The Donkey and the Warhorse: Decoding the Messiah’s Two Arrivals

[00:01:00] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
Hey Cove Shoppers!

[00:01:02] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]:
We are now around 6 minutes away from our weekend experience and we just got the word that from now until the end of service, Cove Kids will be offering unlimited laughter, games, crafts, and Bible stories.
[00:01:15] Parents, don't forget to check in your little ones.
[00:01:18] Our team is ready to make their morning the best part of their week.

[00:02:25] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
Let us pray.

[00:03:00] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
Thank you.

[00:03:45] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]:
Attention, Cove shoppers.
[00:03:47] The perfect gift has just hit the shelves.
[00:03:50] Salvation, our all-time bestseller, is free for everyone.
[00:03:54] Hear more about it at the end of service in the prayer area.
[00:03:58] And to our first-time shoppers, welcome.
[00:04:00] We're thrilled you're here.
[00:04:01] Service begins in three minutes, so head toward the main auditorium and grab your spot.

[00:04:07] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
Oh, and don't miss the next steps area after service.
[00:04:10] There's a

[00:05:00] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
Let us pray.
[00:05:50] Let us pray.
[00:06:08] Let us pray.

[00:06:53] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_08]:
Good morning, Coach Church.
[00:07:09] It is so good to see you all here this morning.
[00:07:12] Let's stand and put our hands together.
[00:07:28] I wish I could tell it, wish I could describe it But I can't contain it, can't keep it to myself There aren't enough colors to paint the whole picture Not enough words to ever say what I've found Wonderful and beautiful and glorious and holy He is merciful and powerful

[00:08:31] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]:
Let's sing together.
[00:09:31] That's my God, that's my shepherd, my protector That's my king, that's my rock, that's my anchor

[00:10:16] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
Give Him all the order!

[00:10:49] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
Church, I don't know about you, but my King has been so, so good to me.
[00:11:04] Come on, let's sing this together.
[00:11:04] Come on.
[00:11:05] This is my story, testify Blessings on blessings poured on my life
[00:11:15] Tears turn to worship, tears turn to praise Chains of depression, broken by grace When I start remembering how good you've been Yeah, you've been so, so, so, so, so, so good to me So good, yeah, you've been so, so, so, so, so, so
[00:12:26] In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

[00:12:42] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
Amen.

[00:12:54] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
Come on, let's sing this together, church.
[00:12:56] When I say God is good, you say all the time.
[00:12:58] Here we go.
[00:13:02] When I say God is good, you say all the time.
[00:13:07] When I say all the time, you say God is good.
[00:13:11] When I say God is good,
[00:13:16] You say God is good when I say God is good You say all the time when I say all the time You say God is good
[00:13:36] So, so, so, so, so good to me He's good, yeah, you've been So, so, so, so, so, so

[00:15:02] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
We thank you Lord for your goodness.
[00:15:21] We sing from a heart full of gratitude.
[00:15:29] We sing God

[00:15:32] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
You're so good.
[00:15:37] God, You're so good.
[00:15:44] Oh God, You're so good.
[00:15:50] You're so good to me.

[00:15:58] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
No matter what season you're walking through, whether it's one that feels like a celebration or maybe one where maybe you're feeling some suffering or some pain, we know that we can cling to our hope.
[00:16:15] Our God who is the rock that we stand to.
[00:16:18] We're gonna have a scripture on screen and I'm gonna read it over us.
[00:16:22] And I wanna invite you to meditate, to think on it, on who He is.
[00:16:26] Psalm 145 says this.
[00:16:30] The Lord is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.
[00:16:40] The Lord is good to everyone
[00:16:43] He showers compassion on all his creation.
[00:16:48] All of your works will thank you, Lord, and your faithful followers will praise you.
[00:16:54] They will speak of the glory of your kingdom and they will give examples of your power.
[00:17:02] They will tell about your mighty deeds and about the majesty and glory of your reign.
[00:17:10] For your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom.
[00:17:14] You rule throughout all generations.
[00:17:17] The Lord always keeps His promises.
[00:17:21] He is gracious in all He does.
[00:17:25] The Lord helps the fallen and lifts those bent beneath their loads.
[00:17:34] The eyes of all look to you in hope.
[00:17:37] You give them their food as they need it.
[00:17:42] When you open your hand, you satisfy the hunger and thirst of every living thing.
[00:17:48] The Lord is righteous in everything He does.
[00:17:53] He is filled with kindness.

[00:17:57] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
Oh God, You're so good God, You're so good We sing God, You're so good You're so good

[00:18:27] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
We trust in You.
[00:18:32] We hope in You alone, Lord.
[00:18:43] What can we do but respond to You in worship and love?
[00:18:53] I am an instrument of exaltation

[00:18:57] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
I was born to lift your name above all names You hear the melody of all creation But there's a song of praise that only I can bring Who else is worthy?
[00:19:21] Who else is worthy?
[00:19:31] Who else is worthy?
[00:19:53] Who else is worthy?
[00:19:54] There is no one, only you Jesus You are the infinite God of the ages If you chose to make my life
[00:20:07] So why are songs of faith not even angels sing?
[00:20:21] Who else is worthy?
[00:20:21] Who else is worthy?
[00:20:22] There is love
[00:21:30] Holy, Holy, Righteous One who shed His blood You proved to us the Father's love Jesus Christ be lifted up
[00:23:36] Jesus is worthy, who else is worthy?
[00:23:53] There is no one, only you Jesus, who else is worthy?
[00:24:14] Jesus Oh come let us adore Him Oh come let us adore Him Oh come let us adore Him
[00:24:51] For you alone, for you alone

[00:26:03] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
Holy, righteous, worthy.
[00:26:05] These are words that describe our Heavenly Father.
[00:26:09] These are words that describe our Prince of Peace.
[00:26:12] And we gather here this morning just to worship and to praise.
[00:26:17] Let's all join together in prayer.
[00:26:21] Dear God, thank you for who you are.
[00:26:26] Thank you for this opportunity to be here together in fellowship, just to worship you and who you are.
[00:26:33] God, thank you for our families.
[00:26:35] Thank you for our homes.
[00:26:38] Thank you for your son.
[00:26:43] God, we are so thankful.
[00:26:44] We have so many blessings, especially this week as we got to celebrate Thanksgiving and celebrate all those that got to gather around us.
[00:26:52] God, we love you.
[00:26:55] We praise you.
[00:26:57] And it's in your holy, your mighty name that we all say,
[00:27:02] Amen.
[00:27:03] Well, church, why don't we take this moment to meet somebody new around you and grab your seats.
[00:27:17] My name is Josh and welcome to The Cove.
[00:27:20] If you are joining us for the very first time, we are so glad that you're here.
[00:27:24] I know we have a lot of families in town this weekend, brothers and sisters and aunts and uncles, and they came to join us for service today.
[00:27:32] We are so happy that you guys joined us.
[00:27:34] We would love to get you connected.
[00:27:36] There's a few ways we can do that.
[00:27:38] You could scan the QR code on the seat in front of you, click new here, or come find us in person.
[00:27:43] Our Next Steps area is right through those doors in the back, and it also looks a little bit like Whoville for this next month, so easier to find there.
[00:27:52] We'd love to meet you.
[00:27:53] We even got a gift just to say thank you for being here.
[00:27:57] And we are kicking off our Christmas season.
[00:27:59] Who's ready for Christmas?
[00:28:02] we have so many exciting events that are going to be coming up the first one is going to be this friday so i want you to mark your calendars friday is going to be our christmas tree lighting this is going to be fun for the entire family a great time to invite your neighbors invite your friends we're going to have some local food trucks there we're going to have fire pits with s'mores we're going to be singing christmas carols so you do not want to miss that and then the following week
[00:28:28] That is going to be the Saturday after that is going to be our annual toy store.
[00:28:32] This is one of the best events that we do all year.
[00:28:36] We have over 1,400 kids signed up from our community that may not have been able to celebrate Christmas and have the toys underneath their tree.
[00:28:46] But because of you guys, we get to make that happen.
[00:28:50] Now we need to collect 2,800
[00:28:53] Let's pray.
[00:29:18] We fill up the shopping carts, we all buy toys, we think of what we would want at that age, and we get to bring them into the church together.
[00:29:26] So be a part of all that we are doing at the toy store this year.
[00:29:30] In your seats right now, we do have our invite cards, so I want you to think about, pray about what service you are going to attend, and pray about who you can invite to join you at a service this year.
[00:29:41] But for now, we are getting ready for our first week of our Christmas series.
[00:29:46] So let's get ready together.

[00:29:56] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]:
Tis the season.
[00:29:58] You know what that means.
[00:29:59] There is shopping to be done, meals to cook, company to entertain, and Santas to go visit.
[00:30:06] Traffic will be slow, checkout lines long, and calendars full.
[00:30:10] Christmas can so quickly feel hectic, stressful, and even overwhelming.
[00:30:16] Yet when you look at the manger, isn't it always still, quiet, peaceful, hopeful?
[00:30:25] Truthfully, we haven't changed that much.
[00:30:29] Mankind used to imagine what the coming of the Messiah would look like.
[00:30:33] They knew he would come as a fierce warrior, a king, a conqueror here to turn the world on its head.
[00:30:39] No one could even imagine his grand entrance.
[00:30:43] And instead, Jesus came in the most normal way you could imagine.
[00:30:48] We will always be drawn to the loud, the craziness, and the unbelievable.
[00:30:54] But maybe this Christmas we would be better served to focus on something simple.

[00:31:03] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]:
Love that, man.
[00:31:04] Merry Christmas.
[00:31:05] Can you guys believe it?
[00:31:08] We're here.
[00:31:08] It's Christmas at the Cove.
[00:31:11] Hey, let's take a second.
[00:31:12] Let's welcome all of our campuses.
[00:31:13] We're being joined at all of our campuses this week.
[00:31:16] We've got our Salisbury, Statesville, Denver.
[00:31:18] Make some noise at your campus right here in Mooresville.
[00:31:21] Come make some noise and welcome to our campuses.
[00:31:23] Welcome online if you're joining us online.
[00:31:25] Hey, I just want to give one more shout out.
[00:31:29] Thank you to everyone for helping so much.
[00:31:32] Team members come in and help and set up our atriums and our auditoriums.
[00:31:36] They look amazing across all of our campuses.
[00:31:38] So can we thank our team members?
[00:31:39] We had people staying here till 9, 10 o'clock at night.
[00:31:45] And so, thank you so much for setting up a great environment.
[00:31:50] We'll talk a little bit about what the environment means.
[00:31:52] How many of you guys have spent so much time, you know, setting up the Cove that maybe you haven't gotten to your own house?
[00:31:57] How many of you have got their Christmas tree up already?
[00:31:59] Come on, somebody.
[00:32:00] Oh, man, that's awesome.
[00:32:02] Across all our campuses, show of hands.
[00:32:04] How many of you guys got your Christmas lights on the house done already?
[00:32:07] Just show of hands, okay.
[00:32:08] Man, if only you were this on time for our services.
[00:32:11] That's amazing that you're so on time for your Christmas stuff.
[00:32:15] Coming out here.
[00:32:17] You know, our atriums and auditoriums across all of our campuses, we're kind of going for a very different theme.
[00:32:24] You might have noticed it's like in our atriums, what's the theme?
[00:32:27] We're kind of all over the place.
[00:32:28] We've got these different Christmas trees decorated different ways.
[00:32:30] We've got all sorts of different stuff.
[00:32:32] Usually we have a really tight theme.
[00:32:34] But this year we wanted to really focus on a little bit of the chaos, the little bit of everything.
[00:32:39] and many more.
[00:32:56] The simplicity of Christmas, the place that you actually come in here and when we worship where you're sitting now, we wanted those places to be simple and to be just clear what it's about.
[00:33:09] And so it's funny because every Christmas it's the same for us.
[00:33:15] We get all in all the craziness of Christmas, but we know the message of Christmas is a simple one.
[00:33:23] We're all drawn to the craziness of Christmas though.
[00:33:26] I remember back in 2017, our favorite Christmas to talk about, my wife and I's, it was our first year with a child.
[00:33:35] Our son was 10 months old.
[00:33:37] And so my wife, if you know my wife, one of her biggest strengths is that when she puts her mind to something, that's what we're doing.
[00:33:45] And that is a good thing 99% of the time.
[00:33:49] She really wanted us to go out into the mountains and cut down a Christmas tree out in the mountains, right?
[00:33:57] And I've showed some of the pictures from this.
[00:33:59] It's my favorite pictures to show during the Christmas season.
[00:34:02] But let me tell you the story a little bit behind it.
[00:34:05] She was dead set on, we're gonna go out in the mountains before our services that evening.
[00:34:11] We had services on Saturday night.
[00:34:13] And so we're gonna go up three hours, cut down a Christmas tree with our little baby boy,
[00:34:17] and bring it home and it's gonna be straight from the mountains we're gonna get great pictures and as we're getting ready the one day it's gonna work for us is that Saturday and the news begins to break there's gonna be a massive snowstorm I don't know if it was technically a blizzard but for the sake of the story I'm calling it a blizzard okay so there's a blizzard the biggest one you've ever seen that rolls in and uh and you know we're kind of
[00:34:42] Like, well, it'll make, my wife instantly is like, it's going to make the pictures great.
[00:34:45] You know, I mean, there's going to be, there's going to be snow everywhere.
[00:34:48] It's going to be awesome.
[00:34:49] We start driving and the good news is there's nobody on the interstate.
[00:34:52] The bad news is you can't go faster than about 35 miles per hour as we get closer and closer to the mountains because it is just snow everywhere.
[00:34:59] We got our 10 month old
[00:35:00] Sitting in the backseat, we're starting to feel like irresponsible parents as we're doing this.
[00:35:04] You know, my wife at one point looked at me and was like, should we do this?
[00:35:08] Is this a good idea?
[00:35:09] Which, those of you that are younger married couples, I had been married five years at the time, and I knew this is a trap question, okay?
[00:35:17] Because in the back of my mind, I'm like, of course we shouldn't do this.
[00:35:20] This is a terrible idea, and we need to stop immediately.
[00:35:22] But if I say that out loud, it's going to be that I'm being lazy and don't want to do the thing that she planned.
[00:35:27] so I'm like I don't need to see to drive it's all good you know I mean we're we're we're making great time we're doing great and um you know it becomes clear we're not gonna be able to make it back in time for the services that night I had to call my boss and be like look you know we're up in the mountains and he's like you're you're caught in this blizzard and I said well we're not really caught we we drove out to the mountains today to be in the blizzard
[00:35:54] And we get to where this tree farm is.
[00:35:58] And just like anything in the mountains, the last little road to get to your actual destination is straight uphill up a graveled little side road.
[00:36:08] And I'm like, I don't know if our car's gonna make it up this.
[00:36:11] We got up about 10 feet and the car rolled back down out of my control backwards.
[00:36:17] It's the worst feeling in the world.
[00:36:19] We got maybe halfway up this road and I said, Aaron, this car is not making it.
[00:36:23] And so we parked the car in a random person's house that we don't know, hoping maybe they're associated with the tree farm, spoiler alert, they weren't.
[00:36:40] And we load up our 10-month-old and we start roughing it.
[00:36:44] And we walk up the hill.
[00:36:46] It's about a foot of snow.
[00:36:47] I'm going to say two feet for the sake of the story.
[00:36:50] Then we get up to the top where this tree farm is and there is nobody there.
[00:36:55] I mean, on a Saturday at like 2, nobody's there except these two guys who are literally closing up the shop.
[00:37:02] Because nobody's coming, clearly, except for the Kranzes, right?
[00:37:07] And so when they saw it, they were like shocked.
[00:37:09] They were like, literally they asked, what are you doing here?
[00:37:12] And I said, we're here to buy a tree.
[00:37:14] You're a tree farm.
[00:37:15] It's a Saturday.
[00:37:16] We're here to buy a tree.
[00:37:17] We want to go chop down a tree.
[00:37:18] And they're like, you literally will have to dig a hole in the snow just to, like, you can't chop down a tree.
[00:37:24] That's not an option today.
[00:37:25] You can buy one of our pre-cut trees, which was basically 2% better than just buying it at a parking lot back in Mooresville.
[00:37:33] So we buy the tree, it's a total bust.
[00:37:35] And then, you know, just when I'm thinking this can't get any worse, my wife pulls out the camera and she's like, let's get the picture, you know?
[00:37:42] And so we spend the next 15 minutes trying to get a picture.
[00:37:45] It did produce one of my favorite pictures of my wife and my son ever, this one right here.
[00:37:51] It is a beautiful picture, right?
[00:37:53] That kid doesn't even have a jacket on.
[00:37:54] What were we doing, baby?
[00:37:55] I just realized, no gloves?
[00:38:00] They're okay, they're doing great now.
[00:38:04] and then my wife pulls out I'm like okay salvaged you know we made it and then my wife pulls out this little baby metal sled and she's like I want a picture of our baby on the baby metal sled that basically turned into a frozen popsicle it you know it's just stuck to my kid I think and we set that thing in and
[00:38:24] and she'd hold him close and he'd be smiling and nice and warm and then she'd try to like quickly drop him and then run back and take a picture real quick.
[00:38:32] This was the best picture we got after about 15 minutes of trying that one.
[00:38:38] So I've shown you that picture so many times.
[00:38:41] That's my favorite Christmas picture, because, man, none of the expectations came true on this day.
[00:38:47] I mean, we had so many hopes and dreams for what our Christmas pictures would look like this year and what this picking the tree moment would look like, and none of the expectations come true.
[00:38:56] But you know what?
[00:38:57] So often, it's the imperfections around Christmas that can make the whole thing feel perfect.
[00:39:03] Can I get an amen?
[00:39:04] I mean, Christmas is a reminder that God works even in what feels like an imperfection.
[00:39:12] You know, we have these dreams of what our Christmas memories are gonna be, our Christmas activities and going out
[00:39:19] Seeing the lights or picking our tree, what it's going to be like to open presents as a family around the tree, and what it's going to be like to share the Christmas dinner together as a family.
[00:39:29] And we have all these great images of these expectations of how amazing it's going to be, but the reality is it's cold outside, and half the people are sick, and you don't even really like your extended family that much in all reality.
[00:39:46] and you know it's never quite lives up to the expectations but so often the reminder in Christmas is in the imperfections God is still doing a perfect thing.
[00:39:59] And so, you know, we're really looking at the difference between our expectations and what Christmas actually is.
[00:40:08] And when Jesus came, there were so many people who had a idea of what the Messiah would look like, of what he would be like, that he'd be a conqueror, he'd be a king,
[00:40:20] He'd be a warrior.
[00:40:22] He'd come to bring vengeance and make all things right.
[00:40:26] He'd come with the sword to strike down the sinner.
[00:40:29] He'd demand the worship of his people.
[00:40:33] But in so many ways, what they actually got was nothing like what the people expected.
[00:40:41] And so Christmas is this reminder, maybe you're here today and I'm not just talking about Christmas, I'm talking about just in life.
[00:40:47] Maybe some things you feel like God hasn't met your expectations of what things would look like.
[00:40:53] Maybe some things have gotten off track
[00:40:56] This year or in your life and it feels like God you know this doesn't meet my expectation this isn't what I thought it would be but I'm here to remind you today that God rarely sets out to meet his people's expectations that his ways are usually different than our plans and his ways always work out for good and to be better can I get an amen
[00:41:22] And so that's what the Christmas season is a reminder of that he works all things.
[00:41:27] He's in all things and he makes good out of all things.
[00:41:33] Few things illustrate the gap between what people expected
[00:41:38] and what we actually got, like Jesus's entry into Jerusalem.
[00:41:42] If you got your Bibles, we're gonna be in Matthew chapter 21.
[00:41:45] You can open them there.
[00:41:47] And this is towards actually the end of Jesus's life.
[00:41:51] A little bit about Jesus's ministry up to this point.
[00:41:54] He spent three years traveling around preaching teaching the gospel in the kingdom of heaven he traveled around doing miracles revealing to people bringing healing to people revealing to people who he is one step at a time as the messiah and as he prepared to go to jerusalem because to this point he really hasn't spent much time in the big city jerusalem which would be kind of the
[00:42:19] The center point of everything.
[00:42:21] He's getting ready in the last days of his life to enter the city of Jerusalem.
[00:42:27] And here's what his entrance looked like.
[00:42:29] Many people had an expectation of what that entrance would look like, that the Messiah would roll in grand.
[00:42:37] But look at this, he came in on a donkey.
[00:42:39] They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks and Jesus sat on them.
[00:42:46] Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road.
[00:42:49] They were trying to dress this thing up.
[00:42:51] He's riding in a donkey.
[00:42:52] Others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.
[00:42:56] And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, Hosanna to the son of David.
[00:43:03] The word of who this guy is started to spread.
[00:43:06] Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
[00:43:10] Hosanna in the highest.
[00:43:12] When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up saying, who is this though?
[00:43:18] Who is this guy?
[00:43:19] And the crowd said, this is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth of Galilee.
[00:43:27] It's funny, this would be like a Ford Pinto rolling into Walmart and then the crowds just surrounding that Ford Pinto.
[00:43:32] You'd be like, who's in the Ford Pinto?
[00:43:34] You know, what's the deal with that?
[00:43:36] He's riding in on a donkey and the crowds are just going nuts.
[00:43:40] And there's a lot of people who are going, who is this guy?
[00:43:43] He's just riding in on a donkey.
[00:43:44] you know you think if you think if he's important he'd be rolling in on something else you know but that's because they even though the prophecy was so clear it actually was prophesied that the messiah would come on a donkey look at this in zechariah 9 behold your king is coming to you righteous and having salvation is he humble and mounted on a donkey
[00:44:09] On a colt, the foal of a donkey, I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the warhorse from Jerusalem.
[00:44:18] He says he's not coming on a warhorse.
[00:44:20] The battle bow shall be cut off and he shall speak peace to the nations.
[00:44:27] His rule shall be from sea to sea and from river to river.
[00:44:30] The ends of the earth.
[00:44:33] Jesus is coming on a donkey and was supposed to signify peace in many ways.
[00:44:38] And there's multiple reasons.
[00:44:40] We're gonna break down the difference between a war horse and a donkey.
[00:44:43] But the reality is, even though people had this prophecy, it seems like it's really plain and easy for us to see now, you know, after the fact, playing Monday morning quarterback, why didn't you guys see this and get this?
[00:44:55] But at the time, people were still fully expecting the Messiah is gonna come on a war horse.
[00:45:00] The Messiah is going to come in this grand fashion and he's going to strike down the sinner and he's going to set the record straight.
[00:45:09] He's going to take down his enemies and it's going to be on display for everyone to see.
[00:45:14] He's going to come and make everything right.
[00:45:19] And in their minds, that would be striking down the enemies of God.
[00:45:26] But Jesus didn't come in that way.
[00:45:28] Jesus instead came on a donkey, which would have been a symbol of peace.
[00:45:33] Maybe you're here and a part of you loves the idea that God's gonna set the record straight, strike down the bad guys one day.
[00:45:40] He's gonna get you.
[00:45:42] Maybe you've thought, you know, listen, boss, you're mistreating me now.
[00:45:46] One day, Jesus is gonna come back.
[00:45:47] We'll see what he does with you, you know?
[00:45:50] One day, neighbor, we'll see what he does with you.
[00:45:53] But when Jesus came, he didn't come with a sword.
[00:45:56] He didn't come on a war horse.
[00:45:58] He came on a donkey.
[00:46:01] Now in reality, both these creatures probably would have been owned by a king.
[00:46:05] A king would have probably had a war horse and a donkey.
[00:46:07] And the purpose of the war horse is obvious.
[00:46:10] It's the more majestic creature in every sense.
[00:46:14] It's the grander creature.
[00:46:16] It's the one that you ride.
[00:46:18] God is the one that will inspire the troops look at that look at that magnificent beast that our king sits upon you know the donkey was more your everyday shoes you know what i'm saying they were he was for everyday use maybe during a time of peace the king would be seen on a donkey because there's no reason to get the war horse completely ready we can just ride the donkey if
[00:46:41] There were other people that probably would have owned both a donkey and a horse, but if you could only really afford one, you were probably getting a donkey.
[00:46:49] A little easier to maintain, a little more standard, a little more humble.
[00:46:53] And so Jesus riding in on a donkey signifies the idea that he didn't come here to strike us down, but he came here in so many ways to be approachable, to be seen, to be understood.
[00:47:09] He came here simple.
[00:47:12] You know, we're drawn to the flashy, aren't we?
[00:47:15] We're drawn to the big, the glamorous.
[00:47:18] We're drawn to people that speak in ways that we've never seen before, with passion that we've never seen before.
[00:47:26] But the reality is Jesus, don't get me wrong, He spoke with passion and He did things that nobody could explain.
[00:47:35] Scripture says He taught with a wisdom and authority that nobody really understood, but He wasn't flashy about it.
[00:47:44] You know, he came because the truth doesn't have to be flashy.
[00:47:49] The real God doesn't need to put on a show.
[00:47:54] He could have come wanting to put on a traveling circus, you know, of miracles.
[00:47:58] He could have come wanting to be a Vegas show type set up, but that's not what Jesus did.
[00:48:04] Jesus came very simply.
[00:48:06] Jesus came very humbly, very approachable.
[00:48:10] He rode an animal that would have been very common to the people.
[00:48:14] He wanted us to be able to approach him and see him for who he is, that our God did not first come to strike down, but to connect with his people, to see his people right where they're at.
[00:48:28] His riding a donkey is significant.
[00:48:32] You know, second thing I wanna talk about with a donkey is
[00:48:37] that with the war horse, it's obvious what its purpose is.
[00:48:40] You mount that thing, you ride it into battle, you strike down your enemies.
[00:48:45] When you look at a donkey, have you ever wondered what's the purpose of a donkey on a farm?
[00:48:50] I mean, have you ever stopped and wondered that question?
[00:48:53] If you're not a farmer, I'm from Chicago, so I don't know anything about farming, if I'm being honest with you.
[00:48:58] I've learned as I go.
[00:48:59] But I'm like, what purpose does a donkey serve?
[00:49:01] It doesn't make milk.
[00:49:02] It's not tasty like bacon.
[00:49:04] I mean, what's a donkey bringing to the table in this farmyard scenario, you know?
[00:49:10] A donkey can carry a little weight.
[00:49:13] I mean, it's not gonna carry as much as an ox or a horse.
[00:49:16] It's the much humbler version of that.
[00:49:19] But also, a donkey is a territorial animal.
[00:49:23] A donkey will actually make noise when a predator is coming near, which is funny.
[00:49:28] I remember when we went to, when I was the campus pastor at West Row Ann, we were doing Christmas.
[00:49:33] Out in a barn during COVID because we didn't have a place to meet.
[00:49:36] Patterson Farm was so gracious and allowed us to meet in their barn.
[00:49:41] And I was so thankful for the whole thing, except for the donkey that they had there, if I'm being honest with you.
[00:49:46] That donkey, it would get real excited at my voice.
[00:49:49] It was quiet, all of worship through the whole thing.
[00:49:52] But then when I started preaching, that donkey had a lot to say.
[00:49:56] People ask me, you know, does my kid crying distract you during service?
[00:49:58] No, I've preached with a donkey in the background.
[00:50:00] I'm good.
[00:50:01] You know, it's fine.
[00:50:03] It's no problem.
[00:50:06] You know, a donkey is territorial.
[00:50:08] A donkey will make noise if it senses a predator.
[00:50:12] Maybe that's what it saw with me.
[00:50:13] I don't know.
[00:50:15] So the shepherds will actually use a donkey to protect from coyotes and wolves because they know the donkey will make noise if they see something coming.
[00:50:23] It serves as a form of actual protection to the sheep.
[00:50:27] A donkey is territorial.
[00:50:28] It will even stand its ground if it senses a predator coming in on its territory.
[00:50:34] It'll kick, it'll bite, it'll do all the things.
[00:50:36] And so it's actually a very unlikely, but naturally becomes a protector of the flock.
[00:50:45] And so the idea that Jesus didn't ride in on a war horse, but rode in on a donkey again plays into this.
[00:50:53] We see this in the Old Testament, this idea of the donkey viewed as a protector.
[00:50:58] And I wanna break down this story.
[00:50:59] It's a story I don't remember the last time we've preached on this story.
[00:51:03] So check out Numbers chapter 22.
[00:51:06] and we're gonna focus on the donkey aspect of this story.
[00:51:10] This is in the Old Testament and what's happening here behind the scenes is Balaam is a seer.
[00:51:20] He represents God in many ways.
[00:51:23] And the nation of Israel, which is God's chosen people, has been winning many battles.
[00:51:29] And so Balak, who is an enemy of Israel, he leads the Moabites, he comes to Balaam and he goes, he realized we're never beating Israel.
[00:51:39] You know, even though our troops are superior, even though we should be on paper winning, they always find a way.
[00:51:45] And so he realizes,
[00:51:47] I need some spiritual impact going on.
[00:51:50] I need to try something else.
[00:51:52] And so he begins to try to bribe Balaam, the seer.
[00:51:55] And he says, come and curse Israel on my behalf.
[00:52:00] And he begins to offer him riches and gold and silver and begins to try to bribe Balaam.
[00:52:07] And Balaam, some combination of seeing the riches and drawn to it, and also probably getting a little afraid
[00:52:15] If he doesn't do what Balak is asking, he begins to kind of listen.
[00:52:21] And he begins to ask God, God, can I go with Balak?
[00:52:24] And the Lord finally says, listen, you can go, but I want you to listen to me.
[00:52:28] And that's all Balaam needed.
[00:52:30] He loads up on his donkey and he gets riding right away.
[00:52:33] And the Lord, seeing that his heart is no longer about serving God, but is about serving Balak, realizes Balaam is out of line.
[00:52:44] Becomes angry with him, it even says.
[00:52:45] Check this out.
[00:52:46] Numbers 22 starting in verse 22.
[00:52:49] But God's anger was kindled because Balaam went and the angel of the Lord took his stand in the way of his adversary Balaam.
[00:53:00] Now he was riding on the donkey and his two servants were with him.
[00:53:03] And the donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand.
[00:53:10] And the donkey turned aside out of the road and went into the field.
[00:53:14] Then Balaam was frustrated because of the donkey.
[00:53:17] What's he doing?
[00:53:17] He's out of control.
[00:53:18] Balaam struck the donkey to turn her into the road.
[00:53:23] Then the angel of the Lord stood in a narrow path between the vineyards with the wall on either side.
[00:53:29] And when the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, she pushed against the wall and pressed Balaam's foot against the wall.
[00:53:36] So again, he struck her again as she was trying to protect him.
[00:53:40] Then the angel of the Lord went ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no way to turn either to the right or the left.
[00:53:47] When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord realizing there's no place to go, she just laid down right there.
[00:53:55] under Balaam and Balaam's anger was kindled and he struck the donkey with his staff.
[00:54:01] And so we see here, this donkey serves as a protector.
[00:54:06] The donkey sees something Balaam isn't seeing.
[00:54:10] And so even at great cost to the donkey itself, the donkey continuously is protecting Balaam in ways that Balaam never even sees.
[00:54:21] Balaam doesn't even realize he's in danger.
[00:54:25] And over and over again, this donkey protects him.
[00:54:27] And his response is to beat the donkey out of frustration because the donkey's not going where he wants it to go.
[00:54:33] Do you see the parallels?
[00:54:38] Check out what happens next.
[00:54:40] Then the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey.
[00:54:43] And this is where the plot of Shrek kicks in right here.
[00:54:46] You know, people ask, are you telling me, I mean, Google goes crazy with it, are you telling me that the Bible says there's a talking donkey, you know?
[00:54:54] Yes, yes, I am telling you that, that the Bible says there's a talking donkey, that the Lord spoke through a donkey.
[00:55:00] Now, before we go, wait, that's crazy, you know?
[00:55:02] What is going on here?
[00:55:04] The foundation of our faith is that a man was dead for three days, no pulse, in a grave, and came back to life.
[00:55:15] Amen?
[00:55:16] So I want us to understand, yeah, our God has authority to do crazy things.
[00:55:23] This one, I mean, if you're willing to believe that, you know, based on the eyewitness accounts that said, yeah, we saw this happen, I got no problem with the talking donkey.
[00:55:31] I'm gonna be honest with you.
[00:55:34] All right?
[00:55:34] So check it out.
[00:55:35] Here we go.
[00:55:35] Let's see what the donkey has to say.
[00:55:38] The donkey said to Balaam, what have I done to you that you struck me three times?
[00:55:44] And Balaam, I guess isn't fazed by the talking donkey because he just starts a conversation with it.
[00:55:52] Balaam's like, because you made a fool of me.
[00:55:55] You know, now I'm talking to a donkey.
[00:55:57] I wish I had a sword in my hand for then I would kill you.
[00:56:00] He's also not very nice to this donkey.
[00:56:02] Look at this.
[00:56:03] And the donkey said to Balaam, Am I not your donkey on which you have ridden all your life long up to this day?
[00:56:11] Is it my habit to treat you this way?
[00:56:14] And he said, No.
[00:56:17] So we get that Balaam is literally ready to kill this donkey.
[00:56:22] He says this.
[00:56:22] He's like, I wish I had a sword.
[00:56:24] I'd kill you right now where you stand.
[00:56:28] Well, the donkey's response is, look, you've ridden me your whole life.
[00:56:33] Have I ever wronged you?
[00:56:35] Have I ever acted irresponsible towards you?
[00:56:38] Have I ever led you astray?
[00:56:41] And Balaam has to acknowledge his answer is no.
[00:56:43] Now I'm not saying this is prophecy, but there is definite foreshadowing here, if you can see it, you know?
[00:56:49] This idea that there is imminent danger for Balaam and he doesn't recognize it.
[00:56:56] He doesn't see it.
[00:56:58] He doesn't see how far he's walked away from the Lord.
[00:57:01] And this donkey comes and over and over again protects Balaam from going to his destruction.
[00:57:08] Over and over again, starts getting Balaam in the right direction, even though Balaam doesn't see it that way.
[00:57:14] And the response from Balaam is to beat the animal.
[00:57:18] It's probably not a coincidence that Jesus came riding in on a donkey, and this story also features the donkey, right?
[00:57:26] Do you see the symbolism?
[00:57:28] That our Savior, Jesus, came here not just to judge us.
[00:57:35] In fact, when He came 2,000 years ago, it wasn't as a final judgment right then and there.
[00:57:41] He came to protect us from dangers we didn't even understand.
[00:57:45] He came so that we would be saved in a way that we didn't even understand we needed saving.
[00:57:51] He came so that we would be put on the right path away from the path of destruction.
[00:58:01] So often,
[00:58:02] We get this mindset of, well, why would God allow this?
[00:58:07] Or my God wouldn't do something like that.
[00:58:10] We have these expectations of how God should act.
[00:58:14] And really what we can do is end up treating our God like Balaam treats his donkey.
[00:58:20] you know he's good with the donkey as long as it's doing what he wants it to do and the moment the donkey's not doing what he wants it to do he's just frustrated with the donkey he's mad at the donkey he even beats the donkey then in the same way you know we'll worship god we'll celebrate god when he's doing what we what we want him to do but when we don't understand what's happening when we don't see
[00:58:44] The bigger picture, when we're caught in the weeds and in the struggle and things aren't moving the way we think they should be moving or things have happened that we don't feel like should happen, we can so quickly get frustrated at God and blame God and go, God, what are you doing?
[00:58:58] Where are you in all this?
[00:59:00] We don't understand.
[00:59:01] And our frustration can begin to come out.
[00:59:04] But this story is a reminder that God is faithful even when we're frustrated.
[00:59:11] Even when you don't understand and you're frustrated, your God is still faithful to you.
[00:59:16] Can I just tell you, church, the Christmas story and stories like Balak and Balaam is a reminder that even when you don't see your need for a Savior, He is still present with you.
[00:59:29] Even when you don't see your need for protection, even when you don't see the danger, He's protecting you.
[00:59:35] Have you ever stopped and thought about how many unseen threats have been in my life that the Lord has protected me from that I didn't even know existed?
[00:59:43] How many times has God provided a need before I even knew I had a need?
[00:59:50] You know, I remember a few years, a couple years back, my wife and I went on a,
[00:59:57] Mission trip to South Africa was amazing.
[00:59:59] We actually have a team out in South Africa right now at our South Africa campus.
[01:00:03] They had baptisms they were celebrating this morning.
[01:00:05] They're probably watching today.
[01:00:07] So hey, South Africa, can we make some noise for our South Africa crew?
[01:00:10] We love you guys.
[01:00:14] And they had baptisms and great service this morning.
[01:00:18] They're a little ahead of us in their day.
[01:00:21] And so we went out and my wife and I got to hang out with Pastor Sindiso and his wife.
[01:00:29] and the church and see the church as we were building the building.
[01:00:34] And we just really loved it.
[01:00:37] And it was such a great trip.
[01:00:38] And we got to the end of the trip and the worst part of the trip was coming home because right before we got on the plane, I'd say maybe 20 minutes before we got on the plane, we got a call that our seven-year-old son was back home and he was headed to the ER because he's having a hard time breathing.
[01:00:55] and that scared us to death.
[01:00:58] He's had asthma attacks most of his life.
[01:01:00] I've always been there.
[01:01:02] I've done the midnight ER runs.
[01:01:04] They are not fun.
[01:01:05] They are very stressful.
[01:01:06] I've been there when he's turning white.
[01:01:08] It's just a very stressful situation.
[01:01:12] And so grandma and grandpa reached out to us.
[01:01:15] We're trying to get ahold of people.
[01:01:16] We're trying to get answers from the doctor.
[01:01:18] We're pressed up against the time.
[01:01:19] The plane is boarding and we're getting ready to get on the long leg of the plane
[01:01:24] where it's 14 hours over the ocean, no cell phone service.
[01:01:28] You can't pay to get service or anything like that.
[01:01:31] We're not gonna get any updates.
[01:01:32] We're just gonna go in blind and be in there for 14 hours.
[01:01:36] And then when we land, we'll figure out what's going on.
[01:01:39] And it was the most anxiety riddled I've ever been.
[01:01:42] It was the most stressful I've ever felt.
[01:01:46] Aaron is crying there with me.
[01:01:48] We're praying together and I'm just scared.
[01:01:53] and she's scared.
[01:01:55] And we have this weird guilt of like, we're both here and he's back home and he's probably scared.
[01:02:03] And we got on that plane and just to be honest, I mean, we were praying, there's just not peace.
[01:02:11] We were just struggling.
[01:02:13] I wish I could say I have the faith that I just was able to say a prayer and instantly feel peace, but that's not where I was until we got about three hours out
[01:02:23] where our phones could start working.
[01:02:25] And so we turned on the phones and activated to start getting updates.
[01:02:29] And the first text message I received was from a pastor friend of mine who I had been having pray for our oldest son in the past because about three, four weeks ago, we had had a conversation about he was having a rough night breathing.
[01:02:43] Would you mind praying for him?
[01:02:44] And we had been texting about it like four weeks ago.
[01:02:49] and randomly that during that plane trip at some point he had sent me a text just saying hey man he didn't know anything about the situation he just sent me a text saying hey man i was just thinking of your boy and praying for him right now and i just wanted to see how he's doing and as soon as i got that text there was this peace not because of him
[01:03:14] But because of this just reminder that God's got it even when I don't see it, even when I don't feel like I'm protected, even when I don't feel like I see where God is in all this, He's got it.
[01:03:26] and His protection is enough.
[01:03:29] His provision is enough.
[01:03:32] Can I just encourage the person who's here today and maybe things aren't moving at the pace you want them to move or maybe you're afraid of an upcoming situation.
[01:03:42] I just wanna remind you the words of the donkey.
[01:03:45] Haven't you ridden me all the days of your life up to this point?
[01:03:50] And have I ever not come through?
[01:03:52] Have I ever not been faithful?
[01:03:55] Church, can I just tell you, our Lord Jesus came here, not on a war horse that we'd be struck with fear, but as a donkey that we'd be able to approach Him, with a donkey, so that we'd be able to approach Him.
[01:04:07] He didn't come as a donkey, let's be clear about that.
[01:04:09] He came as Jesus.
[01:04:11] Someone's gonna take that out, don't take that out of context and go crazy on me.
[01:04:18] He came that we'd be able to approach Him.
[01:04:20] He came that we'd know that He's with us and that He's protecting us.
[01:04:25] and He's putting us on the right path.
[01:04:28] Maybe you're here today and the reality is tragedy has already struck your family.
[01:04:32] You lost the job.
[01:04:34] You already did have the marriage fall apart.
[01:04:36] You lost a relationship or you lost a loved one and this Christmas is gonna be challenging.
[01:04:42] I just wanna encourage you.
[01:04:44] The Christmas story is the reminder that our God hasn't forgotten us, that He comes and meets us right where we are.
[01:04:52] And even in the midst of tragedy,
[01:04:56] That's the moment where for many people I've seen
[01:05:00] Even in the midst of loss, even in the midst of a broken relationship, even in the midst of financial just wait, that's the moment where their faith becomes the most real.
[01:05:10] That's the moment where they see God's provision the most is in the time of need.
[01:05:15] That's the moment you sense God's protection in your time of danger.
[01:05:18] That's the moment where you see God's presence in the time of tragedy.
[01:05:23] I wanna encourage you, your God has not abandoned you.
[01:05:27] Your God has not left you.
[01:05:28] And though this world is not perfect and there's brokenness and imperfection, your God is good.
[01:05:34] And he sent his son Jesus for you that you would know his protection and that you would know and have a way to the Father for all eternity.
[01:05:45] You know, maybe you're here today and you're like, Will, I want the war horse God.
[01:05:51] I need the warhorse, God.
[01:05:52] I need the power of God.
[01:05:53] I want to remind you, Jesus is coming back.
[01:05:57] And He said, next time, He will be on a warhorse.
[01:05:59] I got good news for you, if that's what you're looking for.
[01:06:02] Look at this in Revelation.
[01:06:03] Then I saw, this is prophecy that John, one of Jesus' disciples, saw of the returning of his friend Jesus.
[01:06:13] Then I saw heaven opened up, and behold, a white horse, the thing you were imagining.
[01:06:20] The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war.
[01:06:26] His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems.
[01:06:32] I've been struggling with that word the whole time.
[01:06:35] And he has a name written that no one knows but himself.
[01:06:39] He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name which he called is the Word of God.
[01:06:46] And the armies of heaven arrayed in fine linen, white and pure,
[01:06:50] were following him, also on white horses.
[01:06:53] From his mouth came a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron.
[01:06:59] He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of the God Almighty, and on his robe and on his thigh he has a name written.
[01:07:07] He is the King of kings, and he is the Lord of lords."
[01:07:10] Church, I wanna tell you, Jesus is coming back, and he will come back in all the glory that you're looking for.
[01:07:19] But how amazing that we serve a God who can both ride in on the white warhorse and also on the donkey.
[01:07:30] That while He is that powerful God who can do anything and who will rule over all, He is the King of kings and the Lord of lords, He also comes in on a donkey.
[01:07:43] That we might know Him, that we might see Him,
[01:07:49] Now we might know His protection and His provision and His goodness.
[01:07:56] Church, today I want to remind us we serve a God who, His goal isn't meet our expectations, it's beyond that.
[01:08:09] And so you're here today.
[01:08:11] I hope this Christmas, as you go through the Christmas season and the craziness of Christmas and the joys and maybe even the pains of Christmas for you this year, that when you see a donkey at that random nativity scene or at the farm, that you'd be reminded of the faithfulness of your God, the humility of your God, and His willingness to meet you right where you're at today.
[01:08:42] Let me pray for us today.
[01:08:44] Father God, we thank you so much that you didn't come to meet our expectations.
[01:08:49] You know, so often we think our plans are the best plans.
[01:08:53] We think our plans are what you should be doing.
[01:08:55] That if we're faithful to you, you should bless our plans.
[01:08:58] And yet God, what you're doing is bigger.
[01:09:01] What you're doing goes beyond our vision, beyond our sight.
[01:09:04] We thank you for stories like Balaam and the donkey, that even when Balaam couldn't see the danger he was in, the donkey was protecting him.
[01:09:16] We thank you that Jesus came in riding on a donkey,
[01:09:19] He is the Prince of Peace that you didn't come just to judge us.
[01:09:26] You didn't come to strike us down.
[01:09:28] No, you could have had the right to do that.
[01:09:30] Strike down your enemies.
[01:09:32] You came for the sinner.
[01:09:36] You came for us while we were still far from you.
[01:09:40] God, even when we don't fully understand what you're doing, even when we're frustrated or don't see where it's going, God, you are still faithful, and we just thank you for that.
[01:09:51] Thank you for your faithfulness.
[01:09:55] You're here today, and maybe you don't know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.
[01:09:58] I want you to know God sees you right where you are today.
[01:10:04] He came riding in on a donkey.
[01:10:06] He wants you to know him.
[01:10:08] He's not trying to be far from you.
[01:10:09] He's not trying to hide from you.
[01:10:13] He sent His Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for your sins that you might be saved and know your Father.
[01:10:21] That you might be able to stand before your Father perfect and blameless because Jesus took the weight of your sin and my sin on the cross.
[01:10:30] And so this Christmas season, there's not a better time to stop and acknowledge what Jesus has done.
[01:10:36] and receive Him as your Lord and Savior.
[01:10:40] That means, Master, I surrender to you as the authority over my life, not my own way, your will, God.
[01:10:50] Today, would you make that your prayer?
[01:10:52] You don't have to hide from God.
[01:10:54] He is not hiding from you.
[01:10:56] It doesn't matter what mistakes you've made, how far you've run from God.
[01:11:00] Right now, you sense He's calling you home.
[01:11:05] He's inviting you back.
[01:11:07] He's telling you, I love you.
[01:11:10] I wanna protect you.
[01:11:13] I wanna walk with you.
[01:11:15] I want you to know me.
[01:11:20] We don't have to dress it up, make it fancy.
[01:11:22] It's simple, it's true.
[01:11:25] Your God loves you.
[01:11:28] Would you today receive Him?
[01:11:31] Make this your prayer, Father God, I believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross for my sins.
[01:11:36] They saved me, protected me, paid the price of sin in my life.
[01:11:45] And God, I want to learn what it's like to follow you.
[01:11:51] I don't fully know how to do that maybe right now, but God, I want to learn how to walk with you.
[01:11:57] I accept Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior, surrender my life to you as my Lord.
[01:12:03] I want to follow you.
[01:12:04] I want to walk with you.
[01:12:05] I invite the Holy Spirit, which is God's very presence, to come and guide me and lead me.
[01:12:11] And so, God, thank you so much for Jesus.
[01:12:13] Thank you for the cross.
[01:12:14] Thank you for saving me.
[01:12:16] I believe Jesus died and rose again for me.
[01:12:20] God, thank you for this church, and thank you for this Christmas season.
[01:12:23] I pray that this Christmas, you know, even as we run around and try to have
[01:12:32] Make memories of family and friends and joy.
[01:12:35] That, God, we wouldn't forget the reason we celebrate.
[01:12:41] The good news, the simplicity.
[01:12:44] Jesus Christ is born.
[01:12:46] A savior is born.
[01:12:48] He's come to set his people free.
[01:12:51] We thank you for that.
[01:12:53] Thank you for your protection.
[01:12:54] Thank you for your provision.
[01:12:55] Thank you for your presence.
[01:12:59] Pray for the one who's here today that maybe
[01:13:01] It's a tough Christmas.
[01:13:04] Pray today that you just remind us, have I ever left you before?
[01:13:10] Have I ever abandoned you?
[01:13:12] Am I not still faithful?
[01:13:13] We thank you that you are still faithful.
[01:13:15] We thank you that you will return on your war horse.
[01:13:17] We thank you that you've come on a donkey.
[01:13:20] We thank you for your faithfulness.
[01:13:22] We come to you in the name of Jesus.
[01:13:24] Amen.
[01:13:26] Amen.
[01:13:27] Hey, let's celebrate with those making a decision today.
[01:13:29] Apologies.
[01:13:30] Love you guys.
[01:13:33] Be sure, if you made that decision, let somebody know at the Next Steps area.
[01:13:38] It's Whoville.
[01:13:39] We also have our prayer team out there.
[01:13:41] If you are looking for someone to pray with you, don't walk out of here.
[01:13:45] We've got a team that would love to pray with you.
[01:13:47] I love you guys.
[01:13:48] I'll see you next week for week two of Christmas at the Cove.

[01:14:27] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
Glory to God, Glory to God in the highest forever For all He has done is unfailing love Glory to God in the highest forever Glory to God, Glory to God, Glory to God in the highest forever
[01:15:03] Glory to God in the highest
[01:15:29] To a place unexpected, would you believe?
[01:15:52] After all, we project a child in our manger Lonely and small, the weakest of all Unlikeliest hero, wrapped in his mother's shawl Just a child, is this who we've waited for?
[01:16:00] Step down from their thrones How many lords have abandoned their homes How many greats have become the least for me And how many gods have poured out their hearts To romance a world that is torn all apart How many fathers gave up their sons for me
[01:16:52] We are still suffering.
[01:17:24] Let us draw on the cross

[01:18:09] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
Let's pray.

[01:18:42] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
We lift up our voices, we'll sing our Christmas songs We sing of our Savior, our Son has come

[01:22:09] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_09]:
Thank you for watching!

[01:24:40] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
No lyrics right?
[01:25:13] Thank you.

[01:26:01] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_09]:
Thank you for watching!