Christ’s Transformative Power: The Heart of Christmas

[00:14:49] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
Good to see everybody this morning.
[00:14:51] If you all will please stand and let's sing together.

[00:15:18] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
What a privilege to carry Everything to God in prayer Oh, what peace we often forfeit Oh, what needless pain we bear All because we do not care
[00:15:49] Everything to God in prayer Family trials and temptations Feels their trouble anywhere We should never be discouraged Take it to the Lord in prayer
[00:16:25] In all our sorrow and shame Jesus knows our every weakness Take him to the Lord in prayer
[00:16:44] Are we weak and heavy laden, conquered with the Lord of Hell?
[00:17:10] Precious saviors to our refuge, take it to the Lord in prayer.
[00:17:11] Do that prince despise forsake?
[00:17:17] Good morning, everybody.

[00:17:41] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]:
It's good to see everybody.
[00:17:42] Good to see everybody out of the cold as well.
[00:17:45] No, it is good to see everybody.
[00:17:48] First of all, like I said, welcome.
[00:17:49] It is good to see everybody smiling faces.
[00:17:52] Got just a couple of things we're gonna do today.
[00:17:54] So first thing I would like to do,
[00:17:57] is that I actually would like to talk about the Lottie Moon offering now each year there is also a prayer week for Lottie Moon now this year the dates are November the 30th through December the 7th which is kind of crazy to believe we're already heading into December but in each bulletin there is a pamphlet which with the prayer listed for each day of the week it's going to look something like this now this is going to give you something that you can be praying for every day and I think that's really nice because for a lot of us
[00:18:27] We oftentimes will get in the habit of prayer, but it can be easy to just forget many of the numerous things that we can be in prayer for.
[00:18:35] But this shows many of the missionaries, many of the other areas in which God is using individuals to reach others with the gospel so that we can be in prayer for them each day this week.
[00:18:46] Now also inserted into the bulletin is the story of Lottie Moon as well, which if you guys have never heard of that story before, it's a really, really interesting one, I have to say.
[00:18:57] Then finally, in each pew there's going to be an envelope.
[00:19:00] It's going to look something like this, right?
[00:19:02] In each pew there's an envelope for Lottie Moon Mission that you can contribute to any time, but the actual walk to the manger, that's going to be December the 21st.
[00:19:12] Now, one more thing I'd like to cover is all these beautiful prayer shawls, which really, by the way, the entire church is just absolutely beautiful today, I've got to say, but these beautiful prayer shawls and blankets that we have right now.
[00:19:23] Now each year the prayer shawl ministry, it makes red, white, and green Christmas blankets.
[00:19:30] Now these blankets are going to be for the Waltz Hospice Home.
[00:19:32] Now this year they're going to have 19 blankets to be delivered.
[00:19:36] And each blanket, it's being prayed for many, many times.
[00:19:40] It's being prayed for while it's actually being crocheted upon the completion of it by the group.
[00:19:45] And now we're going to say a prayer for it as well.
[00:19:49] I tell you guys what let's go ahead and bow our heads and pray and let's pray for all that and let's pray for the service as well so let's bow our heads and pray Father we thank you so much for everything that you have given to us we thank you for the love that you have given to us for sending your son to die for us Father we pray now over all these things that we have mentioned over these wonderful blankets that are going to be towards those that are in need Father
[00:20:15] And we are just so incredibly thankful that we can touch the lives of so many people, Lord God, and that even whenever people see these and whenever they even feel these things, Father, that they are thinking of you, Lord God.
[00:20:29] It's really just a wonderful blessing, Father, and we thank you for that, and we thank you in your name that we pray.
[00:20:34] Amen.

[00:20:58] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
There's nothing worth more That will ever come close Nothing can compare You're our living hope Your presence
[00:21:29] I have tasted and seen all the sweetest of loves Where my heart becomes free and my shame is undone Your presence Lord

[00:22:03] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
Come flood this place and fill the atmosphere Your glory God is what our hearts long for To be overcome by your presence
[00:22:38] There's nothing worth more That'll ever come close Nothing can compare
[00:23:04] I've tasted and seen all the sweetest of loves Where my heart becomes free and my shame is undone
[00:24:08] Let us become more aware of your presence Let us experience the glory of your goodness Let us become more aware of your presence Let us experience the glory of your goodness
[00:24:47] In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

[00:25:04] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
Amen.

[00:25:25] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]:
Let us pray.
[00:25:27] Our Heavenly Father, O Lord, we thank you, Father, for this day, and Lord, for the many blessings that you give us.
[00:25:33] And Lord, as we come to take up our tithes and offerings today, Lord, we just pray your blessings upon them.
[00:25:39] Lord, just give us...
[00:25:40] Knowledge of how to spend and, Lord, to distribute their money, Lord, for the upkeep and the furthers of thy kingdom.
[00:25:51] Lord, just pray that your blessings upon it today, Lord.
[00:25:54] We just pray that you will bless the gift and, Lord, bless the giver.
[00:25:59] For it's in Christ's name I pray.
[00:26:01] Amen.

[00:26:34] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
In Jesus name we pray.
[00:26:50] Amen.

[00:27:45] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
Lord, I come to Thee, to Thee,

[00:28:13] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
Sanctification, Deuteronomy, Deuteronomy, Deuteronomy, Deuteronomy

[00:28:43] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
O Lord, praise You!

[00:29:10] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
Praise You!
[00:29:10] Praise You!
[00:29:10] Praise You!
[00:29:10] Let my life
[00:29:11] Let my heart praise you, praise you, praise you, praise you, let my
[00:29:41] Lord, praise you.
[00:29:59] Lord, you are the end of days, and for your glory
[00:30:15] Use this vessel as you choose And let the light of the Lord raise you
[00:30:45] Praise You!
[00:31:13] Praise You!
[00:31:14] Praise You!
[00:31:14] Let my life praise You!

[00:31:16] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
Praise You, Praise You, Praise You Let my life go on

[00:32:10] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
Children, you may now go to Children's Church.

[00:32:41] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]:
Good morning.
[00:33:02] Come on up, Dan.
[00:33:05] Dr. Dan's going to preach for us today.
[00:33:08] Glad to have him here with us this morning.
[00:33:11] After Dan finishes his sermon, we have the invitation.
[00:33:14] We'll be voting on Dale Wallace as our interim pastor.
[00:33:19] So at this time, I'll turn the pulpit over to Dale.

[00:33:26] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
I would have you know this is not planned.
[00:33:30] There was a miscommunication.
[00:33:33] Dale thought I was preaching, and I thought he was preaching.
[00:33:39] I always carry five or six sermons in my Bible, just in case, because this has happened before.
[00:33:45] Being Director of Missions, I go to a lot of churches, and I've been to several where the preacher said, I don't feel good this morning, you do preach for me.
[00:33:52] So, what do you do?
[00:33:54] But I am thankful that I'm here this morning, and I'm thankful to the good Lord that He always supplies.
[00:34:01] And if you believe in prayer this morning, I would encourage you to pray for me, very much so.
[00:34:06] I would greatly appreciate that.
[00:34:09] I looked at several sermons in the five minutes I had to prepare.
[00:34:16] So I've chosen this one, and I may have preached it here before.
[00:34:19] I do not know.
[00:34:20] If I have, you need to hear it again anyway.
[00:34:23] So most of the sermons I preach, I preach to myself because I need them, and I'm sure you probably need them as well.
[00:34:30] I appreciate the song that was just sung that talks about being transformed, that the Lord came to change us.
[00:34:36] That's what Christmas is all about, that the Lord has come to change our hearts.
[00:34:41] The Bible is an interesting book.
[00:34:43] It's not a book about man's search for God.
[00:34:45] It's about God's search for you and I because we're lost, we're undone, and that's what Christmas is about.
[00:34:52] I remember as a boy, I was in high school, I think it was 11th grade, when man first walked on the moon, Richard Nixon said, who was president at the time, that's the greatest event in human history.
[00:35:03] I beg to differ.
[00:35:04] The greatest event in human history is not when man walked on the moon, but when God walked on this earth in the person of Jesus Christ.
[00:35:11] That He came to save us from ourselves because sin has marred us.
[00:35:16] And that we have a God who has coded His DNA within us, but sin has marred that as He created us in His image.
[00:35:25] And God came in the form of a person and took upon our DNA that He might restore us and redeem us.
[00:35:33] And that's what Christmas is about.
[00:35:35] Not just the giving and the eating and the getting together, so festive time, which I love Christmas time, but it's about what God wants to do in each of our hearts.
[00:35:44] So I want to bring a message this morning, if you'll find your Bible and make your way to Luke chapter 13.
[00:35:50] Luke chapter 13.
[00:35:52] I want to bring a message entitled, From Deformed to Transformed.
[00:35:56] That's what Christmas is about.
[00:35:57] About God transforming us.
[00:36:00] That we are deformed by sin.
[00:36:02] That sin has marred us, but He has come to restore us.
[00:36:09] Now in this story, Jesus is around the area of Galilee where He did a lot of His ministry.
[00:36:15] Interesting, we think of
[00:36:17] Luke Chapter 13
[00:36:47] Beginning in verse 10.
[00:36:49] And he, speaking of Jesus, he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath.
[00:36:55] Let me just stop and pause right there.
[00:36:56] I have a lot of times people will say, Well, I don't believe you have to go to church to be a Christian.
[00:37:01] I just want to live like Jesus.
[00:37:03] Well, where did Jesus find himself on the Sabbath day?
[00:37:06] Well, he was in the house of God.
[00:37:07] He was in the house of worship.
[00:37:09] So if you want to be like Jesus, if it's possible, that's where we need to be on the Sabbath day.
[00:37:13] And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath.
[00:37:17] And behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed or bowed together, and could in no way or no wise lift up herself.
[00:37:28] And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity.
[00:37:37] And he laid his hands on her, and immediately she was made straight and glorified God.
[00:37:43] And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation because that Jesus had healed on the Sabbath day.
[00:37:50] And he said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to work.
[00:37:55] In them therefore come and be healed, but not on the Sabbath day.
[00:37:59] The Lord answered him and said, Thou hypocrite!
[00:38:03] Does not each one on the Sabbath day loose his ox and his ass from his stall and lead him away to watering?
[00:38:11] And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?
[00:38:21] And when he had said these things, all his adversaries were ashamed, and all the people rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him.
[00:38:32] Let us pray.
[00:38:33] Father, this morning as we come into thy blessed presence, we thank you for your love, your grace, your goodness.
[00:38:38] We thank you for this wonderful time of the year of Thanksgiving as it dovetails into Christmas time.
[00:38:45] Lord, what a joyous season it is.
[00:38:47] Help us always to remember the reason and help us to always remember that it's because we were deformed and you came to transform us.
[00:38:55] Father, we thank you for your love, your grace, your goodness.
[00:38:57] Bless these moments together in Jesus' name.
[00:39:00] Amen.
[00:39:00] You may be seated.
[00:39:02] This is an interesting story.
[00:39:03] Jesus here is on the Sabbath day.
[00:39:06] His custom was to go into the synagogue and preach and to teach.
[00:39:11] And wherever he went by this time, there was always a crowd that followed him.
[00:39:16] And as he is teaching and preaching, there's a woman that comes in who has been bound 18 years by some ailment that caused her to have a curvature of the spine, is what we would call it, to where she was bent over double and couldn't even straighten up.
[00:39:34] Now, I remember when I lived in Yadkin County, there was a man that lived close by to the church.
[00:39:38] He was like that.
[00:39:39] He walked like this all the time, and he had to walk with a stick so he wouldn't fall over, really.
[00:39:43] He had a curvature of the spine.
[00:39:44] That's what this woman had here.
[00:39:47] And most people shunned her.
[00:39:49] Most people probably stayed away from her.
[00:39:51] Most people tried to avoid her.
[00:39:53] Most people probably, when they saw her come in, thought she was a nuisance and thought, well, she's just going to cause trouble and disturbance.
[00:39:59] Somebody's going to have to help her.
[00:40:01] She can't get around under her own power very well.
[00:40:05] And here is Jesus seeing this woman come in.
[00:40:10] And as I read this story this morning, how can we relate that to what Christmas is about?
[00:40:16] How can we learn from this story?
[00:40:18] Well, as I look at this story, I think there are several things we learn.
[00:40:22] First of all, I think we learn from this story the problem of all humanity.
[00:40:25] The problem of all humanity.
[00:40:28] Notice it says, And behold, there was a woman, in verse 11, who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and she was bowed together, bowed together, and could in no way lift up herself, no matter how hard she tried.
[00:40:39] It's been that way eighteen years.
[00:40:41] Don't you know she got up every morning and did everything she could to try to lift herself up?
[00:40:45] Don't you know she did throughout the day, tried everything she could in her own power and her own strength to lift herself up straight, but she couldn't do it no matter what she did, no matter what she tried, no matter what effort she put forth, she couldn't move one inch from where she was.
[00:40:59] Matter of fact, each year she got worse.
[00:41:03] You know, I see this as the problem of humanity.
[00:41:06] Man tries to raise himself by his own bootstraps.
[00:41:09] He tries to fix himself up where he can earn his own salvation.
[00:41:14] You know, I can live a good enough life, I can be a good enough person that I can make it into the presence of God on my own effort.
[00:41:22] And man tries and tries and tries to lift himself up, but he can't do it.
[00:41:28] I was preaching a few months ago at a church, and afterwards a young man came to me, he was probably in his twenties, and he said, can I talk to you a minute?
[00:41:36] I said, sure.
[00:41:39] He said, I'm a fan of Jesus.
[00:41:41] I said, please explain that.
[00:41:42] He said, well, I believe Jesus' teachings and I like to follow his teachings, but I like to follow the teachings of other great religious leaders as well.
[00:41:50] I said, well, Jesus needs to be more than just a fan that you have.
[00:41:55] Jesus needs to be your Savior.
[00:41:58] Can you live a perfect life?
[00:41:59] He said, well, no, I can't live a perfect life.
[00:42:01] I said, well, if you're hanging from the Empire State Building by a chain, how many links in that chain have to break before you become a grease spot on the sidewalk?
[00:42:11] He thought a minute, and he said, well, I guess just one.
[00:42:13] I said, well, have you ever sinned one time in your life?
[00:42:16] He said, oh, yes.
[00:42:17] I said, then you need a Savior.
[00:42:19] Jesus needs to be more than you just being a fan of His.
[00:42:23] He needs to be your Savior.
[00:42:25] Because I can't save myself.
[00:42:27] I can't pull myself up by my own bootstraps.
[00:42:30] I can't ever do enough good works or do enough good efforts to get myself into the presence of God.
[00:42:36] Only way I'm ever going to get into the presence of God, and this is what we need to understand, that God is absolutely holy.
[00:42:42] That means that some way, somehow, I have got to present to Him when it comes to that time and He says, Why should I let you into my heaven?
[00:42:50] I've got to present to Him a holy, perfect life.
[00:42:55] I've heard people say, Well, I try to live by the Sermon on the Mount.
[00:42:57] Well, can you live by this one, which is in the Sermon on the Mount?
[00:43:01] Be ye therefore perfect as your heavenly Father in heaven is perfect.
[00:43:04] I can't do that and you can't either.
[00:43:07] So what am I going to do?
[00:43:09] I can't save myself.
[00:43:11] I can't raise myself up.
[00:43:13] I can in no wise way lift myself up.
[00:43:18] And when I get to heaven, I can't go up to Jesus and say, Me and you did it, didn't we?
[00:43:22] Slide over.
[00:43:23] No.
[00:43:24] Me and him didn't do it.
[00:43:25] He did it all.
[00:43:27] That's what Christmas is about.
[00:43:29] That God came to this earth in the form of a man to do for you and me what I could never ever do for myself.
[00:43:35] And the life that Jesus lived, He lived in my place.
[00:43:39] Can I present to God this morning a perfect holy life?
[00:43:43] I certainly can, but it's not mine.
[00:43:45] It's the life of my substitute, the life of my representative, the life of my Savior Jesus Christ.
[00:43:51] He did for me what I could never ever do for myself.
[00:43:54] And He did for you what you could never do for yourself.
[00:43:58] You know, Martin Luther, the great reformer, he tried everything he could to try to find peace with God.
[00:44:03] He would get on his hands and knees and climb stairs.
[00:44:06] Some of them go up 70 flights, and he would try to climb those.
[00:44:09] He would do everything he could until one day he read in the book of Romans, chapter 1, verse 17, and the righteousness of God, the rightness of God, comes by faith in Jesus Christ.
[00:44:20] He said, that's what I need.
[00:44:21] That's what I need this morning.
[00:44:22] That's what you need.
[00:44:23] I need a righteousness, a rightness that will allow me to stand whole before a perfect holy God and that is Jesus Christ.
[00:44:33] And God came to this earth in the person of Jesus Christ again to do for you and me for what I could never ever do for myself.
[00:44:41] And when Christ died on that cross the life that he lived was my life and the death that he took was in my place.
[00:44:49] He didn't have to do it but he did it because he loved us.
[00:44:53] And I see in this story the problem of all humanity.
[00:44:57] And that is you can't save yourself.
[00:44:59] You can't raise yourself up one inch.
[00:45:01] This woman couldn't do it.
[00:45:02] You can't do it either.
[00:45:04] But I tell you what, I've got a Savior this morning who became a man and dwelt among us.
[00:45:10] Who gives us salvation if we just simply turn to Him and look to Him.
[00:45:14] But a second truth I see in this morning is not only the problem of humanity, I see here the perception of Jesus.
[00:45:20] The perception of Jesus.
[00:45:22] Notice it says in verse 12, And when Jesus saw her.
[00:45:28] Now, you know, you can be talking to somebody and the door opened and you just glance back like that.
[00:45:34] But this word saw is in a tense that meant Jesus saw her and He kept His eyes on her.
[00:45:41] Now, I often think that, you know, Jesus is probably standing up, he's teaching.
[00:45:48] How did he see this woman?
[00:45:49] Because she came in all bent over.
[00:45:51] But he saw her, and not only did he see her, he kept his eyes on her.
[00:45:56] Now, other people probably ignored her.
[00:45:58] Some may not even notice her when she came in.
[00:46:00] Some may have glanced and then took their eyes off of her.
[00:46:03] But Jesus kept his eyes on her the whole time he saw her.
[00:46:08] I want to tell you this morning, I don't know where you are in your life.
[00:46:10] I don't know what you're going through.
[00:46:12] If you're breathing, you're probably going through something.
[00:46:15] Some hurt, some sorrow, some problems, some trouble, some difficulty.
[00:46:18] Let me tell you something, Jesus sees it.
[00:46:21] Other people may not see it.
[00:46:22] Other people may see it, just glance at it and go on.
[00:46:25] You know, sometimes people ask how you're doing and, you know, honestly, they really don't want to know probably.
[00:46:32] And the other half are glad you got it, whatever you tell them.
[00:46:34] So, people will say, how you doing?
[00:46:36] And you give this big spiel.
[00:46:40] But Jesus sees it.
[00:46:42] You know, that's one of the remarkable things in the book of Revelation.
[00:46:46] When Jesus speaks of the seven churches,
[00:46:48] To every church he said this, I see, I see, I see, I see.
[00:46:55] He sees.
[00:46:56] He sees what's going on right here at Fairview Baptist Church.
[00:46:59] He knows the situation.
[00:47:01] He knows the circumstance.
[00:47:02] He knows the problems.
[00:47:03] He knows the difficulties.
[00:47:04] He knows everything that's going on.
[00:47:06] And that gives us comfort as we go through life.
[00:47:09] Now other people may not see it.
[00:47:11] Sometimes we may be very private and don't want to share things with other people.
[00:47:14] But I'll tell you what, Jesus sees it and Jesus knows it.
[00:47:16] He saw her and he kept his eyes on her.
[00:47:19] Jesus never takes his eyes off of us.
[00:47:22] And if he sees that sparrow that falls from the ground or falls to the ground, does he not see our problem as well?
[00:47:28] Does he not see our situation as well?
[00:47:30] He looked up and saw Zacchaeus in a tree.
[00:47:33] He saw him.
[00:47:34] Jesus is always seeing those things around us.
[00:47:36] When the woman had the issue of blood and she came up and touched the hem of his garment as the crowd jostled up next to him and was pushing up against him and Jesus stopped because somebody touched him different.
[00:47:48] You know, if you'll touch Jesus, he'll stop.
[00:47:51] He'll stop.
[00:47:53] And He sees you this morning, no matter what your problem is, no matter what your difficulty is, no matter what circumstances you find yourself, Jesus sees it.
[00:48:01] And I don't know about you, but that gives me comfort to know that whatever I'm going through, He's there with me.
[00:48:05] He never leaves me nor forsakes me.
[00:48:07] That's what the Bible says.
[00:48:08] Jesus had many names.
[00:48:09] His name shall be called Emmanuel, God with us.
[00:48:15] That He's with us, He's present with us.
[00:48:17] And the very fact that Jesus Christ came into this world, the very fact that God became a man and dwelt among us, the very fact that He went to the cross, the very fact that He arose from the dead, you know what that means?
[00:48:28] That I can be in His presence, and He in my presence, anytime, anyplace, anywhere, no matter what the situation is.
[00:48:34] No matter what we're going through.
[00:48:36] Paul talked about being in Christ.
[00:48:38] In other words, having a relationship with Him that transcends time, place, or circumstances.
[00:48:44] He saw her.
[00:48:45] And He sees you this morning as well.
[00:48:48] What are you going through today?
[00:48:49] He sees it.
[00:48:50] Are you hurting today?
[00:48:51] He sees it.
[00:48:52] And He's right by your side.
[00:48:54] You know, the interesting thing is that the Bible says, I'll never leave thee nor forsake thee.
[00:49:01] Now, interestingly,
[00:49:03] That's in a tense.
[00:49:04] It's called an emphatic negation.
[00:49:07] I'll never leave thee nor forsake thee.
[00:49:11] In other words, an emphatic negation in the Greek text means this.
[00:49:16] He can't ever do anything other than that.
[00:49:19] In other words, it would be an absolute impossibility for God to ever leave your side.
[00:49:24] Now I realize sometimes you reach out and feel like you can touch him, other times he may feel distant, but you know what, he's still there.
[00:49:30] That's an emphatic negation.
[00:49:32] I will never, it's an absolute impossibility that I'll ever leave thee nor forsake thee.
[00:49:37] He saw her, and he sees you this morning too.
[00:49:40] But a third truth I think we see in this text this morning is the pronouncement of Jesus before the people.
[00:49:46] We've looked at the problem of humanity, the perception of Jesus, but look at the pronouncement before the people.
[00:49:51] Notice what Jesus says in verse 12.
[00:49:53] And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and he said unto her, Woman, thou art loose from thy infirmity.
[00:50:01] Down in verse 16, what does he say?
[00:50:03] And ought not this woman a daughter of Abraham?
[00:50:07] Now Jesus makes a pronouncement here.
[00:50:09] First of all, he calls her woman.
[00:50:10] Now, sometimes when you're translating from one language to another, you don't get the full sense of what the words mean.
[00:50:18] Sometimes words are not translatable into English.
[00:50:21] For instance, we have the word love.
[00:50:23] We just got one word.
[00:50:24] The Greeks had four words for love.
[00:50:26] You know, we can say, I love my father, I love my dog, I love pizza.
[00:50:30] Well, it doesn't differentiate between them.
[00:50:33] Well, here's a case here where this word woman
[00:50:37] It's not a woman of discontent.
[00:50:40] This word woman was a word that was used by Caesar Augustus to address Queen Cleopatra.
[00:50:48] Now here's this poor woman that was an outcast of society who has been over doubled, who people sought to avoid.
[00:50:55] Jesus makes pronounce her and he calls her woman.
[00:50:57] He addresses her as Queen Cleopatra would be addressed by the king.
[00:51:06] The word was used to speak of a woman of distinction, of notoriety, of royalty.
[00:51:13] And don't you know, when he said that, other people were looking around like, well, who's he talking to?
[00:51:17] He's talking to that dear woman.
[00:51:18] He said the same thing to the woman who was caught in the act of adultery.
[00:51:22] Woman.
[00:51:22] He said the same thing to the woman at the well.
[00:51:24] Woman.
[00:51:25] He was addressing them as a person of notoriety, of royalty.
[00:51:31] of Distinction.
[00:51:33] You know what that tells me?
[00:51:34] Jesus doesn't see us as we are.
[00:51:37] He sees us for what we can be.
[00:51:40] Amen.
[00:51:40] I am so glad He does.
[00:51:42] I am so glad that the Lord sees us not just for what we are.
[00:51:47] We only see people for what they are many times.
[00:51:50] Jesus sees us not just for what we are.
[00:51:52] He sees us for what we can be.
[00:51:55] He looked at the Apostle Paul, Saul of Tarsus.
[00:51:59] There was a murderer, a blasphemer, going to put people in prison for worshiping the Lord.
[00:52:05] But you know what God saw?
[00:52:08] He saw an apostle who would take the gospel to the whole known world.
[00:52:13] He looked at Simon Peter and he says, Thou art a rock.
[00:52:19] He was a sandman.
[00:52:20] He looked around this cussed fisherman and he says, I see you preaching on the day of Pentecost to 3,000 people.
[00:52:28] He looked at John, who was called the son of thunder, who had a great temper and who wanted to call fire down out of heaven and destroy people.
[00:52:36] He looked at him and he says, I don't see you for what you are, I see you for what you can be.
[00:52:40] I can see you becoming the apostle of love.
[00:52:46] Aren't you glad Jesus sees us that way?
[00:52:48] Other people may not.
[00:52:50] Many years ago he looked down and he saw a shy, blond-headed boy who wouldn't even go to the door and answer the door if I was home by myself.
[00:52:58] He says, I see you as preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ.
[00:53:02] I'm glad he saw it because I sure didn't.
[00:53:04] I remember when the Lord called me to preach, I said, Lord, I don't even like people.
[00:53:07] What do you call me to preach for?
[00:53:10] But you know what?
[00:53:11] He can change you.
[00:53:12] And He sees something in you that nobody else ever sees.
[00:53:16] And He can change your life.
[00:53:19] Has He changed you this morning?
[00:53:21] That's the way He sees you.
[00:53:22] Other people may say, you're worthless, you're no count, you're no good.
[00:53:26] That's okay.
[00:53:28] The perception of Jesus.
[00:53:29] He sees you for what you can be, not just for what you are.
[00:53:32] He can see the potential within you that nobody else ever sees.
[00:53:35] And He sees you accomplishing things and touching people's lives that nobody ever saw.
[00:53:40] And when you look back at your life and you're amazed, I'm glad God saw that because I sure didn't.
[00:53:45] I'm glad we've got a Savior that loves us enough to see within us what other people can't see.
[00:53:51] And he says you're a daughter of Abraham.
[00:53:52] In other words, you have a right to all the covenant promises that God promised the nation of Israel.
[00:53:59] And people are stunned when they hear that.
[00:54:03] But you know, I see another thing in this text, the persistence of faith.
[00:54:09] Don't you know it was laborious for that woman to get up every morning out of bed?
[00:54:12] You know, that was labor.
[00:54:14] I mean, even if you're doing good as you get older, you grunt and groan as you get up and walk across the floor.
[00:54:19] I always say, people say, I have a blessed day.
[00:54:21] I always answer back, every day's a blessed day.
[00:54:24] And if you can walk, open your eyes, walk across the floor in your own power, you've had a good day already.
[00:54:29] I mean, that's a miracle sometimes in itself.
[00:54:32] But the persistence of this woman's faith, don't you know, as the Sabbath came along, and as I imagine in my head, the alarm clock goes off, she says, well, it's time to go to the Sabbath.
[00:54:41] I just don't feel like going this morning.
[00:54:45] Don't you know it was tough for her to get dressed?
[00:54:48] And not only that, to get to the synagogue.
[00:54:52] But the persistence of this woman's faith.
[00:54:55] Every Sabbath day she did the same thing.
[00:54:58] What if she decided this morning she wasn't going to go?
[00:55:01] She'd have missed a miracle.
[00:55:03] She'd have missed a miracle.
[00:55:06] You know, I think that's true of us.
[00:55:09] Sometimes we just don't make the effort.
[00:55:13] We just don't go through the motions.
[00:55:15] But there's something about the persistence of faith that you keep on keeping on.
[00:55:19] There's something about consistency.
[00:55:22] I hear people say sometimes, you know, I like to run and get out and exercise.
[00:55:26] I hear people say, well, I'm not motivated.
[00:55:28] I say, it's not about motivation.
[00:55:29] It's about commitment.
[00:55:30] It's about discipline.
[00:55:31] What is discipline?
[00:55:32] Discipline is doing what you're supposed to do, when you're supposed to do it, every time you do it.
[00:55:37] You know, we don't get up in the morning and say, well, I wonder if I should go to church today.
[00:55:42] That's something you do.
[00:55:44] Why?
[00:55:44] Because it's Sunday.
[00:55:45] That's what you do.
[00:55:47] That's what this woman did.
[00:55:48] There was a persistence of faith about her
[00:55:52] And because of that, God granted that faith.
[00:55:56] I think sometimes we need to do the same thing.
[00:55:58] Just have that persistence of faith that keeps doing what we're supposed to do.
[00:56:02] Why?
[00:56:02] Because you're supposed to do it.
[00:56:06] You say, well, I didn't see any results.
[00:56:07] Well, do it anyway.
[00:56:10] Do it anyway.
[00:56:10] Why?
[00:56:11] Because that's what we're supposed to do.
[00:56:12] How many times on Sunday morning have I heard people go out the door when I was a pastor and I heard people go out the door and say, You know, I didn't feel like coming this morning, but I came and I'm so glad I did.
[00:56:22] Why?
[00:56:22] Because maybe somebody spoke a word of encouragement to you or just put their arm around you or just smiled at you or just said they was praying for you or the pastor said something that spoke to your heart and the Lord blessed you with it.
[00:56:35] Why?
[00:56:35] That's persistence of faith, doing what you're supposed to do.
[00:56:40] We need more of that today.
[00:56:42] Too many people want to bail out.
[00:56:43] Too many people want to sit on the sidelines.
[00:56:45] Too many people want to do their own thing.
[00:56:48] No, there's a persistence and a reward that comes with being persistent of faith.
[00:56:53] It's like when I used to coach, I'd tell runners, you do what you're supposed to do every day and you'll get better by accident.
[00:57:00] Well, you get better on purpose because you keep doing what you're supposed to do.
[00:57:06] Well, that's when it comes to our faith.
[00:57:08] We do what we're supposed to do because that's what we're supposed to do.
[00:57:11] That's what this woman did.
[00:57:13] Look at the reward she got.
[00:57:16] Brethren, it says, and they glorified God.
[00:57:17] They had church that day.
[00:57:19] Now, what if she'd stayed home?
[00:57:20] She'd have missed it.
[00:57:22] She'd have missed it.
[00:57:23] But also see in this text the power of a changed life.
[00:57:28] Notice it says in verse 13.
[00:57:30] Let's go back and read verse 12 again.
[00:57:31] It says, And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him and said unto her, Woman, thou art loose from thy infirmity.
[00:57:40] And he laid his hands on her, and immediately she was made straight.
[00:57:44] Now this word straight is where we get our word orthotic from.
[00:57:48] Now what does an orthotic do?
[00:57:49] An orthotic, you put it in your shoe.
[00:57:51] I've got orthotics in my shoe.
[00:57:52] They keep your feet straight.
[00:57:54] They keep them from collapsing.
[00:57:55] Immediately she was...
[00:57:57] Transformed, if you would.
[00:57:59] She was transformed.
[00:58:00] She was deformed, but she was transformed and glorified God.
[00:58:04] The power of a changed life.
[00:58:06] You know, there's nothing that gives more evidence to the gospel of Jesus Christ than a changed life.
[00:58:13] To know that your life has been changed.
[00:58:14] I'm not talking about being perfect.
[00:58:15] We all stumble and we all fall.
[00:58:17] I tell people I'm not sanctified all the way yet.
[00:58:20] I do a lot of things.
[00:58:21] I stumble.
[00:58:21] I mess up.
[00:58:22] I goof up.
[00:58:23] But you know what?
[00:58:24] I know Jesus has changed my life.
[00:58:25] I'm not what I used to be.
[00:58:26] I'm not what I'm going to be either.
[00:58:29] That he has changed our life and made us into something that we could never be in our own power.
[00:58:34] This woman could not have changed her life.
[00:58:38] Jesus did.
[00:58:38] She tried, but she couldn't do it.
[00:58:42] All the power of a changed life.
[00:58:46] When the early disciples met Jesus, and you look at Andrew, and you look at Peter, and you look at Nathaniel, and you look at them, they would go and witness to others and what they'd say, come and see.
[00:58:56] You sure this guy can change your life?
[00:58:59] Come and see.
[00:59:00] Come and see.
[00:59:01] Come and see.
[00:59:03] And they would come and see and find out.
[00:59:05] Why?
[00:59:05] Because of a changed life.
[00:59:07] You know, when John writes in the book of 1 John and he says, That which was in the beginning, that which we heard, that which we saw, that which we touched and felt.
[00:59:15] He's writing something that 60 years ago happened.
[00:59:21] And it's in a tense that means this.
[00:59:23] That which I saw 60 years ago, I still see it in my mind's eye.
[00:59:28] That which I heard sixty years ago, I still hear it in my mind's eye.
[00:59:32] That which I touched sixty years ago, I can still feel that touch.
[00:59:38] I wonder, can you and I
[00:59:40] You meet people all the time who say, well, I used to go to church.
[00:59:43] I used to do this.
[00:59:44] I used to do that.
[00:59:46] Well, we need to transform.
[00:59:48] We need to be transformed and have a changed life.
[00:59:52] The power of a changed life.
[00:59:53] There's nothing greater testimony than to know your life's been changed.
[00:59:57] And other people see that.
[00:59:58] I remember a pastor's church in Smithfield, North Carolina.
[01:00:04] And there were two brothers in the community that were very rowdy, and I'm being kind.
[01:00:10] One of them got saved.
[01:00:12] His life was radically changed.
[01:00:14] I tried to talk to his brother, and his brother said, I don't believe in the Bible, I don't believe in that Jesus, I don't believe in this, and I don't believe in that.
[01:00:21] But he says, I will say this, something's happened to my brother that I can't explain.
[01:00:29] You can't argue with a changed life.
[01:00:31] You can't argue with a life that's been touched by the God who became a man and dwelt among us.
[01:00:37] You'll never be the same again.
[01:00:39] You'll never be the same again.
[01:00:42] A changed life.
[01:00:44] But one last point I see this morning, and that is the priority of people.
[01:00:48] The priority of people.
[01:00:50] Notice, as you read this text, and I'm not going to go back and read it, those who were in the synagogue got mad.
[01:00:58] I can't believe Jesus healed somebody on the Sabbath.
[01:01:01] See, you weren't allowed to do that according to their tradition.
[01:01:03] Not according to Scripture, but according to their tradition.
[01:01:06] There were certain things you couldn't do on the Sabbath day.
[01:01:08] Now, they had 613 of these.
[01:01:12] For instance, on the Sabbath day, you could not drink water and stand close to a fire because the fire might boil the water in your stomach and that would be cooking.
[01:01:22] You couldn't do that on the Sabbath day.
[01:01:25] You couldn't walk across grass on the Sabbath day.
[01:01:28] You couldn't eat an egg that had been laid on the Sabbath day.
[01:01:33] You couldn't look into a mirror.
[01:01:35] A woman was not allowed to look into a mirror on the Sabbath day because she might see a gray hair and pull it out, and that would be shearing.
[01:01:41] I mean, they had all these dumb rules that they had.
[01:01:43] They were more interested in what?
[01:01:45] They were more interested in their rules and regulations than there were people.
[01:01:50] So here's this guy.
[01:01:51] Here's this girl, and there's other guys, the same thing on the Sabbath day.
[01:01:55] Jesus would heal them, and they'd get mad.
[01:01:58] You couldn't carry your bed on the Sabbath day.
[01:02:01] There's so many things they said you couldn't do on the Sabbath day.
[01:02:05] So Jesus heals this dear woman, and they get mad.
[01:02:09] Jesus says, you got more concern over your donkey or your ox than you do this dear woman.
[01:02:16] Now I wonder sometimes if that's not true with us.
[01:02:19] Do we get not sometimes get so caught up in our rules and regulations and doing things like we want it done, doing things like we think it ought to be done, then being concerned about people need Jesus.
[01:02:31] They need the Lord.
[01:02:33] And some people got some rough edges around them.
[01:02:36] But you know what?
[01:02:36] We've got to be concerned about people.
[01:02:40] More so than about some of our rules and our regulations.
[01:02:43] You know what was it Barney said about Andy one time?
[01:02:47] He's tried to teach me that when you're dealing with people, go not so much by the book, but by the heart.
[01:02:54] And I think sometimes we need to do that.
[01:02:57] Oh, they smell and they stink.
[01:02:59] Well, if you came from that background, you might too.
[01:03:02] But you know what?
[01:03:04] I like what Red Skelton said.
[01:03:07] He said, the Bible says we've all been created in the image of God.
[01:03:12] And since none of us has ever seen God,
[01:03:16] Then it behooves us to be kind to everybody we see.
[01:03:21] Not the best theology in the world, but a good principle.
[01:03:24] Because everybody you meet is hurting.
[01:03:26] Everybody you meet has got a problem.
[01:03:28] Everybody you meet is going through something, I guarantee.
[01:03:31] They may say they're doing fine, but I guarantee you once you get to know people, they're not.
[01:03:35] That's why he's saying here, the priority of people.
[01:03:40] People need the Lord.
[01:03:44] And it says, And when he had said these things, all his adversaries were ashamed.
[01:03:51] But guess what the rest of the people did?
[01:03:52] They glorified for all the glorious things that were done by Jesus.
[01:03:57] You know, where there's something going on, people are going to say, What's going on?
[01:04:02] If we're glorifying the Lord, they won't know what's going on.
[01:04:06] A changed life.
[01:04:08] From deformed to transformed.
[01:04:10] That's what Christmas is about.
[01:04:13] I can't save myself this morning.
[01:04:15] You can't save yourself.
[01:04:16] You say, I'm a pretty good fellow.
[01:04:17] I am too if you compare me to Saddam Hussein and Osama Bin Laden.
[01:04:21] I'm a great fellow.
[01:04:22] But you know what?
[01:04:23] That's not my standard.
[01:04:24] My standard is Jesus Christ and I come up woefully short.
[01:04:29] Maybe you're here this morning and you say, well, you know, I'm not a bad guy.
[01:04:33] Well, that's not going to save you.
[01:04:38] You need a Savior.
[01:04:39] You need to be transformed.
[01:04:42] Christ came to take our deformity of sin and transform us into a changed life.
[01:04:49] And they glorified God.
[01:04:52] That's what Christmas is about.
[01:04:54] Not just something we celebrate during December, but something we can celebrate all through the year.
[01:05:00] That Christ came to change our life.
[01:05:03] Has He changed your life this morning?
[01:05:06] I pray that He has.
[01:05:08] Let us pray.
[01:05:10] Father, this morning we're grateful and we're thankful for your precious love and your goodness and your mercy.
[01:05:15] And Father, I just pray this morning if there's one person here that's trying to straighten their self up like this dear woman did, they can't do it.
[01:05:22] They need a savior.
[01:05:24] Father, we're so grateful for this time of Christmas that reminds us that you left heaven's glory and you came to this earth to be part of our everyday life.
[01:05:35] We are so grateful this morning that you see us not just for what we are, but for what we can be.
[01:05:49] Father, we pray that you'll give us a desire in our heart to reach out to other people, to let them realize they need a Savior too.
[01:05:59] So, Father, we just thank you for this time together.
[01:06:01] Help us always to keep our eyes on Jesus because he kept his eyes on us and does every single day.
[01:06:07] So, Lord, we thank you, we praise you, we lift our hearts to you.
[01:06:11] In Jesus' precious, holy, wonderful, and glorious name we do pray.
[01:06:16] Amen.
[01:06:17] What's our invitation?
[01:06:20] Count your blessings.
[01:06:21] Altars open this morning if you need to come and pray.
[01:06:25] Feel free to do so, but count your blessings and name them one by one as we stand and sing.

[01:07:02] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
Amen.

[01:07:14] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
I appreciate the opportunity to preach this morning.

[01:07:43] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]:
You may be seated.
[01:07:48] That was a great sermon.
[01:07:50] The part he touched on about everybody going through something is very true.
[01:07:55] There's not many families around that don't have something going on, sickness or whatever it is, or family issues or financial issues or whatever, but I think it was God's will that Dan spoke today, and that was a great sermon.
[01:08:09] When y'all agree, say amen.
[01:08:11] Amen.
[01:08:12] This time I'd like to call Fairview Baptist Church into conference.
[01:08:16] We have one order of business.
[01:08:18] Last Sunday I announced that we'd be voting for Dale Wallace today as our interim pastor as a recommendation from our deacon body.
[01:08:25] And at this time some of the deacons will come up and we'll pass out the ballots.
[01:08:54] All church members raise your hand please.

[01:09:24] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
Amen.
[01:10:18] Let us pray.

[01:10:58] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]:
If you're a visitor this morning and you need to leave, feel free to leave.
[01:11:01] We're going to count the votes very quickly and come back and announce the outcome of the vote.

[01:11:34] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
Let us pray.
[01:12:31] Let us pray.
[01:13:25] Let us pray.
[01:13:49] Let us pray.
[01:14:29] In Jesus' name, amen.

[01:14:53] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
In Jesus' name, amen.

[01:15:31] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]:
Thank you very much for your patience.
[01:15:33] We had a 97.33% positive vote.
[01:15:36] So, we have a new interim pastor.
[01:15:44] I'll call Dale this afternoon and let him know and look forward to his ministry here and what he's got to offer our church.
[01:15:54] Appreciate Dan's comments last Sunday.
[01:15:56] It was very, very positive.
[01:15:58] about what he brings and the history he has and his relationship with God and what he can bring to us and the next level he can take us to while we're waiting to get a new pastor so also be in prayer for our pastor search committee that's a very important thing we'll be praying about every day at this time