people don't think that far ahead, especially with spiritual matters.
[00:43:11] The weight of the world is on this young girl.
[00:43:15] I have to carry this child.
[00:43:18] And it really throws a wrench into this engagement.
[00:43:27] Where's the hope in that?
[00:43:31] That's kind of what I've been wrestling with over the last two weeks.
[00:43:33] Where's the hope in that from a human perspective?
[00:43:39] It just turned her world upside down.
[00:43:43] And really, that's the...
[00:43:46] The looks, I mean, you guys are giving me now, it's kind of what I've been doing.
[00:43:50] The last week and a half, just kind of like, where is the hope in that?
[00:43:53] I know it's written in good words, and the greeting was nice, and it said she's highly favored.
[00:43:59] Everything is said correctly.
[00:44:01] But from a human perspective, where's the hope?
[00:44:04] We're told something is going to be good, but at least in our society now, going to be good versus being good is very different.
[00:44:14] So where's our hope?
[00:44:17] Hope was found in Jesus before this interaction ever took place.
[00:44:22] She didn't know Jesus yet.
[00:44:24] Her hope was found in the Lord.
[00:44:26] Her hope was found by doing what was right ahead of time.
[00:44:29] Was there a reason that God selected her?
[00:44:31] Why God chose her?
[00:44:32] God knew that she could handle the moment.
[00:44:38] The answer is yes.
[00:44:41] God knew.
[00:44:41] I found something interesting about that just in thinking about it and unpacking it a little bit.
[00:44:47] God knew and yet even in this moment she's still highly troubled because the weight of what she's been told shook her to her core.
[00:45:03] And I gotta give Mary a lot of credit.
[00:45:11] The angel stops his
[00:45:14] Quote to her, verse 37, and it says, "'For nothing is impossible with God.'"
[00:45:20] The angel told her a lot of words before that point, but I think just thinking and studying who Mary was, this last sentence probably is what grounded her.
[00:45:31] "'For nothing is impossible with God.'"
[00:45:35] Because she asked, Mary asked, "'Since I'm a virgin, how is this possible?'
[00:45:42] Angel.
[00:45:43] Three and a half sentences.
[00:45:45] Pause.
[00:45:45] For nothing is impossible with God.
[00:45:51] I absolutely love verse 38.
[00:45:55] For I am the Lord's servant, Mary answered.
[00:45:59] May it be to me as you have said.
[00:46:09] If I can be open and honest with you,
[00:46:12] I've told you before, I don't love reading.
[00:46:16] I do it and I love what I find in it.
[00:46:21] There are a handful of verses that when I read them, I actually get a physical peace about me.
[00:46:29] That's one.
[00:46:32] That every time I read it, there's almost this chills.
[00:46:38] I am the Lord's servant, Mary answered.
[00:46:41] May it be as you have said.
[00:46:44] And just like that, the angel left.
[00:46:51] Where's the hope in that?
[00:46:52] The hope was Mary believed in her God so much that this life-altering, engagement-breaking in their society thing just happened.
[00:47:09] And she says, after questioning, can I just throw that out there?
[00:47:16] She questioned a little bit.
[00:47:19] I think that's okay.
[00:47:22] And the angel said, nothing is impossible with God.
[00:47:24] And she says, okay, then may it be as you say, for I am the servant.
[00:47:31] Whoa.
[00:47:33] That gives me chills and peace to know that she found hope even in something unseen.
[00:47:42] Doesn't that sound familiar?
[00:47:47] Every single person in here, from the left of the room to the right, is going through something different.
[00:47:51] Everyone in here's life looks a little different, even if you're married to somebody.
[00:47:56] Their problems aren't always your problems.
[00:47:58] Up front, you'll help them carry it because you're under one roof, but everybody in here has their own sets of anxieties, fears, depressions, ailments.
[00:48:08] Whatever that is, every single person in here.
[00:48:11] And yet we have to trust in a God that sometimes we feel like we can't reach out to, we can't see.
[00:48:16] We can read about Him and occasionally we'll read something that gives us a peace and it reminds us how good He is.
[00:48:21] We'll read testimonies of what God has done in someone's life and we'll think, man, God can do that for me too.
[00:48:27] And every day it's this fight and this struggle to try and find hope in a God that we feel like sometimes we can't see.
[00:48:33] And yet we read something like this where a young girl's life is going to be completely altered and flipped upside down and even after her questioning she says, I am the Lord's servant.
[00:48:46] May it be as you said.
[00:48:47] That's incredible to me.
[00:48:54] May we all have that peace and that kind of hope that we can just agree to what it is that the Lord is telling us to do
[00:49:04] Without worrying about the fear of what others think about it.
[00:49:11] And you better believe there's going to be a lot of finger pointing at Mary going on.
[00:49:17] A lot.
[00:49:19] When I say life altering, it's like a scary level of life altering for her.
[00:49:29] And because I am your servant,
[00:49:33] Let it be as you said.
[00:49:37] Can I be blunt for a minute?
[00:49:39] Don't take this as a pastor saying something, because again, if I ever say something that pushes the limits and people think it's wrong, I want you to tell me.
[00:49:47] But as a Christian, can you imagine what the church would be like if that was our response to the Lord?
[00:49:56] God, I'm your servant.
[00:49:57] May it be as you say.
[00:50:00] That's hard.
[00:50:09] And can I tell you, I'm a Christian first before I'm your pastor.
[00:50:13] I have to do something inside me with the Lord before I can do it with you, so that needs to be my response as well.
[00:50:20] So that isn't just a lesson for you, it's a lesson for us.
[00:50:31] I am the Lord's servant.
[00:50:33] May it be as you have said.
[00:50:38] I'm sure if we were to take time and go back individually just examine our life there's probably been a moment where God has tried to take control of something and we wanted to fight it and we questioned it and maybe we finally just let go and said God you do it and we can look at it now and say thank goodness I let go and this story alone is evident proof that it's not always easy
[00:51:09] Like I said a little bit ago, I give Mary a lot of credit here.
[00:51:14] Admire her.
[00:51:17] That could not have been an easy thing to do.
[00:51:23] I joked about engagements and the trouble that could come and the sizing of rings and tuxes and dresses and all that.
[00:51:31] And all that seems pretty minuscule when you think about somebody's life possibly being in danger because she's pregnant.
[00:51:39] Something completely falling apart.
[00:51:41] Her having to tell this story.
[00:51:43] But an angel showed up to my room and told me that's what's going to happen.
[00:51:47] And Jean laughed because that's what a lot of us would think now if somebody said, Hey, so I woke up last night and there was like an angel in my room and it told me to do this.
[00:51:55] You're going to be like, you've been watching too much Discovery Plus.
[00:51:59] You've been on the paranormal side of that channel.
[00:52:01] You go back to home living.
[00:52:04] Because that's our initial thought.
[00:52:05] We don't hear about these things very much anymore.
[00:52:07] When we do, it's so highly scrutinized.
[00:52:09] How do you think she felt?
[00:52:12] It's hard.
[00:52:15] And even in the end, I am a servant of the Lord.
[00:52:21] And so when someone asks, why do you think God chose Mary?
[00:52:24] Go read her response.
[00:52:31] Are you willing and open
[00:52:35] To whatever that is God has for you.
[00:52:38] So let me change that.
[00:52:40] Do you have hope in the Lord?
[00:52:45] Hope that His way is greater than your way?
[00:52:50] Because Mary had a way that I'm sure she wanted to follow.
[00:52:53] However, it was not the ground she was standing on.
[00:52:58] She had embedded her life to the Lord and said,
[00:53:06] May it be as you say.
[00:53:08] I would hope and pray that we can find that kind of hope and commitment to whatever it is God has for us.
[00:53:17] I love that the first Sunday of Advent mentions hope because there's a lot of people this time of year that lose that.
[00:53:27] Through loss, through financial loss, through the pressure of wanting to get the best gift.
[00:53:33] I say this jokingly, but this is how our world responds.
[00:53:37] I had to go to Walmart yesterday.
[00:53:38] Some of you guys may have seen the post.
[00:53:40] I thank Marissa for telling me exactly where I needed to go, what aisle it was in.
[00:53:44] That's so great.
[00:53:46] Jonathan, Julie threw you under the bus in there too.
[00:53:50] But I have to admit, because I'm a guy, I went in Walmart and I had my own agenda.
[00:53:55] I had to go find the Christmas tree cake light that you can put in your yard.
[00:53:59] I saw that Walmart had been selling them and they were $19.99, it's 22 inches tall, plastic, or there's the four-foot inflatable one for $49.99.
[00:54:10] I wanted one because I love Christmas tree cakes.
[00:54:14] I couldn't find it anywhere.
[00:54:16] So as I'm waiting on Marissa to text me where the stuff is in the store, I'm looking on eBay to see if there's any on there.
[00:54:22] I found the Christmas tree lights, Christmas tree cake lights.
[00:54:25] $110 for the 22-inch one.
[00:54:29] You talk about something I had no hope that I'm ever going to get a Christmas tree light anymore.
[00:54:38] While that's a funny side of things, the price gouging thing matters.
[00:54:42] If you have kids or grandkids and they've ever watched somebody called Danny Go, anybody ever familiar with that?
[00:54:48] Yeah, Danny Go's, do you know he's from here?
[00:54:51] I found that out yesterday.
[00:54:53] He's actually from Cornelius, which is cool.
[00:54:55] So, if you ever hear your grandkids or kids talk about Danny Go, he's good, clean, fun to watch, but yeah, he's from here.
[00:55:00] So, he came out with toys.
[00:55:03] For Christmas, little figures and the floor is lava game and all this stuff.
[00:55:08] And so I looked at Walmart for those yesterday too.
[00:55:11] An entire empty section.
[00:55:14] But yet on eBay, the toy that was $19.99, $73.46.
[00:55:18] Free shipping though.
[00:55:24] And I tell you these things to say that those are just monetary things of how some people feel the pressure and they lose hope right at the beginning because they can't get that gift that somebody wants and you already feel like, man, bummer.
[00:55:39] And that's just the monetary side of it.
[00:55:41] But a lot of people lose hope in December because it's not what it once was.
[00:55:46] The Christmas magic.
[00:55:52] Have your hope.
[00:55:54] Embedded in Christ, in God.
[00:56:00] Be a servant of the Lord.
[00:56:03] And so no matter what comes your way, even something completely out of left field, like an angel standing at the foot of your bed saying greetings, that you can still say, I am a servant of God, so may it be as you say.
[00:56:25] Chills every time.
[00:56:28] So it's my prayer that as a church we can find that kind of hope in a world that tries to take our hope every day.
[00:56:37] I'm going to invite our worship team to come.
[00:56:40] And as they do, I just want you to reflect on a personal level.
[00:56:46] What kind of hope do you have in God this holiday season?
[00:56:50] Why don't you stand?
[00:57:39] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
One, two, three, four.
[00:57:51] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
You are good, you are good when there's nothing good in me.
[00:57:57] You are love, you are love on display for all to see.
[00:58:02] You are light, you are light when the darkness closes in.
[00:58:08] You are hope, you are hope, you have covered all my sins.
[00:58:19] You are peace, You are peace, when my fear is crippling You are true, You are true, even in my wandering You are joy, You are joy, You're the reason that I sing You are life, You are life, in You death has lost its sting
[00:58:46] I'm running to your house, I'm running to your house The riches of your love will always be enough Nothing compares to your embrace Light of the world forever
[00:59:14] Lord, You are more than my words will ever say You are Lord, You are Lord, all creation will proclaim You are here, You are here, in Your presence I've been whole You are God, You are God, of all else I'm letting go
[00:59:42] Oh, I'm running to your arms, I'm running to your arms The riches of your love will always be enough Nothing compares to your embrace Light up the world forever
[01:00:10] My heart will sing no other name Jesus, Jesus My heart will sing no other name Jesus, Jesus My heart will sing no other name Jesus
[01:00:40] Jesus, my heart will sing no other name
[01:00:58] I'm running to your arms, I'm running to your arms The riches of your love will always be enough Nothing compares to your embrace Light of the world forever reigns
[01:01:27] The riches of your love will always be enough Nothing compares to your embrace Light of the world forever reigns
[01:02:04] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
I pray that you find your hope in Jesus today and through the remainder of the season.
[01:02:11] Let's go ahead and pray together.
[01:02:14] God, again, thank you so much for this day, for this opportunity to be in your house.
[01:02:19] As we get ready to leave this place today, may we go in your hope, guide and direct our every step.
[01:02:26] It's your name I pray.
[01:02:27] Everyone said amen.
[01:02:29] You're dismissed.
[01:02:37] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
I kind of like this job.
[01:02:59] Pardon?
[01:02:59] I kind of like this job.
[01:02:59] Yeah, I enjoy it.
[01:03:00] Yeah, you're going to kind of really pay attention, but you know, it's not hard.
[01:03:04] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
.
[01:03:18] .
[01:03:18] .
